What A Difference Three Weeks Make

Three weeks ago Jim Grobe had one foot in grave of fired football coaches and today he has hung another first year coach up to dry.  NC State who yes has injuries but who doesn't expected to go Winston Salem and beat Wake Forest and put and end to the ten year drought but what happened they played as if B B&T was haunted.

What does Jim Grobe do to his players that when another in State school comes to their house Wake plays as well as they have played all year and each in state school plays as poorly as they will play all year.  You know we are all creatures of happen and most teams keep  their players in a hotel even during home games.  I wonder if the bus ride over the day of the game is some of the problem or shoud every in state team stay in Winston the night before.   What ever the answer Jim Grobe knows  something that nobody else knows.

Looking at the offensive leaders in the new NFL there is not one of the new so called run/pass quarterbacks in the tops of the league. Peyton Manning a drop back, Drew Bree's a drop back, Tony Romo a drop back, Aaron Rogers a drop back and Philip Rivers a drop back QB are on record setting paces to break for scoring, points, touchdown passes and who knows what other records that might fall before this year is done.  Anybody notice that all those drop back QB's play every week while those new breed QB's stay on the sidelines more than they play.

The plight of the Carolina Panthers and Cam Newton.  Is his issue the coach is holding him back or is Cam Newton another Vince Young?  The world of professional sports when it comes down to who is the problem is it the coach or player the coach will go first.  The looming issue is this is the last year of Newton's rookie contract so somebody in Charlotte needs to decide do they need a new coach or do they need a new  quarterback?  the answer just might mean they need both.

Arena Football On Sundays

Tony Romo showed the world how bad Denver defense is.  San Diego shut out Dallas in the second half last week but Romo torched the Broncs for over 300 yards in the second half.  Denver had no pass rush what so ever and we found out yesterday Peyton can still throw an int once in a while.  In the end Romo acted like Romo does and threw and int in the mist of his greatest game ever.


Sunday in Maryland the Club Tri Athlon was held and the NC State Tri Club finished third in the region and by doing so qualified  for the National's. Next April.  It is the highest finish ever as both the men's and women's teams finished third in their division. Must be that coaching by former Rocky Mount Gryphon Brooks Doughtie.

Brooks little sister could not pull out Campbell's volleyball team  in their 7th fifth set match of the year.  Morgan Doughtie from her team manager position saw Campbell lose their first conference game Saturday at Coastal Carolina.  Campbell is in a four way tie for fifth at 2-1.  The Big South season ending tournament only has the top eight teams and since they didn't even win one conference game last year this is a great start with all three games on the road.

I like having San Diego Chargers on TVSunday night but not at 11:30pm.  I taped the game and will watch it tonight.  The NFL is down to three unbeatens Denver, KC and New Orleans.  Denver and New Orleans can score at will while KC relies on defense.  We will see if any of them make the Super Bowl.

Went 3-0 on the high schools picks running my record for the year to 46-8. Was 7-1 in the college games making my record 33-11 .

Streaks Are Made To Be Broken

Friday night Southern Nash ended the Tarboro Vikings 43 game home winning streak. Jeff Craddock has preached not in our house you don't come and beat us.  Our lives whether you believe it or not is all about how we feel about  ourselves.  Winners walk around with the attitude that they are better than you and know that they are going to win.  People or teams that are average or less never quite believe that they can do it all the time.  There is doubt during crunch time as to really thinking you can get the job done.  When a team that knows they are going to play a team that is not quite sure they will win every time the winners will make the play to win and the other team will do something to help lose the game.  Friday night was a case of two very good teams going head to head and the clock ran out and the game was over.

Yesterday attended a wedding in Kitty Hawk and didn't see any football at all.  I recorded both Carolina and State and whenI got home never made it to the end of either.  I wanted to see if Whit Barnes was the starting line up but due to the over run of the Virginia game didn't get to see the lineups.

College coaches are probably the most overpaid people in the world.  every type of offense ever devised was done to take advantage of your team.   The rage of the 70's were the wishbone and the veer.  Both were designed to take advantage of small lineman where you didn't have to knock the man down across the line from you but just screen him off long enough for your backs to scoot through a hole.

These offenses expecting the quarterback to be the main runner and passer you must have a quarterback that can do both.  Neither State or Carolina have that type QB but both coaches continue to run offense not suited to their quarterbacks.  Injuries can cause issues and State 's and even maybe in Chapel Hill. Please coaches show me you know a little about football offense.  Run plays that suit your quarterback you have on the field.  Neither coach has shown me that they know much about the game only they known one type system.

Game Lived Up To The Billing

Tonight in Tarboro two giants in their respective divisions one a perennial state championship. Contender the other team  close but not quite to state championship quality.  Both teams were able to score on two of their three processions and the Vikings took a 15-14 halftime over Southern Nash.  A third quarter field goal gave the Firebirds the lead at 17-14 heading in  the fourth quarter.

Tarboro retook the lead with 8:26 to place but they could not keep the Firebirds out of the enzone so with 2:06 play in the game Southern Nash was ahead. 24-23.  Tarboro can't recover giving up a touchdown that late.

If you pull for the Vikings then this one point loss to a powerful 3-A school is not the end of the world.  Even though they win this one even a great 1-A school should be no match for a 3-A school looking to go deep in the playoffs. You can do all the analyzing  you want this was a super matchup win or lose.  Southern Nash wins 24-23.

Tonight in Charleston SC the  Campbell volleyball team goes to 2-0 in the Big South as they beat Charleston Southern 3-0 25-23-25-23-25-18.  the Lady Camels are now 11-7 on the season as just two games into conference play they have won 50 per cent more games this year over last  7 to 11.  The Camels head up to Conway where they play Coastal Carolina at 2pm Saturday afternoon.

