The Sports Page

Moving...

2008-04-10T10:57:00.000-05:00

I've moved this blog to a new site. Check it out here:

http://randycapps.wordpress.com

No crying on the bubble

2008-03-18T11:54:00.000-05:00

From Tuesday's Dispatch

Usually, the day after selection Sunday, I have great sympathy for some team whose bubble got busted when the NCAA Tournament bracket was released.
Today, not so much.
In a year that cries out for a smaller-than-65-team tournament field, I'm amazed the selection committee could find enough decent teams to fill out the at-large spots.
But just because I don't think anyone out there has a case doesn't mean there isn't a certain amount of whining going on.
So let's break down the pretenders before getting into the teams that actually got on the dance floor.
Arizona State is the team that most pundits are stumping for, and I understand the argument. The Sun Devils beat Xavier, Stanford and Washington State while sweeping Arizona and finishing ahead of Oregon in the Pac-10.
And they got absolutely jobbed in the Pac-10 Tournament on a phantom over-theback call.
But aside from his obligatory complaint about being left out, Coach Herb Sendek himself spelled out why his team was sent to the NIT.
It was all about schedule.
Want to get in? Don't lose to Illinois and Nebraska by double digits. Don't sign up to play Cal Poly, Florida Gulf Coast and Montana State.
Truth be told, the Sun Devils weren't expected to be any good this year, and scheduled accordingly. Next year, especially if James Harden doesn't leave early, they'll be in with a bullet.
Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenburg is crying the blues about his Hokies getting left out, but if he really wants someone to blame for his team's exclusion, he should pause the next time he passes a mirror.
He scheduled four teams with RPI numbers higher than 200. His team lost to Penn State, Old Dominion and Richmond. Virginia Tech managed to beat one tournament team all season, and that was Miami in the ACC Tournament.
Sorry, but that just doesn't cut it.
Dayton and Illinois State?
Please. Beat somebody, then call me.
There are some quality games on tap for this year's edition of March Madness, however.
I think Miami/St. Mary's, Washington State/Winthrop and Clemson/Villanova could be fun to watch.
Looking for upsets? I like Davidson over Gonzaga in Charlotte, St. Joseph's over Oklahoma and Baylor to knock off Purdue.
Final four picks? I'll take North Carolina, Georgetown, Texas and UCLA. Carolina will get its revenge on the Hoyas in one semifinal game while UCLA will avenge an earlier loss to the Longhorns.
I'm no fan of UCLA, but it's hard to bet against a team that plays lock-down defense, has great guards and a big man inside to clean the boards as a potential national champion.
Check, check and check.
I'll take the Bruins over Carolina in a physical contest.
Let the madness begin.

Well worth a splinter

2008-03-10T12:34:00.001-05:00

From Tuesday's paper...

DURHAM - Visit Cameron Indoor Stadium for a Duke/Carolina game. Check
Another item went tumbling off my sports fan to-do list Saturday night as I took in the 225th meeting between the Tobacco Road rivals.
Yeah, it was cool.
I parked my car at least a half-mile from the venue, giving me the chance to walk across a lovely campus while wishing I had brought a heavier coat and a lighter computer bag.
I rounded a corner and found myself in Krzyzewskiville, the tent village outside Cameron where students sleep in order to gain entry for games.
I’ve seen pictures of what Woodstock was like the day after, and Krzyzewskiville had a similar look. I’m sure it eventually got cleaned up, but let’s just say the folks at the Sierra Club would not have been happy with the state of affairs an hour before game time.
Having successfully navigated my way past the throng of face-painted future doctors and lawyers and into the front door, I carefully walked towards the floor.
Care was required because every so often, they’d let in a new group of Cameron Crazies that would come running in the door, around the concession stand and up into the bleachers.
Ah yes, the bleachers. There’s good news and bad news about covering Duke games. The good news is that, as a member of the working media, your seat is literally right on the floor.
The view is the best around. Of course, the bad news is that you’re six inches from the student section. When they jump, you feel it. When they cheer, it rings in your ears. And when they over-enunciate a D or S sound, you wish you wore a hat. Or brought an umbrella.
I had heard that you have to climb over the table to get in your seat, but I didn’t believe it until I found my assigned seat – across from the Duke bench - wedged in between folks from Rocky Mount, Danville (Va.) and a throng of Crazies.
They clearly knew way more about the climb-over than I did, holding my bag and keeping the chair out as I risked splinters sliding over the table.
I was so absorbed with the students and getting into my seat that I hadn’t really looked around until I got into my seat.
It was amazing how many people were crammed into that building. And all of them, it seemed, had a courtside seat. It’s easy to see why Duke has such a good home record. There’s no way for most players to not be at least a little intimidated while surrounded by a sea of dark blue.
Now, let’s clear up a myth or two about Duke fans. Even though the title of the cheer sheet, passed out to the Crazies before game time, was “Go to Hell Carolina,” I think I heard one fan use profanity one time.
Perhaps this line on the sheet was well heeded, “Keep cheers clever, witty and classy. If you want to use profanity, go to Maryland.”
There was a moment of silence before tip-off to honor the memory of Eve Carson, the UNC student body president who was shot and killed last week. The only, and I mean only, sound was the clicking of cameras from press row. It was a nice gesture, well done by the fans in attendance.
The ball went up, and the fans were in full throat. You’ve seen the deal where they hold out their right arm, shake their hand and yell, “oooohhhh.” It looks different from underneath the canopy of arms – a little like sitting under a loud, blue tree.
According to the cheer sheet, Peyton and Eli Manning were on hand as guests of new Duke football coach David Cutcliffe, who coached them both in college at Tennessee and Mississippi.
I finally spotted them sitting under the basket closest to the Duke bench. Eli looked happy, like a guy getting fitted for a Super Bowl ring should, while Peyton looked a little bored. I guess crowds are nothing new for him.
At least nobody yelled, “Cut that meat.”
It was a wild scene. Former Duke player and current ESPN analyst Jay Bilas surfed across the floor, on top of rolling Duke students as the band played “Wipeout.” ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews attracted lots of attention from fans and reporters alike, which I suspect is true in most places the four-letter visits.
I even saw Dick Vitale, way up in the rafters, calling the game. It’s a good thing they have monitors, because my seat was way better than his.
Halftime arrived and, in one motion, reporters hopped the table to head for the pressroom. Well, almost one motion, since I didn’t get the memo.
I ran into Mike Sosna, our ACC columnist, in the pressroom. I said, “Wow, that was awesome.” His response was, “yeah, I know,” before telling me what he was writing for the ACC Tournament next week.
Maybe it gets old after a while. I just don’t see how.

Regional fever

2008-03-01T00:38:00.001-05:00

Southern Vance, once 0-5 and looking very ordinary, knocked off previously unbeaten Graham Friday night, 79-69, to earn a spot at the Regionals next Friday night.

Not to be outdone, Northern Vance wiped out a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to take down Rocky Mount, 76-73, in overtime.

Wow, next week is going to be fun...

Kids rock

2008-02-18T15:18:00.000-05:00

From Tuesday's Dispatch...

I’m a cynic by nature, so it’s always a pleasant surprise for me when I find something that restores my faith in my fellow man.
And it’s even better when there are kids involved.
I delivered a speech at L.B. Yancey Friday on the importance of writing, a feat that produced two unexpected outcomes.
First, considering that I had been fighting a cold all week, the fact that I was able to stand up there and function for 10 minutes was a bit shocking. Then, instead of the boredom I was sure I’d cause, I got a room full of – dare I say it – interested students.
I rambled on for a few minutes, and then opened it up for questions. Very good ones, as it turned out. I have no doubt that one day; somebody in that cafeteria will be coming after my job.
Good thing I didn’t reveal all my secrets.
Seriously, I had a great time. Go Bulldogs.
This is still a sports column; so let’s hit a few high notes.

Seeds of discontent

I could write a whole piece on the oddity that is private school sports, but I need some help here. How is it exactly that the only team in the North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 1A boys’ basketball ranks, 21-0 Norlina Christian, ended up with an eight seed?
The schools slotted ahead of them combined for 50 losses, including the seven seed, Gaston Day, which currently sits at 12-15. What’s the big deal, you ask?
Well, after a home game tonight with Hobgood Academy, the Crusaders run smack into Word of God, the team with one of the nation’s top juniors, guard John Wall, at the helm.
Seems somebody on that seeding committee doesn’t care for the ‘Saders too much.

Vikings get top billing

A lot of people I know in this business don’t think as I do when it comes to voting in polls. Some folks rank their schools near the top whether they deserve it or not.
Me, I make the home teams earn that distinction.
So, after weeks of denying them my top vote in 3A, I gave it back to Northern Vance in the last regular season NCPreps.com High School Basketball Poll.
No pressure guys.

ACC for me

I’m tired of hearing about how great the Pac-10 is and how the ACC should only have four tournament teams. I watched UCLA and USC stink up the court last night in a game that set offensive basketball back about 40 years. What a yawner.
This was, of course, the nightcap of a Fox Sports Net twin bill that had Wake Forest stunning Duke in a much more entertaining, up-and-down thriller.
These two games side-by-side provide the perfect illustration as to why the best basketball in the land can be found right here in the good ‘ol Atlantic Coast Conference.
Then again, maybe you like watching O.J. Mayo turn the ball over 10 times in a game?

0-52 — Time to ask for charity

2008-02-09T01:23:00.001-05:00

From Sunday's Dispatch...

Usually, I have the utmost respect for the University of North Carolina and its basketball program. I’ve always admired Roy Williams and the Dean Smith Center is a great place to watch a college basketball game.
But for the next 24 hours, I have malice in my heart for all things Carolina blue.
I’m hoping for a gray sky today, just to avoid the hated hue. I’m hoping for a miracle — something that has never happened in 82 years or 52 tries.
What I’d really like today is to see Clemson leave Chapel Hill with a win.
My childhood team is 0-52 in the city limits of Chapel Hill. The Tigers are 0-21 in the Dean Dome and 0-32 in Carmichael Auditorium.
It’s sad, really. Remember when the Tar Heels shocked the college basketball world in the ‘01-’02 season by going 8-20? One of those wins was a 96-78 snoozer over Clemson on Feb 27, 2002.
Only seven of those 52 losses were decided by less than 10 points, including one-point losses in 1936 and 1974.
Clemson’s overall record against Carolina isn’t much better (19-119), and Clemson’s 34-18-1 football record against the sky blues doesn’t make me feel any better.
You would think that sometime over the last eight decades that the Tigers would have lucked out and won a game. But no, since 1926 the price of gas has gone from a penny per gallon to a rate 300 times that high and Clemson can’t win in Chapel Hill.
The Washington Generals won six games out of more than 13,000 against the Globetrotters in the years they’ve played, yet no Tar Heel has ever walked back to his dorm after losing a home game to Clemson.
There have been two World Wars, 14 presidents, seven popes, three ACC expansions and five generations of Capps men. And still, Clemson hasn’t found a way to knock off North Carolina in a game of basketball in Chapel Hill.
Is it Franklin Street? Maybe it’s the traffic on N.C. 15/501. Or perhaps its the fact that Clemson is a football school while the University of North Carolina is one of the elite programs in college basketball history?
It defies logic. It doesn’t make sense for the same two teams that share a conference to play 52 times and have the same result each time out. Surely, the law of averages would have to come into play somewhere, right?
This time around, Clemson can take comfort in the fact that it took Carolina to overtime earlier this season and only an on-fire night from Wayne Ellington saved the Tar Heels from losing in Littlejohn Coliseum. Maybe the Tigers can hope that jet-quick Tar Heel point guard Ty Lawson is still hobbled by a sore ankle.
Or maybe it’ll snow a foot, forcing a postponement of tonight’s game.
I’d love to boldly predict a Clemson victory, throwing caution to the wind and getting squarely behind the underdog. But it is written that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it.
I honestly believe that someday, while I’m still vertical, the stars will align and the boys from Tiger town will finally leave Chapel Hill with a victory. I also believe that it probably won’t happen today.
And it’s OK. I have a lifetime’s worth of experience with the pain of Tiger setbacks on the hill. Whether it was watching call after call go against Clemson as Carolina went to the foul line 59 times in a January game in 1998 or hiding my face as Rashad McCants torched the Tigers in a two-point loss in 2003, I know the misery of being a Clemson fan on these dark days.
Would it be too much to ask for just one win in the Dean Dome? You guys have four NCAA titles and 1,935 all-time wins. Can’t you spare one, tiny loss to your friendly neighbors to the south?
Heck, even Duke has been nice enough to let us win four games in Cameron Indoor Stadium. You don’t want the Blue Devils to be more charitable than you are, do you?
On Monday, I’ll go back to be a balanced, impartial observer of the ACC basketball scene. But today, I’ll do my duty and watch Clemson take loss No. 53 in Chapel Hill.
We’ll likely lose, but at least we’ll take it well. After all, we have loads of practice.

Contact the writer at
rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Super Bowl prognostication

2008-02-01T17:44:00.001-05:00

It’s the best of times, it’s the worst of times.
It’s Super Bowl Sunday, which means two things: It’s the most important and last meaningful game until Labor Day. And no, the Pro Bowl doesn’t count.
We had a Southern Vance student, Cameron Driver, in-house the other day for job shadowing, and I’m proud to report that he at least learned who would be playing in today’s game in his brief stay here on Chestnut Street.
Apparently, playing five sports while maintaining good grades eliminates the time necessary to closely monitor the National Football League.
That’s where I come in. That’s right, after watching two weeks worth of talking heads, reporters in wedding dresses, Giant guarantees, Brady’s boot and Hall of Fame hopefuls it’s finally time for some football.
Here’s hoping for a game that’s still in the balance after Tom Petty hobbles out on stage for the halftime show.
These two teams matched up a few weeks ago in the regular-season finale, and with the perfection-seeking Patriots installed as a 14-point favorite, the Giants actually led by 12 in the second half before finally falling, 38-35.
So, is there hope for this game to be close? New England, hoping to become the first 19-0 team in NFL history, is a 12-point favorite out in Glendale today. In 12 other Super Bowl games that featured a double-digit spread, the favorite is 6-5-1 against the number.
Not that we condone gambling or anything.
I’ve been all over the place on this one. I woke up Monday morning convinced that Tom Brady and the Pats will roll through Big Blue like Lindsay Lohan through rehab stints. On Tuesday, I told my dad I was leaning that way. On Wednesday, I read an old story about Joe Namath and his famous guarantee before Super Bowl III when the Jets were 17-point underdogs, and it got me thinking. Miracles can happen.
Then, on Thursday, Brandon Lang — the real handicapper on which the movie “Two for the Money” was based — picked the G-men to cover the number. He’s a genius — a staggering 15-0-2 in picking the Super Bowl in the last 17 years. I’d ask Petty, but he says he’s “for everybody.”
Thanks, Tom.
So, as I sit here now, I’m tempted to play it safe.
Brady’s one of the best big-game quarterbacks in the NFL’s history, Randy Moss had a monster season, Wes Welker catches bullets with his teeth and the defense always makes enough plays in the clutch.
And while the Giants have been smoking hot, I wonder if it can keep up. Eli Manning has been channeling his big brother, Plaxico Burress has been unreal and the defense has been even better than we all thought.
It’s hard to deny the magnitude of New York’s wins over Tampa Bay, Dallas and Green Bay — all on the road — in the run-up to today’s game. I thought they’d lose in Dallas. I was sure they were going to freeze up on the tundra.
Today, who knows.
But while I’m a long way from a Miami pool side in 1967, I’m feeling a little like Joe Willie.
I say the fairy tale rolls on in the desert. Maybe Brady’s ankle gets a little tweak in the first quarter — or he elopes with that cute reporter that asked for his hand in marriage earlier this week. Maybe Randy Moss runs over a crossing guard on the way to the stadium. Maybe Bill Belichick can’t find a warm-weather hoodie and stays sequestered in his hotel room.
Perhaps Junior Seau and Rodney Harrison skip the game for the early-bird seniors’ discount at Denny’s. You just never know.
So, I’m thinking Brandon Jacobs — the bruising running back for the Giants — has the game of his life and becomes the next in a long line of unlikely Super Bowl MVPs.
I’m taking the Giants in a tight one.
Happy viewing, everyone. Now, pass the chili-cheese dip.

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Ronaldinho, I'm not

2008-01-09T14:20:00.000-05:00

From Thursday's Dispatch...

It’s been a while. But rumors that spider webs have taken over my keyboard are exaggerated.
Let’s hit a few topics, while I’m still awake.

New technology, new challenges

I’ve taken the plunge. Thanks to my lovely wife, I’m now the proud owner of a PlayStation 3 and, I must say, it’s a whole different world from what I’d gotten used to with the PS2.
I bought a copy of “FIFA 08” to go with my new console, feeling confident that my many hours on the PS2 version of that title would prepare me for the rigors of playing the higher tech version online.
Boy, was I wrong.
It took me about 10 games to realize that I was playing a different game. The speed burst button was different, as was the tackle button. And, breaking down a computer’s tactics is much easier than trying to adjust to a host of human foes from across the globe.
So the losses starting piling up like firewood, testing a half-resolution to improve the quality of my language in regards to reacting to video games. I was scoring goals at a rate more suitable to a drunken pub team in Derbyshire than the five-star clubs I was playing with.
Needless to say, my early 3-30 record made me a popular invite on the FIFA 08 boards. But, after consulting the manual and more than a few Internet sources, my form began to improve.
Goals began coming, the defense tightened up and, as I sit here, I’m 52-66.
Still an easy mark for 12-year-old wizards from Italy, but at least I’m not embarrassing myself anymore.

BCS mess

Speaking of embarrassment – real and imagined – is anyone else sick to death of the Bowl Championship Series?
At the end of a season, there should be no doubt as to who the best team is. A champion should emerge, weeding out the pretenders to the crown.
What we get instead is sheer lunacy. LSU rocks a mediocre Ohio State team; USC dresses down another not-so-Big 10 team in Illinois and Georgia and West Virginia romp in two more games. That’s four teams with an argument for the elusive “No. 1 spot.”
It’s silly. University presidents need to get off the stick and give us a playoff. If the Rose Bowl, Big 10 and Pac 10 don’t want to change their traditions – leave them out.
I’d hate to do without USC, but I wouldn’t miss the lumbering schools from the Midwest much.

Clemens

I honestly don’t know to what to make of the Clemens thing. The whole deal has a cloak-and-dagger feel to it. First, Brian McNamee claims he injected the hurler with hGh and steroids in the Mitchell Report, then Clemens releases a statement denying ever being injected with anything, then he says he was injected with B12 and lidocaine and finally decides to sue McNamee for defamation while airing a 17-minute phone conversation between himself and his former trainer which said absolutely nothing.
Confused yet?
If I could back up a minute, why would anyone get shot up with a dental anesthetic? It’s not like you can run out to Walgreens and pick some up.
Aside from that, my care factor on this story is pretty low. As far as I’m concerned, baseball had a steroid era. Everyone who played from the mid 90s to 2003 is suspect in my book. So, take the numbers and awards generated in those years, apply the proper perspective and move on.
We’ll all be a lot happier.

How I voted - ncpreps poll (week 2)

2008-01-08T08:28:00.001-05:00

Poll

1A BOYS
1. Mount Airy
2. North Edgecombe
3. Cherryville
4. Hendersonville
5. Thomasville
6. Dixon
8. Trask
9. Albemarle
10. Hayesville

2A BOYS
1. Smoky Mountain
2. Graham
3. Richlands
4. Clinton
5. West Bladen
6. West Caldwell
7. Shelby
8. Cummings
9. Northwood
10. Bessemer City

3A BOYS
1. Northern Vance
2. Concord
3. Trinity
4. Dudley
5. Kinston
6. High Point Andrews
7. Jacksonville
8. D.H. Conley
9. East Rowan
10. Hickory

4A BOYS
1. New Hanover
2. Mount Tabor
3. Vance
4. Pinecrest
5. Terry Sanford
6. McDowell
7. Clayton
8. Middle Creek
9. Ashbrook
10. Myers Park

1A GIRLS
1. East Bladen
2. Bishop McGuinness
3. East Surry
4. Weldon
5. Williamston
6. Hiwassee Dam
7. Chatham Central
8. Louisburg
9. Union
10. Pender

2A GIRLS
1. Graham
2. Shelby
3. North Stanly
4. East Davidson
5. Forest Hills
6 First Flight
7. Smoky Mountain
8. Pasquotank
9. North Surry
10. Salisbury

3A GIRLS
1. Beddingfield
2. Forestview
3. Hickory
4. T.C. Roberson
5. South Central
6. Western Harnett
7. Statesville
8. Concord
9. Hunter Huss
10. Rockingham County

4A GIRLS
1. Wakefield
2. Grimsley
3. Hillside
4. South View
5. West Charlotte
6. Garner
7. McDowell
8. Millbrook
9. Northwest Guilford
10. Westover

How I voted - ncpreps Basketball Poll (Week 1)

2007-12-31T08:46:00.000-05:00

A definte work in progress...

