High School Review

There was a play in the Rose-Rocky Mount game when the score was 21-6 and the Gryphons had some momentum going where the Rose runner after a tackle was tossed out of the game.  Working on the chain crew you have to pay attention to where the ball is and that sometimes presents plays right in front of you and you don't see how  the event started.

Knowing the issues the Gryphons had last year with discipline and you look up and players are face mask to face mask with each other after a play my first thought was Oh Lord the Gryphons are faced with severe panic with the pressure Rose is applying and here we go with the failure of staying focused and we are losing our composure.  When the dust had settled the Rose player was tossed out and nothing given to the Gryphons.

If there is any evidence that this Gryphon team is a better team than last year you saw it Friday night. Last year the way the Gryphons were dominated they would have had three personal fouls before the game was over.  None Friday night.  They took their lumps from what I consider the best Rampant team since the Andre Brown team on 04.

Rose had great athletes on both sides of the line and really good people who handle the ball.  Their quarterback who was their backup because of injury was average but all they need is a quarterback that stays out of Trouble.

The Gryphons had their moments and the kickoff return was spectacular penalty or not.  Considering the pressure that Forest Bell was under he played about as well as any quarterback could under the circumstances.

The Gryphons have lost twice to two 4-A schools Middle Creek and Rose and one of those two might win the 4A eastern title.  Once conference play starts and one concern any time you play a team as physical as Rose is injuries.  If the Gryphons are healthy they will be a load for somebody in the playoffs.

Friday is the final non conference game before conference play  starts in two weeks.  Humbled by Rose Hoke County another 4A squad  but so far winless.  The Gryphons need to come out and dominant a team that can be if the Gryphons come to play.  If they do this team has a shot at a conference crown and a deep playoff run.

Gurley Debuts Today

Heard on ESPN's Mike And Mike show Friday as St Louis Ram head coach Jeff Fisher was on that Todd Gurley would be on the 45 man Ram Game day roster today.  Tre Mason has been activated from the injured list will start as the number one back and just how much Gurley plays is up in the air.

Fisher called Gurley a special talent and they were not going to do anything to jeopardize his playing future.  I don't think there is any doubt that Gurley is physically ready but the Rams are trying to be regarded as over protective over being accused of rushing him back too soon.

Any time you carry the chain you can hear coaches coaching and of course any conversation that goes on near where the chain gang can hear.  Rose had excellent coaching on the sidelines.  Rose runs a wide open offense and they attempted 30 passes during the game.  They had 35 points at the half and with Rocky Mount only scoring 21 for the game there was only one need in the second half and that was let's get this game over and get out of here healthy.

Rose continue with their full throttle offense right down to the last play of the game and the two fourth quarter scores were scored by their first team.  Coaches were asking  on the sidelines when were they going to start subbing.

I don't mind at all you put in the subs and they continue to run over you but I think the pass should be put away for the day. You need to run out the clock stay healthy and get on he bus with another win.  If you feel like you need your backup quarterback needs to throw some put him in the game when it was 21-0.

Rose was not kind to the Gryphons as they totally dominated the game.  I don't think Rose's Head coach did much to make his team better by running up the score.  You might need those backups to play in a critical game because one of the stars gets hurt while you are running up the score.

Gryphons Punished More Ways Than One

The first Rose drive of the night was an early indication of what was about to happen.  A Rose pass was almost intercepted but instead bounced of the defender right into the hands of another receiver and off to the races.

The Gryphons had done to them what they have done to both Edenton and Hertford County as  Rose was faster at every position.  Many passes by Rose was thrown up for grabs and the Gryphon defender played in most cases as good as you can play the ball and yet Rose's D1 Clemson bound receiver Cornell Powell  came down with just about every one.

Rose led 14-0 at the end of the first.  35 -14 at the half.  49-21 after three.  The only disturbing event for the night as Rose kept passing the ball the entire fourth quarter scoring on two passes.  Rose mauls Rocky Mount 61-21.  They finally put the second team in the game at the 18 yard line after a long pass by the first team with 5:32 to go in the game.As good as Rose is they don't need getting star players hurt when the game was never in doubt in the second half.

I said on my picks this week that I couldn't pick Northern Nash until they showed me something.  Tonight after and embarrassing second half last week against Laney Randy Raper got the attention of the Knights as they win their first game.  The Knights 38 Goldsboro 35

The big battle in Tarboro went right down to the very end of the and Tarboro beat Southern Nash scoring the last 11 points of the game and beat the Firebirds 23-20.

