You thought Hunt had complete control of Big East Boys basketball right. The team with the worse record overall Northern Nash has gone to Wilson County and come away with a 59-55 win. What has that done to the league. Hunt still sits atop of the league but there is a four way tied in the middle. Northern Nash, Nash Central, Southern Nash and Fike are all 3-3 while Rocky Mount sits in last at 2-4.
Darius Spragley lead Northern with 22 points while Tuesday's hero Adam Renner's added 18. That is two thirds of Northern' s scoring came from those two. Northern 3-3 6-11 Hunt falls 4-2 12-7.
It went down to the wire but Rocky Mount comes up short and Nash Central holds their home court in knocking of Rocky Mount 54-50. The Gryphons lose their third straight dropping to 2-4 9-6 while Nash Central jumps to 3-3 11-6
Just when it looks like one team has figured out how to be one of the best in the league they hit a bump in the road and all of a sudden they fall back to rest of the pack. Tonight Fike has knocked Southern Nash for a loop with a 73-70 win in Bailey. This league is nuts.
Home teams can't hold down their their own home court. Visiting teams play better at somebody else's court. Southern drops to 3-3 11-8 while Fike's ups their record to 3-3 12-5.
How far do you have to go back to to find where Rocky Mount lost three straight games? Hunt's lost put Rocky Mount still at two games out of first and still a shot to take the regular season title. Any team that wins three of the last four games can take first. Rocky Mount even not out of the running would have to win all four games they have left and hope for help. The way this season is unfolding it is not beyond the possibility that 6-4 could tie for first.
This basketball season has been full of intrigue with so many teams tied going into tonight's action and the mystery continues as the Rocky Mount Girls who on certain nights can't dribble or shoot but when it comes to playing Nash Central they play like world beaters. Tonight the Lady Gryphons on the home court of the Lady Bulldogs get their conference record back to 500 as they down Nash central 63-45. Now 3-3 8-7 the Lady Gryphons hold any tie breaker with Nash Central that might be in the future. Nash Central 2-4 11-9 has half there conference losses administered by Rocky Mount.
Friday, January 30, 2015
Records Are Deceiving
Five of the six Big East basketball teams have winning records that exceed a 60 percent winning ratio. That a nice percentage of 83 per cent of the league. That's their overall records but when you start to analyze the conference teams this year the league is full of so so average teams. Four have lost more than they have won 2-3. Only two of the six made it through the first round of games able to win more than they lost.
Hunt 12-6 4-1 right now is heading down the backstretch with the lead. They look like a lead horse. They have a fairly big front line and guards to handle any pressure any up and comer can throw at them. Look back a month ago I predicted Hunt to win the regular season despite at that time being only 6-4. They played a tough schedule. It is hard to penalize any team about their schedule when yearly they play people near them and there is always this factor other teams wanting to play you. There are years that your schedule is not good because the teams on it are having a bad year. Hunt's case is they got caught playing several really good non conference games early.
I saw in the Telegram after Southern Nash 11-7 3-2 beat Nash Central that Robbie Kennedy stated that a lineup change had made a really big difference for his team in a positive way. Whether we think about this but teams change lineups more than you think. Injuries leads the way and why one player sits while another plays. Kennedy made his move and what the move has done for his team is it has made every part fit. I look a lot better in clothes that fit over ones I wear when the button is about to pop off because I have out grown it. Southern is a talented bunch and they can be a force when they play as one.
There is no doubt this is a transition year for Rocky Mount 9-5 2-3. No longer the big bad wolf in size compared to everyone else they have gotten really good guard play and when you look at past years with the play they have now why is it they have led just the last week late in the game against Southern and Northern an yet lost. It is not necessarily guard play but foul shooting, poor choices when to shoot and when not to.
Nash Central 10-6 2-3 is just like everyone else in that 2-3 tight battle for third-fourth-fifth- sixth. We already know who ever finishes last in the league will be no worse that 2-8. The way we stand at the midway point I can't see any not at least finish 3-7. During my preseason picks I picked the Bulldogs for last. Right now they are right on schedule so if they are on schedule about half of this league is way behind in their schedule. Central has played better during the first round of conferences games than I saw at the Christmas tournament. If they improve as much the second go round as the first they will contend for a playoff spot.
Fike 11-5 2-3 I thought during their nonconference campaign had the easiest schedule of every conference member. They have been up and down getting crushed by Rocky Mount at home and then beating Southern at Southern. They have been a yo yo so far. They are like so many teams in this league if they get hot they could still be the best team in the league.
Northern Nash 5-11 2-3. Had about as tough a luck as you can have during many games in December. Lack a big man like so many others that keeps them from being a real contender. They knocked off Hunt and Rocky Mount at home so their next step is beating somebody on the road. If that starts happening more than once their overall record will start to improve and with it their conference standing.
Action tonight finds Northern traveling to Hunt a team they have already bit once. Rocky Mount is at Nash Central and Southern is at Fike. Let's wait till midnight to find out how many ties we have now.
Finally, who will win the Super Bowl. I'm pulling for the Seahawks but with Sherman and Thomas hurting in the secondary for the Hawks I find it hard for Seattle to slow down the Pats. If they were healthy I think it would be the Hawks all the way. NE 27 Seattle 20
Hunt 12-6 4-1 right now is heading down the backstretch with the lead. They look like a lead horse. They have a fairly big front line and guards to handle any pressure any up and comer can throw at them. Look back a month ago I predicted Hunt to win the regular season despite at that time being only 6-4. They played a tough schedule. It is hard to penalize any team about their schedule when yearly they play people near them and there is always this factor other teams wanting to play you. There are years that your schedule is not good because the teams on it are having a bad year. Hunt's case is they got caught playing several really good non conference games early.
I saw in the Telegram after Southern Nash 11-7 3-2 beat Nash Central that Robbie Kennedy stated that a lineup change had made a really big difference for his team in a positive way. Whether we think about this but teams change lineups more than you think. Injuries leads the way and why one player sits while another plays. Kennedy made his move and what the move has done for his team is it has made every part fit. I look a lot better in clothes that fit over ones I wear when the button is about to pop off because I have out grown it. Southern is a talented bunch and they can be a force when they play as one.
There is no doubt this is a transition year for Rocky Mount 9-5 2-3. No longer the big bad wolf in size compared to everyone else they have gotten really good guard play and when you look at past years with the play they have now why is it they have led just the last week late in the game against Southern and Northern an yet lost. It is not necessarily guard play but foul shooting, poor choices when to shoot and when not to.
Nash Central 10-6 2-3 is just like everyone else in that 2-3 tight battle for third-fourth-fifth- sixth. We already know who ever finishes last in the league will be no worse that 2-8. The way we stand at the midway point I can't see any not at least finish 3-7. During my preseason picks I picked the Bulldogs for last. Right now they are right on schedule so if they are on schedule about half of this league is way behind in their schedule. Central has played better during the first round of conferences games than I saw at the Christmas tournament. If they improve as much the second go round as the first they will contend for a playoff spot.
Fike 11-5 2-3 I thought during their nonconference campaign had the easiest schedule of every conference member. They have been up and down getting crushed by Rocky Mount at home and then beating Southern at Southern. They have been a yo yo so far. They are like so many teams in this league if they get hot they could still be the best team in the league.
Northern Nash 5-11 2-3. Had about as tough a luck as you can have during many games in December. Lack a big man like so many others that keeps them from being a real contender. They knocked off Hunt and Rocky Mount at home so their next step is beating somebody on the road. If that starts happening more than once their overall record will start to improve and with it their conference standing.
Action tonight finds Northern traveling to Hunt a team they have already bit once. Rocky Mount is at Nash Central and Southern is at Fike. Let's wait till midnight to find out how many ties we have now.
Finally, who will win the Super Bowl. I'm pulling for the Seahawks but with Sherman and Thomas hurting in the secondary for the Hawks I find it hard for Seattle to slow down the Pats. If they were healthy I think it would be the Hawks all the way. NE 27 Seattle 20
Thursday, January 29, 2015
If It Is Going To Happen
So far this basketball season Northern Nash girls opened the season against 4-A East Wake with a four point win. Early in December another four point game to 4-A Conley. Other than those two games Northern Nash has not been pressed by anybody no way no how. Their average victory margin for the season is 24 points a game. Big East play is almost twenty six per game.
If there is to be someone who thinks they just might clip the Lady Knights then Friday night is going to have to be the night. Friday starts the second time around in conference play and the unbeaten Knights travel to Hunt who is led by six one Brionna Pate who when all is said and done this year just might be the Big East player of the year. She is averaging almost 19 points per game for the Lady Warriors who have worked their record to 14-4 overall and 4-1 in conference play.
Don't all you Northern fans jump up and down and say how can the top player in the league not be from Northern? Pate has been the one man wrecking crew for Hunt. Northern has so many good players that it appears they are winning as a team while for Hunt it has been that they got one really good one.
If Northern was to fall during the regular season you would expect that Hunt has to be the team to do it. They lost by 18 at Northern first time around. The way the Knights have played against everyone this year you would almost say if Hunt can keep it under ten points would be a major accomplishment. If they can't who is left to give Northern a tussle?
I'm going to remind you can look it up if you wish but back in 2010 when in late January the Rocky Mount Gryphons were putting together their run to the state title I told everyone that they could win it all. I'm telling you right now the Northern Girls have a real chance to hang their second banner. Injuries are always a factor in the luck process of being healthy at the right time.
Luck just might be falling Northern's way. What I have seen all year as their biggest weakness is coming together at just the right time. Kianna Thomas has been terrific all season leading the Lady Knights in scoring, blocked shots and the like. Her height at six three she can be intimidating standing there waiting for you as you drive to the basket. If she gets in foul trouble or needs rest the Northern weakness all year has been at her back up.
Those of you that don't pay attention would not notice at all that Ceyanna Harrison has not played this year for Northern due to knee surgery she had. Just at the right time CC has played in the last three games for the first time this year. Is Northern getting ready to pull an 1983 N C State on everyone? CC was a major twin tower player last year and will probably be a backup for the rest of the season as she gets back into playing shape. Six feet three she is the hole filler for the only weakness that I can see in this Northern team unless another injury befalls this team.
So Northern 16-0 5-0 and Hunt 14-4 4-1 scrap for the top spot Friday three of the other four teams are battling for third or fifth. Rocky Mount 7-7 2-3 travels to Nash Central 11-7 2-3 and Southern 0-18 0-5 visits Fike7-9 2-3.
If there is to be someone who thinks they just might clip the Lady Knights then Friday night is going to have to be the night. Friday starts the second time around in conference play and the unbeaten Knights travel to Hunt who is led by six one Brionna Pate who when all is said and done this year just might be the Big East player of the year. She is averaging almost 19 points per game for the Lady Warriors who have worked their record to 14-4 overall and 4-1 in conference play.
Don't all you Northern fans jump up and down and say how can the top player in the league not be from Northern? Pate has been the one man wrecking crew for Hunt. Northern has so many good players that it appears they are winning as a team while for Hunt it has been that they got one really good one.
If Northern was to fall during the regular season you would expect that Hunt has to be the team to do it. They lost by 18 at Northern first time around. The way the Knights have played against everyone this year you would almost say if Hunt can keep it under ten points would be a major accomplishment. If they can't who is left to give Northern a tussle?
I'm going to remind you can look it up if you wish but back in 2010 when in late January the Rocky Mount Gryphons were putting together their run to the state title I told everyone that they could win it all. I'm telling you right now the Northern Girls have a real chance to hang their second banner. Injuries are always a factor in the luck process of being healthy at the right time.
Luck just might be falling Northern's way. What I have seen all year as their biggest weakness is coming together at just the right time. Kianna Thomas has been terrific all season leading the Lady Knights in scoring, blocked shots and the like. Her height at six three she can be intimidating standing there waiting for you as you drive to the basket. If she gets in foul trouble or needs rest the Northern weakness all year has been at her back up.
Those of you that don't pay attention would not notice at all that Ceyanna Harrison has not played this year for Northern due to knee surgery she had. Just at the right time CC has played in the last three games for the first time this year. Is Northern getting ready to pull an 1983 N C State on everyone? CC was a major twin tower player last year and will probably be a backup for the rest of the season as she gets back into playing shape. Six feet three she is the hole filler for the only weakness that I can see in this Northern team unless another injury befalls this team.
So Northern 16-0 5-0 and Hunt 14-4 4-1 scrap for the top spot Friday three of the other four teams are battling for third or fifth. Rocky Mount 7-7 2-3 travels to Nash Central 11-7 2-3 and Southern 0-18 0-5 visits Fike7-9 2-3.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Nip And Tuck
We have talked several times this year that all four Nash County High School teams were all a like. No big men but a team all the same size. This past Friday Rocky Mount and Southern two of those teams just alike went over time and tonight Northern hosting Rocky Mount go over time again and this game was close all the way.
It will not be decided until the end of overtime on senior Adam Renner's three as Northern gets themselves back in the playoff hunt as Rocky Mount is stung for the second game in a row when it looked like they had the game. 74-73. Northern moves up to 2-3 in the conference and Rocky Mount falls to 2-3.
Tonight Southern Nash has put their bid for the top division in the Big East beating Nash Central 63-56. The Firebirds go to 3-2 in league play and Nash Central drops to 2-3. Can you see a tend developing? Depending on the outcome at Fike there may be a four way tie for last at 2-3 should Hunt beat Fike.
The Lady Gryphons so far this season have been an every other team. Win one, lose one, one stretch they won two in a row then lost two straight. Having won on Friday then it's time for a loss especially since Northern Nash will be defending their home turf.
The unbeaten Lady Knights did what they have done to everyone they were bigger, faster and they were not going to give the Lady Gryphons any thought that they had a chance. Northern Nash whips Rocky Mount 62-29.
Hunt has control of second in league play as they go to 4-1 in Big East play knocking off Fike 55 -37
Northern at 5-0 leads Hunt by a game. Rocky Mount, Fike and depending on the Nash Central outcome at Southern there could be a three way tie at 2-3.
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It will not be decided until the end of overtime on senior Adam Renner's three as Northern gets themselves back in the playoff hunt as Rocky Mount is stung for the second game in a row when it looked like they had the game. 74-73. Northern moves up to 2-3 in the conference and Rocky Mount falls to 2-3.
Tonight Southern Nash has put their bid for the top division in the Big East beating Nash Central 63-56. The Firebirds go to 3-2 in league play and Nash Central drops to 2-3. Can you see a tend developing? Depending on the outcome at Fike there may be a four way tie for last at 2-3 should Hunt beat Fike.
The Lady Gryphons so far this season have been an every other team. Win one, lose one, one stretch they won two in a row then lost two straight. Having won on Friday then it's time for a loss especially since Northern Nash will be defending their home turf.
The unbeaten Lady Knights did what they have done to everyone they were bigger, faster and they were not going to give the Lady Gryphons any thought that they had a chance. Northern Nash whips Rocky Mount 62-29.
Hunt has control of second in league play as they go to 4-1 in Big East play knocking off Fike 55 -37
Northern at 5-0 leads Hunt by a game. Rocky Mount, Fike and depending on the Nash Central outcome at Southern there could be a three way tie at 2-3.
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The K Perspective
Duke's coach K won his 1000th college basketball game Sunday. They said on TV Sunday that 212 of college basketball's coaches have not won 1000 between them. There is not a coach in NBA history that has won more and they play at least 80 games every year. Red Aurabach 938 is the NBA leader,
Since K has been to Duke the Blue Devils have been ranked 85.7 per cent of the time. Duke was in year four of the K career before they made poll for first time. K has won 927 wins while at Duke. That alone would rank third on the all time wins list. His all time 1000 wins and Jim Beiheim 962.