BOYS
1A
1. Mt Airy 12-0
2. North Edgecombe 8-0
3. Cherryville 11-1
4. Hendersonville 9-1
5. Trask 5-0
6. Thomasville 7-1
7. Hayesville 10-3
8. Polk County 10-3
9. Louisburg 6-1
10. Albemarle 4-1

2A
1. Smoky Mountain 10-0
2. Bessemer City 9-0
3. Graham 8-0
4. Richlands 9-0
5. West Caldwell 9-0
6. Northwood 5-0
7. Pisgah
8. Shelby
9. Clinton
10. W. Bladen

3A
1. Northern Vance
2. Kinston
3. Concord
4. Trinity
5. Washington
6. Jacksonville
7. Fike
8. East Rowan
9. Hickory
10. N. Buncombe

4A
1. New Hanover
2. Mt. Tabor
3. Middle Creek
4. Pinecrest
5. McDowell
6. Vance
7. Myers Park
8. Ashbrook
9. Clayton
10. Panther Creek

GIRLS
1. East Surry 13-0
2. E. Bladen
3. Louisburg 9-0
4. Hiwassee Dam 13-1
5. Polk County 12-0
6. Williamston 9-0
7. Pender
8. Union
9. Bishop McGuinness
10. Chatham Central 4-0

2A
1. N Stanly 8-0
2. Shelby
3. Salisbury
4. Graham
5. First Flight
6. S. Lenoir
7. Tarboro
8. Bandys 6-2
9. East Davidson 7-1
10. Forest Hills 5-1

3A
1. Beddingfield 10-0
2. Forestview
3. Hickory
4. Hunter Huss
5. South Central
6. Rockingham County
7. Rocky Mount
8. Statesville
9. Western Harnett
10. TC Roberson

4A
1. Grimsley
2. Hillside
3. Wakefield
4. N. Forsyth
5. Broughton 9-1
6. Garner 12-1
7. Hoke County 8-1
8. Leesville Rd 9-1
9. Millbrook 9-1
10. NW Guilford 12-1

A friendly wager...

2007-12-19T20:19:00.000-05:00

Well, fantasy football season is wrapping up and, much like my good buddy Drew Loftis, I'm in more leagues than I should be. And like brother Drew, I'm doing well.

One of my leagues has me meeting up with another pal, Kinston Free Press Sports Editor Bryan Hanks. Because we're boys, and not at all because I have a small gambling problem, we're wagering on the outcome.

If I win, I get a Kinston Indians cap. Should he emerge victorious, he gets a Myrtle Beach Pelicans hat.

Hey we're journalists. Did you expect money or something? And while I pause to give props to Hanks for winning his usual truckload of press awards, he's going down harder than the Spears family this weekend.

Here's the breakdown:

Free Press Predators (Hanks)
QB: Matt Hasselbeck
RB: Steven Jackson
RB: Ryan Grant
WR: Greg Jennings
WR: T.J. Houshmandzadeh
TE: Kellen Winslow
PK: Neil Rackers
DEF: Steelers

Henderson Gunners (me)
QB: Vince Young
RB: Frank Gore
RB: Marshawn Lynch
WR: Marques Colston
WR: Reggie Wayne
TE: Leonard Pope (I know he's hurt. Can't change him now...)
PK: Jeff Reed
DEF: Cowboys

On paper, I'm in trouble. But I did rock the Preds, 113-72, back in week 10.

So, I'm figuring that, since Hanks is "working" in Florida this week, fate will smile upon me for being stuck here in chilly Henderson.

Time will tell...

Move over Barry...

2007-12-13T16:05:00.000-05:00

From Friday's Dispatch

Barry Bonds just got some company.
Baseball’s anti-hero, accused of using performance enhancing drugs and currently in hot water on perjury charges, was just one of the dozens of players named in the long-awaited Mitchell Report Thursday.
The list covered the spectrum of baseball’s player pool. All-stars like Bonds, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Miguel Tejada top the list while lesser-known players like Chad Allen and Mike Bell find their way into infamy as well.
To me, the most striking thing to me about this is the fact that Clemens, long thought to be the best pitcher of this era, now deserves the same level of scrutiny that Bonds has received.
I hate to say I told you so, but I wrote this about Clemens in May:
“So when Roger Clemens signs the richest one-year deal — almost $155,000 a day — in baseball history this week at almost 45-years-old, why is he regarded as a marvel when Bonds is automatically labeled a cheater?”
Turns out that he wasn’t really cheating Father Time. He was just living better through chemistry.
It’s a sad day, really, for baseball. But it isn’t an unexpected one.
For me, it’s just validation that we are, and have been, living in a steroid era – a time period in which all accomplishments must be viewed through the prism of skepticsm.
Former senator George Mitchell suggests that the players named in the report not be punished for their past transgressions – and based on the lack of positive drug tests and the he-said, she-said nature of some of the testimony – it’s easy to see why he’d say that.
It’s hard to throw a blanket over these guys as the only users in this era. Surely there are some players falsely accused. Surely there are some players who aren’t named here that deserve scorn.
This report isn’t the end of the steroid-era disclosure. It’s the tip of a dirty iceberg.
But on Thursday, the asterisk discussion in regards to Bonds and his breaking of Hank Aaron’s all-time home run mark is over.
How can you single out one man when the guys hitting around him, the guys out in the field against him and the pitchers staring him down on the hill were also cheating the game?
The entire era is tainted. It’s all suspicious. I’ll never look at the game of baseball the same way again.
I still love baseball, and I’m already counting down the days until Spring Training. I’m sure not everyone will be as forgiving as I plan to be, but baseball will survive.
It has carried on through work stoppages, gambling scandals, collusion and a host of other ills in the game’s sometimes dubious history.
Questions, however, remain. Where does this leave Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, both unnamed in this report? How does this affect Clemens, Bonds, Tejada and Pettitte in terms of their future Hall of Fame chances? Will Bud Selig push for further testing, including the search for a reliable test for human growth hormone? Will he punish anyone?
It’s hard to guess where, if anywhere, this all will lead. One thing is certain. The cloud that’s been following Bonds for the last few years is suddenly a lot bigger.
And the moody slugger can now be jugded with his peers, instead of just by them.

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Writing the right script

2007-11-29T13:34:00.000-05:00

From Friday's Dispatch...

If this were Hollywood, we’d be living a sequel to what happened last year.
Southern Vance’s run to last year’s state championship game was almost Rocky-like, with the plucky challenger rising out of nowhere to take on the powerful champion.
Of course, in the original Rocky, the challenger fights well but goes home without the belt.
As we know, there was a sequel. In Rocky II, Balboa gets a second shot and wins.
So here we are.
The parallel isn’t exact. This isn’t the championship, and a shot at the titleholder will have to be earned tonight against a team with the same pedigree as Shelby.
Reidsville has won 15 titles while playing for 20 more since 1930. That’s roughly one appearance every four years while Southern Vance is looking for title game berth No. 2.
The run-up is the same as it was for last year’s championship game. All you have to do is log on to ncpreps.com and read the banter flying about.
“Southern Vance has no chance,” they say. “The Rams will blow them away,” it reads.
Drew Pasteur, author of the Fantastic 50, and the Massey computer both have the Rams as heavy favorites.
Look high and low, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who thinks Southern Vance should waste the gas money by taking the buses up there.
Well, this shouldn’t be hard to find.
I like Southern Vance to win tonight.
I’ll take my chances backing one of the state’s best quarterbacks in Jamere Pugh, all-conference locks David Person, Jeremy Davis, O’Darren Gill – not to mention that standout offensive line.
I doubt Reidsville can prepare for the speed and athleticism the Raiders bring on defense, just by watching a little tape. Shelton Gill has been amazing. If he plays at the same level he did against Northwood, he may turn the game by himself.
The Rams offense is great, but can it be it that much better than the ones at Hillside, Northwood or Webb?
They’ve been blowing people away, resting their starters in the second half. I say it makes them unready for a close game, something they haven’t had since September.
The last, and only, trip to Community Stadium came in Pugh’s freshman season and ending in a 50-7 romp for the home side. That was 2004, a very different time for both schools.
This is now. Another chance for a Hoosiers-like ending for the team from Henderson that no one who hasn’t seen it firsthand thinks much of.
I always like the scene in that movie right before the tiny school takes the floor in the championship game. The preacher stands up and reads scripture:
“And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead.”
The stage is set. The cast is in place.
Just make sure to bring the rocks.

Shocking the world

2007-11-08T00:52:00.000-05:00

I watched it, but I don't believe it.

Gardner-Webb, my alma mater, went on the road tonight to play Kentucky as a 25.5-point underdog. I sat down in my recliner and flipped on ESPNU hoping that my Runnin' Bulldogs would play hard and keep it close.

"Anything but a blowout," I said to myself.

Guess I'll have to settle for the 16-point win.

This is a big deal for a team that was playing in Division II ball eight years ago. A school with 5,000 (and that's probably stretching it) students taking on one of the most storied programs in NCAA history - and totally dominating them?

Wow.

This was no fluke. This wasn't an unbelievable three-point shooting night or some one-in-a-million pot shot. This was a disciplined, prepared basketball team flat whipping a bunch of kids that had their minds someplace else.

Again, I don't believe it.

But it sure is fun.

Life

2007-11-01T01:51:00.001-05:00

You know, war's never been real to me. I've studied them, read about them and seen them on TV. I've got buddies who've served their countries in places I can't pronounce. But I've never had someone I know die thousands of miles away.

Until now.

James David Bullard was a man I barely knew. He was a friend of friends - someone I'd never said 10 words to. But we went to school together. And now he's gone.

And it bothers me. Nobody deserves this.

My son is the most precious thing in my world. And he's in the other room sleeping right now. Hayden didn't get to meet his dad. His dad never came home from a place that most of us don't think about anymore. And his mom has to pick up the pieces.

And it breaks my heart.

It's been years since 9-11, but Americans are still dying. Brave souls who leave their families to go halfway across the world to fight for me so I can write stories about kids playing games.

I fussed at my wife for talking about it today, but I think it was guilt.

There are things in my life that I don't like. My boy suffers from autism, and I've cried over that. But he's here. His mom's here. And so am I.

I wasn't called to fight and die in a place God as we know him doesn't exist. All I have is the ability to write in complete, mostly grammatically correct sentences. But I can, and I will, stop to say two things:

Thank you and God bless you.

Live now. Tomorrow may not come.

Rest in peace, David...

Webb over Eastern Alamance

2007-10-27T23:39:00.000-05:00

By RANDY CAPPS
Dispatch Sports Editor

OXFORD — In 48 minutes of football on Saturday night, J.F. Webb changed the course of the 2007 high school football season for three different teams.
When Antwan Thorpe hit Kewone Harris on a four-yard touchdown pass with 48 seconds left, Webb took down Eastern Alamance, 20-16, in a Mid-State 3A clash. The result creates a three-way tie between the Warriors (7-3, 3-1), Eastern Alamance (8-2, 3-1) and South Granville (6-3, 2-1) with a week to go in the regular season.
“We have an opportunity to play for a conference championship next week,” Webb coach John Hammett said. “That’s all we can control. We can’t control the draw. We can’t control how Eastern and South (Granville) do.”
The one thing the Warriors had absolute control over Saturday night on its Senior Night was the football, with drives of 16, 13 and 15 plays during the course of the night. Still, it would be quick strikes that would play a role in the outcome.
Webb got things started in the first quarter when Thorpe hooked up with LaBarren Burwell on a fade route for a 28-yard touchdown pass and, after a Clay Brummitt extra point, a 7-0 lead.
The Eagles evened the score with time running out in the opening period when quarterback Jordan Carter scored on an one-yard keeper. Nick Dixon’s point-after try was good, and the game was tied.
Dixon would put the visitors on top midway through the second with a 28-yard field goal, but Webb took over on the next drive and kept the ball for 16 plays and 5:24 seconds before failing to convert on a fourth and long play deep inside Eagle territory. That kept the score 10-7, Eastern, at the half.
Webb held Eastern to open the third quarter, and then went on the march again, this time to the Eagle 12-yard line. The drive stalled, however, and Brummitt’s 28-yard field goal attempt drifted wide right, ending the scoring chance.
After holding the ball for most of the night, the Warriors finally busted a big play midway through the third quarter. Thorpe took a shotgun snap, faked a handoff to Rockie Lewis, and started running through the heart of the Eagle defense.
And no one came close.
Thorpe (20 carries, 166 yards) raced 63 yards for the go-ahead touchdown, and Brummitt’s kick made it 14-10.
Eastern Alamance answered with some big plays of its own as Elliott Powell broke free for a 46-yard return on the ensuing kickoff, and Carter tossed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Eric Hester three plays later. The snap was bobbled on the extra point attempt, and it was 16-14, Eagles.
Webb took over on its own 31 with 5:50 remaining and proceeded to go on another epic march.
It took 15 plays, including a clutch fourth-down conversion pass from Thorpe to William Alston, and all but 48 seconds of the clock for Webb to move the ball down field, finally breaking Eastern’s back with a four-yard connection from Thorpe to Kewone Harris to re-take the lead. The snap was off on the point-after try, leaving the tally at 20-16.
“He’s a tremendous person and a tremendous player,” Hammett said of his junior quarterback. “He just understands games. The play we scored on was a play we ran at Catawba 25 times. I can’t tell you how many games we won in the seven-on-seven we won on that play. It kind of makes you feel good when the things you spend so much time on in the summer is the thing you use to win you a conference championship game.”
Eastern had one last shot to avoid the upset, but Carter lost the handle on the ball just inside Webb territory, and Harris was there to recover the fumble to seal the win.
Up next for the Warriors is a road game against Northern Vance where a win for the Warriors will assure a share of the league title.
“Northern Vance has a tremendous football team,” Hammett said. “They may have the best defense in the conference. They just fumbled a lot and had some real bad punting game problems. I will predict that it will be like last year. They won’t fumble. They won’t have punting problems and it will be a hard-fought, down-to-the-wire game.”

The Dr. Seuss World Series

2007-10-23T18:53:00.000-05:00

From Wednesday's Dispatch...

I don’t remember the last time I wrote a column. That’s probably not a good thing.
Anyway, I just couldn’t resist one more bit of baseball writing before winter descends on the former national pastime.
It’s the Sox and Rox on Fox in the Fall Classic.
Not original, but still clever.
A google search on the father of modern children’s literature provided some interesting analysis on the looming World Series.
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
That suits the Rockies down to the ground. It’s an upstart club, dead and buried in June until a series at Fenway in which the Mile High mashers pitched their way to winning two out of three in Beantown, beating Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling — starters for Games 1 and 2 — along the way.
The moral? The Rockies can’t suddenly become awed with the aura and stage of the World Series. They have to be their own, red-hot selves.
Then there’s this pearl of wisdom:
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
I don’t know that Dr. Seuss ever met Manny Ramirez, but this one describes the mercurial outfielder perfectly.
Remember a few days ago, when Boston was facing a 3-1 series deficit to Cleveland, Manny comes out with this nugget: “It doesn’t happen, so who cares? There’s always next year. It’s not like it’s the end of the world.”
The national media was appalled. Boston’s reply was it’s just Manny being Manny.
By the way, he hit .409 in the ALCS against the Tribe. He’s good. So is Boston.
So, who will win?
“How did it get so late so soon? Its night before its afternoon. December is here before its June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”
There are a couple of different ways to look at this one. Can Colorado, with more down time lately than the local water system, pick up its torrid pace after the longest layoff — eight days — in the history of baseball postseason?
Or will Boston, battle-tested from its recent playoff successes, toss some cold water on the National League upstarts?
“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”
Look, I’m not denying that the Rockies have been baseball’s best story of 2007. And winning 21 games out of their last 22 is a definite head-turner.
But really? Can they win this series?
Boston has better starters in Beckett, Schilling and yes, even Matsuzaka. Josh Fogg and Aaron Cook taking the hill in the most pressure-packed scenario imaginable has to give you pause if you’re a Colorado fan.
The lineups are a push. The Rockies hit .280 as a team, while the Red Sox hit .279.
Defense is a definite edge for the Rockies, but the intangibles — namely experience — are hugely in favor of Boston.
My pick? Boston in 6.

Contact the writer at
rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

How I voted - Oct. 23

2007-10-23T07:52:00.000-05:00

4A
1. Charlotte Independence
2. Wilmington Hoggard
3. Richmond County
4. Garner
5. West Charlotte
6. Hope Mills South View
7. Raleigh Leesville Road
8. Raleigh Athens Drive
9. Scotland County
10. Greensboro Grimsley

3A
1. Western Alamance
2. Rocky Mount
3. Hickory
4. North Gaston
5. Asheville Roberson
6. Winston-Salem Carver
7. Kernersville Glenn
8. Asheville
9. Anson County
10. Wilson Hunt

2A
1. Reidsville
2. Jacksonville Northside
3. Shelby
4. South Columbus
5. Southern Vance
6. Mt. Pleasant
7. Pittsboro Northwood
8. West Davidson
9. Southwest Onslow
10. North Brunswick

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Warsaw Kenan
3. Mt. Airy
4. Plymouth
5. North Duplin
6. Louisburg
7. Polk County
8. Wallace-Rose Hill
9. Ayden-Grifton
10. Siler City Jordan-Matthews

How I voted - Oct. 15

2007-10-16T07:22:00.000-05:00

A few changes for me this week:

4A
1. Charlotte Independence
2. Wilmington Hoggard
3. Scotland County
4. Garner
5. West Charlotte
6. Hope Mills South View
7. Wake Forest-Rolesville
8. Raleigh Leesville Road
9. Raleigh Athens Drive
10. Greensboro Grimsley

3A
1. Western Alamance
2. Rocky Mount
3. Belmont South Point
4. Hickory
5. Asheville Roberson
6. North Gaston
7. Winston-Salem Carver
8. Wilson Hunt
9. Asheville
10. Greensboro Dudley

2A
1. Reidsville
2. Shelby
3. South Columbus
4. Southern Vance
5. Jacksonville Northside
6. Mt. Pleasant
7. Southwest Onslow
8. Pittsboro Northwood
9. West Davidson
10. Maiden

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Warsaw Kenan
3. Mt. Airy
4. Plymouth
5. North Duplin
6. Ayden-Grifton
7. Louisburg
8. Polk County
9. West Montgomery
10. Wallace-Rose Hill

Ryan Haskins honored

2007-10-09T19:07:00.001-05:00

As seen in Wednesday's Daily Dispatch...

Anyone who follows Southern Vance football has heard of Jamere Pugh, O’Darren Gill and David Person. Yet there’s one young man on the team that handles the ball more than any of them.
Meet Ryan Haskins.
The 5-9, 271-pound center is the anchor of a solid Raider offensive line and, on Tuesday afternoon, he got his moment in the spotlight.
WRAL’s Tom Suiter paid a visit to Southern Vance High School to hand Haskins the WRAL Extra Effort Award for his work “not only on the playing field but also in the classroom and in the community.”
Haskins is the first Raider to win the honor since Ernest Jones — now starting at linebacker for N.C. State — back in 2002.
“They’ve been giving them out since 1981,” Southern Vance coach Mark Perry said of the honor. “Ryan was just an ideal candidate. I sent (the nomination) in a couple of weeks ago, and we’re very fortunate that he won. He’s another coach on the field. He and Jamere have been working together the last three years. They clicked together, and they’ll have some ideas about what’s going on out there and they’ll come to me and we’ll try it.
“At the same time, the kid’s got a heart as big as a tractor-trailer truck. He wants everybody to be successful, and he’s going to sacrifice to make sure they’re successful.”
It was quite a scene when Suiter presented Haskins with the Extra Effort Award plaque, complete with coaches and teammates, his dad, Phil Haskins, Jr., his mom, Lisa, and sister, Jessica.
Phil was visibly moved by the occasion.
“He’s a lineman. They get no credit,” he said. “If you ever meet him and talk to him, he’s just such a good kid. Whether up or down, on the field or off the field, he’s the same kid.
“The thing most people don’t know about Ryan is that, before he started playing middle school football, he was jacking home runs out of Aycock Park. But after he picked up a football, he never (cared) about baseball again. This is his love.”
Apparently, Ryan isn’t afraid to learn new things, either.
“They told him the only way he could get any better is to learn how to long snap. The next thing you know, he snapping a ball from here to that net over there,” Phil said of a net about 20 feet away. “One of the coaches for Concord up in West Virginia told him, ‘if only two people get on the bus (for a game), it’s the coach and the long snapper.’
“God, I’m just so proud of him.”
Spend a few minutes with Ryan and you start to see what all the fuss is about.
“It really means a lot to me, especially for my dad,” Ryan said during a break in Tuesday’s practice. “He’s really worked with me my whole life, playing football and stuff, so it means a lot. It just shows how hard I’ve been working and that, if I put my mind to it and work hard, I can do anything.”
Individual accolades are nice, but Ryan, a four-year varsity player and three-year starter, and his Raider teammates are hoping to keep building on the 6-1 start they’ve manufactured so far.
“We lost to Southwest Edgecombe, but we’ve bounced back really well,” he said of the team’s lone loss. “Bunn was obviously a really big win. We knew that was the biggest hump in our conference. Now it’s just about more or less staying focused week in and week out, striving to get that No. 1 seed in the playoffs.”
Ryan has plans for after high school as well.
“I really would like to play college football,” he said. “I really don’t have my mind set on anywhere. I’m just waiting to see what offers I get and who has the best academic plan for me. I’d really like to study Business Management. I’d like to become an entrepreneur and own my own business someday.”
The segment featuring Haskins is scheduled to air on WRAL (Time Warner Cable channel 5) on Thursday at 6:25 p.m.

