Duke's Shot At the Big Time

Who in the world would have thunk it. Duke football is 6-2, if you remember they were 6-2 last year and after they became Bowl eligible they preceeded to lose five games in a row mainly due to the fact their schedule last year had all the heavy weights at the end of their schedule. This year their heavy weight schedule was in the beginning and they are 6-2 with State, Miami, Wake and Carolina left. They could be 10-2 or 9-3 and we all know Duke football has never been that good in your lifetime. Can they win ten during the regular season starts with Duke as a nine point favorite over State. State At Duke: I truly don't believe at 6-2 that Duke is a heavy weight but I also don't think State is playing right now to be considered a light weight. Who wins? I can't pick State until they show me they have this quarterback situation cleared up. Duke 27 State 24 FSU at Wake: This could be a trap game for the Indians because Wake is sneaky good at home. However, I think The Noles have too much to lose if they lose. Thanks to Stanford all the Noles need now is wins and they play in the BCS title game. FSU 38 Wake 13 Virginia Tech at Miami: Tech has shown you the last couple of weeks the Duke win in Blacksburg wasn't all that hot of a deal. Miami has sweaked by a few and got plastered in the second half against FSU. Miami wins only because Tech defense keeps them in game. Miami 27 Tech 13. Tulsa at ECU: The Pirates should win but State next week the Pirates may not be as good as they should. ECU 38 Tulsa 21 Notre Dame at Pitt: This is a ACC game isn't it? ND in a sweaker 24-21 Virginia at North Carolina: UVA is the best team in the ACC finding a way to lose games. If Carolina wants to win out and go to a bowl they can't afford a slip up. I think in the 4th quarter the Heels are nervous but pull it out 27-23 BC at New Mexico state: Must be a mistake playing this far from home this late in the season. NMS 35 BC 27 Syracuse at Maryland: I can't say I like either team but I sure hate the quitters Maryland I'll take the Cuse 24 Maryland 21. Tonight I will join Edward Green in the TV both as WHIG-TV will have two sets of cameras going tonight. Wes Bradshaw will be in Wilson Doing the championship game Hunt at Fike while we will cover Rocky Mount at Northern Nash See ya 2night!.

Last Chance for Some

Playoff or no playoffs that is the question. Several area schools would like to position themselves better than where they stand now to just maybe get a better matchup in the opening round. I Stand at 70-12 as we head to the last week. The average daily attendance figures are out and it is hard to judge where everyone will fall but after the Nash County realignment surely looks as if Rocky Mount is heading to the 3-AA playoffs this year. Here are the ADM's per Big East School. Hunt 1379-Rocky Mount 1333- Fike 1279- Southern Nash 1177- Nash Central 1072- Northern Nash 1069. If you divide the 3-A right down the middle Hunt, Rocky Mount and Fike will be in the AA level while Southern and Northern will go as 3-a level. Do remember one thing when deciding AA or A. It is divided by the teams eligible for the playoffs. Southern is in hold their breath mode as they could still go 3-AA. Since the redistricting in Nash County Rocky Mount this year has added about 150 while Southern has lost about 100, Nash Central about lost 75 and Northern Nash has lost about 150. Why the drop off? People continue to move away from the high unemployment areas and Nash county is still on that list. More students are choosing RM Prep and even the private schools in the area are getting more local students. Here's the games this week. Hunt at Fike. Fike has convinced me they are the best team in the Big East. They have the best offense and just maybe the best defense. Don't know whether Hunt can score enough to win this game. Fike 21 Hunt 13 Rocky Mount at Northern. I think Rocky Mount can score on Northern's defense more than I think Northern can score on Rocky Mount's defense. Still this is RM/NN. Rocky Mount 20 Northern 14. Nash Central at Southern Nash: This is a game where one team wants to get this season over while one can't afford another injury. There is no doubt Southern will win but this comes down to how many able body players Southern puts on the field Southern 26 Nash Central 7. Beddingfield at SouthWest Edgecombe: The Cougars need this one more than Beddingfield who could tie for first should Washington lose. I think Beddingfield is better. Beddingfield 26 SWE 20 St Davids at Rocky Mount Academy: It is all set up for RMA to make it to the State Championship game and never leave Rocky Mount. They beat ST David by 45 last time. About the same this time too. RMA 45-0 In the category of do we have to play these games. RM Prep at Northampton and North Edgecombe at Tarboro. Prep can't count themselves out of the playoffs yet but this game means more to Northampton 45-16 Prep loses. Jeff Craddock could start the JV's in this one and it would be a game. The JV's won't play until this one is in hand. 56-14 Tarboro.

