Nash County Football Front And Center

Rocky Mount High School played host to six other teams tonight and for many it is their last chance to face a different colored uniform until the big night next Friday when the high school football season begins.

D H Conley dropped out of the four visiting teams so instead of all four Nash County squads getting four different teams to face it left them with only three while Southeast Halifax, Bertie and Knightdale got four Nash County squads to face.

I suspect by the end of the night the teams  glad to go home were Bertie and Southeast Halifax as each got four sessions on the field all against larger Nash County schools both in team size and school size.  Knightdale the only 4-A school held their own in both those categories.

As far as who looked the best it is hard to say but of the four Nash County schools  Northern Nash  defense was stout. Southern Nash was right on their heels and Rocky Mount held their own. Nash Central's defense did well.

The jamboree each team ran 20 plays that they started at the forty yard line and not many sustain drives were put together to get the ball in the enzone.  Each team got ten plays from the ten yard line and Northern, Rocky Mount and Southern all scored multiple times.  Nash Central struggled to move the football regardless of where the ball was.

My impression is Southern was the best Nash County team overall.  Northern struggled moving the ball during the twenty plays from 40.  Rocky Mount looked slow in the offensive line but running the spread showed team speed.

The varsity teams all played in the football stadium while the JV's were on the practice field.  If you could put all the crowd that were at both fields it was well attended but being spread out hard to see a crowd.

Found out tonight Brian Goodwin has hurt his non throwing shoulder sliding into a base and is on the injured list for the Syracuse Chiefs.  This will surely be a setback for Brian in his  quest to be the starting center fielder for the Washington National in 2015.

Coach Wants To See You

If you saw the movie Bull Durham there is that call that the coach wants to see you and every player trying to make it to the majors wants to hear.  Luke Laloose  got word that he was heading to the majors.  Crash Davis got word that the team was releasing him  and now what can an old player do.

Last night Xavier Macklin got word that he was being released  by the Gateway Grizzlies in the Frontier League. The  Frontier league is made up of players who are not signed by any professional team hoping their play will get noticed and someone will ask them to try out with their ball club next year.

Macklin was down to a 201 batting average which is last in batting average in the league.  Is this the end of X Man's dream? He is still young enough  24 and he has been coming off  surgery where he had Tommy  John  Surgery a couple years ago. If it is not where might he turn?  No where for the remainder of this summer but across the big pond might be next if X Man decides he hasn't given up hope yet.

The good year for Hobbs Johnson Continues.  He is  now 11-7 on the season pitching in the Florida State League for Brevard.  His ERA has dipped below three to 2.85 and he is two innings pitched from having pitched the most innings this season for the Manatees.  It will be interesting to see what happens next season for Hobbs.  He should as well he has pitched be invited  to the AA spring training and just might get work this fall in Arizona.

Mystery remains on where Brian Goodwin  is as he had played in almost every game the Syracuse a Chiefs had played in and for Brian that was 81 games but hasn't seen the field in about six weeks.  Minor league baseball does not give a player injury update like the majors do  and since he is not on any other teams roster we have to assume he is injured.  Brian has been on the fast track to the majors but his 219  batting average has slowed his progress.  The season is running out  and we need help in finding out how Brian is doing.

Head Knocking

Tonight for the first high schools around North Carolina could meet up with someone else on the other side of the line of scrimmage that had a different football helmet on.  Louisburg and Northern Vance paid a vist to Rocky Mount.

Mixed results for the Gryphons as at times moved the ball showing their speed and at times the offensive line didn't get off their blocks well.  The defensive side of the ball just like the offense  at time showed speed and at times looked small.   Over all about what all coaches expect there is still plenty to work on before the first game two Friday's from now.

I don't know if  the American Legion Southeast Regional could have had a better ending.  Florida scored two runs in the top of the ninth and then had to survive Asheboro getting two runners on second and third in the bottom of the ninth to win the Regional 8-7.  You have to hand it to Asheboro.  They were the last seeded team and only played in the regional because they were hosting the event and yet they made it all the way to the last pitch and almost won it all.

