Gryphon Nation Mourns

I have just heard of the death of Rossie Tyler.  Those of you who only know the Rocky Mount athletic life he was the JV Head Softball coach.  Those that walk the halls of Rocky Mount High every day know that he taught in the business department.  Kids who see teachers every day or in some cases are around coaches you family grows to know through time.  We in the Doughtie Household have heavy hearts tonight as Morgan is deeply hurting with the lost of Coach Tyler.  Morgan was manager for the softball team the past two years  and just about every day Coach Tyler has been there with her.  Our prayers go out to his family.

I don't know whether he is crazy or what but you have to admire Ryan Kalil all pro center for the Carolina Panthers.  Wednesday he ran an ad in the Charlotte Observer telling all Panther fans that the Carolina Panthers were going to win the Super Bowl this year.  He thanked the fans who have hung with the Panthers through a 2-14 and 6-10 seasons.

The truth is that I would want every player to think the way Kalil is thinking.  Pro football training camps are opening this week and if you get paid to play or you or on a junior high team you should always go into every season think we are going to win it all.  If you don't think about climbing the mountain you never will.  I hope the Panthers do play in the Super Bowl this year against Philip Rivers and the Chargers.  If that were to happen life couldn't be any better.

Progress time for Brian Goodwin who is approaching a week now with the Harrisburg Senators.  I last reported Brian was 0-4 with three strike outs in his first game there.  Since then Brian has stroked two home runs an in an afternoon  game today raise  his batting average is up to 173.  You know when you don't have many plate appearances only a couple of two hit games and he could be to 300 quickly.

If you go to the Washington Nationals Website or Google Brian's Name and read about what the upper management of the Nationals are saying about Brian  they are planning on Brian Goodwin to be the starting center fielder in Washington when ever they think he is ready.  Now when is ready when you play in the minors?  From what I am reading it is my opinion that if they could start Brian out in AAA next year kind of like what they did with Bryce Harper this year and Brian plays the way they need him to play don't be surprised that Brian gets a shot or two next year in DC.  Remember this, injuries or not developing like they would like to see could slow this process but right now Brian has the Washington Nationals  full attention as he is their top prospect in the minors.   Way to go Brian!!!!

Mother Nature Has A Hand

Tonight the Area One State Championship teams were declared in American Legion Baseball and nobody got on a field.  Both Pitt County and Apex were declared the winners as both lead two games to none as for the third time in five days baseball has been washed out.

Pitt County had beaten Wayne County 18-4 and 9-2.  Last night Wayne County held a 1-0 lead  early when the rains came and with it their chance to top Pitt County. They had scheduled a double header tonight but once again no way to play and with a 2-0 games lead in the series Pitt County was declared the Eastern Division of Area one Champion and with it  a trip to the State Legion Tournament August First in Lenoir.

The same is true for Apex as they lead 2 games to none but weather keeps Garner from getting on the field tonight and by rule if a series is not completed the team that wins game one in each series is declared the winners.  Pitt and Apex will start a two out of three series  on Thursday but both are already in the State Tournament.  If for no other reason this is for the East title but more than anything else it keeps the teams playing instead of having a  week off before the state tournament starts.

The Olympics start on Friday in one of my favorite cities(London)and I could care less. I watched less than thirty seconds of today's  basketball game between Spain and the USA.  I'm sorry but I just don't give a hoot about whether this team wins the Gold or not.  I think they will but they just might lose a game along the way.  Kobe thinks this teams could be the Dream team  from 1992.  No way no how.  1992 by 25 every time they played.

Speaking of London I have made one venture in my life across the big pond I have have to say other than New York City London is a great town to walk.   I could not believe how old everything is over there.  We think something is 200 years old it is an antique but over there every thing is a thousand years old.  Now that's an antique

It has already started those supporters of Penn State are falling by the way side.  Advertisers are asking their names be removed from the stadium.  I think what you will see is instead of 90,000 at games this year there will be plenty of empty seats and by year four when they will be fielding a division 2 team they will be lucky to have 50,000 at games.  Just goes to show we all love a winner and will run for cover when times get tight. 

Slippery Slope

Today the NCAA spoke and it was in a clear deep voice that Penn State would pay the supreme price for not having control of it's football program.  $60 million dollar fine, five years probation, Four years of reduced scholarships from the normal 25 per year to 15.  In essence Penn State can play football but they will do it at the rate of not of a  BCS school but a FCS or division 2.  They will play with one hand tied behind their back.

Penn State had to give up all their football victories since 1998.  111 which dropped Joe Paterno from first on the list to 8th.  As we all know for the past 15 years or so almost every year the question came up when was Joe Paterno going to retire.  Using 20/20 hindsight vision we can see that Paterno was more concerned with himself over the perception that Penn State gave to the world .  Every discussion of retiring was rebuked by Paterno and there was not one person including the Board of Regents or what ever Penn State calls them that would stick his neck out and say Joe it's time to go.  The problem was any one who did lost their job.

Looking back these past 15 years or so Penn State has had good football teams but they are no where near the dominance they had in the 70's and 80's .  In fact 2002 and 2003 were the worse two years of Paterno's time in Happy Valley.  Those there now must suffer for the misdeeds of others.

