Are The Panthers For Real?

Just a month and a half ago all of us Carolina Panther fans had relegated ourselves to another season lost.  In five short weeks the Panthers have won five games in a row and most of those five have been the butt kicking kind like 38-0 over the Giants.  Here is the good news about this win streak.  It has been lead by the defense.  With the exception of the Broncos just about every division leader has a good defense first.

Cam Newton has shown improvement but this winning streak is not totally  Cam.  Yes, the offense has a running game which helps Newton.  There is however a major change in the Panther approach with Newton.  They have cut down on the length  of Newton's passes.  They have gone to the ten yards down field instead of show us how far you can throw it and those passes were incomplete.

Earlier in the lost to Buffalo where the Bills drove 90 yards in less than two minutes the Panthers were a simple play zone and hope they don't throw one over our heads.  That is called a prevent defense and all that prevents is you winning the game.

Somewhere along the way the Panthers changed the direction the offense was going and the way the defense attacked the other teams offense.  More pressure instead of laying back and when you look what both sides of the ball have done in improving this team looks like a real contender.

If the playoffs started your Carolina Panthers would be the number five seed and travel to Dallas. As you know every week who's in and who's out changes.  There is one thing that should give all Panther fans hope as with seven weeks to go the Panthers are a healthy team.

The hope of every NFL team is win enough games to make the playoffs and if we get hot we just might win the Super Bowl.  Most of the time the hot team is the healthiest team left in the playoffs. Let's all hope the Panthers stay healthy.  If they do they might just surprise us all and make the playoffs.

New Format Does No Favors For Big East

We all wanted to get rid of the POD and that wish was granted.  The results will not favor the Big East. I would like to say that there is no perfect way when there are more teams in any playoff and there are several not deserving to be in it.  I do however favor this method being used where all the conference champions are seeded by record And then the second place and so forth.

Hunt is the only conference member that will be favored in their first round game and as conference champs draw the only home game.  They will host Terry Sanford from  Fayetteville who brings in a 4-7 record.  Sanford is one of those traditional 4-A schools similar to Rocky Mount that has dropped to 3-A with all the new schools built in Fayetteville reducing their size.

If there is one team that can say who did we make mad is Fike.  Ten and one one this season  and they don't even get to play home the first game as they travel to Lee County who will host with a nine and two record.

Rocky Mount will travel to Hillsbourgh to take on Orange who stands at ten and one while the Gryphons will come in eight and three.  You have to give it to Jason Batle as his first two years as Gryphon coach has produced 16 victories.  Number 17 will be hard to come by.

Southern Nash travels to Swansboro who is another one of those coastal schools growing due to the rush of people to live at the beach.  Topsoil is another of those schools that recently were either 1-A. Or 2-A that has moved up while most in this area are dropping.  There is one thing this year the Big East can do is prove as they have in the past that they are the best football conference in the east and win. two or more games next weekend.

Hunt has made it all the way to the Eastern Finals in Soccer. As they beat White Oak 2-1 to advance to meet Jacksonville later this week for the right to go the the State Finals

The college basketball season ifs off and running and the Louisville Cardinals are off to a good start as North Edgecombe basketball player Montrezl Harrell played  33 minutes for the Cardinals and scored ten points and had ten rebounds.  Montrezl as a sophomore was named one of the tri-captains of the team with two other senior players.

New Playoff Format

They got rid of the POD system so as we look at this brackets for the State High School playoffs there is not a team in site that any of our local teams have ever play in the early rounds of the playoffs. Rocky Mount as the Big East #3 seed is heading to Hillsbourgh to play the #3 overseed eastern team in Orange High. Orange had been unbeaten until last night when they lost for the first time. They come in at 10-1 while the Gryphons are 8-3 The Big East #1 seed is the only team that will get a home game as the #4 over all seed Warriors will host 4-7 Terry Sanford. So some 4-7 teams have made the playoff so is there hope for Northern Nash. The answer is no. The Knights football season is over. Fike lost for the first time last night an as a reward for their good season they get to travel to Lee County who is 8th seed while Fike is 9th seeded. Fike is 10-1 and Lee county is 9-2. All three top three seeds from the Big east are in the 3-AA bracket. Southern nash who makes the playoffs as a best of the rest category and is seeded 11th in the 3-A travels to Swansboro who like Southern is 8-3 but seeded 6th overall. How did everyone else is the area fare. Tarboro will be the #1 overall seed in the 1AA and will host 3-8 Spring Creek. North Edgecombe 5-5 is in playing 1-A and they get a home game against East Columbus 4-7. SouthWest Edgecombe is in by the skin of their teeth as they are the last team in, in the 2-AA. They draw the top team in 2-A T W Andrews 9-1. Beddingfield is in they get a home game against Graham 5-6. Rocky Mount Academy plays for their first State Championship in 8 man private school football as they will be playing Southhampton Academy from Courtland Virginia. They met about three weeks ago in Courtland and RMA lost 38-6. This time the championship game will be played in Rocky Mount but at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex. Who knows this could be and opportunity for the Sports Complex to shine if they get a big turn out for this game. This could lead to just maybe the 1-A and 1-AA Eastern Finals being played in Rocky Mount every year. Rocky Mount Prep earns their first playoff football game if you call a 2-9 record earning a playoff spot. They will travel to SE Halifax who is 7-4.