K's teams have beaten Maryland the most 55 times. Georgia Tech has lost 53, Clemson 52, Virginia 52 and NC State 51 times. K has beat Carolina 40 times. Carolina has also beaten him the most 38 times. Wake Forest is next in beating Duke with 24 wins. That is also the same number for Maryland 24 and next State with 22.
K doesn't have all the records yet. He has won 421 ACC games. That second to Dean Smith 422. Teams that have a winning record over K stands at 10. Lafayette 1-4, Holy Cross 2-4, Iona 2-3, Kings College 0-1, Long Island 0-1. All those teams beat him while he was coach at Army.
The list is only five from division one. Arizona 3-5, Louisville 2-4, California, Tennessee and Stanford he is 1-2 against all three. He has the most wins all time but he is second in D one games coach 1307. That's second behind Jim Phelen at 1356.
During the Month of February he will turn 68 years old. He has good health but I hope this fabulous career doesn't end like that of either of the college football imortals Bobby Bowen stayed too long and Joe Paterno who covered up crimes.
You know during his career his mate wife Mickey has grounded him when ever he needed to be. It is my opinion that we will see K two more full years if his health keeps. One more Olympics and then one more full year at Duke. That would be the end of the 2017 season.
Ever how limited this statement might be but I have only seen two news conferences that when it was over the news media applauded the person who was being interviewed. The news media is suppose to be dignified and cover the story for the story not the person. When Arnold Palmer did his last interview playing at the Masters 400 news media personnel stood up when he walked away and the entire room gave him a standing ovation.
Sunday when the news conference was over in the bowels of Madison Square Garden in New York City the news media there and you would have thought Duke won the national championship cause the news media swarmed the place like State had beat Duke and took over the basketball floor. Once the Coach K news conference ended they all rose to applaud. Sunday was special for everyone who loves Duke, The ACC or basketball in generally.
Since K has been to Duke the Blue Devils have been ranked 85.7 per cent of the time. Duke was in year four of the K career before they made poll for first time. K has won 927 wins while at Duke. That alone would rank third on the all time wins list. His all time 1000 wins and Jim Beiheim 962.
K's teams have beaten Maryland the most 55 times. Georgia Tech has lost 53, Clemson 52, Virginia 52 and NC State 51 times. K has beat Carolina 40 times. Carolina has also beaten him the most 38 times. Wake Forest is next in beating Duke with 24 wins. That is also the same number for Maryland 24 and next State with 22.
K doesn't have all the records yet. He has won 421 ACC games. That second to Dean Smith 422. Teams that have a winning record over K stands at 10. Lafayette 1-4, Holy Cross 2-4, Iona 2-3, Kings College 0-1, Long Island 0-1. All those teams beat him while he was coach at Army.
The list is only five from division one. Arizona 3-5, Louisville 2-4, California, Tennessee and Stanford he is 1-2 against all three. He has the most wins all time but he is second in D one games coach 1307. That's second behind Jim Phelen at 1356.
During the Month of February he will turn 68 years old. He has good health but I hope this fabulous career doesn't end like that of either of the college football imortals Bobby Bowen stayed too long and Joe Paterno who covered up crimes.
You know during his career his mate wife Mickey has grounded him when ever he needed to be. It is my opinion that we will see K two more full years if his health keeps. One more Olympics and then one more full year at Duke. That would be the end of the 2017 season.
Ever how limited this statement might be but I have only seen two news conferences that when it was over the news media applauded the person who was being interviewed. The news media is suppose to be dignified and cover the story for the story not the person. When Arnold Palmer did his last interview playing at the Masters 400 news media personnel stood up when he walked away and the entire room gave him a standing ovation.
Sunday when the news conference was over in the bowels of Madison Square Garden in New York City the news media there and you would have thought Duke won the national championship cause the news media swarmed the place like State had beat Duke and took over the basketball floor. Once the Coach K news conference ended they all rose to applaud. Sunday was special for everyone who loves Duke, The ACC or basketball in generally.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Do Or Die For Northern
Just ten days ago there was a six way tie for first in the Big East when everyone after two games were 1-1 in the standings. Two games last week and Northern was the only team to go 0-2 and as they host Rocky Mount Tuesday find themselves in dead last at 1-3.
Hunt was the only team able to survive both games last week in winning both and find themselves on top of the heap at 3-1. Rocky Mount, Fike, Nash Central and Southern Nash all won one and lost one so they are tied for second or fifth depending on how you view the half empty glass theory.
Rocky Mount 2-2 9-4 @ Northern Nash 1-3 4-11. Northern Nash is proving to be the team that you don't want to play. They are almost as good as everybody else but keep finding a way to make life miserable for themselves. They are how ever good enough to make everybody they play worry especially at Northern. Rocky Mount is one big man away from being great and when you look at most Big East teams that's everybody but Hunt because they are the tallest team in the league. Northern can't afford another slip and Rocky Mount can see the top spot in the league but another loss would not help that in any way on Tuesday.
Hunt 10-6 3-1 @ Fike 11-4 2-2. There is the chance should Fike beat Hunt and Rocky Mount beats Northern and it doesn't matter about who wins the Southern/Central game there could be a four way tie after Tuesday. If any team is going to catch Hunt they had better do it at home. Here is Fike's chance against their arch rival.
Nash Central 10-5 2-2 at Southern Nash 10-6 and 2-2. If Rocky Mount needs one big man then Southern is a point guard away from the regional or farther. They had 29 turnovers at Rocky Mount mostly from not playing under control. They still won the game which should tell every body Southern has some ball players. Nash Central right there in the middle, if they steal one in Bailey they are upper division.
The story is more defined in the girls division. No one has yet to give Northern Nash a tussle . Hunt has beaten every one but Northern. Rocky Mount and Fike win one and lose one . Nash Central shockingly has lost three of four. There is one good thing with Southern Nash girls. They keep showing up.
Rocky Mount 2-2 7-6 @ Northern 4-0 and 15-0: The Christmas Tournament in Rocky Mount was just like the rest of the games for Northern. Wear you down after a while. The Rocky Mount boys need a big men the girls need a point guard. All Northern needs is to stay healthy and stay focused.
Hunt 13-4 3-1 @ Fike 7-8 and 2-2: I think Hunt is the better team but this is the Wilson County Rivalry and this one is in Fike. I think Hunt is the only team to really give Northern a Challenge for the title but a loss at Fike would kill that idea.
Nash Central 1-3 10-7 @ Southern Nash 0-4 0-16. There is no doubt the Lady Bulldogs can not let Southern creep up and win this one. The worse thing they could do is show up thinking it is over for they get there.
You know the regular season has three weeks to go so all this jumbled mess with all these 2-2 teams in both the boys and girls it is time for somebody to make a playoff push.
Hunt was the only team able to survive both games last week in winning both and find themselves on top of the heap at 3-1. Rocky Mount, Fike, Nash Central and Southern Nash all won one and lost one so they are tied for second or fifth depending on how you view the half empty glass theory.
Rocky Mount 2-2 9-4 @ Northern Nash 1-3 4-11. Northern Nash is proving to be the team that you don't want to play. They are almost as good as everybody else but keep finding a way to make life miserable for themselves. They are how ever good enough to make everybody they play worry especially at Northern. Rocky Mount is one big man away from being great and when you look at most Big East teams that's everybody but Hunt because they are the tallest team in the league. Northern can't afford another slip and Rocky Mount can see the top spot in the league but another loss would not help that in any way on Tuesday.
Hunt 10-6 3-1 @ Fike 11-4 2-2. There is the chance should Fike beat Hunt and Rocky Mount beats Northern and it doesn't matter about who wins the Southern/Central game there could be a four way tie after Tuesday. If any team is going to catch Hunt they had better do it at home. Here is Fike's chance against their arch rival.
Nash Central 10-5 2-2 at Southern Nash 10-6 and 2-2. If Rocky Mount needs one big man then Southern is a point guard away from the regional or farther. They had 29 turnovers at Rocky Mount mostly from not playing under control. They still won the game which should tell every body Southern has some ball players. Nash Central right there in the middle, if they steal one in Bailey they are upper division.
The story is more defined in the girls division. No one has yet to give Northern Nash a tussle . Hunt has beaten every one but Northern. Rocky Mount and Fike win one and lose one . Nash Central shockingly has lost three of four. There is one good thing with Southern Nash girls. They keep showing up.
Rocky Mount 2-2 7-6 @ Northern 4-0 and 15-0: The Christmas Tournament in Rocky Mount was just like the rest of the games for Northern. Wear you down after a while. The Rocky Mount boys need a big men the girls need a point guard. All Northern needs is to stay healthy and stay focused.
Hunt 13-4 3-1 @ Fike 7-8 and 2-2: I think Hunt is the better team but this is the Wilson County Rivalry and this one is in Fike. I think Hunt is the only team to really give Northern a Challenge for the title but a loss at Fike would kill that idea.
Nash Central 1-3 10-7 @ Southern Nash 0-4 0-16. There is no doubt the Lady Bulldogs can not let Southern creep up and win this one. The worse thing they could do is show up thinking it is over for they get there.
You know the regular season has three weeks to go so all this jumbled mess with all these 2-2 teams in both the boys and girls it is time for somebody to make a playoff push.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
It All Depends On Who You Pull For
I throughly like being able to sit near the floor near coaches and hear their inter action with their players, and the referees. You can see those that are good coaches the way they talk with their players and then you can hear them plea with the refs.
I really like hearing Robbie Kennedy of Southern Nash as he pleas with the refs. You would think that all the refs were against him as during one moment in the action early in the third quarter Friday night after a Southern foul he pleaded with one of the refs that he didn't think he was getting a fair shake on the foul calls that they were just calling everything on his team and nothing against Rocky Mount.
I looked at my play sheet and Rocky Mount had been charged with 14 fouls and Southern only six. I chuckled and made a comment to Josh Walfish of the Telegram who sat beside me that Robbie's view of the game was with one eye closed.
Coaches surely have more invested in their team's outcome than those of us who sit in the stands and pull for one team or the other. Just maybe the parents of those in action are the next vested in the outcome. Everyone wants to win and we see a foul on the other side while everything we do is by the book.
In fact I am still rather hot under the collar that Kennedy Meeks of Carolina didn't foul out of the State game in Raleigh because he was on the back all night long against the Wolfpack big men when rebounding. He had only one foul the entire game. Couldn't the referees see anything in that game?
If you happen to be the only person in the stands that came to enjoy the game without pulling for one side or the other you see the game completely different than those that are favoring one side. We all want our side to win and in order to do that sometimes the refs have to make the calls that favor my view point which by the way they never seem to do.
Hardly ever do you hear a group of fans stand up and holler in unison good call ref when the foul was against them. You hear something like "that wasn't a foul just a minute ago at the other end, why is it now?'
Athletic competition is great for all who attend and take part from the players who get plenty of exercise during the contest. Coaches who after games need to soak their throats in hot water to aid their sore throats from screaming at players and Refs. Fans jump up and down in their seats whether they are applauding a great play or screaming at a dumb refs call.
We either all go home happy or we go home mad. There is one thing that we all get to do. We all had a good time at least until the final score. If you think as you were riding home. What a pleasure it was to watch our young people pour out their hearts to do the best they could do. Those of us in the stands did all we could do to sway the outcome in our favor by either telling the coach he didn't know what he was doing or screaming at some blind referee.
Boy, I can't wait for the next game!!!!
I really like hearing Robbie Kennedy of Southern Nash as he pleas with the refs. You would think that all the refs were against him as during one moment in the action early in the third quarter Friday night after a Southern foul he pleaded with one of the refs that he didn't think he was getting a fair shake on the foul calls that they were just calling everything on his team and nothing against Rocky Mount.
I looked at my play sheet and Rocky Mount had been charged with 14 fouls and Southern only six. I chuckled and made a comment to Josh Walfish of the Telegram who sat beside me that Robbie's view of the game was with one eye closed.
Coaches surely have more invested in their team's outcome than those of us who sit in the stands and pull for one team or the other. Just maybe the parents of those in action are the next vested in the outcome. Everyone wants to win and we see a foul on the other side while everything we do is by the book.
In fact I am still rather hot under the collar that Kennedy Meeks of Carolina didn't foul out of the State game in Raleigh because he was on the back all night long against the Wolfpack big men when rebounding. He had only one foul the entire game. Couldn't the referees see anything in that game?
If you happen to be the only person in the stands that came to enjoy the game without pulling for one side or the other you see the game completely different than those that are favoring one side. We all want our side to win and in order to do that sometimes the refs have to make the calls that favor my view point which by the way they never seem to do.
Hardly ever do you hear a group of fans stand up and holler in unison good call ref when the foul was against them. You hear something like "that wasn't a foul just a minute ago at the other end, why is it now?'
Athletic competition is great for all who attend and take part from the players who get plenty of exercise during the contest. Coaches who after games need to soak their throats in hot water to aid their sore throats from screaming at players and Refs. Fans jump up and down in their seats whether they are applauding a great play or screaming at a dumb refs call.
We either all go home happy or we go home mad. There is one thing that we all get to do. We all had a good time at least until the final score. If you think as you were riding home. What a pleasure it was to watch our young people pour out their hearts to do the best they could do. Those of us in the stands did all we could do to sway the outcome in our favor by either telling the coach he didn't know what he was doing or screaming at some blind referee.
Boy, I can't wait for the next game!!!!
Friday, January 23, 2015
What A Basketball League
One of the things I like about the new gym is Rocky Mount is I can sit on press row right on the floor by the visiting team. This night you could just tell that Southern Nash had that look in their eyes as the game began. The first four minutes they swamped Rocky Mount and jumped to a 14-2 lead.
There is something within our bodies that emotion can only carry you so far and by the end of the quarter the Firebirds were huffing and puffing and looked tired. Don't know what is is if a coach could figure it out they would be a genius. Rocky Mount tied the game at 22 and had a basketball taken away in a charge and by this time Southern had found that second wind and finished the half up. 35-27.
Rocky mount played catch up until about the two minute mark and found their first lead of the game. Forty seconds to go in the game Rocky Mount leads 64-61 and all they need to do is make free throws. They didn't and with four second left lead 68-66 after a Southern basket and on the inbounds Rocky Mount commits only their ninth turnover of the game but Southern ties to send the game to overtime.
Southern in the first two minutes of OT scored the first seven points and Rocky Mount could not catch up. Southern Nash beats Rocky Mount 78-75. Southern committed 29 turn overs to only nine for Rocky Mount and won. Rocky Mount out rebounded Southern 41-38 and lost. Rocky Mount missed more free throws and lost.
Marquise Wright lead Southern with 23 points but he was a monster on the boards grabbing 14. Bryan Vines aided the Firebird cause with 20. Isaiah Alston did all he could do firing in 38 points but like other Gryphons missed several free tosses.
Southern and Rocky Mount are now tied at 2-2 Southern is now 10-6 while Rocky Mount drops to 9-4.
I was late getting to the girls game it was already 7-0 Rocky Mount with four minutes to play in the first quarter. Sitting there a few minutes I asked the question where is Destiny Burgess for Southern and the answer was she was not playing tonight and with it was all the scoring punch Southern Girls have.
Rocky Mount led 12-0 at the first quarter mark. It's not like Rocky mount played great as they had many turnovers and poor shooting. It was 23-1 at the half. Southern didn't score their first bucket until thiry six second to go in the third where it was 37-4 at the quarter. Four minutes to go with a 45-4 lead it he clock was started and Southern finished the game making a ten foot shot and two threes to get to double digits and Lose 48-12. Rocky Mount gets even at 2-2 and Southern has yet to win this season.
