Third Game Ends With Cut Day

September 1st is cut day in the NFL when teams must reduce their rosters to 75.  The next and final cut comes on September 5th which comes after every teams fourth preseason game and the team rosters are set at 53.  Three players from Tarboro  will have their hearts in their throats waiting  for word whether they have made NFL rosters.

Jacoby Cofield the tackle from Duke and in camp of the Washington Redskins is shown as the third team right tackle  as of the latest depth chart provided by the Redskins.  Cofield has to say the least is a long shot making the team for if you have three lineman at center, two guards and two tackles on the field when the offense is playing.  Most NFL teams carry about nine lineman on  a 53 man roster. The big question is can he make the team on special teams and for a 310 pound lineman running down field on punts or kick offs is doubtful.

Shawn Draughn is still on the roster of the Cleveland Browns.  So far the Browns have not listed a depth chart so it is hard to see what the feelings are of the coaching staff of the Browns.  Draughn so far in his three years has made the teams playing special teams and you would think that is  His best chance and maybe being a third down back.

Todd Gurley has not see the playing field so far in either of the two St Louis Rams preseason games.  All indications are he is being held out of actions as long as possible in preseason games in order his surgically repaired knee came heal as long as possible.  He has  taken part in every practice so far in camp but has not had any contact to date.  I suspect he will see his first action opening day maybe limited until they can see how his knee reacts to contact.  If all goes well he gets more carries in game two they will probably start him game three.

Yesterday during our baseball review we did not report on Isaiah White of Greenfield Academy in Wilson.  He has now played in 31 games for the Marlins in the Gulf Coast League.  He has batted 111 times with 34 hits and his batting average is 306.  The has stroked two triples and seven doubles but he has  struck out 38 times.

The final figures are in on the impact that Tiger Woods had on the city of Greensboro and CBS last weekend during the Wyndom Golf Tournament.  During a normal year the Greensboro tournament averages about One hundred thousand during the whole week including practice rounds.  Once Woods told officials he was playing they had to print and extra fifty thousand tickets giving total attendance for the week of one hundred fifty thousand.  Many concession  stands over the weekend gave out of brew and food any extra parking had to be supplied  as far as five blocks from the course.

CBS hit a bonanza as last weekends tournament was the most watched regular tour event since 2013 and registered a 3.9 rating.  It was the biggest golf ratings for CBS for any regular event since 2012.  Just goes to prove everyone wants to watch the old man Davis Love III..

Cuthrell' s Season Is Over

Collins Cuthrell's first season in pro baseball playing in an independent league trying to impress any major league team to sign him is over.  Saturday he broke his arm and has been put on the Florence Kentucky Freedom's 60 day disabled list.  Since the baseball season in the minors ends Labor Day weekend just two weeks from now his season is over.

Out of action Cuthrell needed some team to show interest in him and send him to fall ball but now unable to play no team will be willing to sign him.  More than likely he will probably have to start out again next season again in the Frontier League and hope he has a good enough season to attract interest.

Not sure exactly how the injury happened but in Saturday's game box score he only batted twice in the game and was hit once by a pitch.  He finishes his first season having batted 210 times in 58 games and played mostly in the outfield and batted 271.  He ledthe team with nine home runs, had two triples and 12 doubles.  He led the team in base on balls with 49.

Hobbs Johnson Has started 22 times pitching in Biloxi Mississippi  for his major league team the Milwaukee Brewers and has a record of 7-6 with and ERA of 3:38. He has pitched 112 innings with one complete game.  He had struck out 92 batters .

Benton Moss on the verge of wrapping up his first summer in pro baseball is 2-2 pitching in Hudson Valley just north of New York City and south of Albany NY.  He has tossed 43 plus innings with a 2.27 ERA which is excellent.  He has pitched in 11 games starting 7 striking 48 and has walked only 10.  I have a feeling Benton will start next season in the upper A level next season.

Brian Goodwin has had a struggle all year.  He started the year coming off major shoulder surgery last season and started out in AA Harrisburg and what was suppose to happen as he got more and more playing time and his average shot up the Washington National wanted to send him back to AAA Syracuse but his batting average has never risen to AAA  caliber and as the season comes to and end he remains mired in Harrisburg PA.

He is hitting 228 having clubbed 7 home runs four triples which is tied for the team lead and 13 doubles.  He has struck out 80 times in his 358 at bats which for a lead off hitter is not getting the job done.

Drive For Show Putt For Dough

There is no doubt that Greensboro felt the power of Tiger Woods this weekend at the Wyndom Championship which happens to be the last regular season tournament and the phrase of the weekend was "make the top 125".

They broke all kinds of attendance records and more than half were on whatever hole Tiger was playing.  Tiger lit up the scoreboard on Thursday and Friday and by Saturday looked as if the Triad area came out in force to watch Tiger.