How I voted: AP Poll - Week eight

2007-10-08T21:25:00.000-05:00

4A
1. Independence
2. Richmond County
3. Wilmington Hoggard
4. Scotland County
5. Garner
6. West Charlotte
7. Matthews Butler
8. Greensboro Grimsley
9. Wake Forest-Rolesville
10. Hope Mills South View

3A
1. Western Alamance
2. Rocky Mount
3. Belmont South Point
4. Kernersville Glenn
5. SW Edgecombe
6. Hickory
7. Anson County
8. Greensboro Dudley
9. Asheville Roberson
10. North Gaston

2A
1. Reidsville
2. Shelby
3. Jacksonville Northside
4. Southern Vance
5. South Columbus
6. Mt. Pleasant
7. SW Onslow
8. Pittsboro Northwood
9. South Brunswick
10. West Davidson

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Warsaw Kenan
3. Mt. Airy
4. Plymouth
5. Siler City Jordan-Matthews
6. North Duplin
7. Polk County
8. Louisburg
9. Ayden-Grifton
10. Wallace Rose Hill

The loss of Hope...

2007-10-01T18:27:00.000-05:00

Forgot to post this the other day. This was last Friday, right after Brazil stomped us in the World Cup...

Take a bow, Greg Ryan. You just cost the United States the Women’s World Cup.
That may be a little over the top, since Brazil played so brilliantly in a 4-0 demolition of the favored American side Thursday in Hangzhou, China.
I give credit to Marta, who must be Ronaldinho’s little sister with her deft ball skills and her laser-like accuracy around the net.
The better team won Thursday, so my hat is off to Brazil.
And now I’m going to throw it at U.S. coach Greg Ryan.
Ryan, riding a 50-game winning streak with a star-studded U.S. side, announced Tuesday that he was benching starting keeper Hope Solo in favor of Briana Scurry for Thursday’s semifinal match.
Scurry is a legend, and possibly the best keeper the women’s game has ever seen. But she’s 36 and she’s only been in the box seven times since 2004, and none in this World Cup.
I can’t understand it. And I’m not alone.
“It was the wrong decision, and I think anybody that knows anything about the game knows that,” Solo said. “There’s no doubt in my mind I would have made those saves. ... You have to live in the present. And you can’t live by big names. You can’t live in the past.”
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Scurry is a heroine. She’s dedicated her adult life to playing for her country, and she gave it her all out there Thursday.
But Ryan put her — and indeed, his whole squad — in a position to fail against a team that played like they smelled disention in the ranks.
Or blood in the water.
The first goal was unlucky, an own goal headed in by Leslie Osborne off a corner — a play that might have been averted with better communication between the keeper and her defenders on the near post.
Goal No. 2 was a solid strike from Marta that I think could have been saved. Goals three and four were a little tougher, since they occured after the unfair send-off of midfielder Shannon Boxx after a phantom second yellow card.
Still, it’s sad to think that this team trained together for two years, ripped through 50 straight matches without a loss and never trailed by more than a goal in that span — only to have its coach undermine all that hard work and dominance with a chemistry killing decision.
Was hiring a guy who’s coaching résumé includes stops at soccer hotbeds Colorado College and SMU really the best we could do?
Sunil Gulati, president of the United States Soccer Federation, put on a brave front after the crushing defeat, saying “we are not where we were 10 years ago. It’s not because we are not better, it’s because everyone else is investing in the game.”
Now, we should invest in a new head coach for our women’s soccer team.

Contact the writer at
rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

How I voted: AP Poll - Week seven

2007-10-01T18:21:00.000-05:00

4A
1. Charlotte Independence
2. Richmond County
3. Wilmington Hoggard
4. Scotland County
5. Garner
6. West Charlotte
7. Matthews Butler
8. Shelby Crest
9. Greensboro Grimsley
10. Wake Forest-Rolesville

3A
1. Western Alamance
2. Rocky Mount
3. SouthWest Edgecombe
4. Belmont South Point
5. Asheville Roberson
6. Kernersville Glenn
7. Hickory
8. Greensboro Dudley
9. Anson County
10. Charlotte Catholic

2A
1. Reidsville
2. Shelby
3. Jacksonville Northside
4. Southern Vance
5. South Columbus
6. Mt. Pleasant
7. Southwest Onslow
8. Bunn
9. Salisbury
10. Pittsboro Northwood

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Warsaw Kenan
3. Mt. Airy
4. Polk County
5. Plymouth
6. Siler City Jordan-Matthews
7. North Duplin
8. Louisburg
9. Ayden-Grifton
10. Wallace-Rose Hill

How I voted: AP Poll - Week six

2007-09-24T23:56:00.000-05:00

4A
1. Charlotte Independence
2. Richmond County
3. Wilmington Hoggard
4. Scotland County
5. Garner
6. West Charlotte
7. Matthews Butler
8. Shelby Crest
9. Greensboro Grimsley
10. Wake Forest-Rolesville

3A
1. Western Alamance
2. Rocky Mount
3. SouthWest Edgecombe
4. Belmont South Point
5. Asheville Roberson
6. West Rowan
7. Kernersville Glenn
8. Hickory
9. Greensboro Dudley
10. Charlotte Catholic

2A
1. Reidsville
2. Shelby
3. Jacksonville Northside
4. Southern Vance
5. South Columbus
6. Mt. Pleasant
7. Southwest Onslow
8. Bunn
9. Whiteville
10. Salisbury

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Warsaw Kenan
3. Mt. Airy
4. Polk County
5. Plymouth
6. Wallace-Rose Hill
7. Jordan Matthews
8. North Duplin
9. Louisburg
10. Ayden-Grifton

How I voted: AP Poll - Week five

2007-09-18T18:19:00.000-05:00

There have been a few changes... Here's my list:

4A
1. Independence
2. Richmond County
3. Crest
4. Wilmington Hoggard
5. Scotland County
6. Garner
7. West Charlotte
8. Greensboro Grimsley
9. East Burke
10. South View

3A
1. Western Alamance
2. Rocky Mount
3. Southwest Edgecombe
4. South Point
5. T.C. Roberson
6. Glenn
7. Eastern Alamance
8. Hickory
9. Anson County
10. Charlotte Catholic

2A
1. Reidsville
2. Shelby
3. Bunn
4. Jacksonville Northside
5. Southern Vance
6. South Columbus
7. Whiteville
8. Southwest Onslow
9. Sailsbury
10. Owen

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Warsaw Kenan
3. Mount Airy
4. Polk County
5. Plymouth
6. Wallace Rose Hill
7. Jordan Matthews
8. East Bladen
9. Louisburg
10. Ayden-Grifton

This week's AP Poll

2007-09-11T20:19:00.001-05:00

By The Associated Press
RALEIGH (AP) — The Associated Press state high school football poll for the week of September 11, first-place votes in parentheses, records and total points as voted upon by a statewide panel of prep sports writers:
Class 4-A
School Total Points Prv
1. Charlotte Independence (12) (2-1) 170 1
2. Matthews Butler (6) (3-0) 165 2
3. Richmond County (3-0) 124 4
4. Wilmington Hoggard (2-0) 106 5
5. Shelby Crest (3-0) 105 6
6. Scotland County (3-0) 75 9
7. Garner (4-0) 65 8
8. Greenville Rose (2-1) 38 3
9. West Charlotte (3-1) 28 7
10. Wake Forest-Rolesville (4-0) 24
(tie) Greensboro Grimsley (4-0) 24

Others receiving votes: East Burke 18, Hope Mills South View 15, Raleigh Leesville Road 12, New Bern 10, Davie County 5, Watauga County 3, Winston-Salem Mt. Tabor 2, Concord Robinson 1.
———
Class 3-A
School Total Points Prv
1. Western Alamance (14) (4-0) 174 1
2. Rocky Mount (3) (4-0) 157 3
3. North Gaston (1) (3-0) 115 5
4. Kannapolis Brown (4-0) 114 4
5. Hertford County (4-0) 93 6
6. Southwest Edgecombe (3-0) 63
7. Northeast Guilford (4-0) 50 9
8. Belmont South Point (3-0) 46 10
9. Asheville Roberson (3-0) 38
10. Charlotte Catholic (2-2) 29 2

Others receiving votes: Kernersville Glenn 21, Monroe Sun Valley 17, West Rowan 15, Hickory 12, Eastern Alamance 11, Winston-Salem Parkland 9, Winston-Salem Carver 8, Wilson Hunt 6, Northwest Cabarrus 3, Northern Guilford 3, Asheville 3, Greensboro Dudley 2, Harnett Central 1.
———
Class 2-A
School Total Points Prv
1. Reidsville (13) (3-0) 175 2
2. Shelby (3) (2-1) 147 1
3. Bunn (1) (3-0) 139 4
4. Southern Vance (1) (4-0) 125 5
5. Jacksonville Northside (4-0) 100 6
6. Maiden (3-1) 73 8
7. Brevard (2-1) 51 7
8. Burlington Cummings (2-2) 35 3
9. South Columbus (3-0) 33
10. Southwest Onslow (3-1) 22

Others receiving votes: Mt. Pleasant 17, East Lincoln 16, West Davidson 13, Greene Central 11, East Duplin 9, Tarboro 5, Whiteville 4, Thomasville Ledford 4, Lenoir Hibriten 3, South Brunswick 2, Pittsboro Northwood 2, Salisbury 1, Black Mountain Owen 1, Canton Pisgah 1, North Brunswick 1.
———
Class 1-A
School Total Points Prv
1. Thomasville (14) (3-0) 173 1
2. Warsaw Kenan (3) (4-0) 163 2
3. Wallace-Rose Hill (3-0) 141 3
4. Mt. Airy (1) (4-0) 121 4
5. Polk County (4-0) 100 5
6. Plymouth (4-0) 84 7
7. West Montgomery (4-0) 50 9
8. Siler City Jordan-Matthews (3-0-1) 29 10
9. East Bladen (2-1) 28 6
10. Cherokee (2-1) 24 8

Others receiving votes: North Duplin 22, Ayden-Grifton 17, Murphy 9, East Surry 8, Chocowinity Southside 7, Hobbton 6, East Carteret 5, Hendersonville 3.

How I Voted: AP Poll - Week four

2007-09-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

4A
1. Charlotte Independence
2. Matthews Butler
3. Richmond County
4. Shelby Crest
5. Wilmington Hoggard
6. Scotland County
7. Garner
8. Greenville Rose
9. West Charlotte
10. Greensboro Grimsley

3A
1. Western Alamance
2. Rocky Mount
3. Kannapolis Brown
4. SW Edgecombe
5. North Gaston
6. Hertford County
7. Northeast Guilford
8. Belmont South Point
9. Asheville Roberson
10. Greensboro Dudley

2A
1. Southern Vance
2. Reidsville
3. Bunn
4. Shelby
5. Jacksonville Northside
6. South Columbus
7. Brevard
8. Maiden
9. Whiteville
10. Southwest Onslow

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Warsaw Kenan
3. Wallace-Rose Hill
4. Mt. Airy
5. Polk County
6. Plymouth
7. Ayden-Grifton
8. West Montgomery
9. East Bladen
10. Cherokee

Talkin' Tiki

2007-09-05T14:15:00.000-05:00

I used to like Tiki Barber.

Really, I did. I always admired him for his talent, his commitment to his family, his work for charitable causes and his overall persona as an all-around good guy.

Apparently, the man is a bit of a glory hound as well.

I respect his decision to walk away from the NFL in his prime. It's his body, he owes no explanation for that. It's what he's done since then that's shifted my outlook on him.

He's got a book coming out, "Tiki: My Life in the Game and Beyond," and to say that he's going out of his way to promote it would be a bit of an understatement.

After an offseason where he took a shot at Giants' quarterback and former teammate Eli Manning, calling it "comical" when Manning tried to assume more of a leadership role, Barber took dead aim at his former coach, Tom Coughlin, and the Giants' organization in the new literary effort.

In excerpts from the book released recently, Barber writes, "If Tom Coughlin had not remained as head coach of the Giants, I might still be in a Giants uniform. (Coughlin) robbed me of what had been one of the most important things I had in my life, which was the joy I felt playing football."

I know that Coughlin isn't in line for any congeniality awards - the guy has the personality of a dustpan - but whining about the coach and using his as an excuse for retiring? I expect more out of an NFL player.

Tiki's a talking head now, so I guess his new lot in life to shoot off his mouth and try to make an impact.

But as far as his life in the NFL goes, I have only one thing to say.

Don't go away mad. Just go away.

Fantasy draft No. 1

2007-08-27T10:53:00.000-05:00

As seen on Gabe Whisnant's blog, here's an idea theft about how one of my draft went.

It's a touchdown-only league, and it's been around since the 1980s. I've only been a member for five years - after a five-year stay on the waiting list. It's easier to get Packer tickets, or sell a Vick jersey at the Westminster Dog Show.

Anyway, I kept Marion Barber and Edgerrin James. Yeah, last year was bad. This one should be better. It's a keeper league, so the usual suspects weren't available. Adrian Peterson went No. 1 overall, if you're wondering.

Lineup:
QB: Jay Cutler (waited until late)
RB: Barber
RB: Ronnie Brown (1st pick)
WR: Marques Colston (other 1st rounder)
WR: Vincent Jackson (third round, really happy here)
TE: Todd Heap (fifth round)
K: Olindo Mare (really late, where kickers belong)
DEF: Ravens (Round seven)

Reserves
QB: Jeff Garcia (should have done better here, but J.P. Losman and Jon Kitna both share a bye week with Cutler)
RB: James, Tatum Bell (who proceeded to run out and get hurt), Michael Bush (last pick, just taking a flyer)
WR: Donald Driver (round two, but nicked up right now), Jerricho Cotchery (really like this guy).

Review: Good depth at wide receiver, a little shallow at running back. If Cutler's good, I will be too. If I have to play Garcia, I'm in trouble.

Football approaches, heat be darned

2007-08-10T12:18:00.001-05:00

I’m not a complainer most of the time, but this heat is trying my good humor. The only place I want to see triple digits is in my paycheck.
Afternoon temps in the 100s are almost blunting my enthusiasm for the looming football season – be it high school, college or pro. Almost, but not quite.
Here are the things I’m looking forward to seeing out of each kind of gridiron action in 2007:

High schools

Is Southern Vance a one-year wonder? It’s a fair question, considering the Raiders had never made it out of the third round before last year’s run to the State 2AA title game. Mark Perry steps in for David Jennings in the head coaching spot, but plenty of the key figures return to try and produce a repeat performance.
I like the offense, and the defense will round into form. Look for another deep postseason run.
Can Webb be a 3A dark horse? The Warriors are getting zero pub in the run up to the season, but few teams can boast nine returning starters on both sides of the ball. John Hammett’s bunch finished 7-4 last year, and with a senior-laden, talented defense and Antwan Thorpe returning at quarterback, this is a team that could be a real surprise.
Can Warren County and Northern Vance turn the corner? Both have plenty of obstacles to overcome, as Warren County is breaking in its third coach in three seasons and the Vikings are about as youthful as any team around. The schedule does neither squad any favors, either.

Colleges

New coaches, new stories? Butch Davis and Tom O’Brien step into new roles at Carolina and State, respectively. Davis has the better recruits while O’Brien had more in the cupboard. Davis will have the Tar Heels turned around in a year or two, while the Wolfpack will be much improved right away with the added discipline of the former Boston College boss.
Who’s No. 1? Virginia Tech’s a great story, USC is loaded with five-star talent and both Louisville and West Virginia have decent shots at the title. My pick? I’ll take LSU.
The Bayou Bengals have 14 returning starters and a home-loaded schedule that should help them navigate the brutal SEC. The only tough road test is Alabama, and LSU is 32-3 at home since 2002.
Who’s winning the Heisman? This is almost impossible to predict, but I get paid to take such chances (read: I need the column inches). West Virginia’s Steve Slaton, Arkansas’ Darren McFadden and Louisville’s Brian Brohm are prime candidates, but to find my choice, you have to hope a plan and fly to the islands. Hawaii’s Colt Brennen toils in a pass-happy, run-and-shoot offense for a team that will likely be undefeated and challenge for an at-large BCS bowl bid.

Pros

Can the Panthers bounce back? I think they can, though cutting Keyshawn Johnson was puzzling with the lack of proven talent behind Steve Smith. DeAngelo Williams and Jake Delhomme (or David Carr) must have big years for the Panthers to challenge in the NFC.

Super Bowl pick? Right now? You’re kidding. If I had to nail one down now, I’ll lean towards the Patriots.

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Stealing ideas

2007-08-05T16:30:00.000-05:00

I'm going to steal two things from my buddy Bryan Hanks over in Kinston.

1. His praise of the Prep Yearbook available over at ncpreps.com. It's well worth the $17.

2. His idea of breaking down a schedule game-by-game. My choice? The Clemson Tigers...

Sept. 3 - vs. Florida State - Everyone seems convinced that the Seminoles are somehow going to come out and hammer people this year, just because of the all-star group of assistants that Bobby Bowden brought in. Me, I tend to focus on the facts that Clemson has won three of the last four in the series and two in a row against the 'Noles at home. I'll take Clemson in a close one, 21-20.

Sept. 8 - vs. UL Monroe - The Skyhawks are pretty good for a Sun Belt team, which is to say that they might beat Duke. Maybe. Clemson wins, 45-14.

Sept. 15 - vs. Furman - Not exactly murderer's row here. Clemson wins, 42-0.

Sept. 22 - at N.C. State - Clemson wins this game on paper, but Tom O'Brien is a Tiger killer. I'm a little worried about this one, but I'll take the Tigers, 28-21.

Sept. 29 - at Georgia Tech - At this point, Clemson will be ranked and a little too cocky. I like the Jackets here, 23-21.

Oct. 6 - Virginia Tech - The Hokies are a national championship contender. Clemson is not. Hokies win, 28-13.

Oct. 20 - Central Michigan - This is a decent team, but the home field edge will be enough for Clemson, 35-24.

Oct. 27 - at Maryland - These games are always close. This one will be, too. Clemson wins, 27-21, in OT.

Nov. 3 - at Duke - Duke has no shot here. Clemson rolls, 49-17.

Nov. 10 - Wake Forest - The Deacs blew a late lead last year. They implode a lot sooner this time. Clemson wins, 35-20.

Nov. 17 - Boston College - I'm really interested to see what this team does with a new coach. My guess is they falls short here. Clemson wins, 28-14.

Nov. 24 - at South Carolina - It pains me to write this, but the Gamecocks are looking good on paper. That defense and the home field will swing this one to SC, 28-24.

That's 9-3 for the Tigers and, assuming FSU loses another league game along the way, a berth in the ACC title game.

Anything less and there'll be one less Bowden in the ACC.

Warren County hires Crump

2007-07-25T10:39:00.000-05:00

From Wednesday's Dispatch...

BY RANDY CAPPS
DISPATCH SPORTS EDITOR

There are many young men in school right now who are dreaming of becoming lawyers. Then there’s a lawyer who’s always dreamed of becoming a head football coach.
Maurice Crump, a Warren County native and former Eagle player, has assumed the top post at his alma mater, replacing Lamont Robinson after just one season.
Crump, who served as Robinson’s defensive coordinator last season, is excited about getting his first head coaching job in his hometown.
“I feel pretty good about it,” he said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be the coach at the school I played for.”
After graduating from Warren County in 1988, he went to Howard University in Washington, D.C., and earned a degree in Political Science in 1992 and went on to claim a law degree in 1995.
But he’s always been more interested in tackles than torts. “Football has always been in my heart,” he said. “There were so many influences on me growing up. My father coached me in school, and I just sort of decided to try coaching, chase my dream while I was young.
“Now, my time has come. Here’s my shot.”
That shot is right around the corner as Crump is scrambling to get his Eagles ready for the start of practice on July 30 and the season opener against J.F. Webb at home on Aug. 17.
“I think the first priority is to get the word out that guys need to be coming to workouts and trying to get in shape,” he said. “As far as the defense goes, not much will be different. But we have an new offensive coordinator and the offense always takes a little longer to put in.
“Hopefully, by the time the first game comes up, we’ll have a decent number of plays in. Then, we’ll expand it as the season goes on.”

On Becks and Vick

2007-07-21T16:59:00.000-05:00

In Sunday's Dispatch...