Hunt boys take over First in the Big East with a 65-46 win over Nash Central while the Hunt girls own Second beating Nash Central 56-46. Northern Girls continue to dominate everyone winning 60-36 over Fike
There is something within our bodies that emotion can only carry you so far and by the end of the quarter the Firebirds were huffing and puffing and looked tired. Don't know what is is if a coach could figure it out they would be a genius. Rocky Mount tied the game at 22 and had a basketball taken away in a charge and by this time Southern had found that second wind and finished the half up. 35-27.
Rocky mount played catch up until about the two minute mark and found their first lead of the game. Forty seconds to go in the game Rocky Mount leads 64-61 and all they need to do is make free throws. They didn't and with four second left lead 68-66 after a Southern basket and on the inbounds Rocky Mount commits only their ninth turnover of the game but Southern ties to send the game to overtime.
Southern in the first two minutes of OT scored the first seven points and Rocky Mount could not catch up. Southern Nash beats Rocky Mount 78-75. Southern committed 29 turn overs to only nine for Rocky Mount and won. Rocky Mount out rebounded Southern 41-38 and lost. Rocky Mount missed more free throws and lost.
Marquise Wright lead Southern with 23 points but he was a monster on the boards grabbing 14. Bryan Vines aided the Firebird cause with 20. Isaiah Alston did all he could do firing in 38 points but like other Gryphons missed several free tosses.
Southern and Rocky Mount are now tied at 2-2 Southern is now 10-6 while Rocky Mount drops to 9-4.
I was late getting to the girls game it was already 7-0 Rocky Mount with four minutes to play in the first quarter. Sitting there a few minutes I asked the question where is Destiny Burgess for Southern and the answer was she was not playing tonight and with it was all the scoring punch Southern Girls have.
Rocky Mount led 12-0 at the first quarter mark. It's not like Rocky mount played great as they had many turnovers and poor shooting. It was 23-1 at the half. Southern didn't score their first bucket until thiry six second to go in the third where it was 37-4 at the quarter. Four minutes to go with a 45-4 lead it he clock was started and Southern finished the game making a ten foot shot and two threes to get to double digits and Lose 48-12. Rocky Mount gets even at 2-2 and Southern has yet to win this season.
Hunt boys take over First in the Big East with a 65-46 win over Nash Central while the Hunt girls own Second beating Nash Central 56-46. Northern Girls continue to dominate everyone winning 60-36 over Fike
Legend Keeps Growing
It seems like just yesterday but it was almost four years ago that Mike Krzyzewski was breaking the all time D1 win record when he surpassed Bobby Knight with 903 wins. Now the sound barrier of basketball wins is one step away Sunday when Coach K goes for number 1000. Notice I didn't tried spelling his name twice.
When you look around at other coaches on this universe that are on the plateau of wins close to K none are diversified. His team in trouble with two losses in a row Duke throws a zone defense at Louisville and stifles them. That coach at Syracuse knows no other way but zone to coach so when his players don't work with his system he just doesn't do very well. Coach K tries everything he can think of to get out of the players their ability and he coaches to their strength not what he can get out of the system.
He is of this generation the best coach in the land of changing in the middle of the stream to get to the other side. His last national championship came after a major injury to his point guard so what did he do? Change into a slow motion team using the players he had to get the most out of them and a title. Sunday could another day in the immortal life of Coach K and college basketball.
If you saw Carolina in November and see them now there is no doubt Carolina is better than I thought they could be. Their big men are leading the way in improvement but their one sore spot is outside shooting. Marcus Paige is their loner gunner and if the other side can keep him under control they have a shot at beating Carolina.
The Tar Heels are legit and yes they were thought of in the preseason as a final four material but started out everyone wondered where is the final four Carolina team was? Roy Williams said earlier that he needed to quit babying this team and look they have responded. Ole Roy ain't such a bad coach either is he?
Carolina is rather good shooting the ball six feet from the basket which is an indication they have the ability to get the ball deep into the basket.
Over in Raleigh the WolfPack has started to get production from their inside people and with it their future into late March brightens. If the Pack totally depends on the outside game there will be nights when they can't hit the broad side of a barn like last night. Despite losing at Miami the Pack took the Canes to the wire on the road and shot poorly. Remember the Canes embarrassed Duke in Durham ten days ago.
The inside is led by Washington and every time he shoots I hollered no no but he has a rather nice left handed hook. Abu to me reminds me of Montrezl Harrell as a freshman and Anya is probably the best defensive inside player in the ACC.
Mark Gottfried has shown the ability to recruit and I think the Pack 2015 future depends on Cat Barber. I think he has one of those collars around his neck that goes off when he gets to the three point line. When he drives he opens up every thing for everybody else. Last night's loss puts the Pack at 13-7 and if they go 6-5 the rest of the way in conference that puts them at 10-8 but 19-12 is on the bubble making the NCAA.
I would not be surprised that if all three of the Triangle teams made it to the sweet 16. Seeding and early matchups will tell the tale on how far each goes. This area would go wild if all three make final 16 and insane if all three were still alive in the final eight. Nobody needs injuries but Tell you all three Triangle teams are very good and getting better.
When you look around at other coaches on this universe that are on the plateau of wins close to K none are diversified. His team in trouble with two losses in a row Duke throws a zone defense at Louisville and stifles them. That coach at Syracuse knows no other way but zone to coach so when his players don't work with his system he just doesn't do very well. Coach K tries everything he can think of to get out of the players their ability and he coaches to their strength not what he can get out of the system.
He is of this generation the best coach in the land of changing in the middle of the stream to get to the other side. His last national championship came after a major injury to his point guard so what did he do? Change into a slow motion team using the players he had to get the most out of them and a title. Sunday could another day in the immortal life of Coach K and college basketball.
If you saw Carolina in November and see them now there is no doubt Carolina is better than I thought they could be. Their big men are leading the way in improvement but their one sore spot is outside shooting. Marcus Paige is their loner gunner and if the other side can keep him under control they have a shot at beating Carolina.
The Tar Heels are legit and yes they were thought of in the preseason as a final four material but started out everyone wondered where is the final four Carolina team was? Roy Williams said earlier that he needed to quit babying this team and look they have responded. Ole Roy ain't such a bad coach either is he?
Carolina is rather good shooting the ball six feet from the basket which is an indication they have the ability to get the ball deep into the basket.
Over in Raleigh the WolfPack has started to get production from their inside people and with it their future into late March brightens. If the Pack totally depends on the outside game there will be nights when they can't hit the broad side of a barn like last night. Despite losing at Miami the Pack took the Canes to the wire on the road and shot poorly. Remember the Canes embarrassed Duke in Durham ten days ago.
The inside is led by Washington and every time he shoots I hollered no no but he has a rather nice left handed hook. Abu to me reminds me of Montrezl Harrell as a freshman and Anya is probably the best defensive inside player in the ACC.
Mark Gottfried has shown the ability to recruit and I think the Pack 2015 future depends on Cat Barber. I think he has one of those collars around his neck that goes off when he gets to the three point line. When he drives he opens up every thing for everybody else. Last night's loss puts the Pack at 13-7 and if they go 6-5 the rest of the way in conference that puts them at 10-8 but 19-12 is on the bubble making the NCAA.
I would not be surprised that if all three of the Triangle teams made it to the sweet 16. Seeding and early matchups will tell the tale on how far each goes. This area would go wild if all three make final 16 and insane if all three were still alive in the final eight. Nobody needs injuries but Tell you all three Triangle teams are very good and getting better.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
The Drama Returns
There will be no six way tie after the aftermath of this Friday night's Big East basketball. The only game being played Friday where if the 1-2 teams wins they would tie the 2-1 team will be at Rocky Mount as Southern Nash invades Rocky Mount for the second time this year. They played a very competitive game in the first round of the Christmas Tournament with Rocky Mount winning by 7.
Standing 1-2 Southern just can't afford to drop another game this early with the talent they have. They are playing the road end of their games early third road game of four while Rocky Mount is home heavy the first time through third of four. The Gryphons can't afford to lose another at home especially after the nice road win over Fike Tuesday.
Fike 1-2 heads to Northern Nash 1-2 and it is bad news for the loser. Since Hunt and Nash Central face off at 2-1 then there will be at least one 3-1 team by midnight Friday. Fike in the hole by one having lost a home game Tuesday needs to get it back and Northern needs to stay perfect at home to stay in the Hunt.
After losing both games during the Nash County Christmas Tournament you would never expect The Bulldogs to be playing for first against Hunt. So the game of the week in the Big East will be the two playing for first but there isn't a game or team still out of the running.
The girls slate starts with Northern Nash and if you include the two games in the Nash County Tournament they have played five conference teams to date and they have won all by double digits. Total domination thus far but truly the Lady Knights need somebody to push them because you know in the playoffs they will be pushed and they need somebody in conference to push hard.
Fike 2-1 will get their chance to attempt to see how tough the Lady Knights 3-0 are. The biggest enemy the Northern girls have are themselves getting complacent somewhere in the next month.
Southern girls 0-3 at Rocky Mount 1-2. Here is one of the few chances Southern has in winning a conference game this year. Wasn't close at Christmas because the Lady Gryphon defensive simply would not let the Lady Birds attack the basket. The strength of a Rocky Mount is the defense and when they get guard offensive contributions to go with their defense they can play with al most anybody. Their problem has been getting that contribution from the guards.
Hunt 2-1 at Nash Central 1-2. This is the game of the night in the Big East. If everybody in the league is playing for second then the Lady Bulldogs can't afford Hunt to get a two game lead in the league for second.
Whether it's boys or girls with the exception of Southern's girls and the dominant Northern girls everybody else are close in talent and size so another night of drama goes down Friday around the Big East basketball world.
Standing 1-2 Southern just can't afford to drop another game this early with the talent they have. They are playing the road end of their games early third road game of four while Rocky Mount is home heavy the first time through third of four. The Gryphons can't afford to lose another at home especially after the nice road win over Fike Tuesday.
Fike 1-2 heads to Northern Nash 1-2 and it is bad news for the loser. Since Hunt and Nash Central face off at 2-1 then there will be at least one 3-1 team by midnight Friday. Fike in the hole by one having lost a home game Tuesday needs to get it back and Northern needs to stay perfect at home to stay in the Hunt.
After losing both games during the Nash County Christmas Tournament you would never expect The Bulldogs to be playing for first against Hunt. So the game of the week in the Big East will be the two playing for first but there isn't a game or team still out of the running.
The girls slate starts with Northern Nash and if you include the two games in the Nash County Tournament they have played five conference teams to date and they have won all by double digits. Total domination thus far but truly the Lady Knights need somebody to push them because you know in the playoffs they will be pushed and they need somebody in conference to push hard.
Fike 2-1 will get their chance to attempt to see how tough the Lady Knights 3-0 are. The biggest enemy the Northern girls have are themselves getting complacent somewhere in the next month.
Southern girls 0-3 at Rocky Mount 1-2. Here is one of the few chances Southern has in winning a conference game this year. Wasn't close at Christmas because the Lady Gryphon defensive simply would not let the Lady Birds attack the basket. The strength of a Rocky Mount is the defense and when they get guard offensive contributions to go with their defense they can play with al most anybody. Their problem has been getting that contribution from the guards.
Hunt 2-1 at Nash Central 1-2. This is the game of the night in the Big East. If everybody in the league is playing for second then the Lady Bulldogs can't afford Hunt to get a two game lead in the league for second.
Whether it's boys or girls with the exception of Southern's girls and the dominant Northern girls everybody else are close in talent and size so another night of drama goes down Friday around the Big East basketball world.
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Gryphons Get Their Home Loss Back
The way this Big East basketball season has started you can not afford to lose a home game. The very first game of the season Rocky Mount lost to Hunt at home and in order to finish above 5-5 in the standings then you have to win games on the road as well as don't lose another game at home.
Tonight Rocky Mount made up for their home loss going to Fike and came out charging and never gave Fike a chance. The Gryphons lead by nine at the end first, 23 at the half and increased the lead to 25 by the end of the third. Rocky Mount allows Fike to cut into the lead in the fourth but the Gryphons come home with a resounding 74-55 over the Golden Demons.
Rocky Mount record jumps to 9-3 and 2-1 and Isaiah Alston tossed in 28 for the Gryphons and the only other double digit scorer was Sherrod Green with 10 . Fike falls to 10-4 1-2 in the Big East and now tied for last at 1-2. Rocky Mount joins a three way tie for first.
Rocky Mount girls struggled on offense with only one player getting double figures Tamara Harper 12 as she scores almost half of the Lady Gryphon points as Fike knocks of Rocky Mount 39-26. The Lady Gryphons are now 6-6 1-2 while Fike ups it record to 7-7 2-1.
Hunt played host to Southern Nash and this night has become the night of big wins. Hunt has little trouble holding off the Firebirds in a big way beating Southern Nash 71-48. Be interested
To see how this one got so one sided.
We are down to two teams left in the NFL and Seattle and New England. I was 2-0 this weekend and because of a Russell Wilson was pulling hard for Seattle. You know quarterbacks get all the glory but let's be for real. The Seattle defense kept the Seahawks in the game and an onside kick muffed by the Packers gave Wilson one more chance and even with the comeback was still his worse game in NFL career.
Now it will be interesting about inflate gate. The Colts turned over one of the game balls in which Brady had been passing with that was soft. Does a soft ball help the passing game in wet weather? We will see the outcome from this but I can tell you from my limited experiences as a quarterback it helped to have a smaller ball.
During my junior high days I was a backup quarterback and the balls we used were way bigger that what I could grip. I could hardly throw the ball 20 yards until we used smaller balls which were easier to grip and easier to throw. Be interesting in what the results will be from this.
Tonight Rocky Mount made up for their home loss going to Fike and came out charging and never gave Fike a chance. The Gryphons lead by nine at the end first, 23 at the half and increased the lead to 25 by the end of the third. Rocky Mount allows Fike to cut into the lead in the fourth but the Gryphons come home with a resounding 74-55 over the Golden Demons.
Rocky Mount record jumps to 9-3 and 2-1 and Isaiah Alston tossed in 28 for the Gryphons and the only other double digit scorer was Sherrod Green with 10 . Fike falls to 10-4 1-2 in the Big East and now tied for last at 1-2. Rocky Mount joins a three way tie for first.
Rocky Mount girls struggled on offense with only one player getting double figures Tamara Harper 12 as she scores almost half of the Lady Gryphon points as Fike knocks of Rocky Mount 39-26. The Lady Gryphons are now 6-6 1-2 while Fike ups it record to 7-7 2-1.
Hunt played host to Southern Nash and this night has become the night of big wins. Hunt has little trouble holding off the Firebirds in a big way beating Southern Nash 71-48. Be interested
To see how this one got so one sided.
We are down to two teams left in the NFL and Seattle and New England. I was 2-0 this weekend and because of a Russell Wilson was pulling hard for Seattle. You know quarterbacks get all the glory but let's be for real. The Seattle defense kept the Seahawks in the game and an onside kick muffed by the Packers gave Wilson one more chance and even with the comeback was still his worse game in NFL career.
Now it will be interesting about inflate gate. The Colts turned over one of the game balls in which Brady had been passing with that was soft. Does a soft ball help the passing game in wet weather? We will see the outcome from this but I can tell you from my limited experiences as a quarterback it helped to have a smaller ball.
During my junior high days I was a backup quarterback and the balls we used were way bigger that what I could grip. I could hardly throw the ball 20 yards until we used smaller balls which were easier to grip and easier to throw. Be interesting in what the results will be from this.
