Ok after an 0-6 start on the season and I have the flow of what to expect from the teams in the Twin County area and after a 6-0 and 5-1 week I am up to 11-7 on the season. As they say it is not how you start but how you finish so let's jump in to this weeks games head first.There are only five this week since two games are between Twin County teams.* I have been reminded that my 0-6 is now 1-5 with Bunn's Forfeit to Rocky Mount which would change my over all to 12-6.
North Edgecombe Tarboro: Keep hearing all these rumors that with shrinking schools size of both Tarboro and North Edgecombe may be consolidated in the future and if that happens this game will not last fore ever. It is truly a bigger game for the Warriors and they would love to beat one of their other county foes but it will not happen Friday. Tarboro 48 NE13
Rocky Mount at SouthWest Edgecombe. This will be the game that really gives us a glimpse of what the Rocky Mount Gryphons are this year. They don't have to win this game but a game that they are in till the end will really tell us this is a better football. SWE will run up the gut and the Gryphons are small there. The Gryphon offense has to keep the ball out of the Cougars hands as much as possible. SWE 28 Rocky Mount 20.
Northern Nash @ South Central: This is a very winnable game for the Knights. NN showed offensive punch against Tarboro and if that same punch shows up Friday they will win. The Knights defense needs to improve over last week's showing with Tarboro but of course this was Tarboro who scores on everybody NN 26 South Central 18
Roanoke Rapids @ Southern Nash: Last week the Yellow Jackets stepped up to big boy football when Nash Central ran away with a 33-7 win. RR is on the road and this one may not be pretty at all. If Southern Nash holds on to the ball they could get 50. If they don't give away some easy scores for the Yellow Jackets this one could be real ugly. Southern Nash 48 RR 7
Hertford County at Nash Central: Here we are with a compare game again. Rocky Mount just played HC and now Nash Central gets their shot. I thought HC had a pretty good football team until conditioning gave RM control last week. If HC is not in better shape this week they will be out of this one by the end of the 3rd quarter. I think the Bulldogs have too much speed and are bigger than the Gryphons so they match up better on the line against HC. Nash Central 35 Hertford County 14
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Conference Play Begin For Tennis-Volleyball
Tuesday the two teams that will probably finish 1-2 in Volleyball met head on in the first conference game of the season and Hunts wins in five sets over Northern Nash. Rocky Mount took down Nash Central in five sets. As the VB season goes on unless injuries hit one of the top teams hard I think you will find Northern and Hunt finishing at the top.
Tennis opened the conference play with Rocky Mount undefeated and hoping to give Nash Central a bundle but the Price sisters and Nash Central bulldozed RM 9-0. It was the Gryphons first lost of the season. The Gryphons have three freshmen in their top six and their future looks bright regardless of the whipping they took from the Bulldogs.
Rocky Mount soccer went the first four games of the season scoring only one goal but the last two games have been able to find wins. Surely looks as if they are getting better as the season progresses. Conference play for soccer starts in two weeks.
Cross Country for the Gryphons is showing that it looks as if they will be between the middle toward the front as the season unfurls for both the boys and girls.
Football is off to a 3-0 start record wise and the buzz around town is people can see a difference is the quality of play. I think most people can also see a different attitude which sometimes comes from winning. You have to like what you saw against Hertford County because the team was undersized and yet was the best team in the second half. That did not happen much in the past few years as they were close at the half an faded as the game wore on.
I will get my first shot behind the microphone Thursday night as the Gryphon jv's play their first home game. Those of you that have not yet been in the new press box the PA and clock operator are in a room to themselves. The press has their own section. The second level is for cameras. If there is a major improvement in the new press box over at the old field there is not that 49 steps to walk up to get to the press box straight up like the old stadium.
Can you believe it but the NFL is on TV tonight as the run for the 2013 Super Bowl Starts.
Tennis opened the conference play with Rocky Mount undefeated and hoping to give Nash Central a bundle but the Price sisters and Nash Central bulldozed RM 9-0. It was the Gryphons first lost of the season. The Gryphons have three freshmen in their top six and their future looks bright regardless of the whipping they took from the Bulldogs.
