Family Reunion

I hope that every family has those moments when they get together to celebrate if nothing else the family.  Saturday I returned to Chowan College or now University where the Jesse Helms floor now reads Bob Burke Court.

The Helms Center has 600 folding seats and about 1400 bleacher seats.  The largest crowd that I ever saw there was when the Carolina JV's visited the then Junior College and every Carolina fan in 50 miles showed up only to see then Carolina JV coach Roy Williams and not a player any Carolina fan had ever heard of.  Then the night the Braves came  home after finishing 3rd in the National Junior College final in Hutchinson Kansas more than a thousand were there to greet them home.

Saturday every blue seat was filled with former coaches, players family members of players and well wishers.  My guess  about 1200 in the house.  In all my days never had to worry about a parking space but had to park near the baseball field and take a shuttle.  Today's game was broadcast on the CIAA TV network and Chowan dedicated the floor to Bob and they gave him a plaque with wood from the floor on it.  Given two minutes to speak the TV almost had to wait in order to start the second half because Bob  Burke has never just talked two minutes in his life.

A dinner in his honor was held and they gave him the floor to speak about his players from His one year at Wallace  Rose Hill, Guilford College and Chowan.  Rob and Ashlyn, his kids surprised Bob with a tribute from the likes of Mike Krzyzewski, Mark Gottfried, Dave Odom, John Thompson, the  NC Wesleyan coach and even a live in personal tribute from Bobby Cremins who probably got more players from Chowan to Georgia Tech than any other coach got any where else.

It was one of those days that you say 'I hope they have one of these days for me before I die'.  Bob just two weeks ago broke one of his hips and was confined to a wheel chair but when it was his time to speak he had no half time cut off.  I have no idea how many players he coached at Chowan for 23 years.  115 maybe at least 100 were there.  They came back to honor the man that helped make them men.  It was one of those days that you say. I'm glad Pat and I were there

Gryphon News:  Former Gryphon Guard Tabias Hilliard  playing Friday night for Methodest University scored 22 in a Methodest victory at Maryville Tennessee. He also crossed 1000 points in his career.  The point guard on the State Champion Gryphon Team in 2012 averaged about five points a game in high school but has had a wonderful career in Fayetteville.

Here areThree pictures.  First former Georgia Tech coach and TV broadcaster Bobby Cremins.  The court at Chowan.  Me and Coach Bob Burke.What a day!

Clogged At The Top

Sometimes all it takes is one.  Tuesday night Rocky Mount got their first win of the season and tonight they got their second as they put the first conference loss of the season to Nash Central 71-61.  
After losing their first 13 games Rocky Mount now has won two in a row and at this point is right smack in the middle of the Big East race at 2-3.  The loss drops Nash Central to 3-1.

The bottom got closer to the top as Hunt who started out winning their first two conference games lost their third straight game at Northern Nash 56-49.   The Knights who had dropped to last after suffering a Tuesday night loss to Rocky Mount still remain in the bottom but are one and a half games out of second.

Fike boys hosted Southern Nash and when the dust had settled both teams leave the gym tied in Big East play after Fike's 49-45 victory over the Firebirds.  Southern was 3-1 heading into tonight and Fike was 2-2.  Now they both are 3-2.

Heading into tonight's action three girls team had one lost in Big East play and all three had a chance to add another notch to their victory records and all three did.

Northern Nash hosted Hunt and early on the Knights had a hard time finding the bottom of the net but even without much offense their defense carried them through.  The Knights win 54-32.  They have played the most games to date and now stand at 5-1.  Northern is right  on schedule and only needs to play a regular two weeks of two games a week.

Tonight at Rocky Mount the Lady Bulldogs beat Rocky Mount for the second time in conference play beating the Lady Gryphons 59-52.  The Lady Bulldogs rise to 3- 1while the lost drops Rocky Mount to 2-3.  The Lady Bulldogs have played the least conference games and in order to catch up must play the next two weeks three conference games per week.

The Lady Golden Demons of Fike shut out the Lady Birds of Southern Nash in the first quarter and had full control in running their conference record to 4-1 and 16-3 as they knock off  Southern 56-19.
Fike is one game behind as having played all conference games on schedule and will need a three game week to catch up.

Second Time Around

Weather has already played a factor but starting tonight most Big East basketball teams begin the cycle of playing their second conference game with each conference members.  If they played them home the first time they will be on the road the second time around.  So far on the boys side of the ledger Nash Central will be faced with making up more games than anyone else and will have to finish the next two weeks with three conference games per week.  For their sake hope we don't get more weather by regular seasons end.

Northern Nash, Fike and Nash Central girls are all three boasting overall great records and each one has only one conference loss heading to the second time around.  The Lady Bulldogs have the toughest road to hoe due to the fact they have more conference games left than anybody.

Boys tonight:

The headliner would have to be Nash Central 3-0 9-7 at Rocky Mount 1-3 1-13:  Having not lost so far makes this the headliner for Nash Central.  Will their first win bring new life to the Gryphons or will the Bulldogs let everyone know they are for real.

Southern Nash 3-1 10-5 at Fike 2-2 7-11:  Big game for both as they try to stay in the hunt for first.  Fike is more desperate than Southern but the Firebirds still think they can be champs and any loss would not help them do the championship thing.

Hunt 2-2 7-10 at Northern Nash 1-4 11-6:  Thinking ahead to the playoffs Northern has got to get going in conference first just to make the playoffs but secondly get a better seed than what they would be if they were in now.  Hunt can still take the title with a strong finish.

Girls:

None of the one loss teams play each other tonight so their is a chance for them to improve their records.  Not one of them can afford a loss.

Southern Nash 0-4 0-15 at Fike 3-1 15-3:  As far as Fike is concerned this had not better be a slip up game.  This one should not be close.

Hunt  1-3 3-13 at Northern Nash 4-1 14-3:  On the right night Hunt is capable but like Hunt the Lady knights cannot afford any let down to a team they should beat.

Nash Central 2-1 13-3 at Rocky Mount 2-2 9-5:  Rocky Mount is more than capable of beating anybody at any time but they need their defense and their shooting to be working in tandem.  The Bulldogs still remember the pasting they got in the Christmas Tournament from Rocky Mount.

Winless No More

Rocky Mount hosting Northern Nash on their home court looking to break an 0fer season of 13 losses in a row and  the last two last season of 15 straight losses.  The Gryphons came  out of the blocks as if this would be the night  to end the losing streak.  The entire first half the Gryphons maintained a double digit lead until a late Northern flurry cut the half time lead to seven.

The entire second half Northern stayed within striking distance but for the first time this year Rocky Mount made plays late and beat Northern Nash 62-54.  Their first win of the season gets them out of last place as they now stand at 1-3 while Northern drops to 1-4.

After winning 33 straight conference games  and having that steak broken last week Grover Battle had his Lady Knights ready to play defense as they hold The Lady Gryphons to three points in the first quarter And only three in the second.   The good news for the Lady Gryphons were playing defense too and Northern only had 17 themselves at the half.

The second  half the Gryphons found their shooting touch but by games end Northern kept their halftime margin as the Lady Knights are now 4-1 and Rocky Mount 2-2 as the Knights beat the Gryphons 48-37.

Over at North Carolina Wesleyan the Lady Battling Bishops found themselves down 14 at the end of the first quarter to Averett.  Just a couple of minutes left in the third quarter the Bishops took their first lead at 43-42 but the Cougars finished the third on a six point run to lead 48-43 and the Bishops never got closer again.

Only two Bishops hit double figures Kenyatta Harris Hit for 15 and Nash Central's Timyra  Staton had  10 on the inside.  The Bishops shot just 29 per cent for the game and only 17 per cent from the three line.  The loss drops the Bishops to 4-4 in the USAS.

Former Gryphon J'Kyra Brown and her UVA women's basketball team played tonight in Raleigh which is as close as she will play near home this year.  The Pack playing this season at Broughton's gym with Reynolds Coliseum being remodeled  lost to the Pack 63-52.  Brown scored 9 points on 3of eight shots from the the 3 point line.  She had five rebounds and 2 steals. The Cavs will be right back in the triangle next Thursday when they play Duke at 7pm.

Mullins Named NCHSAA Performer Of The Week

Josh Mullins who poured in 39 points in Nash Central's conference victory last week has been named the Male NCHSAA Performer of the week.  The weekly award is presented by Time Warner Cable.  So far this season Mullins is averaging 23.5 points per game and at this point in the season is in line to be named the player of the year.