Smoke Clears Time To Start Over
Six way tie in a six team conference. Everyone is tied for first and everyone is tied for last. Twenty per cent of the season is over and everyone is back like it is the first game. Nobody wants to lose the first game which is now the third game. Somebody needs to step up soon or the Big East will be a mess by playoff time.
Rocky Mount @ Fike: The Gryphons have already played twice at home with mixed results. They need to make up for the home loss with a road win. Rocky Mount 8-3 and Fike 10-3. Fike won at home lost on the road and if they do that all season they would be 5-5. Somebody has to say enough is enough and grab hold of first place.
The girls game features two teams at 1-1 both either hovering above 500 Rocky Mount 6-5 Fike 6-7 just below. Both are 1-1 in Big East and after Friday's destruction by Northern of Hunt it should show everyone they are playing for second. The team of the four at 1-1 Rocky Mount, Nash Central, Hunt and Fike the one that has the best record from the other three will get second.
Southern Nash 9-5 @ Hunt 9-6: Southern had a one point loss on the road Friday so they have shown the ability to keep it close on the road. Hunt is the only road winner so far beating Rocky Mount so at this point two games in they still have the edge plus they have two road games off the schedule.
The girls game will feature Hunt's chance to get their second win facing the winless Lady Firebirds.
Northern Nash 4-9 @ Nash Central 8-4. Only home game amongst Rocky Mount teams. After watching Nash Central in the Nash County Christmas Tournament NC has improved more than any other team. I have stated The Knights are better than their record. All teams in the league being tied we are back to where one loss just drops you out of first so even having two conference losses is not as bad as it has been in the past at least until Wednesday.
The question in the girls game Northern 13-0 against Nash Central 10-4 is there anybody in the league that can push Northern? The Lady Bulldogs get them at home and here is their big chance.
Rocky Mount @ Fike: The Gryphons have already played twice at home with mixed results. They need to make up for the home loss with a road win. Rocky Mount 8-3 and Fike 10-3. Fike won at home lost on the road and if they do that all season they would be 5-5. Somebody has to say enough is enough and grab hold of first place.
The girls game features two teams at 1-1 both either hovering above 500 Rocky Mount 6-5 Fike 6-7 just below. Both are 1-1 in Big East and after Friday's destruction by Northern of Hunt it should show everyone they are playing for second. The team of the four at 1-1 Rocky Mount, Nash Central, Hunt and Fike the one that has the best record from the other three will get second.
Southern Nash 9-5 @ Hunt 9-6: Southern had a one point loss on the road Friday so they have shown the ability to keep it close on the road. Hunt is the only road winner so far beating Rocky Mount so at this point two games in they still have the edge plus they have two road games off the schedule.
The girls game will feature Hunt's chance to get their second win facing the winless Lady Firebirds.
Northern Nash 4-9 @ Nash Central 8-4. Only home game amongst Rocky Mount teams. After watching Nash Central in the Nash County Christmas Tournament NC has improved more than any other team. I have stated The Knights are better than their record. All teams in the league being tied we are back to where one loss just drops you out of first so even having two conference losses is not as bad as it has been in the past at least until Wednesday.
The question in the girls game Northern 13-0 against Nash Central 10-4 is there anybody in the league that can push Northern? The Lady Bulldogs get them at home and here is their big chance.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Montrezl Featured On ESPN.COM
One day last week ESPN.COM ran a story on Louisville basketball player Montrezl Harrell the former North Edgecombe and Edgecombe County basketball star who now as a junior may very well be heading to the NBA after this season.
The story is titled Friends Keep him in line. It is a story about his friends coming up through the AAU days and those that were teammates. It includes many names that if you are a high school basketball fan of the area you will recognize from this area. I don't know how you access ESPN archives but I know you can pull it up on Google at Montrezl Harrell Friends keep him in line or m.espn.go.com/ncb/storyline=12467742. It is another story I think you will enjoy about people from our area.
I have talked about this many times where the want-a-bees wanting to move up to the high rent district and they get a win over one of those Wall Street teams. Last week State beat one of those Wall Street teams in Duke and stormed the court to celebrate. The very next game after the massive celebration State starts out the game kind of in la-la land and Carolina who is also a Wall Street team sends the want-a-bees back to the low rent district. Maybe beating this year's Duke team is like ECU's football wins that when all the smoke clears it wasn't all that much.
ECU football had the same problem in football after beating both Carolina and Virginia Tech. The season proved out that both those wins were just against average teams. At the time of both games ECU had beaten teams that they wanted to mirror. ECU got so high beating those two that they had a hard time playing Joe Average team there after.
How does Alabama stay so close to the top in football every year. The view from the Pent house is a lot different than the basement. When you stand in the penthouse beating Auburn is just another win. Yes it is big in the State of Alabama but no storming the field because it's just another win.
Today there is relief for Carolina fans that they beat State but there is no conformation in beating State that Carolina will win the National Championship. State's victory over Duke gave Pack fans hope that maybe 1974 and 1983 is on the horizon again.
Every team has their rivals and don't care who you are you get up for those games regardless of how good that team is that year. Does the State Carolina Rivalry mean more to State or Carolina? Carolina will not admit it because as the Wall Street team they don't want to lose to the team from Brooklyn. State when they do win tend to go over board and Carolina's pressure in that game is to keep State from going overboard.
State fans or ECU fans and remember when we talk about football Carolina is a want-a-bee they tend to when they get that taste of beating those Wall Street teams get high off success. It's like when I'm dieting and lose 20 pounds. The first time I eat a piece of chocolate I go overboard for more and get fat again. The want-a-bees fall right back in government subsidized housing and have to start make the climb out of the low rent district.
Yes people are just like that too. Win a million in the lottery and three years later right back where you were before the win because went go over board over this that are not natural to us. There is an old saying in football that when you score a touchdown act like you been there before. The State's and ECU's of the world just don't get to stay long enough in the high rent district to learn how to act as a Wall Streeter. They get there ever so often and like the feeling when they are there and would like to get that feeling more.
Congratulations are in store for the Nash Rocky Mount schools Athletic Director Angie Miller. She has won the Distinguished Service Award from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administration Association. The Distinguished Service is for her length of service, Special accomplishments and her contributions to interscholastic Athletes in local, State and national level. Way to Go Angie!!!!
The story is titled Friends Keep him in line. It is a story about his friends coming up through the AAU days and those that were teammates. It includes many names that if you are a high school basketball fan of the area you will recognize from this area. I don't know how you access ESPN archives but I know you can pull it up on Google at Montrezl Harrell Friends keep him in line or m.espn.go.com/ncb/storyline=12467742. It is another story I think you will enjoy about people from our area.
I have talked about this many times where the want-a-bees wanting to move up to the high rent district and they get a win over one of those Wall Street teams. Last week State beat one of those Wall Street teams in Duke and stormed the court to celebrate. The very next game after the massive celebration State starts out the game kind of in la-la land and Carolina who is also a Wall Street team sends the want-a-bees back to the low rent district. Maybe beating this year's Duke team is like ECU's football wins that when all the smoke clears it wasn't all that much.
ECU football had the same problem in football after beating both Carolina and Virginia Tech. The season proved out that both those wins were just against average teams. At the time of both games ECU had beaten teams that they wanted to mirror. ECU got so high beating those two that they had a hard time playing Joe Average team there after.
How does Alabama stay so close to the top in football every year. The view from the Pent house is a lot different than the basement. When you stand in the penthouse beating Auburn is just another win. Yes it is big in the State of Alabama but no storming the field because it's just another win.
Today there is relief for Carolina fans that they beat State but there is no conformation in beating State that Carolina will win the National Championship. State's victory over Duke gave Pack fans hope that maybe 1974 and 1983 is on the horizon again.
Every team has their rivals and don't care who you are you get up for those games regardless of how good that team is that year. Does the State Carolina Rivalry mean more to State or Carolina? Carolina will not admit it because as the Wall Street team they don't want to lose to the team from Brooklyn. State when they do win tend to go over board and Carolina's pressure in that game is to keep State from going overboard.
State fans or ECU fans and remember when we talk about football Carolina is a want-a-bee they tend to when they get that taste of beating those Wall Street teams get high off success. It's like when I'm dieting and lose 20 pounds. The first time I eat a piece of chocolate I go overboard for more and get fat again. The want-a-bees fall right back in government subsidized housing and have to start make the climb out of the low rent district.
Yes people are just like that too. Win a million in the lottery and three years later right back where you were before the win because went go over board over this that are not natural to us. There is an old saying in football that when you score a touchdown act like you been there before. The State's and ECU's of the world just don't get to stay long enough in the high rent district to learn how to act as a Wall Streeter. They get there ever so often and like the feeling when they are there and would like to get that feeling more.
Congratulations are in store for the Nash Rocky Mount schools Athletic Director Angie Miller. She has won the Distinguished Service Award from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administration Association. The Distinguished Service is for her length of service, Special accomplishments and her contributions to interscholastic Athletes in local, State and national level. Way to Go Angie!!!!
Sunday, January 18, 2015
How Do We Get To Be Who We Are
If you are part of the circle which I live you have heard me tell this story before. How did I get here in my life where I am now especially when I was 12 what I wanted to do. Back during my hey day it was the 60's and am radio was king. The big 50,000 watt stations boomed into eastern North Carolina at night and my two favorite DJ's were "Cousin Brucie" on WABC in New York and at the time Jackson Armstrong WKBW Buffalo New York.
"Brucie was the #1 jock in America and he played the rock and roll hits. I liked Armstrong because he played the hits too but he talked so fast if you didn't know the lingo you missed it with him. My grand father Minton gave me a 6" reel to reel tape recorder when I was 12 and I use to hold the mic up to my record player and record songs. I would wait until WABC played a jingle. WABC had a simple one where a group of singers would sing the call letters W A B C or Sing out "Cousin Brucie".. I would then splice out the jingle and I would talk into my mic as if I was "Cousin Brucie" then play a record like the Beach Boys Good Vibrations and hold my mic over my player and record the song. I would then splice in the jingle and record another record and then after my 30 minute tape was completed I would lay back on my bed and listen to myself being a bedroom disc jockey.
That of course led me to go to work at WRCS radio in Ahoskie in 1970 and after graduation from high school went to work the following Monday as a full time jock in Ahoskie. I pretty much played radio until 1976 and upcoming marriage led me to believe that being a disc jockey in Ahoskie was not going to feed my family the way I desired so I found a sales job as a living and played sportscaster for the rest of my life.
The live ball games on radio are dwindling for me so it has been more taped TV in the past few years. Now this brings on the story of how did I get into the blogging business? My freshman year in High school my first period class, was English which is not a very good way to start any day in high school. In fact it is not a very good day at all when you have to take English as a 13 year old.
My second class of the day was typing. Like all typing classes you were timed and ever how many mistakes you made was how you were graded. Almost every Friday our typing teacher Mrs Taylor would give us a timed test and after than was over do what ever you wanted as long as it didn't require spit balls or excessive noise disturbing other classes down the hall..
My little group of us football players who all sat in the back corner would sleep, talk about girls or in my case I would write made up sports stories about the guys around me. The stories were as long as time allowed and for me to read my results back to the guys before class ended. They would go something like this.
Ahoskie High JV football team beat Edenton yesterday when Clint Steele tackled the Ace's quarter back causing a fumble. Jimmy Godwin the Indians linebacker pick up the fumble and start running the wrong way causing Bobby Harrell Ahoskie end to give chase to Godwin and tackled him before he cross the wrong goal. The force of the tackle caused Godwin to fumble where "Hoss" Earley lineman for the Indians scooped up the fumble where he preceded to run 90 yards the right way for an Ahoskie score. The touchdown secured another conference championship for the Ahoskie JV's.
They were funny stories that everyone liked and every body thought I would got to school to be a newspaper sports reporter. As I progressed into the radio sports business my becoming a newspaper man took a back seat and with the advent of the blogs it has brought me back to writing as the live play by play gig dwindled.. The late Charles Alston rode with me to many games when we were doing Gryphon sports on the radio and we had many discussions traveling to and fro and once he started the Gryphon Grapevine I ask him if I could write a weekly column for the Grapevine. It didn't take long before Charles set me up with this blog and it is almost a daily obsession for me.
So you see, whether it is talking on the radio or writing this blog it is in my genes. Just imagine if I had of played the drums instead of a reel to reel tape recorder where would I have been now?
"Brucie was the #1 jock in America and he played the rock and roll hits. I liked Armstrong because he played the hits too but he talked so fast if you didn't know the lingo you missed it with him. My grand father Minton gave me a 6" reel to reel tape recorder when I was 12 and I use to hold the mic up to my record player and record songs. I would wait until WABC played a jingle. WABC had a simple one where a group of singers would sing the call letters W A B C or Sing out "Cousin Brucie".. I would then splice out the jingle and I would talk into my mic as if I was "Cousin Brucie" then play a record like the Beach Boys Good Vibrations and hold my mic over my player and record the song. I would then splice in the jingle and record another record and then after my 30 minute tape was completed I would lay back on my bed and listen to myself being a bedroom disc jockey.
That of course led me to go to work at WRCS radio in Ahoskie in 1970 and after graduation from high school went to work the following Monday as a full time jock in Ahoskie. I pretty much played radio until 1976 and upcoming marriage led me to believe that being a disc jockey in Ahoskie was not going to feed my family the way I desired so I found a sales job as a living and played sportscaster for the rest of my life.
The live ball games on radio are dwindling for me so it has been more taped TV in the past few years. Now this brings on the story of how did I get into the blogging business? My freshman year in High school my first period class, was English which is not a very good way to start any day in high school. In fact it is not a very good day at all when you have to take English as a 13 year old.
My second class of the day was typing. Like all typing classes you were timed and ever how many mistakes you made was how you were graded. Almost every Friday our typing teacher Mrs Taylor would give us a timed test and after than was over do what ever you wanted as long as it didn't require spit balls or excessive noise disturbing other classes down the hall..
My little group of us football players who all sat in the back corner would sleep, talk about girls or in my case I would write made up sports stories about the guys around me. The stories were as long as time allowed and for me to read my results back to the guys before class ended. They would go something like this.
Ahoskie High JV football team beat Edenton yesterday when Clint Steele tackled the Ace's quarter back causing a fumble. Jimmy Godwin the Indians linebacker pick up the fumble and start running the wrong way causing Bobby Harrell Ahoskie end to give chase to Godwin and tackled him before he cross the wrong goal. The force of the tackle caused Godwin to fumble where "Hoss" Earley lineman for the Indians scooped up the fumble where he preceded to run 90 yards the right way for an Ahoskie score. The touchdown secured another conference championship for the Ahoskie JV's.
They were funny stories that everyone liked and every body thought I would got to school to be a newspaper sports reporter. As I progressed into the radio sports business my becoming a newspaper man took a back seat and with the advent of the blogs it has brought me back to writing as the live play by play gig dwindled.. The late Charles Alston rode with me to many games when we were doing Gryphon sports on the radio and we had many discussions traveling to and fro and once he started the Gryphon Grapevine I ask him if I could write a weekly column for the Grapevine. It didn't take long before Charles set me up with this blog and it is almost a daily obsession for me.
So you see, whether it is talking on the radio or writing this blog it is in my genes. Just imagine if I had of played the drums instead of a reel to reel tape recorder where would I have been now?
Friday, January 16, 2015
Inter State Pileup
Hold on to your hats the Big East basketball race is up for grabs as Hunt visiting Northern Nash has gone down to defeat to the Paul Cherry led Knights of Northern Nash. Cherry had his greatest game ever for the Knights getting a double- double 10 points and 10 rebounds as the Knights Upset Hunt 65-61. This puts Northern at 4-9 1-1 and Hunt 8-6 1-1.