Rocky Mount soccer went the first four games of the season scoring only one goal but the last two games have been able to find wins. Surely looks as if they are getting better as the season progresses. Conference play for soccer starts in two weeks.
Cross Country for the Gryphons is showing that it looks as if they will be between the middle toward the front as the season unfurls for both the boys and girls.
Football is off to a 3-0 start record wise and the buzz around town is people can see a difference is the quality of play. I think most people can also see a different attitude which sometimes comes from winning. You have to like what you saw against Hertford County because the team was undersized and yet was the best team in the second half. That did not happen much in the past few years as they were close at the half an faded as the game wore on.
I will get my first shot behind the microphone Thursday night as the Gryphon jv's play their first home game. Those of you that have not yet been in the new press box the PA and clock operator are in a room to themselves. The press has their own section. The second level is for cameras. If there is a major improvement in the new press box over at the old field there is not that 49 steps to walk up to get to the press box straight up like the old stadium.
Can you believe it but the NFL is on TV tonight as the run for the 2013 Super Bowl Starts.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Perception
We often wonder why Notre Dame is held in such high regard when they haven't been a powerhouse in football for at least 15 years. Here lately everyone in ACC country has been bitten by this we are as good as the Southeastern Conference but why do they keep beating us.?
I looked at the official list of the all time winningest football programs and you know what I found? Not one ACC school in the top twenty of all time wins. Five southeastern schools including Tennessee in the top 20. Yale is second on the all time list. There is probably not a team in the ACC that doesn't think they would beat Yale. Navy has won more college football games than North Carolina and the Tar Heels are the winningest North Carolina school on the list. The top three winningest programs in the ACC are Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Boston College and all three are not original members but have been added to the league.
Since the Big Four North Carolina schools are considered basketball schools I looked at the all time list and of course found North Carolina at third and Duke fourth. State comes in 25th on the all time wins list in basketball. The Southeastern Conference only has one team in top twenty in basketball. That is Kentucky who is awful in football. They are #1 on the list.
There are only two schools that make both list. Notre Dame is fourth in football wins and ninth in basketball. Basketball surprises me being that high. Notre Dame has won more games all time than Indiana. That might just be the reason they are so well thought of for TV. The other team on the list of the top twenty in both will probably surprise you and that is Texas. The Longhorns are 3rd in football, that's no surprise. Yes they have been good rather good last twenty years in basketball but who would have thunk they be 17th in basketball.
Why is it so hard to be on both list? My first guess would be it takes so much money to be on the football list that doesn't leave much to give to basketball.
Even though Syracuse is not top 20 in football they are 5th on the all time wins list in basketball. Pittsburgh and Syracuse will be joining the ACC in the next couple of years and if the ACC has done one thing is strengthen basketball not football for the future.
I think the next announcement when ever it comes and Notre Dame joins the ACC will shock the college world. I predict within five years ND is in the ACC? Then ACC football will have a new member and football will have been upgraded and basketball gets tougher to win with another top 20 school.
I looked at the official list of the all time winningest football programs and you know what I found? Not one ACC school in the top twenty of all time wins. Five southeastern schools including Tennessee in the top 20. Yale is second on the all time list. There is probably not a team in the ACC that doesn't think they would beat Yale. Navy has won more college football games than North Carolina and the Tar Heels are the winningest North Carolina school on the list. The top three winningest programs in the ACC are Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Boston College and all three are not original members but have been added to the league.
Since the Big Four North Carolina schools are considered basketball schools I looked at the all time list and of course found North Carolina at third and Duke fourth. State comes in 25th on the all time wins list in basketball. The Southeastern Conference only has one team in top twenty in basketball. That is Kentucky who is awful in football. They are #1 on the list.
There are only two schools that make both list. Notre Dame is fourth in football wins and ninth in basketball. Basketball surprises me being that high. Notre Dame has won more games all time than Indiana. That might just be the reason they are so well thought of for TV. The other team on the list of the top twenty in both will probably surprise you and that is Texas. The Longhorns are 3rd in football, that's no surprise. Yes they have been good rather good last twenty years in basketball but who would have thunk they be 17th in basketball.
