I Was Pulling Hard

I don't know which team you pull for but I find it hard to believe unless you were a Texas A&M fan that you weren't pulling for Duke Tuesday night in Atlanta.  An underdog from the odds maker in Vegas right on down to the one sided coverage on ESPN.   Did anyone besides me notice that leading out of every timeout ESPN showed a picture of Johnny Manziel.  I got to the point I thought he was the only player on the field for A&M.

Having seen Duke football way back during the days of the lonesome end right through the dry spell of the past 40 years David Cutcliffe has transformed a program at Duke that all Blue Devil fans can be proud.  Even as good as this year has been they still are not yet ready for the prime time.  You could see speed is lacking on both sides of the ball.

What you get from the Devils is all out give me everything  you got on this play mentality.  They tried every trick in the book and in the first half every trick worked.  Just think in the second half all the third down plays they made.  What they didn't have was enough speed on defense to stay with A&M.

I think Manziel is a very exciting player and for college and he had better come back to college next year.  If he turns pro he will be a flash in the pan.  He will have his moments and everyone  will rave at how good he is and then spend time on the injured list.  To me he is a Tebo or Vince Young.

You know the pick six that won the game for A&M had nothing to do with Manziel.  Then there were two missed interference calls that helped lead to the second pick.  Duke needed that touchdown just before the half instead of the field goal on the last play.  Despite defeat Duke put on a show with the effort they gave because I thought they would lose by 30.  It was a heck of a game.

This was a dream season for the Devils but you know they didn't play any great team during the season.  They beat Virginia Tech but as the rest of the year unfolded Tech was awful on offense.  They didn't play FSU during regular season and missed out playing Clemson. Everything this year fell the Devils way.  There is no doubt it was fun watching them play but next year no longer will everyone they play think in the summer Duke will be a win.  They will now get respect from others when their schedule has Duke this week.  They have never had that before in this generation and Duke will have to adjust that they no longer will be looked at as an underdog.

2013 Year In Review

2013 started off when word was received that Tarboro's Kelvin Bryant has been elected to the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. The late 1970's Bryant lead the Vikings on the football field.  The early 80's he gave  many Tar Heel fans pleasure in Kenan and his greatest pro days were with the Redskins in Washington.  Still today an avid Viking supporter.

Late January brought news that Chuck Hinton  the former major leaguer died.  His playing days best were also in Washington for the Senators.

February saw the Northern Nash girls win 21 straight games to start the season and lost for the first time the last game of the regular season to Rocky Mount.  By the end of the playoffs Northern would meet twice more with Rocky Mount the last being in the sectional semi finals.

March brought Rocky Mount boys to the eastern finals in basketball where they had been three of last four years, lost to Webb 68-64.

Rocky Mount Prep having their greatest year  ever made it to the state finals in 1A in Historic Reynolds Coliseum where they will finish second losing 52-41.

J'Kyra Brown Rocky Mount's senior was named the North Carolina High School 3-A basketball player of the year.

Louisville won the NCAA National Championship in college basketball and one of their top reserves was Montrezl Harrell from North Edgecombe.

May saw Rocky Mount junior Jaquell Bryant become state champion in track and Field as he won the state high jump championship.

Rocky Mount Academy made it all the way to the state 2-A Independant baseball finals losing 2 games to none.

June saw North Carolina and NC State make it to the College World Series with two Rocky Mount Gryphons players playing giant roles in getting North Carolina there Benton Moss and Hobbs Johnson. NC State is coached by former Northern Nash player Elliot Avent and Carolina lead by Mike Fox who coached many years by NC Wesleyan.

Mid week of the college World Series saw Hobbs Johnson pitch the game of his life going eight and one third innings of shutout ball to knock out NC State from the World Series.  Within two weeks signs a pro contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The city of Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation won another Tar Heel Little League baseball state title when the National league   11/12 year olds won the title in Williamston.

The Nash County Babe Ruth 13U team won the Eastern State title and lost only one game the entire playoff run which was a semi final lost in the Southeastern Regional.

Rocky Mount and Benvenue Country Club hosted the most important golf tournament since the ACC championship use to be played in Rocky Mount when they hosted sectional qualifying tournament for the U S Amateur Championship in late July.

They missed out in baseball but Rocky Mount Academy won the state title in eight man football in November.  The first state title for RMA in any sport.

Rocky Mount High's Michael Gainey won the NCAE male coach of the year.

What a year was 2013.  Can't wait to see what happens this year.

