Staying In House

The Rocky Mount Telegram is reporting that Rocky Mount Academy's new football coach is from within the B W Holt coaching Staff as Terrell Hudgins will take over the reins as football coach.   If there is any person who has ever fell from the Holt coaching tree Terrell Hudgins came from the Holt's roots .  He was  Holt's quarterback when he arrived at Rocky Mount High in 2003.  A starter his sophomore season he lead Rocky Mount to a 7-5 record and under Holt was 8-4 and 12-1.

He was involved in the biggest play this century for the Gryphons as he had helped the Gryphons tie New Bern 28-28 in regulation and New Bern scored first to lead 35-28 in the first overtime.  Holt elected to finish the game at this point calling for a 2 point conversion with Hudgins  running the option to the right side.  Tackled at about the 1 yard line the six feet two  inch Hudgins was able to fall across the goal line giving Rocky Mount a shocking upset of the Bears 36-35 and clinched the conference crown for the Gryphons and left only Northern standing in the way of a Gryphon undefeated season.

Hudgins was a multi sport star at Rocky Mount making all conference in football, basketball where he was a rebounding machine and outstanding hitter in baseball.  2005 Hudgins was named the North Carolina Male Athlete of the year.  The heated rivalry between Northern Nash  and Rocky Mount they played the final game of the  baseball season in 2005 the same day Hudgins received the athlete of the year award.  The game was played at Northern Nash and the Knights in a true act of sportsmanship delayed the game for an hour in order for Hudgins to return from Chapel Hill after winning the award.

ECU offered a full football scholarship with the promise of Hudgins getting a shot at quarterback.  Hudgins was moved to wide receiver and unwilling to not get a shot at quarterback transferred to Elon where he never got a chance at quarterback either.  How fate changes the course of people's lives.

Four years as a wide receiver Hudgins holds 10 college pass receiving records.  He still holds six Southern Conference records.  He was invited to try out for the Dallas Cowboys.  Once Holt came to RMA in 2012 Hudgins joined his staff and has been there for the two state titles.

Any one who knows Terrell can see that his personality  is one that players will like to play for him.  He has his hands full in following Holt's footsteps after two state titles in a row.  Regardless of who had of gotten the job they would all have had that problem.

Rock Bottom

There was a period of time in my life  when I played golf as much as possible.  My playing  average was pretty consistent around 86.  During the summer when I was fortunate enough to keep it in the fairway and got all the extra roll possible I could play between 80-82 and and other time 88-92.  I broke 80 only four times. Those days when I carded a 78 once, 76 twice and 75 once I was able to keep the ball in play and made every forty foot putt.

Maybe 20 per cent of the time I beat 85 which is what Tiger Woods shot Saturday.  I would be shocked if Tiger Woods doesn't  retire from golf if his game stays in the state  it is in right now. 85 by Tiger is like me shooting 120.  Tiger has played at such a high level for so long but every golfer at some point in time loses it and it looks like it is Tiger's  time.

Johnny Miller for about five years was the best player in the universe but woke up one day with the yips and next came the TV booth.  It is hard for any player to maintain greatness every week.  Jordan Speith this year's best golfer goes two or three weeks where it is a struggle to make the cut.  Then over night he's near the top of the leader board.

Tiger Woods was near the number one golfer in the world for about 15 years.  His bad days on the golf course was a 72.  Never on the leader board for driving accuracy Tiger had the ability to get on the green and he never missed a putt under eight feet.

Still off the fairway Tiger no longer makes every putt.  The one truly down fall for Tiger now is he doesn't walk out to the first tee thinking that he is the best in the world and he made every other player play for second.

The way Tiger has dominated the game can you see him  having to qualify to even make the tour in the future?  I don't think any of us need to feel sorry for Tiger.  If he never makes another dime playing golf he will be like Arnold Palmer and when he is 80 he still be making endorsement money from all the companies that want to associate with him.

Every great one has hit the wall where they can no longer play at the level of champions.  Age, injury, family obligations and the stress of the grind of tour golf.  If you look at every tournament Tiger has played this year he is getting close to the end of the rope.