Why is it so hard to be on both list? My first guess would be it takes so much money to be on the football list that doesn't leave much to give to basketball.
Even though Syracuse is not top 20 in football they are 5th on the all time wins list in basketball. Pittsburgh and Syracuse will be joining the ACC in the next couple of years and if the ACC has done one thing is strengthen basketball not football for the future.
I think the next announcement when ever it comes and Notre Dame joins the ACC will shock the college world. I predict within five years ND is in the ACC? Then ACC football will have a new member and football will have been upgraded and basketball gets tougher to win with another top 20 school.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Just Not The Same
Labor Day is just not Labor day without Jerry Lewis. It had to happen at some point in time whether he either would die or get to the point where he could just not physically make it happen. I have never watch much of the Telethon when Jerry was resting because he is the Telethon. Instead of watching TV I have been cutting bushes in the yard. Please Jerry come back. Same me from the bushes.
Today is the last day of the minor league baseball and with it will end Brian Goodwin's first year in pro baseball. To say the least it has been a good year as he was promoted to AA. He is hovering just under 230 batting average since fifty games ago being called up to Harrisburg PA. Spring training I am sure he will be given every chance possible to make the AAA squad for opening day.
Four of the five Division one schools in North Carolina won opening day in college football. That doesn't happen all that often. Duke was impressive beating FIU in front of a sold out stadium. That doesn't happen unless Alabama is in town and Bama fans buy up all the tickets.
Wake Struggled with Liberty which is probably not a good sign for the season. ECU beat what has become a national power in Division 2 in App St. Carolina looked impressive. Did any body but me notice during the State game with Tennessee that the game was billed by tv as the SEC game of the week.
One of the biggest differences in the ACC and the SEC is the ACC is half private institutions while Vanderbilt is the only private school in the SEC The ACC has Miami,Wake, Duke and Boston College. They are adding two more in Syracuse and Pittsburgh. I am not sure what to call Georgia Tech. Private colleges tend to be more academic minded. When you have as many private schools as the ACC has it is harder to change the rules to allow easier standards. The SEC doesn't have that problem to deal with.
The NFL is set to open the 2012 football season Wednesday night!. If you are one of those people that just can't get enough NFL I would suspect that within ten years there will be an NFL game on every night but Saturdays. They will give their minor league system colleges there day alone. If they had a game on Tuesday night it would be a national game with extra dollars over a 1pm game on Sunday being shared by five more games going on at the same time. The NFLPA is against expanding to 18 games so what is the logical next step. Play more National Games one every night from September to the season ends. Laugh but it is just around the corner.
Today is the last day of the minor league baseball and with it will end Brian Goodwin's first year in pro baseball. To say the least it has been a good year as he was promoted to AA. He is hovering just under 230 batting average since fifty games ago being called up to Harrisburg PA. Spring training I am sure he will be given every chance possible to make the AAA squad for opening day.
Four of the five Division one schools in North Carolina won opening day in college football. That doesn't happen all that often. Duke was impressive beating FIU in front of a sold out stadium. That doesn't happen unless Alabama is in town and Bama fans buy up all the tickets.
Wake Struggled with Liberty which is probably not a good sign for the season. ECU beat what has become a national power in Division 2 in App St. Carolina looked impressive. Did any body but me notice during the State game with Tennessee that the game was billed by tv as the SEC game of the week.
One of the biggest differences in the ACC and the SEC is the ACC is half private institutions while Vanderbilt is the only private school in the SEC The ACC has Miami,Wake, Duke and Boston College. They are adding two more in Syracuse and Pittsburgh. I am not sure what to call Georgia Tech. Private colleges tend to be more academic minded. When you have as many private schools as the ACC has it is harder to change the rules to allow easier standards. The SEC doesn't have that problem to deal with.
The NFL is set to open the 2012 football season Wednesday night!. If you are one of those people that just can't get enough NFL I would suspect that within ten years there will be an NFL game on every night but Saturdays. They will give their minor league system colleges there day alone. If they had a game on Tuesday night it would be a national game with extra dollars over a 1pm game on Sunday being shared by five more games going on at the same time. The NFLPA is against expanding to 18 games so what is the logical next step. Play more National Games one every night from September to the season ends. Laugh but it is just around the corner.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Almost 1/3 Of The Way
Just about every public high school team has played three games so far and we have hit the 30% of the season is over and we should be able to make some type of reasonable assumptions where every team stands.