North Carolina is a college basketball hotbed and Dean Smith was almost at the same situation as Joe Paterno and he upped and said goodbye  from right out of the blue.  He saved the Tar Heel Nation from having to possibly going  through with  what Penn State was drug through  with their legendary coach .

 Could Duke be next?  Mike Krzyzewski right now today is what Joe Paterno was to Penn State.  Coach K is approaching his mid 60's and already there  is fear in Durham about when he leaves who could possibly come close to accomplishing what K has done.  If K takes the Dean Smith  route within the next five years then there will not be a worry that he stayed too long.

Somewhere along the way college athletics has got to be down sized and sports put in it's place of being part of the college life but not in such control that the administrator of a university can't tell the coach you got to go.  That responsibility needs to go to the Athletic Director not the fund raising group of any university.  Any one who has ever complained about  the play that happened and what was the coach doing to call that play is just as guilty  of letting college athletic get out of control.  I hope that this case, the Penn State case will be the turning point where a college education is the method to help kids get high paying jobs that can last a life time over we need a fast running back to score touchdowns.

The Statue Comes Down.

It was 50-50.  There were those who supported Joe Paterno and wanted everything to do with football to stay in place.  The other half wanted everything related to Joe Paterno  gone from Penn State.  Today before sunlight the statue of the man with the most wins in the history of college football was taken down and put in a warehouse until they can figure out what to do with it.  Tomorrow regardless of what might come down it will be the first time in the history of the NCAA that they dole out punishment that has nothing to do with a sports program under the direction of the NCAA.

My personal opinion is since this is a criminal case punish those who helped cover up but I see no reason to punish football players in 2012 for something that has been going on at Happy Valley since 1998.   Just seems the wrong people will be punished.   Maybe make everyone who pays to go see a Penn State football game this year pay and extra $10 per ticket and that money goes in a fund  much like the cigarette industry  makes people who smoke pay into the fund for Golden Leaf Foundation.

There is an old NASCAR saying that if you run up front enough you will win one every now and then.  Today Ernie Els ran second all day but stayed close and when Adam Scott started leaking oil the last four holes of the British Open Ernie was there waiting to take the tournament handed to him.  I don't care what sport you play you want to be able to say you won it but when it is handed to you, you are not going to give it back.

Pitt County Post 39 is on the verge of making their second trip to the State American Legion Tournament in three  years.  Remember they hosted the first year that Post 58 made it (2009) when it was played at ECU and Guy Smith in Greenville.  Post 39 beat Wayne County Friday night 18-4 in seven innings.  Saturday was rained out but this afternoon they took care of business beat Wayne County 9-2.

This series is a three out of five so Pitt could end it in Wayne County Monday night.  The winner of this the third round is an automatic qualifier for the State Tournament in Lenoir.  There is still one more series left when Area One East Division and West play each other but both would have already qualified for the state tournament.

The Power of the MIC

I have over the years had an opportunity to meet many people who when you hear their name you eye brow raises just a little.  The US Olympic Basketball is in London this week and Nate McMillan former product from Broughton High and Chowan College is one of the assistant coaches on that team.  He became famous when he played for Jim Valvano and N C State after he left Murfreesboro.  He played pro ball in Seattle and if they still had a team his jersey would hang in the rafters but they are now in OKC.  Just this year he was fired after coaching both Seattle and Portland in the NBA.

I had the pleasure as the play by play man for Chowan College to cover his two years playing for the Braves.  His senior year in Raleigh one of the civic clubs in Murfreesboro got the Traveling ACC All Stars to come to Murfreesboro.  This was 1986 which was Coach K's first final four team at Duke and he had four seniors who graduated that year.  Jay Bilas, Mark Allarie, Johnnie Dawkins and David Henderson.

This just happened to be the Thursday night after the Duke boys lost in the championship game on Monday.  The gym at Murfreesboro held about 800 folks and it was packed.  Nate was the one player that everyone came to see since he was back home at Chowan.  Just to come along for the ride was another State player who had nothing else to do that night so he came with Nate.  Derrick Whittenburg.

I was asked to play in the game representing the news media.  I really know the reason they needed some shooters and I was neighborhood famous even then at about 33 years old for being a great h-o-r-s-e player.  If you could compare me to an NBA player when we played two on two in the back yard I was Steve Nash, all offense no defense.  Don't leave me open just because I was short I could drill it.  But guard somebody four or five inches taller than me and they would score all game long.

The game started and it wasn't before long I am standing alone about 20 feet from the basket so I fire up my first shot of the night.  Out of no where I feel this whirl wind slap at the ball and it is heading right straight back at the bridge of my nose.  Mark Allarie  has swatted it away.  I still have a dent in my nose today.  The news media guys hung tough for a while.   Finally late in the game I think I am 0-3 shooting  I have now backed away from the basket far enough nobody is going to block my next shot.  B I N G O a three pointer  which cuts into the ACC All Stars 70 point lead.  I think the final score is something like 119-49.

