December College Football

Duke plays Saturday in New York City in the Pinstripe Bowl in Yankee Stadium.  They will be playing Indiana who can put points on the board.  For them can they hold Duke down?  Duke hasn't shown over much of the season to be able to out score anybody.

Through the end of the regular season got 91 correct picks on college games while missing 27.  Duke will be missing Jeremy Cash lost to season ending surgery will be a big hole for the Duke defense.  Indiana 38 Duke 28

The state  of North Carolina is off to a great start in bowl games.   North Carolina  A&T won the Celebration Bowl beating Alcorn  State  41-34.  Appalachian State after winning three straight National Championships playing as Division two school won their very first bowl game since their rise to D1.  They kicked a field goal to beat Ohio 29-28 to win the Camillia  Bowl after trailing by 17 in the fourth quarter.

NC State plays next week and the Tar Heels  on New Years Day.  We will pick those next week.

Now to the strange story at ECU.  There is no doubt the Pirates football season was not what anyone in the purple and gold wanted.  They led late in several games only to give up the lead and lose and finished 5-7.  They announced almost immediately that they wanted no part as being considered for a bowl game.  That was very noble considering I for one am against any team with a 6-6 record getting into a bowl.


Bowls were suppose to be for reward for a good season not to just play one more game.  That one more game most of the time does not have enough pay out to even pay to take your team to the game and stay several days in what ever city the bowl game is in.  The 6-6 teams supporters stay home not really happy to follow a team that was at best average and almost all those 6-6 games are played before or just after Christmas where it is hard for supporters to fit it in around Christmas.

Shocking Pirate nation ECU athletic Director Jeff Compher fired Ruffin  McNeil who had averaged eight wins a season in Pirate Nation until this year.  Compher stated that ECU needed a coach who could get the Pirate nation to the next level.

There are many in Greenville that think the SEC or Big XII will call whenever the next big movement comes to go to eight team playoff.  I personally think the Pirates need to stick where they are because if and when The playoffs move to eight the top five power conferences will not get all eight spots.


Compher understanding they need to be a power in the AAC wants a coach to push the Pirates to the top level of their conference.  He found out quickly in order to get that brand name coach the Pirates didn't have the money to get a proven coach.  Did he pull the trigger too soon?  If you are going to try to get a named coach you need to have him your back pocket before you get rid of the coach you already have.

The bottom line is Pirate Nation has lost a popular coach.  Brought in a rookie head coach Scottie Montgomery who has no track record to show he can lead the Pirates to the Promised land. He may be the next great coach but I doubt we will find that out next year.

Did Beckham Get Enough?

Those people who watch the Carolina Panthers and New York Giants game saw  the most embarrassing game in the history of the NFL.    How in the world does any player stay in a game when they have three personal fouls called on them and could have had seven or eight if the officials had of been doing their jobs.  Surely the ten yard run directly at the head of Josh Norman should have been an automatic ejection.  Norman did his share early but his  teammates and coaches reeled him in and got him under control.  I wonder whether Beckham was given a drug test after the game?

Christmas Eve football sends The Chargers who just might be homeless after playing their last home game in San Diego travel to Oakland for Thursday night football.  Oakland drubbed the Chargers in San Diego but that was when Oakland was playing well.  Raiders still win 26-20.

Skins at Eagles:  Skins could just about wrap up craziest division in football but they won't. Eagles 30 Skins 27

San Fran at Detroit: who in the world do you pick here.  Detroit 27-20

Steelers @ Ravens:  Raven's have packed it in and Steelers in playoff mode. Steelers 38 Ravens 13

Cowboys @ Bills:  snow could be on ground.  Bills defense can win this game.  21-17

Bears @ Buccaneers:  Bucs will take this one.  26-23.

Panthers@ Falcons:  Did Panthers Lose all the momentum they had going letting the Giants back in game last week? I don't think so but Panther D gave up 38 to Saints and 35 to Giants?

Colts @ Dolphins:  Fish will win at home 26 -17

Patriots @ Jets:  game doesn't mean much to Patriots And this is always big game for Jets.  30-27 Jets.

Texans @ Titans:  who will be either team's quarterback in this game but Houston has best D.  Texans    
Win 30-20

Browns @ Chiefs:  Chiefs could still win AFC West.  Chiefs 30-13

Jags @ Saints: this game could be close but Saints win it at home 28-23

Packers @ Cardinals:  winner of this  game might very well be team that has to beat Panthers for NFC championship game. Cards 33 Packers 26

Rams @ Seahawks:  Hawks great at home something they will not be in playoffs.  31-19 Hawks.

Giants @ Vikings:  Two teams with slim hopes.  Vikings 27 No Beckham 13

Bengals @ Broncos:  Big test for both teams.  Bengals will score more 20-17

Last week had great week picking 13of  16 running my picking record for the year  to 132-92

Carolina Can Win Basketball If Healthy

North Carolina was picked as  the preseason number one and already this year they have lost twice but in both instances the Tar Heels were down a starter.  College basketball has changed in just a short time.  No longer does Carolina or Duke have a team full of McDonald's All Americans.  They do have the best of the best but no longer  are all their bench player just as good as the starter.

