Greatest Gifts Don't Always Require Money

Duke University won it's first Bowl game since the 1961 Cotton Bowl when they won over the Southeastern Conference champion Arkansas by a whopping  score of 7-6.  That game was seen by 70,000  plus people.   Arkansas was lead by future Hall Of Famer Lance Alworth.

Saturday two colleges known more for basketball played football in the the hallowed grounds used for baseball where the likes of Arod  plays in Yankee Stadium.  This is the fourth year in a row that Duke has played in a bowl and 41 points was not enough as the Devils had to make a field goal and had to watch as Indiana's kicker's kicked a ball that seemed by the end zone camera just three to four inches wide right but what complicated the call was the kick was higher that the goal post and the result Duke beats Indiana 44-41 in over time.

Sometimes you get Christmas presents that cost lots of money and then there are those that are priceless.   We open one gift at home and then load rest up to head to Stephanie's house in Wake Forest where we will open gifts Christmas Eve night with Steph's family.

My one gift opened Thursday after noon were letters.  The first letter was from Bob Burke retired basketball coach at Chowan College who has already invited me back to Chowan now University where on January 30th the court in the Helms Center will become Bob Burke Court.  I was the play by play voice of the Braves from 1981 through 1993 when Chowan was a national power in Junior College basketball.

Bob and I had already talked by phone when he invited me a couple of months ago and as the letter started I thought it was an official invitation but the letter went into how important our broadcast of the games meant to the growth of basketball at Chowan.  Already water in my eyes there was another letter from Alexus Hill's family.

 Not sure at this point what's going on there was more.  Ashley Moss and the Moss family, BW Holt, Mike Gainey and the last letter was from daughter Morgan.  Seems that Morgan has decided to start a scrap book about my career in sports.  Stunned by the letters from everyone there is just not enough space or hugs that I can give everyone for their comments.

If there is one thing that has motivated me more than anything else over the years was when I would receive a comment from a grand mother who thanked me for doing the games when she could hear her grand son play because her health did not allow her to attend games.

Whether it was radio, TV  or the blog reporting the wins is fun but when someone tells you that you have effected their life in a good way you have reached the ultimate in what you were trying to do.  This motivates me to continue to do what ever I can.  Doesn't seem to be much radio left in the area,  WHIG TV I'm in the emergency role when needed.  Right now the blog is daily and there is so much good going on in the area to keep me busy. PA is like radio only you can see those that hear your mistakes.

If all goes as planned last child Morgan will graduate from Campbell University majoring in sports management.  That will be two of the children that will be in sports.  Somewhere along the way I have passed on my passion for sports to all of you who have listened, watch or read me daily.

I thank each of you who have heard or felt what I have tried to pass along to each of you.  There is many things in our area that people need to know.  Life is better when the good is spread.  Life can be boring when it is all bad news.

Finally to Morgan, this may be your greatest gift to me. Love You!

Twin County Pros

Today starts probably the most famous high school basketball tournament in America. The Holiday basketball tournament at Broughton High school in Raleigh.  It has grown so much in the 40 plus years that they now have so many brackets and teams it is hard to keep up with who is in what bracket.

North Carolina beat South Carolina in the Shrine Bowl game by the score 54-39.   There was good news for the Rocky Mount Gryphons in that game as Rose wide receiver Cornell Powell scored on a kickoff return  and a touchdown pass.  Just goes to show Powell could score on anybody.

Through Christmas Day Brian Goodwin playing Winter Ball in Venezuela for a team that is a half game out off first place.  Goodwin has had a really good season as in 153 bats he has struck out 28 times which is one in five times.  So far in his minor league career he has averaged one in three strike out per at bats which was taking away possible batting average.  This winter he is hitting 316 with three homers and eighteen RBI. Hope this is the type of play the Washington Nationals wanted from Brian when he was rated as their number one prospect.  Will be interesting to see if he is invited to the big club's spring training.

Pro bowl football player Todd Gurley a rookie one thousand yard rusher has made an impact on the NFL.  Gurley can now be seen on NFL related commercials.   Just over a thousand yards on the season he is third in the NFL in rushing and it is not out of the question that he could win the rushing title yet.  The Rams have two more games to play before the regular season and they are already out of playoff contention.

Now in his 14th NFL season Julius Peppers not only is heading back to the NFL playoffs but he is having what in his career is becoming what everyone expects from Peppers.  He has 34 tackles and 9.5 sacks on the season for the Green Bay Packers  and his career total sacks now stands at 135.  That ranks tenth all time in the NFL history.

