High School Playoffs begin

This past weekend the regional tennis championships were held and no player from Nash County made the state championships.  The doubles team of Sarah Bland and  Grace Warner did make the championships in doubles.  The singles and doubles state championships are this weekend at what has now become the home of the 3A championships the Burlington Tennis Center.  The games will be played Friday and Saturday for singles and doubles.

The team championships according to the NCHSAA schedule were suppose to start last night but I cannot find anywhere where it did.  Only two teams from the Big East made it and that was Fike 19-1 will host Northwood.  Big East number two Rocky Mount 12-2 travels to Northern Guilford 13-3. 

You might remember that team competition is always in the beginning of the week and singles and doubles comes toward the end.  If the Gryphons survive their opening team match round two is next Tuesday.  I can't imagine the teams not playing today.  Remember the playoffs in the minor sports have been adjusted just like all sports trying to overcome the effect of Hurricane Matthew.

Volleyball will begin play tonight.  The Big East has three teams in as the top seed from the Big East Hunt will host at home.  Fike the regular season number two and Rocky Mount both hit the road.  Rocky Mount has no small task as they travel to Gray's Creek who is the top seed in the east. 

Last week went 10-4 in the NFL picks.  We will just act as if the Seattle tie with Arizona did not exist and not bother to keep adding a one to the end of my record.  as of Monday night I am now 52-28 on the season.  Due to the high school playoffs my normal Wednesday NFL picks are on the shelf.  You will just have to take my word when I go 16-0 next week.

I guess you have heard about this by now but the NFL viewership of their games is down 25% this season.   Most speculate that citizens are protesting those players who will not stand for the National Anthem.  There is of course a second reason as there have been some real dog games played on Prime Time including this Thursday night's game.

The NFL Network ran an article as to how to solve the problem and their answer was to put more San Diego Charger games on Prime Time.  Every game but one has gone down to the last minute before being decided.  I'm all for that and can't wait until December 11th when the Chargers visit the Panthers.  It will be the first time I get to see Philip Rivers live since graduating from NC State.

I was there the last time the Chargers visited the Panthers in 2004 and Rivers  was the third team quarterback behind Doug Flutie.  Flutie and River stood during practice about and hour and a half before the game at the forty yard line and played a game of seeing who could hit the cross bar of the goal post with a pass.  Rivers hit it four of ten times while Flutie struggle to even throw it far enough to hit the post.  All this time starting quarterback Drew Brees was passing with his wide receivers warming up.  The Panthers won the game 17-10