Television where every network carries basketball and every conference has every game on TV those second team bench warmers no longer sit on the Duke Bench but are going to The Butlers of the world.  The days of non conference 100-52 scores are now replaced with 90-76 scores.

If healthy Carolina will be playing late March or early April.  Marcus Paige has to be one of the healthy ones.  The Rocky Mount Gryphons demonstrated what any team can do that is very good and healthy during the playoffs.

Duke has shown when they are healthy they can be very good.  Even limited with injuries they have fought hard and with their coaching if they are healthy in March they could be a factor.  Their problem how long is Jefferson going to be out.  If they dig a hole early in conference play they might get a very low seed and have to play the entire NCAA tournament against heavy weights and that is hard to win six in a row.  If there has ever been a coach that can reinvent a team in the middle of the season Coach K is the man.  If I am a Duke fan I fear for the day when K calls it quits.  It is a lot sooner  than Dukies want.

NC State has played several games this season that all they wanted to do was shoot.  Their losses can be attributed to the lack of defense. Like everyone one else injuries have hit the Pack.  The lack of defense in several games has shown  a major hole for the Wolfpack. Who is going to score besides Cat?  The best way to score is fast breaks points off  steals which will require defense.

Abu, Anya and Freeman all can play  defense and rebound but five points a game from each is not enough.  There have been too many times already this year that Barber was the only player on the floor who could score.

The good thing about college basketball is it is only December and  plenty of time to develope into another sweet 16 season.  All three Triangle teams are capable to make Sweet 16 or better.  Injuries must heal and no injuries that takes player out for the season will help all of them.

Girls Look Like Same Old Same Old

Where the boys look as if there is a new leader of the pack the Girls look as if it is either Northern or Rocky Mount what's new?

So far this season the Lady Birds of Southern Nash are winless to go along with a season last year that a zero remained in the win column all year the Lady Birds are trying to break a 32 game losing streak.  Will be hard to do only scoring 18 points per game when rest of the league gets forty or more every night.

Hunt right now is winless in eight tries but they are competitive scoring 38 per night.  They are led in scoring Kayla Kent leading the way for the Warriors at 12.5 per game.

The top four so far are looking as if they are all prepared to make playoff runs.  Fike has played ten games and have won eight times.  They are led by 5'9" Dijah Horne who scores at 13.9 clip.  Fike has a real shot to be in the conference race to the end.

Nash Central 7-1 is led by Robbi Allen the dynamic sophomore who is the Lady Bulldogs leading scorer 14.6, rebounder 7.1 and assist maker at 3.1.  I think this year will be summed up by how Robbi goes so goes the Lady Bull Dogs.  They have a shot to be in the conference race to the end.

Northern Nash considering they have lost the last two Big East players of the year to be off to a 10-2 season is a real great beginning.  So far scoring at 47 points a game is down over what the Lady Knights fans are use too.  Kayla Tucker leads the way gathering 11.7 points per game.  The Knights need others to try to break double digits scoring mark.  The Knights will be in the conference crown talk right down to the end.

The Lady Gryphons are world famous for the Pam Gainey defense.  You don't play if you can't play D.  This team on the offensive in is led by Keyanna Spivey scoring 17.3 and rebounding at 9.3 caroms per game.  Michelle Gainey hits double digits at 10.7 and 3.3 assists per game.  The Lady Gryphons need others to step up their scoring.  They stand 7-2 and score at a pace of 47 per game.   If the Lady Gryphons play defense every night they will be in the hunt right to the end of conference play.

Looks like a four team fight so nobody needs to falter  to either Southern Nash or Hunt at anytime during the season.

ONE VOICE The Legacy Continues

Those that were there  Thursday night in the Black Box Theatre  at Rocky Mount High School saw maybe the best show ever in the history of the IB Students talents on display which I believe started in 2009.

The IB program has chosen a project to support with the funds raised from the talent show and when IB student Holly Fryar contracted cancer  the program focused on the Holly Project.  At least 42 performers took to the stage Thursday night.

Two past performers MC'd the event.  Ashtyn Coates who is now a Sophomore at NC State and Morgan Doughtie a Senior at Campbell while introducing the next act fed everyone information about Pediatric Cancer and info on the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center in Chapel Hill.

Leo Jaffe  started the night off with a solo on the Cello of Jean Baptiste Bre'val's "Sonata in C Major".

Zaria Pollard sang "I Believe I Can Fly" by R Kelly

Trey Tomlin dazzled us with his animation dance to "Billy's First Wonder"  by Thriftworks.

Ben Boudreaux came back after graduating in 2009 to sing and play the guitar with his own original composition of "Stay With You".

The Rocky Mount High School Band Ensemble  was loud and proud as they performed "All these Bands". The ensemble  had 24 performer playing and dancing.

