Snow's Coming Down

I realize that I can't hardly remember back that far any more, but I don't recall that while I was growing up going to school that we ever got a snow on a Saturday or Sunday, which we would have missed a school day if there had been school that day.

Nash-Rocky Mount Schools are already closed due to the semester break which runs through Thursday. I wonder how many kids will be glad it's snowing when they realize that they didn't have to go to school anyway?

Last night the No. 1 and No. 2 women's college basketball teams met in Chapel Hill and UConn showed everyone why it is ranked No. 1. Carolina never had a chance to get any rhythm going and suffered a 30-point loss at home.

In a matter on eight days N.C. State's women have played Carolina to overtime in Chapel Hill and last night took No. 4 Duke to overtime and loss to the Devils, 61-58. The Wolfpack women are playing hard for Coach Yow who continues fighting hard for her life.

The last five years the NFL playoffs has become a wide open affair when you are a lot better off being the underdog.

This year may be the the ultimate underdog year, however as the Arizona Cardinals who haven't won any type of championship in 61 years, take on one of the premier NFL franchises in the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Pittsburgh has a chance to possibly steal the title of team of the decade away from New England if they can win their second title this decade. They would have won two titles since New England last won one.

The oddsmakers have made the Steelers the favorite, but I am still thinking on this one. So far in the 10 NFL games played in the playoffs, just four games have the winning team scored 30 points. The Cardinals played in three of them.

This Super Bowl will be a classic offense against defense.

The Gryphons return to the court Friday and Saturday night this week for two conference games. The Lady Gryphons find themselves tied for first, while right now after two games, the boys are in the middle of the pack.

High school basketball's regular season has seemingly just started, yet it will be over in three weeks. Seems like we are just getting started.

XLIII Set

Super bowl forty three has two willing teams ready to do battle for the championship of pro football. One team you could have predicted six weeks ago while the other would be a good team to have place a bet on in Vegas. I'm sure you could have gotten 1000 to 1 odds.

The Pittsburgh Steelers who until the merger of the old AFL with the NFL was the laughing stock of the NFL. Since the merger in 1970 when they transferred to the AFC they will now be going to the Super Bowl for the seventh time.

The Arizona Cardinals who had never won a playoff game until two weeks ago will be sunning in Tampa over the next two weeks.

The top three defensive teams in the AFC all year have been Baltimore, Tennessee, and Pittsburgh. Of those three the one with the best offense was the Steelers and they will play one more game this year.

Ben Roethisberger had two passes that covered over forty yards each and that proved to be the difference as the Steelers out hit the Ravens 23-14.

In the last few minutes this games was marred by having to stop play as Willis McGahee had a helmet to helmet hit knocking both players out. This is becoming an all to frequent experience in the NFL and they need to do something with the helmets to stop the use of helmets for weapons. In this case neither player lead with the helmet but both collided with McGahee carted off the field

Rookie Joe Flacco had a rookie day throwing three ints but with four minutes to play his team had the ball down only 17-14 before the Steeler defense could get their third int which was run back for six.

Mean while in the Arizona Desert:

The Arizona Cardinals played a flawless first half racing out to a 24-6 lead. Kurt Warner tossed three touchdowns to Larry Fitzgerald and the Cardinals continue to play the same as they did against the Carolina Panthers.

Fortunately for the Eagles they had a chance to sit down for a minute at the half after the whirlwind first half and stormed back to take a 25-24 lead only to see Kurt Warner methodically lead the cardinals on the game winning drive and throw the winning score to Hightower to Win 32-25.

It is the first Super Bowl appearance by any team named the Cardinals. The Cardinals go all the way back to Chicago and then St Louis before retiring to the Desert of Arizona.

Kurt Warner wins his third NFC championship in three tries while Donavan McNabb playing in his fifth NFC championship in eight years loses for the fourth time.

So far in the playoffs I am 7-3 including getting both right Sunday. I favor the Steelers but I reserve the right to make my final pick next Monday the 26th.

