On The Verge Of A Heart Attack

Tonight Campbell Volleyball had their home opener and tonight they were playing Indiana St. And this one went five sets and all five games went right down to the wire.

Good Gryphon Friend Dominque Henderson  was feeding me text of the Hertford County/Rocky Mount football  game.  Hertford County found the Gryphon run game tough to deal with but scored first on a 56 yard td pass to take a7-0 lead.  The Gryphons respond but miss the extra point to trail 7-6.   Another screen pass will fine the enzone and HC leads 13-6.  Rashawn Harris will score on a41 yard punt return  and the game is tied at the half 13-13.

Not doing anything running the ball the Bears switch to the wish bone in the third quarter but guess how they score on another pass but the receiver fumbles into the enzone and HC recovers to lead 19-13.  The Gryphon defense picks up a fumble and rumbles for a touch down and with the extra point leads 20-19 still in the third quarter.  The offense adds another touchdown to lead 26-19.

Now back in Buies Creek we are headed to the fifth set with the score 11-11 and here comes a text from Dominque 1.59 to play the Bears on Gryphon 20.  volleyball is 12-12- 13-13-14-14 -15-15 16-15 and here comes a text Deangelo Hall int on a 4th and 14  Gryphons got the ball. 17-15 Campbell wins.  Then another text game over it is ours.

The Gryphons are 3-0 and with this win Campbell is4-2. After last year going 7-24. Three of their wins has been five setters with score of  17-15 -16-14-and 15-11.Too early in the season for these kind of games on the heart.

Palmer Finally Gets A Statue

Arnold Palmer who was the most flamboyant golfer in the history of the world until Tiger came along will finally get a Statue at Wake Forest University.  Arnie's Army  a crowd of people following Palmer when other big names in the fifties Hogan, Snead and the likes couldn't match the total between them that Palmer had watching him combined.

I guess it was because Palmer went to the old Wake Forest College in the town of Wake Forest in Wake County and not to the Wake Forest that resides in Winston Salem.  Look a golfer goes to Wake every year on the Arnold Palmer scholarship and I don't care who you are when the word Wake Forest comes up you think Arnold Palmer and golf first.  It is about time Deacons.

Saturday is college football so here we go with this weeks picks: ECU has already put me 1-0 but quite frankly I hated the black with purple numerals.  Rocky Mount JV's beat Hertford County 35-7.  Here's Saturday's college picks

NC Wesleyan @ Stevenson. Stevenson is up around Baltimore.  I don't know why where they  are makes a difference other than on the road.  Stevenson 17 NCW 16

Middle Tennessee @ North Carolina.  Just think knowing that $20,000 could be theirs if an agent calls Carolina just might get a good effort Saturday  Carolina 36 MT 14

Richmond at N C State  Those of you who thinks this game is a rout you had better back up.  State wins but no blow out   35-21

Duke at Memphis  Yes this is Memphis State and we will find out if Duke is really  an improved program.  These are the kind of games in the past that Duke loses.   Duke 38 Memphis 24

Tonight Wake travels to Boston College  and the winner will be tied with Florida State for first in their division.  Wake 24 BC13

Finally I would like to say congratulations to former NCW basketball player Brandon Givens the 2013 the USA South player of the year has signed a pro basketball contract in Luxenborg.  Their season starts the first of October.

Third Week Guesses(Predictions)

Off to a decent start so far this year 13-3 on my weekly guesses and this week there some very interesting games that could be challenging.  Here we go with week three....

Rocky Mount 2-0 @Hertford County 2-0 Quite frankly this may very well be one of the toughest games to pick this week.  I like what I see in the Rocky Mount defense and being very begrudging giving up yards.  I honestly don't know what to make of Hunt so far this year whether the HC victory over the Warriors was HC is good or the Warriors are average  Gryphons is a dilly 24-19

The next hardest game to judge is Kinston 2-0 @ Fike2-0:  Like Hunt I don't know what to make of Fike as of yet but I think this week will tell us a lot. Deep down in my soul I don't think Fike is there yet this year so I am taking Kinston 28-21.

Northern Nash 0-2@Tarboro1-1:  Tarboro left several players home last week due to team issues and don't know whether they will play this week or not. Tarboro has depth issues as they have too many players going both ways.  At this point Northern just has issues but I don't think this one will be as bad as last week.  Tarboro 21 Northern 6.

Rocky Mount Prep1-1  @ Loiusburg1-1:Louisburg wins this one  40-6.

