Rivalries

Tonight Duke host North Carolina in what the national media is calling the best rivalry in college basketball.

I heard Collin Cowherd on his ESPN radio show one day this week say that the only way to have a rivalry was when neither team dominated a series.

I think Collin is one of the best national radio host in America, but he is out in left field on this one.

I guess we have to determine what makes a good rivalry?

There has to be the element that if you win only one game all year that this is the one. Let's look at this past football season. If Northern could have beaten Rocky Mount would they have cared whether they had won only two games? On the other hand , it would have been disaster if Rocky Mount had of lost that game. Even though they would have been 12-3 on the year.

The Carolina-Duke game is big but, do you think Carolina wants to lose to State. If you look at State-Carolina series in football and basketball Carolina has dominated both. There is no better celebration for a State fan than winning against Carolina.

Locally since their inception Rocky Mount has dominated Nash Central, but how sweet it is for Nash central to beat Rocky Mount in any sport.

In order to have a rivalry there must be inter mingling between the schools and fans. People at work pull for the other side. Players play little league with each other. That inter office banter that my team is better than your team.

Any rivalry works better when the loser either loses the championship or is knocked out of the playoffs by their arch rival. So the team that is down spoils the team that is up with great pleasure.

A key component to any rivalry is that both sides care. If one side feels it life or death and the other could care less then it is hard to have a rivalry.

A rivalry can occur just because there is a mutual respect for each other. Last night during the Fike-Rocky Mount boys game Tashawn Mabry and Jeremy Adkinson for most of the game played man to man against each other. When all is said and done one of those two players will probably be the player of the year in the NEW-6. You could see it in their eyes as they went against each other that they wanted to prove to the other which one was best.

Finally the best rivalries are the ones where you have fun with each other between games. There is nothing better than thinking that you have upped someone for a whole year or

UNTIL THE NEXT GAME.

Gryphons Roll

The first half of the Fike-Rocky Mount girls game was a game where the bottom of the net was not in the cards for the Lady Gryphons. Luckily for them Fike could garner only a 20-15 lead.

A quicker pace in the second half found every run that Rocky Mount made Fike had an answer. Suddenly midway in the fourth quarter Arkenesia Melton got hot and the Lady Gryphon defensed melted the Golden Demons.

The lady Gryphons never lead until under a minute to play when Danita Whitaker stole a cross court pass and went in for a layup. Down the stretch Dyonna Battle and Lakia Bynum canned free throws to bring the Lady Gryphons their ninth straight conference win 52-47 over Fike.

Dyonna Battle lead the Lady's with 18 followed by Lakia Bynum and Arkenesia Melton with 13 each. The Lady Gryphons go for a perfect conference season Friday night at Nash Central who are one of only three teams to beat the Lady's this year. They are now 17-4 on the season and 9-0 in conference play.

Between game all seniors who took part in winter sports were recognized with their parents and guardians.

When the boys got down to action it looked like the first team to 100 would win and it almost happened. Down 23-14 in the first quarter lead by Alonzo Sharpe the Gryphons scored the last nine points of the first quarter to tie Fike at 23-23

The second quarter belonged to Fike's Jeremy Adkinson as he lit up the score board from the outside and in as Fike posted thirty points in the second quarter. Nick Hahula made three three pointers to keep Rocky Mount down by only ten at the half.

The third quarter was run and gun basketball with every attempt by Rocky Mount to cut the lead fought off by the Golden Demons. With about a minute to play in the third quarter it seemed as if Fike ran out of gas. Their shots started coming up short and the Gryphons dominated the boards. At the end of three quarters is was 68-63.

Tashawn Mabry twice during the game went to the sidelines for medical attention but while he was on the court he was a scoring machine. Mabry and Adkinson had a personal battle as Mabry with two free throws in the last ten seconds outscored Adkinson 38-36.

Philip Wilkins controlled the boards for the Gryphons in the fourth quarter and ended the game with 14.

The Gryphons have their highest scoring game of the years as they go to above 500 in conference play with a 94-83 victory over the Golden Demons.

Tonight's victory should clinch 3rd place for the Gryphons who have now won four in a row and have moved to 5-4 and 12-10 on the season.

Tonight we have to end on a sad note as I guess everyone has heard the Hunt Basketball player collapsed and died yesterday during a JV practice. Our prayers go out tonight to the family of Anthony Eatmon .

This has turned out to be a very trying year for North Carolina High school athletes with the deaths that have occurred this season

Carolina-Duke Week Take One

Tonight in Chapel Hill Duke and Carolina got together to play basketball. It was for the lead in the ACC basketball race. Playing in front of the home folks Carolina pulled away for a 75-60 victory in Women's basketball

Wednesday night the Guys play in Durham. Neither team at this point is playing as they are the odds on favorite to win the national championship but there is still a month to go before the end of the regular season. The winner Wednesday just might get started on the roll.

