Fike Falls From The Unbeatens

I questioned on this blog Monday the quality of the Fike boys undefeated 12-0 team as to who they had beaten this year to prepare them for the Big East Basketball Season.  Tonight Fike traveled to Southern Nash and the Firebirds were ready to give the Golden Demons all they wanted. Southern Knocks Fike into the loss column for the first time with a 50-49 win.  The Southern girls pick up their first conference win beating the Lady Golden Demons 53-48 .

Rocky Mount and Nash Central boys have already met before Christmas with the Gryphons winning by 12 on a neutral court at Northern Nash.  Tonight Rocky Mount travels to the Bulldog gym and you would think tonight this is the Bulldogs chance but not so.  Rocky Mount dominant the Bulldogs 53-27.  Yes that score is right.  Seems every rebound belonged to the Gryphons.

Two of those teams looking to challenge Northern met for the second time this year and for the second time Rocky Mount wins a close one 52-45 over Nash Central.  Carmen Richardson led the Gryphons with 26 points.  So after the first night of Conference Northern,Rocky Mount and Southern  all are tied for first in the Big East.

Northern Nash girls started on the road in what might have proven to be at the second best team in the Big East when they traveled to Hunt.  The Lady Knights start off Big East Conference play with a 57-40 victory over the Lady Warriors.  If it proves out Hunt is second best in the conference then it looks like a log jam fighting for second.

I promised that we would look at local high school players who now play college basketball and today we look toward Charlotte and Queens College.  Tia Hudgins was a small forward/power forward when playing at a Rocky Mount.  The 5'8" player has had to adjust to playing guard in college and Tia is doing rather well. Queens is 4-7 so far this season and Hudgins is averaging 8.6 points per game. while in high school Hudgins had a magnet in her hand and she always knew where the rebounds were going to be.  She hasn't lost that trait at Queens as she is averaging 6.8 rebounds per game.

The Next Week Of NFL Playoffs

We get another weekend of Saturday/Sunday double headers this weekend as the four teams that got byes must be ready to face teams that already have playoff wins under their belt.  I was three and one last weekend and let's see where we are heading this weekend. Let's get it started with the home team Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers get a home game against a team that has two offensive players back in Davis and Crabtree.  You could see what those two do for Colin Caepernick.  All of a sudden he is not in a slump any more.  Winning hides flaws and really this winning ways for the Carolina Panthers has come from the defense not the offense.  Yes Cam has had two winning drives the last two games but quite frankly if the defense didn't keep'em in the game those winning drives would never happen.

SteveSmith'sinjury hampers the offense for the  Cats. I know the Panthers won the division but I think they would be better off with a team full of players never in the playoffs they would be better served to have played last week.  Do you honestly believe this games is 10-9 again this time.  Carolina might get ten but the 9'ers will get more than nine.  SF 27 Panthers 10.

Last time New Orleans play in Seattle they got slaughtered.  The Saints got their first playoff road will but they will not get their second one this year.  Seattle has too much defense for Drew and company.  One thing that Russell Wilson does for Seattle he doesn't  lose the game like a Dalton will in Cincinnati.  He let 's the D control the game and scores enough to win.  Seattle 26 New Orleans 17.

Indianapolis at New England sends the miracle team Indy to New England who lost another defender this week for the year. I can't see a team giving 45 surviving on the road but look I don't see the Patriots being all that good either.  I think some how or other New England gets another Brady tuck rule call and wins.  Pats 34 Indy 27

Talking about somebody who has pressure on him this week but Peyton Manning needs to back up this season with a Super Bowl win but do you really believe the Broncos D can hold down San Diego after Von Miller is out for the Broncs. Philip Rivers is 2-0 against Manning in playoff games and he has won five of the last seven trips to Denver.  I'm telling you San Diego defense  which has had all their starters in the lineup for the last five games which are five wins.  Denver only had three games all season that they scored less than 30.  28,27 and 20. San Diego D was the 28 and 20.    I believe in the Bolo magic.The Chargers are the non bye week team that is going to win it all if the D stays Healthy.  Chargers 35 Denver 27.

Extra Effort

Yes Northern Nash's Alexus Hill was the "Extra Effort " award winner this week from Tom Suiter and WRAL TV.  Patricia Haggerty the athletic director at Northern who was Alexus coach during volleyball season said that in her 20 years at Northern that Alexus is probably the best girl athlete at Northern during that time. She should know she been there for all of the girls that have passed through Northern.  Alexus is about more than just an athlete.  Suiter did an excellent job on this story.

