The Passion Of Dedication

Everyone in life has goals they would like to reach.  Some of us  never get to reach goals that those who are special can obtain.  Having been able to go to Augusta Georgia this past week for a practice round and see the beauty of one of the hollowed grounds of golf was a goal for me.  Bubba Watson reached another goal and you can just see in his emotions after winning his second green jacket and crying probably more than he did after his first win.  His goal was to win where I just wanted to be there.

Listening to his news conference this man has more in life than being a golf winner.  It was very refreshing to watch the final two talking on the practice tee even warming up side by side. The putting green continued the conversation between the two and even after they teed off they walked the fairways in conversation. Bubba is one of us a player who has never had any formal teaching of the game just one of those guys that says let's go hit it and see where it goes.

Now looking at Jordan Spieth this kid looks as if he could be the next Tiger.    How many players have you ever seen that was part  of the final group that would explode and shoot 78  but Spieth shot par a score that not many beat on the final day. You know the best thing in his life might be that he didn't win.  A major win at such and early age  might smothered him and yet as he gets up on Monday he sees how close he came.

There were those who said without a Tiger that the TV ratings would be down.  I think everyone has forgotten that Tiger withdrew last year after the controversy over his drop after hitting a ball in the water.  We will see today how the ratings are but if this tournament this year needed Bubba in contention, a 20 year old phenom to make for good golfing TV.

The front nine with both charging in putts topping each other's to make TV as good as anyone could asked for.  I think the turning point was the drive Bubba made I think it was number eight when he out drove Jordan by about 75 yards.  It was like Bubba said son I'm tired of playing around.  From that point on Spieth just could match Bubba.

TV coverage of the Masters began while I was seven or eight years old and with TV there was a golfer from Wake Forest College who tried to make every shot.  I was a member of Arnie's Army from my living room and quite frankly hated Jack Nicklaus coming along and dethroning the King.  Wednesday watching the big three play the par 3 tournament you can see there are not many shots left on a golf  course for the King. 84 years old his hips seem to be about hit their last shots.  If there is one thing I can say from being at the Masters this week.  I was as close as ten feet from the man that put golf on TV and kept it there.  He sat on the veranda in front of the club house.

Do you remember the Seniors got started because Arnie turned fifty and TV wanted Arnie's Army. When Tiger turns fifty will TV change  like it did for Arnie?

Wolfpack Retire 16

Russell Wilson the Super Bowl winning quarterback came back home from the place where he was asked to leave but he did it after he graduated college and took up baseball until baseball did the same thing the Pack did ask him to decide on football or baseball.

His number 16 hangs on the south end of the west grand stand opposite to 17 the number Philip Rivers wore which hangs at the north end of the west grand stand.   His number will however stay as official number to be worn by future Wolfpack players.

Former Gryphon Benton Moss has had a few more runs scored for him this year but his earn run average is the highest of his three year career at North Carolina.  After a no decision Saturday Benton's record this season stands at 2-1.

This Tuesday North Carolina and North Carolina State play at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.  This will be the only time the two will meet this season.  This is of course results of expanding the ACC to 15 teams.  Both at this point in the season are not yet shew ins to make the ACC tournament.  Last year the ACC tournament set all sorts of attendance record because of the outstanding seasons both the Tar Heels and Wolfpack had.   If one or both fail to make the field don't expect any attendance
Records this year.

This week is Easter week break for most schools in the area so many are playing in tournaments.  Rocky Mount is playing at Fleming Stadium in Wilson and they couldn't pick a harder three games.  They play three 4-A schools SEGuilford, Pinecrest and Ragsdale.

Rodon Breaks Wolfpack Strikeout Record

The Greatest strikeout pitcher in NC State History broke Terry Harvey's record last night and like what has happened all year the Pack fails to score a run and are shutout by Duke 2-0. Rodon on the year falls to 2-6 and his ERA hovers near two runs per game.

Last year Carlos Rodon pitched against Duke, Carolina in the ACC Tournament, against Cuba in the Summer and yesterday against Duke again all at the DBAP in Durham.  He has allowed only 15 hits and struck out 52 in just 32 innings pitched.  The last five games that Rodon has pitched for the Pack the Wolfpack offense has scored one run.  His three year strikeout total now stands at 391 and the three year ACC record is 397.  He is sixth all time in ACC history.

Rumors are flying that Hank Jones is having a hard time giving up Legion coaching and just might come back again this year.  It surely would be good for Legion baseball if Hank can work it out to follow his daughter in travel league softball and keep coaching Legion.   The success RMA had during the high school baseball season  last year kept Hank occupied with playoffs  and he was unable to scout at all the local high school games as he would like.  RMA is not having the type season this year that they had last year.

Having gone to the Masters  for the Tuesday  practice round and riding in a car and being around the old ball coach BW Holt for about 36 hours not only do you get to hear a football clinic as you ride and talk but you hear information in which coach is proud of.  His six years as head coach of the Rocky Mount Gryphons 29 players received athletic scholarships and after graduations coming up in May 21 will have graduated from college.  It is hard not to love a man who can tell you where every player he has ever coached what they are doing years after they left his football nest.

