The Writing Is On The Wall

We have  all heard the all saying that the writing was on the wall but we ignored the signs.  Sometimes it could be our own health that our body tells us something is wrong but we ignore it until we find ourselves in the hospital.  In the sports world the signs sometimes tell us that the way we are playing is heading for a loss but we ignored the signs until the signs show through.

ECU football started out this year with three high quality foes on their schedule that they had no problem getting up to play.  ECU gave a great effort and for a while made top ten South Carolina glad that the game was over as the Pirates played well. 

Then a trip to Blacksburg after Tech had just knocked off Ohio State and the Pirates played so well they came back home victorious.  Those hated Heels came to town and the Pirates laid an embarrassment on the Heels that Pirate fans will talk about for ever.  But what do the signs tell us now?  Beating Virginia Tech and North Carolina was nothing special  after all.

Then the Pirates go sailing into the top 25 and from that point on have not play a game against anybody special and since those teams were not that special the Pirates have assumed victory and up until Saturday have been able to win.  The writing was on the wall if you keep playing this way much longer and you will go down to one of those nobodies.  Temple is a good nobody  but at home in the cold rain with nobody watching were good enough to beat the pants off ECU even though the score was only 20-10.

Another team that had better watch out for the writing on the wall is Florida State.  Thus far they have beaten Clemson and way back in September when they beat the Tigers they have played no one to Clemson's level.  Twice the Seminoles have trailed to N C State 21-0 and were down 21-0 at Louisville but managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat and hold on to their high ranking.  The writing is on the wall for the Noles keep playing this way and down you go and with it the longest winning streak in college football which is now 20 something in a row.

 The only team left that might give the Noles trouble is Miami.  If they survive that then they will be in the ACC championship and if they survive that the four team playoff.  The writing on the wall says  if you fall behind to a superior team in the playoffs you will lose by 40. There will be no pulling one out of the hat against Oregon, Alabama Mississippi State they are too good to let you come back.

Finally the writing is on the wall for the Rocky Mount Gryphons.  They have lost four times this year and they can lay claim that three losses can be pinned on unnecessary penalties.  They can for sure say any chance we had of winning went out the door with penalties.  Some are regrettable a face mask, holding.  You know they can call holding on every play so they say.  But it is the penalties after the penalties that are killing the Gryphons.

Northern Nash is the last home game of only four played in Rocky Mount this year.  The best possible scenario for the Gryphons is third place and a road game against a number two seed or if they are lucky another three seed.  A loss and they might draw a Havelock  type if they fall to a fifth seed.

The writing is on the wall you continue with these unnecessary ones and once again you will go down in the first round.  It would be a shame for that to happen to this team.  This is a good football team when they stick to playing football they are that  good.  When they get to trying to act macho and run their mouth instead of the score board be their mouth referees hear all that junk as a game goes on and you are probably told many times to shut your mouth after plays are over but you keep on anyway.  So when do the refs finally say enough is enough on the most important time in the game the Gryphons have been hit the hardest.

Yes the writing is on the wall.  ECU ignored it and paid dearly Saturday.  All they can do now is try to win out and hope for a good bowl game.  It is on the wall for Florida State and there are teams left they need to be great if they plan on winning.  Rocky Mount has already paid a dear price for their foolish actions..  Three losses but two of them keep them from first in the Big East.  The good news for the Gryphons all is not loss if you buckle your chin strap and play football instead of who talks the best.  The Gryphons could be the Big East team that makes it to the East Finals I think they could
but only if they step on the field to play football.