Safety Should Be Top Priority In Sports

Football is a violent game and as technology becomes greater and players become bigger and faster keeping the game safe becomes more difficult.  There is  plenty of evidence that as we learn more rules are changed to protect.  The helmet is obvious today in every sport.  Baseball players never had helmets until a player for the Boston Red Sox Tony Conignario was beaned and he tried to play but never recovered from the hit.  When hockey went to helmets it started out the older player did not have to wear helmets but it was required for rookies and over 15 years or so every player now wears helmets. Football started out with the rubber helmet, then a helmet with a single bar across you nose and now days they wear visors making you look like you were in the movie Star Wars.

Back in the 60's they started putting warnings on cigarettes, seat belts in cars, all of them as we began to learn more about safety had a place to improve life.  So football has tried to come up with rules to make the game as safe as possible.  Just recently they have come up with a rule called Targeting.  The NFL say over the last five years have fined players who hit players that were defenseless for going for the head.  That  of  course is for defensive players tackling the ball carrier but it is no penalty if the ball carrier lowers his head while trying to run over you.  That ball carrier can get hurt that way too.

Everyday most of us get up and either go to school or go to work and just about every one of us fudges on the speed limit up to the point where we will not get a speeding ticket.   There is of course that gray area about what's legal and what's not.  Last weekend one of our local college football players Houshun Gaines  from Nash Central received a penalty for Targeting while blocking on a punt return for Virginia Tech.

Everyone may remember the Catfishing incident that Gaines had while he was being recruited in college.  He has been suspended from the Tech football team since his arrival in Blacksburg.  I am sure if you did not watch the game and saw the block live on TV you probably have been on Utube and seen it.

If there is any penalty in football and when the ref announces that the play is under review and it takes three or four minutes to decide looking at 1000 replays then that play is one that you can not call Targeting.  One replay should show you the answer.  Having been taught light years ago how to block and all the replays that I have seen this was a perfect block.

Gaines led with his shoulder and hit the chaser on defense perfectly.  Yes it caught the kid as he was turning as they say from the blind side. Those blocks like this one when they crowd sees it sends a AHHHH through the crowd.  I don't know how he could block any better.

Because the hit was in the shoulder area of the player being blocked and after an extended time reviewing the play targeting was called and Gaines was tossed out of the game which still had eight minutes to play. 

There is a fine line between perfect and illegal in this case.  I know all of the sports world is running scared these days because of concussions and there are times that the law has to go too far to protect the innocent. 

Football because of all types of injury and because of the high cost of insurance coverage will one day be  the flag football variety because insurance is going to be the death nail to football.  I predict within 50 years soccer will be number one in this country but lookout soccer.  Helmets are on the way.

Score Doesn't Show Let Down, Play Does

You could just about expect the Gryphons coming off one of their most impressive victories against Greenville Rose to be some what flat against Hoke County a team just 1-4.  The Gryphons stopped Hoke cold their first two tries with the ball and the second resulted in a shanked punt which the Gryphons punched it in with passes and scored on a BJ Sanders one yard run.  Chase Miller made it 7-0..

There is no doubt the Gryphons have play makers and Detrell Revis for the second game in a row scores a touchdown.  Last week a punt return tonight a pick six returned 60 yards to make it 14-0 in first quarter.

The theme of the first half will go down as mistake city as Rocky Mount loses three fumbles and interception  and three of the four are inside the Hoke 20.  One on the one yard line but the Gryphon D gets a team tackle for a safety and a second quarter 16-0 lead.  The only time Hoke crossed the 50 was when they recovered a Gryphon fumble.  Hoke had no offense what so ever and the score could easily had the clock running in second quarter had the Gryphons held on to the ball.  Just before the half second  team QB Shabios Lynch made at 23-0 at the half.

The bright spot of the game thus far for Hoke County is it is homecoming but they must kick off to the Gryphons to start the second half.  The Gryphons are putting the game into clock running mode and move the ball to the Hoke 28 when on a tackle two Hoke players go down and one requires a stretcher.  All players go to one knee as the dangers of the game of football are front and center as an abulance is needed for the Hoke player.

Return to play Chase Miller misses a 36 yard field goal but the D who has not allowed a first down all night gets the ball back and B J Sanders scores for the second time and the lead grows to 31-0 on a two point conversion and the rest if this game belongs to the second team.

Hoke begins the 4th quarter scoring on a double reverse fourth down  60 yard pass but an official lost the ball on third down  blew the whistle and didn't see Rocky Mount running for a touchdown.  Hoke tried on side kick but the Gryphons took two plays to score and up the lead to 38-7 on runs by B J Sanders.