The NHL hockey season ends Sunday and the playoffs start mid week and the Carolina Hurricanes will miss the playoffs for the fifth straight year.  Seems so long ago 2006 and the Stanley Cup Champions Carolina Hurricanes.

 Still another week to go in the NBA season  and the Charlotte Bobcats will make the playoffs and are right now sitting in 6th spots which if they finish there will avoid Indy and Miami in the first round.  Bring on the Hornets and the teal Jerseys.

I have not  said anything this week about U Conn winning both NCAA titles in basketball.  The only good thing in the whole deal is the one and done Kentucky Wildcats didn't win it.  It is no surprise to me that TJ Warren will enter the draft.  If the NBA draft on potential then the big center from Kansas will be the number one pick.

Trio Make All State

Two Big East women and one male from Nash county have made the NCPreps.Com All State basketball Team. Alexus Hill from Northern Nash and Ni'ya Styles from Nash Central represent the gals. The boys have Dante Battle from the Rocky Mount Gryphons as an all state selection. Joining Battle on the boys all state team is Quan Hunt from Hunt giving Wilson County a member on the all state team. If you have not heard by now Derrick Carter was in control last night for Northern Nash and the Knights knock off the top team in the Big East Hunt. Fike for some reason has had more trouble than anyone else in the league with Southern Nash and won by a 3-1. The first time they played they beat Southern only 2-0. In no other conference game this year has Southern held any other team to less than ten runs. Nash Central's win over Rocky Mount put the standings into a four way tie for first place with four conference games to play. Hunt 4-2 still has Rocky Mount, Nash Central, Southern and Fike to play. Northern Nash 4-2 has remaining on their schedule Fike, Southern, Nash Central and Rocky Mount. Nash Central 4-2 is still looking at Hunt, Southern, Northern Nash and Fike. Fike 4-2 still faces Rocky Mount,Northern, Nash Central and Northern. The combination of games left to play seems to me Fike has the hardest schedule left as they are the only one left that doesn't play Southern which for any team trying to win a conference championship you can't lose to them. Northern would seem to have the easiest since they already have Hunt out of the way having beaten them twice. This year to me is the poorest year of conference baseball I have witnessed since the formation of Northern and Rocky Mount dropping from 4-A and forming the NEW and Big East conference. There is not a great defensive team in the bunch. Up to last night Hunt was the only one that had shown any consistant hitting and now Northern's pitching has trottled them twice. Just about every team in the league has shown poor defense at some point and poor defense with lack of hitting can kill a great pitching performance in a heart beat. This weekend is the big weekend of spring championships for the teams playing in USA-South with NC Wesleyan serving as the host school along with the city of Rocky Mount. In the past Rocky Mount has served at Northgreen as the host for the ACC golf championship. it is quite an honor to be the host for anything and lack of support from the local community will be the quickest way to have some other town snatch it way from Rocky Mount. You know the sports complex less than ten years ago was the best complex anywhere and now you will find those type facilities everywhere. They say if you will built it they will come. If you don't come support NC Wesleyan's efforts to be the host school for this USA-South event somebody else has built it and they will go.

Pitching Duel

Tonight Rocky Mount hosted Nash Central in a vital game for both and in the end just maybe the best pitcher in the Big East stood strong down the stretch.  All three Rocky Mount runs were aided by errors on the Bulldogs part.  The first three that crossed the plate for the Bulldogs were aided by Gryphon errors but down the stretch King allowed only one of the Gryphon six hits in the game while in the seventh Will Edwards walked three batters and up to the seventh had only one other walk in the game.  Loaded bases with three walks DH Zack Denton delivered a double off the wall and Nash Central wins again over Rocky Mount 5-3.

The Bulldogs who find themselves now standing at 4-2 still are alive for the top spot while Rocky Mount drops to 2-4 and their chances of making the playoffs took a big hit as they are in fifth with four conference games to play.

Tyler King wins his third conference game this season beating the Gryphons twice went the distance giving up six hits while fanning 10. Two of the three runs the Gryphons scored were unearned.  Will Edwards gave  up eight hits walked four and struck out two.  All five runs either came from errors or walks.

The seventh and ninth hitters in the Bulldog lineup collected half their hits getting two a piece.  Matt Askew, Tyler King, Zack Denton and David Sutton each had a single.  Ben Yates had half the Gryphon hits with three while Andy Morris, Micah Varnell,and Rashawn Harris had the other half.  Rocky Mount gets a week of from conference play but they play Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday at Fleming Stadium against three 4-A schools.  All three games begin at 5pm.

The first two weeks of AAA baseball has not been good for Brian Goodwin  as he has collected only 2 hits in 20 tries which adds up to a cool 100 batting average.  Hobbs Johnson is being tested as starter and he wins his first start of the upper A level Brevard Fl.  Johnson pitched six shutout innings in recording his first win go the season giving up just two hits and struck out four.

Half Way Home Hunt Stands Alone

Fike and Hunt squared off as three teams tied at the top of Big East baseball going into Tuesday night.  So there was a good chance only two would be tied by midnight Tuesday.

