Cloud Nine

If you happen to be over in Tarboro today that Cloud over the community is Cloud Nine as they bask in the glory of the State 2-A football title.

The offense fumbled on their first possession and the defense held Mountain Hertitage to a field goal other than that the defense sparkled for the Vikings.

Join me on the "Stretchlon Sports Show" Sunday night on Whig-TV as we tried to horn in on the glory. Coach Jeff Craddock and some of the Vikings will be live at 8.00pm.

Tiger Woods says he is going to lay out of golf for a while and try to get his marriage and life back together since Thanksgivings Thursday night when his world crumbled before his eyes. I suspect he has to let that divot in his skull heal before he ventures back into the public.

Woods who has been on the verge of passing Jack Nickalaus as the greatest golfer of all time is now missing a lot of his prime golfing life. It started with a knee injury and now a head injury inflicted by an irate wife.

Most golfers prime is between 27-35. Once they hit 35 their children get to the age when it is more fun being home watching them grow up than it is being out on the tour all the time.

Wednesday night at Ridgecroft school in Ahoskie after a JV basketball game as the teams were shaking hands a scuffle broke out and the Halifax Academy coach while trying to seperate the players somehow landed on top of a Ridgecroft player. This brought the father of the player on the floor and others players family's member into a scuffle.

The father was charged with two counts of assault and battery and he countered by filing asault charges against the Halifax Academy coach.

The girls and boys varsity games were cancelled to cool things off.

Sometimes I think the children should sit in the stands and watch their parents play.

A side note. During my Junior year in high school during the summer I spent working with my father who was a electrician for White and Woodley in Ahoskie. We spent about three weeks wiring Ridgecroft school when it was built in 1969. I think I pulled every foot of wire in the place. Luckily the school has never burned because of an electrical problem so we must have done a pretty good job.

Tarboro Brings Home The Bacon

Way back when SouthWest Edgecombe and Tarboro played each other Raymond Cobb made the prediction to his team that they had beaten the team that was going to win the 2-A state championship. Mr Cobb you were correct Sir as tonight Tarboro in front of close to 10,000 Tarboro backers beats Mountain Hertitage 28-3.

I was told this morning by a big backer of Viking football that as of the end of school Thursday Tarboro had sold 8,500 tickets. That tells me that the entire county backed the Vikings and were there to see it tonight.

Trailing 3-0 Tarboro scored twice in the second quarter to lead 14-3 at the half. The added an offensive touchdown and the defense got in the act in the second half returning a interception for a score.

How appropriate that the defense failed to give up a touchdown as the improved defense this year is the difference between winning this year and giving up 50 in the title game last year against Newton-Conover.

Join us Sunday night at 8.00pm as Jeff Craddock and some of the Vikings will appear on the "Stretchlon Sports Show" live at 8.00pm on WHIG-TV.

This is the first state title for Tarboro since Jim Brett's Tarboro Viking won it all in 1984. It is hard to believe that has been 25 years.

Tonight I was at Faith Christian covering Faith and Falls Road. The girls game was a disaster for Falls Road but the boys game went to the wire before Faith won by two.

There are times when you are at a place that you wind up saying to yourself that you are glad you went to a place. Tonight for me was one of those nights. Faith Christian had their Toys for Tots night tonight and presented the Marine Corp a load of presents.

One of the players for Faith Matt Cash read about a two minute history of how the Toys for Tots got started way back around World War II. It took him a couple of minutes to read it and when he got through Jimmy Hendricks the athletic director at Faith took the mircophone and told the crowd for those that didn't know it that Matt's father had died in Iraq while serving in the Marine reserves in 2004.

Sometimes while covering ball games they are worth being there even before the ball game. Tonight was one of those special moments that I was glad I was there.

The ARTS Are Well In Rocky Mount

Tonight at the Dunn Center on the campus of North Carolina Wesleyan College the Tar River Jazz Band held their Christmas Concert.

Yes unemployment runs in double digits in the Twin Counties. We are on a list of one of the 10 worst places to live. The five hundred or so people at the Dunn Center were treated to a wonderful night of Jazzy Christmas tunes topped off by the Tar River Children's Chorus.

Raleigh has the NC Symphony but most of those funds come from the state for the operations. This little old town of almost 60,000 people has their very own Orchestral Society pretty much self supported. Tonight the Jazz Band and Children's Chorus performed as part of the Concert series.

I was thinking while the band was performing what a wonderful thing music is. They were conducted tonight by John Sykes former band director at Rocky Mount Senior High. Mr Sykes retire twenty years ago as the band director but his love for music lives . I watch in amazement in the joy you see in the people's eyes as they perform.

