Time To Change Focus

We have really been focused in on Gryphon Football for the past three months but life moves on.

The Basketball world in college it looks like Carolina is the beast this year.

I hate to be the one to let you Blue Devil fans know this if you don't already but Duke is slow.

I already know this as a Wolfpack fan. Our guard play is going to be terrible again this year.

Wake looks as if they may challenge the Tar Heels.

There will be no repeat of the repeat for Appalachian State in football. The Mountaineers had seven turnovers to Richmond and lose by 20 at home.

Looks like the Tarheels are heading to Charlotte to play in their Bowl.

Wake is probably going to RFK in DC to play Navy and the Wolfpack is heading to Birmingham to play in the pizza bowl.

The Conference-USA CHAMPS ECU Pirates will host the Liberty Bowl in what could be Skip Holtz's last game as coach. Hope not but we will see.

We have reach that time where the question for Gryphon fans will be whether B W Holt returns for a seventh season. Sixty Fours years old an bitten for the seventh time in a regional finals game.

The prospects are not as bright next year for Gryphon football as the entire offensive and defensive lines must be replaced.

Remember this.... the baseball team was not suppose to be as good this year as 2007 was but look what happened.

The best teams don't always win every game.

Six years in Rocky Mount and B W Holt has sent his teams to six playoffs.

In 2003 an opening round loss to Jack Brett 24-7

In 2004 after an undefeated season a third round loss to Rose 15-13

In 2005 a regional loss to Western Alamance 30-10

2006 found the Gryphons on the road in the playoffs facing Western Alamance in the third round and took the lead with just over a minute to play before losing 41-37.

The Eastern Finals in 2007 saw the Gryphons driving for what could have been a tying touchdown before an interception was returned for a touchdown losing 50-37.

and finally last Friday running out the clock only to lose 22-19.

His six years have brought 14 playoff wins and six defeats. a total of 70 wins and just 13 losses overall.

The Gryphons have played twenty playoff games in six years. Thats an average of 3.3 playoff games per year and we have never made it to the final game.

I don't know how long he will continue to coach but if I had another son and he wanted to play football I would want B W Holt as his coach.

Not Much Difference

Rocky Mount has been in the 3-A level going on four years now.

I know a lot of die hard fans didn't like the idea of no longer being 4-A.

I have this question to ask you right now. While the game was going on last night how many of you thought "Gee I wish this was for the 4-A eastern regional?

Last night before the game Cy Seymour who does ECU basketball color was here with the local cable company in New Bern to cover West Craven.

He told me last night that Craven county's new high school was a step into making all of the Craven County High Schools the same size just like Nash county has done.

For years Rocky Mount was the smallest school in the Big East 4-A. Ask Southwest Edgecombe today how it is being the smallest school in the conference now.

Since moving down to 3-A Rocky Mount has been in three eastern finals in Football. The baseball team won the state title.

Soccer, Tennis,Volleyball, and basketball have all advanced deep in the playoff races. When we were 4-A deep in the playoffs were few and far between.

The playoffs are so competitive that luck plays a part now and then as well as being in the right place at the right time.

The baseball team won the title last year but the 2007 team may have been better.

Northern Nash's baseball team advance to the Eastern Baseball Finals in 2007.

All any of us can ask is the the playing field be level for all those who play. A school with 1,800 students would be the favorite against a school with only 1,200 if they were playing checkers.

The extra 600 students there are probably one or two good checkers players available that the 1,200 student school doesn't have.

Their is so much more opportunity to win when you are always bigger than the next guy.

What moving down to 3-A has done is provided Nash county students a chance to win games with talent not with having to be overwhelmed with population numbers.

Dropping down in size has given us a chance to win but it has not guarenteed victories.

Whether it is 3-A or4-A there is not much difference in the good teams.

Holy Cow Tarboro wins over Northside 28-14. The Vikings play next Friday night in Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill at 7.30pm.

I have had an understanding with my wife all year that if Rocky Mount was playing on December 13th I was going to the ball game. If they were not I was going with her to New York next weekend on one of those 24 hour shopping trips. Leave at midnight Friday and come home at dark Saturday night.