I wrote a column a few days ago, but there’s too much going on this weekend for me to pass up the chance to get my opinion out there.
What can I say? It’s a sickness.
So, David Beckham with his former Spice Girl wife in tow, has jumped the Atlantic and started a career with the Los Angeles Galaxy in Major League Soccer.
In true “Pardon the Interruption” style, is it a big deal, little deal or no deal?
A true soccer fan will tell you that, while Beckham is masterful on free kicks and passes with the skill and grace of a ballroom dancer, he’s got no left foot and only uses his head for his fancy hats.
Still, the guy is a star in the “football” world. An art exhibition in Japan a few years ago featured video footage of Becks sleeping. It drew massive crowds and snarled traffic.
The man brings credibility to a league that needs it and adds a little bling to the American soccer culture.
Will he spark the same sort of fervor he experienced at Manchester United or Real Madrid? I doubt it. But this is a big deal.
Need proof?
When’s the last time you saw a MLS game in the middle of the lead sports page with the biggest picture?
Yes, there is a first time for everything. We’ll see if it’s the last.
Speaking of waiting and watching, the word trouble seems woefully inadequate to describe the situation in which Michael Vick has found himself.
The NFL’s highest paid player was indicted by a federal grand jury this week for alleged connections to dog fighting — setting the stage for a court battle that could lighten his wallet by hundreds of thousands of dollars, end his NFL career and land him in prision for several years.
I’ll say this. I have no idea whether he’s guilty or innocent. I think he deserves his day in court.
What’s of more immediate concern to sports fans is his future in Atlanta.
I seriously doubt the man will take a snap this year. Right now, he’s kyrptonite.
If you’re the Falcons, you can’t have him — and the traveling media cirus that will follow — at training camp when it opens Thursday.
You can’t have Bobby Petrino starting every afternoon press conference with the Vick update.
You can’t have the distraction to the team, him darting in and out for court appearances and opposing stadiums playing “Who Let the Dogs Out” on the P.A. system when the Falcons come to town.
I think you’ll see him take a leave of absense to deal with his legal issues where he’ll ultimately be judged in a court of law — rather than by the NFL in the court of public opinion.
The NFL isn’t touching this with a 10-foot pole. Roger Goodell and the league office can’t afford to act now and risk the embarassment of Vick not being convicted.
They’re content to wait and watch it play out.
Just like the rest of us.

Contact the writer at
rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

It's in the game...

2007-07-18T11:38:00.000-05:00

With my usual excitement - and with a confused five year old in tow - I rolled in to Electronics Boutique to pick up my reserved copy of NCAA Football 08 for the PlayStation 2.

My buddy, Kinston Free Press sports editor Bryan Hanks, would point out that I should be playing on the PS3. And he's right. But he didn't have to get a wife to sign off on the $500-plus price tag.

Anyway, I got it home and fired up my PS2 and popped it in. Because there are at least seven people interested in my opinion on this newly-released game, let's give it the official review:

PROS
I like the new "Motivation" feature, where big plays can boost your players' ratings by position. The recruiting engine is still my favorite part of the game, with preseason and in-season efforts to uncover the next Reggie Bush or Vince Young.

The folks at EA Sports also did a pretty good job - at first glance - of including incoming freshmen in the game. Clemson has Willy Korn, with accurate ratings and the correct jersey number.

The controls are familiar to NCAA Football vets, yet can be watered down for an easier gaming experience.

CONS
It's basically the same game as last year's version. The gaming engine is almost identical to 07, and aside from a few tweaks, the playbooks are carbon copies from last season.

It's my only complaint, really, but it's one that will probably limit my enjoyment of this game to weeks instead of the usual months. I sat down, practiced for about 30 minutes and then won my first game of a new dynasty (multiple seasons where you can build up teams or just bounce around looking for good jobs) by three touchdowns on one of the harder settings.

SKINNY
If you've bought every one of these games since the mid 90s, then you're going to buy and like this one. I can't help feeling like EA Sports spent all their time and money on the PS3, XBox 360 and Wii versions while just slapping a fresh coat of paint on the PS2 model and then running it out as a new product.

It's still fun, but if you're looking for a bunch of new features, they're not on the PS2 release. Maybe you should check it out on a next-gen system.

Maybe I should too.

Where have you gone, ESPN

2007-07-04T15:38:00.001-05:00

Mark Packer, a syndicated talk show host, calls ESPN “H-Y-P-E.”
Steve Czaban, a national radio personality on Fox Sports Radio, refers to it as “the four-letter.”
It’s usually good for a laugh, lamenting the fact that ESPN has become more concerned with being edgy than showing sports.
Kind of like the way that MTV used to play music videos before becoming a 24-hour-a-day reality show network.
What am I talking about?
Yesterday, on the most American of holidays, there were four baseball games that started at noon or 1 p.m.
WGN had the Cubs and Nationals, hardly a marquee matchup. What did ESPN, the so-called “Worldwide Leader in Sports,” have to offer?
A hot dog eating contest, followed by a repeat showing of the spelling bee, followed by four — I said four — hours of talk shows and then a SportsCenter.
Finally, at 7 p.m., ESPN, which will pay $273.5 million for the rights to MLB games in 2007, decided it might be cool to show us the Tigers and Indians.
Let’s back up a minute.
I know that there’s some sort of fascination with the whole hot dog eating thing, but hearing some idiot providing commentary proclaim that Joey Chestnut eating a world-record 66 hot dogs is “the greatest moment in the history of American sports” was almost as gross as Takeru Kobayashi’s “reversal” somewhere around hot dog No. 63.
Don’t know what a reversal is? Think it over...
If watching it live wasn’t bad enough, “NFL Live” showed highlights and added analysis during the 4-4:30 p.m. program.
I’d love to hear how those two things go together.
And they had it again on “Rome is Burning,” “Around the Horn” and “Pardon the Interruption.”
Give Michael Smith credit for bashing the fact that the network paying him to sit in for Jim Rome had it on the air instead of “some real sports.”
Amen, Mike.
Is there a more tragic commentary that some people derive patriotic pride from an American guy beating a Japanese guy in an eating contest?
America is great because we’re the land of the free and the home of the brave, not because we know how to eat on the Fourth of July.
As for the spelling bee, I’d complain about it, but it has two things going for it that elevate it above criticism — they’re kids and, ratings-wise, it outdrew the NBA Finals.
Still, not having an endless supply of the national pastime on the so-called premier sports channel on the 4th was just plain wrong.
It almost made me want to have a reversal.

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Expanded...

2007-06-26T10:54:00.000-05:00

I decided to go the column route for Wednesday's paper...

Mention the words “professional wrestling” to the average person and you’re likely to draw one of three responses.

“Oh yeah, I watch that some.” Or, “I watched it when I was younger.” Or, my personal favorite, “It’s fake.”

It is scripted, and the folks at World Wrestling Entertainment and Total Nonstop Action make no bones about it, calling their product “sports entertainment.”

It’s a soap opera put on by guys in spandex and girls in not quite as much, and truth be told, I’m still a fan.

I’m tired of the dark underbelly of the business, though. Monday was the last straw.

Chris Benoit, 40, a wrestler on WWE’s roster, was found dead in his home along with his wife, Nancy, and seven-year-old son, Daniel. It is widely reported that Benoit killed his wife and son over the weekend before ending his own life Monday in his Georgia home.

Benoit skipped a house show on Saturday and a pay-per-view on Sunday, citing personal reasons.

No kidding.

I never met him, but I always liked watching him perform. I just think it’s sad that an industry that forces its workers to travel 200 nights a year (33 live shows are scheduled in July and August for WWE wrestlers) and has a mortality rate that rivals some third world nations doesn’t have to shoulder any of the blame for the problems of its employees.

Please don’t misunderstand me, if Benoit killed his family and then himself, it’s on his head, not WWE Chairman Vince McMahon’s. But I think it’s time we media types took an interest in sports entertainment, and the WWE’s role in the demise of its stars.

Benoit is the second wrestler to commit suicide this year, after 42-year-old Mike Awesome did so a few months ago. That alone is worth scrutiny. Toss in widespread steroid abuse and the fact that dozens of wrestling stars don’t live long enough to enjoy retirement and you get a “sport” that makes the NBA and Major League Baseball look like model organizations.

Guys like Chris Von Erich (21), Mike Von Erich (23), Louie Spiccoli (27), Jay Youngblood (30), Crash Holly (32), Kerry Von Erich (33), Yokozuna (34), Brian Pillman (35) and Eddie Guerrero (38) are just a few of the wrestlers who died far too young.

And from a man who faked his own death two weeks ago by staging a car bombing outside an arena, any WWE credibility in regards to life and death rings about as hollow as the 10-bell salute the deceased get at the next house show.

Owen Hart (33) fell to his death entering the ring at a pay-per-view in 1999, and the show went on as Jim Ross told us that Hart had fallen and was on the way to the hospital. He died on the way there, due to massive internal injuries after his harness – lowering him from the rafters – released about 60 feet too early.

At least they didn’t show the replay.

Baseball has the steroid issue, and football and basketball have certain criminal elements to them as well. Wrestlers are dying, and no one bats an eye.

No, it’s not a real sport. Guys get into the ring knowing who will win, almost no one bleeds without “blading,” or cutting themselves, and the storylines are just as far-fetched as anything you’ll see on a Tuesday afternoon soap in Genoa City.

But make no mistake about it. There’s nothing “fake” about death.

It’s time to start asking questions.

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Same stuff, different year

2007-06-20T20:37:00.000-05:00

Well, my favorite baseball team is at it again.

The Baltimore Orioles have fired Sam Perlozzo and have set off in search of a new skipper - probably Joe Girardi. Now I love Girardi and the job he did with the Marlins last year. But he's only part of the solution.

The real problem lies at a much higher level.

Peter Angelos is a plague. He makes Daniel Snyder look good. The man has the baseball knowledge of a dustpan, but because he's rich and owns the team, he feels compelled to meddle.

For example...

The Orioles could have Marcus Giles, Adam LaRoche, Erick Aybar and Ervin Santana on their roster right now in deals for Brian Roberts (whom I like) and Miguel Tejada (whom I'd like to see playing in Tampa). But Angelos nixed the trades made by his baseball people, with some apparent need to bolster his own ego.

Seriously, sell the team. Go back to being a slimy lawyer and get away from my O's.

Oh, a quick shout out to my Kinston buddies. Had a great time at the Free Press, K-Tribe game and the after-hours entertainment. You guys might find it interesting to learn that Bryan Hanks got lost on the way to Grainger Stadium in a town he's lived in for like five years. Of course, he still ended the night with more cool points than I did.

But there's no need to get into that.

I was very impressed with the town and the people I met. I look forward to returning.

Fixing the NBA

2007-06-13T15:46:00.000-05:00

From Thursday's Dispatch

As the NBA Finals winds towards its inevitable conclusion, I’m left with only one question:
Does anybody care?
Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy watching Tim Duncan and LeBron James play individually, but it’s the other eight guys on the floor at any given time that make this series boring and predictable.
The sad thing is that the NBA can be entertaining. It could close the gap on baseball and vie for becoming the second-most important sport in America behind the NFL.
But some changes need to be made. Soon.
So, free of charge, here’s my plan to save the National Basketball Association.

Fix the schedule – Good grief, what idiot is making the NBA Playoff schedule?
Game 3 of the Finals tipped off last night at 9 p.m. in the East and it wrapped up (mercifully) about 11:45. That means that more than half of the 50 largest cities in the country had to stay up to almost 11 or midnight to watch the second-lowest scoring game in the history of the NBA Finals. I’m guessing this won’t make for a great rating.
People who work a normal shift can’t stay up that late to watch TV. Move the tip back to 8 p.m., at the latest.
And the playoffs started back on April 21. Is it really necessary to drag it out this long?

Less is more – There are 30 teams right now in the NBA. There should be 24. Set it up like the soccer leagues in Europe. Next year, have the bottom six teams sent to the developmental league. The following year, you could drop the lowest two and promote the two best teams from the D-League.
Or just straight-up contract. Whatever gets the NBA down to 24 franchises.
This would serve several purposes. For starters, teams would start using their entire rosters. There were 10 guys in uniform Tuesday night that didn’t play. That’s silly. Having fewer teams means that the players are spread around more. Better benches means better players and that makes for better games.
Keeping with the same theme, the 82-game schedule needs to be cut down. I’d like to see it cut in half, but I think mathematically, it has to be in the low 60s. There’s no urgency in the regular season. Guys are mailing it in, and this would cut down on that.

Money, money, money – Get rid of guaranteed contracts. Teams that make mistakes on players (Hello, New York?) should be able to cut guys and start over. The NFL model works well. Give them bigger signing bonuses, but let teams fix their mistakes. This will also help teams make trades, giving woeful franchises the chance to turn things around quickly.

Enforce the rules – No tonic for the NBA would be complete without addressing the rulebook. Call the walks, please. Call the handchecks. Blow the whistle when players aren’t in the lane, for a change.

These things will never happen. They make far too much sense for the league to ever adopt them.

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Fantasy focus

2007-06-08T10:38:00.000-05:00

A former friend once told me something that I think is an excellent piece of fantasy baseball advice:

Don't look at the standings until July.

If you're like me and out of first place here in early June, don't panic. In my last two seasons, I've had two very different teams.

One was dominant for much of the campaign, topping out at a staggering 95 points at one point in a 5x5, 10-team roto league, before fading away like a Paris Hilton jail sentence.

The other was mediocre all year but won me the championship with a furious last-month rally.

Here are a few pointers to get you back within striking range:

Trim the fat - Most underachieving squads have at least one guy that was drafted high that's stinking up the joint. In April and May, patience is a virtue. In June, it's time to bail.

Stuck with Johnny Damon (.257), J.D. Drew (.224) or Richie Sexson (.197)? Trade them away to an opportunistic soul who's willing to wait and hope for a turnaround.

Meanwhile, you should...

Hit the wire - Unless you play in a 20-team league, there are players on the waiver wire that can help you. Steals and saves can be a little hard to come by, but the other eight categories are there for the boosting.

Need some homers? Carlos Pena, who's reviving his career with Tampa Bay, has a dozen while eight more guys who are playing on a regular basis are available in my league with at least eight long balls.

There are 14 guys that can be had in my league with at least five wins. Some of the decent WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) and ERA guys in that group are Jorge Sosa (3.22 ERA, 1.05 WHIP), Jeff Francis (3.70, 1.31) and the ageless Greg Maddux (3.82, 1.23).

Work the league - Make trades. It's a simple piece of advice, but you'd be surprised at how many owners draft their teams and then stand back and make little or no changes.

There's been one deal in my league this year, and I'm the one who made it. I took some heat for shipping C.C. Sabathia and his nine wins out for Curtis Granderson. But with my astute wire pickup of Tim Lincecum, I had some excess pitching and I used it to patch up my less-than-stellar outfield.

Check around. There's an owner out there who might be willing to work with you. You don't have to sucker somebody to get a good deal.

But it doesn't hurt to try.

Let me off the anti-Bonds bandwagon

2007-05-09T12:51:00.000-05:00

Is there a media outlet somewhere that isn’t bashing Barry Bonds as he draws closer and closer to Henry Aaron’s all-time home run record?
I’ll admit, I use to be a torch carrying member of the media throng and, apparently, government investigators, that are out to run the man out of baseball, into obscurity for his alleged cheating and into a jail cell for perjury.
Then, I started thinking.
Major League Baseball didn’t start testing for steroids, or any other performance- enhancing drugs, until 2003. So, while he may have been afoul of the law, he was within the rules of the game in 2001 when he hit his 73 homers.
Was it right? Of course not. Do I think less of the man — and his achievements — because of the very likely scenario that he took human growth hormones? Yeah, I sure do.
He’s never tested positive for anything, but there is no reliable test for HGH. The man has gone up three shoe sizes since 1998. That ain’t natural, folks.
But here’s the key thing for me. Was he the only guy cutting corners?
You think that, perhaps, some of the pitchers serving up those bombs were equally guilty of the same thing?
With the recent revelation that former Mets’ bat boy Kirk Radomski has been aiding a federal investigation into performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, I started wondering. He says he provided steroids, human growth hormone, amphetamines and other drugs to “dozens of current and former Major League Baseball players and associates.”
He’s one guy in one clubhouse. How deep does it go?
Are you going to wipe half the league — and their stats — out of the league history books if it comes down that 50, 100 or 200 players were guilty of doping? Where do you draw the line?
I blame baseball for using the summer of 1998 (Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa’s assault on Roger Maris’ homer record) to reignite interest in the game following four years of labor strife between owners and players that turned off fans.
Baseball, I suspect, knew that a “better playing through chemistry” philosophy was running rampant in the game, but didn’t care as long as it lured the fans back to the park.
That summer, many believe, got under Bonds’ skin. He hit .303 with 37 homers and 122 RBI while stealing 28 bases. He finished eighth in the MVP voting that season (Sosa won the honor) and I think it ticked him off.
He averaged 41 homers a year from 1999 to 2006, a remarkable late-career surge for a man that will turn 43 in July.
So when Roger Clemens signs the richest one-year deal — almost $155,000 a day — in baseball history this week at almost 45-years-old, why is he regarded as a marvel when Bonds is automatically labeled a cheater?
The man was a sure-fire hall of famer before his homer binge, and I think he’s the best player of his generation and one of the best five ever to walk onto a baseball field.
So, when he breaks the record, I’ll be watching. And if I ever get a hall of fame vote, I’ll give it to him.
I hate the fact that baseball had a steroid era, but it happened. And he was the best player on the stage that was in place at the time.
You don’t have to love the man, but he’s earned his place in history.

Here's to you, Mr. Robinson

2007-04-16T21:58:00.000-05:00

Sunday was cool.
Major League baseball celebrated the 60th anniversary of Jackie Robinson taking the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, crossing over the color barrier and paving the way for generations of black baseball players, with “Jackie Robinson Day.”
Scores of modern players — including five entire teams — put on Robinson’s No. 42, a number that was retired league-wide 10 years ago.
The Dodgers and Padres had the national spotlight on Sunday night, and honestly, the game itself was far less important than the occasion.
I enjoyed the ESPN broadcast with Rachel Robinson, the classy, elegant widow of the man she still lovingly calls “Jack.”
Mrs. Robinson, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Don Newcombe and Dave Winfield spent time on the broadcast — carried as always by Jon Miller and Joe Morgan — spinning yarns about the legendary ballplayer who stood in batter’s boxes and infields, listening to the taunts of white fans that didn’t want him around.
Baseball was integrated in 1947 when Robinson, and later that year, Larry Doby had the courage to step out there, take the abuse and just play ball.
To be sure, the national pastime went kicking and screaming into that brave new world. Players threatened to strike, umpires looked the other way when harsh words — or harder spikes — were directed at Robinson and Doby and some owners chose not to integrate their teams until much later.
As painful as it was, it happened seven years before Brown vs. Board, 12 months before the U.S. Army stopped segregation and 16 years before Dr. Martin Luther King shared his dream with the world.
So, what would have happened if Robinson hadn’t kept his cool?
What would have happened if he would have hurled a bat or ball at a heckler? Or if he would have hit .156, like Doby, instead of .297 60 years ago?
It might have served as ammunition for those looking to keep black players out of the game.
Where would we be?
Would the Civil Rights movement have begun when it did?
How would our world look?
Thankfully, we’ll never know.
For that reason, Jackie Robinson’s contributions to baseball deserve all the honor and glory Major League Baseball can give them.
Fans should stand and cheer, as they did Sunday, the memory of a great ballplayer.
But Americans should remember him on a deeper level as a man who, by simply playing a game, changed the course of our nation’s history.

Jennings leaving Southern Vance

2007-04-06T22:45:00.000-05:00

From Saturday's Dispatch

After making a run to the State 2AA Championship Game last season, Southern Vance football fans were left wondering what Coach David Jennings and his 2007 Raiders would do for an encore.

The answer is nothing. At least not together.

Jennings is leaving Southern after four seasons to become the new head football coach at Granville Central, a new school in Granville County set to open this fall.

He leaves as the winningest coach in Raider history with a 41-14 overall record.

“It’s a new challenge,” Jennings said in a phone interview Friday. “It’s an opportunity to build something from scratch. I really just want to see if I can do it.”

Jennings will also teach English and coach the men and women’s track teams.

For the first season at least, the new school will have just a JV program for football. Granville Central will play some varsity sports in 2007, with hopes of joining the Northern Carolina Conference – along with Southern - in the fall of 2008.

There was no word Friday as to Jennings’ potential successor, though the former coach said that he doesn’t plan on bringing any members of his former Raider staff with him into Granville County.

“I heard about the job posting and I went over there to see what was up with it,” Jennings said. “For me, it’s more about the journey from being a 4-7 or a 3-8 team to being a good program. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, and this was a chance for me that was pretty close by.”

According to Jennings, there were no negotiations to keep him in Vance County.

“There wasn’t any of that,” he said. “My mind’s made up. I think that anytime a team loses its coach, it’s going to be a little bit of a setback. But with the players and the staff they have in place, they shouldn’t miss a beat without me.”

The former coach wouldn’t speculate as to who might replace him on the Raider sidelines.

“I have no idea what they’re going to do,” Jennings said. “At this point, it’s none of my business.”

He also added that he had a chance to tell most of his players about his decision.

“I’ve told quite a few of them,” Jennings said. “For the most part, they took it pretty well. I think they understand that it’s a good opportunity for me. The kids in Vance County are pretty resilient.

“I’m really going to miss Jamere (Pugh). Not just as a football player, but as a person. I’ve really enjoyed watching his maturation process.”

Jennings also made it clear that there wasn’t any ill will on his part.

“I appreciate the opportunity I had in Vance County,” he said. “Hopefully, I can continue to reminisce about the good times I had there. I’m going to miss the coaches and players. I had a lot of good relationships there. It’s just one of those things where it’s time to move on.

“There are no hard feelings. It’s just time for me to move on.”