Tarboro: Must be loaded again as they have played three 3-A teams and are 3-0. Defense looks suspect at this point but I believe the level of competition has plenty to do with that. They have scored over 120 points in three games. How far they go this year toward five playoffs games will rest in the hands of a defense that will improve as the schedule includes schools in 2-A and 1-A.
SouthWest Edgecombe: 1-2. Both losses have come from Hunt and Southern Nash. They just might have an answer for Tarboro when conference time comes.
North Edgecombe: They can play with any body in their level. Over matched against County foes SWE and Tarboro.
Southern Nash: They have reloaded nicely after having lost their entire running back corp from last year. 3-0 so far and look to challenge Hunt for conference title.
Rocky Mount: 3-0 (2-1)What a difference a year makes in attitude alone. The line is small on both sides of the ball and when Rocky Mount hits the meat of conference schedule will find it hard to win against power teams like Hunt, Nash Central, Southern Nash. Can't stand for the injury bug to dig any deeper than it already is.
Northern Nash: 1-2 Offense has improved over last year. If there is one team that could move up toward the top it might be the Knights. Most experts pegged the Knights 4th or 5th in preseason. I could see third if the cards fall their way.
Nash Central: 2-1 No shame what so ever in their lone loss coming from Tarboro. Seems as if Nash Central is on door step again this year. Lost twice to Hunt last year. Tarboro is the same mold as Hunt in this way, one of those teams that the Bulldogs must beat not just lose a close one. It is step up time for them.
Rocky Mount Academy: B W Holt's six years in Rocky Mount he averaged 38 points a game. His first two games in eight man football the Eagles have scored 32. The man can coach offense. If the Eagles figure out how to slow down the other team they are going to be dangerous for somebody. No longer an automatic win when you play RMA.
Fike:1-2 Sure can score points. Their problem the other teams seems to be able to score more.
Hunt: 3-0 Not quite as good as last year but they are the team to beat. Defense is suspect.
Get my first chance in the PA booth Thursday night as Rocky Mount jv's play their first home game.
Tarboro: Must be loaded again as they have played three 3-A teams and are 3-0. Defense looks suspect at this point but I believe the level of competition has plenty to do with that. They have scored over 120 points in three games. How far they go this year toward five playoffs games will rest in the hands of a defense that will improve as the schedule includes schools in 2-A and 1-A.
SouthWest Edgecombe: 1-2. Both losses have come from Hunt and Southern Nash. They just might have an answer for Tarboro when conference time comes.
North Edgecombe: They can play with any body in their level. Over matched against County foes SWE and Tarboro.
Southern Nash: They have reloaded nicely after having lost their entire running back corp from last year. 3-0 so far and look to challenge Hunt for conference title.
Rocky Mount: 3-0 (2-1)What a difference a year makes in attitude alone. The line is small on both sides of the ball and when Rocky Mount hits the meat of conference schedule will find it hard to win against power teams like Hunt, Nash Central, Southern Nash. Can't stand for the injury bug to dig any deeper than it already is.
Northern Nash: 1-2 Offense has improved over last year. If there is one team that could move up toward the top it might be the Knights. Most experts pegged the Knights 4th or 5th in preseason. I could see third if the cards fall their way.
Nash Central: 2-1 No shame what so ever in their lone loss coming from Tarboro. Seems as if Nash Central is on door step again this year. Lost twice to Hunt last year. Tarboro is the same mold as Hunt in this way, one of those teams that the Bulldogs must beat not just lose a close one. It is step up time for them.
Rocky Mount Academy: B W Holt's six years in Rocky Mount he averaged 38 points a game. His first two games in eight man football the Eagles have scored 32. The man can coach offense. If the Eagles figure out how to slow down the other team they are going to be dangerous for somebody. No longer an automatic win when you play RMA.