The Northern Nash at Rocky Mount Tuesday night action has been moved to Wednesday starting at 6pm for the girls game. The JV games will be played in the Auxiliary gym so the girls varsity game will start at 6pm.

The Nash Central at Southern Nash Games scheduled for tonight has been moved to February 3rd.

The only Big East action played  was in Wilson County as bitter rivals Hunt and Fike took to the floor and heading into tonight Hunt boys were 2-1 while Fike was 1-2.  Fike edges Hunt 54-49.  Sitting idle tonight Nash Central  3-0 only has only one team Southern Nash 3-1  with one loss  Fike 2-2, Hunt 2-2 Northern Nash 1-3 and Rocky Mount 0-3  are all at least two losses behind or more.

Fike girls moved to 3-1 in conference playing beating their top rival Hunt. 55-37.  The Lady Demons are now 15-3 on the season.  Hunt falls to 1-3 and overall 3-13.

This Saturday I will be heading back to my old stomping grounds and in this Case Chowan University where Saturday Afternoon the floor of the Jesse Helms Center will be named for legendary coach Bob Burke.  Bob called me before Christmas to invite me to the Saturday naming.

Burke came to Chowan in the summer of 1980.  At that time I was a salesman working at the radio station in Ahoskie and one morning I was in Murfreesboro making sales calls when I entered the Hardee's and as I stood at the counter placing an order I heard my name called from someone seated.

I had never met Bob Burke at this time but as I turned I recognized him from his picture being in the paper.  He told me to come sit with him as we had something to talk about.  That day Burke told me he wanted Chowan basketball on the radio and what had to happen for it to happen.

Basketball season was all ready on going so I devised a plan  to carry five away games that first season.  I traveled to each with the team  on the van and we went to Randolph Macon, ECU, Louisburg, Lenoir CC and Craven CC.  By year two we made five road games each season but added all the home games.

During the 1981-1993 seasons  I was privileged to be part of Chowan making three trips to the Juco final 16.  I broadcast 169 victories and only 23 losses.  I interviewed on the radio Roy Williams who was the Carolina JV coach then,  Bobby Cremmins of Georgia Tech and  Carl Tacy of Wake Forest and so many more.  They all came calling on the likes of Nate McMillan and so many more that came through Chowan during the Burke era.

I have been very lucky in my life to have been able to follow teams that always seemed to be very good when I'm calling their games.  While talking on the phone with Bob in December and he was naming the people who would be there he said this. " You were there from the beginning and it was your words spreading the word about Chowan basketball.  You were there during the Juco days and I want you there with me."  How could I refuse.

The Halfway Point

Tuesday night marks the halfway point at least on the calendar of the Big East basketball.  The boys find Nash Central in the lead at 3-0,Southern Nash has three also but have a loss hung on them that the Bulldogs don't have.  Hunt has won twice with one loss.  Fike with a single win have collected two losses.  Two teams have three losses Northern Nash and Rocky Mount.  The Knights have the only single win among them.

Come Wednesday morning the win total will double to two between them as Northern visits Rocky Mount.  What does a rivalry really mean?  It doesn't always happen when both teams are winning.  Tonight the loser is in last place.  Can a game be any more important tonight than tonight.  Northern Nash 1-3 11-5 @ Rocky Mount 0-3 0-13.  Overall this record favors a Northern win but this is at Rocky Mount.

Southern Nash 3-1 10-5 @ Nash Central 3-0 9-7.  The battle for the halfway point lead.  The Bulldogs over all record is deceiving.  Their unbeaten conference record is not.  I think by years end these two will sit a top the standings.  In which order is the question.

Fike 1-2 6-11 @ Hunt 2-1 7-9.  The Wilson County version of NN/RM.

Girls Action:

The domination of 33 straight wins is over.  Many times when a long streaks ends teams lose twice before they recover.  Northern Nash 3-1 13-3 visits Rocky Mount 2-1 9-4.  They have already met once in the Christmas tournament with RM winning.  Four teams are at least 2-1 in conference play so a win could bounce you upwards and a loss tumble you down

Southern Nash 0-4 0-14 visits Nash Central 2-1 13-3.  Should be no problem for Nash Central.

Fike 2-1 14-3 visits Hunt 1-2 3-12.  Like the guys four teams are 2-1 and needing victory to stay near the top.

Last night NC Wesleyan took a double dip win over William Peace.  The girls won at home 65-55 over former Northern Nash Knight Susannah Sykes who scored 7 points.  Kenyatta Harris led the way scoring 22 for the Battling Bishops.  Up in Raleigh the men were at William Peace and hit triple digits winning 100-90.  DJ  Weaver lead the Battling Bishops with 23.

Joe Buck "All Carolina"

Twenty one years now the Carolina Panthers has been the pro football team of the Carolina's .  They have won 166 regular season games while losing 169.  They have won the NFL South division three straight years and for the second time in their history they are the champions of the NFC.  This was their ninth all time playoff win while losing only only six.  The  Panthers are heading to their second Super Bowl after a   49-15 Victory over The Arizona Cardinals.

The game started as if the Panthers were going to repeat last Sunday's 31-0 halftime lead as they had a 17-0 lead at the end of the first.  The Cardinals cut the lead to ten before Cam and  Company took a 24-7 halftime lead.  The Panther D forced four first half turnovers.

However the Panthers were determined that this would not be a last Sunday repeat getting shutout in the second half.  The Panthers put ten more on the board and shutout the Cardinals.  First minute of fourth quarter the Cards scored and that was enough motivation to spark Carolina to score again.  Then the defense put the final touches on this Carolina stomping.

Cam was 19-28 for 335 yards and enjoyed the last five minutes celebrating on the sidelines.    The Panthers rushed for an additional 157 yards

Waiting in two weeks in the Super Bowl  is Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos who survive a two point conversion and beat the the New England Patiots 20-18.  The Denver D all season long carried the offense.

Tom Brady passed for 310 yards but it took 56 tosses to get that on only 27 completions.  Brady' s only touchdown pass came on their final drive to get them to 18 while he was picked twice in the second quarter.  The Pats ran for only 44 yards.

Manning threw for only 172 yards but two were for touchdowns on 17-32 passing.  Denver rushed for 99 yards for the game.  The Pats out gained the Bronc's 354 to 271 but lose.

The Tar Heels were in Blacksburg this afternoon playing in the daylight in order For  fans who filled  Cassell Coliseum be on the highway before dark and refreezing  roads.  Tech has proven to be better than anyone thought in preseason and had the Heels sweating but in the end the Tar Heels go to 7-0 with 75-70 win over Virginia Tech.

The NC Wesleyan women play Monday night tonight at 5:30.  This is the game that was scheduled Saturday against William Peace  but was moved because of the weather.

Hunkered Down

I have reached the age that I no longer cheer when the first flake falls with the anticipation that there will be no school.  Many of us punch a clock where we work and once we go home early the pay Check will be smaller the next time pay day arrives.

Having worked a half a day Friday like many I made a last minute run to the grocery store for the third time since Wednesday.  Once home I found my recliner where I have been since.  Whenever we have special weather Like a hurricane or in this case ice and snow I enjoy perched in my recliner to watch how life is all around us.

I am thankful that part of the modern world we can sit in one spot and have communications that can let me see what is happening all over the state.  If it is snowing in Durham  the storm is heading east then it is not stopping here anytime soon.  Have you ever looked at a map and realized that even though Highway 64 heads to Raleigh, Raleigh is southeast of Rocky Mount Durham is due west of Rocky Mount.

Around eight pm Friday night we were shook when one of the big limbs from the tree in our front yard came crashing down on our stoop and a few feet of our roof.  It is a rather large limb  but it snapped off from the base of the tree and split which it did not break Cleanly off.  We could not however go out our front door.We are thankful for neighbors who helped me drag it off the house Saturday.  We will be needing a chain saw on Monday to cut the limb down and get it cut up to find out if we have roof damage still cover with ice/snow.

Thank goodness for a good supply of movies once you tire of seeing the same scene for a break.  We either watched Chanel five or Say yes to the dress.  I can only take so much of that.  Funny thing about snow coverage.  Basketball and football coverage seem to be the biggest questions when people call their favorite station.  Is the Duke/State game still on?