Being the father of one of the Choristers of course I am going to say the high light of the evening was the children singing.

This is our seventh year with the TRCC. Those seven years I have come to realize that Angels do walk on earth. Most coaches have whistles, but this women of steel has hand clapping to get attention. When she claps her hands she has their attention.

People who have extra ordinary talents sometimes can't teach others. Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player of all time doesn't have the patience to teach the average.

If you have ever heard her sing you would know why she won her talent on her night at the Miss America Pageant a few years ago. The woman can flat out sing. She can also flat out teach others to sing.

Our seven years we have been to Charlotte, Winston Salem, Williamsburg twice, Philadelphia and New York spreading music to others and in most cases bringing home top honors whenever they have been in competitions.

I enjoy watching her lead the Chorus as much as listening to their sounds. You can see God flow through her and every now and then I swear I see wings on her shoulders.

Any time you go on a trip things may not go according to plan. An eighteen hour day can make tempers flare. There is always one shining light to let us know things aren't that bad. If you don't know who I am speaking of then you have missed out on knowing an Angel.

I am speaking of Patsy Gilliland. She has a voice that can crack glasses, a smile that radiates the heavens, and a heart of one of the most Christian people I know.

The Twin Counties is very lucky to have Patsy leading our children. There is no doubt that my families life is much better every day by having Patsy be a part of it.

ALL State

Andrew Morales is the only Gryphon soccer player to make the all state team. Good going Andrew

Weather permitting there will be a student-Faculty softball game at the softball field at 3.00pm Friday. I was by the school today to watch the Drama class give their Christmas performance and the practice football field is under water in some areas. I can bet the softball field is about the same. So this game Friday is pending a playable field.

Florida State's new football coach is cleaning the defensive house including former N C State coach Chuck Amato. Amato still owns a house in McGregor Downs in Cary and it would not shock me if he comes back to Cary.

Jeff Craddock of Tarboro High school returned my call on Tuesday and he will again this year appear on the "Stretchlon Sports Show Sunday following their state championship football game Friday night against Mountain Hertitage of Burnsville. I would like to thank Jeff for saying he would appear before the game because like last year it is not easy telling everyone about your great season if they lose Friday.

We talked about what we wanted to do I told Jeff that I wanted him to bring a few players and coaches like last year but I did want to change the program just a little. I wanted him to bring the State championship trophy with him this year. He is also going to bring the game film and if they win Friday we may show all of it. If you have never seen game film in a coaches office before. The only thing they record is once the team gets to the line of scrimmage and cut the tape off just after the tackle. We can watch the hold game in about 40 minutes.

Friday night instead of being in Chapel hill I will be at Faith Christian doing Falls Road boys and girls basketball for Stretchlon and WHIG-TV.

I have tried to stay away from commenting on the Tiger Woods fiasco. In life we all sin and he doesn't owe me any explanation. I do feel that the citizens of that area have the right to know what his blood alcohol content was and if they didn't give him a Breathalyzer test why not. If it had been me or you they surely would have given us one. I know he was in a private community but he ran over a public fire Hydrant.

Making The Right Moves

High school and college when players eligibility is up they move on. There are no decisions made whether they need to put a player on injured reserve, when the player career is over there is no lingering effect as to how much longer a player can play at their level and age.

Pro sports if they find someone better than you, you are out the door looking for work. Two years ago the Green Bay Packers made the decision Brett Favre was on the back side of greatness. Looking at Green bay they made a good decision.

2008 Favre's quarterback rating was 81 while his replacement Aaron Rogers was 93. So far this year Favre has had his greatest year ever and he has a 108 quarterback rating. His replacement Aaron Rogers has a QB rating of 103. Yes Favre is having a great year but Green Bay's decision two years ago was the right one for the Green Bay Packers.

Four years ago San Diego decided to let Drew Brees go and he left for New Orleans. Bree's first four years in San Diego he had a QB rating of 85, His replacement the next four years Philip Rivers has been 95.6 which after last Sunday's games make him the #1 active quarterback in the NFL at quarterback rating second all time only to Steve Young at 96.7..

To give you some perspective of quarterback ratings the average all time rating is 77. Brees since he has been in New Orleans is at 99. His career rating is 91.4. Brett Favre's career QB rating is 86. The point I'm trying to make here is everyone New Orleans, San Diego, and Green Bay have all won at the decisions that were made.

Now the other side of the coin is when players can't make the plays any more. The Carolina Hurricanes are faced with that dilemma. My favorite player from the day the Hurricanes got him from the Philadelphia was Rod Brind'Amour Who can forget his goal in the Stanley Cup when he stole the puck and scored on a vacant net when Brind'Amour caught the goalie behind the net. It won game one in 2006.