Fike:1-2 Sure can score points. Their problem the other teams seems to be able to score more.
Hunt: 3-0 Not quite as good as last year but they are the team to beat. Defense is suspect.
Get my first chance in the PA booth Thursday night as Rocky Mount jv's play their first home game.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Gurley Marches Into Georgia
Former Tarboro High football player Todd Gurley score on the second and third touches of the football in his college football career. His first play an unimpressive two yard run but #2 Gurley broke a tackle at the eight yard line and cruised in for a ten yard touchdown run. Georgia's defense allowed Buffalo a touchdown and on the following kickoff Gurley went 100 yards to give Georgia a 14-3 lead.
Gurley saved the best for last as in the fourth quarter he broke three tackles on a run up the middle and once he broke free as they say"Katie Bar the Door" a 55 yard scamper which gave Gurley three touchdowns on the day. Gurley ran only eight times from scrimmage but hit the century mark getting 100 yards. Boy does he have big expectations to live up to now.
Larry Fedora has that big hill of expectations to overcome now as his Tar Heels romp over Elon 62-0. It has been 17 years since the Heels scored that many points.
ECU gets the 2012 football season off on the right foot as they hammer App State 35-13.
Fans have no middle ground. You are expected to be the best team ever and when you stumble all of a sudden you are now the worse ever. N C State fans have gone from hoping to play for the conference championship to ready to run Tom O'Brien out of town after State lost last night to Tennessee.
Expectations can be fun to wish but nobody knows for sure about any thing. It will be three weeks or so before State fans will know whether last night loss was pitiful or not bad at all. Just suppose Tennessee turns out to play for the SEC championship or maybe the National Championship. Take five minutes away from that game last night and State played about as well as you could expect. Plain and Simple Tennessee was a better football team and they were much better than State at every position.
The other end of the spectrum is North Carolina. What did they learn today. Who knows until we see what Elon does the next few week. Suppose Elon doesn't win a game all year then today wasn't all that impressive.
There is a middle ground some where in every game. State isn't as bad a State fans think and Carolina is probably not as good as they looked today in Larry fedora's first game in Chapel Hill.
Let's face it as long as the ACC stays away from allowing Non qualifiers to play and the SEC does the ACC teams will always be at a disadvantage when ever they play any team from the SEC. We as fans have to decide what we want. Do we want to win at all cost or do we want to set the academic standards and make all ACC teams live by them. There is no middle ground but fans want both and academic excellence and winning football most of the time don't go together.
Gurley saved the best for last as in the fourth quarter he broke three tackles on a run up the middle and once he broke free as they say"Katie Bar the Door" a 55 yard scamper which gave Gurley three touchdowns on the day. Gurley ran only eight times from scrimmage but hit the century mark getting 100 yards. Boy does he have big expectations to live up to now.
Larry Fedora has that big hill of expectations to overcome now as his Tar Heels romp over Elon 62-0. It has been 17 years since the Heels scored that many points.
ECU gets the 2012 football season off on the right foot as they hammer App State 35-13.
Fans have no middle ground. You are expected to be the best team ever and when you stumble all of a sudden you are now the worse ever. N C State fans have gone from hoping to play for the conference championship to ready to run Tom O'Brien out of town after State lost last night to Tennessee.
Expectations can be fun to wish but nobody knows for sure about any thing. It will be three weeks or so before State fans will know whether last night loss was pitiful or not bad at all. Just suppose Tennessee turns out to play for the SEC championship or maybe the National Championship. Take five minutes away from that game last night and State played about as well as you could expect. Plain and Simple Tennessee was a better football team and they were much better than State at every position.
The other end of the spectrum is North Carolina. What did they learn today. Who knows until we see what Elon does the next few week. Suppose Elon doesn't win a game all year then today wasn't all that impressive.
There is a middle ground some where in every game. State isn't as bad a State fans think and Carolina is probably not as good as they looked today in Larry fedora's first game in Chapel Hill.
Let's face it as long as the ACC stays away from allowing Non qualifiers to play and the SEC does the ACC teams will always be at a disadvantage when ever they play any team from the SEC. We as fans have to decide what we want. Do we want to win at all cost or do we want to set the academic standards and make all ACC teams live by them. There is no middle ground but fans want both and academic excellence and winning football most of the time don't go together.