As they say in the song when CBS signs off after the National Championship game my shining moment to be on the court at the same time as Nate McMillan who I have a feeling is going to be working in Charlotte before long.  Jay Bilas  who is all over the TV during college basketball season.  Johnnie Dawkins who just might be the next Duke basketball coach. Derrick Whittenburg who is seen every year during the NCAA tournament when ever the 83 Pack team is talked about.  David Henderson and Mark Allarie two legends of Duke and college basketball.

I was there right on the same court with them.  I know if I didn't talk on the radio I would have never been there.  That's just the power of the MIC.

Acting Like the Jeffersons (Moving On UP)

Brian Goodwin is doing just like George and Weezie as he has  received the news that all baseball players want to hear.  The big club wants to send you to the next level.  Brian who has spent the spring in A ball in Hagerstown Maryland  will now head north to Harrisburg PA and start all over in AA.

The object for every player is to impress at one level and move up start all over and impress again.  Brian certainly did his part in Hagerstown as he hit 324 belted  nine home runs drove in 38 rbi.  Walked 43 times and stole 14 bases.  I know as a 14 year old Babe Ruth player Brian Belted a home run in the state championship clinching game that just about went out of sight but I never thought of him as a power hitter.  His high school coach Pat Smith has said all along that Brian would hit homers in the pros and that has proven to be right.

Harrisburg is called the Senators  and for those that would love to see him play Richmond will be as close as he will get while in AA.  If the idea is he now has to prove to the Washington Nationals that he wants to move to Syracuse which is the Nats AAA affiliate then he must almost have the same numbers again in Harrisburg.   His first game didn't quite go all that well as he went 0-4 and struck out three times.  One game doesn't make a career as he will have rest of the summer to prove to the Nationals that the best place next spring for Brian Goodwin will be in Syracuse.

This week daughter Morgan is off with other youth of Sunset Avenue Baptist Church participating in World Changers in Columbia South Carolina.  She has teamed up with  Alexander from Nash County and she is in a group of eight others from other parts of the world working on repairing a 85 year old woman's home.  Wednesday afternoon the CBS station  WLXT  in Columbia was on site  and interviewed Morgan  and Alexander  and a couple of the others in the group.

If you are interested you can go to WLXT.com and look for World Changers in the Midlands.  You can bet if you are on Facebook you can go to Morgan's page and of course it is up there.  There is probably no better reason for being proud than knowing one of your own is out in the world spreading the word of Jesus Christ.

The Writing Was On The Wall

Coleman Pitt American Legion team for the second year in a row is knocked out of the playoffs in the second round.  If you look back just a couple of weeks I made reference that our division was very weak and rolling through our division was not getting us ready for the playoffs.  Yes, we took care of New Bern in two straight in the first round.  New Bern of course was the weak sister in the Southern Division that won only twice all year.

P 58 was 14-1 during conference play.  Wilson was the only member who had a winning record during the regular season.  The only game P 58 lost during the regular season in conference occurred as a second game of a double header which was the sixth game played played in seven days.  Then lost by only one run.

I can assure you that this years team was a good ball club.  They played every game on the schedule and gave it all they had in trying to win everyone.  The quality of our conference this year just did not prepare this team for the road ahead.  It was almost like the regular season conference games were JV games and the second round of the playoffs we moved up to the varsity level.   If we use that same analogy in our eight non-conference games we were 3-5  so when we played varsity level competition we didn't run through those games like Patton's tanks ran through France in World War Two ( Using a little American Legion Reference here).

This year there were ten teams  in the Area One North and South Divisions.  North was Albemarle, Edenton, Windsor, Ahoskie, Rocky Mount and Wilson.  The Southern Division was Pitt County, Wayne County, Kinston and New Bern.

I suggest that next year Rocky Mount and Wilson move in the division with Pitt, Wayne, Kinston and New Bern.  This in no way guarantees that the Southern won't have a down year next but what it would do is put both P 58 and P13 in with a division when we would have more rival games.

Wayne County and Wilson would be a big Conference game where Rocky Mount and Greenville have always been rivals.  It surely would put Albemarle, Edenton, Windsor and Ahoskie  where the longest conference travel would be Elizabeth City to Ahoskie of about fifty miles.  Our trip to play a double header in Elizabeth City was over a 100.  We live in economic times when a penny saved  means something these days.

All you have to do is look at who shows up when we played Albemarle and who showed up when we played Pitt County.  Here we go again saving pennies and there were more people from Greenville at our regular season game with them than any two conference games we had with Albemarle or Edenton put together.

We all hope next year that every team is better including Rocky Mount but I think we just plain are suited more to be in the Southern Division.  Who cares if six teams in the league only four make the playoffs.  All that does it makes every conference game whether you finish first or last worth something every time you play.  When the game has more meaning more people are interested in watching.  It helps put people in the seats when the team coming to your place has a few people added to your crowd.  The only people from Rocky Mount  who went to Elizabeth city was  a couple of parents.  The big EC is simple too far for the person who just loves to go watch baseball to ride but he might ride to Greenville.

I hope next year all the teams get together and do what is good for all and they realign the leagues.  It's better that way for everybody.