Carolina has so many injuries their bench is depleted. Duke has shown since conference play has started the way to beat them is go inside. Duke is 14-0 at home this year which I think that is some of their problem. Not enough road games.

I think Carolina will win in a close game. If Duke makes their three pointers all night that might sway the game to their side.

Florida State to me has just as good of talent as any team in the ACC. They could be a team when the NCAA tournament starts to lose in the first game or make it all the way to the final four.

The other big four game of the week Wake visits the Wolfpack and I just don't see State handling Jeff Teague. If Teague shows up to play the rest of his teammates will follow him. When he hasn't shown up no one else has either. I think the Deacs win by double digits.

Tuesday night is the last home game of the regular season for the Gryphons of Rocky Mount High School. The lady's will get at least one playoff game at home if not more while the boys should have to travel through out the playoffs.

The girls Are still trying to go undefeated in conference play while the boys want to finish above 500 in conference. The only way either team can accomplish their goals is to win both games this week.

The boys have a tougher road in order to do that as they play Fike and Nash Central this week. Both are ahead of the Gryphons in the standings. The girls how ever have beaten both Fike and Central the first time through the conference rotation.

Finally, as a Wolfpack fan I have learned over the last couple of years not to get my hopes up until there is ten seconds to play and a ten point lead. Yesterday's 18 point give-a-way is another example of being on the edge of my seat but there was no cheering as I waited for the bottom to fall out.

In the end a simple foul shot cost the Wolfpack the game in regulation. My only beef with the coach is when you don't have any body who can handle the ball why do you try to run the clock out by holding on to the ball. That played right in to Va Tech's hands!

Quarterbacks and Point Guards

The two positions that are the most important in basketball and football is the quarterback and point guard.

They are the same position in their respective sport.

North Carolina State had Philip Rivers at quarterback for 51 straight games from 2000-03. Since his departure there has been a revolving door from week to week who have played quarterback.

This season in basketball, State can't find a point guard that they are willing to stick with more than a couple of games at a time.

The quarterback and point guard are the coach on the field or court. They make decisions based on what is happening as the play transpires. It is their decision to change the play as it is happening. Get the ball to the person who can make something happen this play.

This past football season, B.W. Holt was able to make the Rocky Mount High football team better by placing Collins Cuthrell at quarterback and moving Hiawatha Bunn to corner back.

Bunn was a much better runner than Cuthrell. Cuthrell is a much better passer than Bunn. The running game we had we needed to be able to open thing up with the pass which Collins could do.

Moving Bunn to corner back was the last piece of the puzzle that made the Gryphon defense as great as it was this past year.

Duke basketball's weak point is its inside game. Yesterday, without an inside game, the Blue Devils almost loss another game. But, what does Duke have? Point guards! The general on the court helps disguise the weak spots because it gets the ball to their strengths.

Earlier this week during his news conference talking about this year's recruits, State football coach Tom O'Brien expressed a surprising displeasure in Russell Wilson ability to run with the ball. He said that during his three injuries he sustained this year they all came when running with the ball not running the play as designed. He pointed out that State lost all the games he was either injured in or fail to play the next week.

O'Brien wants his quarterback to stay healthy. It is hard for any player or team to get better when they are either not on the field playing or having a different player in the game at most important times.

Look at this year's ACC basketball teams. Each one that is getting good guard play has won more than they have lost. Those that haven't had it continue to search.

Those of us who sit in front of the TV or in the stands fail to realize how coaches put their livelihoods in the hands of youngsters. The coaches who have a general on the field live a more stress-free than those that can't. A stress-free life for a coach is winning. You win with a quarterback and point guard who relieves a coach's stress.

Lady Gryphons clinch a Tie

Whenever Southwest Edgecombe plays Rocky Mount you can expect a full house and tonight was another.

Sandra Langley had her girls ready to avenge an earlier lost to the Lady Gryphons in Pinetops but a hard fought high scoring game ended with Pam Gainey's team winning 63-60.

The victory clinches a tie for first place for the Lady Gryphons who now are 8-0 in conference play. All Rocky Mount needs to do it win one of two games next week, either at home Tuesday against Fike or Friday at Nash Central to clinch the first round bye in the conference tournament.

I see nothing wrong winning both games next week and finishing the conference schedule undefeated.

Between the games Boys coach Michael Gainey was given a basketball celebrating his 200th career win Tuesday at Southern Nash.