We thought it would go down to the wire game and it did as Rocky Mount hosting Nash Central tonight a two point game in Rocky Mount's favor at the half, tied at the third quarter mark and at the buzzer Rocky Mount holds of Nash Central 67-62 Both are 1-1 in the Big East and overall Rocky Mount is 8-3 while the Bulldogs drop to 8-4.
Asaiah Alston lead RM with 22. Got plenty of help from Amir Pittman and Broderick Caudle with 13 each. Nash Central had a trio of double figure scores led by Aaron Spivey 20, Keshun Peoples 15 and Josh Mullins with 12.
Tonight in Bailey Fike has beaten Southern Nash 62-61 so the Big East is in a six way tie for first everyone is 1-1. I am sure that has happened to some conference some where in this world but this is the first time I have ever heard of all three 1-0 teams last week played teams 0-1 and all three 0-1 teams won creating mass confusion.
If this was the last game of the season I think they would have to pick the seedings out of the hat. I doubt that any possible tie breaker goes as far as what happens when there is a six way tie.
Don't think that there is anybody that has seen the Lady Gryphons of Rocky Mount play that they have had moments where they looked the part of a very promising basketball team. Then they for a quarter they would play as if they were on a ship without a rudder. Everything that they did well for three quarters would go away from the play in one.
Tonight the Lady Gryphons keep it together for an entire game and down the Lady Bulldogs 50-38 as both even their record in conference play at 1-1.
Keyanna Spivey 21 and Tamar Harper are proving to be and all conference type front court with Spivey getting 21 points and Harper 18. Nash Central had three led by Kathryn Wilkes and Myia Spivey 11 each and Michaela Nelms 10.
Not quite the mess in girls basketball as Northern played Hunt and Northern was in complete control winning by 18. Fike as expected had little trouble with Southern Nash 47-30. Now that the smoke has cleared Northern is the only undefeated at 2-0. Rocky Mount, Nash Central. Fike and Hunt are 1-1 and Southern trails at 0-2
We thought it would go down to the wire game and it did as Rocky Mount hosting Nash Central tonight a two point game in Rocky Mount's favor at the half, tied at the third quarter mark and at the buzzer Rocky Mount holds of Nash Central 67-62 Both are 1-1 in the Big East and overall Rocky Mount is 8-3 while the Bulldogs drop to 8-4.
Asaiah Alston lead RM with 22. Got plenty of help from Amir Pittman and Broderick Caudle with 13 each. Nash Central had a trio of double figure scores led by Aaron Spivey 20, Keshun Peoples 15 and Josh Mullins with 12.
Tonight in Bailey Fike has beaten Southern Nash 62-61 so the Big East is in a six way tie for first everyone is 1-1. I am sure that has happened to some conference some where in this world but this is the first time I have ever heard of all three 1-0 teams last week played teams 0-1 and all three 0-1 teams won creating mass confusion.
If this was the last game of the season I think they would have to pick the seedings out of the hat. I doubt that any possible tie breaker goes as far as what happens when there is a six way tie.
Don't think that there is anybody that has seen the Lady Gryphons of Rocky Mount play that they have had moments where they looked the part of a very promising basketball team. Then they for a quarter they would play as if they were on a ship without a rudder. Everything that they did well for three quarters would go away from the play in one.
Tonight the Lady Gryphons keep it together for an entire game and down the Lady Bulldogs 50-38 as both even their record in conference play at 1-1.
Keyanna Spivey 21 and Tamar Harper are proving to be and all conference type front court with Spivey getting 21 points and Harper 18. Nash Central had three led by Kathryn Wilkes and Myia Spivey 11 each and Michaela Nelms 10.
Not quite the mess in girls basketball as Northern played Hunt and Northern was in complete control winning by 18. Fike as expected had little trouble with Southern Nash 47-30. Now that the smoke has cleared Northern is the only undefeated at 2-0. Rocky Mount, Nash Central. Fike and Hunt are 1-1 and Southern trails at 0-2
Critical Week For Big East Basketball
Everyone has played once in conference play and once again only one conference game this week due to exams. If the "old wives tales" are right next week will be under stress of weather . I don't know about you but it thundered at work on Monday while a drizzle was falling in the fog and depending on how many days you have heard it should snow sometime between Monday and Wednesday of next week. If it does happen no telling what the schedule might be next week. Vital match ups high light this weeks games.
Hunt @ Northern Nash: On the girls side this will pit two 1-0 teams and record wise Hunt 10-3-1-0 could give Northern a tussle 12-0 1-0. I doubt it will happen at Northern Nash. This game does pit two of the three conference undefeated teams in this one.
The boys find Hunt 8-5 visiting Northern Nash 3-9: Hunt showed the world against Rocky Mount that their height will be a major factor for any team wanting to take away from the defending conference and regional champs the 2015 conference championship. This will be a tall task for Northern.
Southern Nash @ Fike: Fike 9-3 - 0-1stumbles at Nash Central while Southern 9-1- 1-0 did their business to Northern. This is a must game for Fike. Nobody wants to be 0-2 but if it happens to anyone the key to this season and any other is the ability to hold on for home court wins and steal a few on the road. All three boys games Friday are1-0 team playing 0-1 teams. We could have three teams 2-0 or three 0-2 or somewhere in between.
Southern girls 0-13-0-1 will not get too many opportunities to win this year. This might be one even though it is ever so slight. Fike 5-6 - 0-1 will be on it's home court and this is surely not a game anyone in Big East can afford to lose. As far as conference games go not many games on any one's schedule that they will be out right favorites other than Northern. Fike can't let this one get away.
Nash Central @ Rocky Mount: Nash Central girls 9-3- 1-0 seems primed while Rocky Mount 5-5 0-1 still needs to get the water pump gushing. Vital game for Rocky Mount having already lost at home. Here we go again looking at stealing one on the road for the traveling team and holding serve at home. If Nash Central wins and goes to 2-0 this could give them the confidence to push on while if Rocky Mount drops to 0-2 it could work the other way. Talk about a big game but this is it.
Nash Central Boys 8-3 - 1-0 Rocky Mount 7-3 0-1. Both seem to have the same roster in size and speed. Classic inter city Rocky Mount game. I would suspect the gym will be over flowing by game time of the boys game. Rocky Mount is staring at five of last eight games on the road and this is a must for them.
Hunt @ Northern Nash: On the girls side this will pit two 1-0 teams and record wise Hunt 10-3-1-0 could give Northern a tussle 12-0 1-0. I doubt it will happen at Northern Nash. This game does pit two of the three conference undefeated teams in this one.
The boys find Hunt 8-5 visiting Northern Nash 3-9: Hunt showed the world against Rocky Mount that their height will be a major factor for any team wanting to take away from the defending conference and regional champs the 2015 conference championship. This will be a tall task for Northern.
Southern Nash @ Fike: Fike 9-3 - 0-1stumbles at Nash Central while Southern 9-1- 1-0 did their business to Northern. This is a must game for Fike. Nobody wants to be 0-2 but if it happens to anyone the key to this season and any other is the ability to hold on for home court wins and steal a few on the road. All three boys games Friday are1-0 team playing 0-1 teams. We could have three teams 2-0 or three 0-2 or somewhere in between.
Southern girls 0-13-0-1 will not get too many opportunities to win this year. This might be one even though it is ever so slight. Fike 5-6 - 0-1 will be on it's home court and this is surely not a game anyone in Big East can afford to lose. As far as conference games go not many games on any one's schedule that they will be out right favorites other than Northern. Fike can't let this one get away.
Nash Central @ Rocky Mount: Nash Central girls 9-3- 1-0 seems primed while Rocky Mount 5-5 0-1 still needs to get the water pump gushing. Vital game for Rocky Mount having already lost at home. Here we go again looking at stealing one on the road for the traveling team and holding serve at home. If Nash Central wins and goes to 2-0 this could give them the confidence to push on while if Rocky Mount drops to 0-2 it could work the other way. Talk about a big game but this is it.
Nash Central Boys 8-3 - 1-0 Rocky Mount 7-3 0-1. Both seem to have the same roster in size and speed. Classic inter city Rocky Mount game. I would suspect the gym will be over flowing by game time of the boys game. Rocky Mount is staring at five of last eight games on the road and this is a must for them.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
What's All The Hype?
It is very confusing to me to turn on a sports talk show or even the news and you hear this all the time " That's what you want so that's what we continue to give you". I did not ask for 24 hours a day news coverage from Ferguson Missouri nor do I ask for any continued sports event . The only reason most folks watch is that is all you put in front of the public.
During World War Two the world was introduced to propaganda. Both sides never wanted you to hear the bad so the good was always inflated. It didn't stop when the war ended. Why do we as a society go to stores where we have to have their cards to get all the good deals? Are they really deals. The sports media and I think more than anything else it is the New York media thinking they are the center of the universe.
How in the world would any team want Rex Ryan as their coach? Let's look at the facts. Rex Ryan started out like a house on fire and went 20-12 his first two years as coach. He made it to the AFC championship game both years. Yes, there was every reason that he is a great coach but whoa Nellie. His next four years he has been 26-38. What happened to the great coach? His over all record in six years with the Jets is 46-50.
Now if I am a owner why would I want Rex Ryan? His first two years you might say the first year was a carry over from the previous coach and he has gotten worse ever since. Other than a media darling with great quotes for the media what good has he been for the Jets? Their defense has gotten worse and they have never been anything to write home about of offense. Buffalo was 9-7 last year. let's see where they are five years from now.
You know all we have heard from the media all season is that Colin Kaepernick has gotten worse and digressed this season over the great year he had last. Has he? Let's look at the numbers 2013 he was 243-416 passing 58% completion for 3,197 yards. 21 TDs and 8 Ints. and a 91.6 passer rating.
The NFL passer rating average in 2013 for every quarter back was 82. 2014 Kaep was 289-478 for 60% completions and 3,369 yards 19 touchdowns to 10 picks and a QB rating of 86.4. Still the average NFL qb rating is 83. Just maybe Kaepernick was not as great as the media made out in 2013 which just maybe he was not as bad in 2014. Why the perception? The 49's didn't make the playoffs this year while they did last.
This week we are down to a double header NFL championship games in each division. The first game Sunday has Green Bay traveling to Seattle. Who's healthy and who is not. There is only one injury that matters. Aaron Rodgers, it was apparent that Rodgers didn't want to leave the pocket because of his leg. I would suspect this is the end of the road for the Double Check man.
Seattle will bring the house if necessary and I suspect more often than not 12 will be on his back. Despite that the game just might not be secure until late. Seattle is a different team at home and Green Bay is so- so on the road. They met in the first game of the season and as far as I am concerned that was last year and should have no bearing on this game. Seahawks 30- Packers 20
Could it be that the hot team in the playoffs are the Indy Colts. Where did that D come from against Denver and Cincy? Mighty early in the week but weather could play a major role in this game since the Colts play indoors. I don't know if it is my dislike of the Patriots or what but I still don't see how they are as good as they are. They have beaten every body important all year however. I think weather is a factor and the Pats win 35-17.
During World War Two the world was introduced to propaganda. Both sides never wanted you to hear the bad so the good was always inflated. It didn't stop when the war ended. Why do we as a society go to stores where we have to have their cards to get all the good deals? Are they really deals. The sports media and I think more than anything else it is the New York media thinking they are the center of the universe.
How in the world would any team want Rex Ryan as their coach? Let's look at the facts. Rex Ryan started out like a house on fire and went 20-12 his first two years as coach. He made it to the AFC championship game both years. Yes, there was every reason that he is a great coach but whoa Nellie. His next four years he has been 26-38. What happened to the great coach? His over all record in six years with the Jets is 46-50.
Now if I am a owner why would I want Rex Ryan? His first two years you might say the first year was a carry over from the previous coach and he has gotten worse ever since. Other than a media darling with great quotes for the media what good has he been for the Jets? Their defense has gotten worse and they have never been anything to write home about of offense. Buffalo was 9-7 last year. let's see where they are five years from now.
You know all we have heard from the media all season is that Colin Kaepernick has gotten worse and digressed this season over the great year he had last. Has he? Let's look at the numbers 2013 he was 243-416 passing 58% completion for 3,197 yards. 21 TDs and 8 Ints. and a 91.6 passer rating.
The NFL passer rating average in 2013 for every quarter back was 82. 2014 Kaep was 289-478 for 60% completions and 3,369 yards 19 touchdowns to 10 picks and a QB rating of 86.4. Still the average NFL qb rating is 83. Just maybe Kaepernick was not as great as the media made out in 2013 which just maybe he was not as bad in 2014. Why the perception? The 49's didn't make the playoffs this year while they did last.
This week we are down to a double header NFL championship games in each division. The first game Sunday has Green Bay traveling to Seattle. Who's healthy and who is not. There is only one injury that matters. Aaron Rodgers, it was apparent that Rodgers didn't want to leave the pocket because of his leg. I would suspect this is the end of the road for the Double Check man.
Seattle will bring the house if necessary and I suspect more often than not 12 will be on his back. Despite that the game just might not be secure until late. Seattle is a different team at home and Green Bay is so- so on the road. They met in the first game of the season and as far as I am concerned that was last year and should have no bearing on this game. Seahawks 30- Packers 20
Could it be that the hot team in the playoffs are the Indy Colts. Where did that D come from against Denver and Cincy? Mighty early in the week but weather could play a major role in this game since the Colts play indoors. I don't know if it is my dislike of the Patriots or what but I still don't see how they are as good as they are. They have beaten every body important all year however. I think weather is a factor and the Pats win 35-17.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Hill Almost Leads Comeback
It's near 12 noon on Tuesday and Morgan Doughtie has a class in Gore Arena on the campus of Campbell University. She will not have far to go when class is over as all she has to do is go around the corner and enter the basketball arena where Campbell Women are hosting Gardner Webb.
What in the world is going on? High noon on a Tuesday and a conference basketball game and the place is nearly packed. ESPN must be having one of those 24 hours of basketball deals working and Campbell has made it to TV. No, it's Education Day at Campbell and elementary students from Harnett County are in the building. Kind of reminds me during my school days when the North Carolina Symphony came to town and it was a chance to get out of school to go hear some violins. I didn't care what is was for but being out of school was the best deal you could ask for.
Gardner Webb has Former Northern Nash all everything Alexus Hill now starting at point guard and with this being as close to Rocky Mount she will play this year the Hill family and friends are in the house regardless of the time of day. Part of the Rocky Mount contingent is Grover battle Northern coach who has come to see his star play.
It might have been too early in the day for the visitors but GW finds themselves down double digits at the half and Alexus shoots only twice scoring three points in front of a hooping crowd of youngsters for many watching their first college game. GW finds themselves down 16 50-34 with under 15 minutes to play and the comeback began.
Hill makes two free throws cutting the lead to 70-68 and then with 1:11 to play cans a three point shot to make it 73-72. but that is as close as GW can come finally losing at Campbell 75-74. Hill scored 15 second half points including three out of four three point shots. Family and friends go home disappointed in the loss for GW but what they saw was as a freshman Alexus Hill is growing nicely on the college basketball court of Division one basketball.
Many people from the area pulled for Ohio State on Monday night during the College football championship for one reason only. Tarboro High freshman Tyquan Lewis was on the field wearing #59 and during the game he was credited with one tackle.
Many including myself wondered when Lewis announce he was heading to Columbus Ohio what in the world is he thinking. The six three 260 pound freshman made all the doubters shut up as regardless of what ever his future delivers to him he will always be able to show every body that rock that he will wear when ever they arrive that ring that says 2015 College football National champion. Good decision on Ohio State Tyquan!
