Game Face

Look  I grew up in a small town that on Friday night main street shut down to go see the Indians play.  From 1947 until 1970 Ahoskie High won five state titles.  I realize that during those days there was a western state champion and the NCHSAA champion. But we won every game in the playoffs they gave us to play.

There was a hope for every boy that when they were old enough that they could wear the black and gold. When my time came I know one of the greatest days of my life was when I received my letter from coach Al Vaughn when the first day of practice was but the most important  I had been invited to try out for the team.

Every Friday on game day we were allowed to wear a gold tee shirt that said " I am a football player for Ahoskie High  school and wear for me number 89."   We were told the second school ended we were thinking only about that nights game and get your game face on. If it was a road game there was never one word spoken  while traveling and if you lost the trip home was in total silence.

My first year out of high school I was in the press box doing color for the Indians but my main job was to read the commercials live  because  in those days once you went on the air it was your broadcast until sign off at the end of the game.

During my playing days while getting my game face on I on many an afternoon left my lunch on the ground somewhere and now in radio thinking that a million people in Ahoskie could be listening I was so nervous Friday afternoons and working in radio I was off on Friday afternoons and I continued the process of a good throw up heading to game time.

As I grew older and I mean much older I have been able to keep my lunch but there is still deep agony in my stomach of nerves.  I guess that is the game face every time before a game. There is a major problem that has occurred for me over my 40 some years doing almost 1200 live events and  even anytime I do PA.

That problem is calming down after a game.  In the 70's it would be 5 in the morning on Saturday before I could think about sleep. Even today now that I am a seasoned veteran it is well past midnight before I am calm enough to think of sleep.

In today 's  world where camera's are thrown in players faces right at the end of a game I understand that they are still in the middle of their game face and to ask them a question while still on the field of play can be very alarming at what can be said sometimes.  In a world where TV money rules  access to players will only get worse.  I can see that cameras can be inserted into helmets  and fans will be even more in the action.  There is no telling what you might hear when those players have their game faces on.

Much Needed Win

Tonight Rocky Mount went back to a two big men lineup and with the addition of quicker feet on the outside Rocky Mount defense leads to  57-45 win over Southern Nash.  The victory and with a Hunt 67-45 win over Nash Central Hunt has the outright lead in Big East boys basketball.

Thomas Cooper and Kenaz Cooper both got starts tonight for Mike Gainey's Gryphon and on the defensive end  the Gryphons forced the Firebirds into 22 turnover while committing only 16 themselves. That is still a high number16 but tonight the Gryphons had a purpose and that was to play defense.

Immanuel King scored a double double 12 points 12 rebounds to lead the way but he spent time on the bench in foul trouble and he and Thomas Cooper both fouled out.  While in there Cooper gave Rocky Mount more movement on offense and was part of a scrambling defense. Kenaz Cooper and Blake Helms got more minutes and it paid off for all of the Gryphons.

Rocky Mount grabbed 38 rebounds to 25 for Southern. Southern also gave the ball away more in turnovers 22-16.  Donte Battle and Isaiah Alton joined King with 12 points.  Tahj Deans 10 points and six rebounds was the top Southern  performer.

It is still not what Mike Gainey wants but for the first time in a month Rocky Mount played as if they wanted to be there.   Want to sometimes is the name of the game.

The Lady Gryphons acted in the first  half as if they were still out for snow as the Lady Birds of Southern  charged out to  a 27-17 half time lead and at times it seemed the Gryphons didn't know who was on their team as twice inbound passes went out of bounds not thrown to anyone.

By the end of the game constant defensive pressure  by Rocky Mount and in the second half the Gryphons figured out who was on their side and cut down on the turnovers and won 49-43 to hang on to their share of first in the Big East heading to a Tuesday night showdown at Rocky Mount with Northern.

Keyanna Spivey 13 points and 6 rebounds lead the offense.  Carmen Richardson also scored 13 as  5of hers came done the stretch at the foul line as Rocky  Mount held the lead.  Rocky Mount had 14 turnovers in the first half but started the third and did 't have their first until they had tied the score at 33.  By games end the Gryphons committed 25 miscues while the Lady Birds totaled 18.

Destiny Burgess  was a one man wrecking crew for Southern as Rocky Mount found the only way to stop her was to get her to foul out late in the game.  Burgess threw down  26 points and hauled down  10 of Southrrn's  22 rebounds. Rocky Mount won the rebounding collecting 26.

All Day Saturday at Northern Nash is the Big East Wrestling Tournament.  It starts at nine and will take all day.

WHIG was in the House at Southern Nash at the Rocky Mount Southern boys game can be seen at 2pm Saturday afternoon.

Back To Normal

The weather has played havoc with high school sports this week first postponing all Tuesday games and never allowing games to be made up on Wednesday.  Now all those missed Tuesday games will be made up either on next Wednesday or Thursday.

Everyone will play their normal Tuesday night conference games featuring Northern Nash at Rocky Mount. Fike at Hunt and Southrrn at Nash Central.  Wednesday Rocky Mount will travel to Fike.  Right now Hunt is 2-0 in conference will travel to Southern Nash.  By time theses two square off two other games will have been played.  Nash Central will travel Northern Nash on the 30th.  All teams will then play their Friday night conference games meaning each will play three conference games next week weather pending how ever as there are forecasts calling for some wintery weather next week.

