Football Playoffs 2014

Sitting down  and trying to  figure out a bracket  for eight different divisions is not an easy job.  They have now  all types of formulas and the system works rather well.  There is one slight problem that is an easy fix only if someone would look.  There is no reason on earth that two teams from the same conference should have to play each other in the opening round.  It has happened again to the Big East but there are several other instances where conference foes face off in the opening round.

Fike the #2 seed in the 3AA East is set to play Hunt the #15 seed in the opening playoff game next Friday.  When ever a situation like this pops up why can't they either move Hunt to a #16 seed or up one and drop someone else from another conference to the 15 slot.  Seems simple to me but that requires someone to make an executive decision which it seems no one in Chapel Hill is willing to make.  It is not fair to either school to be put in this situation so early in the playoffs.  If both played someone else first and met in the second round I think both wouldn't mind that happening but this is not a fair shake for any teams playing other conference members in the opening round.  I think this is another example of too many teams in the playoffs.

Rocky Mount has drawn a # 9 seed in the 3A and they will meet a team they have met many times in the last 10 years Western Alamance.  WA is 9-2 while the Gryphons are 7-4.  Another  tough first game for the Big East number three Gryphons.  Second year in a row the Gryphons hit the road in the opening round.

Southern Nash is in 3-A and are seeded 4th and will play home against the 13th seed Burlington Williams.  Should SN win as a four seed they will get another home game on the 21st.

The 2-AA finds SouthWest Edgecombe  hosting as a six seed against North Brunswick 6-5 and a 12th seed.

Edgecombe County will send all three of their public high schools to the playoffs as Tarboro is a three seed in the 1-AA and host Hobbton who is 2-9

North Edgecombe is in the 1-A will is the fifth seed hosting Kestrel Heights 3-7.  They are a Prep school from Durham with over a thousand students so how North Edgecombe gets them who knows.

Rocky Mount Prep sporting a 2-9 record is in and they will travel to SE Halifax at 10-1.

Northern Nash as the Big east is out at 5-6 even though there are other 3-A teams 5-6 in the playoffs.

Need to go to the front page of the NCHSAA.org website there is an article on Nash-Rocky Mount athletic Director Angie Miller.  She is a member of the Board of director of the NCHSAA.

Firebirds Get First, Gryphons Grab Third

How much mixed emotions can there be for Fike High School.  They beat their arch Rival Hunt tonight by a whopping 51-21.  They can be satisfied that they prevented their top rival any chance of taking home first place with the plastering they laid on Hunt.  They also walk off the field knowing that a 4-1 record is tied at the top with Southern Nash only the Firebirds win the top seed for the 42-35 lost administered by Southern Nash to Fike in the opening week of conference play.  Hunt finishes in fourth.  It is the worse finish in their five years in the Big East in fact it is the first time they haven't won first.

Southern earned the top spot in the Big East with a did just enough victory over Nash Central 25-6.  For the Bulldogs it is the second year in a row they have failed to win even one time.  Every type of communications known to man has been speculating on the future of the football coach at Nash Central.  It is known that the future for Brian Foster and his Firebirds is a home game next week in the playoffs.

At Rocky Mount both teams played let me give you an easy score in the first quarter but by the second quarter the Gryphon speed has taken control  and the Gryphons win over arch rival Northern Nash 38-12.  The Hunt loss and the Gryphon win propels the Gryphons to third.

The second round of the 8 man football playoffs is over and the top two seeds will square off for the title here in Rocky Mount next week.  Rocky Mount Academy rolled over St Davids 60-30 while Arendell Parrott thumped Southampton Academy 74-42.  The eight man football championship game I hear will be at Bishop Stadium just like last year when Parrott comes to RMA.  RMA is now 11-0 while Parrott's only lost was to RMA.

Tarboro had little trouble with North Edgecombe 48-0.  Looks like the Vikings are set for their annual run for another state title.  Thursday SouthWest Edgecombe took second place in their conference with a 54-12 win over Beddingfield.

Finally tonight it was senior night at Rocky Mount and the senior football players were introduced  before the game and during the halftime all other fall sports seniors were introduced.  Yes when it was time to introduce the Senior volleyball players and  parents there was a banner and the parents of Tiara Hinton were introduced her parents were behind that banner.  Can you imagine what it took for them to walk from midfield when their heard her named called as a senior volleyball player.  As they walked they receive a standing ovation from the nearly full Rocky Mount side.  A very touching moment.