Baseball preview

2007-03-29T20:18:00.000-05:00

With Opening Day right around the corner, it’s time to take a stab at predicting how the 2007 Major League Baseball season will play out.
Feel free to cut this out and refer back to it when all of my fearless prognostications are spot on. Or, more likely, use it to line the birdcage around the All-Star break when it’s clear they’re all going to be dead wrong.
Anyway…
American League East Boston – I don’t know if Diasuke Matsuzaka is the second coming of Cy Young or even Hideo Nomo, but the Red Sox have way more pitching than “The Evil Empire,” especially with Jonathan Papelbon heading back to the closer role. That lineup will score tons of runs, especially if they can find a credible leadoff man.
New York – The Yankees boast a $190 million payroll, a modern-day Murderer’s Row lineup and the best closer in baseball history. My question is whether they have enough starting pitching. Carl Pavono is taking the ball on Monday, and the Yankees need him to start earning his money. Keg Igawa, Andy Pettitte, Mike Mussina and Chien-Ming Wang all enter the season with question marks. Too many, for my taste.
Baltimore – Call this a homer pick, because I’m an Oriole fan. But when you consider that the Orioles had one of the worst bullpens in the A.L. last year, then went out and spent a small fortune fixing it, things could be looking up. The young starters – Erik Bedard, Adam Loewen and Daniel Cabrera – will need to continue developing for the O’s to avoid the cellar.
Toronto – This team should be better, but the Blue Jays’ pitching scares me. Roy Halladay is as good as anybody, but he always spends time on the disabled list during a season. Ditto for A.J. Burnett and Gustavo Chacin. They’ll score some runs, but I don’t think it will be enough for them to challenge.
Tampa Bay – Ever heard of Jamie Shields? How about Seth McClung? That’s the No. 2 starter and closer for the mound-challenged Devil Rays. It’s too bad, because they have some really good position players in Carl Crawford and Rocco Baldelli and some outstanding young talent (Delmon Young and B.J. Upton).
A.L. Central
Cleveland – I was high on the Tribe last year, but injuries and sub- par efforts derailed them. Travis Hafner and Grady Sizemore are MVP candidates and I think Joe Borowski at the back end of the bullpen makes the Indians the team to beat in baseball’s best division.
Detroit – Talk about a surplus of arms, the Tigers could be scary good if their youngsters keep developing. Their offense, as illustrated in the World Series, strikes out too much, but the addition of Gary Sheffield will add punch.
Chicago – The window is closing on this aging bunch. The White Sox will challenge for the league lead in homers, but questions linger in the outfield and on the hill. Pretty much every starting fell off last year and some of them will need to bounce back for this team to make a run.
Minnesota – Losing Francisco Liriano just kills the Twins. Brad Radke’s retirement didn’t help either. Johan Santana is still the best pitcher in the business, but unless it starts raining inside the Metrodome, the other four starters will have to exceed expectations to keep opposing run totals down.
Kansas City – Yeah, the Royals are bad. But they’re quietly stacking up young arms and bats in their farm system. They’ll be awful this year and probably next, but they could be a decent club by 2009.
A.L. West
L.A. Angels – This team could be really good. The Angels have good starters, a lights-out bullpen and enough young talent blended with some proven players to fill out a solid lineup. Oakland – Every year, this team finds a way to get it done. Last year, it was a flyer on Frank Thomas that lifted the A’s into the postseason. This year, Mike Piazza holds down the DH spot. If Rich Harden makes 30 starts, I’ll wish I flipped these first two choices.
Texas – New year, same story. Lots of offense, shaky pitching. If Brandon McCarthy blossoms and Eric Gagne returns to pre-injury form, the Rangers might hang around.
Seattle – This will likely be Ichiro’s last year in the Pacific Northwest before he starts playing right for the Yankees in 2008, and with lots of holes in the lineup and pitching staff, his last hurrah may not be much fun.
National League East
Philadelphia – This could be the year for the Phillies. A power- packed lineup and a balanced rotation make this a dangerous team. They should trade for a good setup man right away to put the final piece in place.
Atlanta – The streak is over for the Braves, and I bet they’re not happy about it. John Smoltz should be his usually dominant self while youngsters Chuck James and Kyle Davies will need solid years. The revamped bullpen, however, could be what puts them over the top.
New York – The Mets should be better than this spot, but they simply don’t have the arms. Unless Tom Glavine and Orlando Hernandez keep cheating Father Time and John Maine and Mike Pelfrey mature rapidly, even the loaded lineup won’t be enough to keep them in games against the better teams.
Florida – The Marlins have the opposite problem from the Mets. They’ve got pitching all over the place, but a lot of holes in the lineup. Still, with guys like Dontrelle Willis, Anibal Sanchez (threw baseball’s lone no-hitter last year) and Scott Olson, you can’t count out the Fish.
Washington – The 1962 Mets went 40-120. I don’t know if the Nationals will be that bad, but with a AAA-level pitching staff, things will be ugly in our nation’s capital in 2007.
N.L. Central
Milwaukee – The Brewers are hoping this is the year their starters stay healthy, Ben Sheets meets his Cy Young-level potential and the bullpen stays solid enough to close the games out. Really, this division is wide-open.
St. Louis – The defending World Champions turned over most of their starting pitching staff, hoping that pitching coach Dave Duncan can work some more magic. I don’t think 83 wins will cut it this time around.
Chicago – The Cubs spent money like no other team this offseason. What they didn’t buy was quality starting pitching, and eventually, that will matter to this club. Still, if Kerry Wood and Mark Prior ever get right, things could improve rapidly.
Cincinnati – The Reds play in a homer-happy park and they certainly hit their share. Past Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang, however, pitching is in short supply. A top-line closer would really help this club.
Houston – Losing Pettitte and possibly Roger Clemens hurts this team, and I don’t know if the offense can score enough runs to offset the diminished quality of the pitching staff.
Pittsburgh – Still young, the Pirates are a year away from being pretty good. They did play .500 ball after the break last year; so hanging around isn’t out of the question.
N.L. West
L.A. Dodgers – This team has everything. Depth, starting pitching, a little pop and a decent bullpen. The boys in blue have to be the favorite in a crowded West.
Colorado – The Rockies have a stacked lineup and an improving pitching staff. Willy Tavares will help at the top of the order and I really wouldn’t be shocked if Colorado contends.
Arizona – Loads of starting pitching is offset by unproven talent in the lineup and the bullpen. The new-look Diamondbacks could easily be first – or worst.
San Diego – The curse of Petco Park still looms over the Padres. They’ll have great pitching, but that punchless offense will keep them down.
San Francisco – Barry Bonds will break the home run record if he stays on the field, but with that creaky lineup, injuries will keep the offense down. That’s too bad, because I think the Giants’ pitchers could be pretty good.

An open letter to Wolfpack nation

2007-03-12T18:35:00.001-05:00

It’s easy to write a column predicting doom and gloom and then run away from it when things turn out totally different than you thought.
It’s tougher to write another piece, fork in hand, in front of a plate of crow.
Yet, here I am wondering if the black bird tastes more like chicken or turkey?
The simple fact is this: I owe Sidney Lowe and Wolfpack nation an apology.
I wrote a less than flattering piece at my last paper on the departure of Herb Sendek and the hiring of Coach Lowe. I’ll spare you the entire article, but here’s the jist:
“Yeah, sure. It’s all about fun now at N.C. State. Let’s get it up and down and stick out their chests when they play Duke and Carolina.
“It’s a page out of the N.C. State football playbook. Walk loudly and carry a twig. What you have here is a trade-off that most State fans will welcome. The straight-laced, soft-spoken coach that wins more than he loses firmly in the shadow of his neighbors for the tough-talking State alum that isn’t scared to yell at Coach K or Skip Prosser to fire up his team.
“Style over substance never works over the long haul.”
In the words of Steve Czaban, “how’s that working out?”
Pretty well for State fans, not so much for me.
Looking back at the 2006-7 season, it’s hard not to be impressed by the job Lowe has done in Raleigh.
With limited scholarships, a rash of injuries and mixed and matched players from a previous – and completely different – coaching regime, the Pack made a remarkable run to the ACC title game, notched wins over Duke and Carolina and were rewarded with a trip to the NIT – a notion that was pretty far-fetched about six weeks ago.
And this is only the beginning.
Brandon Costner, Gavin Grant, Ben McCauley and Courtney Fells are all coming back next year. Add in a couple of high-impact transfers and what’s shaping up to be a top-notch recruiting class – something else I was dead wrong about – and things are certainly looking up in our state capitol.
Am I saying that N.C. State will be smacking around Duke and Carolina on a regular basis? No, I’m not going that far.
But it’s safe to say that the disaster I predicted isn’t coming to pass.
I was wrong and the legion of fans that peppered me with e-mails were right.
And to answer one in particular, I’ll take the crow boiled, over a bed of rice.
Maybe a little wine, too.
Red, of course.

Blue, blue, oh so blue

2007-03-04T20:13:00.000-05:00

How's this for a sneak peek? This won't run until Tuesday in the Daily Dispatch:

Some things are better seen on TV than in person. Hot dog eating contests, golf tournaments and NASCAR races are good examples of afternoons better spent watching on the magic box instead of witnessing the event first-hand.
The same cannot be said for a Duke/North Carolina basketball game.
I had seen somewhere between 20 and 25 meetings between the bitter rivals on TV, but on Sunday, I sacrificed my day off and made the drive to Chapel Hill to catch the game in person.
Tough life, huh?
Anyway, after winding my way through Atlanta-style traffic on 15-501, making the turn onto Manning Drive and then finally ending up in a parking garage - thanks to the guys in the day-glow yellow vests - I found my way inside the Smith Center.
Only the sky has as many shades of blue as were on display inside the Dean Dome. I imagine the effect would have been even more powerful if I were not shade color blind, but even I was struck by the light-blue, dark blue and medium-blue hues on little kids, teenaged girls, their grandparents and everyone in between.
I wandered onto press row – after asking for help from two more people wearing yellow – and found seats for folks from the USA Today, New York Daily News and the Charlotte Observer.
“Where am I,” I asked yet another yellow-clad help giver. “Henderson Dispatch? You’re up there,” he said, pointing up to what looked like the top of Mount Everest.
It was a dark gray-looking area at the top of the first level, where I’m told the “other” media people sit.
Hey, I was happy. I had a chair at the end of the row. There were people sitting on stools close enough to tell time on each other’s watches.
Mike Sosna, our ACC columnist, introduced himself before tip-off before scurrying off to find a seat. I didn’t see him again. He could have ended up on the roof for all I know.
I’ve seen college basketball games before, but nothing like this. I’ve heard that there are more than 20,000 seats in the place. I’d say about half of them are decorative. Everyone on my side (somewhere near Section 112, if you’re curious) stood for almost the entire game.
Former Florida State guard and current NBA player Sam Cassell once referred to the Smith Center patrons as a “wine and cheese crowd.” With cups and small Domino’s boxes scattered around the vacated area at halftime, it looked more like a soda and pizza bunch to me.
There were lots of cool things you missed if you watched on CBS, like high school football players, complete with little football name stickers, taking in the game. I saw recent UNC signee Greg Little. He looks taller than 6-2, a fact that Tar Heel football fans might enjoy in the coming years.
Speaking of tall, I ran into Carolina radio announcer and former Tar Heel center Eric Montross in the media room.
OK, I didn’t really run into him. Sportswriters don’t “run into” guys who are seven freaking feet tall and live to write columns about it. Seriously, that guy is like a walking doorway. Only taller and much more polite.
Oh, there was a game, too. Duke gave a nice effort, but North Carolina erased the dark blues with a strong start and a spirited second-half run.
I wish I could tell you about the shirt I saw on the way out. Let’s just say that it provided a suggestion for what the present tense of “Duke Blue” might be if viewed through glasses of a lighter shade.
Can’t see that on TV, either.
I’ll leave the bloody nose analysis to the experts, but for me, a little red looked really odd in a place with so much blue.
Didn’t look intentional to me, though I doubt it made it hurt any less.
I’ll have to wait until next year to sample the rivalry from Cameron Indoor, but I learned one thing Sunday.
What used to be must-see TV for me, is now simply must-see.

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

All-Area teams and Player of the Year

2007-02-24T20:21:00.000-05:00

Sometime this week, the Dispatch sports staff and photo department will get together and decide on players for the All-Area team, players of the year and coaches of the year for both the guys and girls.

Who are your choices for the honors, first- and second-team?

Discuss...

Playoff pairings

2007-02-17T14:30:00.000-05:00

These are, of course, subject to change for no reason at all by the folks at the NCHSAA:

2A Girls

Southern Vance - Earned the three seed out of the Northern Carolina Conference and will visit Greene Central, the No. 2 seed from the Eastern Plains 2A, Tuesday night. (Maybe my good friend Bryan Hanks can hook us up). A win would send the Lady Raiders to Graham or put them at home against Farmville Central.

Warren County - The Eagles are the No. 4 seed from the NCC and will also make the trek into Kinston Free Press territory to play North Lenoir, the EPC champions, on Tuesday. A victory would set another another road date with either Orange or Tarboro.

2A Boys

Southern Vance - Won the top seed out of the NCC with Friday's win over Bunn. The Runnin' Raiders will host Winston-Salem Atkins, the four seed from the North State, on Monday. A win by Southern would mean another home game against McMichael or Graham.

Warren County - The Eagles got the four seed from the NCC and will travel to North Pitt Monday to take on the second seed from the EPC. The second round would mean a trip to Burlington Cummings or a home game with Tarboro.

3A Boys

Northern Vance - The Vikings are the two seed from the Mid-State and will host the third seed from the Triad, Bartlett-Yancey, Monday night. Should Northern advance, it will either play at Southern Lee or at home against SW Edgecombe on Wednesday.

J.F. Webb - The Warriors are a No. 3 seed from the MSC and will make the trip to Harnett Central to play the Cape Fear Valley's No. 2 seed on Monday. A win would set up either a road game at Nash Central or a home date with Western Harnett.

Hating February

2007-02-10T01:54:00.000-05:00

I hate February.
It's a silly month, it's spelled funny and it's a month in which it's usually too cold to snow.
How can you respect a month that can't even nail down how many days it wants to have on the calendar? Is it 28? Is it 29? Who comes up with this stuff?
And any month that holds Valentine's Day over our heads deserves our scorn.
Other than the Super Bowl every other year and high school hoops, what does this month offer us as sports fans. The Pro Bowl? Tom Brady didn't get voted in by the fans and players, and even if he had gotten the nod, he would have blown it off to play golf this weekend at Pebble Beach.
College basketball? Hey, it's one of my favorite sports. But the reality is that most of the 330-plus Division I teams at this point in the season are just treading water until March gets here.
Sure, a few teams are gunning for conference titles and trying to improve their spot on the all-important bubble. But for every North Carolina and Duke, there are a dozen teams like Davidson and Campbell - teams waiting for March and the chance of winning a conference tournament to get into “The Big Dance.”
The NBA? You're kidding right? Regular season games mean nothing - all 82 of them - and nobody picks the intensity up to the level a discriminating sports fan requires until the postseason starts. Call me when that happens.
“But the NBA All-Star Game is in Vegas this year,” you might say. And I'd be excited about it, if I were going on someone else's dime and the Maloof brothers hooked me up with a bankroll at their casino.
Yeah, there's hockey. But really, can't you pretty much put that in the same boat with the NBA. The postseason can be fun, but getting there takes endurance I don't have this type of year.
About the best thing I can say about February is that it's in between two of the better sports months of the year in January and March.
January has the bowl games, NFL Playoffs, the Australian Open and college hoops. March has a bunch of conference tournaments and the “Madness.”
February is a place holder, something to do between decent sporting events. I have, however, found a way to give this tiny little month some significance.
I had a son. Ethan's birthday is Sunday, and it's a reason to celebrate.
And the humor here is that the fact that his birthday is in this month is no coincidence. His birth was carefully planned by his mother and I to add life to an otherwise bleak month.
And it worked too.
But after the boy turns five, can we just skip ahead to March.
Come on, would anybody really notice?

Taking care of business

2007-01-27T15:25:00.000-05:00

My column from Sunday's Dispatch

A few of you may have heard me suggest on the radio Friday that Arizona was going to beat North Carolina this weekend.
Oops.
The Tar Heels continue to impress me, and declawing the Wildcats, 92-64, in Tuscon without the services of Brandan Wright and Marcus Ginyard should be flat-out scary to anyone who doesn’t bleed Carolina blue.
Staying in the ACC, I wrote a column a few weeks ago lamenting the fact that Duke seems to get a lot of breaks from the officials during games at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
In case you needed proof, the latest example popped up Thursday night when Clemson got absolutely hosed on a clock adjustment, giving Duke plenty of time to go down and get the winning shot.
Now the Devils deserved to win the game — only an unlikely steal and three pointer tied it in the first place — and maybe they would have won it easily in overtime. But the fact that the zebras ended up deciding that it took only six-tenths of a second for a guy to steal a pass, take a step back, shoot a three and have the ball fall through the net the game is just wrong.
Think I’m overreacting? The ACC released a statement Friday admitting the timing error.
And Duke’s reaction?
No comment.
I rest my case.
Moving right along, I recently celebrated my seven-year wedding anniversary with my lovely bride, Shanna.
How cool is my wife? Well, we spent the afternoon in a Raleigh sports bar, scarfing down wings and nachos while watching the Bears and battle it out for a Super Bowl berth on a huge projection TV.
Good times.
Some things, however, are not so good here in Henderson.
I was saddened to learn of the recent shooting at the Aycock Recreation Center Wednesday night.
This is the second incident I’ve witnessed in the area of a sporting event turning violent since I moved here.
Late last year, there was a post-game brawl and pepper spraying after a Warren County JV boys’ basketball game.
What’s the deal? Sports is suppose to feature healthy competition between friends or rivals.
Come on guys, leave the fighting and the guns out of it.
Of course, Maria Sharapova could have used a firearm in her match against Serena Williams in the Australian Open final.
At least then it may have been competitive.
Serena Williams is the most talented woman to ever pick up a tennis racquet.
Were it not for her off-court interests and injuries, I’d go so far to call her the best player ever.
She still has time to change my mind.

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Welcome to the blogging world

2007-01-23T15:19:00.001-05:00

Gabe Whisnant, former staffer at the Goldsboro News Argus and my replacement in Shelby, has a blog up.

Check it out...

http://gabewhisnant.blogspot.com/

Quick hitters

2007-01-18T14:02:00.000-05:00

Wow, Carolina's good. Or Clemson sucks. Or something.

Funny how a pretty good team can get undressed at home by a great one. Mark it down, folks. Carolina's winning the national championship. Unless they lose to Arizona, a great sleeper team for your brackets.

You'd think with all the money FOX has made from American Idol, they'd spring for a little piece of paper that says "use other door" as would-be idols shuffle back to oblivion...

Anyway, I wonder what Northern Vance has to do to get a little love in the ncpreps poll. I know Trinity's 17-0, but am I the only guy smart enough to give a No. 1 vote to this year's state champs?

Say it ain't so.

Random thoughts

2007-01-06T21:48:00.000-05:00

Anytime I go a week or two without writing a column, I end up doing what I call a potpourri piece.

Or, in other words, I just throw a bunch of random thoughts in there and call it a day.

So without further ado…

Blue-colored glasses
Is it a directive from the ACC office that Duke gets every single 50-50 call in any game played at Cameron Indoor Stadium?

Virginia Tech won in overtime on Saturday, despite getting hosed on a clock issue in the final seconds of regulation, getting whistled for more fouls and taking 10 fewer free throws in a game that featured tough, physical defense on both ends.

Why has Duke struggled in recent NCAA Tournaments? Could it be that the Devils are used to getting the toss-up calls in the ACC that they don’t know how to handle neutral courts and officials that aren’t intimidated by Coach K? Just a theory.

Just to be fair, Carolina gets a ton of calls too. But that’s a column for another day.

Coaches’ and their stories
Is there a bigger chump than Nick Saban in the coaching ranks right now?

Don’t get me wrong; I don’t blame the guy for following his heart back to the college game. I don’t fault him for wanting to do what’s best for his family, including taking $32 million in guaranteed money from the football-mad boosters in Alabama.

He now makes $4 million a year – or about eight times what the president of the university brings home.

That’s fine. It’s lying about your intentions while planning all along to leave that I have an issue with.

If Don Shula says you’re a liar and a fraud, it’s probably true.

On the hardwood

After a 45-point pasting of Southern Vance, it’s time to start touting 10-0 Northern Vance as a state title contender.

Everyone knows about Aseante Roberts and Deltonio Moses, but Nick Jefferson’s presence in the paint and Darrius Dunston’s contributions off the bench make the Vikings a dangerous team, both in the Mid-State 3A and in the postseason.

Dunn deal?

Raymond Dunn, a standout for Northern Vance’s basketball team last season, has recently been seen at Norlina Christian, where he is rumored to be on the verge of joining the Crusaders.

It hasn’t happened yet.

“(Thursday) was the first time I had ever laid eyes on him,” Norlina coach Johnny Watkins said. “He is not on the basketball team at Norlina Christian School.”

Watkins added that, if that were to change, he’d let me know.

If he does end up on the squad, Norlina’s conference and postseason prospects would definitely be on the upswing.

On the gridiron
Southern Vance, fresh off a run to the State 2AA football title game, filled the open endowment game on its schedule recently.

Durham Hillside, a 4A school that finished 10-3 in 2006, will visit Raider Stadium on opening night, Aug. 17.