The NFL Locker Room

I find it very hard to believe that one player in an NFL locker room could harass another player without the approval of every other player that lives within that room. Yes I believe that rookies are made to do things that the priviledge of being the elder statesman is dumped on the new kids on the block. If any team is going to succeed every member of the team has to pull his own weight. When the so called weak link in the chain isn't doing his part then the stronger links take action in order to strengthen the chain. Jonathan Martin the claimant in this case has had emotional issues in the past. I have not heard one Miami Dolphin come to the defense of Jonathan Martin the player claiming hasassment. I have heard several player defend the player suspended for harassment Richie Incognito. That tells me right there that the entire team approved of the action in order to try to make Martin a more emotional stable football player. Make him mad if need be and maybe he will become a better football player not the softy as is precieved by his team mates. You know that the NFL is a league of contradictions. ESPN shows highlights of players hitting others helmet to helmet. I know that is not a coach in America teaches tackling leading with the helmet. That is a broken neck waiting to happen for the tackler. Yet the players still tackle that way trying to jar the ball loose and then turn around and complain that they didn't know concussions were bad for your health. The NFL is a league that if you win everyone loves you and when you lose everyone thinks you are a bum. This locker room thing in Miami goes on in every locker room in the NFL. Our society is becoming a make an excuse for everyone. We can't keep score in little league because it might hurt a childs feeling that lost the game. The locker room of an NFL team only wants to win and anytime a weak link prevents that from happening that weak link will get cut. I doubt Martin will ever be wanted by any other NFL team because he can't pull his own weight. Martin is not even a rookie but a second year player so he should have at least gotten off the rookie do list. It would not surprise me that the Dolphin management approved Incognito to be the tough guy trying to toughen up Martin. Every team in the NFL only sees what good you can do for them. Someone thinks Martin could be great at some point in time or they would have cut him long ago. If you can't cut it you get cut that is plain and simple in the NFL. It is also the way of the world. If you are not cutting it in your job every company finds some way or other to get rid of you. The only problem for Joe Blow eight dollar an hour guy is nobody cares what happens to you. They can find another eight dollar an hour guy to take you place. The Dolphins have at least a half million in Martin and they would like to save their investment. I doubt Martin ever plays again for the Dolphins because his teammates will not have him as a teammate now. He has violated the code of the locker room. There is nobody that plays football could ever trust Martin as a teammate. Our world is just like an NFL locker room. If you are a working stiff working for someone else the only value you are is what you can help your company make. If you are not helping the profit line you are gone. In the NFL if you are not helping win games and because of you one of our best players is gone on suspension then you are not helping us and we will see if he ever plays for the Dolphins or any team ever again.

The Rivalry Rages

Those that were there Saturday or watched on TV N C State had a picture of the state of North Carolina painted at midfield and inscribed was This is our state which is the theme they are using this year in all sports. Yes in the Dean Dome Carolina has a picture of North Carolina outlined on the floor with a tar spot on the heel. Even ECU has an outline with their Pirate logo inscribed. Many of the players from Carolina went after the game and stomped on the logo. Yes Wolfpack fans are out raged at the audacity that Carolina would do that. To me this is what it is all about with sports. The best way to stop them from going anywhere near your logo is win the game. Not only do you have to listen to the guys next door or in the office rag you for the next year but they insulted us by jumping up and down on our logo. Isn't life wonderful. We are more worried about our logo than Obamacare's cost. This past Saturday my daughter amy got married and I did my blog Saturday from another computer and when I got home I discovered about half of my blog did not post which was several of the college picks on Saturday. Of the ones that did show up I was only 2-3 for the weekend which runs my college picks to 48-19. My only miss on the high school picks was the RM/SN game and I got seven right running my high school record to 70-12 on the season. I do believe that high school picks as long as you are doing the teams in you local area you should be able to get 90% right on the year. Colleges about 80% but one of the reason I don't do pro games on my blog is that I only get about 66% of those right just picking the winners and losers. When you toss in the point spread anybody is lucky to be 50%. Now, back to the wedding. Amy's wedding was in a church on Lead Mine Road in Raleigh and the reception was at the Matthews House in down town Cary. If you followed GPS it took you down Hillbourgh Street while the football game was going on Saturday. Since most of the football crowd stayed till the end we missed the traffic getting over to Cary. My only problem what in the world is my daughter doing getting married on the State-Carolina day in any sport. I thought I raised her better than that.