Sedgefield would be considered a drive and chip course for the pros.  Everyone that made the cut were under par.  Tiger as he glides toward 40 years old has lost very little off his driver.  He is still an excellent player when he has an iron in his hand and he had a great weekend with birdie opportunities.  It is the putter that now is his biggest enemy.  He didn't make enough birdie putts as everybody else did.

Why does anyone golfer a weekend hacker or pro lose the putting stroke as you age.  Might be lining up the putts you can't see the grain of the putts the way you use too.  We all when the doctor says you need glasses seem embarrass that our body is failing us but in order to function in life start with the bifocals.  Our body motion during the swing of the club just doesn't follow through like it use too.

Tied for the lead starting Saturday Tiger had what seemed like birdie putts of 10 to 15 feet on every hole.  His last ten birdie putts he made one.  You know his playing partner on Saturday Tom Hoge shot the exact score that everyone that plays with Tiger in the final two rounds in the last group shoots 72.  Tiger's 68 got left behind with all the 64's or better everyone else shot.

Sunday playing the next to last group his playing partner Scott Brown told everyone on the third hole he wasn't intimidated by Tiger making a hole in one.  Nobody else was either as Tiger kept missing birdies enough players were and passed Tiger by.

Don't feel sorry for Tiger that despite not making the top 125 and automatically winning a tour card for next year.  There are 36 other ways to win a tour card.  Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson all  still hold cards.  Tiger has three more years on his victory in the 2013 Players Championship.  If he fails to win a tournament in the next three years he then falls into to exemption of having 20 career wins and that gives him a lifetime right to play any PGA Tour event.

All the talk of the body functions at close to forty years old failing golfers and all of us alike the old man of the weekend Davis Love puts together one more weekend to pass everybody by and win.  He becomes the third oldest pro to ever win a PGA Tour event.  He reminds us that all those old guys can still play the game.  It is a matter of whether they can do it for four straight days.

Friday Night Wrap

There are one half of all teams playing high school football in North Carolina with one loss under their belt after the first week.  Some cases their losses will be considered the first sign that this could be a long football Season because they not as good as everyone thought.  There are other cases that the loss was administered by a team that is really good and losing teams played well in defeat.

The other side of the coin is the team that whomped up on a team not very good so a big win may not be as impressive as the score makes it look.  Some cases a close win came against a very good team so there is a lot to look forward to as we head to week two.  Let's look at the results from Friday.

Rocky Mount Academy:  Lost their first game in more than two full seasons.  They lost to the team that may well be best team in eight man football this year.  They were in the game until fourth quarter got away from them.  May show how 28 players on roster last year and only 20 this year will be an issue.

Nash Central:  Rome wasn't built in one night.  One trait that Chris Lee showed Friday that he has learned from the master.  B W Holt scored almost in every game on the first drive which shows pre game preparation.  The Bulldogs score on their first drive.  They have potential to make a move forward to respectability this year.

Northern Nash:  Randy Raper all during his coaching career has been a pound, pound, pound it up the middle coach.  Since he has been at Northern he just has never had the type linemen to pound the football.  Running a more wide open offense for the first time the Knights were shutout at Corinth Holders.  May not be all that bad as Holders just might be a major factor this year

Rocky Mount Prep:  When you don't have a long history and most of your good history has been against the team you open the season against you want to get off to a good start.  The Jags did and stand at 1-0.  They still have hope to win as many as you lose this season.

Rocky Mount:  The biggest question the Gryphons have are they really as good as the licking they laid on South Granville or is SG not so hot this year.  Sure is better to win and play next week 1-0 against a team you will get an answer from about how good you are.  Sure did get a first game under their belt about as good as any coach could expect.

Southern Nash:  Looks as if the Firebirds just might have a nice passing game to suppliment their running game.  You look at any running team whenever they can can pass on third down and get a first down they are hard to beat.

SouthWest Edgecombe:  Any team that can cross the Chowan River and come home with a win against the Edenton Aces they are off to a good  start.

North Edgecombe:  Did what they had to do in beating a team badly that lately everyone beats.

Tarboro:  Starting  their third year as a 1-A team they once again show that their program is as good as any  in North Carolina.  They are mighty young but are Tarboro T bred.

One Streak Ends The Other Alive but Not Well

A new era of football has hit Nash Central and the Bulldogs looked like a new team as they did something in the first quarter that I don't recall they did very much last season and that was lead a football game.  The Bulldogs took a 6-0 lead and as the game got closer to the Half Tarboro started  to take control.  It was all Tarboro at the half taking a 28-6 lead.

Tarboro plays like the Vikings always play hiding the football and the second half they hit the 40 point mark beating Nash Central 40-12.  The Losing streak for Nash Central hits 25 games.

Rocky Mount opened their 2015 football season by getting the ball four times in the first half at South Granville and scored all four times and when the defense was on the field they bottled  South Granville's offense to only two first downs.  It was 28-0 at the half.