Rocky Mount completely manhandled Hoke giving up one first down.  38-7 final.

Other scores
Rose 77 Conley 67 the highest scoring game in NCHSAA history

Northern Nash 33 Smithfield Selma 7

Tarboro 20 SouthWest Edgecombe 0

Southern Nash 42 Ayden Grifton 14

North Edgecombe 44 Kipp Pride 0

North Raleigh Christian Academy 44 NorthEast Carolina Prep 8

Beddingfield 19 Hunt 18

Bunn 52 Nash County 36

Fike 22 Corinth Holders 20

Picked The Louisville Victory

I have to be one of the few people in the country that saw Louisville had any chance against Florida State.  As great as that pick was still have one of my worse weeks ever picking college games going 10-6.  This week  the Wolfpack and the Battling Bishops take the week off while the ACC begins some intermingling with conference games.

ECU 2-1 @ Virginia Tech 2-1:  I don't think the Pirates played well in either game so far against State or South Carolina.  Tech is still poor on offense but fairly good on defense.  I think the Pirates could win this one but need to quit the turnovers in the red one.  Virgiia Tech 26 ECU 23

Pittsburgh 2-1 at Carolina 2-1: I really like the Panthers butI find it hard to believe they can stop the Tar Heels.  North Carolina 38 Pitt 28

Duke 1-2 at Notre Dame 1-2.  Duke leads the nation in turnovers and I see no way at all Duke can stay in this one.  The Irish 48 Duke 17

Wake Forest 3-0 at Indiana 2-0:  Wake has lost their QB this week which makes this an interesting game.  The Deacs by far have been the biggest surprise this year.  Who knows how good Indiana is.  Deac 27 Hoosiers 23

Florida State 2-1 at South Florida 3-0:  The Noles have never been manhandled the way Louisville destroyed them.  This game will give us a real look at the heart of this team.  South Florida will not be an easy out at home.  FSU 33 South Florida 27

Central Michigan 3-0 at UVA 0-3:  Has anybody noticed that the Central Michigan's of the world no longer lose 48-0 to the Power Five.  This will be no contest as the Cavs lose their fourth in four tries.

Wagner 2-0 at Boston College 1-2:  Wagner has yet to play a team anybody has ever heard of and Boston College has.  BC 30 Wagner 17

App State 1-2 at Akron 2-1:  The Zips will be a handful for the Mounties.  If APP has any fall out from the lashing given to them by Miami for most of the game and are not ready they could fall in this one.  App St 28 Akron 24

One More Chance to Improve

Almost every local team gets a week off next week to heal bumps and bruises and in some cases give broken bones another week to heal.   Including RMA  five schools who play football in Nash County are a combined 21-4.  Kinda hard to get much better.  Last week went 8-1 on the picks to run my record for the year thus far to 35-9.

We will start with RMA as they begin their serious part of their schedule.  I am concerned with the last two weeks the Eagles never getting on the field because of forfeits from teams with enough injuries to not field teams.  Their may be rust and now is not time to need 3 in 1 oil.

RMA 5-0 @ Arendell Parrott Academy 2-2:   Parrott's season has already met up with some of the other powerhouses of the conference.  This will not be an easy one for the Eagles.    RMA 38 Parrott 28

Rocky Mount 4-1 @ Hoke County 1-4:  One thing the Gryphons had better not be doing is feeling good about themselves after their 66 on Greenville Rose.  Hoke has been competitive against all five of their 4A opponents.    Rocky Mount 35 Hoke 24

Southern Nash 5-0 @ Ayden Grifton 3-2:  This should be a game in which the Firebirds if they play up to their standards should push victory six without a loss.  A great way to head into conference play.  Firebirds 33 Ayden Grifton 13

Nash Central 4-1 @ Bunn 4-1:  If the Bulldogs can win this one there will be no doubt the Nash Central Bulldogs are for real.  I find no disgrace even in a close loss for a team still learning how to win.  The Wildcats are no patsie.  Bunn 30 Nash Central 27

Northern Nash 3-2 @ Smithfield Selma 0-5: Doubt SSS scores much in this one unless the Knights give one away on a turnover.  Northern Nash 34 Smithfield Selma 6

Rocky Mount Prep is off this week and if you noticed that there will not be a home football game in Nash County Friday night.