If you have ever looked at my profile I have as one of my top ten favorite movies is Mrs. DoubtFire.  My favorite line in the movie is where Priece Bronson is sitting in the bar by the pool and Robin Williams throws a lemon or some type of fruit that hits Bronson beside the head.  Mrs DoubtFire turns to look to see who threw it and of course Williams upset because his wife is dating someone else had thrown it and he makes the statement "a drive by Fruiting".  Williams of course made the line up on the spot during filming and to me it is a screamer of a line.  I am snickering now as I write this because I find it a very funny line.

Monday Robin Williams died and his death was self inflicted.  As far as comedians are concern he was the master of all.  However I do think the news media has over blown  his death and I don't think there needs to be wall to wall coverage.  An hour special would have been plenty.  Isn't it funny that all of a sudden nothing else is happening in the world. Last week the Middle East was on the verge of war and tonight it's back page news.  The world is still in turmoil.

Coaches Pick Fike

This morning the Big  East held media day and the main attraction is the football coaches being interviewed by local media and then the coaches vote on who they think will win in football.  The coaches voted for Fike as the top team followed by Hunt.  Three through five were Northern Nash, Southern Nash and Rocky Mount.  Nash Central was voted to finish last.  Tuesday night both Rocky Mount and Nash Central will be holding Srimmages before the big one Thursday night.

Tonight Florida is playing the host team from Asheboro in the final game at the southeast regional of the American Legion playoffs in Asheboro.  Asheboro has made a mess for everyone in this tournament  by beating everyone they were suppose to lose to, In fact the one undefeated team Asheboro beat them last night to give them their first loss but Florida by virtue of being the last unbeaten had already qualified to play in the finals.

This afternoon Asheboro beat South Carolina who had lost to Florida in the winners bracket showdown game and as we speak Asheboro  is playing Florida with the winner heading to the American  Legion World Series in Shelby later  this month.

This weekend racing In a local track in upstate New York Tony Stewart  bumped a local racer into the wall and as all racers do the racer  jumps out of his car and while running towards Stewart's car points his finger at Stewart's  and he somehow runs  over and killed the driver that he spun out.

The media has already sentenced Stewart to death as most are accusing him of murder. I would advise all since we only know what we have seen from a couple of clips that none of us know what Stewart saw and we should not convict until all the facts are in.

My Grandma told me that only believe  three quarters  of what see and only believe half of what hear.  So when you add up what you saw and what you heard only believe two thirds of what you see and hear. In the case of this tragic death of a race driver let 's let all the fact come out.

Finally are the rumblings about the 18th hole of the PGA finish Sunday letting the final two groups play the final hole together almost.  Me as a spectator sitting home I wanted to see a champion last night and I got it.  I didn't have to go on line Monday morning to find out who won.  If the PGA officials could have done better was maybe play threesomes starting so late in the afternoon after the heavy rains.  Here is one other villian in this deal.  How much pressure did TV put on the PGA officials to finish Sunday night. You know CBS didn't want to let the Golf Channel show the last hole Monday morning.

Who Needs Tiger

If you were wondering what golf was going to do without Tiger it has been answered this weekend just as it has always in the past the new generation has arrived.  Since the TV age arrived in the mid to late 50's and the hard charging Arnie went for every shot and golf was made for TV.  The mid sixties saw Jack dethrone the King there was resentment because Jack was a little fat and played like a stone wall but hit every shot down the middle and made way too many putts. Jack as time passed learned to melo  and the crowds  loved him.

There was a ten year period from the late 80's to late 90's where several tried to take over for the aging Jack but none could sustain.  Curtis Strange, Nick Faldo then enter Tiger.  Since about 1997 until 2008 Tiger by showing up almost meant victory.  Tiger was a robot and didn't mind one bit ignoring everyone on the course while winning.  He has never got beyond the robot stage and can you see a Tiger becoming an honorary starter at the Masters?

Since 2008 Tiger has slipped and golf needed someone to become the new one word star.  Phil was just old enough he couldn't do it.   Els too was aging  and this twenty something generation has been on the verge but no one stepped forward.  Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson and Sergio Garcia.  All have shown moments but not enough.