Better Conditioned Gryphons Comeback
Hertford County rushed for nearly 200 yards the first 20 minutes of the game and took advantage of a 50 yard td pass and looked as if they were going to dominate the smaller Gryphons. Insert Mason Hines with a 89 yard kickoff return to get the score to 14-10 Bears and then something happened that told the tale of this game.
HC had two players go down with cramps late in the second quarter and by my count at games end had another six times players go down. Results HC fails to get a first down in the second half and Rocky Mount get a hugh 4th and seven run from Mason Hines and the Gryphons beat Hertford County 17-14.
Rocky Mount had field position the entire second half and did nothing until they decided to go for it on fourth and seven from HC 47 which by the way had been Rocky Mount's worse starting position in the second half when they started at own 41. Mason Hines was hit in the back field broke way and sprinted 12 yards for a Gryphon first down and from that point on the Gryphons drove for the winning td on a Hines two yard run with 8:17 to play.
By night's end Hertford County would rush for 233 in the game and pass for 76 yards but only 79 total yards came in second half. Hines got 89 yards to lead the Gryphon rushing attack which totaled only 154 for the game and another 39 yards on passes.
Even though HC line on both sides of the ball were much bigger than the Gryphons the Gryphons come back to win 17-14.
Tarboro has found out the past several years that after they go through the first few games of the season and play all 3-A schools that they look as if they don't have any defense what so ever. Then they get to conference they settle in and start holding teams down on offense and of course their offense can score on anybody. Northern Nash puts 35 on the board against the Vikings and still lose 47-35. I know there are not many coaches that will say this was a good loss but for the Knight's I think this shows what this team can do.
Roanoke Rapids the last two weeks has feasted on 1-A level competition scoring 114 points. Friday night they hosted Nash Central and a chance to see if they are really as good as their scoring has been. The answer is no as Nash Central takes down RR 33-7.
Thursday night Hunt had a test from SouthWest Edgecombe breaking open a tied game in the fourth quarter to win 28-14 over the Cougars. Southern Nash ripped Bunn 37-14.
Here is a Big East score from Friday night that you might find interesting Beddingfield 49 Fike 48. wow
HC had two players go down with cramps late in the second quarter and by my count at games end had another six times players go down. Results HC fails to get a first down in the second half and Rocky Mount get a hugh 4th and seven run from Mason Hines and the Gryphons beat Hertford County 17-14.
Rocky Mount had field position the entire second half and did nothing until they decided to go for it on fourth and seven from HC 47 which by the way had been Rocky Mount's worse starting position in the second half when they started at own 41. Mason Hines was hit in the back field broke way and sprinted 12 yards for a Gryphon first down and from that point on the Gryphons drove for the winning td on a Hines two yard run with 8:17 to play.
By night's end Hertford County would rush for 233 in the game and pass for 76 yards but only 79 total yards came in second half. Hines got 89 yards to lead the Gryphon rushing attack which totaled only 154 for the game and another 39 yards on passes.
Even though HC line on both sides of the ball were much bigger than the Gryphons the Gryphons come back to win 17-14.
Tarboro has found out the past several years that after they go through the first few games of the season and play all 3-A schools that they look as if they don't have any defense what so ever. Then they get to conference they settle in and start holding teams down on offense and of course their offense can score on anybody. Northern Nash puts 35 on the board against the Vikings and still lose 47-35. I know there are not many coaches that will say this was a good loss but for the Knight's I think this shows what this team can do.
Roanoke Rapids the last two weeks has feasted on 1-A level competition scoring 114 points. Friday night they hosted Nash Central and a chance to see if they are really as good as their scoring has been. The answer is no as Nash Central takes down RR 33-7.
Thursday night Hunt had a test from SouthWest Edgecombe breaking open a tied game in the fourth quarter to win 28-14 over the Cougars. Southern Nash ripped Bunn 37-14.
Here is a Big East score from Friday night that you might find interesting Beddingfield 49 Fike 48. wow
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