Today we have Carolina basketball and two football games to watch and church is cancelled due to icy parking lots and sidewalks.  Even though I no longer like having to get out in ice or drive on the slick roads I do enjoy the change.  We get up go to work, when we get home most nights  have some place to be until bedtime.  I love the change of the routine.  About two days is all I can stand of this  sit around look out the window.  Sure will be glad to get back in the routine!

Panthers Win The One They Needed

The Panthers were 15-1 during the regular season. The one thing they did not need to happen was for Seattle to come into the Panthers house and win a low scoring game and everyone say "see we told  you they were not that good".  What the Panthers did is scared the day lights out of the Cardinals, Patriots and Broncos.  They played the first half of that game showing the world that they are the best team in football.

I went 2-2 for the weekend missing the Patriots  and Denver.   I wish I had of known before I wrote my picks last week that Brown would not play for Pittsburgh.  I have been thinking for five weeks now that the Cardinals were the best team in NFC.  I think both the Panthers and Cardinals are better than both of the AFC teams

If I were a coach whenever a team had to win a game with a 'Hail Mary' I would rush seven and keep four back at the goal line.  The one thing any defense needs to do  is keep the quarterback from having time to rare back and throw to the end zone.  Make him throw out of desperation or throw short of the goal line and you have four guys there to come up to tackle short of the goal line. Who cares how close they get just keep'em out of the end zone.

How do you stop Tom Brady with his five yard passing game.  I would only rush three and keep two linebackers in the slant lanes to cut off the angles.   I cannot see at this point and Peyton Manning said in pregame interviews he was as healthy as he has been in three years that Manning plays next year.  It's time to retire.

The Championship games on Sunday.  Denver struggled to beat Pittsburgh in a game the Steelers left most of their best players out of the game with injuries.  I just can not see Denver and Peyton Manning scoring enough points to stay in this game.  I compare the Denver offense to the Tim Tebo teams when the defense had to hold the other team scoreless and Tebo score once in the game to win. That won't work against the Patriots. NE will score at least 27 points due to the fact the Denver offense will put the Denver D in quite a few bad spots.

I relate the Tom Brady  era to John Wooten time at UCLA when the Bruins were the only team west of the Mississippi that knew what a basketball was.  The AFC East  has been awful for all  but one year in the last 15.  All the Patriots   have had to do is win for the most part two playoff games to make it to the Super Bowl.  It is set up for them again.  They faced KC who thought they were ahead the hold game and tried to run the clock out.  Now they get a Denver team that can't score.  Pats 27-Bronco's 20.

I think the whole world saw for one half that the Panthers when they are focused are the best team in football.  What they need is to be  tied at the half so they will have to come out and stay with concentration.  Unless the team is awful it is hard for any team to keep their foot on the gas petal.  In fact the play calling played a big part in putting the Panthers to sleep.

The Game at hand. The Cardinals let the Packers stay close but if you remember I predicted the game would be closer than the last times they met.  The Panther must pressure the quarterback.  The Cards have top notch receivers.  I think if the Panthers pound the football and use Cam as the lets open up the eight  man front the Panthers win.  Cam is at his best throwing under 25 times a games which allows the Panthers to run the football.

It is hard to believe that this will be the fourth time the Panthers have played in the NFC Championship  game since they joined the NFL in 1995.  This is the first time they have ever hosted the game. They cannot let home field get away with a lost.    Panthers 27 Cards 24

Conference Winning Streak Over

Tonight for the first time since the last regular season game of 2012 Northern Nash girls have lost a conference game.  Tonight playing a day early to beat the impending weather  Northern girls lose their first conference game at Fike 49-45.

The Lady Knights had not lost a conference game since February 10th 2012 when they lost at home to J'Kyra Brown and the Lady Gryphons 50-43.  They won all ten regular season games in 2013, 2014 and 2015. They started this season winning their first three this year.  Tonight's loss drops the Lady Knights to 3-1 in the 2016 conference play.  This is the first victory ever by Fike since the creation of the Big East conference seven years ago.

Fike sweeps Northern Nash as the boys game goes towards the Golden Demons  76-68. It is Fike's  first win as they go to 1-2 but they are one less conference game played after the Wednesday night at Rocky Mount  was postponed.  Northern drops to 1-3 as they are right on schedule as to this point they have not been effected by weather.

The pain continues for Rocky Mount as their visit to Southern Nash Resulted in their 13th straight loss this season and they are 0-3 in the Big East after a 61-46 victory by the Firebirds. So far in conference plays none of the gryphon losses have been close. Southern climbs to 3-1.  Rocky Mount is one game off schedule and still have a home game against Fike to make up to be even in games with all other conference members.

The Hunt at Nash Central games as far as I can tell was not played tonight and of course with classes already cancelled for Friday the games will be made up next week. I am hearing they will be played the 27th.

Here We Go With Weather Again

By conference tournament time last year the weather was causing all kinds of havoc with schools in session and whenever school is out so goes any practice after school to games being postponed.  The weather Wednesday night with the ground frozen from the previous two days every flake that fell Wednesday night stuck.

Tonight before the Fike/Rocky Mount games could start they were postponed to another date.  They did get the game in at Southern Nash as Hunt was visiting.  Yesterday I told you in the girls game that Even though both were 0-2 in conference I could not see Hunt losing to the Southern girls due to the lack of scoring.

Hunt averages 44 points per game while the Lady Birds only 18.  So the only way Southern could beat Hunt would be keep them from scoring.  The halftime score was 14-9 Hunt.  So it was set up that Southern on the home court had a chance.  Didn't pan out however as Hunt finished by getting their average and Southern hit theirs. 44-18 Hunt.

Hunt winners of three in a row including their first two conference wins need a win at Southern Nash in order to stay tied with the Nash Central who had won their third conference game on Tuesday night.  Tonight Southern Nash drops Hunt to their first conference  loss and in doing so The Firebirds tie Hunt at 2-1 in conference trailing the 3-0 Bulldogs.  Southern Nash handles the Warriors. 44-30.

Depending on whether there is any school Thursday both the Rocky Mount at Southern Nash and the Northern Nash at Fike games for Friday have been moved to Thursday to beat this incoming storm schedule for Friday Morning.  As I write this Wednesday night have not heard about the Hunt at Nash  Central game.  The weather is at it again and at this point who knows whether anybody plays Thursday or Friday.  Hopefully school goes Thursday to keep the schedule from getting to far out of kilter even before they have gotten around once in conference play.

Watching the Carolina and Wake game last night I had no idea that Carolina has six players averaging  in double digits.  You realize how much you have to share the ball to get players scoring at least 10 points every game.  Carolina looks like they will be number one come next week when the new poll comes out.  Carolina manhandled The Deacs 83-68.    Despite winning two national championships since returning to Chapel Hill this is Roy Williams best start 6-0 in conference play.  That is another hard to believe statement.

Overtime At Northern

The top two girls basketball teams squared off at Northern Nash in Big East basketball  as the Lady Bulldogs came calling.  This one took extra time before the home standing Lady Knights were able to outlast the Lady Bulldogs 49-44.  Northern takes the outright lead at 3-0  while Nash Central drops to 2-1.

The boys game turns out to be a track meet as Nash Central tied for the lead in the Big East travels to Northern Nash who was looking to move up in the standings.  Once the track meet ended the visitors from Nash Central took home the victory 84-78.  A huge win for Nash Central on the road.

These were the only games on the docket tonight as both the Hunt at Southern Nash double header and the Fike at Rocky Mount games will be played Wednesday night.  For the time being the Nash Central boys have the conference lead over Hunt until their results Wednesday.  The Lady Knights are in first regardless of what happens Wednesday.

NC State wins their first conference game at Pitt.  The Pack matches up well with the Pitt big men which is the Pitt game going inside.  The Pack cut that off and Pitt just doesn't shoot outside well enough.  Pack 78-61.

Duke has lost their third straight game in conference.  It is easy to see what their problem is.  They have no one on the back line to stop dribble penetration.  That is a bad problem to have when the outside players play ole' defense.  Wave at the defender as they go by.

There is clearly no team in the NCAA that you can say they are the best.  Carolina is just as good as anybody and if they stay healthy they should be a major contender for the final four.  Can you think who else you can say that about?

Lady Dogs/Knights Battle For Top Spot

The Big East girls basketball race playing two conference games in one week for the first time find  three games and all three are against teams tied with each other.