All most over night but really the last three years Rory has become the new one named star. The news  media so wrapped up in wanting Tiger to make a comeback they didn't see Rory heading to number one in the world.   Less than three years Rory has won four majors.  He has had a big lead and today came from three back on the back nine to win.  It wasn't someone ahead of him failed  it was just plain Rory doing what Tiger never did out playing those others who were having great days too.

Every superstar needs someone who will push them.  Arnie first off had The aging Ben Hogan and then Jack.  Jack had Tom Watson and Tiger had Phil.  Rory needs a pusher and I think that will be Ricky Fowler.  This spring when I went to the Masters I was within five feet of Fowler and he is only five five or five seven.  How can he hit it as far as he does is amazing.  I think ten years from now when Rory is passing Tiger, Fowler will have five or six majors.  Then it would be time to find another one named star.

Gryphon Football Featured In USA Today

USA Today sports writer Jason Jordan was in Rocky Mount on Friday and on the campus of Rocky Mount High School doing a story on the first day for every high school football team in America as those in the football business call the first day of practice, the first day of hitting.  The day you find out who you have that really wants to play football.

If you go on line to USA Today and go to sports and then click on others, others brings up a choice of high school sports and the story is under All Access.  Not only is there a nice story about that first day of hitting but there is actual footage of some of that smack mouth one on one drill.

You might ask the question how did Rocky Mount get featured and I understand Jason Jordan went to school with Jason Battle.  Since Battle attended I don't know at this point whether Jordan went to Northern Nash with Battle or Battle's last year at Rocky Mount. He may have gone to college together I will try to find the connection that has gotten the Gryphons featured in a national newspaper about something other than shootings and murder.

Even though it has rained very steady today the Southeast regional of the American Legion playoffs went on and today saw both teams in the tournament from North Carolina squared off against each other.  The state champion Shelby and  the host team Asheboro.  Asheboro is in the tournament solely as the host team and since they are the only team not a state  champion should have been eliminated  after two games but guess what?  Today Asheboro has knocked off Shelby 5-3 and the host team has knocked off two state champions.  Virginia who was the only team that was undefeated coming in to this tournament is going home after losing to Alabama today.  Tonight's featured game is the winners bracket game with Florida and South Carolina.

Who needs Tiger in order to see good TV golf. Soggy conditions left the best players in the world knocking the pins down on Saturday and at one point  five were tied for first and five were one shot back.  There is no doubt the best player on the planet right now is Rory Mcilroy  and he seems now to have that gear to get into like Tiger use to have.  If he slips any at all Ricky Fowler is lurking and so is Phil.  Can 't wait for Sunday afternoon.

Two Weeks To Go

Two weeks from tonight the high school football season will be in full swing.  Next week for the first time teams can begin to bump heads with other teams in scrimmage action.  Nash Central will scrimmage Bunn on Tuesday.  Then Thursday they will be part of the Nash County jamboree with all the other Nash  County High Schools.

Last season due to the conflict with Campbell Volleyball playing on Friday nights I got to see only two high school games during  the regular season.  Next week's scrimmages and opening night will be my only games this year.  Campbell this year will travel to Long Beach California to play Long Beach State, Army, San Fransico.  The Doughtie's will be right there.

Saw in the Nashville Graphic  and it reminded me that I hadn't brought up with all the local baseball coverage from Legion, little league and Babe Ruth that former Gryphon jv football coach Chris Lee now the head coach at Louisburg  has been named an assistant coach for the East-West all star  game next year.

Under B W Holt's tenure  Lee coached  during Holt's first five years and the JV's lost  3 games with Lee calling the plays and Kent Cox calling the defense.  Lee left to take over at Louisburg during Holt's last year at Rocky Mount.

Day two of the American Legion Southeast regional  going on in Asheboro is down to six teams as in the loser bracket games today the host team Asheboro stays alive beating Shelbyville Kentucky 11-3. And also heading home is Georgia as they lost to Alabama 3-1.  The winners bracket game between Jacksonville Florida and Shelby North Carolina goes to Florida 2-1. This puts both of North Carolina's teams with one loss.