There was no letup in the third quarter as Rocky Mount adds two more scores in shutting out South Granville 45-0.  The biggest question mark this year for the Gryphons was the defense but a shutout  gives Gryphon fans hope and the offensive unit looked impressive with new quarterback Forest Bell under center

Rocky Mount Academy playing under new head coach Terrell Hudgins got knocked around quickly in the first quarter as Parrott Academy scored to take a 14-0.  The Eagles settled down and score just before the half to trail 14-7.

A early touchdown but a blocked point after the score was 14-13 early third quarter.Unable to stop Parrott they extended the lead to 22-13 but that was short lived as RMA returned the Kickoff for a td and made the score 22-21.  The Eagles playing inspired ball can't stop Parrott when needed.  Parrott gets revenge over their two losses against RMA  last season and the Eagle's winning streak
that started back in 2013 is over. Parrott   Wins 56-35.

Others scores:
Corinth Holders. 21-0 over Northern Nash
Fike 43-Bunn  42
Hunt 28-20 over Lumberton
Southern Nash 43 Northwood 28
SouthWest Edgecome 37 Edenton Holmes 27
Rocky Mount Prep 38- Kipp Pride 12
North Edgecombe 56 Northwest Halifax 0

Golf's Young Lions

This past weekend Jason Day won the  Professional Golfers Championship one of the four majors of Golf.  Day finished in the top five in all four major championship this year.  He was in contention in the U.S. Open until he had a bout with vertigo which became survival more than any thing else.     He had a tremendous year  but it was not the best on tour.

Jordan Speith won the Masters and the U.S. Open.  He almost won the British Open but missed the playoff by one shot.  He finished second last weekend in the PGA  after shooting 17 under par.  He lost to Day who shot the lowest score ever in a major tournament.  Just 22 who in the world wouldn't want to be in Speith shoes with his future.

Watching on TV Whistling Straits looked like one of the hardest courses you could ever want to play.  How hard is the course really when the winning score was the lowest ever in a major.  Almost half the field were under par so how hard is this course?

If the pros can tear it up what was the secret?.  Stay out of the rough.  The hard looking part of the course is being off the course.  There were some spots that nobody ever needs to face.  The hole with the sand trap right beside Lake Michigan eight feet below the hole was a killer if you hit it there but plenty of birdies were made if you were on the green.

Should a major be play on what was proven to be an easy scoring course?  My answer would be no.  Even though it looked tough the scores were about what you are going to see this week in Greensboro.  Would it ever happen to play a PGA championship at Sedgefield?  I doubt it.

I would rather see a major championship played on a course that is a test to make par.  Then to me we find out who the true great golfers are.  I don't want to see long hitters chip on greens and one putt or putt for Eagles on every par five.

Tonight high school football kicks off so tonight also puts Rocky Mount native Tom Suitor back in the saddle on WRAL at 11:35.   They will be covering 50 games.  That will be about 20 seconds per game.  Look quick for your favorite teams highlites.

High School Football Time

It's the opening week of the high school football season and at this point every team is undefeated, thinks they will go undefeated all season and they have no idea how good they really are. So as a guess picker like all the other experts the first game is always your guess is as good as mine.

Rocky Mount @ South Granville:  Last year this was a 40-0 win for RM.  The  Gryphons went on to a 8-5 record and SG 7-5.  Should be a Gryphon win but no blowout like last year   Rocky Mount 27 South Granville 7.

Corinth Holders @ Northern Nash:  Knights won this game 24-20 last season heading to a 5-6 season.  Holders finished 9-4.  This is a hard one to call.  Northern no longer running a pound it up the middle Randy Raper football but spreading the field.  The Knights question is quarterback.  Holders will be good again Corinith Holders 24 Northern Nash 14.

Tarboro @ Nash Central:  This is not a powerhouse Tarboro team and Nash Central has new commanders in charge. The Vikings were 10-4 last season and will once again benefit their tough non conference schedule when conference time comes.  The Bulldogs will be improved and this might be a close one to the end.  The losing streak at Nash Central is close to ending but not tonight.  Tarboro 26 Nash Central 14.

Southern Nash @Northwood:  last season the Firebirds were 9-4 and and the Chargers were 9-4. This is a good test to start any season.  This is an even game at Northwood as they went far in 3-A playoffs  last season.  I think the Firebirds have the fire power to take this one 36-20.

SouthWest Edgecombe hits the road heading to the first state Capitol of North Carolina Edenton to take on the Aces.  John A Holmes has a  tradition similar to Tarboro as the town loves football.  If the Cougars hold on to the ball they win 26-20.

Northwest Halifax @ North Edgecombe.  The Warriors were 9-4 last season while NW was 0 for the season.  A rout last year and again this season North Edgecombe 40 Northwest Halifax 0

The two time defending eight man football champions Rocky Mount Academy Eagles open at home against the team they won the title over last year Arendell Parrott Academy.   I don't think anyone expects and undefeated season again for the Eagles .  First game as the decision maker for Terrell Hudgins.  This game is probably against the best team in the conference right off the bat and Parrott will win this one.  This is no way an indication that the Eagles will not be good.  Parrott 63 RMA 36.