Beddingfield put Nash Central in their place winning 49-13

North Edgecombe  beat Winless Weldon 26-12

Rocky Mount Academy knows how to score as they roll Hobgood  76-34

Hunt Ripped Currituck 63-7

Looks as if Fike has solved their defensive problems beating South Granville 48-14

SouthWest Edgecombe devoured Bertie 54-6

South Creek took care of North East Carolina Prep 52-0

Kestrel Heights 24 Rocky Mount Prep 17

Gurley Is A Go Sunday?

There is a good chance come Sunday Tarboro High's Todd Gurley will be part of the 45 man game day roster for the St Louis Rams.  The good news  is that Sunday the Rams are in Washington and we can all watch Fox 50 and see Gurley in action at 1pm.

So far this season 27-3 doing college picks.  The quality of games picks up this week as  the ACC/ Big Ten Challenge week as several games are between the two.

NC State 2-0 @ ODU 2-0:  State should win this one but it will not be a blowout. ODU home field is Foreman Field where I saw Joe Namath play in his first game as a New York Jets.  Back when the NFL use to allow their teams to go to places like Norfolk to play in a game called the Kiwanis Bowl the Redskins always played  one game in Norfolk an that year they played Broadway Joe.  Pack 31 ODU 20

Illinois 2-0 @ North Carolina 1-1:  Not sure about either of these teams to this point.  The Big Ten gets a win on the road. Illinois 31 Carolina 27

Northwestern 2-0 @ Duke 2-0:  Northwestern gets Big Ten another win NW 30 Duke 23

Shenandoah 2-0 @ NC Wesleyan 0-2:  The Bishops start off with three home games and lose all three Shenandoah 36 Bishops 17.

ECU 1-1 @ Navy 1-0:  Would love to be in Annapolis for this one.  Pirates win a sweaker. 36-32

Wake Forest 1-1 @ Army 0-2:  Another wonderful place to be on a college football Saturday especially for Wake as they win 35-14

Nebraska 1-1 @Miami  2-0.   Just not sure Miami has proven to be able to win this game.  Neb 35 Miami 24

FSU 2-0 @ BC 2-0:  BC hasn't played anybody yet. I don't think FSU is great but after Saturday 3-0. 31- 24

Georgia Tech 2-0 @ Notre Dame 2-0:  I think GT gets national notice after this one GT 45 ND  24

Clemson 2-0 @ Louisville 0-2 :  Could  it be the Ville 0-3. Clemson 31 Louisville 27. sorry didn't realize this was Thursday night.

Virginia Tech 1-1 @ Purdue 1-1:  The ACC gets a Big Ten win.  Tech 38  Purdue 28

William And Mary 1-0 @ Virginia 0-2:  Cavs get first win but they will sweat.  35-30

Pitt 2-0 @ Iowa 2-0 :  Hawkeyes take down the Panthers 26-23

Central Michigan 1-1 @ Syracuse 2-0:  The Orange had better not sleep this week Cuse 30 CM 21

High School Football Approaches Mid Season

Nitty Gritty time as we have two games this week in the area that will be as big as any in state.  Other teams will find out how good they really are as the tempo picks up

Rose 2-1  @ Rocky Mount 3-1:  Rose is averaging 61 points per game, however they have given up at least 42 every time out.  Rocky Mount scored 21 on Middle Creek who looks like a beast since the Rocky Mount game.  This may be a game of triple digits scored between the two.  History tells us this will be game that will give Gryphon fans a true read on this year's Gryphons.  Rose 38 Rocky Mount 30.  To me any thing closer or victory is good news for the blue and gold for the remainder of the season.

Southern Nash 3-1 @ Tarboro 4-0.  No disrespect here for the Southern Loss at South Johnston.  Get there early or game could be over by 9:15 with all the runs in this one.  Southern Nash just a little bit better than the Vikings. Southern  Nash 28 Tarboro 22.

Nash Central 1-3 @ Beddingfield 1-3:  This will be a game in which the Bulldogs can judge a common conference foe after Fike beat Beddingfield 21-13 last week.  The Bulldogs have a shot in this one but this is a road game. Nash Central 26 Beddingfield 21

Goldsboro 3-1 @ Northern Nash 0-4.  The Knights really need a win.  Goldsboro has been surprising so far but questionable the quality of wins.  Northern will need to win one before I can's pick'em until they show me something.  Goldsboro 27 Northern 20.