One player Julius Peppers in the twilight of his career giving pride to the Firebirds of South Nash.  A rookie from Tarboro  giving the Viking faithful  a chance to see their star for years to come in the NFL.  Still a hopeful for the Gryphons of Rocky Mount looking to have a Major League Baseball player.

This Day Is For Jesus

We will take this day off from the world of sports because sports is part of this world and sports will have no part in our here after so today is a no sports day.

We honor the person who came to this world from a virgin there fore did not have sin in his genes.  Those living during the life of Jesus thought he was going to be king of the Jews never realizing he was not for earth that he would rule.

We have no idea the true date but December 25th  is the date use by Christians  to celebrate his birth. His birth was the first true Christmas of giving as the Wisemen brought gifts.  Time has passed and Christmas is more about making money than celebrating the Kings Birthday.

On this day  I hope you know what we really celebrate that one day for all of us there will be another life that Jesus has saved for us.  All we need to do is ask him to save a place for us.

Whether you stay home today or with family else where have a Merry Christmas and remember Jesus  on his birthday.

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!

NFL Loves To Be In Headlines

The NFL right now is the top professional sport that even when there are no games being played they still steal the headlines.  Inflate Gate began during Super Bowl week and stay within the first two minutes of all sports headlines all off season.

Once the season started the biggest headlines has fallen to the many mistakes being made by the officials. Is it a catch or not? Each and every week that is the biggest question in one or two games that effect the outcome.

One of the biggest problem with any sport that uses any type of replay is it puts pressure on referees or umpires.  There are many plays that even when the replay looks at it they still can't Say one way or the other.  Knowing that the camera may know the correct answer refs to many times make a call knowing that what ever they call it will be reviewed so let's do nothing so that is what happened in New York with Beckham.

Yes the refs allowed  the Panther/Giants game to be a disgrace.  One of the most disappointing in the aftermath was head coach Tom Coughlin admitting he failed to remove Beckham because without him he knew the Giants could not win.  Isn't this the same coach when he first arrived in New York he had long practices and required discipline from every player.  Now he has lost all discipline control and the Giants will again not make playoffs.

Now let's talk about slurs.  Now we all know that street talk there is all kind on conversation while games are going on.  All of a sudden it is repulsive to say anything that might be about a player's sexual persuasion.  Now let's for a second talk about language heard every where and they are the words MF.  Now in our society today is used more than any other.  But isn't that talking about incest?  We as a society are very selective about what we will allow and what we will not.  Why do we have to have any talk of any kind that is derogatory to anyone.

Finally congratulations to Todd Gurley who this week has been named to the Pro Bowl or the NFL's all star game.  Didn't even see the field until the third quarter of the third game and since has rushed for 1000 yards.  Stay healthy and he could be one of he greatest running backs ever.

December College Football

Duke plays Saturday in New York City in the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium.  They will be playing Indiana who can put points on the board.  For them can they hold Duke down?  Duke hasn't shown over much of the season to be able to out score anybody.

Through the end of the regular season got 91 correct picks on college games while missing 27.  Duke will be missing Jeremy Cash lost to season ending surgery will be a big hole for the Duke defense.  Indiana 38 Duke 28

The state  of North Carolina is off to a great start in bowl games.   North Carolina  A&T won the Celebration Bowl beating Alcorn  State  41-34.  Appalachian State after winning three straight National Championships playing as Division two school won their very first bowl game since their rise to D1.  They kicked a field goal to beat Ohio 29-28 to win the Camillia  Bowl after trailing by 17 in the fourth quarter.

NC State plays next week and the Tar Heels  on New Years Day.  We will pick those next week.

Now to the strange story at ECU.  There is no doubt the Pirates football season was not what anyone in the purple and gold wanted.  They led late in several games only to give up the lead and lose and finished 5-7.  They announced almost immediately that they wanted no part as being considered for a bowl game.  That was very noble considering I for one am against any team with a 6-6 record getting into a bowl.


Bowls were suppose to be for reward for a good season not to just play one more game.  That one more game most of the time does not have enough pay out to even pay to take your team to the game and stay several days in what ever city the bowl game is in.  The 6-6 teams supporters stay home not really happy to follow a team that was at best average and almost all those 6-6 games are played before or just after Christmas where it is hard for supporters to fit it in around Christmas.

Shocking Pirate nation ECU athletic Director Jeff Compher fired Ruffin  McNeil who had averaged eight wins a season in Pirate Nation until this year.  Compher stated that ECU needed a coach who could get the Pirate nation to the next level.

There are many in Greenville that think the SEC or Big XII will call whenever the next big movement comes to go to eight team playoff.  I personally think the Pirates need to stick where they are because if and when The playoffs move to eight the top five power conferences will not get all eight spots.


