Panthers Don't Know What To Do With Cam

The Carolina Panthers lost opening day after having a defensive gem but the offense was as good as a piece of coal. Cam Newton is the so called modern day pro quarterback. Accuracy lacking he is liable to miss a wide open receiver by five yards or run fifty for a score. Don't know whether they are scared he's going to get hurt but it just seems to me they have a bit in Cam's mouth just like you would use on a horse. My question would be why. I am of the belief that if we are going to spend all week preparing to win why not try to win on Sundays. The Panthers seemed content to look good losing. He might get hurt but I would turn him loose like RG3 was used last year. As a fan I don't mind pulling for a loser as long as they are trying. I don't see that from the Panthers with Cam as quarterback. 1/3 of September is over and Brian Goodwin has yet to be called up to Washington. The reason Harrisburg his AA farm team is playing for the Eastern League champion. They won their first round in four games and Brian had an excellent series. Brian finished the regular season hitting 252 getting 19 doubles 11 triples and 10 homeruns. The playoffs if it goes five games will be over Saturday. Hobbs Johnson's season is over and I don't know how he could play any better to earn a shot a AA next spring. He made seven appearances once he arrived in Wisconsin pitching 13 innings allowing just one earned run. That is an ERA of .067. He struck out 23 of the 39 batters he got out. Hobbs walked only four and he did not give up as homer all summer. If you add his four appearances while in Helena Montana he pitched 20 innings and gave up 2 earned runs. This all happened after Hobbs pitched a master piece against N C State in the College World Series. Is the baseball career of Xavier Macklin over? Spending his second summer in three summers in Vermont of the New York Penn league the short season rookie league for those who just signed pro contracts after the June Draft. X was there after having major shoulder surgery and missed all last season. The next to the last game of the season he hit his first pro home run but hit only 155 for season in which he only play one out of three games. I doubt that Oakland will keep him another year.

Another Week To Evaluate

Three weeks into the high school football season there is another week of non-conference games and there are a few that will really give us a good view of who has it and who is not quite there yet. Rose at Rocky Mount: Rose has dominated two 4-A schools and Nash Central in their first three games. Looking at Rocky Mount's schedule so far the only quality game on the schedule is Hertford County. The history of these two schools is when Rose is good the only time Rocky Mount wins is only when they have a super team. We will find out Friday where Rocky Mount is this year. They don't have to win but stay in the game. Tarboro travels to SouthWest Edgecombe: No longer a conference game this county rival game means more to the fans than what in means to winning championships. Tarboro is quick and small while the Cougars are their normal beast on the line and you can expect them to try to drive Tarboro into the dirt in Pinetops. Regardless of the outcome If Tarboro come out healthy they will be prepared to conference play. Nash Central travels to Hertford County which proved last week to an play with anybody. The Bulldogs can keep this one close then there is an improvement in the air for the Bulldogs. South Nash at Roanoke Rapids: If Southern Holds on to the ball this could be a game the clock runs constantly in the second half. Hunt At Northeastern: Hunt roller coaster ride this week travel to Elizabeth City and even though this is a 2-A-3A match up this is no give me for Hunt. Beddingfield at Fike: Another one of those means more to the fans but is is a big game for the future of both teams. Fike is much better than any one thought. Beddingfield can win this one. Not long till Friday night and we will get some answers.

ACC Top Heavy In Football

Went. 5-1 on my college picks this weekend only Missing Wake/BC. Overall record is 11-1 after two weekends. We will begin with Wake Forest who lost at Boston College 24-10. I kind of get the feeling that those in the decision making understands that Wake much like Duke are just not 10 wins teams every year and are satisfied when ever they can win five and once in a life time win a conference championship. Seems as patience running a little short with Jim Grobe and four wins or less this season could be his last in Winston. ECU is off to a 2-0 start but who in Pirate Land is happy with the defense. Coach Ruffin was a D coordinator before arriving in Greenville. Up Next is Virginia Tech who is very beatable. They only have an average offense at best. Defense must shine in this one. NC State is 2-0 by the skin of their teeth. They sure do look like they have a pocket quarterback in an offense that needs to be a mobile moving QB. May struggle until they get their mobile starting QB back. That will be toward the end of the season and this could get to be a long year in Raleigh. Carolina 2-0 beat a directional team from Tennessee. Gone are the days of beating a DII team by 50 or more unless they are terrible. Defense looks real suspect again. you know one problem with a team that likes to be quick on offense is your defense is right back out on the field again. Duke beat Memphis but loss their starting QB. Like State entire style of team changes with the backup. I think Duke had a Bowl game last year and will be a while before they get another. NCW lost on Friday night on the road by a touchdown. Defense looks decent but a couple more touchdowns and victories will come. Miami becomes the second ACC team to beat a rather strong SEC team. Just maybe one of the top ACC teams can be in the National Championship talk when November comes. Clemson looks like they are for real and Florida State. If you noticed there is no North Carolina team in that talk.