Big East Champs Hunt

The greatest game in the history of the Big East 3-A football has been won by

Hunt 41-34 in double overtime as they beat their arch rival Fike in double overtime.  It started as If Hunt is in for a laugher leading  21 nothing when Fike found a will and scored late and made a two point conversion to tie 28-28 to send it to over time. Hunt wins the top seed while Fike will represent the Big East as the number two seed.

In Death Valley Rocky Mount found the only way to move the ball was through the air and was able to secure the third seed beating Northern Nash 28-7.  There was nothing pretty about this  one as Rocky Mount had three ints  and Northern returned the favor giving Rocky Mount three fumbles.

Rocky Mount jumped to a 14-0 lead but Northern cut it to 14-7 at the half.  Northern had several third quarter chances as the ball stayed on the Rocky Side of the field in the third but their chances ran out and Rocky Mount added to second half scores.  The playoff brackets will be announced around  6pm Saturday night.

RMA is headed to the state championship of eight man football as they speak by St David's 48-46 at RMA.  The state championship game will be played at the Rocky Mount Sports Complex next weekend.

Beddingfield beat SouthWest Edgecombe 31-20.  Tarboro as expected beat  North Edgecombe 47-0 to clinch  first place in the Twin Rivers.  Nash Central shocked Southern Nash  by putting 21 on the board and lead Southern 21-7 but lost second half 35-0 and the game 42-21.  Nash Central finishes the season 0-11

Former Rocky Mount Gryphon J'kyra Brown came off  the ECU bench today as the Pirate women opened up the college basketball game with a win. Brown in 19 minutes scored. 20 points to begin her college career..

Rocky  Mount Senior baseball player Will Edwards has committed to play baseball in  2015 for Chowan University.  Edwards spent most of his juNior  year with a broken foot and without Edward's bat or pitching arm Rocky Mount didn't have the year they could of had with  Will in the lineup all year.

Duke's Shot At the Big Time

Who in the world would have thunk it. Duke football is 6-2, if you remember they were 6-2 last year and after they became Bowl eligible they preceeded to lose five games in a row mainly due to the fact their schedule last year had all the heavy weights at the end of their schedule. This year their heavy weight schedule was in the beginning and they are 6-2 with State, Miami, Wake and Carolina left. They could be 10-2 or 9-3 and we all know Duke football has never been that good in your lifetime. Can they win ten during the regular season starts with Duke as a nine point favorite over State. State At Duke: I truly don't believe at 6-2 that Duke is a heavy weight but I also don't think State is playing right now to be considered a light weight. Who wins? I can't pick State until they show me they have this quarterback situation cleared up. Duke 27 State 24 FSU at Wake: This could be a trap game for the Indians because Wake is sneaky good at home. However, I think The Noles have too much to lose if they lose. Thanks to Stanford all the Noles need now is wins and they play in the BCS title game. FSU 38 Wake 13 Virginia Tech at Miami: Tech has shown you the last couple of weeks the Duke win in Blacksburg wasn't all that hot of a deal. Miami has sweaked by a few and got plastered in the second half against FSU. Miami wins only because Tech defense keeps them in game. Miami 27 Tech 13. Tulsa at ECU: The Pirates should win but State next week the Pirates may not be as good as they should. ECU 38 Tulsa 21 Notre Dame at Pitt: This is a ACC game isn't it? ND in a sweaker 24-21 Virginia at North Carolina: UVA is the best team in the ACC finding a way to lose games. If Carolina wants to win out and go to a bowl they can't afford a slip up. I think in the 4th quarter the Heels are nervous but pull it out 27-23 BC at New Mexico state: Must be a mistake playing this far from home this late in the season. NMS 35 BC 27 Syracuse at Maryland: I can't say I like either team but I sure hate the quitters Maryland I'll take the Cuse 24 Maryland 21. Tonight I will join Edward Green in the TV both as WHIG-TV will have two sets of cameras going tonight. Wes Bradshaw will be in Wilson Doing the championship game Hunt at Fike while we will cover Rocky Mount at Northern Nash See ya 2night!.