ECU Tries To Rebound

The Pirates sure would love to have last week's dumpster fire back but find themselves on the road going up against just maybe the best team they have played besides South Carolina.  A second week in a row road trip stops in Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati where they meet the  Bearcats sporting a 5-3 record.  The Pirates must get out of the funk they have been in for over a month.  This is one of those games the Pirates need to prove they learned a lesson.   Cats beat Pirates 26-23

Last week had a decent week going 6-1 on the college picks running my record to 71-24 on the season. One played game Thursday so only five games  to pick.  NC Wesleyan travels  to Greensboro to meet the 2-6 Pride.  Battling Bishops losers of two in a row get back on the winning ways  32-24

Louisville at Boston College.  Both teams are 6-3.  Louisville is 4-3 in ACC while BC  is 3-2.  I like the home team in this one.  BC 28 Louisville 24.

Duke at Syracuse.  You wonder how Duke keeps winning but they do.  The Devils will win again as from what I see This could be a blowout.  Duke 40 Cuse 21

Virginia at Florida St.  Virginia started out very good this season but have faded down the stretch.  Florida State needs to blow somebody out.  Virginia offense is fair so FSU defense might look good this week cause I doubt The Cavs can keep up on Offense. FSU 38 UVA 17

Georgia Tech at N C State.  This is a game the Pack could win.  Tech presents a different offense to everyone they play and one week to practice is hard to prepare.  State will need to score a bunch.  A bowl bid will have to wait another week. GT 38. Pack 31

Hunt beat Southern Lee 4-3 on Wednesday and now moves on to the 4th round  of the state soccer playoffs and who do they draw in round 4?  Cardinal Gibbons.   They meet on Saturday.

Will be part of the TV crew tonight when the Gryphons host the Knights in the final regular season football game.  Northern with five wins and  Rocky Mount with six should already be in playoffs regardless of the number of conference wins.  The closer you are to the bottom of the standings the higher seed either will play next week.  The loser tonight will not get an easy game in the opening playoff games next week.  This should be a dandy game.

Every Game Has Meaning

The only good thing I can think of when three or four teams from conferences make the playoffs is that we have come to the last game of the season and every game in our local area has seedings  implications.  There is only one team in our area already to pack up the uniforms after Friday while everyone else should have a game next week just they don't know who they will play or where.  Had a good week going 6-1 in high school picks missing only the Gryphon's game at Southern.  Now stand at 64-20 on the year.

SouthWest Edgecombe 7-3- 3-1 @ Beddingfield 4-6- 1-3  I think for Beddingfield their non conference schedule this year  physically beat them down.  They have not fared well in conference and might keep this close but the Cougars prevail  32-24.

Southern Nash 7-3 - 3-1 @ Nash Central 0-10 -0-4.  There is a 50% chance that the Firebirds win they will be conference #1 seed and they will not let down this week knowing that.  Birds 36- NC 7.

Fike 9-1 - 3-1 @ Hunt 6-4 - 3-1.  For Hunt they can get top seed by winning.  Fike if they win must hope for a Southern Nash loss.  Should be enough motivation for Hunt.  But, Hunt has trouble with teams with speed, Northeastern, Rocky Mount.  Fike?   28-24 Fike

North Edgecombe 8-2 - 4-0 @ Tarboro 7-3 -4-0.  In their wildest dreams this is what the Warriors play for.  A chance to beat their bitterest rival for all the marbles.  As far as I know this is the first time ever these two have ever met with the conference title on the line.  Tarboro 26 North Edgecombe 14.

Rocky Mount Academy is one step away from a possible repeat of the State Title in 8 man football.  They meet St Davids a team that scored 42 on them earlier this year.  This one is in Rocky Mount however.  Eagles  56 ST Davids 25.

Northern Nash 5-5 1-3 @ Rocky Mount 6-4 -2-2  Seedings is all this one is for.  Both should be on the road next week but if Northern loses they would be a 5 seed and have to be one of those fill in teams to fill out the brackets and that means  they get a real high seed next week.  Guess what if they beat Rocky Mount then Rocky Mount falls to 5th and they are a fill in team too.  Gryphons 21- Northern Nash 7.

This week since the State 8 man is next week I will finish with Southampton Va 8-2 @ Arendell Parrott Academy.  Parrott has won already this year over the Virginia team.  They will again but it is close  44-34.