RMA 3-1 @ Hobgood 0-3:  Don't care where this one is played the Eagles may get 60.  RMA 58 Hobgood 12

Kestrel Heights 3-0 @ RM Prep 0-2:  KH should take this one 38-12

Weldon 0-3  @North Edgecombe 2-1:  Too much Warriors !  NE 35 Weldon 6

Bertie 2-1 @ SouthWest Edgecombe 4-0:  Would like SWE to clean up a couple of areas in  this game they had better be ready for the Falcons.   Cougars 36 Bertie 22

North East Carolina 2-0 @ South Creek 3-1:  Don't think the two wins for NECP add up to three wins this week.  South Creek 35 NECP 14

26-3 after four weeks but this is a good week of several games that could go either way.

Week Two Of a The NFL

Buffalo Bills look like world beaters. Titans may have best Rookie quarterback.  Giants look like the Giants.  Can't figure how they have won two Super Bowls with Eli.  Had a so so week to begin the season going 9-7 on my picks

Peyton  Manning @ Kansas City:  Peyton looked old but defense looked stout.  I think we will see a low scoring Kansas City win.  KC 20 Denver 13

Texans @ Panthers:  I don't know how anybody could watch that whole Panther game against Jacksonville but somebody had to Lose.  Texans 26  Carolina 17.

49er's @ Steelers:  Their headsets will  work this week guaranteed! Steelers 30 9ers 20

Buc's @ Saints:  I doubt Tampa wins 4 while Saints will double that total. Saints 33 Tampa 17

Lions @ Vikes:  After what I saw from Detroit I'll take Minesota at Home Vikes 30 Detroit 28

Atlanta @ Giants:  If one game made a season the Falcons would win Super Bowl.  The Giants still have Eli so I go with the Birds 27-17.

Cardinals @ Bears:  Bears surprised me at how well they played  the Packers.  Bears can't afford losing twice at home first two weeks. Da Bears 24 Cardinals 23

New England @ Buffalo:  I wonder whether the Bills headsets work this week.  I don't think Buffalo has much offense but neither does New England. Buffalo  27 Pats 20

Chargers @ Bengals:  I like Chargers defense this year.  Already Chargers had a lineman go down but Philip is healthy.  Chargers 23 Cincy 20

Titans @ Browns:  Played worse team in league in Tampa and this week next to worse.  Titans 30 Brownies 20

Rams @Redskins:  Could this be a Todd Gurley debut week.  Either way Rams 27 Skins 17

Dolphins @ Jags:  I think Jaxsonville has potential.  Porpoises 27 Black Cats 21

Ravens @Raiders:  I thought Raiders might be most improved team in NFL this year but last week they played like same old Raiders.  Baltimore 27 Raiders 20

Cowboys @ Eagles:  Boys had plenty of coaching help from Giants last week, they'll get none from Philly. Eagles smoke Cowboys. 31-20

Seahawks @ Packers:  Too much discontent in the Northwest with the holdout of the d back of Seattle.  They need plenty of help this week against Rogers. Pack 24 Hawks 17

Jets @ Colts:  Don't go crazy yet Jet fans you only beat the Browns.  Colts have to win this one or their season is in jeopardy. Colts 30 Jets 27.

Can You Explain Preseason Football

The NFL plays four so call preseason games and after all the games played the starters just maybe played a total 25 minutes if that much.  The amount of money players are paid the NFL teams would love to start the season with healthy players.  Todd Gurley is a prime example of a player being protected to try not get any further injury to his already repaired knee.

What happened the first games of the season?  Let's start by looking at the Detroit- San Diego game.  Detroit had nine defensive lineman on their 53 man roster because they knew they needed to pressure Philip Rivers and all game every series they had three new lineman going after Rivers.

The first three series Detroit dominated the line of scrimmage but by the middle of the second quarter their lineman started giving out of gas and the entire second half Rivers never pressured went 25-27 for 260 yards and two touchdown tosses plus they scored twice rushing the ball.

Detroit was not in shape to play a full game and the only reason I can think of is just running does not get you in shape when on every play you collide with a 300 pound person across the line 40 times NFL  players are not ready.  Why not?  Almost every team has been practicing since around July 29th

Sixteen weeks from now and Detroit comes up one game short from making the playoffs they can point to the season opener when they simply were not prepared to play a full game.  All these people whether players or coaches get paid big Bucks to take the first three of four regular season just to get ready to finish the season.  When the season nears the 12 game mark and you see teams streaking with several wins in a row think back to see if in the first game of the season they wilted in the second half in the first game and just think what they can do when in game shape.

Other than somebody falling across someone knees which is unavoidable look at every teams injury list and I think most are out of shape injuries.  So what good did it do to save these players if they are not prepared to play a full game opening day and get hurt?

By the way Philip Rivers two TD passes against Detroit ties him for the San Diego all time touchdown passing list with Dan Fouts at 254. Fouts is in the Hall of Fame.