Twin County Pros

Today starts probably the most famous high school basketball tournament in America. The Holiday basketball tournament at Broughton High school in Raleigh.  It has grown so much in the 40 plus years that they now have so many brackets and teams it is hard to keep up with who is in what bracket.

North Carolina beat South Carolina in the Shrine Bowl game by the score 54-39.   There was good news for the Rocky Mount Gryphons in that game as Rose wide receiver Cornell Powell scored on a kickoff return  and a touchdown pass.  Just goes to show Powell could score on anybody.

Through Christmas Day Brian Goodwin playing Winter Ball in Venezuela for a team that is a half game out off first place.  Goodwin has had a really good season as in 153 bats he has struck out 28 times which is one in five times.  So far in his minor league career he has averaged one in three strike out per at bats which was taking away possible batting average.  This winter he is hitting 316 with three homers and eighteen RBI. Hope this is the type of play the Washington Nationals wanted from Brian when he was rated as their number one prospect.  Will be interesting to see if he is invited to the big club's spring training.

Pro bowl football player Todd Gurley a rookie one thousand yard rusher has made an impact on the NFL.  Gurley can now be seen on NFL related commercials.   Just over a thousand yards on the season he is third in the NFL in rushing and it is not out of the question that he could win the rushing title yet.  The Rams have two more games to play before the regular season and they are already out of playoff contention.

Now in his 14th NFL season Julius Peppers not only is heading back to the NFL playoffs but he is having what in his career is becoming what everyone expects from Peppers.  He has 34 tackles and 9.5 sacks on the season for the Green Bay Packers  and his career total sacks now stands at 135.  That ranks tenth all time in the NFL history.

One player Julius Peppers in the twilight of his career giving pride to the Firebirds of South Nash.  A rookie from Tarboro  giving the Viking faithful  a chance to see their star for years to come in the NFL.  Still a hopeful for the Gryphons of Rocky Mount looking to have a Major League Baseball player.