I will be in the TV booth for the first time this year as Wes Bradshaw  is taking a week off and Edward Green will be calling the play by play of the Northern/Rocky Mount game and I will join him at Rocky Mount.

There is a college game tonight  on national TV in North Carolina.  Clemson comes to Winston Salem to take on the Demon Deacons.   The Deacs have no offense but their defense has been ok considering how much the offense has put the pressure on the defense.  Clemson may go with their number two quarterback again.  This game could be a good one if Wake scores a little bit.  Tigers 26 Wake 13.

In A Slump

I have lost the zip on my fast ball.  My field goals once I hit them toward the right don't come back.  My foot speed is a step slow.  In others words I am slumping right now and I hate to have to say this but last week during my NFL picks I was only 7-8.  So I went back out on the practice field to go back to the basics   an I am worse this week than last.  A horrid 4-9.  You may recall I picked the games also last week based on the sporting lines and thank goodness I did better a solid 5-8.  Glad I don't bet on the games or Louie would be after me to collect.

I wish I had of known of Romo being out for Dallas last week but other than that one I stunk last week overall.  I am down to 83-49 on the season and I'm in jeopardy of not making the playoffs.  There is still time to recover but it is time to have a closed door meeting and straighten this season out.

Thursday night on the NFL scene the much improved Cleveland Browns travel to Cincinnati for the battle of Ohio.  I got a feeling this is a good one but Bengals win at home 27-23.

Chiefs at Bills:  playoff game here as both of these teams are in the hunt for the playoffs.  I have liked what I have seen from KC all year and I think they go in to Buffalo and who knows may be snow on the ground but KC wins anyway 23-20

Dolphins at Lions.  Here we go with another playoff game and after a week off Lions  hold serve winning 27-21

Dallas at Jaxsonville by way of London.  This is the third game this year in London.  Look out the London Beef Eaters soon to be an NFL Team.  Don't care who quarterbacks Dallas the boys win 24-16.

49'S at Saints. 9'ers are 4-4 and boy do they need this one.  I think Saints beginning to play like the Saints  28-21   The Jazz win

Falcons at Bucs.  Who are those guys calling themselves Falcons.  Who knows whether the birds show up and Tampa has been in almost every game.  Bucs 26- Atlanta 24

Titans at Ravens.  Ravens had better be mad after sacking Big Ben on three straight plays late in the first quarter and then giving up forty something   Ravens 30- Titans 17

Steelers at Jets.  This is  typical NFL game.  Steelers look like Super Bowl bound last two weeks but the lowly Jets slip them.  I forgot this is the Jets. Pitt  38 Jets 23

Bronco's at Oakland:  This game will be closer than it should be because the Raiders play better at home.  34-24

Rams at Cardinals.  Cardinals can just about clinch division if they bear Rams    Card  27- Rams 24

Giants at Seattle.  Should be no contest but it will be closer than it should be.  Hawks 27 Eli 13.

Bears at Packers.  The tundra just might be frozen.  Take the Packers  34-20

Monday night football Carolina at Philadelphia.  New quarterback in Philly and nobody new on defense for Carolina so that is enough for me to pick Philly.  30-16.

I need to go outside and run some more wind sprints to see if I can get out of this slump.

The Writing Is On The Wall

We have  all heard the all saying that the writing was on the wall but we ignored the signs.  Sometimes it could be our own health that our body tells us something is wrong but we ignore it until we find ourselves in the hospital.  In the sports world the signs sometimes tell us that the way we are playing is heading for a loss but we ignored the signs until the signs show through.

ECU football started out this year with three high quality foes on their schedule that they had no problem getting up to play.  ECU gave a great effort and for a while made top ten South Carolina glad that the game was over as the Pirates played well. 

Then a trip to Blacksburg after Tech had just knocked off Ohio State and the Pirates played so well they came back home victorious.  Those hated Heels came to town and the Pirates laid an embarrassment on the Heels that Pirate fans will talk about for ever.  But what do the signs tell us now?  Beating Virginia Tech and North Carolina was nothing special  after all.

Then the Pirates go sailing into the top 25 and from that point on have not play a game against anybody special and since those teams were not that special the Pirates have assumed victory and up until Saturday have been able to win.  The writing was on the wall if you keep playing this way much longer and you will go down to one of those nobodies.  Temple is a good nobody  but at home in the cold rain with nobody watching were good enough to beat the pants off ECU even though the score was only 20-10.