Big Four Get Out The Brooms

Boy when was the last time that all four big four teams played a basketball game on the same day?

An even bigger question is when has all four won on the same day?

I don't have any idea the answer to either question but the new answer is today Saturday January 17th 2009.

The Wolfpack got the day off to a good start by finally finishing a game. It looks as if the guard tandem of Mays/Lagand is the only good answer for the pack. It might not be the perfect answer but it is the only one they have to have a chance in any game. Pack wins in OT 76-71 over winless Georgia Tech.

The Wolfpack stole TV time from the Blue Devils because of the overtime but when the cameras got rolling so did the Devils as they win their 68th straight non-conference game in a row in Cameron 76-67 over the Big East and Georgetown.

The ACC game of the day pitted Clemson 16-0 hosting Wake Forest 15-0. Leading most of the way Wake Forest showed the world that they are for real as Clemson made a charge at the Deacs to cut the lead to one point but Wake Forest next three trips down the court they got off shots less than a foot from the basket to quickly jump back up by seven and resume command.

If you weren't convinced before about the Demon Deacons you should be now as this is their best start in history 16-0. They should be the #1 team in the nation come Monday as Pitt fell at Louisville so Wake is the only unbeaten team left in the country.

Either Duke or Wake Forest will be one and the other #2 but it won't take long to settle any dispute as they play each other in Cameron Wednesday night.

Carolina finished off the good day for the Big Four as they handle Miami in the Dean Dome 82-65. Wayne Ellington score all 23 of his points in the second half to lead the Heels. The Tar Heels get back to level in ACC play at 2-2.

When it's contract time agents, players and teams will say anything to make their position look Strong. It is being reported that Julius Peppers wants out of Carolina to play for a team that plays a 3-4 defense. That ought to get him an extra million or two.

The coaching carousel continues in the NFL as Tampa has gotten rid Of John Gruden. He might not be the last coach to lose his job this year as KC is still thinking over a possible change.

Between retirements, firings, and just plane quitting 25% of the league will have a new coach next year.

Four game Sweep For The Gryphons

Friday night the Gryphon hosted the Firebirds of Southern Nash and came away with a sweep of all four games played.

The JV boys and girls were winners.

In varsity girls action nursing a 22-15 halftime lead, the lady Gryphons held the Ladybirds to just one field goal in the 3rd quarter and ran away from Southern Nash 59-32. Dyonna Battle lead the way with 15 points.

This makes the Lady Gryphons 2-0 in league play and it is their 10 victory of the season in 14 tries.

Charles Alston let me look at the years stat sheet for both the boys and girls tonight and going into tonight's game the Lady Gryphons had 238 turnovers in 13 games. That is a whopping 18 plus per game. Just imagine how good this team could be if they could handle the ball.

In the boys game the Gryphons played without Tashawn Mabry but managed to win without him 60-47. One point in the second half the Griffs had a 21 point lead. Down the stretch the Gryphons missed 15 of 20 free throws and at one point had missed nine in a row.

Back to the stat sheet the Gryphon boys are averaging 15 turnovers a game.

Just before both teams took to the floor for warm ups Alonzo(Bobo) Sharpe was recognized for hitting the 1,000 point club last Friday at Northern.

The boys are now 1-1 and 8-7 in round ball play.

School is out until Friday as the administration squares away the kids schedule for next semester. Testing ended today and Tuesday and Wednesday teachers work on student schedules for the spring.

Because of that no basketball until a trip Friday night to Fike and then Saturday night to Southwest Edgecombe.

Gryphon basketball games are the place to be if you want to find out information. Tonight Terrell Hudgins was in the house watching little sister Tia play for the Lady Gryphons.

Of course I had to ask whether he might skip his senior year at Elon to go for the NFL draft. I already knew the answer since yesterday was the last day for under class men to commit to the NFL draft.

Terrell will be back for his senior season at Elon and if he stays healthy he will become the all time top pass receiver in football history. He already owns all of Elon's records and almost all of the Southern Conference records.