Last Chance for Some

Playoff or no playoffs that is the question. Several area schools would like to position themselves better than where they stand now to just maybe get a better matchup in the opening round. I Stand at 70-12 as we head to the last week. The average daily attendance figures are out and it is hard to judge where everyone will fall but after the Nash County realignment surely looks as if Rocky Mount is heading to the 3-AA playoffs this year. Here are the ADM's per Big East School. Hunt 1379-Rocky Mount 1333- Fike 1279- Southern Nash 1177- Nash Central 1072- Northern Nash 1069. If you divide the 3-A right down the middle Hunt, Rocky Mount and Fike will be in the AA level while Southern and Northern will go as 3-a level. Do remember one thing when deciding AA or A. It is divided by the teams eligible for the playoffs. Southern is in hold their breath mode as they could still go 3-AA. Since the redistricting in Nash County Rocky Mount this year has added about 150 while Southern has lost about 100, Nash Central about lost 75 and Northern Nash has lost about 150. Why the drop off? People continue to move away from the high unemployment areas and Nash county is still on that list. More students are choosing RM Prep and even the private schools in the area are getting more local students. Here's the games this week. Hunt at Fike. Fike has convinced me they are the best team in the Big East. They have the best offense and just maybe the best defense. Don't know whether Hunt can score enough to win this game. Fike 21 Hunt 13 Rocky Mount at Northern. I think Rocky Mount can score on Northern's defense more than I think Northern can score on Rocky Mount's defense. Still this is RM/NN. Rocky Mount 20 Northern 14. Nash Central at Southern Nash: This is a game where one team wants to get this season over while one can't afford another injury. There is no doubt Southern will win but this comes down to how many able body players Southern puts on the field Southern 26 Nash Central 7. Beddingfield at SouthWest Edgecombe: The Cougars need this one more than Beddingfield who could tie for first should Washington lose. I think Beddingfield is better. Beddingfield 26 SWE 20 St Davids at Rocky Mount Academy: It is all set up for RMA to make it to the State Championship game and never leave Rocky Mount. They beat ST David by 45 last time. About the same this time too. RMA 45-0 In the category of do we have to play these games. RM Prep at Northampton and North Edgecombe at Tarboro. Prep can't count themselves out of the playoffs yet but this game means more to Northampton 45-16 Prep loses. Jeff Craddock could start the JV's in this one and it would be a game. The JV's won't play until this one is in hand. 56-14 Tarboro.

The NFL Locker Room

I find it very hard to believe that one player in an NFL locker room could harass another player without the approval of every other player that lives within that room. Yes I believe that rookies are made to do things that the priviledge of being the elder statesman is dumped on the new kids on the block. If any team is going to succeed every member of the team has to pull his own weight. When the so called weak link in the chain isn't doing his part then the stronger links take action in order to strengthen the chain. Jonathan Martin the claimant in this case has had emotional issues in the past. I have not heard one Miami Dolphin come to the defense of Jonathan Martin the player claiming hasassment. I have heard several player defend the player suspended for harassment Richie Incognito. That tells me right there that the entire team approved of the action in order to try to make Martin a more emotional stable football player. Make him mad if need be and maybe he will become a better football player not the softy as is precieved by his team mates. You know that the NFL is a league of contradictions. ESPN shows highlights of players hitting others helmet to helmet. I know that is not a coach in America teaches tackling leading with the helmet. That is a broken neck waiting to happen for the tackler. Yet the players still tackle that way trying to jar the ball loose and then turn around and complain that they didn't know concussions were bad for your health. The NFL is a league that if you win everyone loves you and when you lose everyone thinks you are a bum. This locker room thing in Miami goes on in every locker room in the NFL. Our society is becoming a make an excuse for everyone. We can't keep score in little league because it might hurt a childs feeling that lost the game. The locker room of an NFL team only wants to win and anytime a weak link prevents that from happening that weak link will get cut. I doubt Martin will ever be wanted by any other NFL team because he can't pull his own weight. Martin is not even a rookie but a second year player so he should have at least gotten off the rookie do list. It would not surprise me that the Dolphin management approved Incognito to be the tough guy trying to toughen up Martin. Every team in the NFL only sees what good you can do for them. Someone thinks Martin could be great at some point in time or they would have cut him long ago. If you can't cut it you get cut that is plain and simple in the NFL. It is also the way of the world. If you are not cutting it in your job every company finds some way or other to get rid of you. The only problem for Joe Blow eight dollar an hour guy is nobody cares what happens to you. They can find another eight dollar an hour guy to take you place. The Dolphins have at least a half million in Martin and they would like to save their investment. I doubt Martin ever plays again for the Dolphins because his teammates will not have him as a teammate now. He has violated the code of the locker room. There is nobody that plays football could ever trust Martin as a teammate. Our world is just like an NFL locker room. If you are a working stiff working for someone else the only value you are is what you can help your company make. If you are not helping the profit line you are gone. In the NFL if you are not helping win games and because of you one of our best players is gone on suspension then you are not helping us and we will see if he ever plays for the Dolphins or any team ever again.