North Edgecombe 4-0 @ Kipp Pride 4-0:  That's right Kipp Pride us 4-0.  This will be a closer game than any since Pride has been playing football but the Warriors  are still the better team.  North Edgecombe 33 Pride 13.

SouthWest Edgecombe 1-4 at Tarboro 3-2:  The Cougars finally won their first  and Tarboro's second half at Southern Nash they seemed disoriented.  It was their third game in eight days.  After the pounding they got at Northern Nash I doubt they put pads on all week preparing for Southern and yet led in fourth quarter.  The Vikings have had a week of practice this week.  Vikings 26 Cougars 13.

Northeast Carolina Prep 0-4 @ North Raleigh Christian Academy 1-2.  I have no idea how strong NRCA schedule is.  NCP I think has played better competition so I'll take NCP 23 NRCA 13

Week Three NFL Guesses

Have had a much better start to the 2016 picks over last year where I was under 500 after two weeks.  Last week's 10-6 and even better this week at 11-5 to give me a two week total of 21-11  Onward we go!

Houston 2-0 at New England 2-0:   Jacoby Brissette gets his first NFL start at quarterback with Brady out suspended and Jimmy G out with a shoulder.  I said this already this year that I hoped New England went 4-0 during Brady's absence just to show every one Brady is not as vital to Pats as believed.  They are 2-0 with out him and during the knee injury year were 11-5 without him.  Pats 24 Texans 20

Cardinals 1-1 at Bills 0-2:  Another nail in the coffin for changing coaches   Cardinals 26 Bills 16

Raiders 1-1 at Titans 1-1:  I like this years Raiders and don't care much for Nashville  Raiders 30 Titans 26

Redskins 0-2 @ Giants 2-0:  This is the kind of game the Giants lose but not this year Skins are toast.  Giants 23 Skins 16

Browns 0-2 at Dolphins 0-2:  One of the great matchups of the year.  Fish 23 Browns 20

Ravens 2-0 at Jags 0-2:  Most of the time when a team gets crushed like the Jags did in San Diego they have a better game next week.  They had better.  Jags 26 Ravens 23

Lions 1-1 at Packers 1-1:  Lions are always unpredictable while the Packers days of glory are slipping.  Pack 27 Lions 23

Bronco's 2-0 at Bengals 1-1:  This is a must for Bengals!  Cats 23 Denver 20

Vikings 2-0 at Panthers 1-1:  Talk about a big game but Vikings D will be a challenge for Cam and Company.  Panther 23 Vikes 17

Rams 1-1 at Tampa 1-1:  Tampa won't score many in this one.  The question is will Rams score more. Rams 16 Tampa 13

49'ers 1-1 at Seattle 1-1:  Does it always seem the Seahawks start slow so the time to get them is early in season.  Seattle 23 SF 19

Jets 1-1 at Chiefs 1-1:  Chiefs are almost 0-2 but a 21 point comeback saved their butt with San Diego.  I think Jets may give New England run for their money this year.  Jets 23 Chiefs 21

Chargers 1-1 at Colts 0-2:  So far Charger line is healthy and with protection Philip River passer rating is 120.  Andrew Luck is the most over rated quarterback in the history of football.  Chargers 30 Colts 26

Steelers 2-0 At Eagles 2-0: Don't know whether the Steelers can score enough to win this game.  Eagles 23 Steelers 17

Bears 2-0 at Cowboys 1-1:  Boys will win in Big D 33 Bears 17

Falcons 1-1 at Saints 0-2:  Saints in a lot of trouble if they can't get 20 off the Giants.  Falcons 26 Saints 17

College Football has the ACC in the spotlight Thursday night.  Clemson 3-0 travels to Georgia Tech 3-0.  After the scare Louisville has given the entire ACC Clemson had better win  this one if they still have any hopes of making the final four football playoff.

Nash County Football Riding High

I wonder when was the last time that all for Nash County High Schools had winning records near the half way point in any season.  Combined all four are 16-4 with two weeks to go before conference play starts.  Southern Nash 5-0, Rocky Mount 4-1, Nash Central 4-1 and Northern Nash 3-2.

Last year at this time after the Gryphons had suffered an embarrassing 40 point loss to Rose in Rocky Mount many including myself felt Rose ran the score up keeping their first team in the game and throwing three touchdown passes in fourth quarter.  There is no doubt the Gryphons had marked that game on their schedule.  Friday for the first time the Gryphon offense looked like the playoff team of last year.