It would not surprise me if number 19 isn't retired one day at Elon Station the home of the Phoenix after Terrell breaks all of the national records.

Second Half of Season Starts Tonight

Even though conference play is only one game into the season, tonight begins the second part of the basketball season for the Rocky Mount Gryphons.

The boys will try to get a rhythm, something they have not had since the infusion of the football players in mid December. They will try to get above even with their record tonight over all and back to even in the conference as they host Southern Nash.

The girls are tied for first after one game and have a rather good overall record at 9-4. They have had their moments of great play and then at times struggled to find the bottom of the net.

JV Girls begin at 4pm today as four games are on the docket tonight.

Carolina rebounded last night at Virginia winning by 22. Every team during a season has peaks and valleys and I think Carolina is coming out of their valley for this season. They may not go undefeated like most thought but they are still very good.

The NFL schedule for this weekend is for a double header of Sunday. There is something about those two weeks when the NFL has a double header for two weekends on Saturday and Sunday in a row that are special.

The first game on tap Sunday will feature two teams that NO one thought would be here. The Philadelphia Eagles against the Arizona Cardinals. Kick off is set for just after 3pm Sunday. This could be the only playoff game so far that has had any type of good weather.

The Eagles are flying high but you know there is something about the Cardinals that I really like. They are a better team that everyone gives them credit for. I don't know what it is but I'm taking the Cards 30-24. Maybe it's the Nash county connection with J J Arrington.

The backside of Sunday's double header will feature maybe the two hardest hitting defenses in the league. As good as Joe Flacco has been as a rookie for Baltimore I don't think he can lead the Ravens to Victory against the Steelers.

Clinton's Willie Parker is 100% now for the Steelers and Ben Roethesberger is sneaky good. I'll take the Steelers 20- Ravens 12.

Hero of the day:

CHESLEY B. SULLENBERGER the pilot of U S Air flight 1549. Last night all of the networks were praising all of the rescue teams and well they should for getting passengers out of the water as fast as possible yesterday after the crash of flight 1549.

Captain Sullenberger glided his plane over the George Washington bridge which by the way I cross four times back in April, he then avoided any boat and ship traffic and glided his plane to a perfect landing in the Hudson River near 48th street in New York.

If either of his wings had of dug into the river fuel would have spilled and more than likly a fire would have happened. Instead all passengers are safe and the worst of the bunch was one of the flight attendants broke both legs.

My hat is off for Captain Sullenberger. I'll fly with him anytime.

Wake is playing at High Level

Two weeks from tonight at the Rocky Mount Shrine Club the 2008 football Gryphons will hold their awards night and honor a very special football team.

It begins at 6.30pm and the cost is $10. The dinner will be Chicken and hog. This is a chance for all Gryphon fans to actually see the faces of these young men that you may only know through their number on their jersey.

Just ten days ago Boston College could do no wrong in beating Carolina in Chapel Hill. Last night BC looked as if they were helpless in trying to figure out how to attack the Deacs. The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have speed at every position. If I had a vote I would vote Wake Forest the #1 team right now.

Wake travels to Clemson Saturday and one team will have a loss. That will be one more than either has right now combined.

College basketball now starts in early November and doesn't end to the first weekend in April. I don't care how good you are that is such a long period that everyone has a bad day along the way.

It is still too early to think anybody could go undefeated so Wake has a long way to go.

Duke continues to play good defense and win at Georgia Tech. Head to head against Wake Duke will be too slow to beat the Deacons.

Testing finishes today in the county so basketball cranks up again Friday night as the Gryphons host Southern Nash.

During a slow period like this for sports it gives me and opportunity to tell you of one of the most unusual events that I ever cover on the radio.

The Ahoskie Rotary club use to put on a race every Saturday after Thanksgiving which at the time was the oldest continuous race in North Carolina. They had a 10k,5k and a one mile fun run.