Final Week Countdown

The Big East football championship will be decided Friday night at Fike High as the two Big East football teams who are 8-0 in the Big East between them collide for the title. It will be the wide open Fike offense against the Hunt power game. Northern will host Rocky Mount still with their playoff life on the line. If they finish with just four wins and do make playoffs they would be a very low seed having probably a conference champion in the open round. A victory would at least move they higher in the seedlings. Rocky Mount has the reverse problem a lost would lower their seeding while a win might get them a first round home game. Should they get a home game this year I can assure you it will not be against a low low seed but somebody in the middle seeding range. Southern Nash can probably start the JV's Friday against Nash Central and try to heal up several players that might be 100 per cent in two weeks. Surprise, Surprise Rocky Mount Academy gets a home game Friday after Hobgood who was in the Eagles bracket lose Friday. The Eagles will now play St David a team they have already rolled once this year. Should the Eagles win their semi final match the eight man State Championship game will be played at the Rocky Mount Sports complex regardless of who is in game. Northern Nash boys and Rocky Mount girls get 14th and 15th in the state cross country championship this past Saturday. One major problem eastern North Carolina runners always have during the state championship is the event is always on a hilly course and it is hard to prepared in the flatlands of eastern North Carolina. Rocky Mount former baseball star Brian Godwin made the Arizona Fall League all star team for the second year in a row. The top prospect of the Washington National is hitting 304 in Mesa Arizona. His team lost the all start game Saturday night.

Service and Dedication

There are many people in this world that can't continue to be athletes as they get older. Just about every school has that person, that does whatever they can to support the team. Roger Shearin of Northern Nash, is one of those people. Those of you who attend football games at Northern see Roger on the sidelines as the equipment manager for both varsity and JV football games. Roger loves his Knights! Roger continues to give back to Northern, the best way he knows how, and that is fixing helmets, facemasks and shoulder pads for all the players at Northern Nash. This Friday night in the Rocky Mount/Northern Nash football game, will be Roger's last home football game as the equipment manager. For 25 years he has been Mr. Dependability there for every game in the rain or mud, in victory or defeat, Roger has been Mr. Northern Nash Knight. Roger has done what he has physically able to do for Northern, and now it's time to step aside. Those of you who know Roger, know that he is a Christian man, and member of Parkwood Baptist Church. He has given his life to God and Northern Nash. For those who attend the big game, I expect there to be a few moments saluted to Mr. Roger Shearin, thanks for all that you have given to Northern and anyone else you have touched in your 25 years of excellence to high school sports. The Rocky Mount Gryphons have set up the season nicely after a big win over Southern Nash. In order to continue that nice setup, they have to win vs Northern or fall into chaos with a potential 3 way tie for 3rd place. The Firebirds with Nash Central on the schedule, will be favored in that game, so it comes down to who wins the NN/RM game, as it should be. IF NN wins, there will be a 3 way tie among SN, RM, and NN. With all 3 having beaten each other, who will win the 3 seed in the Big East? If it comes down to how you fared vs the top BE teams, the edge would go to SN as they were the most competitive. RM can solve this puzzle with a win against arch rival Northern Nash, and take a strong hold of 3rd place. So it comes down to Northern vs RM, the final game of the season. One has a chance to spoil the other. We aren't 100% sure of Northern's playoff stance if they lose, so you know Randy Raper will have them ready to play. For RM, there is no championship with a win, and maybe not even a home playoff game, but there motivation is in beating Northern Nash and securing 3rd place. Since neither can win the conference title, there is no better way then beating your arch rival. The way sports are suppose to be.

No Luster For This One

Most years at least one of the two teams of State or Carolina is halfway decent but neither has a whole lot to brag about this year. Carolina is coming off their best game of year while State is coming off a whomping administered by Florida State. Find it hard to pick either in this one. Could be a triple overtime 9-6 game. Pack wins at home 31-28. ECU hits the road going to Florida International. Last road game the Pirates limped home but not today. Pirates 42-FIU 16. Wake Forest heads to the Carrier Dome to play the Cuse. The Deacs are playing well and I think they bring home a win 28-23. Virginia Tech has maybe the worse offense in ACC but one of the best defenses. Regardless Tech offense will keep it close while the defense keeps them in game. Virginia Tech 20 BC 10 Pitt travels to Georgia Tech to take on the Jackets and I don't know why this game scares me this week. Should be all Tech. GT 35 Pitt 27.