Rocky Mount Telegram's Players Of Year

There are seven varsity sports played in the fall and the Rocky Mount Telegram named eight players of the year and Northern Nash grabs three of the eight awards.  Nash Central and Tarboro get two awards and Southern Nash wins   the last award while Rocky Mount fails to win any.

Kendrick Richardson is the top defensive player for the Knights of Northen as he wins the Telegram's defensive football player of the year. Richardson had double digits sacks which is a great number for a team for the season but Richardson had those by himself.

Alexus Hill just might be the best athlete in the Big East boy or girl.  Hill is the top volleyball player after moving to the the middle of the front line at the net even though that is where the tallest players normally roam.  Just might see Hill later  when the Telegram does winter sports as she probably is the best basketball player.

One of the youngest winners this year is the cross country rep from Northern sophomore Stephen Whitehead.  The times that Whitehead has produced this year have him already given him some of the best times in the  state from any sophomore.  If he improves as much in the next two years as this year may very well be a state champion which for sure would make all area for the Telegram in the future.

Tarboro earns the all area offensive player in Radja Bobitt.  I am sure if you asked Bobbitt he would loved to have been healthy in the playoffs and gotten back to the state championship for the sixth straight time for the Vikings.  There is no doubt without Bobbitt Tarboro would not had a conference championship .

Katie King from the Tarboro Vikings wins for the third time in a row being the best female golfer.

Nash Central's winningest performer in tennis is Kaley Price. Even without older sister as a partner Price finishes off what might be the best ever career for any player in the area with total match wins.

If there is one player who is an outstanding long distance runner there is one name in the area is Nash Central's Michaela Williams.  Look out for Wiliams again in the spring with track and field. She is the best in the fall in cross country.

The final winner this year is the leading scorer in the Big East  in soccer is Moises Gonzalez from Southern Nash.  He is a three time winner of the Telegram's award.  Next step for him is probably a D-1 school.

Pins and Needles

If there is one thing the NFL wanted Sunday was down to the wire playoff berths on the line and the NFL could not ask any more than what was delivered.  Pittsburgh after starting 0-4 was as good as anybody the last 12 games of the season finishing 8-8.  They watched the scoreboard needing Miami and Baltimore to lose while they had to win and they got it.  All they need now is Kansas City resting 19 starters to beat San Diego in San Diego. San Diego teased Pitt by  falling down 14-0 and down 24-14 heading into the 4th quarter. They even let KC try  a field goal on the last play of the game which looked good for 36 of the 41 yards it traveled to win the game. Philip Rivers engineered a 10 minute over time drive to break Steeler's fans hearts.

Green Bay and Chicago went back and forth in the second half before the Packers pull out a 33-28 win  and a playoff spot.  Both Aaron Rogers and Jay Cutler put on a show.  San Fran dominated Arizona for most of the game but it took a field goal in overtime to win.

Even while recovering from back surgery Tony Romo's ghost was present in Dallas.  Playing a great game for Dallas Kyle Orton pulled a Romo when the game was on the line in throwing a int with less than two minutes to play and Dallas only needing a field goal to win.  Once again Jerry Jones  has more TV time than players on the field and losses for the fourth straight time in win and get in and lose and go home.

Down in Atlanta the Carolina defense scored just enough points to  give the Panthers a week off and try to get Steve Smith back by then.  Winning hides many flaws and Cam Newton has really not been great during the last 12 weeks but he has been great at just the right moments.

I wonder as much as the NFL wants ratings why the New England Buffalo game got national coverage while the compelling AFC late game was KC-SD.  As easy as it is to go from game to game the National game should have been switched.  To me the next two weeks when there is two national TV playoff games on Saturday and Sunday this I s the best part of the playoffs even better than the Super Bowl.

Saturday Kansas City plays the 4:30 game at Indianapolis. The prime time game Saturday night is New Orleans at Philadelphia.

The 1pm game Sunday sends San Diego to Cincinnati and the 4:30 game has San Fransico at Green Bay.  Let's get it on.

Gryphons On Three Wheels

That team that looked like state championship material lost again last night in the Corinth Holders Tournament.  I can' t explain why but instead of a losers bracket game between the home standing Pirates the Gryphons played East Wake the team that beat Holders by nearly 32 on Friday.

Friday night the Gryphons played the fourth quarter without Immanuel King who sprained his ankle.  King attempted to go to the distance but sat out the fourth quarter with ice on his ankle against E Wake.  From all most the get go the Gryphons trailed 16-11 after the first, 26-24 at  the half. The Warriors lead 41-36 after three but with five minutes left found themselves down 50-38.