The two unbeaten teams Nash Central 13-2 2-0 travel across highway 64 to Northern Nash 12-2 2-0.  The history of Nash Central  this series has been dominated by Northern.  This game could very well be a toss up. One of these teams will have the outright lead while the other will drop down to a tie with the winner of our next game.

Fike 13-3 1-1 @ Rocky Mount 8-4 1-1.  Interesting game as Rocky Mount must have the outside shot going plus have the defense creating loose balls.  The winner ties the loser of the Northern/Nash Central game while the loser falls into a tie with the winner of the last game on the schedule.

Hunt 2-12 0-2 @ Southern 0-13 0-2.  Find it hard to believe the Lady Birds scoring less than 20 points per game could win against a team scoring more than forty.  So you would assume that Hunt would move up in a tie with the loser of the Fike/RM game and the winner of that game will be tied with the loser of NC/NN

The boys angle:

The two unbeaten teams travels to the two teams with only one loss so there is a possibility of a four way tie at the top or any combination in between

Nash Central 8-7 2-0 @ Northern Nash 11-3 1-1.  Gym should be a full house for both the boys and girls games as these two schools are for real for the first time in a long while all at the same time.
This game is a toss up.

Hunt 7-8 2-0 @ Southern Nash 8-5 1-1.  Despite their overall record the Warriors could with a win could be giving everyone notice that they are again the team to beat in the Big  East.  The Firebirds could put a stop to all that.

Fike 5-11 0-2 @ Rocky Mount 0-12 0-2.  Who would have thought at the end of last basketball season the by the third conference game  these two teams would be in this position.  Long season foe the loser.  The winner will still have a chance.

Heck Of A Game

I was pulling for Clemson but the ACC and any Clemson Tiger fan should not have any complaints about the way the team played.   Alabama wins 45-40 and the difference in the game was a kickoff return by Bama and a surprise on side kick that lead to a touchdown.  The biggest accomplishment by the on side kick was it kept the ball away from Clemson and the Crimson Tide scored to boot. 

Anybody that didn't enjoy the game surely must not be a football fan.  It had big plays and both teams had a hard time stopping the other.  I thought the stop of the game occurred when Clemson lead 24-21 and got the ball back at the 50 yard line.  The Tide held Clemson to a three and out after the punt got it on the 20 after the punt went into the end zone.  The previous two or three Bama drives had started inside their own 10.

The NFL  has given three teams permission to move if necessary to new cities.  The Rams are back in LA where they should have never left 20 some years ago.  The Chargers have been given an extra 100 million to continue to Negotiate  with the City of San Diego and if that fails within the next year talk with the Rams about being a partner in LA.  Oakland either sits and waits out it's chances in LA or look to move elsewhere in the interim. 

At this point I would not be shocked if either the Chargers or Raiders looked to St Louis or San Antonio as possible new homes if they can get the cities to build them billion dollar stadiums with very little money from each team.  There is one caveat for either to move and there is a 550 million dollar moving fee from the NFL.

We as fans look at our sports team differently than the average business in town. We are all fans of some team and if that team is in my home town then that team is mine whether I have ever been to a game or not.  If you are a Carolina Panthers fan but have never even been to a game in Charlotte or bought season tickets you are not really financially tied to that team only a fan due to TV.

We can ride all over the city of Rocky Mount and see hollow shells of businesses that no longer are in business.  When they closed or left town the only people who seriously cared one way or the other were the people who lost their jobs.  Yes the city lost tax dollars from any business that leaves but there is nobody crying because my team business x left like they do when their sports team leaves

When UNC built the Dean Dome it cost 28 million dollars. 13 years later when N C State built what is now PNC it cost  186 million to have luxury boxes be included for the extra income. So in order to get a basketball arena The Wolfpack partnered with the Carolina Hurricanes. Football stadiums with Luxury boxes  having a going rate today of between 1 billion to 2 billion depending on whether you want the score board to be the entire length of the field like in Dallas.  The cost of fan convenience to lure you to sit in a seat is costly.

 We as fans or city governments are held hostages by teams but we must include our own wants to the hostage list.  It is nice to sit in a luxury box and during the time outs run and get a roast beef sandwich or buffet and even go to the bathroom that's in my box without having to stand in line.  Cities with three major league sports have more to brag about over only having two professional team.  Long gone are the days of sitting in a bleacher with no back.  We can't blame anyone but ourselves for what sports have become.

Bad Weekend

The second straight game the North Carolina Wesleyan men played without a starting guard in the lineup and for the second straight game the Battling Bishops struggle down the stretch and lose their second straight conference game 77-71 to Covenant.

Senior Jesse Simpson was in street clothes but the first half the Bishop played eight players and seven of the eight scored at least four points and the Bishops lead 46-37.  Leading 54-46 the Bishop gave up 14 straight points  to yield the lead at 60 -54 and from that point on it was a struggle to catch up.

Brandon  Brown led the Bishops with 15, DJ Weaver 13 and John Edwards 12 were the leading scorers for the Bishops. TJ  Cox led the Scots with 23 followed by Bailey Spraggs with 11.  If you want to give the main for the loss the Bishops were just 13-26 at the free throw line.

Just to give you and idea why network TV only gives announcers one game a week to prepare.  Look at what I was faced with  doing the PA with one of Covenants players.  His name is Patjo Twagirayezu.

The Lady Bishops rebound from their Friday night loss to win over Covenant 63-58.  Kenyatta Harris led the Bishops  with  16 points and 8 rebounds.  The difference in this game was the Lady Bishops caused  29 turnovers while losing only  14.

The category of late news, I saw this in the Nashville Graphic this week.  Southern Nash baseball coach Todd a Brewer is a high school football referee during football season and while toting the chain at Rocky Mount both JV and Varsity Todd had two games at Rocky Mount.  Todd was headlinesman in the 2AA state championship game played at Carter Finley Stadium in Raleigh.  Congrats to Todd.

Finally the pronunciation  to the Convenant players name.  Here is the way I wrote it down to be able to get it.  PatJoe   Pa-yeara- yea- su.  I had to say it 12 times and I think  I got it  right every time.  The only people who knew if I didn't were the folks from Covenant but I doubt whether I got it right either.

Basketball Every Where

The Big East resumed basketball after exams earlier this week and it seems every game that North Carolina Wesleyan  plays is against a team undefeated or with one loss.

Tonight the Battling Bishops put their 2-0 record in USAS conference play and Maryville is in town from Tennessee boasting an 11-3 and 2-1 league play.  The Bishops 9-5 over all started the night with senior starter Jesse Simpson in street clothes and the first five minutes the Scots ran out to a 13 point lead.  The next ten minutes the Bishops out scored the Scots by 20 to take a 7 point lead. The push by the Battling Bishops consisted of an aggressive full court  defense.  By the half the Scots had pushed back in front by 2 at 39-37.

The second half started just like the first as the Scots were pushing the lead to ten when a mystery technical foul was called on the Bishops after a drive to the basket.  A second foul was called on coach John Thompson for taking his coat off and in a matter of seconds the Scots lead ballooned to 19.

The Bishops pecked at the lead but by games end the final score stood at 86-80 as the Bishops could get no closer than 83-80. D J Weaver led the Bishops with 18, followed by Brandon Brown with 16. Off the bench John Edwards added 16 points.  The Bishops forced 20 turnovers but could not catch up.  Maryville had four double digit scorers in Jay Bowyer 17, Joshua Brooks 16, Tyler Spicer 15 and  Spencer Shoffner 11.

The girls action saw some tall trees in the Maryville basketball team and the Lady Bishops struggle with the outside game because there was not much on the inside as the Ladies lose to to the Scots 78-54.  The Battling Bishops are on the court starting at 2pm Saturday hosting  Covenant College.  The boys play at 4pm.

The Hunt Warriors have started of 2-0 in conference play knocking off Rocky Mount 68-56.  Rocky Mount drops to 0-2 in conference play and now have lost their first 12 on the season.  The Lady Gryphons  got to 1-1  after whipping Hunt 65-38.  Hunt drops to 0-2.

Nash Central sweeps Fike.  The girls game saw the Lady Bulldogs winning 51-46.  The Bulldogs go to 2-0 while Fike drops to 1-1. The boys of Nash Central push their record  to 2-0 whipping the Fike boys 66-59.  Fike drops to 0-2

Northern Nash girls  man handled the Lady Birds 58-10.  Not much of a surprise in that score.  The Lady Knights go to 2-0  while the Lady Birds are 0 for the last two seasons.  The Knights of  Northern Nash rebounded after their lost  to Hunt  with a 72-62 win over Southern Nash.  Both teams are 1-1.

Hunt and Nash Central have said no to the league in every team being 1-1 in the league like everyone did last year.  They are tied at 2-0 Northern Nash and Southern Nash are in the middle at 1-1 and Rocky Mount and Fike bring up the rear at 0-2.

The girls side of the ledger has the Lady Knights at 2-0 along with Nash  Central.  Fike and Rocky Mount  are in the middle at 1-1 while Southen Nash and Hunt trail the field.

The Divisional Round

If last week and this week are the two best weeks in every NFL season which of the two weeks is the best of the best and my pick is this week.  Most of the time this week's games are more competitive than any other playoff week including the Super Bowl.  I got 3 of the four game right last week missing out on the Skins.

The weekend's action starts Saturday with Kansas City traveling to New England for the 4:40pm kickoff.  New England has lost four of their last six games and it has had nothing to do with coasting because they play in one of the worse divisions.  They are hurting something that most of the time at this time of year they are healthy.  Belacheat most of the time has a nack of fitting a new player into a hole and making  it work to New England's advantage but it hasn't worked this year.

Kansas City is the hottest team in football and Brady just like every other quarterback has a hard time throwing from his back or on the run throwing.  KC will pressure Brady all day with their beat up line.  This doesn't happen often but I see KC beating the Pats in any weather conditions.  A home playoff loss for New England  KC 27 England 20

The night cap Saturday has the NFC front and center with the 8pm game Green Bay at Arizona.  These two played just a couple a weeks ago and it was all Cardinals.  How many times have you seen a team crushed one week and have a down to the wire game the next time.  I don't see this happening here.

It helps that the Redskins were not a top of the division defense.  The Cardinals are.  The Cards will press the best quarterback in the NFL like they did last game.  I see the Cardinals making their first step to make it to the Super Bowl.  Not a blow out like the last meeting but they will be in control.  27-17.

Our home state Carolina Panthers  will host the Seattle Seahawks in the 1pm game on Sunday.  If the Panthers lose Sunday all the skeptics will say the Panthers didn't beat anybody all year.  I think Seattle is a bad matchup for the Panthers. But on the other hand Carolina is a bad matchup for Seattle.  Every time these two play it goes down to the wire.  It will go down to the wire again.

Seattle defense is beginning to play at the Super Bowl caliber that they have played the last couple of years.  The Hawks offense is not playing nearly as good at the last two.  Carolina's defense will hold Seattle to a few points.  The last four or five games Cam has gone back to some bad habits like throwing of his back foot which tends to make throws high.  High throws produce interceptions which are never good but especially in the playoffs. Cam can not have and int from poor mechanics.  Seattle has not shown to be a great road team and they should be home for the summer except for a kicker. Hawks falls to  Carolina 17-13.

The best weekend of NFL football ends Sunday afternoon with a 4:40 kick in Denver.  Pittsburgh and Denver.  Will Big Ben play Probably but how good will he be?  How good will the Denver offense be with a quarterback that they are afraid to let him throw anymore.  Can Denver run enough to win?  I'll take the 6th road team to win in these playoffs Pitt 13 Denver 10.

Gryphons Lead Football All Conference Team

After sweeping the three major awards in conference voting for coach of the year Jason Battle, Offensive player of the Year Nick Bynum and Defensive player of the year  Sherrod Green it should not come as any surprise that Rocky Mount leads the way with players making the All Conference team.  Ten Gryphons join both of the players of the year on the All Conference team. You don't go through league play undefeated and then sweep through the state 3A playoffs unless you have players who can play.

Three Gryphon lineman high light the offense as  the Gryphons rushed as a team for 4402 yards on the season  which works out to 275 per game.  Then you add another 1692 passing the ball for 106 yards per game.  The 2015 football season Rocky Mount covered ground every Friday night at 380.87 yards per game.  The runners could not get the yardage they got and our quarterbacks could not pass for the yardage gained unless some of the big guys up from were not protecting them. 

Three Gryphon lineman made All Conference. Senior lineman Ja'quez Johnson 6'2" 293 pounds.  He wore # 50 for those of you that don't pay much attention to the line as the backs run through the holes they make.  Senior #60 Niles Pride 6'1"275 and #72 Junior Thomas Battle 6' 275 were the three making all conference.

B J Sanders junior who rushed for 1287 yards which is 7.8 yard per carry and scored 14 touchdowns with a couple coming from kickoff returns and punt returns.  He had  1599 all purpose yards on the season including the opening kick off touchdown in the state championship game.

Tyrell Forbes Senior:  You know you are loaded with running backs when your so call third leading rusher also makes all conference.  Forbes carried the ball 120 time grinding out 832 yards which computes to 6.9 yards every time he touched the football. He scored eight times on the season.

The final offensive player making all conference is quarterback Forest Bell.  Bell passed for 1670 yards or for 104 yards per game.  This season Bell threw only five interceptions while attempting 149 passes.  Every completion got the Gryphons 18.6 yards and he complete 6 out of every 10 attempts.  The Gryphons were mostly a running team but when the Gryphons needed to open up the defense they score 8 touchdowns through  the air off the arm of Bell.  He ran 41 times on the season for only 80 yards.  His longest run on the season was maybe the most important play all season in the State Championsdhip game.  The third and 19 and Forest got 20 in the fourth quarter against South Point.

Moving over to defense four Gryphons make the All Conference team.  The youngest player to make All Conference is Detrell Revis.  The defensive back made 79 tackles assisted on another 27 for 106 for the season.   He picked off 7 passes and ran them back toward our goal line for 207 yards
 including one he took home for a touchdown.  He also had a fumble recovery that he scored off of.

Senior Jac'quel Walker had 31 tackles  and assisted on another 7.  He had four tackle for losses.  He recovered two fumbles during the season.

Alex Henderson Senior accumulated 153 tackles on the season which 94 were solo and assisted on another 59 for a total of 153 which led the team.  He had 8 tackles for losses and four quarterback sacks.

The final all conference player is Junior Artavious Richardson  He recorded 72 solo tackles and assisted on another 35 for 107 tackles on the season.  16 of those tackles resulted in losses and another 6.5 quarterback sacks.

Gryphons Sweep Football Awards

Jason Battle the State Champion Gryphon football coach has been named the Big East Coach of the year.  Battle in his fourth year as coach of the Gryphons wins his first Coach of the year Award. His four year record as the Gryphon football coach is 38-14.

If you go undefeated in conference and then win the State Title then you can expect to win other awards.  Nick Bynum didn't even start as Gryphon fullback the first game but it was obvious that Sherrod Green who did start was more important as a linebacker on defense and Green has been named Big East defensive Player of the year.  Bynum proved to be a reliable replacement has won the offensive Big East Player of the Year.

Bynum rushed for 1631 which was just under 102 yards per game.  During the years Bynum had 238 carries and got 6.9 yards per carry.  He scored 8 touchdown during the season.

Green had a total of 154 tackles during the season which moving him from fullback to defense gave him right at 10 tackles per game.  He had 106 solo tackles and assisted on 48 others.  11 of those tackles were for losses.

Saw on the Washington Redskins website that the Skins this week gave former Tarboro and Duke tackle Takoby Cofield a contract called Reserve/Contract.  This past season Cofield did not make the 53 man  roster which 45 are eligible to play every Sunday.  He was on the practice squad which those players eight they   run the plays of this week's opponent or defense so the 53 man team can watch what that team will do come Sunday.

At anytime during the regular season any team can pluck any player from any team's practice squad.  If they do they have to be put on the 53 man squad and instead of making $5000 dollars a week they make the NFL minimum of a half million per year or pro rated by the number of games left in a season when that player joins his new team.

Once the season is over any player that is on the practice squad can try to sign with any team that might sign them.  What the Reserve/contract does is keeps that player attached and in this case Takoby Cofield a member of the Washington Redskins when training camp starts and Cofield will have an opportunity to make the 53 man roster.  You would think by signing Cofield the Skins think he will be part of the team next year or they would not have given him this deal.

Checked out Shaun Draughn and did not realize that Draughn was injured in the next to last game of the season with the San Fransico 49's and was placed on injured reserve for the last game.  Injured reserve allows a team to put another player on the 53 man squad that last game to replace the injured player who is not able to play.

Draughn is a five year player and is considered a third down player and his career has already seen stops at eight different teams.

Streaks On The Line

There are good streaks and then there are bad ones and Big East basketball has two going that are not the kind of streaks any one wants.  Heading to Northern Nash tonight the Lady Birds of Southern Nash have lost 38 games in a row.  When you score only 18 points per games chances are slim that the losing streak will end this year.

Rocky Mount boys will be heading to Hunt riding a 12 game losing streak.  A program which this century has been the model basketball program in the area this streak is a hard pill to swallow.  Some of the problem has been not having a full complement of players but last week with everyone they weren't competitive in two games. Everyone's life a little rain must fall and the Gryphons are getting theirs now.

Southern Nash Lady Birds 0-1-0-12 @ Northern Nash 1-0-10-2:  Northern defense should control this game.  A Lady Knights victory would put them in a two way tie for the conference lead.

Nash Central 1-0- 12-2 @ Fike 1-0- 13-2:  This would be a big win for the Lady Dogs to pull off at Fike.  This should be a dog fight. No pun intended.

Rocky Mount 7-4- 0-1 @ Hunt 0-1- 1-10:  Rocky Mount plays great defense and they are better on offense when the defense is clicking.  A road win would help keep the Lady Gryphons in top four but a loss and an 0-2 conference start would be hard to dig out from.

Boys:

Southern Nash 1-0 - 8-4 @ Northern Nash 0-1- 10-3:  Should be the game of the night in the boys action.  There is a possibility that after two games there could be a six way tie again  this year because all the teams with one loss play the teams with one win, not likely but possible.

Nash Central 1-0 7-7 @ Fike 0-1 5-10:  It is imperative that every team hold serve and win at home and steal one or two on the road.  If you give away home games you will sink towards the bottom.

Rocky Mount 0-1- 0-11 @ Hunt 1-0 5-8:  Here we go Hunt has a road win and they don't need to give it back against a struggling Gryphon Team.  Rocky Mount just needs a win.

The awards keep coming.  Last night during the Rocky Mount City Council meeting the Council presented the Rocky Mount Gryphon football team and award for winning the state championship back in December.  The council has been busy in regards to awards to Rocky Mount High.  In the past seven years Rocky Mount has won a football title two basketball and a baseball state title recognized by the city council.  Rocky Mount is the only public school in North Carolina that has won all three major sports since 2008.

College Football Title, Pacman And The Lottery

Tonight is the final night of the college football season.  The ACC who at the start of the season was picked 5th by the experts as the worse football conference of the power five for the second time in three seasons has a team playing for the national championship.

Is this not the same conference that won the football title in 2014 with Florida State after the 2013 season.  Is this not the same conference that won the basketball title last year. Was this not the same conference that won the baseball title in 2015? Don't see how the ACC can be seen as last in any thing.

The experts are picking Alabama.  I think the key to this game will be can Clemson stop Alabama because I think Clemson will score at least 30?  I don't think Bama has played a player with Watson's ability since Cam Newton.  Clemson 30-27.

Under the head line of Now I Have Seen a Everything.  Can any team give away a game any better than the Cincinnati Bengals did Saturday night?  First could the Bengals after the interception just celebrate running back to the sideline instead of running down the tunnel to leave the stadium?  Anybody can fumble at anytime so every team has to live with turnovers.

The penalty for head hunting was and act of stupidity but the real clincher was Pac Man Jones.  Isn't this the same player who was suspended for the 2007 and part of the 2008 season for conduct off the field. In a world when the worse player in the league makes a half million a year you would think before any business gives any amount money they could expect conduct that would give the illusion that that person would act in a way not to embarrass the organization or the league.

His  rant on Instagram should be enough to let him sit the entire 2016 season.  It is funny what being able to run fast, throw, catch or score touchdowns that companies allow any person with limited thinking ability is allowed to work for them. The signs were there when Pac Man was in college.  The signs were there about Johnny Manziel but the ability to put fannies in seats caused an organization to worry about money over long term stability of the team.

There are many in this country who do not believe in the lottery.  I play when ever the amount gets over 200 million which I think would just about pay off bills if  I won.  They are predicting the amount will be near 1.3 billion by Wednesday.  If last Friday and Saturday there were 450 million in sales why would you not assume it will be closer to 1.5 billion by Wednesday.

If I was to win it all Wednesday I find it hard to fathom how much one million is. After taxes 1.5 billion would be about 800 million take home.  Starting Thursday my job will be  to count it to make sure it is all there

Battling Bishops Sweep Home Double header

There are sometimes shots fall your way that you look around and say "We were suppose to win". The Lady Battling Bishops all game long were losing the rebounding battle 2 to 1 which gave Ferrum two rebounds out of three on missed shots.  For the Battling Bishops there were many missed shots.  The taller Panthers kept the Bishops shooting threes or driving to the basket and many blocked shots.

Conversely the Bishops defense caused the Panther two turnovers to every one for the Bishops so what you saw was a team having a hard time keeping up as the Bishops seldom lead and for the most part trailed on average about four points most of the game.

Now getting back to knowing it's your night.  Most of the game the only offense that the Bishops had
was Alexis Fitzgerald who scored 11 of Wesleyans 27 at the half and by games end had 25 of the Bishops 58 points.  Down by one with less than a minute to play Fitzgerald  tossed a three from long range but she called bank and it landed in the bottom of the net to give NCW their first lead of the half.  A desperation shot by the Panthers failed and gave the Lady Bishops  fouls shots.  The first shot hit the flat part of the back of the rim and sat momentarily still until it rolled in for a three point lead.  Now when bank shot threes and free throws roll in off the rim it's your day.  The Lady Bishops beat Ferrum 58-53 and they are 2-1 in conference play.

Once the boys hit the floor the entire first half was defense, defense, defense.  They Rolled to a 37-24 first half lead over Fertum  a team who the first few days of conference play has started 2-0 and carry a 7-4 record to the floor of Everett Gym.

Once coaches figure out how to bottle the good stretches of games and make them happen all the time then that coach will become a legend.  NCW came out sluggish  and in just a few moments the double digit lead was cut to six.  The next 12 to 14 minutes slowly Ferrum pecked away at the six point lead and cut it to one but never lead down the stretch.

Down the stretch The Bishops  made just enough plays to win their second conference game of the week winning 70-64 over the Panthers.  The Bishops   climb to 9-4 over all and 2-0 in conference.
Kinstons Devontae Brown lead the way with 19 points and 13 rebounds.  DJ Weaver added 14 and Marcus Wiliams 12.

Wesleyan is in action at home Friday night with a Friday night Saturday afternoon double header.  Friday conference foe Maryville is in the house and Saturday Covenant College.  Friday's girls action starts at 5:30 while Saturday begins 2pm.  The guys will start at 7:30 and 4pm.

Opening Night In The Big East

Opening night in any conference can be full of surprises and tonight in the Big East Hunt throws the shocker of the night beating Northern Nash by a score of 64-52.  Hunt has played one of the toughest non conference schedules any where and the Big East team who made it all the way to Chapel Hill last season gave notice they will be a factor despite their losing record.

Fike boys traveled to Southern Nash looking to act like Hunt and get started with a winning night to start conference play despite their losing record but the Firebirds had different ideas and tonight it is the Firebirds who find themselves  with a 1-0 after a 63-53 victory over the Golden Demons.

Football has played a part so far that The Rocky Mount Gryphons have yet to win a basketball game this season.  Nash Central made sure that that the misery being suffered thus far continued.   The Gryphons managed to win the first quarter but tonight the last three quarters the Bulldogs laid a defeat like no other as they beat Rocky Mount by the biggest victory margin over the Gryphons 34 points.   Nash Central 81 Rocky Mount 47.

Just three weeks ago in the Nash County Christmas Tournament at Southern Nash the Rocky Mount Lady Gryphons won the tournament plastering the Lady Bulldogs of Nash Central 53-31.  Tonight on the road at Nash Central the Lady Bulldogs were not quite as friendly as before.  The Lady Bulldogs jump out to a large lead and with stood a fourth quarter Lady Gryphon comeback but the Lady Bulldogs prevail 43-38.

The Lady  Knights of Northern Nash held Hunt to just two points in the first quarter while jumping out to a nine point lead.  Finally the Lady Warriors got some offense going and by the end of the third quarter had cut the lead to five at 34-29. The Lady Knights made sure  a loss wouldn't happen tonight as the Lady Knights put 19 points on the board in the fourth quarter to win at 53-44.

The final results for Brian Goodwin's winter baseball in Venezuela are in and for the first time since his shoulder injury Brian is on the come back trail.  The Washington Nationals sent 13 players to play winter ball all over the world and Goodwin had the best season of them all.

Playing in South America Goodwin hit 316 batting a total of 133 times.  He hit three homers, one triple and eight doubles.  The most improvement shown was he struck out on 28 times which is just less one strike out per five at bats.  So far during his minor league career he has averaged one in three which has been a hold back with his batting average.

Best Two Weeks Of NFL Season

These next two weeks coming up to me are the best two weeks of the NFL season when you have double headers both Saturday and Sunday.  The next two weeks all games are the only games going on.  The NFL would like to expand it's schedule in order to pull in more money.  My answer is extend the season but instead of adding games to each team's schedule eliminate so many 1pm games and make as many as possible games national or at least 1/2 of the country.

Give each team two or three weeks off during the season and extend the season to say 20 weeks but by reducing the number of games per Sunday each game will have a bigger market of people watching so advertising monies would increase but each team still only plays 16 games.

Regardless of the future of TV games there are four this weekend and it is possible that the Super Bowl winner could come from one of the winners of this weekend's game.  If the Super Bowl Champion is playing this weekend who will advance to next week.  First game Saturday features the hottest team in the NFL.

Kansas City @ Houston:  Winners of ten straight KC is by far the hottest team as the playoff start.  The biggest trend of the NFL is the team with the best record seldom wins it all.  If KC has any say they will advance over Houston 30-17.  This game kicks off the four games this weekend at 4:20 Saturday afternoon.  It can be seen on ABC/ESPN.

The nightcap Saturday night sends Pittsburgh to Cincinnati at 8 PM  to be seen on CBS.  Both teams are beat up.  Can Big Ben Pass Pittsburgh over Cincy if  Running back DeAngelo Williams can't go.   Can Cincinnati score enough if  Andy Dalton still out with thumb.  Steelers advance 17-10

Sunday starts at 1:05 on NBC with the NFC battle of Seattle @  Minnesota.  Who is the hottest of these two teams both are playing their best the last six weeks.  Seems to me that the Seahawks defense is playing the best they have played all year but they have not been that good of a road team.Can The Vikings  dominate the run because I doubt they can win this one passing the ball.  Hawks 27-17.

So far I have picked three visiting teams to win but the final game of he weekend I picking the Skins. Who would have thunk it just six weeks ago they would not finish last in their division.  Green Bay at Washington 4:40 pm Fox TV.  The last ten weeks the Green Bay offense has just not be there. If Washington could play Super Bowl at Fec Ex they would win it all. Skins 27 Packers 24

Wesleyan Honors Gryphon Football Wins On Buzzer Beater

Tonight was a special night at Everett Gym.  The preseason pick as the number team in the USA South Athletic Conference was in the house Averett University.  So far this season the Cougars have lived up to their billing going 9-2.  Not only was the top pick in the house but the team picked to finish second laid waiting in the Battling  Bishops.

Emotions were high as Averett first year coach David Doino just last year had spent seven years as John Thompson's assistant as well as Cornelius Snow IV and David Gurganus former Bishop players are his assistants.

This game started with neither team getting more than a two point lead but at around the five minute mark of the half Averett made a couple of threes and got out to a nine point lead.  They lead 44-37 at the half.  During halftime NCW President Dr Dewey Clark presented the Rocky Mount Gryphon Football team a plaque congratulating them  for winning the 3A state Championship.

Right out of the hopper to start the second half the Bishops cut the lead to one before Averett got on a run and built and 11 point lead.  Right around the 14 minute mark with the Battling Bishops on the come back trail tied the score and for almost for the rest of the game neither team could get any advantage over the other.

Eleven seconds remained and the Bishops own a two point lead with one free throw left but missed and Averett quickly scored to tie the game and a last second rush to the basket left the game tied at the end of regulation 72-72.

Over time saw Averett jump out to a 76-72 lead but Bishops Brandon Brown made three straight three points and the the Bishops found themselves leading by one at 83-82 but missed a jumper and Averett got a jumper to lead by one.  The Bishops responded to make it 85-84 but a layup gave Averett the lead with under ten seconds in overtime.  The Bishops missed a shot  and got the ball out of bounds with 1.9 seconds to go.  The inbound pass went into the left corner where guard Marcus Williams let go a three pointer.  It was almost blocked by a charging defender but as the score board lights went off William's three fell neatly through the net for an 88-86 over time win.  The Bishops are now 8-4 and 1-0 in conference play.

Saturday at 2pm there will be a double header with the Wesleyan Ladies playing at 2pm and the men at 4pm.

College Football The New Game

N. C. State joined Carolina getting blistered on defense giving up 51 points to a team that was bigger stronger and faster.  That is a bad combination we you line up against a team  that is better than you.  State's last gasp was the fumbled punt by Mississippi State ruled interference on State, which was the worse call of the night.  Still State could not get to their quarterback while their defense had no problem getting to ours.

This new style  offense of passing to wide receivers and another receiver blocking has to be officiated better when the blocker is across the line of scrimmage before the ball it caught.  Even Rocky Mount faced almost every game  this style passing attack during the playoffs.  When the defense does a good job it is hard  to hold any play to five yards.

Clemson has eased any pain suffered by the ACC by getting the ACC their second team in three years  in the National Championship game.  Once Clemson clinched the ACC championship game they went on cruise control on defense but against Oklahoma they showed everyone they will be a load for Alabama

It is obvious that both State and Carolina in order to get to elite status in the ACC they have to get athletes on defense that can cover those receiver on the sideline  and then  run and stay with wide receivers when they run slants or deep patterns.  I don't care what level it is I hate seeing a defender running about a step behind a receiver and has no idea where the ball is.

So Clemson carries the ACC banner.  They represent the conference that the team I love plays in and I know for many of you your team is in the ACC.  We all need to pull for Clemson because any ACC win is good for all of it's conference members.

Girls A Different Story

The boys only have two teams that have winning records but on the girls side only two have losing records.  The four winning teams are very good and the two with losing records are very bad.  Like the boys Big East basketball  starts Friday.

Northern Nash 10-2 at Hunt 1-9This is the kind of game you not exactly sure if Hunt record at 1-9 is as bad as their record.  The Lady  Knights cannot afford any kind of let down and need to win the games that they should win because there will be three others causing each other plenty of problems as the year goes by.

The Lady Knights are struggling on offense scoring 47.6 and are led by Kayla Tucker leading the scorers at 11.7.  Hunt scores at only 41.7 and you know Grover Battle will bring defense to Wilson.  The Warriors are led by Kayla Tucker at 11.7 points while Hunt relies on Kayla Kent at 12.4

Fike girls are 8-2  and they travel to Southern Nash  0-10.  Fike cannot afford a slip up in this one.  They have to take control from the outset and start conference play 1-0.  Fike scores at a 60 point pace while a Southern scores only 18 per contest.  Fike needs to have this game won by halftime.  Fike is led by Dajah Horne who scores 14.9 and if she get her average and SoutheMrn gets their this will be no contest.  Jessy Lucas leads the Lady Birds scoring 4.8.

The game of the night in girls basketball will be at Nash Central where Rocky Mount  7-2 visits the the Lady Bulldogs 9-2.  These two squared off in the Nash County Christmas tournament with the Gryphons winning three weeks ago but this is at The Dog Pound.

The Lady Gryphons play defense first and are at 47 points per game. The Lady  Dogs put up 52 a game but this is the game that one of the top four teams will have to lose and probably be one game behind the other top three after the first game.  Keyanna Spivey scores at a pace of 17.3 while The Lady Dogs led by Robbi Allen chipping in 16.1.

Somebody right now with the four best records will slip to fourth and their non conference record will keep them close to a 500 record for the season.  The team that finishes fourth will have a road trip in the first round of the playoffs and what started out as a great start to a season will hit the road in the first round  and send  them to somebody that is really good.  Who will it be?  The answer is six weeks away.

High School Basketball Kicks Back In This Week

The Big East race cranks up on Friday night and up until now it doesn't look like the top to bottom of the league is very good.  Northern Nash seems to be the cream of the crop and Southern Nash are the only two teams teams with winning records.

Northern Nash 10-2 travels to Hunt 4-6.  Hunt has a game Tuesday at Kinston before their Friday night game with the Knights.  Hunt scores 49.7 points per game while Northern Nash strikes at 68.6.  That is a big difference in Hunts ability to score compared to Northern.  The key in this game will be can Hunt slow down the Northern offense?  The Knights are led by Darius Spradley who scores just under 18 at 17.9.

Fike 5-8 at Southern Nash 7-4: interesting that Fike averages 53 per game while Southern 50.  The answer is of course that the Firebirds play better defense.  If you recall last season the Firebirds beat Fike in an upset opening night and the question is will the roles reverse this year.  Marquise Wright leads the Firebird attack at 19.3

Bunn host Nash Central tonight and Rocky Mount Host Rose on Thursday before they open the conference season on Friday.  The Gryphons have the football players turned basketball players ready for both games this week.

Rocky Mount 0-9 at Nash  Central 4-7.  Despite their record Nash Central is the second leading scoring  team in the league 63.4 which lends to they aren't good on defense.  Up until this point Rocky Mount has struggled to score 45.7.  Josh Mullins leads the Bulldogs at 23.7 while Rocky Mount does not have a double digit scorer.  Kyle Barnhill scores at 8.8 points.

The only way to tell about the quality of a teams opponents is to watch what those teams do when they begin their conference schedule.  We hope that the losing records of the four will show they have played a tough schedule.  Should it prove out that Northern Nash and Southern Nash has really played an outstanding schedule then they should prove to be the cream of the crop.

Local Athletes In College Basketball

We have at least 17 local athletes playing college basketball on some level.  Let's see how they are doing.

Donte Samuels:  Rocky Mount Prep and Coker College Jr.  Playing 28 minutes per game and averaging 18.7 points.

Carmen Richardson : Rocky Mount and Queens College.  Averaging 32.9 minutes per game and is scoring 14.7 points per contest.

Deshawn Freeman Rocky Mount Prep and Rutgers University. Has played in 7 of 14 games averaging 28.9 minutes 5.3 rebounds and has tossed in 13.1 points per game.

Tobias Hillard Rocky Mount and Methodest  senior.  11.5 points per game and 3.5 assists per contest.  Will play at NC Wesleyan in February.

Immanuel King Rocky Mount and Wallace State AL Soph.  23 minutes per game and 11.3 points

Alexus Hill Northern Nash and Gardner Webb Soph.  Played in all 13 games getting 30 minutes playing time per game and scoring at an 11.1 clip.  She will play as close to Rocky Mount as they will play all year Monday night at Campbell.

Ni'ya Styles. Nash Central and Mt Olive University Soph.  Started 9 of 11 games getting 26 minutes of playing time and scoring 10.8 points.

Tykeyra Thomas  Rocky Mount and Catawba Community College.  10.4 points and 4.8 rebounds.  Played in four of seven games.

Jake Barrett Rocky Mount Prep and Coker College Soph.  Floor time is 22 minutes per contest and 8.3 points.

Alexus Cooper Rocky Mount and Eastern Kentucky Jr.  Has started six of twelve games playing 22 minutes and scoring 6.5 points per game.

Kelsey Daniels Rocky Mount and Newport News Apprentice.  Has played in five of seven games scoring 6.8 points.

Isaiah Alston Rocky Mount and NC Wesleyan College.  Played in all 12 Battling Bishops game with 12 minutes floor time per game and scoring 6.5 points.

Quenesha Lynch Northern Nash and Johnson C Smith jr.  Started five of eleven games scoring at 5.7 points.

Alexia Hines Northern Nash and Methodest Fr. Started two of eight games and popping 5.6 points.

J'Kyra Brown Rocky Mount and UVA Soph.  playing time is 14.7 minutes and averaging 5.5 points.

Kiana Thomas Northern Nash and Howard University fr.  Playing time is 32 minutes an outing.  Scoring 4.7 and 4.8 rebounds.

Mike Gainey Newport News Apprentice Soph.  Played in two games averaging 11 minutes and 4.5 points.  Still recovering  from 2nd knee surgery.

At this point this is all the local players that I know  about.  If you know of any that I need to add please comment and I will add to list.

One other piece of business John Thompson head basketball coach at NC Wesleyan won his 300th game while being the coach at NCW.  The Battling Bishops beat Guilford just before Christmas for the 300th.

ACC Basketball Starts in Earnest Today

If their has been a surprise team so far this basketball season it is the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest. So far this season they are 9-3 and one of those losses was Xavier who right now in the college basketball RPI is the number one team.

Today they play their first conference game at Louisville who has started the season 11-2 and in the RPI is rated 30th.  The Deacs are 53rd.  You can see this game on ESPNU at 8pm

North Carolina started out rated preseason number won and thus far stand at 12-2.  They have loss twice and they can lay claim that injuries lead to both losses.  Carolina is 10th in RPI and already stand 1-0 in the ACC and today they play Georgia Tech 10-3 and 68th in the RPI and the game is in Chapel Hill.  This is the second straight home game for the Tar Heels they need to start 2-0.

North Carolina State is off to a 10-3 record and in the college RPI stand at 94th.  Even though  they have won ten times they.  have been most unimpressive in their wins.  They travel to Virginia Tech who stand at 8-5 and their RPI is up to 165.

Duke gets the long trip of the day traveling to Boston College who is just 7-6 on the team.  Their RPI is over 200 at 211.  The Devils have produced a 11-2 record and they have a RPI of 18.

Carolina seems to have everything that it will take to win the national championship.  There is one person they cannot afford to lose and that would be Marcus Paige.   Grayson Allen is second in the ACC in scoring and much of Duke's hopes ride with him.  Duke has already much of the season only used a seven man rotation and any hopes they have they can't lose anybody to injury any more and need Jefferson back.

State has the leading scorer in the league in Cat Barber and when he is not in the game State doesn't have anyone to take his place.  They were picked eighth in pre season and unless they start playing defense I see no NCAA for them this year. Wake Forest has four players averaging in double digit and Devin Thomas is averaging a double double getting 16 points and 10 plus rebounds per game.

So today begins two months of  hopes and dreams that the ACC can win another  national championship.  It would really be good if a team from North Carolina could bring home another title.

Last Half Of 2015

July:

Southern Nash football player Aramahs Martin plays in the East/West high school all star football game in Greensboro.

Leonard Allen resigns as baseball coach at Northern Nash to head to Riverside in Williamston

Kent Cox resigned at Rocky Mount baseball to head to be Chris Lee's assistant in football at Nash Central.  Pat Smith returns to coach Rocky Mount baseball.

Holly Fryar dies.  The former Gryphon soccer goalie five year battle with cancer ends.  Her legacy continues with the Holly Project.

Nash  County Babe Ruth team wins Eastern North Carolina State Championship and finishes second in Southeast Regional.

August:

Big East Coaches pick Fike to win Big East football Championship. Rocky Mount voted to tie for third.

Nash Central breaks their 25 game football losing streak beating Smithfield Selma 36-21.

SouthWest Edgecombe football player Quantellas Norwood was shot by a drive by shooter after a Cougar football in Rocky Mount.  He would return to action in October.


September:  Winston Salem State beats Elizabeth City State 17-10 to win annual Down East Classic at Bishop Stadium.

October:

Lady Gryphon Tennis team finish undefeated in regular season 12-0.

Lady Gryphon doubles team of Brenna Bryant and Chandler Brice finish 3rd in state doubles finals.

Northern Nash wins 3A cross Country regional.


Northern Nash finishes 3rd in state cross county championships

November:

Devonte Brown Gryphon JV football player was gunned down in the streets just hours before Northern Nash and Rocky Mount played the final regular season football game.

Former Gryphon Nick Hahula named the CIAA special teams player of the year for his punting, field goals and kickoffs while playing at  Chowan University.

Grover Battle wins his 500th career basketball game as head coach of the Northern Nash girls basketball team.

December:

Rocky Mount wins 3A state football title beating South Point 24-21 in overtime

The Gryphons win the WRAL Fabulous 15 trophy as best football team in the TV five viewing area.

Northern Nash boys and Rocky Mount Girls win Nash County Christmas basketball
Tournament.

Tarboro's Todd Gurley rushes for over a thousand yards for the St Louis Rams and is
named to the Pro Bowl team.

Like always many good things happened in the Twin Counties in 2015.  Looking for more in 2016.