Tonight coach Gainey started on the road to 300 as the Gryphons used a strong fourth quarter by Tashawn Mabry to power past Southwest boys 73-60.

Mabry finished the game with 31 but scored almost half of his points for the evening in the fourth quarter. Philip Wilkins had a double double as he garnered 13 points and 12 rebounds.

The Gryphons are now 3-0 the second time through the conference swing and with tonights win get even at 4-4 in conference play. It has been a while since the Gryphons have won more than they have lost but tonights victory puts them at 11-10 on the season.

The lady's victory puts them at 16-4 on the season.

Tonight is the last regular season meeting between Southwest and Rocky Mount in conference play as the Cougars will drop back to the 2-A ranks next year.

As highly competitive and as large as the crowds have been I am sure Southwest will be on both the football and basketball teams schedule next year and into future years.

ACC Basketball Looks like Football

Most teams in the ACC basketball race are at the eight-game mark in the conference season. That would be equal to the football season when no one wanted to take charge. Let's look at where this thing seems to be going.

Carolina, 6-2 - You may have already forgotten they started 0-2. They seem to be the best in the league but I don't hear to any Tar Heel fans jumping for joy right now.

Duke, 6-2 - Last night they fell to 3-3 on the season on the road. That's not a good sign since I don't see any NCAA games scheduled for Cameron Indoor Stadium come March.

Clemson, 5-2 - This is probably the best Clemson team since Eldon Campbell and the Tigers were robbed by Connecticut in 1991.

Boston College, 6-3 - When the Tournament starts guard play is important. BC might make Sweet 16.

Wake Forest, 4-3 - Lack of outside shooting is telling on the Deacs. They must get back to playing good defense.

Virginia Tech, 4-3 - If they make NCAA tournament the Hokies are another team that can cause trouble.

Florida State, 4-3 - They have really good athletes but always seem to let lesser teams beat them.

Miami, 4-5 - The Hurricanes are another team that seem to be better than their record.

Maryland, 3-5 - Not that long ago were National Champions. Looks like this year is a throw away season with all the Gary Williams firing talk.

N C State, 2-5 - Point guard, point guard, are you listening John Wall?

Virginia, 1-6 - I think by year's end they will finish last.

Georgia Tech, 1-7 - Well somebody has to be last.

After only getting four NCAA bids last year the ACC could get as many as eight but I think six is about right. It would not surprise me to see four in sweet 16.

Pat Summitt has won No. 1,000 as a women's basketball coach. The scary part is Pat Summitt is only 56 years old. She could win another 500 if she sticks around that long.

Signing Day

If you believe all the hype, then the Big Four schools, plus ECU, had a banner day yesterday on National Signing Day.

In my younger days when I had to know the BIOS of every player, I believed all that guff about who the best players in the country were.

Yesterday, ESPNU had nine hours of coverage of signing day across the country. The so-called headline players, the ones who will get all the press during the next four years, aren't the real stars of signing day. It's the fringe player who fills in at tackle after another player is hurt that no body cares about on signing day.

The team that can come up with those type players are the real winners on signing day. No one will know who the winners are for two to three years.

Notre Dame, under Charlie Weis, up until yesterday had been a Top 10 every year in recruiting. On the field, they have barely been Top 50.

The reality is a recruiting class is only 25 percent of any team. If like Wake Forest, you like to red shirt your freshman class ,then only 20 percent as those players will be with you five years.

Coaches go after holes they need to fill over sometimes signing the best overall player. But recruiting is still the perception that we are on the way up not treading water or heading backwards.
The 24-hour news service and 24-hour-a-day sports has produced a hype into our world that everything is much better than it is, or in the case of the news, worse than it is.

Sorry, but I don't need to see on network TV a child kidnapping live all day in Des Moines. Ia. The networks need to fill the day with something.

Unfortunately, ESPN has not been able to get teams to play games live at 7:30 in the morning so they can have show them. Heavens knows they have probably tried.

Yesterday, WITN-TV7 featured three Gryphon signees. Bravo to them. They didn't make them out to be the next coming of Wake Forest football, but three local kids who have an idea what they will be doing for the next four or five years.

For a family, signing day is a joyous time. A culmination of a dream come true. In our world today, do you know how much a football scholarship means to a family?

I wish instead of telling me how great LSU is going to be next year with all the recruits they have. Networks would show how important signing day really is.

Our economy is such that a higher education is further from main stream America because most families can't afford to pay a house payment much less a college education.

The real winners on signing day is Mom and Pop. Everyone of them regardless of how good their kids are in football, yesterday they were the No. 1 signing in the country.

Congratulation to all of them!