Compher understanding they need to be a power in the AAC wants a coach to push the Pirates to the top level of their conference.  He found out quickly in order to get that brand name coach the Pirates didn't have the money to get a proven coach.  Did he pull the trigger too soon?  If you are going to try to get a named coach you need to have him your back pocket before you get rid of the coach you already have.

The bottom line is Pirate Nation has lost a popular coach.  Brought in a rookie head coach Scottie Montgomery who has no track record to show he can lead the Pirates to the Promised land. He may be the next great coach but I doubt we will find that out next year.

Did Beckham Get Enough?

Those people who watch the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants game saw  the most embarrassing game in the history of the NFL.    How in the world does any player stay in a game when they have three personal fouls called on them and could have had seven or eight if the officials had of been doing their jobs.  Surely the ten yard run directly at the head of Josh Norman should have been an automatic ejection.  Norman did his share early but his  teammates and coaches reeled him in and got him under control.  I wonder whether Beckham was given a drug test after the game?

Christmas Eve football sends The Chargers who just might be homeless after playing their last home game in San Diego travel to Oakland for Thursday night football.  Oakland drubbed the Chargers in San Diego but that was when Oakland was playing well.  Raiders still win 26-20.

Skins at Eagles:  Skins could just about wrap up craziest division in football but they won't. Eagles 30 Skins 27

San Fran at Detroit: who in the world do you pick here.  Detroit 27-20

Steelers @ Ravens:  Raven's have packed it in and Steelers in playoff mode. Steelers 38 Ravens 13

Cowboys @ Bills:  snow could be on ground.  Bills defense can win this game.  21-17

Bears @ Buccaneers:  Bucs will take this one.  26-23.

Panthers@ Falcons:  Did Panthers Lose all the momentum they had going letting the Giants back in game last week? I don't think so but Panther D gave up 38 to Saints and 35 to Giants?

Colts @ Dolphins:  Fish will win at home 26 -17

Patriots @ Jets:  game doesn't mean much to Patriots And this is always big game for Jets.  30-27 Jets.

Texans @ Titans:  who will be either team's quarterback in this game but Houston has best D.  Texans    
Win 30-20

Browns @ Chiefs:  Chiefs could still win AFC West.  Chiefs 30-13

Jags @ Saints: this game could be close but Saints win it at home 28-23

Packers @ Cardinals:  winner of this  game might very well be team that has to beat Panthers for NFC championship game. Cards 33 Packers 26

Rams @ Seahawks:  Hawks great at home something they will not be in playoffs.  31-19 Hawks.

Giants @ Vikings:  Two teams with slim hopes.  Vikings 27 No Beckham 13

Bengals @ Broncos:  Big test for both teams.  Bengals will score more 20-17

Last week had great week picking 13of  16 running my picking record for the year  to 132-92

Carolina Can Win Basketball If Healthy

North Carolina was picked as  the preseason number one and already this year they have lost twice but in both instances the Tar Heels were down a starter.  College basketball has changed in just a short time.  No longer does Carolina or Duke have a team full of McDonald's All Americans.  They do have the best of the best but no longer  are all their bench player just as good as the starter.

Television where every network carries basketball and every conference has every game on TV those second team bench warmers no longer sit on the Duke Bench but are going to The Butlers of the world.  The days of non conference 100-52 scores are now replaced with 90-76 scores.

If healthy Carolina will be playing late March or early April.  Marcus Paige has to be one of the healthy ones.  The Rocky Mount Gryphons demonstrated what any team can do that is very good and healthy during the playoffs.

Duke has shown when they are healthy they can be very good.  Even limited with injuries they have fought hard and with their coaching if they are healthy in March they could be a factor.  Their problem how long is Jefferson going to be out.  If they dig a hole early in conference play they might get a very low seed and have to play the entire NCAA tournament against heavy weights and that is hard to win six in a row.  If there has ever been a coach that can reinvent a team in the middle of the season Coach K is the man.  If I am a Duke fan I fear for the day when K calls it quits.  It is a lot sooner  than Dukies want.

NC State has played several games this season that all they wanted to do was shoot.  Their losses can be attributed to the lack of defense. Like everyone one else injuries have hit the Pack.  The lack of defense in several games has shown  a major hole for the Wolfpack. Who is going to score besides Cat?  The best way to score is fast breaks points off  steals which will require defense.

Abu, Anya and Freeman all can play  defense and rebound but five points a game from each is not enough.  There have been too many times already this year that Barber was the only player on the floor who could score.

The good thing about college basketball is it is only December and  plenty of time to develope into another sweet 16 season.  All three Triangle teams are capable to make Sweet 16 or better.  Injuries must heal and no injuries that takes player out for the season will help all of them.