All-Area team

2006-12-26T00:13:00.000-05:00

Here's the article from Tuesday's Dispatch about our all-area team:

By RANDY CAPPS
Dispatch Sports Editor

If you ever walk the halls at Southern Vance High School, you’re likely to be bombarded by any number of slogans.
One of them — “it takes teamwork to make the dream work” — aptly describes the 2006 Raider football team.
The team’s run to a 2AA State Championship appearance captivated a community and led to praise for both players and coaches.
The latest accolades come today.
Junior quarterback Jamere Pugh, pictured at right, is the Daily Dispatch Player of the Year and David Jennings is the Coach of the Year.
Pugh chased down Webb’s Antwan Thorpe for top honors with a remarkable postseason, including a 304-yard, four TD game against Forest Hills in the 2AA Eastern Finals and a superior effort in the later stages of the title game against Shelby.
Jennings, at right, led the Raiders to their first-ever state title game appearance and is already the school’s all-time
leader in victories.

Player of the Year —
Jamere Pugh, Southern Vance
Coach of the Year —
David Jennings, Southern Vance

Offense
QB — Jamere Pugh, Southern Vance
RB — O’Darren Gill, Southern Vance
RB — Mark Ellis, Southern Vance
WR — Patrick Rhem, Northern Vance
WR — Lebarron Burwell, J.F. Webb
WR — David Person, Southern Vance
OL — Ryan Haskins, Southern Vance
OL — Jerald Hunter, Southern Vance
OL — Daronte Hawley, Southern Vance
OL — Paul McCaskill, Northern Vance
OL — Nathaniel Crowe, Warren County
Athlete — Antwan Thorpe, J.F. Webb
Defense
DL — Daronte Hawley, Southern Vance
DL — Jerald Hunter, Southern Vance
DL — Alvis Dowtin, Warren County
DL — Sekedric Royster, J.F. Webb
LB — Justin Wilkerson, J.F. Webb
LB — Detroy Harris, Southern Vance
LB — Demario Sims, Warren County
DB — Darrius Williams, Warren County
DB — William Alston, J.F. Webb
DB — Donald Robinson, Southern Vance
DB — Rakim Henderson, Northern Vance

Special Teams
K — Corey Leslie, J.F. Webb
P — Malik Jizi, J.F. Webb
Return specialist —
Patrick Rhem, Northern Vance

Associated Press All-State Ballot

2006-12-23T12:44:00.000-05:00

Blatant homerism aside, this is how I voted for the A.P. All-State team...

Oh, and Merry Christmas everyone...

Player of the Year: Lance Camp, Burns
Coach of the Year: David Jennings, Southern Vance
QB: Camp
RB: Nic Cooper, Clinton
RB: Quan Warley, Thomasville
WR: Dwight Jones, Cummings
WR: Jason Barnes, Indy
TE: Weslye Saunders, Riverside
OL: Quinn Barham, Hillside
OL: Kwamaine Battle, S. Nash
OL: Henry Lawson, Char. Catholic
OL: David Melton, West Rowan
OL: Josh Reese, Alex. Central
ATH: Tobias Palmer, Northwood
DL: Jerald Hunter, S. Vance
DL: Daronte Hawley, S. Vance
DL: Linwan Euwell, SW Edgecombe
DL: Tristan Dorty, W. Rowan
LB: Melvin Ingram, Richmond County
LB: Albert Craddock, SW Guilford
LB: Austin Johnson, Hickory
DB: Eric Breitenstein, Watauga
DB: Julian Carter, New Bern
DB: Robert Blanton, Butler
DB: Ed Gainey, Mt. Tabor
K: Andrew Crutchfield, NW Cabarrus
P: Davisho Shaw, St. Pauls
KR: Tyree Bullock, Hillside

One last state title game piece

2006-12-12T09:16:00.000-05:00

My column from Tuesday's Dispatch...

I interview a lot of coaches and hear plenty of interesting things, so when I sat down in front of Southern Vance football coach David Jennings in Raleigh at the state championship press conference last week, I was ready for just about anything.

But I was a little surprised when he said this:

“The Southern Vance Raiders aren't coming to Winston-Salem to watch a coronation. They're coming to play football. You better believe it. Shelby better be ready to play football. We're not coming to watch someone raise a trophy, we're coming to play football.”

It set the tone for a week of preparation that led to the Raiders giving the Golden Lions everything they wanted in the title game before falling by three points.

Aside from the kicking game, the experience was about all you could ask for from a team that had never been in a state title game before.

In fact, Southern Vance is only 99-92 all time, compared to Shelby's 644 wins. Shelby has won 11 titles, while the Raiders are still waiting for their first one.

Why do I bring this up? Rome, my friends, wasn't built in a day.

And neither was Shelby.

It takes time, hard work and dedication to build a program. It takes summer weight lifting, seven-on-seven passing leagues and a desire to want to out-work everyone on your schedule 365 days a year.

And it takes experience.

The pain of watching another team hoist the trophy, having to stand there and clap for them after giving your all. Being outnumbered two-to-one in fan support (though, the Raiders had a very good following), getting booed at every turn and doubted by everyone not wearing the school colors.

It takes all those things. And Jennings and company, whether anyone outside of the Tri-County area realizes it or not, are building the kind of program that can compete for a state title on a yearly basis.

Let's back up a second, though. The hit that knocked Shelby quarterback Darryl Montgomery out of the game for the second quarter has received some attention on messageboards, with some Shelby fans questioning whether it was late, dirty or even a directive from the Raider coaching staff.

Perhaps no one else in the world knows all three players involved like I do, so here's my take.

David Brodie hit him first - not late, by the way - from the QB's left. The impact of that blow moved Montgomery, and his head, to the right and into the path of Diral Burwell.

It was a helmet-to-helmet hit, but it was unintentional. And since the only high school rule on the books that addresses using the helmet for tackling relates to spearing, it was a legal one.

I met the two defensive linemen last week, and the type of kids that won't give you any smack talk for interviews don't go out headhunting between the lines.

As for Darryl, he's a great kid and a fantastic football player. I'm thankful that he's OK, and glad that the young man that struggled so much in the 2004 state title game bounced back to have success in the next two such contests.

Now, back to the Raiders.

Jennings has four straight winning seasons, and the Raiders haven't had a losing record since 1998. He's already the school's all-time leader in wins (41) and postseason victories (7).

And there are bullets in the gun for next year. Jamere Pugh, O'Darren Gill, David Person, several starters on the offensive line - Ryan Milton, Shawn Harris and Ryan Haskins - Burwell, Brodie, Rickey Nile and Daric Hawkins are returning next season.

You think they might be motivated?

Kudos to Southern Vance for making a bit of history this season - and helping me cover my fourth straight championship team.

I wouldn't close that book just yet, though. I get the feeling that there's more history to be written in the not-too-distant future.

Contact the writer at
rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Raiders fall short

2006-12-10T00:25:00.000-05:00

Great game Saturday. Here's my story...

By RANDY CAPPS, Dispatch Sports Editor

WINSTON-SALEM - Less than four minutes into Saturday's 2AA State Championship game, Shelby was in front of Southern Vance 14-0.

Yet Southern had the defending champion Golden Lions right where it wanted them.

The Raiders rallied and led in the third quarter before falling behind again en route to a 27-24 defeat.

It was a game that saw Shelby quarterback Darryl Montgomery leave on a stretcher in the first quarter, only to return to the field and win the game's Most Valuable Player award.

The win was the 21st in a row for Shelby (16-0) and marks the Lions' second-consecutive state title. The Raiders finish their season at 13-3.

“Our kids played well,” Southern Vance coach David Jennings said. “They fought hard. I'm proud of them.”

The Raiders indeed went down swinging, but not before they got knocked to the mat themselves in the early going.

Shelby received the opening kickoff and scored on its first play from scrimmage, a 71-yard option keeper by Montgomery.

“I believe if you're playing our offense you try to take away the fullback,” Shelby coach Chris Norman said. “That's our first option. Darryl made a good read on the dive and they didn't have anybody over the top on the quarterback. He was able to get in into the secondary and take it down there.”

Southern didn't respond well on its first drive, turning the ball over on its first possession. Jamere Pugh, who was later named the Outstanding Offensive Player for the runners-up, fumbled on the third play from scrimmage.

Shelby recovered, but was kept off the scoreboard when Tyler Rabb's 47-yard field goal try bounced off the crossbar.

The next drive wasn't much better, ending on a three-and-out. To make matters worse, a five-yard punt helped the Lions set up shop on the Raider 31, and Shelby cashed in two plays later on another Montgomery keeper, this time from 30 yards out.

Pugh was picked off again on the Raiders' next drive, and things seemed to be spinning out of control for Southern Vance.

Diral Burwell, the Outstanding Defensive Player for Southern, then turned the game on its ear, delivering a shot to Montgomery on a third-down play that drew the ire of the Shelby faithful and a personal foul on Norman for aruging about it. Montgomery was carted into the locker room, where he received five stitches under his right eye and was checked for a concussion.

“I didn't really know what was going on until they got me in the locker room,” he said. “I was passed out, then I woke up and they started asking me questions. They asked me five numbers to remember - 1,7, 14, 21 and 28 - and they said if I could remember them, I could go back in.”

Before Montgomery's unlikely return after halftime, the Raiders spent some time on one of their patented comebacks.

Late in the second quarter with the score still 14-0, Southern took over on its own 17 yard-line, and Pugh finally got into a rhythm. The junior quarterback completed passes to Sam Faulkner and O'Darren Gill on the drive before calling his own number on a quarterback draw, cutting it to the left sideline and outrunning the Shelby secondary for a 65-yard touchdown.

A two-point conversion try was no good when Pugh's pass to Theo Perry sailed high, and it was 14-6.

The Raiders went for two after its first three scores before missing an extra point on its fourth try.

“Our kicking game has been struggling the past few weeks,” Jennings said. “So, when we game planned this week, we decided that we'd go for two. We worked on our two-point plays this week. We just didn't execute them.”

Kicking woes aside, the “Cardiac Raiders” were just getting started.

After a fumble by Shelby's backup quarterback Howard Thompson, Southern took over on the Golden Lion 41 with just over a minute left in the first half.

That would be more than enough time for the Raiders, as Pugh would hook up with David Person down the left sideline on a 39-yard scoring strike, and the second missed conversion left the score at 14-12 at the break.

Montgomery came out with the Lions to start the third quarter, but he could only watch while Southern took the lead in its first-ever state title game.

A five-play, 68-yard march ended with another Pugh-to-Person strike against Shrine Bowl cornerback Preston Roseboro - this one from 24 yards out - for an 18-14 lead.

Montgomery then brought Shelby out onto the field to a huge roar from the Shelby fans, giving the defending champions a lift.

“They got a lot of energy when No. 12 came back,” Jennings said of Montgomery's return. “It was an emotional lift for them when he came back, because I thought they got a little flat when he went out.”

The two teams swapped punts and Shelby took over at the Southern 27. Arsenio Parks - a Shrine Bowler at fullback and Shelby's Outstanding Offensive Player - scored on a third-and-three play from the 20 yard-line to put the Lions back in front. The senior, who finished with 124 yards and two scores, also credited his quarterback's return with the team's inspired play.

“We had faith in Howard,” he said. “But we knew Darryl was the better man for it.”

Southern stalled on its next drive, and Shelby kept the ball until early in the fourth quarter when Parks scored again on a third-and-short play from 15 yards away. A missed point-after try made it 27-18, and the Raiders were down two scores again.

For exactly 18 seconds.

That's how long it took for Shelby to kickoff, Southern to receive and for Pugh to toss his third touchdown pass of the day - a 65-yard screen and run to Mark Ellis - to trim the lead back to three at 27-24.

Shelby seemed to be heading in for a score on its next drive, only to watch as Larry Raper, one of three Shelby backs with more than 100 yards rushing, fumble on the Raider one-yard line after a hit from Donald Robinson. Gill was there for the recovery, and Southern dodged a bullet.

Unfortunately, Pugh and company weren't able to move the ball the rest of the way, posting three-and-outs on their next two drives.

The game, however, was still in doubt before Raper gained 15 yards on a fourth-and-seven play with just over a minute left to seal the win.

Losing the game, of course, was disappointing for Jennings and his team. But the coach was already looking to the big picture after the contest.

“The kids are already saying ‘we'll be back,'” he said. “When they left the field, they were saying ‘we'll be back.' It should be simple getting the guys up here for workouts this summer. I'm proud of the guys, I'm proud of our fans. We had a great fans. We fell short in a few areas. We didn't win the game, but for my dollar, Southern Vance football is on the map.

“Overall, a great win for them and a heck of a high school football game.”

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Getting defensive

2006-12-07T01:30:00.000-05:00

By RANDY CAPPS, Dispatch Sports Editor

What weighs a little over half-a-ton, bleeds Raider blue and worries more about the greater good than personal glory?

The Southern Vance defensive line.

Seniors Jerald Hunter (6-3, 309) and Daronte Hawley (6-1, 305) and juniors Diral Burwell (5-8, 227) and David Brodie (5-10, 205) spearhead a Raider defense that's allowing 11.5 points per game while posting three shutouts so far this season.

The quartet has turned it up another notch in the postseason, allowing just one touchdown after halftime in its four playoff wins.

“The defensive line is the strength of our defense,” Southern coach David Jennings said. “They set the table for everything else that we do. They're always plugging along, trying to work as a unit.”

Ask each player about his job description and you get four different versions of the same answer - stop the run and keep offensive linemen off the linebackers.

Hunter has started every game for the Raiders since his freshman year with start No. 55 coming Saturday in the 2AA State Championship Game in Winston-Salem against Shelby.

He's got 89 tackles on the season (26 solo, four sacks) despite drawing double teams as the focus of opposing game plans.

He didn't talk much to reporters after practice on Tuesday, but he has plenty to say to his teammates during games.

“He's definitely a leader on the field,” Jennings said. “He's started every game here on the varsity level, so that's pretty impressive stuff. He's our vocal leader. He keeps everyone energized.”

“It's wonderful,” Hunter said of the chance to play for a state title. “I'm just going to go out there and play my hardest.”

Hawley is the team's leading tackler with 133 stops (25 solo) but he has yet to record a sack this season.

And if you ask his coach, that's just the way the soft-spoken lineman wants it.

“He takes pride in the fact that he doesn't have any sacks,” Jennings said. “That's not his job. His job is to move up and down the line. That's why he has so many assists. Most people try to run away from Jerald, so they run right to him. That gives him the opportunity to make plays.”

“We just want to play hard, stop the run and make them throw it,” Hawley said.

Ask him about his opinion of Shelby, and the answer's short and to the point.

“They're going to be all right,” Hawley said. “I think we can beat them, though.”

Burwell has 49 stops on the year and leads the team in sacks with 5.5.

“He's our sack guy,” Jennings said. “He does a good job of getting to the quarterback.”

While he appreciates the Raiders' accomplishment by reaching the title game, Burwell isn't planning on stopping there.

“I think it's really good that we made some history by getting this far,” he said. “We set our minds to it and made it our goal, so now we're going for it.”

Brodie has added 101 tackles (17 solo, four sacks) on the year, and he led the team with 12 stops and a sack last week against Forest Hills.

“Recently, Brodie's been playing phenomenally,” Jennings said. “It seems like he's elevated his game as the playoffs have gone along.”

While he credits Shelby as a team, he's not backing down from the challenge.

“They're a good football team,” Brodie said. “We're still going to do our best to beat them.”
And, of course, he's excited about the opportunity.

“It feels good,” he said. “This is the first time I've ever been in something like this. I started playing football when I got to Southern Vance, so it's special to me.”

Contact the writer at
rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Pugh, Person lead Raider aerial attack

2006-12-06T01:16:00.000-05:00

From Wednesday's Dispatch...

By RANDY CAPPS, Dispatch Sports Editor

When we last left Jamere Pugh, he was passing for 304 yards and four touchdowns in Southern Vance's 32-26 win over Forest Hills in the 2AA Eastern Regional Final last week.

The junior quarterback was a little less emotional Tuesday afternoon after practice, but still excited about the opportunity to play Shelby for the 2AA State Championship Saturday afternoon in Winston-Salem.

“I'm excited, ready to play,” he said. “I'm just happy that I was able to help lead my team to a state championship (game).”

Pugh has passed for 1,559 yards and 16 touchdowns whiling rushing for 561 yards and 12 more scores this season and he's well aware of the challenge awaiting him and his offensive mates this weekend.

“Our coaches broke down the film,” Pugh said. “They told us what to do, where to hit them in their weak spots and we'll try to take advantage of that.”

Pugh's favorite target is fellow junior David Person. Person has 35 grabs for 845 yards and nine scores this season, and he's also excited about the chance to bring a title back to Southern Vance.

“It feels good to be in this position,” Person said. “But I haven't really put that much emotion into it. I'm going to play it like a regular game.”

The Golden Lions are not exactly a regular team, and Person will likely be matched up with Shelby cornerback Preston Roseboro, a Shrine Bowl selection.

“I love to have competition,” he said. “I can show everybody what I can do against the best competition in the game. That's what the college scouts are looking for, what I can do against the best athletes.”

Assuming that Person and Roseboro will be battling on one side of the field, it's safe to say that Pugh may have to spread the wealth a bit on Saturday.

And he's OK with that.

“I basically throw it to the guy that's open,” Pugh said. “Last week, they were sending guys at me. So, I threw it to the backs because nobody was on them. When they blitz, the swing guys are wide open.”

Person had four catches for 124 yards last week against Forest Hills, but he's fine with not necessarily being the primary target on every play.

“All I'm about is winning,” he said. “As long as somebody else can step up when all the pressure's on me, I'm all right with it.”

Pressure shouldn't be an issue for the “Cardiac Raiders” in the state title, since they've trailed at the half in three of their four postseason victories.

“We just had to stay positive,” Pugh said of those games. “We just had to make the plays we knew we could make.”

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

A look at the Lions

2006-12-05T09:22:00.000-05:00

A sneak peek at an item for Wednesday's paper...

As part of our state championship coverage, The Dispatch is profiling Southern Vance’s opponent on Saturday, the Shelby Golden Lions

By RANDY CAPPS
Dispatch Sports Editor

RALEIGH -- If the challenge of playing a defending state champion riding a 20-game winning streak wasn’t enough, Southern Vance will also be facing one of the richest football traditions in the state when it lines up against the Shelby Golden Lions at in the 2AA State Championship at Groves Stadium in Winston-Salem on Saturday.

The Golden Lions fielded their first team in 1911 and have won at least 643 games since then (records from 1914-1919 aren’t available) to become the winningest program in North Carolina High School football history.

Along the way, Shelby has won 10 NCHSAA or WNCHSAA (Western) state championships, 33 conference championships and more than 70 percent of its games. Since 1950, Shelby has had only two losing seasons - 1990 and 1955.

All of that success speaks to the stability in the head coach’s office. Chris Norman, in his ninth season at the helm, is only the fourth different coach at the school since 1936.

He owns two of those state titles as a head coach - 1998 and last season - but he isn’t about to start taking trips to the championship lightly.

“As I get older and in this longer, I think I cherish the opportunities more and more,” he said at Monday‘s press conference. “Last week at Pisgah was a great atmosphere for high school football. You know, we feel very fortunate to be back. And we’ll try to enjoy the ride home again.”

At about 4:28 p.m. on Saturday, the Shelby High drum line will start playing and the Golden Lions will take the field. They’ll run through a banner and start forming a pile at about the 40 yard-line, with players either gently lying on the top of the pile or the more daring - and lighter - players doing flips and twisting dives onto their teammates.

It’s been that way for a long time. Fans expect to see that pile, followed by a win on the field. Living up to those expectations can be tough.

“It’s intimidating sometimes,” Norman said. “Particularly being a hometown guy who played there and was directly influenced by two of those guys. To have played for Coach (Gerald) Allen and to have played under Coach (Jim) Taylor when he was an assistant coach and coming back to work for him, to have the opportunity to do what I’m doing is an awesome experience.

“It’s very demanding. It’s very stressful. I worry about all the little things, but to be a part of a school that has kind of tradition is very special. We don’t win every game. We don’t have the opportunity to be in this position every year, but it is a goal of ours to be here.”

One of those “little things” on Norman’s mind this week is the potential letdown factor after last week’s 28-20 win at previously unbeaten Canton Pisgah.

“There was a lot of hype for that game,” he said. “One of my assistants and I were talking about it and we thought that there hadn’t been that kind of hype since we played Cummings in the Western Finals (in 2004). We worry about that. Emotions are such a big part of high school football. To get in that kind of atmosphere with a big crowd, 12,000-plus, yeah you worry about it.

“But we’re playing for a state championship against a good team. This isn’t the time of year to letdown.”

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Southern Vance vs. Shelby

2006-12-04T19:28:00.000-05:00

Here's the first installment...

RALEIGH — Southern Vance coach David Jennings was just one of 16 head coaches on hand at Carter-Finley Stadium Monday for the NCHSAA State Championship Press Conference Monday, and even though it was his first such gathering, he was all business.

And in the days leading up to his team’s Saturday date with the undefeated defending state champion Shelby Golden Lions, he’s not backing down from the challenge.

“The Southern Vance Raiders aren’t coming to Winston-Salem to watch a coronation,” he said. “They’re coming to play football. You better believe it. Shelby better be ready to play football. We’re not coming to watch someone raise a trophy, we’re coming to play football.”

If the Raiders (13-2) are indeed underdogs against the Lions (15-0), Shelby coach Chris Norman isn’t acting like it.