So tonight it is back to basketball as I will be at Southern Nash joining Edward Green who will do play by play as we will record the boys game which will be replayed Sunday night with the Rocky Mount boys.  Southern 6-9 2-0 have already met Rocky Mount in the finals of the Nash County Christmas tournament but Rocky Mount 7-6 1-1 has won only once since that mid December meeting  when they beat Southern by 12.

Fike  14-1 1-1 will visit Northern  Nash 6-9 0-2.  Northern didn't get good news on the Paul Cherry knee injury as he is out for the year.  Hunt 10-3 2-0 rides from west Wilson to Nash Central 4-12 0-2.

Even though their records will not say so but the girls Big East games of the week will be Nash Central 12-4 1-1 hosting Hunt 7-6 0-2. Hunt is 0-2 after losing to at this point the top two girls team in Northern and Rocky Mount.  Rocky Mount 8-4 2-0  will head south to Southern Nash 7-7 1-1.  Fike 8-7 0-2 scoots over from Wilson to  play Northern 13-1 2-0.

Right now at this point in the boys play both Northern Nash and Nash Central standing at 0-2 can not afford another defeat.  To say the least both are desperate and any team desperate can be a handful and tonight Fike and Hunt need to be ready.

The same thing applies on the girls side as the desperate teams are Hunt and Fike.  Both Nash Central and Northern had better have their full attention on the games tonight.

Little League Changes Coming

If you have ever watched ESPN when they televised  the Regional Little League finals and you wished that someday just maybe Rocky Mount could be in that game or even better go to Williamsport PA for the Little League World Series?  If you have  had that dream it could come true.

The Rocky Mount Parks and Recreation has applied to the Little League International  to become part of that organization.  It seems according to Lynn Driver of RM Parks Rec that the city is fairly certain that their application is being accepted and if it does they will be assigned to NC District 6 which covers most of eastern North Carolina from Durham and Wilmington.  This would put Rocky Mount in the same district as Wilson, Garner, Clayton, Fayetteville and Wilmington.

Rocky Mount has applied for Nash and Edgecome County to be their playing district and that would mean any player in the RM little league program  that lives in either county would be eligible to play in the playoffs if they make the all star teams as has been the procedure in the past.  It is hoped that Rocky Mount will continue  to have two teams as they have had in the past.

The age group will be from 7-12  years old much like The Tar Heel association was.  There are too many benefits as why  this change is good for Rocky Mount to talk about all of them here today.  The biggest advantage is the chance to possibly make it to the LL World Series which has been in existence for more than 75 years and 2.6 million children take part every year.  Little League International offers liability and accident insurance to all players and coaches. LL International offers umpire clinics and even  education videos for parents making sure baseball is a fun experience for the parents and their children.

Rocky Mount Parks And Rec has won several State and District Championships over the last 25 years while participating in the Tar Heel program.  If you want to compare this, this is like jumping from Division 2 football to D1.  This is moving up to the big time.  I would suspect there will be a feeling out process over a couple of years and success might take a while.

I think Rocky Mount Rec has gone about as far as they can go with Tar Heel as many  championship they have one.  There are so many advantages that makes  this is a great move.  There is a possibility that Rocky Mount could host District, state and even Regional.  Wouldn't it be great that one day ESPN would  here covering the Regional finals.  That would never happen if RM Parks and Rec stayed in The Tar Heel Association.

How soon before the little league season starts ?  The entire month of February you can go on line and register your child for the 2014 baseball spring season.  Go to www.rockymountnc.gov/parks
It's time to play ball!.

Just Thinking

The NFL announced last week that Philip Rivers won the comeback player of the year award.  My question is where did he go to comeback from? This is truly one of those situations where the talking heads do more talking than giving you facts.  Four of the last six years Rivers has had a 100 or better QB rating. In 2011 and 2012 his rating was 89 and 88 which is the average rating of all Qb's every year.  I guess they consider going back to great instead of average is coming back.  Should have gone to a player who missed all year from injury but came back to have a great 2013 season.

Talking about talking heads, I have heard a lot of noise over the Richard Sherman's street talk after the Seattle win Sunday but have not heard one say anything at all about the choke sign that he gave the 9ers bench. I hope the NFL fines him big time for everything he did both on the field and the after interviews.

First of all these men the worst of the bunch  get paid a half million dollars a year.  Regardless whether they believe it or not they are examples to young people and if the NFL allows this to go unpunished the NFL will not survive  as the most watched sports in America.  All this talk about Crabtree being mediocre only degrades Sherman's own effort.  Think about this if San Fran put their worse receiver on Sherman  then they must not think he is too good.  I think if the talking heads could think they would see Sherman degraded his own performance. He put himself above the team.

I do understand we all fail during several moments in our lives. A baseball player is considered  to be a good hitter if  he hits 300.  It doesn't matter about your average the only at bat that matters is the one right now.  You either get a hit or fail.  The last 30 seconds of Sunday's game Richard Sherman failed at his last at but what matters now that he comes back at gets his average back up.