Another team that had better watch out for the writing on the wall is Florida State.  Thus far they have beaten Clemson and way back in September when they beat the Tigers they have played no one to Clemson's level.  Twice the Seminoles have trailed to N C State 21-0 and were down 21-0 at Louisville but managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat and hold on to their high ranking.  The writing is on the wall for the Noles keep playing this way and down you go and with it the longest winning streak in college football which is now 20 something in a row.

 The only team left that might give the Noles trouble is Miami.  If they survive that then they will be in the ACC championship and if they survive that the four team playoff.  The writing on the wall says  if you fall behind to a superior team in the playoffs you will lose by 40. There will be no pulling one out of the hat against Oregon, Alabama Mississippi State they are too good to let you come back.

Finally the writing is on the wall for the Rocky Mount Gryphons.  They have lost four times this year and they can lay claim that three losses can be pinned on unnecessary penalties.  They can for sure say any chance we had of winning went out the door with penalties.  Some are regrettable a face mask, holding.  You know they can call holding on every play so they say.  But it is the penalties after the penalties that are killing the Gryphons.

Northern Nash is the last home game of only four played in Rocky Mount this year.  The best possible scenario for the Gryphons is third place and a road game against a number two seed or if they are lucky another three seed.  A loss and they might draw a Havelock  type if they fall to a fifth seed.

The writing is on the wall you continue with these unnecessary ones and once again you will go down in the first round.  It would be a shame for that to happen to this team.  This is a good football team when they stick to playing football they are that  good.  When they get to trying to act macho and run their mouth instead of the score board be their mouth referees hear all that junk as a game goes on and you are probably told many times to shut your mouth after plays are over but you keep on anyway.  So when do the refs finally say enough is enough on the most important time in the game the Gryphons have been hit the hardest.

Yes the writing is on the wall.  ECU ignored it and paid dearly Saturday.  All they can do now is try to win out and hope for a good bowl game.  It is on the wall for Florida State and there are teams left they need to be great if they plan on winning.  Rocky Mount has already paid a dear price for their foolish actions..  Three losses but two of them keep them from first in the Big East.  The good news for the Gryphons all is not loss if you buckle your chin strap and play football instead of who talks the best.  The Gryphons could be the Big East team that makes it to the East Finals I think they could
but only if they step on the field to play football.

When Is This Travesty Ending

Saturday was the annual Cardinal Gibbons state championship day.  They won the team title in tennis, won both the boys and girls cross country titles and volleyball.  Earlier in the week they won in golf.  They didn't win in boys soccer and football because those titles were not up for grabs as of yet.

My main beef with a private school playing in the public arena is they are not bound by any territory  like  where they can call their school district.  Rocky Mount, Northern and Nash Central are held that they must use player from their school district.

Any child from a Rocky Mount can attend Gibbons  but if you live in Raleigh you can not play sports in Nash County.  That to me is the only concern I have that which I think is too much of an advantage for any Private school or let's throw in prep schools in this equation too.  Every team needs  to have to play on level plains.

They have dominated the so called minor sports.  There have been periods of time when schools like Independance dominated the 4-A  football but they were average in other sports.  Rocky Mount High school still 51 years since is the only team in North Carolina history to win four straight titles two in football a basketball title and baseball all in a row.

Yet Cardinal Gibbons has won six straight volleyball and too many others to think they have been lucky to have such good talent in just one sport but all sports. Cardinal Gibbons reminds me of UNC that they are in total denial that they do any thing wrong.

There is only one way to solve this problem and for the public schools to vote them out.  When I say vote them out I'm not saying just Cardinal Gibbons but all Private and Prep schools. A few years ago more than half of the schools that voted, voted to oust the private schools but enough schools obstained from voting to not be enough to get them out.  It's time for a change.

Hunt has won in the second round of the soccer playoffs and are still alive.  They are the only Big East team.

You know we get so caught up in sports that we get put back in our place whenever we get a douse of life.  The Gryphon nation lost Teira Hinton in an auto accident and during the Southern Nash Rocky Mount football game Southern head coach Brian Foster fell to the ground from an apparent blood pressure issue.

Our lives are more than wins and losses and it is unfortunate that it takes a hurricane like Floyd, or a death of a child for us to come together to remember that life is what we are put on this earth to live for.  Then when a life is cut short especially one that many knew we come together for a period of time only to soon forget and we get back to wins and losses of life.   Wins and losses are  things that really don't matter in life.