Saturday morning at the Northern Nash baseball field they will be having a old timers baseball game at 10:30 am.  Players from out  of the past will get out the Ben Gay Saturday afternoon will try to prove they still have what it takes.

Ten Years Later It's Still Northern Rocky Mount

It has been almost ten years now since Nash Central set up right in the middle between Northern and Rocky Mount.  Central has had their moments but regardless the top rivalry in this area is Northern/Rocky Mount. I have been reminded that I have not mentioned on this blog that Northern beat Rocky Mount in soccer this week 4-2 and that I had not mentioned that volley ball at Northern won last week 3-0 over the Gryphons.  Since I hadn't spoke on those games I have not also let everyone know Rocky Mount tennis beat Northern.

Carolina needs a win badly and they travel toVirginia Tech a team that so far this year hasn't scored a bunch on anybody.  Their good news is that still play defense in Blacksburg.  If Tech scores a bundle in this one it will be a deadly sign for the Tar Heel Defense.  VAT 23 Carolina 13

N C StateTravels Winston to take on the struggling Demon Deacons.  State has not won there since the days of Philip Rivers.  I think the Pack finally  finds a victory but it may be close.  Pack 26 Wake19

Talk about a true trap game but the Pirates travel to Middle Tennessee St who lost to Carolina in the second week.  If the Pirates are still celebrating they could get thumped.  Don't think it happens.  ECU 38MTS28

Lagrange heads to Rocky Mount to meet the Battling Bishops of NCW.    Wish I could pick Wesleyan I can't.  LaGrange  23 NCW 14.

I guess we can add this game now that the Pentagon says it is ok for Army to travel to Boston College and we think Army should have stayed on the Hudson River.  BC 31 USMA 13 .

The interesting game of the weekend is the deserters Maryland heading south to Florida St.  Leaning hard to pick the Terps but I won' t.  FSU38 Maryland 35

Other games:

Clemson at Syracuse: Clemson had not be looking this game as if there is any chance for any ACC  team that can be in the running for the BCS championship game both Clemson, Miami and Florida State much win the games that are not  the so called glamor games.  Clemson  42 The Cuse 22.

Georgia Tech at Miami :  GT failed to beat VAT home so you would figure they won't in  Miami.  Canes 34 GAT 17 .

Looks like Todd Gurley is out this week after spraining his ankle against LSU

Slim Schedule This Friday

There are only a couple of high school games on the schedule this week but boy is one of them the game of the year or what?

Little bitty Tarboro Vikings 4-1 will play host to Southern Nash 5-0 the preseason Big East 3-A
favorites and they have done nothing to make any one think they can't win the Big East.  Don't feel sorry for the five straight 2-A finalist Vikes.   Already having beaten two Big East teams and with almost every other school in the area off expect an over flow crowd.  This game has all the makings of the best game of the year.  Tarboro in beating Northern and Nash Central had trouble moving the ball.  I would suspect that will prevail again in this one.  Frankly I don't expect Southern to score much either.  SN 20 Tarboro 14 .

SouthWest Edgecombe who took last week off heads to the beach as they take on East Carteret.   SWE has played one of the toughest schdules in the area needs together back on the winning trail.  I think they will. SWE 26 East Carteret 14.

The final game in the area has Rocky Mount Academy heading to Lasker.   Those who don't know the area and if you hear someone from that area say where they are from everyone thinks they said  Alaska.  That part of Northampton County has several big time names like Milwaukee.  Northeast Academy sits right beside Valley Pine Golf Club.  Interesting that Chris Daughtry who's grand parents live just down the road from the school actually did a concert on the baseball field right after he was on American Idle since my step mother lives a half mile down the road the Doughtie's were there for that.  I think Northeast is having their best football season in years but I think RMA is on a mission. RMA 52 NEA 12.

After last week   7-1 my over all guessing runs my record to  43-8 .

Finally The East/West All Star football which is sponsored by the NC Coaches Association will be returning to Grimsley High in Greensboro where the all star game has been played every year since  1949 until last year.  Grimsey had summer construction going on and the game in 2013 was played in High Point.

Gainey Wins NCHSAA Regional Award

Last week during the NCHSAA Regional  3 meetings Rocky Mount High Athletic Director and head basketball coach  Michael Gainey won the regions Distinguished Service Award.  Gainey who as basketball coach has won two state basketball titles during his tenure as head basketball coach has taught and held several coaching positions in his career at Rocky Mount High.  The award was given for his efforts serving the NCHSAA?

Also last week in another regional meeting long time Greenville Rose supporter Marvin Jarman was given a Special Persons award in his support of Rose High School.  Those close to any school that plays Rose knows Jarman sits on the bench, stands  on the sidelines or sits in the dugout of every Rose sporting event in football, basketball and baseball game.  He told me several years ago if a football and basketball game were played the same night he would go to the most important game first. Jarman graduated from Rose in the early 70's and has never missed a football game and not more than ten total misses in basketball and baseball combined.  Surly if there was ever a special person Marvin is it.

College Basketball practice started yesterday and we are about 40 days before the first college basketball games of the year.  I don't understand why basketball needs 40 days of practice while football only gets about 25 days before their first games.  Seems to me that football you have a lot more plays to learn than basketball so should've the practice time be reversed?

The  longest winning streak in NC high school football has ended.  Northern Guilford who had won 31 straight games  had to forfeit their win of their game on September 13th after having play too many JV players on varsity

Have you heard this that the Franchise Harlem Globetrotters has been sold to a Corporation that owns several amusement parks.  No it is not Disney but the company that owns Dollywood and several more.  I bet you thought Dolly Parton Owned Dollywood but not any more .t