The Big East begins basketball conference play Friday with Rocky Mount traveling to Nash Central.  Hunt will host Northern Nash and Fike travels to Southern Nash.  After Friday Monday through Thursday is exams so the next basketball action in next Friday the 17th.

I don't know if you got the feeling I had during the BCS championship game that Brent Musburger wanted Auburn and the SEC to win.  How many times did he say Auburn was playing for the 4th quarter because Florida State didn't have  to play any conference game this year in the 4th.  Certainly he was implying the ACC wasn't good enough to prepare FSU for the 4th quarter quality of the SEC.  Did anybody notice The Seminoles won the 4th Quarter 21-10.  Just maybe the Auburn conference teams they played didn't prepare them for the ACC champs.

I am going to try to update you from here on out during basketball on local players playing in college.  
Today we are going to look at Nash Central's Trey Sumler the redshirt junior for Western Carolina. Trey started the season on suspension for an on campus incident but the 6'2" guard is averaging 19.8 points per game.  Those of you that saw Trey play for Nash Central might remember Trey could bomb it from anywhere on the court.  He is hitting 43 per cent of his threes and is averaging 4
rebounds and four assists.  Trey's game is an NBA style so as a redshirt junior Trey might draw interest and who knows he just might declare for the NBA this spring.  He started this season having scored 1439 points in his college career for the Catamounts.

ACC Football

The ACC took a big step in shutting up the SEC?  The ACC was 2-0 in the BCS games while the SEC was 0-2.  To make this lingo in basketball terms since we live the ACC basketball country Auburn and Alabama losing BCS games is like Duke and Carolina losing on the same weekend in the NCAA basketball playoffs.

I do however believe the  SEC losing is good for college football.  Those of you that remember that the best thing that ever happen to college basketball was NC State beating UCLA and knocking down ironically the seven year rein of the Bruins as National Champions.  Since 1974 no team has won more than four titles which has opened up the hope that if you get in the NCAA tournament you have a shot.

Now that the football is going to a four team playoff here is my view of what will happen in the future.  Three or four years from now there will be cry to expand to eight teams and not long after that 16.  When college football gets to 16 teams in that will be the equivavent of 64 in the basketball tournament 12 of those 16 will have a legitimate chance to win the playoff college football will sky rocket.

Women's college basketball will never become a big time money making sport until more than one team can win the title.  Over the years it has been Tennessee then Connecticut as the favorites every year.  I understand that the top teams draw more people so regionals are always near the top teams home.  Back in the day when UCLA was winning all the titles in the men's basketball they were the only team west of the Mississippi and always hosted the west regional. As good as they were then who can beat them on their home court to get to the final four.  Who can beat the Connecticut women in a regional in Connecticut every year.

Who Beat Who Now

Last week we took a look at all 12 teams that made the playoffs and how their won-loss record against each other stacked up.  San Diego had the best over all record but had to play a team on the road that ironically had beaten them.  Didn't matter the team with the best record won San Diego.

Now a week later let's look at who is left and how they stack up against each other.  We will start with San Diego.  They split during the season with Denver losing at home 20-28 but won in December in Denver 27-20. That is an overall score of 56-55 Denver in the two matchups.  San Diego beat Indy in
San Diego 19-9.  They did not play New England.  2-1 overall record amongst AFC team left.

Denver is where you really have to start wondering about the great year Denver had and how good was it really.  1-1 with San Diego.  lost 33-39 to Indy and loss 31-34 at New England.  Peyton Manning is 0-2 against Philip Rivers in playoff games.  1-3 against the other AFC teams.

Indianapolis lost at San Diego 9-19 beat Denver 39-33.  Did not play New England.  1-1 against the other AFC playoff teams.


New England beat Denver 34-31 in New England so they stand 1-0.  You just might say New England did't play too many teams that were good.





Over in the NFC Carolina lost opening day at home to Seattle 7-12.  Split with New Orleans losing
On Bourbon street 13-31 winning at home 17-13.  Beat San Francisco 10-9 in Frisco. 2-2 against the survivors.

New Orleans split with Carolina winning at home 31-13 and losing in Carolina 17-13.  New Orleans beat SF 23-20 but lost 34-7 at Seattle.  2-2 against each other.