Seeing what Rose can do on offense they are still loaded with talent but injuries are playing a major role in their 1-3 start. They both ran and threw the ball for big yardage.  Rose attempted 33 passes completing 13 for about 20 yards per completion.  Over all the defense made more good plays over bad but Rose had too many big plays.  If there is one place the Gryphons have to improve is the defense.  They had three turnovers while the Gryphons fumbled once late when they mishandled a handoff late In the game. Where I thought the Gryphons looked like veteran players was when the game was over there was no ripping and raring.  They walked, got in line to shake hands.  There was no acting like they had just won the Super Bowl.  That is a sign to me Jason Battle  is doing a great job coaching.

If you are a supporter of the Tarboro Vikings all is well despite two straight losses.  Any team that beats the Vikings in the playoffs will not run over them. Losses to Northern and Southern Nash within four days is not a death Nail to this year's Vikings.

Did we see the first crack in the Firebirds. SN did not dominate the line of scrimmage the way they should have against a tired Tarboro Vikings playing their third game in eight days  against a 2A squad in Franklinton and two 3A schools Northern And Southern Nash.  Considering I thought Southern should have dominated the Vikings on both sides of ball and they didn't until the fourth quarter.

Four wins in a row for the Bulldogs of Nash Central.  That's more wins in one season than the last three years.  Speaking of Nash Central we would like to say congratulations to Central's boys basketball coach Rennie Taylor who when not blowing a whistle on the Central Gym floor teaches history and he has been named the Nash County teacher of the year.

Take away one quarter against Northeastern Northern Nash has been as good as anyone. The offense seems to be getting in gear.  The defense is still stingy.  Who is the only team to hold Rocky Mount to under twenty in a game last year?  Northern Nash 13.

The second week in a row RMA is handed a forfeit which will be three weeks without a game with Parrott on the horizon next week.  This is not good for the Eagles.

Looking at the Big East teams to this point the conference seems to be improved from top to bottom.
Nash Central this year will be no pushover.  Northern is capable of winning more than one conference game. Looking at both Hunt and Fike they seem to be capable of being at least  in the middle of the pack.  Southern Nash is still the only unbeaten team as we hit the halfway point.  Rocky Mount seems to still be unknown as far as how good they really are?  Only one more week to get the kinks out.

Time To Give Pirates Their Due

The Pirates of ECU have beaten six straight games in which they have played an ACC team.  They should have beaten South Carolina on Saturday.  It didn't use to be that the Pirates played a NC State and South Carolina and Virginia Tech back to back to back.

Way back in the 60's the Pirates brought in a coach named Clarence Stasavich and he coached the Pirates from 1962 until 1969.  Back then the Pirates played in the NAIA and three straight years played in Bowl Games. Coach Stas became Athletic Director in 1963 and his desire was to bring the Pirates to D1 football.

They joined the Southern Conference when the league was Richmond, William and Mary, VMI, Marshall, App State, Western Carolina, Furman, Citadel.  This was a good football league.  Coach Stas retire as coach in 1969 and Hired Sonny Randle, Mike McGee and Pat Dye to prepare the Pirates for D1.

State was the first team from the Big Four to play the Pirates on a semi annual basis and the Pirates have played Carolina, Duke and Wake some but not like the Pirates would like.  Why in the world wouldn't all four school want to play them.  How often does  Duke and Wake have sell outs when they play Louisiana Layette.

Their is one major reason all four hate to schedule the Pirates. All four want a victory in their non conference games and none of the four are quaranteed one when they play the Pirates.  All four consider the Pirates second rate and consider it embarrassing to lose to ECU.  The third reason is if they beat you, you will never hear the end of it.  The Pirate Nation still talks of the 1991 Peach Bowl win over NC State.

Do you realize because of the Medical Schoolt ECU has grown to the second largest school in the UNC System behind NC State.  There is nothing second rate about the Pirates.  Despite that ECU can't find any conference considered Power Five that wants them.  The Greenville TV market is simply not desirable to any conference including the Big 12 that adds enough viewers to make the Pirates desirable for any Power Five.

If that is the case it would seem teams like Marshall, App State, Southern Mississippi should find at least eight schools just like themselves and form a conference.  I am sure there is at least eight schools east of the Mississippi that are just like ECU or even more.

It is time that State, Carolina, Duke and Wake  need to realize that with ECU on the schedule they will pack the house.  Accept the Pirates as Who they really are and just as good in football as any other team in the State.  Virginia Tech seems to play the Pirates as much as anybody and the Pirates will try to make it seven in a row over the ACC Saturday.