What in the world is going on? High noon on a Tuesday and a conference basketball game and the place is nearly packed. ESPN must be having one of those 24 hours of basketball deals working and Campbell has made it to TV. No, it's Education Day at Campbell and elementary students from Harnett County are in the building. Kind of reminds me during my school days when the North Carolina Symphony came to town and it was a chance to get out of school to go hear some violins. I didn't care what is was for but being out of school was the best deal you could ask for.
Gardner Webb has Former Northern Nash all everything Alexus Hill now starting at point guard and with this being as close to Rocky Mount she will play this year the Hill family and friends are in the house regardless of the time of day. Part of the Rocky Mount contingent is Grover battle Northern coach who has come to see his star play.
It might have been too early in the day for the visitors but GW finds themselves down double digits at the half and Alexus shoots only twice scoring three points in front of a hooping crowd of youngsters for many watching their first college game. GW finds themselves down 16 50-34 with under 15 minutes to play and the comeback began.
Hill makes two free throws cutting the lead to 70-68 and then with 1:11 to play cans a three point shot to make it 73-72. but that is as close as GW can come finally losing at Campbell 75-74. Hill scored 15 second half points including three out of four three point shots. Family and friends go home disappointed in the loss for GW but what they saw was as a freshman Alexus Hill is growing nicely on the college basketball court of Division one basketball.
Many people from the area pulled for Ohio State on Monday night during the College football championship for one reason only. Tarboro High freshman Tyquan Lewis was on the field wearing #59 and during the game he was credited with one tackle.
Many including myself wondered when Lewis announce he was heading to Columbus Ohio what in the world is he thinking. The six three 260 pound freshman made all the doubters shut up as regardless of what ever his future delivers to him he will always be able to show every body that rock that he will wear when ever they arrive that ring that says 2015 College football National champion. Good decision on Ohio State Tyquan!
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
Been Here Before
The date was January 12th 2013. N C State beat then number 5 Duke 84-76 and the students rushed the floor and a national hero was born in C J Leslie when he helped save a State student in a wheel chair from injury during the mass charge to center court. Right at that time State was on verge under second year coach Mark Gottfried to maybe becoming a team to be a force again in college basketball.
National TV exposure by Leslie on Good Morning America and others proved to be too much for the inconsistent Leslie. Saturday was two years ago. Once again today State stands on the threshold of becoming a major player. As far as I know there is no hero to talk about. Two years ago today State was in the same spot they are in now.
It's seems as if State has all the pieces. They have big men in the middle that can block any shot with in a few feet of the basket. They have outside shooters that when they are on they can shoot lights out. They have however been poor at the free throw line. How can a team with such great outside shooting be so average when no one is guarding you 15 feet away from the bucket.
So far this season State has lost five times and all five in one way or another can be related to ball handling and foul shooting. To be a team dominated with outside guards that can shoot they have many lapses on ball handling mistakes. There was a point when State lead by 19 that I was scared to death when Duke scored 11 in a row mostly because of poor ball handling and twice they had 3 on 2 situations trying to lop dunk instead of just taking layups and points.
I never felt comfortable until is was down to about 40 seconds and a double digit lead. Where does the Pack go from here. There is no doubt Coach Gott can recruit. State has had a generous helping of schedule as four of their first five conference games are home. Carolina is on the way this week and a loss to Carolina would pretty much eliminate the Duke win. Which way is it for the Pack? Is it the same ole same ole, or is this team taking the next step to top five in the conference?
Last week Dallas got the benefit of a major no call. This week they got a correct call and from it a loss to Green Bay. Dallas just maybe, think about this N C State and Dallas mirror each other over the last 20 years. Dallas fans think they are better than what they have been while State fans wish they got the respect that is given to those down the road.
Dallas had a fine season for you Cowboy fans. 31 NFL teams will finish the season wishing they had of been better. Dallas could very well be the team to beat in the NFL next year.
National TV exposure by Leslie on Good Morning America and others proved to be too much for the inconsistent Leslie. Saturday was two years ago. Once again today State stands on the threshold of becoming a major player. As far as I know there is no hero to talk about. Two years ago today State was in the same spot they are in now.
It's seems as if State has all the pieces. They have big men in the middle that can block any shot with in a few feet of the basket. They have outside shooters that when they are on they can shoot lights out. They have however been poor at the free throw line. How can a team with such great outside shooting be so average when no one is guarding you 15 feet away from the bucket.
So far this season State has lost five times and all five in one way or another can be related to ball handling and foul shooting. To be a team dominated with outside guards that can shoot they have many lapses on ball handling mistakes. There was a point when State lead by 19 that I was scared to death when Duke scored 11 in a row mostly because of poor ball handling and twice they had 3 on 2 situations trying to lop dunk instead of just taking layups and points.
I never felt comfortable until is was down to about 40 seconds and a double digit lead. Where does the Pack go from here. There is no doubt Coach Gott can recruit. State has had a generous helping of schedule as four of their first five conference games are home. Carolina is on the way this week and a loss to Carolina would pretty much eliminate the Duke win. Which way is it for the Pack? Is it the same ole same ole, or is this team taking the next step to top five in the conference?
Last week Dallas got the benefit of a major no call. This week they got a correct call and from it a loss to Green Bay. Dallas just maybe, think about this N C State and Dallas mirror each other over the last 20 years. Dallas fans think they are better than what they have been while State fans wish they got the respect that is given to those down the road.
Dallas had a fine season for you Cowboy fans. 31 NFL teams will finish the season wishing they had of been better. Dallas could very well be the team to beat in the NFL next year.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Lucky One Week Stung by Rules the Next
Can you name the NFL owner that gets at least 20 shots on TV in the owners box during every game? Jerry Jones of Dallas of course. Without any stats to back this statement my guess Robert Kraft of New England would be second in TV exposure during games. After those two I doubt you can even tell me who owns any other NFL team other than Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers and the only reason we know that is the Panthers are our state's team. We had better know that. I would suspect the next TV time guy is Denver's John Elway but he is only the GM and he probably does have some ownership in Denver.
Funny isn't it that after the no interference call that should have been called on Dallas last week I didn't hear one Cowboy raise any fuss over no call being made. After Sunday's game and the incomplete pass you would think the NFL cheated Dallas out of a trillion dollars the way Dallas post game comments failed to mention one time last week.
Since I was pulling for the Packers as soon as the ball hit the ground I am up in front of the TV which by the way I had been almost all afternoon as N C State was beating Duke hollering for an incomplete pass which was confirmed on replay. You never know about the replay officials. I thought the replay was suppose to get the play right and I was very concerned they were going to give Dallas the catch especially after not calling interference last week.
The replay booth got the call right. Do I like the rule no? I grew up in football that the ground could not cause a fumble. Some where about five years or so ago the NFL decided that a receiver while going out of bounds needed to hold on the ball all the way to the ground. Since the play in question was not out of bounds the play was called as what has been the rule for sometime now.
So the NFL was consistent in the rule but was it right?
Have we seen the last of Peyton Manning? You would think from his performance the last few games of the season that Father time has caught up with him. Went 2 and 2 on the guesses in the NFL games this weekend. 4-4 so far in the playoffs.
Tonight's college national championship game I'm taking Ohio State for no reason other than that is what I think. Regardless of who wins the two best two teams are playing tonight. Ohio State 38- Oregon 35
Funny isn't it that after the no interference call that should have been called on Dallas last week I didn't hear one Cowboy raise any fuss over no call being made. After Sunday's game and the incomplete pass you would think the NFL cheated Dallas out of a trillion dollars the way Dallas post game comments failed to mention one time last week.
Since I was pulling for the Packers as soon as the ball hit the ground I am up in front of the TV which by the way I had been almost all afternoon as N C State was beating Duke hollering for an incomplete pass which was confirmed on replay. You never know about the replay officials. I thought the replay was suppose to get the play right and I was very concerned they were going to give Dallas the catch especially after not calling interference last week.
The replay booth got the call right. Do I like the rule no? I grew up in football that the ground could not cause a fumble. Some where about five years or so ago the NFL decided that a receiver while going out of bounds needed to hold on the ball all the way to the ground. Since the play in question was not out of bounds the play was called as what has been the rule for sometime now.
So the NFL was consistent in the rule but was it right?
Have we seen the last of Peyton Manning? You would think from his performance the last few games of the season that Father time has caught up with him. Went 2 and 2 on the guesses in the NFL games this weekend. 4-4 so far in the playoffs.
Tonight's college national championship game I'm taking Ohio State for no reason other than that is what I think. Regardless of who wins the two best two teams are playing tonight. Ohio State 38- Oregon 35
Saturday, January 10, 2015
About All You Could Expect
Carolina Panthers fans had plenty to be happy about winning their last four games of the season all against teams with losing records. Those four wins propelled the Panthers into a home 1st round playoff game against maybe at one time when healthy the best team in the NFL.
The key word here is when healthy. The Cardinals came to Carolina with their third string quaterback and with Carolina's defense playing the best they have played all year Arizona didn't have a chance because it was just no way Arizona defense could score enough to stay in the game.
Fast forward one week and I think Carolina's defense just couldn't hold Seattle down enough to give the Panther offense a chance. You just knew Carolina is not going to score more than 17 points. If you are only going to score 17 then the Carolina offense can't afford to give Seattle anything like a pick six especially when you are driving late in the game and still in the game.
Just for down the road heading toward the Super Bowl I am not impressed as much after this game with Seattle's defense as last year. They seem late in the year to be getting the stride they had last season but Carolina scored 17 and should have had more.
Sorry folks but I still not in love with Cam as the Panthers quarterback. Seattle wins with defense and Russell Wilson throwing about 20 times a game. Wilson makes good decisions about when to throw or when to run. Cam is not an accurate passer and doesn't make good decisions at the critical moments. He reminds me of Jay Cutler to me he is too reckless with the ball.
Despite losing Carolina was still in it until the pick six. There is plenty to look forward to as Carolina has a real solid foundation on defense. If Luke and Thomas stay healthy they have to of the best inside linebackers in the business for several years.
Defenses win championships and Carolina will need to make Cam a mistake free quarterback if they want to make the playoffs next year.
The key word here is when healthy. The Cardinals came to Carolina with their third string quaterback and with Carolina's defense playing the best they have played all year Arizona didn't have a chance because it was just no way Arizona defense could score enough to stay in the game.
Fast forward one week and I think Carolina's defense just couldn't hold Seattle down enough to give the Panther offense a chance. You just knew Carolina is not going to score more than 17 points. If you are only going to score 17 then the Carolina offense can't afford to give Seattle anything like a pick six especially when you are driving late in the game and still in the game.
Just for down the road heading toward the Super Bowl I am not impressed as much after this game with Seattle's defense as last year. They seem late in the year to be getting the stride they had last season but Carolina scored 17 and should have had more.
Sorry folks but I still not in love with Cam as the Panthers quarterback. Seattle wins with defense and Russell Wilson throwing about 20 times a game. Wilson makes good decisions about when to throw or when to run. Cam is not an accurate passer and doesn't make good decisions at the critical moments. He reminds me of Jay Cutler to me he is too reckless with the ball.
Despite losing Carolina was still in it until the pick six. There is plenty to look forward to as Carolina has a real solid foundation on defense. If Luke and Thomas stay healthy they have to of the best inside linebackers in the business for several years.
Defenses win championships and Carolina will need to make Cam a mistake free quarterback if they want to make the playoffs next year.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Double Trouble
Twice this year both varsity basketball teams have gone down to defeat on the home court the same night. South Central pulled the trick on the Gryphons girls earlier during the season spotting the Lady Gryphons a twenty plus lead at the half and came charging back to win.. Tonight Rocky Mount girls gave up a double digit lead in the fourth quarter and lose their conference opener at home to Hunt 50-46.
Hunt is now 10-3 and 1-0 in Big East play as Rocky Mount falls to 5-5 and 0-1. Once again next week there will only be one conference game on the conference slate as the Gryphons will be home to Nash Central. Tamara Harper lead the Lady Gryphons with 16 while Keyanna Spivey 15 and having her first double digit scoring game of the year Michele Gainey added 12.
We have seen already that South Central's height dominate Rocky Mount earlier and tonight the tallest Big East team Hunt gave Rocky Mount all the wanted and for the second year in a row clip Rocky Mount in Rocky Mount 65-55.
40 of Rocky Mount's 55 points came from the outside trio of Isaiah Alston 18, Broderick Caudle and Kenaz Cooper 11 each. Rocky Mount having not played in 22 days might have been telling in this one as Hunt is fresh off winning the Wilson County Tournament last week over Fike. and even played Wednesday night against highly rated Kinston.
There was some question about the Fike non conference schedule and tonight Fike goes on the road to Nash Central and the Bulldogs get a victory 55-44.
Nash Central girls looked primed to be the team to want to be the team to challenge Northern beat the Fike girls 56-42 Nash Central is now 10-3 and 1-0 in Big East play.
Southern Nash joined Hunt and Nash Central boys in first place in the Big East as they romped at home over Northern Nash 86-67.
As expected Northern's girls took care of business beating the out manned Lady Firebirds 70-29.
Hunt is now 10-3 and 1-0 in Big East play as Rocky Mount falls to 5-5 and 0-1. Once again next week there will only be one conference game on the conference slate as the Gryphons will be home to Nash Central. Tamara Harper lead the Lady Gryphons with 16 while Keyanna Spivey 15 and having her first double digit scoring game of the year Michele Gainey added 12.
We have seen already that South Central's height dominate Rocky Mount earlier and tonight the tallest Big East team Hunt gave Rocky Mount all the wanted and for the second year in a row clip Rocky Mount in Rocky Mount 65-55.
40 of Rocky Mount's 55 points came from the outside trio of Isaiah Alston 18, Broderick Caudle and Kenaz Cooper 11 each. Rocky Mount having not played in 22 days might have been telling in this one as Hunt is fresh off winning the Wilson County Tournament last week over Fike. and even played Wednesday night against highly rated Kinston.
There was some question about the Fike non conference schedule and tonight Fike goes on the road to Nash Central and the Bulldogs get a victory 55-44.
Nash Central girls looked primed to be the team to want to be the team to challenge Northern beat the Fike girls 56-42 Nash Central is now 10-3 and 1-0 in Big East play.
Southern Nash joined Hunt and Nash Central boys in first place in the Big East as they romped at home over Northern Nash 86-67.
As expected Northern's girls took care of business beating the out manned Lady Firebirds 70-29.
Conference Time
The Big East basketball season begins Friday night. Rocky Mount has not played since their victory in the Nash County Tournament and how will the lay off effect them? Next week will also be a one game week allowing everyone exam week.
Hunt 7-4 @ Rocky Mount 7-2: If you believe my pre-conference picks then the top two square off the very first game giving one the lead and the other behind the eight ball right off the bat. Both these teams have had a heavy schedule taking on all comers and the winner will be on the front row right out of the gate.
Fike 9-2 @ Nash Central 6-3: Even though I don't think Fike schedule has been very stiff at all my concern for Nash Central is their guard play. Don't care who you are or where you think you can be in the standings it is not very good for anybody to lose the first game.
Northern Nash 3-7 @ Southern Nash 8-4: If you are going by records only then this is one Southern can not afford to lose. This year's Northern squad is one you had better not sleep on because their performance is better than their record.
If on the girls side of the ledger everyone is chasing Northern and if everyone loses twice to Northern then when you play each other you are playing for a playoff spot and that spot can be no better than second. Everyone is playing for the other first round home game. Puts extreme pressure on all these games and should just one sneak up on Northern that would give them a leg up on everyone else.