Between them Fike and Hunt committed 6 errors and most of those made by Fike hurt worse as Hunt beats Fike 9-5 to take over the lead in Big East Baseball.  Hunt by far is the best hitting team in the league and are just out scoring the other teams in the league's best pitching.  Fike has now lost two straight after winning their first three games in conference.

Over in Rocky Mount Cody Smith is all you need to know about this one as Smith pitches a one hitter striking out 15 of the 21 outs in the game.  It is not like Northern didn't get opportunities as Smith walked nine batters and hit two others  so Northern had their chances but scored only when Smith walked a run home after having walked two batters and hit another.  Rocky Mount scores five times in tripping up Northern 5-1.

The loss drops Northern out of the three way tie for first and are now in a three way time for second.  Since there are just two and a half weeks left in conference play that could mean a three way tie for fourth with only three teams going to the play offs.  Rocky Mount is now 2-3 a game back of the three tied  for second.

Nash Central is the other team in the three way tie for second as they clip Southern Nash in six innings 10-0.  The good news for the Bulldogs is they did gamble in not pitching Tyler King against Southern so he will be set for Rocky Mount.   Southern continues to plummet getting mercy ruled again.

You know every team has a weakness and when teams are able to attack your weakness you fall. Those that are able to hide  their short comings can win for another day.  Thursday the Gryphons host Nash Central and boy how big is that game for each team?   Hunt squares off with Northern and a Hunt Victory starts putting space between them and those chasing.  Northern needs to stop the bleeding and stay in the race.  Fike plays Southern so you would suspect Fike stays at no worse than tied for second.

I am still spewing my praise of Augusta National and the Practice Round I attended Tuesday.  Did you know this?  They have on their staff a professional squirrel trapper.  The gentleman that I sat down beside on one of the holes heard us talking about how beautiful it was and leans over and says "do you see any squirrels here"?   I said 'can't say I have so far'.  He said "you won't.  Since squirrels dig in the ground, and do damage to buildings they catch squirrels and take them to other places for release."  You know I didn't see a squirrel all day.

I've Been To Heaven Today

Everyone that goes to many sporting events in this area has seen David Hahula taking photos.  This past November he asked me if I would be interested in going with him, his son Nick and B W Holt on a trip?   I did not know at the time that going on this trip would require me  to miss my PA gig at  Rocky Mount tonight.  I can assure you now that I have been to heaven I would go again Tomorrow.

Monday at noon BW Holt pulls in front of my home to find only David Hahula in the car but no Nick  because he is in Murfreesboro with spring football practice at Chowan.  Last night we spent in Columbia South Carolina where Holt and I shared a room and had a night of N C State baseball and the national championship basketball on TV.

6 am we were on I 20 crossing into Georgia heading to the Tuesday practice Round in Augusta Georgia of the Masters.  I have done many things in my life time but I can tell you right now  Tuesday April 8th 2014 will go down in my history book as the greatest sports day in my life.

If you know nothing about the Masters other than what you hear on the news about it being a private club where in order to be a member you need to be a billionaire, those snootie high brows. If that is what you know about the Masters you should try to get a ticket to either the Monday or Tuesday practice round.

I have never been into any business in my life run as well as this tournament.  Yes we were in bumper to bumper traffic for 15 minutes but once you hit the parking lot it is all effiency.  The walkin entrance had about 40 metal detector in the mob of people heading in were inside of the gate within five minutes.  From the people parking the car to the attendance in the bathrooms every one spoke to you with hello. Have a nice day.

There was a line of maybe 200 going into the bathroom but were inside in five minutes.  There was a greeter going into the bathroom, a person directing you to an open stall, two people monitoring the electic paper towel dispenser  and a person telling you to have a great day going back outside.  There are more people working in only one of the bathrooms at the Masters than at and golf course in Nash County.  Even the concession stands were just as good and a bar-b-que sandwich was only three dollars and a 12 ounce Masters cup Pepsi was only $1.50.

I can tell you right now it is biggest golf course I have ever seen.  TV does not do justice to the beauty, or how hilly it is.  You think you are on a mountain course.  B W and I walk with Phil Mickelson's group who had just gone off the first tee when we arrived. We left them at third hole and moved over to the tee grand stand at 16 to watch the shots in to 15 and the entire play on 16 which included a chant from the grandstand for each player to try to skip a shot off the water at 16 while walking to the green and more than half the players could get it on the green.

We eventually are made way to the  12 tee box where has now come my favorite at the Masters.  You can watch the hit into the green at 11 watch the entire shots at 12 and the drive at 13.  I can assure you the most beautiful spot on earth it from the right rough at 13 looking across the fairway to the Azaleas that line the fairway which we were told are only 30 per cent in bloom.  Lord what will that place look like Sunday.

I went to a place today called the Masters and it was only a practice round and the people  who worked there made me like everyone else seem as if I was the only person there.  Walmart management needs to go there and learn how to run people by Cash registers.  Disney needs to look at how to get people through a line.  There is no way until you go to see how beautiful the place is.

Thank you David Hahula for inviting me and to B W  Holt for help making this the best sports trip of my life.