St Davids @Rocky Mount Academy1-0.  There are games coming that will be harder for the Eagles they take down St Davids 38-13.* Understand RMA is traveling to Hobgood Friday so RMA will win but the score will be higher  RMA54 Hobgood 38

Greene Central 0-2 @SouthWest Edgecombe2-0:  Unless there is some major changes in my opinion between now and next week I'm picking SWE over Tarboro then why would I go against the Cougars this week.  Cougars 44 Greene Central 7

Nash Central 0-2 @ Rose 2-0:  Rose has won twice against 4-A foes  so unless the Rampants have slept all week the Bulldogs don't have a chance .  Rose 53 Bulldogs 14

Bunn 1-1 @ Southern Nash 2-0 Firebirds should win a little easier than last week but not by much more.  Firebirds 36 Bunn 22.

North Edgecombe 1-1 @ SE Halifax1-1.  Winnable game if every thing falls the Warriors way but I doubt it.
SE Halfax 24 North Edgecombe 12

New Hanover 0-1 @ Hunt 1-1:  NH lost to a South Carolina school last week and most of the time those SC schools are rather good when they cross the border.  I think the question here is do I think New Hanover is better than Hertford County who beat Hunt last week and the answer is yes.  New Hanover 27- Hunt 14.
Forgot about ECU tonight:National TV everyone wearing black Pirates big 52-31

Coach Pleas Stay Till The End

Coach Dave Doeren the new head football coach at State plead with State fans during his weekly news conference to stay to see the game out till the end.  If you watched the game on TV Saturday at 12:30pm and saw after halftime the stadium was half empty and most of the time when that happens right after the half the home team is getting killed.

Yes this was a TV game on Labor day weekend and yes it was hot.  Who in their right mind plays a football game in the South in the afternoon before October.  It is too hot to sit in 90 degree weather with 80% humidity.  But oh yes this was a TV and TV said this game would be played at 12:30 so part of college athletics to get more revenue from TV is to play the game at Midnight Friday if TV says so.

I don't know how many of you remember back in the late 90's when Lou Holtz was the coach at South Carolina and they came to Raleigh for a Thursday night game when Thursday games we not yet a regular part of the TV schedule but they played the game in a Tropical Storm.  There was no lightening but it rained buckets most of the night.  Since I was a season ticket holder then you know I was in my seat with all my poncho's on and stayed dry the entire night.  While walking to my car after State beat South Carolina 10-0 a gust of wind came up and ripped my poncho off 100 yards from my car.  By the time I got to my car I could not have been any wetter if I had of sat the entire game without a poncho.

TV said the game will be played and it was.  The coach has every right to ask the fans to stay till the end, let's face it.  That game with Louisiana Tech was closer than the score.   There have been may come backs made in every stadium when most of the fans were in cars headed home when the come back occurred

I just didn't fall off the turnip truck and I understand many of the fans while sitting in 90 plus degree weather had a drink or two before going in the stadium and as they sat there boiling they were going into a state of dehydration with what ever level of alcohol was in there system.

Every fan that pays the price to attend any game has the right to leave anytime they want to whether winning or losing.  I remember listening to Woody Durham one Saturday when Carolina  was down to I don't remember who 14-3 with about three minutes to go and they came back to win the game 17-14 and his comment on the winning score with only seconds left was something " What a great comeback that you were not here to see" referring all the fans had departed when they thought the game was lost.

We are a soft society these days.  We love air condition  and any time we have to sweat I would as soon go home and watch on TV. I know coaches want the stands full until the very end but I don't care who the coach or team is the high price ticket section is going to leave when they want winning or losing and the only thing a coach can do about it is win and ask them to buy season tickets again next year.

Can We Judge The First Two Weeks?

Last week on high school picks I was 8-2 giving me a 13-3 record so far this year.  Non-conference games are hard to judge since their is no history on the season to decide whether it was a good win or bad loss or neither.  Let's take a look at where the first two weeks lead us.

Rocky Mount :2-0 beat Webb and South Granville.  Friday SG handled Chapel Hill and the previous week Webb beat Granville Central who wiped the floor with Rocky Mount Prep last Friday.  Sure will get a good idea about the Gryphons after this Friday against Hertford County who upset Hunt 21-15 and stopped the Warriors 22 game regular season win streak.

Hunt: 1-1 Beat South Central opening week and SC lost 46-50 to West Craven this past Friday. Hard to tell at this point about the Warriors but this Friday's RM/HC game will give everyone a chance to compare scores since HC will have visited both in two weeks.

Tarboro:  1-1  If I had to say right this minute the Vikes are not as good as they have been the last five years.  Smaller hurts them against big burly teams.  Won't see many more (Southern Nash) until playoffs. Because of their size they need to stay healthy for the playoffs in 1-A.