Seattle beat Carolina 12-7 at Carolina.  Crushed New Orleans in Seattle 34-7.  Split with SF losing in Frisco 17-19 but won at home 29-3. 3-1  against the other foes.

San Francisco split with Seattle winning 19-17 and losing in the Great Northwest 29-3. Lost at home to Carolina 9-10.  Lost to The Saints 23-20 .  1-3

If you use the crystal ball of stats to make predictions look for the Super Bowl to have two NC State quarterbacks facing off against each other. Peyton got his work cut out to throw TD's against the Chargers.

Typical NFL Playoff Weekend

Two games end on the last play of the game with field goals.  Three visiting teams win and oh yeah one was down by 28 with 26 minutes to play and won.  The weather was not quite as bad as thought  in Cincinnati until the home team got behind.

Andrew Luck's name will now join the ever lasting list of comebacks as Luck and the Colts managed to get enough Chiefs players out of the game to make you think KC had their second team in at the end like last week.  Indy now gets prime time Saturday night against New England at 8:00 pm.

New Orleans won their first road playoff game ever on  a last play field goal against Philly.  There has to be no more agony for any team knowing that there is nothing you can do but hope for a miss on the winning field goal.  The Saints play at Seattle 4:30 Saturday.

The sunshine boys the San Diego Chargers got a break again Sunday as the weather was not as bad as expected but when it did start pouring rain they took over the game in the second half.  A healthy defense made life miserable for Andy Dalton.  Chargers return to Denver Sunday night at 4:30pm

Yes is was four degrees and the 7th coldest game in history but weather really didn't  play a part as San Fran kicks a field goal on the last play and the Packers had to endure not being able to stop the 9er's down the stretch  and by not doing so had to know with two minutes to go they were beat.  San Francisco comes to Charlotte at 1pm Sunday.  I missed the New Orleans game to go 3-1.

Most of my radio/tv life I have covered one team but over the last seven years or so as I have been game of the week type games.  One game this season as I flashed my media pass to work the game
the ticket taker said to me.  This must be a big game if Tony Doughtie is in the house.  That being
said Tom Suiter was in Nash County last week. You know what that means when Tom comes to town it is for the WRAL TV's "Extra Effort Award".  Can't say who it is but you can find out Tuesday night during the 6:20 sports.

Real Basketball Starts Friday

Big East conference basketball starts Friday and to this point half of the boys teams have lost more than they have won. Southern Nash who at 4-9 will host the only undefeated team in the Big East Fike  who stands 12-0 but 11 of those wins have been  to 1-A and 2-A schools.  They did beat Hunt in a Holiday Tournament last week by two so to this point Fike remains untested.  They sure are putting up numbers in Wilson with the football team going 10-1 in the regular season and now 12-0 in basketball.

Northern Nash 6-7 travels to Hunt 6-3.  Northern May have lost Paul Cherry with a knee injury last week and the Knights are holding their breath waiting on the results of an upcoming MRI. Hunt's three losses have come to some good teams.

Rocky Mount 6-4 travels to Nash Central 4-8 Friday.  These two have already played each other in the Nash County Chrismas Tournament with the Gryphons winning by 12.

There is only one girls team with a losing record Southern Nash 5-6 as they will host Fike 7-5 on Friday.   Northern Nash 9-1 will open at Hunt 5-3.  This week senior Alexus Hill went over 1000 points for the Lady Knights and she received  a plaque honoring her before their game Friday against
Southern Vance.  Rocky Mount 6-4 travels to Nash Central 8-3.  One of those losses on the Bulldogs occurred in the Christmas Tournament but this one is on the Bulldogs home floor.

This Saturday Northern Nash will be hosting a baseball clinic that starts at 9:30 and will go until 3:30.  The cost is $40 which includes lunch.  There will be 12 instructors and the guest speaker will be Jerry Sands a Smithfield Selma High school graduate who last year played AAA baseball in Indianapolis in the Pittsburgh Pirate Organization.  Just the day before Christmas he was picked up by the Tampa Bay Rays.

Sands 26 years old is a 276 hitter career hitter in the minors and has played all three outfield positions plus first base. Sands played his college base at Catawba College and was drafted by the LA Dodgers and has played in the Red Sox,Pirates and now Tampa. Should be a fun day.