“They’re athletic,” he said. “Their quarterback reminds me of Lance Camp at Burns High School back in our county. He’s all-everything, setting county records in the playoffs. They run shotgun with a lot of motion and they do a good job of getting people open. The quarterback is so quick and fast. Our guys have seen people like that, but still, it’s different.

“And they don’t panic. They play from behind really well.”

The “Cardiac Raiders” have made a living by coming from behind in the postseason, erasing 16-0 and 19-0 deficits in back-to-back weeks against Northwood and Forest Hills. Jennings hopes that experience will pay off this weekend.

“The never-say-die attitude is a great aspect of our team,” he said. “It’s sort of our mantra. One thing I’m proud of our kids about is that they will play 48 minutes, whether they’re behind or ahead, and as a football coach, that’s all you can ask for.”

While the Raiders have the benefit of two recent rallies under their belts, Shelby has a different kind of experience.

The Golden Lions have played in the past two state title games, falling 49-21 to SouthWest Onslow in 2004 and knocking off Reidsville last year, 26-18.

“We’ve got a group of seniors that have been in big ball games,” Norman said. “I hope that they know how to respond. But there are still young guys, teenagers and it’s different. It’s a different experience, playing in a bigger stadium that they’ve seen on TV on Saturdays. You hope that, after a few minutes, they calm down and play football.”

Staying collected will be key for Southern Vance, making its first trip to the championships in school history.

“I think it’s finally sunk in that we’re going to do this,” Jennings said. “It’s a great honor playing in a state championship game. You never know if you’re ever going to get another chance to play in one, but hopefully with our program, we will.”

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

Strange, but true

2006-12-01T02:25:00.000-05:00

I've really got to be more careful about the games I decide to watch.

Crossroads Christian beat Cornerstone Christian 86-2 Thursday night. That's right. 86-2. And really, it could have been far worse. The Patriots attempted one shot in the first quarter, turning it over 20 times while falling behind 41-1.

If that wasn't surreal enough, the Colts went into the four corners offense - hold the ball and not shoot for non-basketball fans - in the fourth quarter and the Cornerstone parents booed and yelled for Crossroads to "play ball" and "shoot it."

It was 72-2 at the time.

This is the craziest thing I've seen in a long time. I give credit to the players at Cornerstone for playing hard and to the Colts for not hanging 150 on a vastly over matched foe.

And the girls game was 52-8. Almost seems normal by comparison.

Pepper spray, headbands and other stuff

2006-11-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

My column from Thursday's Dispatch:

By RANDY CAPPS, Dispatch Sports Editor

It's been a while since I've columned up, so naturally a few things have piled up on me that I need to address.

From the Things that Disappoint Me Department, what's up with the JV boys' basketball teams from Person County and Warren County having a brawl after a game Tuesday night?

This sort of behavior has no place on the streets of Warren, Person or Vance counties, so it really looks out of place in a high school gym.

It's silly. There's no reason to take that sort of frustration with you off the court. Still, for a situation that looked like it was heading into “Malice at the Palace” territory, I thought a few well-meaning fans and the Warren County Sheriff's deputies did a pretty good job from letting it get even more out of hand.

And really, nobody likes pepper spray.

From the Things that Confuse Me Department, I have a pair of items. Why in the world does Chicago Bulls' head coach Scott Skiles have a rule banning his players - including the newly-signed Ben Wallace - from wearing headbands.

Headbands? You're kidding me, right? With NBA players going into the stands, firing guns at folks at strip clubs and any of the other things you can pull out that keep the NBA behind the NFL, MLB, college football and college basketball on the sporting totem pole, headbands are a concern? Please.

Hey, have you heard the one about Pittsburgh's Bill Cowher shucking his NFL career to be the new head coach at N.C. State? Nobody appreciates the fervor of Wolfpack nation more than I do, but you guys are dreaming if you think Bill Cowher wants to make that move.

I know he owns a house in Raleigh. I know that it makes some sense on a lot of levels. But a simple fact remains.

It's not that great of a job.

Who should you be after with all the money you can find? Paul Johnson at Navy or Norm Chow with the Tennessee Titans. Either guy is a great choice, and both would likely hang around a while.

Let's move over to the Things that You Should Know Department, where you can learn about late-round playoff high school football.

No team from Vance County has played a game this late in the season since the 1980 4A Western Final, where Greensboro Page bounced Vance High, 24-21.

The crowd was better last week for Southern Vance against Northwood, and I'd be surprised if even more folks didn't turn out this week for the 2AA West Final against Forest Hills.

Here's a note about where I last worked - I've seen more people at scrimmages in Cleveland County. My point? Get out and support our young people. You might even like it.

Contact the writer at rcapps@hendersondispatch.com.

On the line

2006-11-13T22:24:00.000-05:00

Gardner-Webb, my alma-mater, opens its season tonight at Texas Tech. While starting a season against a Bobby Knight-coached team is pretty cool, the neat thing about this game is that it is the first one I remember seeing that has a Vegas line. GWU is a 24-point dog in Lubbock, and as I type this, they trail 12-0 six minutes in... Maybe that wasn't enough...

Playoff preview

2006-11-09T22:54:00.000-05:00

By RANDY CAPPS
Dispatch Sports Editor
The preliminaries are over, the pretenders and contenders have been
sorted out and there’s a chill in the air.

Now it’s playoff time.

Three area high school football squads start postseason play tonight with the 2AA’s top seed Southern Vance (9-2) hosting North Lenoir (3-8), J.F. Webb (7-4) visiting Eastern Randolph (10-1) and Warren County (4-7) making the trip to West Stanly (8-3).

Raiders hope to keep rolling

Southern Vance is riding a six-game winning streak and will enjoy home-field advantage in
the playoffs all the way up until the title game in Winston-Salem, should it advance that far.

Southern coach David Jennings is hoping to have a big crowd on hand tonight to bolster the
edge of playing in his home stadium.

“I’d really like to see those stands full,” he said. “We should have much better weather than
we’ve had for our last two home games, so hopefully everyone will come out.”

Of the 68 games played between No. 1 and No. 16 seeds since the classifications were split in
2002, top seeds are 66-2. Northern Vance pulled an upset over Southern Guilford in 2004
and West Montgomery clipped West Wilkes back in 2002 for the only wins for the lower
seeds.

Jennings is hoping to avoid that pitfall on the opening night of the postseason.

“We’re fortunate to be in the position we’re in on paper, but we still have to execute on the field,” he said. “We have to learn how to finish ball games. Hopefully, that will start (tonight).”

North Lenoir will provide the opposition, as the Hawks won a draw to get into the postseason
with a berth from the Eastern Plains 2A. Coach Wayne Jackson’s team runs a version of
the Wing-T and likes to pound the football on offense while relying on a speedy defense to
keep foes in check.

Despite the record of his opposition, Jennings isn’t taking anything for granted.

“They’re quick. They run to the ball well on defense,” he said. “They seem to try and mix up
their fronts to confuse people on defense. It doesn’t seem like they want to throw the ball, so
we’re going to try to take away what they do best and make them do it.

“Offensively, we’re going to try to take advantage of our size and pound the ball, see if we can
wear them down.”

Warriors hitting the road

J.F. Webb drew the short straw among teams from the Mid-State 3A in terms of playoff
seeding, and as a result, the Warriors face a tall order tonight on the road against the Wildcats in the 3AA Playoffs.

Eastern Randolph lost a 12-10 decision at Asheboro for its only loss of the season and
Webb coach John Hammett knows what kind of challenge awaits his club tonight.

“They’re awfully good,” he said. “They’re No. 1 one in the 3A power ratings
(masseyratings.com). They’re a program with a lot of tradition that competes for state
championships. They’ve got a great quarterback, a big running back and good wide
receivers. They’ve got 33 seniors on that team.

“We didn’t get the best draw in the world, but you have to play the best teams sometime. The kids are excited about the opportunity. They’re not superhuman. They’re just a good high school football team. If we play hard and do the things we do well, I think we’ll have a chance.”

Eagles flying far away

Warren County has had quite a week.

The Eagles fell 49-0 to Bunn at home on Senior Night last Friday, had to sweat out a bid in the
2AA bracket the following day, were slated to visit Northwood in an early bracket and finally
ended up as a No. 14 seed on the road at West Stanly — about 206 miles, one-way, from
campus — in the final version.

At least practice was encouraging, but when they lace up tonight, the Eagle offense and
defense will have their collective skills tested in every way.

“Offensively, they have a big quarterback,” said Warren County coach Lamont Robinson. “He’s
6-foot-3, 230 (pounds), a nice arm, can run, offensively, he’ll pose a threat.”

The Eagles are a running team and West Stanly has a formidable defensive tackle that,
according to Robinson’s scouting of him on film, makes a lot of plays.

This being Robinson’s first year, the magnitude of playing an 12th game has floored him.

“It took some time to sink in,” he said. “There are a lot parents, a lot of kids, they remind me
how much of a big deal making the playoffs is. I’m really getting excited. We’re 0-0, we have a
shot like everybody else in the playoffs.”

Brendan O’Meara contributed to this story

Getting off the wagon

2006-10-31T13:50:00.000-05:00

I am something of a fantasy sports junkie - though nowhere near as far gone as my friend Drew Loftis. But, I've made a decision today...

I'm not playing in an NBA league this year. Nope, not going to do it. I don't put in the proper research, I can't think of a local group I can join and I just don't have the time to devote to it.

Besides, I suck at it anyway.

Typical

2006-10-24T12:13:00.000-05:00

Apparently, my crack about The Star's affection for meetings has gotten me kicked off their Web site. I don't have the words to express my sadness.

Yeah right.

I've taken the high road since I left Shelby, but snatching down my blog for an innocent comment - very un-Libertarian, by the way - almost makes me want to stoop to their level.

I will say that, while I miss the community and my friends in Shelby, I do not miss working at The Star.

Welcome to Henderson

2006-10-13T16:54:00.000-05:00

My column in Saturday's Daily Dispatch:

It’s been an interesting first week for me here in
Henderson. My family and I have found a few
good places to eat, we’re almost wired up at
home for Internet and there is now only a few
hundred things to do to get the house ready to
live in - as opposed to the the number that was
in place a few days ago.
I’ve found my way to Northern Vance and
Kerr-Vance Academy, learned a thing or two
about volleyball stat keeping and navigated my
way out to Carver Elementary a few times.
This is a big change for me, not only from a
community standpoint, but from a coverage
aspect as well. In Shelby, football is king. Here,
it seems, the prep sporting world is more of a
republic.
Just days into my new life using a Mac, running
a sports desk and living in Eastern North
Carolina, lets break things down by the
numbers:
0 - The number of times I’ve had Eastern-style
barbeque or the number of rude people I’ve met
here so far
1 - The number of soccer matches I’ve staffed in
2006
2 - Volleyball matches I’ve covered in 2006
3 - Attempts it took for my wife to find the street
on which we live or the meals people have
brought to our home to welcome us to the area
4 - Number of e-mails I’ve had time to answer
while getting a crash course on the sports
scene in Vance County
5 - Times I’ve asked Brendan, Ashley or Mike a
stupid question this week
6 - Times people not from here have suggested
places in Henderson for me to try as eating
establishments
7 - Days I’ve been a Henderson resident
8 - Minutes it takes for me to get my laptop
working so I can read Netzero messages at
work
9 - Meetings I’ve not had here that I would have
had in the same time frame in my last job
10 - Times I’ve considered tossing my
cellphone out the window since I moved here
(Apparently, Verizon doesn’t work well here)
27 - Age my lovely wife, Shanna, will turn on
Friday
35 - Degrees it will be before I get the gas
turned on at home
38 - Degrees it will be before we crank up the
fireplace
52 - Number of times people mistaked
Henderson for Hendersonville when I told them
I was moving
53 - Number of times I followed that up with the
Cracker Barrell story
76 - The year I was born or the number of
“Blue’s Clues” videos my son owns
100 - How sure I am that I’m in the right place
All jokes aside, my family and I have enjoyed our
brief time here. Everyone we’ve met has been
warm and welcoming, and everyone has gone
out of their way to make us feel right at home.
Professionally, I readily admit that I have plenty
to learn about covering sports in Vance County. I
plan on learning it, and learning it quickly.
Bringing you the readers the best sports
coverage possible is the goal, and we’re aiming
for it.
Thanks for rolling out the welcome mat. You
won’t regret it.

How I voted, Week of Oct. 3

2006-10-02T17:43:00.000-05:00

Here's my ballot for this week:

4A
1. Charlotte Independence
2. Greenville Rose
3. Richmond County
4. Asheville Reynolds
5. Wilmington Hoggard
6. Greensboro Grimsley
7. Crest
8. Matthews Butler
9. Watauga County
10. Raleigh Leesville Road

3A
1. Eastern Randolph
2. Rocky Mount
3. Greensboro Dudley
4. Winston-Salem Parkland
5. Harnett Central
6. Franklin
7. Kannapolis Brown
8. SouthWest Edgecombe
9. Hunter Huss
10. Asheboro

2A
1. Shelby
2. Maiden
3. Bunn
4. Canton Pisgah
5. Burlington Cummings
6. Brevard
7. Reidsville
8. Newton-Conover
9. Catawba Bandys
10. East Lincoln

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Wallace-Rose Hill
3. Elkin
4. Manteo
5. Polk County
6. East Bladen
7. Northampton-West
8. East Carteret
9. Warsaw Kenan
10. Cherokee

How I voted, Sept. 26

2006-09-25T15:49:00.000-05:00

Here's the latest ballot:

4A
1. Charlotte Independence
2. Greenville Rose
3. Richmond County
4. Asheville Reynolds
5. Wilmington Hoggard
6. Davie County
7. Greensboro Grimsley
8. Crest
9. Hope Mills South View
10. East Wake

3A
1. Eastern Randolph
2. Rocky Mount
3. Greensboro Dudley
4. Anson County
5. Winston-Salem Parkland
6. Harnett Central
7. Franklin
8. Kannapolis Brown
9. SouthWest Edgecombe
10. Hunter Huss

2A
1. Shelby
2. Maiden
3. Bunn
4. Canton Pisgah
5. Burlington Cummings
6. Brevard
7. Reidsville
8. Newton-Conover
9. Southwest Onslow
10. West Davidson

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Wallace-Rose Hill
3. Elkin
4. Manteo
5. Polk County
6. East Bladen
7. Northampton-West
8. East Carteret
9. Warsaw Kenan
10. Plymouth

How I voted - Sept. 19

2006-09-19T13:25:00.000-05:00

Here's my ballot for this week's AP poll:

4A
1. Charlotte Independence
2. Greenville Rose
3. Richmond County
4. Asheville Reynolds
5. Wilmington Hoggard
6. Davie County
7. Greensboro Grimsley
8. Shelby Crest
9. Garner Senior
10. Raleigh Wakefield

3A

1. Kannapolis Brown
2. Eastern Randolph
3. Greensboro Dudley
4. Rocky Mount
5. Anson County
6. Winston-Salem Parkland
7. Harnett Central
8. Franklin
9. North Gaston
10. Belmont South Point

2A
1. Shelby
2. Brevard (how's a 1 vs. 2 sound this week?)
3. SW Onslow
4. Cummings
5. Canton Pisgah
6. Maiden
7. Greene Central
8. Bunn
9. Reidsville
10. Newton-Conover

1A.
1. Thomasville
2. Wallace-Rose Hill
3. Elkin
4. Manteo
5. East Carteret
6. Polk County
7. East Bladen
8. Northampton-West
9. Warsaw Kenan
10. Cherokee

How I voted - AP poll for Sept. 12

2006-09-10T22:58:00.000-05:00

Since I don't want to do it on my day off, I voted early...

4A
1. Independence
2. Rose
3. Richmond County
4. Reynolds
5. Hoggard
6. Davie County
7. Grimsley
8. New Bern
9. Crest
10. Garner

3A
1. Kannapolis Brown
2. Western Alamance
3. Eastern Randolph
4. Hertford County
5. Greensboro Dudley
6. Rocky Mount
7. Anson County
8. South Point (probably too high)
9. North Gaston (ditto)
10. Hunter Huss (ditto again)

2A
1. Shelby
2. Southwest Onslow
3. Brevard
4. Canton Pisgah
5. Maiden
6. Greene Central
7. Newton-Conover
8. Burlington Cummings
9. Reidsville
10. Bunn

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Wallace-Rose Hill
3. Elkin
4. Manteo
5. East Carteret
6. Polk County
7. East Bladen
8. Northampton-West
9. Warsaw Kenan
10. Cherokee

How I voted - AP Poll for Sept. 6

2006-09-06T12:26:00.000-05:00

This is how my ballot looked for this week. I'd love to hear of any teams I left out that you guys think I should be considering...

4A
1. Charlotte Independence
2. Greenville Rose
3. Richmond County
4. Garner Senior
5. Asheville Reynolds
6. Crest
7. Wilmington Hoggard
8. Davie County
9. Greensboro Grimsley
10. New Bern

3A
1. Kannapolis Brown
2. Western Alamance
3. Rocky Mount
4. Eastern Randolph
5. Asheville Roberson
6. Charlotte Catholic
7. Hertford County
8. Greensboro Dudley
9. Anson County
10. Belmont South Point

2A
1. Shelby
2. Southwest Onslow
3. Brevard
4. Canton Pisgah
5. Maiden
6. Greene Central
7. Newton-Conover
8. Burlington Cummings
9. Reidsville
10. Bunn

1A
1. Thomasville
2. Wallace-Rose Hill
3. Elkin
4. Manteo
5. East Carteret
6. Polk County
7. East Bladen
8. Northampton-West
9. Warsaw Kenan
10. Cherokee

Farewell to Andre

2006-09-03T22:13:00.000-05:00

My column from Monday's Star:

Remember the time where Andre Agassi was all over TV, selling cameras for Canon? I checked out a commercial from 1990 on youtube.com Sunday, and it features Agassi in various stages of undress living a life worthy of a paparazzo’s attention.

And, of course, it ends with him standing with his long blonde hair flowing in an artificial breeze. He lowers his Oakleys slightly and uttered those three words that made him famous — or at least notorious — "image is everything."

Or maybe it just started there.

Agassi has come farther than almost any athlete I can think of. He turned pro at 15, armed with a lust for life and a lethal forehand. The bad boy from Las Vegas won his first title in 1987 at Itaparica, and five years later, after years of griping about the All England Club’s wardrobe restrictions, won his first Grand Slam title on the grass at Wimbledon.

That was the flamboyant Agassi. That player started melting slowly away in the mid 90s, thanks to injuries and a lack of passion for the game. His ranking slipped to 147 in the world in November of 1997 — the lowest point since his debut season.

He could have taken his pile of money and rode off into the sunset. Instead, he accepted his losses in his battle with Father Time by toning down his off-court lifestyle, cutting his hair and becoming the most fit player on tour.

He made the highest one-year jump in ranking in ATP Tour history, going from 122 to 6 in the world at the end of 1998. He has since won 24 of his 60 career titles — including five of his eight Grand Slams.

He’s also become one of the most generous athletes of our time, pouring millions upon millions of dollars into his foundation.

Agassi’s odyssey, between the lines and otherwise, ended Sunday at the U.S. Open in New York. He made Benjamin Becker the answer to a trivia question, falling to the 25-year-old German in four sets.

I was sitting at a table with my wife and two friends, making me the only hard-core tennis fan in the bunch. Still, watching a man who has morphed from malcontent to elder statesman stand in a stadium full of fans and cry is a moment that transcended interest in sports.

He fought back tears as he said his goodbye, and as a fan of the game, it was a little hard to watch. I was always more of a Pete Sampras fan, but I have learned to love Andre over the past few years. I will truly miss him.

Those commercials in the early 1990s have followed Agassi for his entire career, but it’s the memory of a great champion — and a better man — saying farewell to a sport and its fans that will define his legacy.

That image, at least, is everything.

Jamboree report

2006-08-19T01:29:00.000-05:00

The jamboree was Friday night. Here are a few thoughts, followed by my story...

Impressions:

Shelby is really good. Montgomery is in total command of the offense. Stack the line against Shelby and he'll hurt you. Defensively, they're OK. With that offense, that's all they'll need to be.

The Crest offense is strong. Robinson is much improved at QB, and Tosh Toms is a good back. Defensively, they're a little off. Coach Kirby has some work to do here. At first, they'll be trying to outscore people.

Burns' offense is in high gear. Camp is unbelievable. His arm actually seems stronger to me, which is saying something. And against a very vanilla-looking Freedom team, their defense dominated as well.

KM will be interesting. Good OL, decent back in Antwan Ross, but that freshman quarterback needs to grow up fast. He threw three picks Friday night, one of which set up the TD that beat them. Their defense looked OK, but Waddell isn't exactly a powerhouse.

And now, the story...

For most of the state, Friday night signaled the start of the high school football season.

In Cleveland County, it was more like a dress rehearsal.

The eighth annual First National Bank Cleveland County Jamboree was a chance for each of the county’s public school squads to smooth out the rough spots before next week.

KM learning on the job

Three interceptions, including one that set up a Raider touchdown, helped spoil an otherwise solid outing by Kings Mountain in a 7-6 setback.

Antwan Ross scored on the first play from scrimmage, taking a hand off 75 yards down the sideline for a score. The missed extra point would come back to haunt the Mounties as Waddell scored on a touchdown pass and added the extra point that would eventually decide the contest.