SouthWest Edgecombe:  1-1 Gave Southern Nash a tussle and destroyed North Edgecombe.  I think the Southern Nash game was worth the thought that the Cougars are a real contender in the Eastern Plains.

Southern Nash:2-0  I think they will go as far as their health will take them.  Right now already reaching into the JV's for running backs.  Has several break-a-way runs but no touchdowns as I saw no barn burning running backs.  If some of the running backs get back and the line stays healthy they will be near the top.

Northern Nash: 0-2  I don't know whether any one thought they would be any better than 1-1 now but Cornith Holders had a big win over 4-A Clayton last Friday.  The score at Northeastern concerns me  and Tarboro this week.

Nash Central: 0-2  I picked them fifth in Big East this year and the way the first two games have started they are right on schedule.

Fike: 2-0:Picked them last in Big East but victories over Bunn an ok team but Roanoke Rapids who is down and out this year.  will know more about fike at this week's game with Kinston.

Rocky Mount Academy:1-0  Will have a winning season this year and will give the big boys a run for their money.

Rocky Mount Prep: 1-1  Just might win another one for the year is over.

North Edgecombe: 1-1  Should make playoffs but conference championship with Tarboro in conference is out of the question.

Just A Little Respect

If you recall last year when State played Tennessee the opening few minutes it seemed as if The Vols were quicker that the Pack.  It also seemed the same in the Carolina/South Carolina game.  Both last year and this year once the teams adjusted to the speed of the game it was even for the most part the last three quarters.  Carolina didn't embarrass themselves after it was to the point it could have been.

Thank goodness State recovered two fumbles inside the 20 or their game could have been a lot closer.  The new State attack requires speed and if State stays healthy it look like they had speedsters running and catching the ball.  Sure would like to see a better defensive performance next time out. Once State's Starting QB went down so did the offense.

Hard to tell whether Duke is better or not even though they handled Central a week after they fired their coach.  Same with the Deacs, need to see more.

If you are a first year D1 football program do it the way UNC Charlotte and Old Dominion did it.  Bring in an entire team on scholarship.  Charlotte pounds Campbell who is taking the little steps at a time and Charlotte blast them.  ODU scared ECU to death.  Looks as if the Pirates can still score but they still can't stop anybody either.

The three SEC/ACC match ups Clemson pulled out a victory over Georgia and Todd Gurley in a game that Gurley was fabulous.  Considering we all thought Virginia Tech would get slaughtered if you take away the special teams mistakes in which Beamer is famous for VA Tech played ok.

It always seemed these SEC/ACC match ups never happen in a ACC football Stadium.  What happens when one does but the ACC wins.  I'd like to see Alabama start the season at Clemson  one time and let's see how good the SEC really is.

All in all the ACC did alright the first weekend .  I know it will happen but they are going to have to play a lot of football games to find one as good as the Georgia/Clemson game.  Georgia will finish top ten and Clemson really does have a shot at the BCS title game if they don't slip up some place.  Since the ACC has no respect over all they would drop out of the championship picture if they do but Georgia will not even if they lose again.

A few Surprises

Rocky Mount is off to a 2-0 start and I don't think anybody is shocked at that but who expected the Gryphons to look this good on defense?,not me for one.

Hello Eagles Rocky Mount Academy rolls in their opener against Halifax Academy. 49-7.  The old ball coach B W Holt can score in any league 14 man football  you name it.

I told you Tarboro was  going to play their second toughest game of their regular season.  Washington gave Havelock a hand full last week and Havelock crushed New Bern Friday so a 20-14 lost to a 3-A team that's pretty good is not bad at all.

IF there is a team that needs a good doctor right now it's Southern Nash.  Used two backs up from the jv's team extensively against Beddingfield.  They have an excellent line but not enough speed in back field.

I think everyone with Northern Nash is disappointed after an 0-2 start but losing 45-0 at Northeastern stings.

Nash Central improved over last week but the lack of offense  has everyone scratching their head.

Don't feel sorry for SouthWest Edgecombe.  I don't care what  the first name of the head coach is all I know is his last name is Cobb and all the coaches I know name Cobb can coach.

Spent the day watching Campbell Volley ball and they won twice today in 5th set tie breakers.  Too early in year for this kind of games on the heart.

Speaking of the heart would like to finish on a real high note.  Former Gryphon Mason Holt first three weeks at Campbell have been challenging to say the least.  His first day on the cross country he failed his physical.  Had to see a heart specialist before Campbell would clear him to run.  Saturday in his first meet at Caroina Mason ran his personal best at 16.03 to help Campbell finish second at an invitational at Carolina.