Rough Computer Night

I would like to apologize for not passing along other scores from around the area Friday night but had plenty of WIFI issues in Buies Creek.Went. 7-2 on the night giving me a 20-5 record so far this year.
Misses: Fike 41 Kinson 34. It is obvious Fike is much better than I had given them credit.
Hobgood 72 RMA 40. The number of points was about right. Just not enough by the right team.

Wins:  Rocky Mount gets big win 26-19 over Hertford Co but defense exposed in secondary and small up front.  On offense th Gryphons have plenty play makers.

Tarboro over Northern Nash 21-7.   The Knights start playing a whole game they will be trouble for everyone.  Tarboro has depth issues when they play larger schools like 3A teams.  Should be fine when conference starts.

New Hanover 36 Hunt 13.  Hunt no where as good as the past 3 or 4 years but you had better be ready to play them when they appear on your schedule they are not a bad team.

SouthWest Edgecombe 28 Greene Central 7. Every one in Eastern Plains if you want to win the Conference championship runs though Pinetops.

Rose 34 Nash Central 6. Quite frankly I think the Bulldogs gave a good effort and could be trouble for everyone if they all get on the same page.

Southern Nash 28 Bunn 23.   The Firebirds are winning and look awful doing it. Look out if they get it all together.

Louisburg 54. RM Prep 14. About what I expected.

I will end tonight as once again today Campbell went five sets in Volley ball beating  Georgetown 15-10 in fifth set. If you go on line to the Campbell University web site and pull up today's story of their win over Georgetown the picture associated with  the story has coach Greg  Goral and the Campbell bench cheering the team on to victory.  You will see in the photo former Gryphon Volleyball manager  Morgan Doughtie leading the cheers.  Look the manager never makes the high lights so this is Morgan's big moment.

On The Verge Of A Heart Attack

Tonight Campbell Volleyball had their home opener and tonight they were playing Indiana St. And this one went five sets and all five games went right down to the wire.

Good Gryphon Friend Dominque Henderson  was feeding me text of the Hertford County/Rocky Mount football  game.  Hertford County found the Gryphon run game tough to deal with but scored first on a 56 yard td pass to take a7-0 lead.  The Gryphons respond but miss the extra point to trail 7-6.   Another screen pass will fine the enzone and HC leads 13-6.  Rashawn Harris will score on a41 yard punt return  and the game is tied at the half 13-13.

Not doing anything running the ball the Bears switch to the wish bone in the third quarter but guess how they score on another pass but the receiver fumbles into the enzone and HC recovers to lead 19-13.  The Gryphon defense picks up a fumble and rumbles for a touch down and with the extra point leads 20-19 still in the third quarter.  The offense adds another touchdown to lead 26-19.

Now back in Buies Creek we are headed to the fifth set with the score 11-11 and here comes a text from Dominque 1.59 to play the Bears on Gryphon 20.  volleyball is 12-12- 13-13-14-14 -15-15 16-15 and here comes a text Deangelo Hall int on a 4th and 14  Gryphons got the ball. 17-15 Campbell wins.  Then another text game over it is ours.

The Gryphons are 3-0 and with this win Campbell is4-2. After last year going 7-24. Three of their wins has been five setters with score of  17-15 -16-14-and 15-11.Too early in the season for these kind of games on the heart.

