Top Two Remain Top Two

Derrick Carter had complete control of the Bulldogs of Nash Central in the semi finals of the Big East Baseball Tournament.  Carter struck out 11 in shutting out  Nash Central as Northern Nash advances to the finals with 2-0 victory.  They will face Hunt who was a 7-3  winner over Fike.  It was the fourth time this year that the Warriors have taken down their arch rival.

They will play for the tournament title Saturday night at Northern Nash.  Just found out that WHIG-TV  will be covering the finals and yours truly will be there behind the mic.  Fike already in the state playoffs but Nash Central at 10-10 on the season will hold their breath  until the playoff announcement as the four seed from Big East they could get one of the last spots in the state tournament but it will totally be at the mercy of other teams in the east who are not in their conference top  three who may have an over all better record.

Inspiring article in the Rocky Mount Telegram earlier this week about Joesph Cook the Nash Central golfer who has made the regional golf despite having one leg shorter than the other.  There are plenty of people who have excuses in life and Joesph  could have a good one if he wish to use it. Instead he found a way to play a game he loves despite hurdles he had to work around.  It is us normal people who have the obstacles when we think we are normal and choose not to use every thing God gave us in life.

As you know one of my heroes in life Richard Murray pass away last week and I attended his funeral On Sunday.  As I sat watching all the players who had contact with Murray over his coaching life at Ahoskie High and later as Hertford County I had a thought that that maybe our world would be a better place if coaches were in charge of race relations.

Murray was a line coach, baseball coach and athletic director during his career and I can tell you a coach does not see the color of the face only the helmet he wears.  Listening to many players tell their stories  during the service and afterwards in a reception held for everyone to meet the family.  I can tell you there is a love for a coach who twenty five years after you have gone  he calls wanting to know how your life is.

Coach Murray is like so many others coaches like Dean Smith, Coach K, and many others. Why do players come back so often  to see coach?  The reason is coaches teach you about life while they teach you the game you play.  Once a player gets out into the real world you look back and can see what coach told you is true.  Yes, they try to teach you the game to win but there is just something long after the game is over that lives with you and you see what coaches have done for you.

I wonder if all these people who claim to want to help those who think they are being mistreated by racism ever played a game where the guy beside you was a different color but because you all wanted the same thing you were united in a goal.  That goal was as much about life as it is about the game.  Players who have live through it know what I mean.