Hunt
8-3 @ Rocky Mount 5-4: Here we go with one of those we need this one games. Rocky Mount will play defense but they will need better play from the outside on offense to be a factor for a playoff spot. Road game wins will be an added plus for who ever can get wins on the road.
Fike 5-6 @ Nash Central 9-2: Here is the other opening night game that is a must for the teams playing. Nash Central has a shot of being a team that might be able to give Northern plenty at Nash Central. They surely don't need to falter to anyone else at home.
Northern Nash 11-0 @ Southern Nash 0-10: Southern has had a hard time scoring on anybody and now they face the full court press from the Big East best. Should be a game in which the far end of Northern bench gets plenty of playing time but the problem for Southern is those people are better too.
Hunt 7-4 @ Rocky Mount 7-2: If you believe my pre-conference picks then the top two square off the very first game giving one the lead and the other behind the eight ball right off the bat. Both these teams have had a heavy schedule taking on all comers and the winner will be on the front row right out of the gate.
Fike 9-2 @ Nash Central 6-3: Even though I don't think Fike schedule has been very stiff at all my concern for Nash Central is their guard play. Don't care who you are or where you think you can be in the standings it is not very good for anybody to lose the first game.
Northern Nash 3-7 @ Southern Nash 8-4: If you are going by records only then this is one Southern can not afford to lose. This year's Northern squad is one you had better not sleep on because their performance is better than their record.
If on the girls side of the ledger everyone is chasing Northern and if everyone loses twice to Northern then when you play each other you are playing for a playoff spot and that spot can be no better than second. Everyone is playing for the other first round home game. Puts extreme pressure on all these games and should just one sneak up on Northern that would give them a leg up on everyone else.
Hunt
8-3 @ Rocky Mount 5-4: Here we go with one of those we need this one games. Rocky Mount will play defense but they will need better play from the outside on offense to be a factor for a playoff spot. Road game wins will be an added plus for who ever can get wins on the road.
Fike 5-6 @ Nash Central 9-2: Here is the other opening night game that is a must for the teams playing. Nash Central has a shot of being a team that might be able to give Northern plenty at Nash Central. They surely don't need to falter to anyone else at home.
Northern Nash 11-0 @ Southern Nash 0-10: Southern has had a hard time scoring on anybody and now they face the full court press from the Big East best. Should be a game in which the far end of Northern bench gets plenty of playing time but the problem for Southern is those people are better too.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Danny Talbott Featured In UNC Health Care Website
If you are a Blackbird or Gryphon there are sports legends that when their first name is mentioned you know who they are. Buck for Buck Williams, Phil for Phil Ford and Danny for Danny Talbott.
If you go to the UNC Health Care Website they have a feature on Rocky Mount's Danny Talbott.
Many of you know the health issues Danny is facing in his life and the article reviews his Carolina career and now the life and death struggles that many just like Danny is facing and how he interacts with UNC hospital. Excellent article and you can access it at http://news.unchealthcare.org/news/2015/january/priceless-gem. I think you will like it.
One third of the NFL playoff field has been eliminated and another third will go down this weekend. There are teams riding high and riding hopes of future dreams but we will be down to the final four by Monday.
First Game of the weekend is a 4:30 kickoff Saturday. There one team that could send New England Home. Baltimore at New England. I don't see New England is visioned as a physical football team but they are. Baltimore can match them blow by blow. You know it has been 11 years since the Patriots have won a super Bowl but the world has New England on that mantel that they just won last year. New England's home field in the playoffs hasn't been there over the last few home playoff games. Ravens getting right at the right time. Baltimore 31 New England 24
Carolina for the second week in a row gets prime time on Saturday night as they travel to Seattle who for the last month have looked like Seattle that won the Super Bowl last year. I am still not a Cam Newton fan. He throws his balls too high for my comfort. He will be under pressure the entire game. On the other side of the ledger the Panther D has been playing Super Bowl style. If this game is close who do you think will throw a pick at the wrong time? Seattle 24 Carolina 13
Dallas heads to the frozen tundra and Green Bay. I think Dallas got a big monkey off their back finally winning a playoff game with Romo as Quarterback. So now they get to go North and play the team with the best quarterback when healthy and he didn't look too healthy the last game of the season. Packer D is not great. If Rogers is 80% I'll take him over Romo who probably can let it loose now that he has win under his belt. Green Bay 38 Dallas 33
Indianapolis at Denver. High scoring Colts versus the new Denver Bronco's I see Denver has a rather good defense and I don't see that the Colt's have much in the way of a D. Denver not scoring as much since they became a run oriented team but not losing much either. The only winning team Indy beat all year was Cincinnati and they beat them twice. Denver 33 Indy 28.
If all of this comes to pass then it will be Green Bay at Seattle and Baltimore at Denver playing for the chance to go to the Super Bowl. I don't see a Seattle Denver game again. we will talk about that next week.
If you go to the UNC Health Care Website they have a feature on Rocky Mount's Danny Talbott.
Many of you know the health issues Danny is facing in his life and the article reviews his Carolina career and now the life and death struggles that many just like Danny is facing and how he interacts with UNC hospital. Excellent article and you can access it at http://news.unchealthcare.org/news/2015/january/priceless-gem. I think you will like it.
One third of the NFL playoff field has been eliminated and another third will go down this weekend. There are teams riding high and riding hopes of future dreams but we will be down to the final four by Monday.
First Game of the weekend is a 4:30 kickoff Saturday. There one team that could send New England Home. Baltimore at New England. I don't see New England is visioned as a physical football team but they are. Baltimore can match them blow by blow. You know it has been 11 years since the Patriots have won a super Bowl but the world has New England on that mantel that they just won last year. New England's home field in the playoffs hasn't been there over the last few home playoff games. Ravens getting right at the right time. Baltimore 31 New England 24
Carolina for the second week in a row gets prime time on Saturday night as they travel to Seattle who for the last month have looked like Seattle that won the Super Bowl last year. I am still not a Cam Newton fan. He throws his balls too high for my comfort. He will be under pressure the entire game. On the other side of the ledger the Panther D has been playing Super Bowl style. If this game is close who do you think will throw a pick at the wrong time? Seattle 24 Carolina 13
Dallas heads to the frozen tundra and Green Bay. I think Dallas got a big monkey off their back finally winning a playoff game with Romo as Quarterback. So now they get to go North and play the team with the best quarterback when healthy and he didn't look too healthy the last game of the season. Packer D is not great. If Rogers is 80% I'll take him over Romo who probably can let it loose now that he has win under his belt. Green Bay 38 Dallas 33
Indianapolis at Denver. High scoring Colts versus the new Denver Bronco's I see Denver has a rather good defense and I don't see that the Colt's have much in the way of a D. Denver not scoring as much since they became a run oriented team but not losing much either. The only winning team Indy beat all year was Cincinnati and they beat them twice. Denver 33 Indy 28.
If all of this comes to pass then it will be Green Bay at Seattle and Baltimore at Denver playing for the chance to go to the Super Bowl. I don't see a Seattle Denver game again. we will talk about that next week.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Gaines Makes Top Five Of Year
Those of you who go on Highschool ot.com may have seen their article of the top five events that happened in North Carolina High school sports in 2014. Nash Central's Houshun Gaines has made the list. Their top five stories are based on national coverage. Unfortunately it is not for his outstanding play on the high school football field but from the Catfishing episode that he endured during the season.
Just to refresh your memory Gaines verbally committed to the University of Florida in mid season only to find out a short time later that Florida said they had no interest in him. Some where along the way his communications with Florida was with a fake posing as a coach for UF.
Now in the middle of a Nash Central losing streak which is for a school just over ten years old their worse ever comes national exposure on ESPN and other networks of a player being who- dooed.
There is no doubt that Gaines has the body to play college ball. It is a shame that any player and there is no telling how many more with his type potential never get the proper coaching needed to get noticed by colleges large or small to play in college.
This past season I did attend the Rocky Mount -Nash Central game and I saw last year's game in Rocky Mount. so it is my only assessment of Gaines as I watched his play on defense the whole game. I watch intently since the story was already national by this time and I wanted to see for myself. What I saw was a player who was great at chasing when the play went away from him but when Rocky Mount went right at him they gained yardage.
There is good news for Gaines as he is now expected to sign with Virginia Tech on college signing day in February. Tech is more famous for their defensive football than any other aspect and he should get the training needed. There is no telling what the potential is for Houshun Gaines . He already has good college linebacker size.
Once on campus and he gets in a weight program and then he gets the proper coaching and fundamentals of defensive football who knows he could be a tight end.
It is very hard to judge how good coaches are other than to look at their won-loss record. Coaching is not only what happens on the football field but a good coach should be guiding their players on what is best in the future. He is a father to them while at school and many cases their coach is their only father.
I find fault in Gaines' Catfishing experience only in his coach. He didn't take care of his prize player's future nor did he do a good job of coaching on the field. We all learn through mistakes whether they are our own or someone else.
Houshun Gaines just may be the next great athlete that comes from Nash County. He is going to a football school regardless of their recent record is a prize place to be. I hope and think with his experience this year he will be stronger for it. The next time we hear his name on National TV it will be for his excellent play on the field. He has the tools in his body all he has ever needed was the proper coaching.
Just to refresh your memory Gaines verbally committed to the University of Florida in mid season only to find out a short time later that Florida said they had no interest in him. Some where along the way his communications with Florida was with a fake posing as a coach for UF.
Now in the middle of a Nash Central losing streak which is for a school just over ten years old their worse ever comes national exposure on ESPN and other networks of a player being who- dooed.
There is no doubt that Gaines has the body to play college ball. It is a shame that any player and there is no telling how many more with his type potential never get the proper coaching needed to get noticed by colleges large or small to play in college.
This past season I did attend the Rocky Mount -Nash Central game and I saw last year's game in Rocky Mount. so it is my only assessment of Gaines as I watched his play on defense the whole game. I watch intently since the story was already national by this time and I wanted to see for myself. What I saw was a player who was great at chasing when the play went away from him but when Rocky Mount went right at him they gained yardage.
There is good news for Gaines as he is now expected to sign with Virginia Tech on college signing day in February. Tech is more famous for their defensive football than any other aspect and he should get the training needed. There is no telling what the potential is for Houshun Gaines . He already has good college linebacker size.
Once on campus and he gets in a weight program and then he gets the proper coaching and fundamentals of defensive football who knows he could be a tight end.
It is very hard to judge how good coaches are other than to look at their won-loss record. Coaching is not only what happens on the football field but a good coach should be guiding their players on what is best in the future. He is a father to them while at school and many cases their coach is their only father.
I find fault in Gaines' Catfishing experience only in his coach. He didn't take care of his prize player's future nor did he do a good job of coaching on the field. We all learn through mistakes whether they are our own or someone else.
Houshun Gaines just may be the next great athlete that comes from Nash County. He is going to a football school regardless of their recent record is a prize place to be. I hope and think with his experience this year he will be stronger for it. The next time we hear his name on National TV it will be for his excellent play on the field. He has the tools in his body all he has ever needed was the proper coaching.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Hill Named Big South Rookie Of The Week
Gardner Webb freshman and Northern Nash basketball player Alexus Hill has been named the Big South Rookie of the week following two games in which she hit double figures in both. Coming off the bench Hill scored 14 points in a conference loss to Radford. Earning a starting job Hill tallied 12 points hitting two threes and dishing out five assist in GW victory over Coastal Carolina.
Last week during the guessing of who was going to win college playoffs and the wild card NFL games I rode the pony right down the middle. One out of two in the college games and two out of four in the pro games.
Missed the Oregon-Florida State game. Had picked the Noles by three. Lost that one by 42. Seems that game was right where it was suppose to be until Florida State decided to lay the ball on the ground.
I thought Alabama had won too many games this year with an average quarterback and a defense that was not quick as the past. Had picked the Buckeyes by 9 and they won by seven.
So who's going to win the big one? Oregon has speed on both sides of the ball. I don't like any passing attack that fails to throw the ball more than five yards down field. Just because I don't like it don't mean they ain't good doing it. Oregon puts extreme pressure on a defense with open field tackling.
Ohio State is down to their third quarterback and against two top ten teams the last two games scored 101 points so I don't pity the Buckeyes. I think they have the best coach college football. I think they have enough power to run the football and speed enough to score. This will be a high scoring affair even if no one turns the ball over and gives the other side free points.
Ohio State 42. Oregon 38
Now finally the last piece of business the guesses about the ACC teams and ECU. Went 6-7 during that ever lasting Bowl season. Got the Pack, Pirates, Blue Devils, Georgia Tech, Louisviile and Clemson right. The rest misses.
Some curious questions. Why in the world did a Southeastern referee crew do the FSU/Oregon game and a Pac 12 crew do the Alabama /Ohio State game? Since the four conferences involved in the final four no crew from any of those should have been involved in calling a game in which the winner might play their conference for the title.
I don't think Duke got the quarterback play this year that they had last. If you recall their backup several times last year pulled victories out the hat. They didn't pull any out of the hat this year but they gave a good effort as I thought ASU would romp in that game.
Funny how things turn around isn't it. N C State last year didn't have a quarterback and looked hopeless heading into this season but found their QB. Carolina went into the year as a top twenty team and everybody's favorite to win their division. No defense what so ever and a losing year.
Last week during the guessing of who was going to win college playoffs and the wild card NFL games I rode the pony right down the middle. One out of two in the college games and two out of four in the pro games.
Missed the Oregon-Florida State game. Had picked the Noles by three. Lost that one by 42. Seems that game was right where it was suppose to be until Florida State decided to lay the ball on the ground.
I thought Alabama had won too many games this year with an average quarterback and a defense that was not quick as the past. Had picked the Buckeyes by 9 and they won by seven.
So who's going to win the big one? Oregon has speed on both sides of the ball. I don't like any passing attack that fails to throw the ball more than five yards down field. Just because I don't like it don't mean they ain't good doing it. Oregon puts extreme pressure on a defense with open field tackling.
Ohio State is down to their third quarterback and against two top ten teams the last two games scored 101 points so I don't pity the Buckeyes. I think they have the best coach college football. I think they have enough power to run the football and speed enough to score. This will be a high scoring affair even if no one turns the ball over and gives the other side free points.
Ohio State 42. Oregon 38
Now finally the last piece of business the guesses about the ACC teams and ECU. Went 6-7 during that ever lasting Bowl season. Got the Pack, Pirates, Blue Devils, Georgia Tech, Louisviile and Clemson right. The rest misses.
Some curious questions. Why in the world did a Southeastern referee crew do the FSU/Oregon game and a Pac 12 crew do the Alabama /Ohio State game? Since the four conferences involved in the final four no crew from any of those should have been involved in calling a game in which the winner might play their conference for the title.
I don't think Duke got the quarterback play this year that they had last. If you recall their backup several times last year pulled victories out the hat. They didn't pull any out of the hat this year but they gave a good effort as I thought ASU would romp in that game.
Funny how things turn around isn't it. N C State last year didn't have a quarterback and looked hopeless heading into this season but found their QB. Carolina went into the year as a top twenty team and everybody's favorite to win their division. No defense what so ever and a losing year.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Who Can Knock Off Northern?
So far this season as we head to the start of conference basketball play Northern Nash is by far the cream of the crop in Big East girls basketball and the question is Who can beat them. I would almost think the top priority for Grover Battle is to stay healthy as they already have C C Harrison the other part of the tall tree tandem out for the year with a knee injury. I don't know how they can be any better than 11-0 unless they beat everybody by 50 instead of 30.