Palmer Finally Gets A Statue

Arnold Palmer who was the most flamboyant golfer in the history of the world until Tiger came along will finally get a Statue at Wake Forest University.  Arnie's Army  a crowd of people following Palmer when other big names in the fifties Hogan, Snead and the likes couldn't match the total between them that Palmer had watching him combined.

I guess it was because Palmer went to the old Wake Forest College in the town of Wake Forest in Wake County and not to the Wake Forest that resides in Winston Salem.  Look a golfer goes to Wake every year on the Arnold Palmer scholarship and I don't care who you are when the word Wake Forest comes up you think Arnold Palmer and golf first.  It is about time Deacons.

Saturday is college football so here we go with this weeks picks: ECU has already put me 1-0 but quite frankly I hated the black with purple numerals.  Rocky Mount JV's beat Hertford County 35-7.  Here's Saturday's college picks

NC Wesleyan @ Stevenson. Stevenson is up around Baltimore.  I don't know why where they  are makes a difference other than on the road.  Stevenson 17 NCW 16

Middle Tennessee @ North Carolina.  Just think knowing that $20,000 could be theirs if an agent calls Carolina just might get a good effort Saturday  Carolina 36 MT 14

Richmond at N C State  Those of you who thinks this game is a rout you had better back up.  State wins but no blow out   35-21

Duke at Memphis  Yes this is Memphis State and we will find out if Duke is really  an improved program.  These are the kind of games in the past that Duke loses.   Duke 38 Memphis 24

Tonight Wake travels to Boston College  and the winner will be tied with Florida State for first in their division.  Wake 24 BC13

Finally I would like to say congratulations to former NCW basketball player Brandon Givens the 2013 the USA South player of the year has signed a pro basketball contract in Luxenborg.  Their season starts the first of October.

Third Week Guesses(Predictions)

Off to a decent start so far this year 13-3 on my weekly guesses and this week there some very interesting games that could be challenging.  Here we go with week three....

Rocky Mount 2-0 @Hertford County 2-0 Quite frankly this may very well be one of the toughest games to pick this week.  I like what I see in the Rocky Mount defense and being very begrudging giving up yards.  I honestly don't know what to make of Hunt so far this year whether the HC victory over the Warriors was HC is good or the Warriors are average  Gryphons is a dilly 24-19

The next hardest game to judge is Kinston 2-0 @ Fike2-0:  Like Hunt I don't know what to make of Fike as of yet but I think this week will tell us a lot. Deep down in my soul I don't think Fike is there yet this year so I am taking Kinston 28-21.

Northern Nash 0-2@Tarboro1-1:  Tarboro left several players home last week due to team issues and don't know whether they will play this week or not. Tarboro has depth issues as they have too many players going both ways.  At this point Northern just has issues but I don't think this one will be as bad as last week.  Tarboro 21 Northern 6.

Rocky Mount Prep1-1  @ Loiusburg1-1:Louisburg wins this one  40-6.

St Davids @Rocky Mount Academy1-0.  There are games coming that will be harder for the Eagles they take down St Davids 38-13.* Understand RMA is traveling to Hobgood Friday so RMA will win but the score will be higher  RMA54 Hobgood 38

Greene Central 0-2 @SouthWest Edgecombe2-0:  Unless there is some major changes in my opinion between now and next week I'm picking SWE over Tarboro then why would I go against the Cougars this week.  Cougars 44 Greene Central 7

Nash Central 0-2 @ Rose 2-0:  Rose has won twice against 4-A foes  so unless the Rampants have slept all week the Bulldogs don't have a chance .  Rose 53 Bulldogs 14

Bunn 1-1 @ Southern Nash 2-0 Firebirds should win a little easier than last week but not by much more.  Firebirds 36 Bunn 22.

North Edgecombe 1-1 @ SE Halifax1-1.  Winnable game if every thing falls the Warriors way but I doubt it.
SE Halfax 24 North Edgecombe 12

New Hanover 0-1 @ Hunt 1-1:  NH lost to a South Carolina school last week and most of the time those SC schools are rather good when they cross the border.  I think the question here is do I think New Hanover is better than Hertford County who beat Hunt last week and the answer is yes.  New Hanover 27- Hunt 14.
Forgot about ECU tonight:National TV everyone wearing black Pirates big 52-31