“I saw a lot of good things,” Kings Mountain head coach Dave Farquharson said. “Like any other scrimmage, I saw some things we need to improve.”

Chargers handle Hickory

Tosh Toms scored from 14 yards out in the first quarter and Black came in to spell Toms and added a 27-yard scoring run as Crest avenged last season’s jamboree loss to the Red Tornadoes.

Toms left the game with a minor injury, giving Black his chance.

“We knew Ryan was going to be a good football player for us this year,” Crest head coach Roy Kirby said. “He’s worked hard in the weightroom and he really got those pads down and ran the ball tonight.”

Jordan Robinson had a deep connection with Stanley Humphries helping set up the second Crest touchdown.

Bulldogs blitz Freedom

Lance Camp threw a touchdown pass to Harvey Kee and added a scoring run as Burns blanked Freedom, 28-0.

Kee also had a nine-yard touchdown run while Dewight Littlejohn turned in the play of the night, scooping up a loose ball and weaving his way 70 yards to score.

The Bulldog defense forced three turnovers against the 4A Patriots.

“I thought we went after them hard,” Burns head coach Ron Greene said. “I think our speed was a factor.”

Golden Lions in front

Shelby fell behind early before storming back to score three touchdowns en route to topping 4A Providence.

Darryl Montgomery hit Preston Roseboro with a 75-yard scoring strike for the first score and took it in himself for the second touchdown — a drive highlighted by a long screen pass to Arsenio Parks.

Parks added the third score in the closing minutes .

“I saw improvement,” Shelby head coach Chris Norman said. “I was pleased with the effort. Next week, all this is behind us. It starts counting on your record and determining how your season’s going to be.”

"I wanna go fast"

2006-08-08T22:08:00.000-05:00

Got an e-mail today from our webmaster, reminding us of the importance of updating the blogs. So, in the spirit of compliance, here's my take on "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby."

This movie rocks.

I took my lovely wife to see it in Fayetteville last week after driving around that city for the better part of an hour looking for a theatre. We'll save the vacation driving stories for a later column.

Anyway, I was sort of worried that:

A. All the funny parts were in the previews

B. My bride, usually not a fan of slap-stick comedy, wouldn't like it

Well, as it turns out, it was C.

We both loved it.

Will Ferrell was great. Funny from start to finish. He was so good, I almost feel the need to backtrack and watch "Anchorman" and "Old School." I don't want to spoil the movie for you, but there's a scene where he's praying at the dinner table that's just classic.

All the supporting actors were solid as well. Gary Cole as Ricky's daddy, Reese Bobby, and John C. Reilly as Ricky's friend and teammate Cal Noughton Jr. stand out.

It's a movie that doesn't pretend to be a NASCAR biopic - it's funny and doesn't try to be much else.

It's well worth the money, but not exactly for the youngsters (PG-13).

High school football under way

2006-07-31T22:50:00.000-05:00

My story from Tuesday's Star...

The time and place didn’t matter — be it Shelby or Crest on Monday morning or Burns or Kings Mountain later in the evening — one thing was the same all day at every school on Monday.

It was hot.

An unforgiving July sun baked the freshly mowed football practice fields as the mercury hovered in the low 90s, but as they say in Hollywood, the show must go on.

The show Monday was the opening day of high school football practice across the state and a late-summer heat wave made things tough on players and coaches alike.

“The players are doing just fine,” Shelby’s head athletic trainer Jim Prevost said. “The players we’re dealing with right now didn’t eat breakfast this morning. Some of them are just out of shape. They’ve had an easy summer and didn’t come to conditioning.“

We’ve got such great student trainers. Any time they see an athlete that looks a little bit in distress, it’s kind of over-care, which is the way you should do things.”

Getting started at ShelbyUnder the watchful eye of Prevost and a swarm of student trainers, the Golden Lions started defense of their 2AA State Championship.About 125 varsity and junior varsity players turned out for opening day — a figure that will likely shrink a bit in the coming days.

And all of them, according to head coach Chris Norman, will be starting off slowly.“

Just take the first step, basically,” he said. “Everything we’ve done in the summer’s been optional. The attitude seems good on the first day and we’re excited about getting started.”

Chargers looking to turn the page

The last time the Crest Chargers stepped onto to the practice field, it was the day before the 4A Western Finals.

That game never happened after Crest was forced to forfeit that and all of its other games in the 2005 season because of an ineligible player, so Monday’s workout was a chance for the program to move on.

“Last year was last year,” Crest head coach Roy Kirby said. “We’re going to get back and try to win every game we play just like we always do.”

The Chargers welcomed about 100 players for the first day, including a few unexpected offensive linemen.

“It was great to see the offensive line guys come out,” Kirby said.

Bulldogs take the field

Burns High also had around 100 players on hand for an evening practice, and head coach Ron Greene believes that attendance is half the battle.

“We’re just trying to get them here,” he said, driving around from station to station on a Gator. “We had minicamp to teach drills. Just carrying over that and getting into a little more depth.“Just getting them here and getting these early days of acclimation to this weather. Of course, we’ve been out here in helmets all summer long.”

The western end of the field — which happened to be in the shade — was the place to be in Lawndale.

Kings Mountain gets under way

Kings Mountain head coach Dave Farquharson took a break from supervising the 80-plus players who came out for the first workout of the season to share his plans for the first few days of practice.“

Today. we’re just picking up from minicamp. Just spending a lot of time teaching, trying to pick up where we left off last Thursday.“

Just trying to get everything in that we want to have in before we start contact.”

All four teams have scrimmages scheduled on the first day allowed under state guidelines — Thursday, Aug. 10.

Cleveland County High School Football Records

2006-07-26T21:24:00.000-05:00

My good friend Richard Walker just sent over the revised Cleveland County record book. Enjoy!

CLEVELAND COUNTY Prep football records - part 1
Top career rushing totals:
5,550 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain (1996-99)
4,687 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest (2001-04)
4,457 - Travis Padgett, Crest (2001-04)
4,420 - Josh Brown, Burns-Crest (1997-00; 2,482 at Burns)
3,816 - Tavorris Jolly, Shelby (2002-05)
3,809 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby (1968-70)
3,754 - Brandon Jackson, Burns (2002-05)
3,684 - Brian Clemmons, Crest (1995-98)
3,567 - Nelson Woods, Burns (2000-02)
3,248 - Tony Scott, Burns (1992-94)
3,168 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby (1997-99)
3,089 - Ken Baity, Kings Mountain (1955-57)
2,914 - Cedric Surratt, Shelby (1985-87)
2,864 - Tommy London, Shelby (1970-72)
2,778 - Sidney Goode, Kings Mountain (2003-05)
2,756 - Norris Hopper, Shelby (1994-97)
2,523 - Antwan Hamilton, Shelby (1998-00)
2,496 - Lance Camp, Burns (2003-05)
2,458 - Phillip Shaw, Crest (1999-01)
2,304 - Robert McCluney, Crest (1979-81)
2,294 - Dockery Youngblood, Shelby (1973-75)
2,274 - Omar Roberts, Shelby (1991-93)
2,222 - Aquino Simmons, Kings Mountain (2001-02)
2,142 - Larry Eberheart, Shelby (1971-73)
2,131 - Shane Logan, Kings Mountain (1993-95)
2,079 - John Gwinn, Kings Mtn/Hope Chr (2003-05; 1,167 at HC)
2,078 - Kevin Mack, Kings Mountain (1978-79)
2,059 - Kenny Bell, Kings Mountain (1976-77)
2,002 - Marquitt Jones, Shelby (2001-03)
1,982 - Tracy Johnson, Kings Mountain (1983-84)
1,955 - Joseph Bell, Kings Mountain (1996-97)
Active leaders:
2,496 - Camp
1,617 - Arsenio Parks, Shelby (2004-05)
1,116 - Tosh Toms, Crest (2004-05)
Top single-season rushing totals:
2,510 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain (1998)
1,993 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest (2003)
1,938 - Josh Brown, Crest (2000)
1,936 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby (1970)
1,770 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby (1998)
1,762 - Anthony Davis, Crest (1995)
1,726 - Brian Clemmons, Crest (1997)
1,682 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain (1999)
1,624 - Travis Padgett, Crest (2004)
1,635 - Tony Scott, Burns (1994)
1,609 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest (2004)
1,605 - Nelson Woods, Burns (2002)
1,585 - Kevin Mack, Kings Mountain (1979)
1,507 - Joseph Bell, Kings Mountain (1997)
1,501 - Brandon Jackson, Burns (2003)
1,459 - Herbert Harbison, Crest (1982)
1,442 - Tommy London, Shelby (1972)
1,429 - Cedric Surratt, Shelby (1986)
1,412 - Donnie Malachi, Burns (1989)
1,402 - Brian Clemmons, Crest (1998)
1,393 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby (1999)
1,374 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain (1997)
1,373 - Sidney Goode, Kings Mountain (2005)
1,360 - Travis Padgett, Crest (2001)
1,346 - Lance Camp, Burns (2005)
1,340 - Norris Hopper, Shelby (1997)
1,331 - Terrell Gullatte, Shelby (2004)
1,330 - Dockery Youngblood, Shelby (1975)
1,313 - Travis Padgett, Crest (2002)
1,311 - Shane Logan, Kings Mountain (1995)
1,308 - Wesley Pryor, Shelby (1997)
1,301 - Aquino Simmons, Kings Mountain (2001)
1,294 - Hicks Beam, Shelby (1975)
1,289 - Ken Baity, Kings Mountain (1957)
1,277 - Tavorris Jolly, Shelby (2005)
1,234 - Josh Brown, Burns (1998)
1,228 - Troy Goss, Burns (2002)
1,205 - Josh Brown, Burns (1999)
1,203 - Antwan Hamilton, Shelby (2000)
1,202 - Robert McCluney, Crest (1980)
1,185 - Curt Pressley, Kings Mountain (1983)
1,185 - Cedric Surratt, Shelby (1987)
1,182 - Aric Lipscomb, Shelby (1993)
1,167 - John Gwinn, Hope Christian (2005)
1,164 - Lance Camp, Burns (2004)
1,155 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby (1969)
1,142 - Tracy Johnson, Kings Mountain (1983)
1,139 - Arsenio Parks, Shelby (2005)
1,137 - Robert Robinson, Shelby (1984)
1,127 - Harvey McSwain, Shelby (1980)
1,126 - Corey Jones, Kings Mountain (1996)
1,121 - Larry Eberheart, Shelby (1972)
1,120 - Tavorris Jolly, Shelby (2003)
1,116 - Tosh Toms, Crest (2005)
1,114 - Markus Tate, Shelby (1997)
1,111 - Chris Poston, Crest (1983)
1,101 - Dunsey Harper, Shelby (1987)
1,088 - D'Andre Hopper, Crest (1993)
1,082 - Brandon Jackson, Burns (2004)
1,071 - Ken Baity, Kings Mountain (1956)
1,070 - Travis Withrow, Burns (2003)
1,051 - Don Gladden, Kings Mountain (1958)
1,051 - Anthony Webber, Shelby (1977)
1,042 - Kenny Bell, Kings Mountain (1977)
1,042 - Marquitt Jones, Shelby (2002)
1,023 - Tommy London, Shelby (1971)
1,014 - Nelson Woods, Burns (2001)
1,011 - Phillip Shaw, Crest (2001)
1,007 - Sherwin Brown, Burns (1995)
1,001 - Marcus Smith, Kings Mountain (1996)
Top single-game rushing totals:
428 - Josh Brown, Crest vs. Freedom (10-6-2000)
354 - Brian Clemmons, Crest vs. Watauga (10-24-1997)
331 - John Gwinn, Hope Christian vs. Bethesda Day (11-19-2005)
311 - Harvey McSwain, Shelby vs. East Gaston (10-31-1980)
311 - Herbert Harbison, Crest vs. Chase (9-24-1982)
287 - Kevin Mack, Kings Mountain vs. R-S Central (11-2-1979)
286 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain vs. A.L. Brown (11-27-1998)
283 - Kenny Bell, Kings Mountain vs. Burns (11-4-1977)
283 - Tracy Johnson, Kings Mountain vs. Chase (10-21-1983)
264 - Robert McCluney, Crest vs. Lincolnton (11-14-1980)
261 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain vs. South Point (10-30-1998)
256 - Josh Brown, Crest vs. Shelby (9-8-2000)
255 - Tony Scott, Burns vs. R-S Central (10-21-1994)
255 - Aquino Simmons, Kings Mountain vs. Burns (10-5-2001)
254 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain vs. East Rutherford (10-22-1999)
252 - Anthony Davis, Crest vs. Alexander Central (11-3-1995)
250 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby vs. Cherryville (10-9-1998)
249 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain vs. South Point (10-29-1999)
249 - Tavarus Hill, Shelby vs. Bandys (10-5-2001)
247 - Josh Brown, Burns vs. McDowell (8-27-1999)
244 - Antwan Hamilton, Shelby vs. Cherryville (10-6-2000)
242 - Anthony Davis, Crest vs. West Mecklenburg (11-10-1995)
240 - Anthony Davis, Crest vs. Watauga (10-20-1995)
238 - Kevin Mack, Kings Mountain vs. Shelby (11-9-1979)
236 - Travis Padgett, Crest vs. High Point Central (11-30-2001)
235 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest vs. Foard (10-17-2003)
233 - Tracy Johnson, Kings Mountain vs. East Gaston (9-16-1983)
230 - D'Andre Hopper, Crest vs. Freedom (10-8-1993)
229 - Nelson Woods, Burns vs. Foard (10-18-2002)
228 - Curt Pressley, Kings Mountain vs. Burns (9-2-1983)
228 - Anthony Davis, Crest vs. Freedom (10-6-1995)
227 - Tommy London, Shelby vs. Burns (11-8-1972)
225 - Shane Logan, Kings Mountain vs. R-S Central (9-30-1994)
222 - Joseph Bell, Kings Mountain vs. Freedom (10-3-1997)
220 - Josh Brown, Crest vs. Burns (9-29-2000)
220 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest vs. Hickory (9-24-2004)
219 - Don Gladden, Kings Mountain vs. Forest City (1958)
219 - Sidney Goode, Kings Mountain vs. Forestview (9-9-2005)
218 - Donnie Malachi, Burns vs. East Burke (9-8-1989)
218 - Josh Brown, Crest vs. Kings Mountain (9-22-2000)
218 - Nelson Woods, Burns vs. St. Stephens (11-9-2001)
218 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. Hickory (11-11-2005)
216 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby vs. Kings Mountain (10-16-1970)
216 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby vs. South Point (10-23-1970)
216 - Tony Falls, Kings Mountain vs. East Gaston (10-5-1973)
215 - Brian Clemmons, Crest vs. East Burke (10-31-1997)
213 - Josh Brown, Crest vs. Hoke County (11-10-2000)
213 - Travis Withrow, Burns vs. Carver (11-7-2003)
211 - Sidney Goode, Kings Mountain vs. Foard (9-19-2003)
209 - Robert McCluney, Crest vs. Chase (9-26-1980)
209 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. Kings Mountain (11-4-2005)
208 - Earl Marlowe, Kings Mountain vs. East Mecklenburg (1954)
208 - Wesley Pryor, Shelby vs. HP Central (11-21-1997)
208 - Josh Brown, Crest vs. Alexander Central (11-3-2000)
208 - Nelson Woods, Burns vs. R-S Central (10-12-2001)
206 - John Gwinn, Hope Christian vs. Southside Christian (10-21-2005)
205 - Donnie Malachi, Burns vs. South Point (10-27-1989)
205 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain vs. Concord (12-4-1998)
205 - Tavorris Jolly, Kings Mountain vs. East Rutherford (10-3-2003)
204 - Chris Poston, Crest vs. Burns (10-7-1983)
204 - Corey Jones, Kings Mountain vs. South Point (10-11-1996)
204 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest vs. Hickory (11-14-2003)
203 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain vs. Butler (9-12-1997)
201 - Ken Baity, Kings Mountain vs. Forest City (1957)
201 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest vs. High Point Central (11-28-2003)
200 - Jody Cook, Shelby vs. East Rutherford (10-18-1985)
200 - Norris Hopper, Shelby vs. Chase (10-31-1997)
200 - Greg Melker, Burns vs. Enka (11-14-1997)
200 - Aquino Simmons, Kings Mountain vs. Foard (9-28-2001)
Top career passing totals:
5,267 - Troy Goss, Burns (2000-02)
4,672 - Lance Camp, Burns (2003-05)
3,727 - Brandon Boone, Crest (2000-01)
3,654 - Jamie Smith, Crest (1995-96)
3,356 - Darryl Montgomery, Shelby (2003-05)
3,327 - Maurice Gullatte, Crest (2003-04)
2,742 - Daniel Alexander, Crest (1997-99)
2,693 - D'Andre Hopper, Crest (1992-93)
2,622 - Rob Reynolds, Shelby (1967-69)
2,449 - Brad Hoyle, Burns (1993-94)
2,371 - Steve Gardner, Burns (1973-75)
2,321 - Anthony Ash, Kings Mountain (1996-98)
2,291 - Shawn Haynes, Shelby (2000-02)
2,214 - Dixon Putnam, Burns (1989-91)
2,185 - Ryan Hollifield, Kings Mountain (1987-89)
2,137 - Brandon McClain, Kings Mountain (2004-05)
2,135 - Jordan Robinson, Crest (2003-05)
2,008 - Dennis Sinkler, Crest (1971-73)
Active leaders:
4,672 - Camp
3,356 - Montgomery
2,135 - Robinson
Top single-season passing totals:
2,615 - Brandon Boone, Crest (2001)
2,366 - Lance Camp, Burns (2005)
2,361 - Troy Goss, Burns (2001)
2,306 - Jamie Smith, Crest (1996)
2,273 - Lance Camp, Burns (2004)
2,233 - Maurice Gullatte, Crest (2004)
2,219 - Troy Goss, Burns (2002)
1,913 - Daniel Alexander, Crest (1999)
1,798 - Travis Lee, Crest (2002)
1,723 - Jordan Robinson, Crest (2005)
1,677 - Darryl Montgomery, Shelby (2005)
1,648 - Darryl Montgomery, Shelby (2004)
1,624 - Chris Blanton, Crest (1997)
1,573 - Travis Withrow, Burns (2003)
1,443 - Ryan Hamrick, Crest (1994)
1,401 - Keith Brooks, Shelby (2003)
1,358 - D'Andre Hopper, Crest (1992)
1,356 - Rob Reynolds, Shelby (1968)
1,351 - Jamie Smith, Crest (1995)
1,337 - Billy Gamble, Shelby (1983)
1,335 - D'Andre Hopper, Crest (1993)
1,324 - Tommy Hamrick, Shelby (1970)
1,318 - Tim Gilbert, Burns (1988)
1,289 - Brandon McClain, Kings Mountain (2005)
1,286 - Brad Hoyle, Burns (1993)
1,279 - Anthony Ash, Kings Mountain (1998)
1,235 - Shawn Haynes, Shelby (2002)
1,190 - Dixon Putnam, Burns (1991)
1,177 - Chris Jolly, Kings Mountain (2002)
1,163 - Brad Hoyle, Burns (1994)
1,146 - Steve Gardner, Burns (1974)
1,112 - Brandon Boone, Crest (2000)
1,091 - Steve Gardner, Burns (1975)
1,087 - Maurice Gullatte, Crest (2003)
1,080 - Mike Callahan, Shelby (1974)
1,056 - Shawn Haynes, Shelby (2001)
1,042 - Kelly Upton, Crest (1989)
1,038 - Lance McClain, Kings Mountain (1996)
1,033 - Anthony Ash, Kings Mountain (1997)
1,010 - Dixon Putnam, Burns (1990)
1,006 - Rob Reynolds, Shelby (1969)
Top single-game passing totals:
352 - Troy Goss, Burns vs. McDowell (8-30-2002)
332 - Troy Goss, Burns vs. St. Stephens (11-9-2001)
323 - Jamie Smith, Crest vs. Freedom (10-11-1996)
315 - Brandon Boone, Crest vs. Burns (11-2-2001)
295 - Daniel Alexander, Crest vs. Alexander Central (11-5-1999)
293 - Troy Goss, Burns vs. North Gaston (9-14-2001)
290 - Maurice Gullatte, Crest vs. Burns (10-29-2004)
290 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. Asheville (11-26-2004)
286 - Brandon McClain, Kings Mountain vs. St. Stephens (10-22-2004)
285 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. Ashbrook (9-9-2005)
280 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. R-S Central (10-8-2004)
279 - Maurice Gullatte, Crest vs. Davie County (9-3-2004)
279 - Maurice Gullatte, Crest vs. Piedmont (11-19-2004)
275 - Daniel Alexander, Crest vs. Freedom (10-8-1999)
272 - Brandon Boone, Crest vs. Anson County (9-7-2001)
271 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. Crest (10-29-2004)
269 - Troy Goss, Burns vs. Forestview (9-28-2001)
266 - Brandon Boone, Crest vs. St. Stephens (10-19-2001)
259 - Dixon Putnam, Burns vs. R-S Central (10-25-1991)
259 - Brandon Boone, Crest vs. Hickory (9-28-2001)
250 - D'Andre Hopper, Crest vs. West Charlotte (9-25-1992)
250 - Shawn Haynes, Shelby vs. