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