I feel like I know my way around the city pretty good where as she can't find the Empire State Building.

So Tarboro will have to win it all without me.

Major Disapointment

The Rocky Mount Gryphons came out in tonights game and I think they were a little too hyped up for the game and played probably their worst quarter of the season but found themselve trailing only 7-6.

Playing more like what we consider Gryphon football the Gryphons scored twice in the second quarter to take a 19-7 lead.

West Craven manages to score just before the half to make it 19-14.

The entire second half is a game of field position and the Gryphons didn't have any. The Gryphons managed to keep the Eagles out of the end zone for 23 minutes and 26 seconds in the second half.

However this was the Gryphons game to win when they started what we thought would be their final drive of the game.

The Gryphons got two first downs and were moving down field and running the clock out when the one thing we didn't want was to put the ball on the ground.

West Craven gets one last chance and punches it in the end zone with 34 seconds to play.

The Gryphons ran the ball one last play and Jordan Ford was headed to pay dirt and the last possible tackler made the play forcing the Gryphons to try a 45 yard field goal which never had a chance on the last play.

That play was very reminiscent of the 2004 playoff game against Rose at the RMAC when Stephan Virgil's punt return late in the game almost went to the house but the last possible tackler got him.

This group of seniors was 28-2 the last two years.

This was one whale of a game.

B W Holt has lost 13 games in six years at Rocky Mount and six have been in the playoffs and a forfeit.

We could not ask this team to give us more that what received from them this year. We could not ask our coaches to coach any better than what they have given us the last six years

I thank them for their effort all season.

We lose to a very good West Craven team that will now represent us in the state finals.

We need them to win it all to help make our 14-1/13-2 season mean that much more. If they were to lose next week it makes our light for this season shine dimmer.

The Eagles stun the Gryphons 22-19.

From my point of view the quarterback Mooring is a good quarterback.

I am not on the phone right now calling Tom O'Brian and asking why we are not looking at him. The fifty passes thrown only ten went more than ten yards down field.

What West Craven has is a great receiver in Erik Hightower who caught some balls when we had him covered and when quite a few were badly thrown he still made the plays.

I think the figure was 279 yards for Hightower. This kid can play and unfortunately he's going to Carolina.

The MVP of tonights game for West Craven is their punter. Twice in the second half those kick it away from Brian Goodwin punts one was downed on the six yardline and one trickled into the end zone and the Gryphons started at the twenty.

The Gryphons had three turnovers tonight and WC had 2.

Earlier this week I told you if the Gryphons didn't turn it over the Gryphons win. Unfortunately we put it on the ground and West craven had 15 points from our turnovers.

There is and old joke about falling and they say "it's not the fall that kills you but the sudden stop.

Suddenly the season is over.

Waited One Year Just For tonight

There are two hugh football games going on just 16 miles apart. The Vikings of Tarboro the #1 seed in the Eastern 2-A bracket is Hosting Northside of Jacksonville who comes in as the #2 seed.

I am pulling hard for the Vikes but I believe that Northside will win in a close one.

Tonight is the night that every player for the Gryphons that walked off that field in Elon at Western Alamance High School last year has vowed would come again.

This team has played all year as if "could be" was not an option but "we are" the best was there drive.

Deep down this team wanted to play Western Alamance again but you can only play the next team on the schedule.

One of the greatest things about sports is the anticipation of what could happen. When it finally gets here it is over in a flash.

One years worth of wait is upon us. The only resemblance this team we play tonight to Western Alamance is they will have West on the front of their jerseys but it will also have Craven beside it.

We have prepared well this week and it will take a supreme effort to come out on top.

This team has been so good that we start eleven different players on offense and eleven on defense. Most every one we have played have several players on both sides of the ball.

If there is one worry that I have it will be we have not been tested in the fourth quarter all year.


In fact we have not trailed in a game all year.

Southwest Edgecombe took the second half kickoff and kept it for twenty plays but we held on the goal line. They never crossed the fifty yard line the rest of the game.