Northern Nash: 11-0 Better than last year when they went 26-2. A great tall player in the middle Kiana Thomas, a garbage player that will do what's needed in Susie Sykes and about eight more who could start for everybody else. Thomas 15.6 and 7.2 rebounds while Susie Sykes follows at 11.8.
Nash Central 9-2 the surprise team that is this good after losing their four year starting point guard. Michaela Nelms is the scoring punch leader at 17.3 and Myia Spivey at 14.1. Caresha Leonard at 8.5 rebounds crashes the boards for the Lady Dogs.
Hunt 8-3 They are lead by Brionna Pate who has been a one man wrecking crew so far 16.9 points and 7.8 points. They have five other players scoring at least five per contest.
Rocky Mount 5-4. Keyanna Spivey leads the way at 17.3 points per game and Tamara Harper the leading rebounder 6.9. Lady Gryphons need much better ball handling heading to conference.
Fike 5-6 They are lead by Rebekah Langley 10.9 points and Deontra Jones-Keeper tops the rebound collector 5-4
Southern Nash 0-10 Please keep Destiny Burgess healthy.
So the Big East question is can anybody knock off Northern ?
Northern Nash 10-0
Nash Central 7-3
Hunt 6-4
Rocky Mount 4-6
Fike 3-7
Southern Nash 0-10
Northern Nash: 11-0 Better than last year when they went 26-2. A great tall player in the middle Kiana Thomas, a garbage player that will do what's needed in Susie Sykes and about eight more who could start for everybody else. Thomas 15.6 and 7.2 rebounds while Susie Sykes follows at 11.8.
Nash Central 9-2 the surprise team that is this good after losing their four year starting point guard. Michaela Nelms is the scoring punch leader at 17.3 and Myia Spivey at 14.1. Caresha Leonard at 8.5 rebounds crashes the boards for the Lady Dogs.
Hunt 8-3 They are lead by Brionna Pate who has been a one man wrecking crew so far 16.9 points and 7.8 points. They have five other players scoring at least five per contest.
Rocky Mount 5-4. Keyanna Spivey leads the way at 17.3 points per game and Tamara Harper the leading rebounder 6.9. Lady Gryphons need much better ball handling heading to conference.
Fike 5-6 They are lead by Rebekah Langley 10.9 points and Deontra Jones-Keeper tops the rebound collector 5-4
Southern Nash 0-10 Please keep Destiny Burgess healthy.
So the Big East question is can anybody knock off Northern ?
Northern Nash 10-0
Nash Central 7-3
Hunt 6-4
Rocky Mount 4-6
Fike 3-7
Southern Nash 0-10
Sunday, January 4, 2015
It's Back To Basketball
High schools crank back up next week when conference play picks up on Friday. So far this pre conference schedule Fike leads the way with an impressive 9-1 mark. The quality of their foes is questioned when others have played much tougher schedules. MyQuan Gooding the 6'6' Senior is leading the way for the Golden Demons scoring at a 13.7 clip and is hauling down 8.2 rebounds
Rocky Mount is next with a 7-2 season so far and their two losses have come at the hands of tall 4-A South Central who are 9-1 so far. Isaiah Alston 16.3-Kenaz Cooper 11.3 and Broderick Caudle lead the scoring for the Gryphons. Amir Pittman is the leading rebounder at five per game. Their schedule has been rather tough.
Southern Nash has 8 wins with 4 losses. They took a couple of losses over the holidays in a tournament against stiff competition and are led by Marquise Wright at 15.2 and Emmanuel Merriweather 11.7. The top loose ball grabber is Wright pulling down 10.5 per contest.
Nash Central stands at 6-3. Josh Mullins 16.8 and Aaron Spivey 11.8 lead the Bulldogs in points through the hoop.
Hunt 7-4 There is no doubt that Hunt has played the most difficult schedule of any of the Big East teams to date. I have no data on their scorers but they have held their own against some high class teams.
Northern Nash: Sophomore Darius Spragley leads the way for the Knight and is getting plenty of help. Northern is improved over the past even though their record is only 3-7.
Anytime a team doesn't play the same teams it is hard to figure the value of a victory over an easy opponent compared to a close loss to a really top notch team. From what I have seen so far here is the way I see the Big East Boys by Tournament time.
Hunt 8-2
Rocky Mount 7-3
Southern Nash 6-4
Fike 6-4
Northern Nash 2-8
Nash Central 1-9
Well that's the way I see it what yours
Rocky Mount is next with a 7-2 season so far and their two losses have come at the hands of tall 4-A South Central who are 9-1 so far. Isaiah Alston 16.3-Kenaz Cooper 11.3 and Broderick Caudle lead the scoring for the Gryphons. Amir Pittman is the leading rebounder at five per game. Their schedule has been rather tough.
Southern Nash has 8 wins with 4 losses. They took a couple of losses over the holidays in a tournament against stiff competition and are led by Marquise Wright at 15.2 and Emmanuel Merriweather 11.7. The top loose ball grabber is Wright pulling down 10.5 per contest.
Nash Central stands at 6-3. Josh Mullins 16.8 and Aaron Spivey 11.8 lead the Bulldogs in points through the hoop.
Hunt 7-4 There is no doubt that Hunt has played the most difficult schedule of any of the Big East teams to date. I have no data on their scorers but they have held their own against some high class teams.
Northern Nash: Sophomore Darius Spragley leads the way for the Knight and is getting plenty of help. Northern is improved over the past even though their record is only 3-7.
Anytime a team doesn't play the same teams it is hard to figure the value of a victory over an easy opponent compared to a close loss to a really top notch team. From what I have seen so far here is the way I see the Big East Boys by Tournament time.
Hunt 8-2
Rocky Mount 7-3
Southern Nash 6-4
Fike 6-4
Northern Nash 2-8
Nash Central 1-9
Well that's the way I see it what yours
Saturday, January 3, 2015
The Shoe Was On The Other Foot
The game was all set. Florida State as has been the habit fell behind in the first half in their semi final game in the Rose Bowl for the National Championship of college football. 18-13 half time and get the ball first in the second half. Just as prescribed all year by the Seminoles.
Somewhere on their way to victory five turnovers got in the way and instead of a comeback the Florida State Seminoles looked like everybody else that they most of the time devour. Oregon showed no mercy on poor little FSU and scored 34 points in a row and made a shambles of a rather good game for a half.
There is that old saying about "it is not if you win or lose but how you play the game". Let's all stand up and cheer for Florida State the poor losers they are. Almost three seasons they have walked off the field after every game and were glad to shake hands with those bumbling idiots that thought they could beat us. Thursday night about 90% of the players ran off in shame disgracing their team, their conference and their fans. Only a few were men enough to shake hands with a team that took advantage of every FSU mistake and made them look less than average.
Football is a game of lessons learned on every snap. The guy across the line knocked you on your butt. In twenty seconds you are across the line from him again. Are you going to let him kick you again or play harder? Thursday night Florida State felt something that haven't felt much. Getting their butt kicked and they didn't respond very well in the end. They acted like little children running from the big bad monster that whipped me.
We can say that falling behind in games that at some point in time they had to do what they did. Not win. It would have been nice to lose 49-42 to make it look like they had a chance but this collapse was several months in the making off the field as well as on.
There is no doubt Jameis Winstead will turn pro. He has too because he should have already been kicked out of school for his actions. The standing up in the student union and shouting profanity would have gotten a B student kicked off campus. The stealing of the seafood while on scholarship should have gotten him in jail. Then their is the rape charge which is a he said she said. We all know with his history probably what happened.
Florida State University deserved what they got, the pounding Oregon gave them and the media outburst for their poor sportsmanship after the game. When I say FSU I mean everybody from the Chancellor to the coaches to the fan in denial Florida State sold out their football program. They wanted to protect the winning streak and the Championship.
I doubt Florida State contends for any national title next year. I don't see that with the players coming back that they are guaranteed their division title in conference next year. They fell off the mountain top. It will be a hard climb to get back to where they have been the last 30 football games. It was a great ride for them. They will probably never dominant any period of time like this again. The reason why is they didn't know how to lose with dignity. They had lost the fear and when they lost that fear it came from an administration willing to sell out to win. They had no idea what losing felt like. It hurts deep down in your gut. Welcome to the real world Florida State.
Somewhere on their way to victory five turnovers got in the way and instead of a comeback the Florida State Seminoles looked like everybody else that they most of the time devour. Oregon showed no mercy on poor little FSU and scored 34 points in a row and made a shambles of a rather good game for a half.
There is that old saying about "it is not if you win or lose but how you play the game". Let's all stand up and cheer for Florida State the poor losers they are. Almost three seasons they have walked off the field after every game and were glad to shake hands with those bumbling idiots that thought they could beat us. Thursday night about 90% of the players ran off in shame disgracing their team, their conference and their fans. Only a few were men enough to shake hands with a team that took advantage of every FSU mistake and made them look less than average.
Football is a game of lessons learned on every snap. The guy across the line knocked you on your butt. In twenty seconds you are across the line from him again. Are you going to let him kick you again or play harder? Thursday night Florida State felt something that haven't felt much. Getting their butt kicked and they didn't respond very well in the end. They acted like little children running from the big bad monster that whipped me.
We can say that falling behind in games that at some point in time they had to do what they did. Not win. It would have been nice to lose 49-42 to make it look like they had a chance but this collapse was several months in the making off the field as well as on.
There is no doubt Jameis Winstead will turn pro. He has too because he should have already been kicked out of school for his actions. The standing up in the student union and shouting profanity would have gotten a B student kicked off campus. The stealing of the seafood while on scholarship should have gotten him in jail. Then their is the rape charge which is a he said she said. We all know with his history probably what happened.
Florida State University deserved what they got, the pounding Oregon gave them and the media outburst for their poor sportsmanship after the game. When I say FSU I mean everybody from the Chancellor to the coaches to the fan in denial Florida State sold out their football program. They wanted to protect the winning streak and the Championship.
I doubt Florida State contends for any national title next year. I don't see that with the players coming back that they are guaranteed their division title in conference next year. They fell off the mountain top. It will be a hard climb to get back to where they have been the last 30 football games. It was a great ride for them. They will probably never dominant any period of time like this again. The reason why is they didn't know how to lose with dignity. They had lost the fear and when they lost that fear it came from an administration willing to sell out to win. They had no idea what losing felt like. It hurts deep down in your gut. Welcome to the real world Florida State.
Friday, January 2, 2015
2014 The Last Half
June
J'Kyra Brown announces she is transferring from ECU to Virginia after having a successful from year winning offensive player award.
July
ECU Fired former Northern Nash graduate Billy Godwin as baseball coach, Godwin never had a losing season winning 314- while losing 224 but expectations wanted more.
WRAL's Tom Suitor and former Rocky Mount resident was named to the North Carolina Broadcasters Hall Of Fame.
Rocky Mount's 9/10 year old all stars won their district tournament and made it to the State championships in Morganton.
The Rocky Mount National 11/12 year olds won the loser bracket in district play in Elizabeth City earning them a place in the state championships in Greenville.
August
The Nash County Babe Ruth 14u team won the Eastern North Carolina Babe Ruth Tournament and made it to the SE Regional in Hickory where they finished 3rd.
Rocky Mount high school football team was featured in USA Today during the first day of football contact for all high schools across the nation.
September
Former Tarboro and Carolina football player Shaun Draughn signs a one year deal with the San Diego Chargers. He was released in November but finished the NFL season with the Cleveland Browns.
Former Gryphon and Carolina baseball player Hobbs Johnson finished his first year in pro ball going 12-8 with a 2.93 ERA in Brevard Florida.
Brian Goodwin finished the year on the IR for the Syracuse Chiefs in AAA after being injured in July. He batted 219 for the year.
Form Nash Central Bulldog Xavier Mackin was released by Gate City in the Frontier League after batting 201. It is probably X man's last stop in baseball.
October
Tarboro's Todd Gurley is suspended by the University of Georgia football team after he received $3,000 for payment of his autograph. Later after the suspended end Gurley injured his knee and now waits on the NFL draft.
Rocky Mount Tennis duo of Chandler Brice and Eliza Fike won the Regional championship and finished 3rd in the state finals.
Northern Nash boys Cross country team won the Regional and finished with their highest finish ever in the state run.
Tragedy Strikes the Gryphon nation when volleyball and basketball player Tiera Hinton was killed in and auto wreck.
November
Nash Central football team finishes the football season going winless for the 2nd season year in a row. The losing streak is 24 starting the 2015 football season.
Gryphon football coach Jason Battle got a monkey off his back with a first round upset win in the state playoffs. The Gryphons beat Western Alamance who for years have been demons to the Gryphons in the playoffs.
Rocky Mount Academy won their second straight 8 man football title gong undefeated at 12-0.
December
Former Nash Central football player Jalen Hendricks finished 3rd in the nation in DII football in all purpose yards, that's rushing , catching, kick returns and interceptions. He averaged 210 yards per game.
Rocky Mount Boys and Northern Nash girls win the Nash County Christmas Tournament at Rocky Mount
Now it is time to turn our attention to 2015
J'Kyra Brown announces she is transferring from ECU to Virginia after having a successful from year winning offensive player award.
July
ECU Fired former Northern Nash graduate Billy Godwin as baseball coach, Godwin never had a losing season winning 314- while losing 224 but expectations wanted more.
WRAL's Tom Suitor and former Rocky Mount resident was named to the North Carolina Broadcasters Hall Of Fame.
Rocky Mount's 9/10 year old all stars won their district tournament and made it to the State championships in Morganton.
The Rocky Mount National 11/12 year olds won the loser bracket in district play in Elizabeth City earning them a place in the state championships in Greenville.
August
The Nash County Babe Ruth 14u team won the Eastern North Carolina Babe Ruth Tournament and made it to the SE Regional in Hickory where they finished 3rd.
Rocky Mount high school football team was featured in USA Today during the first day of football contact for all high schools across the nation.
September
Former Tarboro and Carolina football player Shaun Draughn signs a one year deal with the San Diego Chargers. He was released in November but finished the NFL season with the Cleveland Browns.
Former Gryphon and Carolina baseball player Hobbs Johnson finished his first year in pro ball going 12-8 with a 2.93 ERA in Brevard Florida.
Brian Goodwin finished the year on the IR for the Syracuse Chiefs in AAA after being injured in July. He batted 219 for the year.
Form Nash Central Bulldog Xavier Mackin was released by Gate City in the Frontier League after batting 201. It is probably X man's last stop in baseball.
October
Tarboro's Todd Gurley is suspended by the University of Georgia football team after he received $3,000 for payment of his autograph. Later after the suspended end Gurley injured his knee and now waits on the NFL draft.
Rocky Mount Tennis duo of Chandler Brice and Eliza Fike won the Regional championship and finished 3rd in the state finals.
Northern Nash boys Cross country team won the Regional and finished with their highest finish ever in the state run.
Tragedy Strikes the Gryphon nation when volleyball and basketball player Tiera Hinton was killed in and auto wreck.
November
Nash Central football team finishes the football season going winless for the 2nd season year in a row. The losing streak is 24 starting the 2015 football season.
Gryphon football coach Jason Battle got a monkey off his back with a first round upset win in the state playoffs. The Gryphons beat Western Alamance who for years have been demons to the Gryphons in the playoffs.
Rocky Mount Academy won their second straight 8 man football title gong undefeated at 12-0.
December
Former Nash Central football player Jalen Hendricks finished 3rd in the nation in DII football in all purpose yards, that's rushing , catching, kick returns and interceptions. He averaged 210 yards per game.
Rocky Mount Boys and Northern Nash girls win the Nash County Christmas Tournament at Rocky Mount
Now it is time to turn our attention to 2015
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