I think you saw in the fourth quarter the negative of the so called modern day quarterback.  All that running Kaepernic did in the game he was tired by the fourth  and threw several passes short in the fourth quarter.  In fact the Sherman bat down was thrown short and if it had been on the money Sherwin would have been the goat instead of the loud mouth.

What in the world has happened to fundamentals in the NFL. Most of these head hunting tackles that you see now days are not taught that way.  Everyone has ben taught keep your head up.   A basic tackle fundamental is hit and grasp, defensive backs try to knock runners down and their arms are no where near trying to wrap up a runner.

 Don't care what professional sport there is they have all become something other than the sport they are suppose to be. Pro basketball no longer knows what traveling is.   I hate to hear all these people who say the NFL has rules to help the offense.  Every time a receiver crosses the line of scrimmage their is a wrestling match until the ball arrives.  Baseball  nobody bunts and base stealing is a lost art. Baseball has become the three run Homer.

Just in case you didn't hear the NCAA last week made Tri Athlon a varsity sport for women.  That means they will start having a  NCAA National Championship in Tri this coming school year.  There are more than 200 colleges  in the NCAA that have Club Tri's.  Tri is the fastest growing Olympic sport.  I think just maybe North Carolina and Duke might add this to their varsity level sports but doubt State will.  Just might be somebody in my family (Brooks) will be affected by this announcement in the future. We will wait and see.

Same Old Two At The Top

All after school school activities have been cancelled for Nash County school for this afternoon and night pending the potential snow storm approaching.  This means all sporting events are postponed for tonight.



Tonight game three in the ten game Big East girls basketball schedule.  There are two tied at the top and if you go by the past you would say. "What's new".  Northern  Nash 13-1 2-0 stands tied with Rocky Mount 8-4 2-0.  There is no surprise that Northern is there but I don't think they were going to be quite  this good.  After losing J'Kyra Brown to ECU and with no returning height at all Rocky Mount seemed doomed to rebuilding but lo and behold their young freshman are much better than anyone other than Pam Gainey could ask for.

Northern gets the tough assignment tonight as they play Nash Central 12-4 1-1.  Central  who owns the second best record overall could cause trouble for Northern.  Northern has not really been pushed at all so far in the two conference games to date.  The Bulldogs lost a close one to Rocky Mount and in order to stay in the running they need a big win.

Fike 7-6  0-2 will host Rocky Mount.  Fike is in need of a conference win and a victory over Rocky Mount would be a big step.  Rocky Mount's two conference wins have been close ones and a road game at Fike will probably be another close one.  I would suspect if the Gryphons want to stay with Northern they will need to win all their  games against everyone else.

Hunt 8-7 0-2 travels to Southern Nash 7-7 1-1.  Southern will have their hands full with Hunt due to their extreme size.  Rocky Mount was able to negate the Hunt size by defensive pressure making Hunt's big girls play the whole court.  Southern will need the same thing with pressure and they will need to make outside shots.

Tomorrow we will have some what clear idea of  where the Big East Girls are headed. Will it be Northern and Rocky Mount or will Nash Central become a player.  After all the non conference action is over there is no girls team at this point below 500.

It will be a while before I pick the Super Bowl but after Sunday's NFL playoff games I stand at 8-2.  Anybody notice that I picked the Bronco's by ten and I picked the Seahawks 23-17.  This is my Richard Sherman pat myself on the back move of the week.

Finally Conference Play In Earnest

Exams are out of the way, the Christmas break was almost a month ago and even Thanksgiving was during the basketball season.  Two straight weeks with just a single conference game will take a back seat as with four weeks to go there are eight conference games left.  One fifth of the way here is a look at the Big East boys heading forward.

Standing  in a tie for first is Hunt and Southern Nash.  Yes that is right Southern is in a tie for the lead.  Since Southern has been either in the NEW or the Big East conference I don't remember them being 2-0.   They are 5-9 over all  but where it counts in conference they haven't loss.  Remember they played for the championship of the Nash County Christmas Tournament so they are 3-1 against conference members this year.

Hunt has played along with Rocky Mount the toughest schedule to date with several nice wins over 4-A schools.  They stand at 10-3.  After Tuesday night there will be only one at the top as Hunt travels to Southern so one will lead the pack come midnight Tuesday.

Fike and Rocky Mount are both tied at 1-1 in the Big East but right now these two seem headed in different directions as Fike's only blemish is a loss at Southern.  They stand at 13-1.  Seems as if the wheels have fallen off at Rocky Mount 7-6  they have been torch twice this weekend losing by 28 at Hunt and Saturday in the MLK Tournament at Riverside High lost by 21 to Northern Durham.  These two square off at Fike Tuesday.

The two teams right now without a conference win Nash Central and Northern Nash collide Tuesday and when the ball quits bouncing one will still be looking for their first conference win.  Northern stands 6-8 while Nash Central 2-11.

So Tuesday will provide us with a battle for first, a battle for the middle and a battle to stay out of last place.  Life goes on in Big East basketball.