17 missed most of the 2008 season with a knee injury and at his age he has never gotten back to being Rod Brind'Amour. He's 39 now and was a healthy scratch for the Hurricanes last night. I think it is time for Brind'Amour to retire. He should be the next number to hang in the rafters at the RBC. The Hurricanes found a place for Ron Francis when he retired, they need to find Roddie a desk at the RBC. He's been to good a Hurricane to let go.

Rod Brind'Amour could help the Hurricane decision by retiring. I would really hate to see him finish this year somewhere else and then retire.

No LPGA For Lauren

She needed a 69 today in the final round of the LPGA qualifying school but could only shoot 72. Lauren Doughtie missed the top 30 and the LPGA qualifying by two shots. Her five round totals were 77-73-69-75-72. That 77 on opening day was to much to overcome. Amanda Blumenhurst the former Duke All American won the qualifier.

Tonight I was at Rocky Mount Academy doing play by play for the "Stretchlon Sports Show. RMA won both games to be seen later on WHIG-TV.

Called Jeff Craddock at Tarboro High to set up the Vikings for Sunday night live show this morning knowing he wasn't there. Always on Monday of the State Championship week all the coaches go to Chapel Hill for a press conference. Hope to hear back from Jeff tomorrow and hope we can have them on live Sunday like last year after last years Championship game. Hopefully this time will be a victory.

Mountain Hertitage is 13-2 on the season. They are in a split 2-A-1-A league. In three of their four playoffs games they have scored 50 or more points. The two teams haven't come close to playing a common opponent this year.

E CU fans can take a breath today. One of the possible jobs which Skip Holtz might have gotten was filled today. Virginia went for the Richmond coach who won the FCS National Championship last year. You know as soon as Notre Dame fills that job the dominoes will start falling and jobs will be open every where.

I don't know how many of you fans remember years ago when Tom Landry was the coach at Dallas there was a play I'm going to say this happened in about 1989. Danny White was changing a play at the line of scrimmage and the camera caught Tom Landry shouting "No Danny No". He could tell the play that White was going to run was not a good one and of course they were stopped. It was the beginning of the end for Tom Landry in Dallas.

Do you suppose that the fourth down play by Bill Bellichek against the Colts is the beginning of the end for Bellichek and the Patriots. They haven't play very well since.

You can use Rocky Mount and N C State as examples, but the injury bug has the Pittsburgh Steelers. The team that Pittsburgh puts on the field now week after week is only a shell of the team when they are healthy. 6-6 I think they are done this year.

Finally Tonight It is rumored that Danica Patrick of the Indy racing league will sign Tuesday with Junior Ernhardt and race on Saturday's in Nascar. I have to tell you, If Danica looked like Janet Guthrie there would be no interest from Nascar . Patrick can't drive any better than Janet but her looks keep her in commercials

Saints And Colts Remain Unbeaten

The Saints after playing perfect last Monday night played like a normal team today and with a lot of help from the Redskins remained undefeated. The Colts find themselves 12-0 and both the Saints and Colts are they on a collision to become the first undefeated match up in Super Bowl history? I doubt it. In fact I don't think either one of them will make the Super Bowl.

ECU will play Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl on January 2nd. North Carolina's loss to N C State and the Heels have fallen all the way back to Charlotte. Between N C State and North Carolina they must be the official host team of the Care Care Bowl. I know State has play there twice this decade and Carolina has played now at least three times.

I am shocked at how easy Alabama handled Florida. It is the first time they have been ranked #1 at the end of the regular season since 1973. Now that is hard to believe.

Gryphon Basketball is on the road Tuesday night at Beddingfield.

Tomorrow night I will be at Rocky Mount Academy for the Stretchlon Sports Show as they host Faith Christian. Then Friday I will be at Faith as they host Falls Road.

Cousin Lauren Doughtie made the cut for the fifth round at the LPGA qualifying tournament in Daytona Beach Florida. She shot 69 early this morning in finishing up her third round and 75 this afternoon in the fourth round. She is tied for 50th and needs to get to the top 30 which is four shots behind. She needs a 68 or something in the 60's Monday in the final round delayed to Monday because of two days of rain.

I am really torn over how I feel about Lauren playing on the LPGA right now. If she fails to make the LPGA she will go back to the Futures tour and have to qualify every Monday. I think a full year on the Futures will do her more good than making the LPGA and not making many cuts.

App State upset Richmond Saturday night on the last play of the game to move to round three of the FCS playoffs. Their reward, a trip to Montana Saturday in round three.