There was a time when radio stations covered events because it was part of the community and in a small town like Ahoskie watching the stop light change was news.

The management at the station called me on a Friday afternoon and asked if I would be interested in doing the race live from 12-2 on Saturday.

Back in the good old days as we like to remember them there were no cell phones. The ticket booth had a telephone jack where I hooked up my equipment. I had a 100 foot microphone cord in which I could walk 100 feet outside the gym and walk inside at the end of the event to hear the awards presentation.

I think this was 1984 but I am not 100% sure. High noon I come on the air and tell everyone what we are going to be doing for the next two hours? Talking. 12.10 was the start of the 10k race. 80 runners or so from all across the state were running. I had no idea who any of them were there was no line up. all I knew was #313 pinned on their chest.

The starting pistol sounds and off goes 80 runners who circle the parking lot once and disappear down highway 561. I now have about 25 minutes to describe a race that I can't see and I don't know who they are running.

I would say that there were 500 people there that day either to run or watch friends or loved ones run. Before the day was over I interviewed every one of them to fill the time.

By the way since this was a last minute deal there were no commercials to break back to the station for just describe a race that was three miles down the road from where I was. When ever I needed a drink of water I worked my way to the water fountain in the gym lobby an people got to hear me drink water live on the radio.

They say you learn more when working under pressure. I learned a lot that day.

State And Carolina Share Last Place

I am a person that when I watch sports on TV, especially if N.C. State is involved, I scream at the TV, complain about a ref's call, or question what the coach was thinking.

Not this year:

I just sit back and wait for the bottom to fall out. When I first got into doing play-by-play, I use to keep my own stats as the game went along. I did not have the luxury of Charles Alston sitting beside me feeding me the numbers.

Last night, while watching the State-Florida State game, I kept in my head as the second half unfolded a telling stat. I kept track of the trips down court and times scored. I then divided it into a second category. How many times did they shoot without the ball getting inside the foul line before a shot? If they were fouled and attempted foul shots, that counted as a made shot.

During the second half, the Wolfpack was 4-16 when the ball never got any closer than the foul line. They were 11-17 when they at least fed it inside for a shot or a passed it back outside.

With seven minutes to go the score and the Wolfpack ahead 61-57, they were 4-12 outside of the foul line and 10-11 inside. Then the wheels fell off.

I guess you are asking what do those stats tell me. Get the ball inside stupid! Unfortunately, the Wolfpack gets about five minutes of good guard play per half.

If Sidney Lowe survives to last as long as his contract, he must recruit a point guard.

It is very hard for any player to improve if they can't get the ball in a position to score where you are best suited. Because players aren't getting the ball at their best possible spots on the floor, every player looks as if they have not improved since they were freshmen.

I don't care how many 6-foot-9 All-Americans you have, if you can't get the ball at the right time, they can't showcase their talent.

Rumors:

Carolina has lost two of three and rumors abound that all the players who tested the NBA last spring and decided to come back are playing me ball instead of UNC ball. They are working to improve their 3-point shot instead of their baseline jumper.

What I see is teams are triple-teaming Hansbourgh. When he flops, like he normally does, he is not getting the calls he has gotten in the past.

Carolina's perimeter defense was awful against BC and Wake.

NFL:

Which team has the best quarterback left in the playoffs?

McNabb? Roethesberger? Flacco? No, the answer is Kurt Warner. The NFL's two-time MVP is third in the all-time quarterback ratings list at 94.3. That trails only Steve Young at 96.4 and Peyton Manning at 94.7.

Philip Rivers, my favorite player in the NFL needs 72 more pass attempts in his career and he will qualify for all career list with 1,500 attempts. Right now, he would be fourth. He has a career quarterback rating of 92.9 which ties him with Tom Brady.

Dan Marino, who I consider the best passer in the NFL since I have been watching, has a 86.6 rating. Brett Farve has a 85.3.

Exams are going on this week throughout the county. There is jubilation in our house as Morgan passed math. She can keep her job as basketball manager for another semester.