I have observed B W Holt for six years now and I can bet you that if we trail 14-7 and score on the last play of the game we will go for two and the win.

He has preached to his players to be aggressive. They have practiced that way all year.

We started this season playing East Forsyth a team that their quarterback had committed to Maryland.

Bobby English who works on the chain crew told me that next day that their quarterback came to the side lines and told his coach that he didn't have any time to throw because we were all over him.

West Craven's quarterback is leaning toward ECU. I hope Saturday morning that Bobby tells me that he came to the sidelines complaining about not having any time.

Only Time will tell.

Pregame on am 1390 starts at 6.45.

If you need to wear long johns do so. Don't be embarrassed who's going to know but you. Be there early because a hugh crowd will take a while to get through security.

I know you probably got this message at home last night but Mr Tracy Warren assistant principal at RMHS who normally calls when there is an absents at school called to remind every Gryphon fanto be at the game and he closed his message with a simple.....


GO GRYPHONS

Tom Suiter Retires

Rocky Mount native Tom Suiter, who has worked for WRAL-TV since 1971, is retiring from the sports anchor desk on Dec. 19.

Tom's catch phrase was "Let's go to the video tape."

Suiter, who is most famous for the high school football show "Football Friday", will continue that role during football season. He will continue to present his "Extra Effort Award" as well.

One thing that I can say about Capital Broadcasting, the parent company of WRAL, once you start work for them, you can stay for life.

Charlie Gaddy, who did the 6 p.m. news for so many years, still does the Town Hall meetings about once a month for Channel 5. Gaddy is a native of Montgomery County, ironically, so is Rocky Mount head football coach B.W. Holt.

Mark Roberts, who was the "trafficologist" (the Traffic guy) on the morning news, still does the "Brain Game" show on Saturdays.

They don't let the good ones stray far from home.

You could see it coming, but the Carolina Hurricanes let a good coach go in Peter Laviolette. He helped orchestrate the Stanley Cup to Raleigh in 2006.

A small franchise like the Carolina Hurricanes, especially in this year's economy, needs to make the playoffs and get some extra home games to boost the cash flow. So far this year, the Hurricanes have been up and down and it was to risky to wait to make a change later in the season.

I really like to watch hockey and when ESPN started covering Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers back in the 80s I got hooked on it.

The Hurricanes are bringing back a retread Paul Maurice who Laviolette replaced in 2003. I bet if things work out, Ron Francis will be coach the next time a coaches change is made.

The weather forecast for Friday night is clear and cold. The daytime high will only make it to 48 degrees, so by kickoff it will be nearing 40.

This is too important a game to stay home because of the weather. It could be the last game of the season, but for sure it is the last home game where the Gryphons have managed to win 24 straight.
They have not lost at home since the Eastern finals in 2005 to Western Alamance, which will be three years ago this Friday.

This has been a good week of practice. L'Var Silver and Hiawatha Bunn will start and Zack Williams will be a game time decision.

You know one of the good things about winning by 31 points every week is you don't have to go too deep in the playbook. Other coaches look at our film and all they see is the jet package running wide and the belly series.

The entire arsenal is ready if needed.

I don't know what the record attendance at a Rocky Mount football game has been, but I bet this one could break the record.

Anytime you get a big crowd the visitors must show up in force and you can count on it this Friday.

Today is the last day of the pre-sale of tickets in the main office at RMHS. $7 going, going, gone at 4.00 p.m., then they will be eight bucks at the gate.

Our air time is 6.45 on AM 1390. B.W. Holt will be with us around 7 p.m.

Get plenty of rest tonight and bring your hollering voice, cow bells and anything else to show your support.

GO GRYPHONS!!!

Getting Nervous.

Congratulations to Corinne Fischer of the the Lady Gryphon Volley ball team as she was named the conference player of the year in Volleyball.

She is joined by teammates Danita Whitaker, Devon Eby, and Holly Campbell on the all conference team.

Despite not having a complete team due to the fact that there are several football players that will fill out the varsity basketball team they continue to surprise at how well they are playing.

Both the boys and girls beat Rose last night. Already this year the boys have beaten 4-A Southeast Raleigh twice and Rose. Are we in for a magical basketball season this year?