The Gryphons rallied and down the stretch had five three point shots if any one had of fallen the game would have been tied but none did.  Final East Wake 63 Rocky Mount 57.

One common denominator in all four losses.  Immanuel King didn't play at all in two of them and sat out the fourth  in both games this weekend.  All four losses have come from teams playing three guards.

Observations are this team has lost to three good  4-A schools.  They seem to being playing waiting for the other teams to wilt because they are the mighty Gryphons.  They continue to run point guards in looking for someone who wants to take control.  They lack a point guard that drives to the basket and dishes to the big men. Throughout his career Donte Battle has been a total team player never taking ill advised shots but right now this team needs him as the leader to take  over rattle the rim with some monster dunks and grab every rebound as if he is the only player on the floor.  Just remember not one conference game has been played and like many in the past you have to admit the Gryphons haven't  back down in who they have played.  Their schedule has been tough and they are not that far off from being very good.

The Lady Gryphons did get the loser from the Friday girls game and it was Corinth Holders.  I got to the gym and looked at the score board and it was 52-22. Took a deep breath until the first score by Rocky Mount made it 54.  Lady Gryphons cruise  68-25.  Like the boys they are 6-4 on the season.  Their next game is January 10th when they open conference play at Nash Central.

Another Issue with Eligibility

If you are a regular here then you know what I think all of the private schools playing in the NCHSAA.  Since many  students who attend private schools live outside the district that public  schools are restricted to.  To me it is unfair for them to compete in playoffs when many players play against the school where they would be going if they were in public schools.  I don't even want to argue the point today of private school students who go to private schools on scholarships.

More recently Prep schools and charter schools have come under the same scowl from me competing against public schools when they have athletes from all over competing on their athletic fields.  This week at the High School OT basketball tournament in Raleigh another pressure from those wanting to compete in public schools appeared.

There is a team from Texas playing in the tournament that is a team of home schoolers.  This team is from Texas and they have a player being looked at by Carolina. I have no problem with home schoolers playing athletic sports due to the fact I think all children need exercise and sports provides plenty of that.

If  there is a home school team from Texas you know North Carolina can't be far having home school teams too that want to play others within the area they are from.  I think all private schools, charter  and you can add home school teams to the list now need to start their own leagues because they have no boundaries like public schools so everyone needs to play by the same rules.  If public schools have school districts they need to play others who go by the same rules.

The Rocky Mount Gryphons played in Christmas tournament in Wendell yesterday with the girls
playing East Wake and  lost 59-30 while the boys lost toKnightdale 63-59.  The girls  are in action at 3pm Saturday afternoon and the boys at 4:30.

ECU Gets Ten Wins

The 2013 Pirates of ECU became the second team in school history to win double digits with 10 after their Beef O Grady win.  The Pirates finish the season 10-3 second only to the 1991 team that was 11-1 and beat NC State 37-34 on January 1 2012.  You true ECU fans would know this but what team beat the Pirates  in 91.   Does anyone even remember the Peach Bowl game was played on NewYears day.  I don't remember that.

A big difference in 92 over 2013.  59,000 plus were in Atlanta but Tampa only had 20,000. Watching the game on TV I don't know where the 20,000 were.  I think we all understand that the 23rd of December is  a bad day to be in Florida unless you live there.  I have not seen any games played so far that didn't have more empty seats over fannies sitting in them. Regardless of how many were there  the Pirates had a great season winning at both North Carolina and N C State.

Carolina will be in Charlotte  in the Belk Bowl Saturday afternoon The midway point in the season the Tar Heels  had a fantastic finish to get to any kind of a Bowl Game.  Carolina basketball plays tonight.  It will be on TV just don't know what channel.

Don't look now but the NC State women's basketball team is11-1so far this year.We would have to assume that the coaching change has made the difference this year in bringing new life  to a team that hasn't  had great success this century. NC State was the first North Carolina school to embrace Title IX back in the 70's and lead the way up until the 90's when Carolina got good. Then Duke got just as good as Carolina leaving State number three in the Triangle.  It will be interesting to see how the Pack fares when conference play starts.

We kind of expect both the men and women's team at Duke , State and Carolina to be good but over in Greenville both teams there are off to great starts. The ECU women have lost only once and we all saw the game the men gave NC State.

By the way the only lost for ECU in 1991 was opening day when they lost to Illinois 38-31 and then won 11 games  Ina row.