Mary Blair Thompson sang "Part Of Your World by Alan Menken from the Little Mermaid.

Lauren Medlin played the Keyboard "Clair De Lune" by Claude Debussy

Kaitlyn Reda home from New York City sang "Children Will Listen". From into the woods.

Alexis McCowen gave us a Ballet Point Dance to Miriah Carey's "Hero".

Morgan Doughtie sang the Stephen Swarts  song from Wicked " For Good".

Zachary Richardson played keyboards to the Edward McDowell's "Sea Pieces".

The trio of Desmond Mercer, Steven Wass and Jacques Richardson sang "The Man Who Can't be Moved" by the script & Afire Love by Ed Sheeran.

Serena Daisimer played " Great Smokey Mountains" by David Carr on the Keyboard.

Brian Battle sang Rihanna 's "Take A Bow"

Cassidy and Ashtyn Coates sang a duet of Carrie Underwood's "See You Again".

Alex Rivers on leave from the military did an animated dance to "Stay With Me"by Mendum

And the nights entertainment concluded with Tyron Taylor's original poem on how to Spell  strong.  H-O-L-L-


One Voice raised nearly $2,500 for the Holly Project.  Why would so many return for this one night.  If ever there was an indivual who made a lasting impression to all who crossed her path it was Holly Fryar.  She may be gone but not forgotten.

Changing Of The Guard

Ever since 2001 the first time Mike Gainey took a Gryphon basketball team to the Regionals the Rocky Mount Gryphons have been a team to reckon with in eastern North Carolina basketball.  There are questions if the success of the football team can be blamed for the 0-9 start?  Maybe, but probably the biggest of all reasons is this team is not very tall.

The defense has not been good enough to provide  Points as other teams have in the past. So far the Gryphons have only been able to produce 41 points every time out while they have been torched  for 61 points per game.  Yes maybe the influx of football players will help but I doubt  they can make that much difference in order words this looks like a down year for the Gryphons.

Northern Nash under second year coach Henry Drake is primed to take Rocky Mount's place.  Last year the Knight took great steps getting back and if this year's start 10-2 is any indication the Knights expect to be In the running for conference and sectional contention.

No problem putting the ball in the hole for the Knights as they are producing 68 points every time out.  They are lead by Darius Spradley leading the scoring parade at 17.9 points per game.  Raymond Bullock III is pulling down 6.7 rebounds.  Spradley not only scores but he leads the team with 2.7 assists per game.

Northern winning the Nash County Tournament and in the process thrashed the Gryphons and I am sure that every team in the league will try to get their licks in on the Gryphons while they can.  Wouldn't you?

Southern Nash head to Christmas at 5-3 and they are led by the double double man Marquise Wright averaging 19.6 and he pulls down 11.9 rebounds.  Southern Also gave Rocky  Mount a good licking .

Nash Central has started 2-6 but one of  the best thing for this team as they know how to put the ball in the hole averaging  67 points per game.  Their problem is they are giving up 70.

Wilson's two members of the Big East Fike is 6-5 scoring 51 points points per game while Hunt  is 3-5 but they are putting 65 on the scoreboard eve

Northern Claims County Title

Northern Nash backed up their good start to the 2015/2016 basketball season by winning the Nash County Christmas Tournament with a 74-70 victory over Nash Central.  Darius Spradley earns the MVP of the tournament.  Northern Nash wins for the 10th time this season which is more wins than all three other public schools  in Nash County combined.


The championship night of the Nash County Christmas Tournament started with the boys consolation game and the home standing Firebirds got a sweet one beating Rocky Mount 61-48.  The Firebirds are 5-3 while Rocky Mount is 0 for the season 0-9.

As promised yesterday Tom Suiter gave the 3A State Champions the Rocky Mount Gryphons the trophy for winning the WRAL TV Fabulous 15 which is considered the top football team in the Big Five's viewing area.  If you failed to see it you can go to highschoolot.com to see the news item.

The NCHSAA has released their first draft  of the prospective realignment coming up in 2017.  The Big East will lose Nash Central who is falling to 2-A while Franklinton will take their place.  Northern Nash, Rocky Mount, Southern Nash, Fike and Hunt will all remain.

So off to 2A goes Nash Central where they will join what has been called the Eastern Plains.  Beddingfield, Bunn, Nash Central, North Johnston, North Pitt and SouthWest Edgecombe will comprise the conference.

The new local 1A conference will have eight teams which I think eight is the perfect size for a high school conference.  Tarboro, Weldon, SE Halifax, Rocky Mount Prep, NW Halifax, North Edgecombe and Kipp Pride.

Now that football is complete the fall standing are in in the Wells Fargo Cup.  Championships in football, women's tennis and women's cross country help propel Rocky Mount to 68.5 points.  Hunt gained 68 points followed by Fike 61, Southern Nash 56.5, Northern Nash 49 and Nash Central 42.