Looks like the baseball team has shown everyone else how it is done.

Now that the college football season is over coaches are getting out to see players that are still playing in the high football playoffs.

Coaches from North Carolina A&T and Campbell were there at Gryphon practice yesterday.

I am of the age I don't wear glasses when I am out an about but if I see someone from twenty yards or more I can't recognize their face unless I put my glasses on.

I said that coach looks familiar. My curiosity got the best of me and I put my glasses on and saw that the Campbell coach was Greg Williams.

Greg Williams who is now coaching at Campbell was a member of the famed "White Shoes" defense for N C State back in 1967. He came back to Raleigh with his college teammate Chuck Amato. When Amato was given a plane ticket back to Florida State in 2006 Williams sat out of coaching in 2007 as his contract with N C State was paid off. He still lives in Raleigh.

I guess I will go back to practice to see who might be there today.

Advanced tickets will be sold at the High school main office Wednesday and Thursday from 8.00am-4.00pm at $7.

They will cost you a buck more Friday night at the gate. The weather seems to be rainless on Friday. You should be prepared to come early if you plan on getting a good seat.

I like the defensive game plan that the coaches will have for the Eagles.

Despite how well we have played the team on the other side of the ball is just as good as we are.

We need no turnovers by the offense. Turnovers take away opportunities. We have scored two out of every three times that we have had possession of the ball this year.

If you only get it five times in the first half and fumble twice that means we will probably only score 14 points by the half. That will keep them in the game.

I truly believe that if we hold on to the ball we will win.

Our M O all year has come out of the field House roaring and play everybody on the team in the second half.

I sure would like for that to continue.

am 1390 will go on the air Friday night at 6.45. This will be a good night to carry your walkman to the game and hear B W talk with Wes about 7.00 as you sit in your seat since you are going to come early.

7th Time could Be The Charm

All coaches have their own style. There is no where written down in the book which says this is the way you coach.

Six years ago in desperation Rocky Mount found B W Holt. It has become a match made in heaven.

B W to me is a tell it how it really is kind of coach. I heard him tell the team more than once last week we were better than East Alamance. Then he would say "BUT that doesn't mean we are going to win".

He takes kids from across the tracks and gives them something to be proud of. He doesn't mind calling out the superstar by name if he needs a kick in the rump.

There is something about this man that has Dean Smith qualities. He has a family attitude for all his players.

Starmount the place he coached for 19 years will have a throng of folks here hoping he finally gets over that hump. He is so beloved at Starmount they had a B W Holt night there a couple on years ago on a Friday night when we had our off night long after he had left Starmount.

Long after he is gone from Rocky Mount which I hope is no time soon others will be compared to him.

When sixty four year old B W Holt decides he rather sit on the porch and look at the mountains than coach football the coach that follows him will be following a giant of a man.

Rocky Mount will have as much trouble as Carolina had until Roy Williams finally replaced Dean Smith.

Regardless of what the next man does it won't be enough.

Friday night B W Holt will try to get his first team ever to the state finals. Six times he has been in the regional finals and six times the season ended in defeat.

Every team that is still playing deserves their shot at winning this weeks game but half the field will not survive Friday night. The losers will feel that their seasons have been ruined when in no way will a loss dampen the greatness that every team left has had this year.

The pregame show last Friday night Wes Bradshaw asked B W to tell us whether this team was the best that he has ever had.

B W was very hesitant to say and I believe the reason was this years team still has a whole season to play.

Right now this team has done no more than any of six other teams that Holt has coached that made it to the finals.

Two more games and his opinion may change. Two more games and this years team may be talked about like the 63 and 64 teams are today forty five from now.

There is something about winning a championship just one that elevates players and coaches to a different level.

Brett Farve won one super bowl but was he a better quarterback than Dan Marino who never won? I really doubt it.

Is Coach Holt a Terrible coach because he is 0-6 in regional finals?

There is a saying in NASCAR if you run up front enough you are going to cross the line first once in a while.

B W Holt is running up front again this year and the finish line is in sight.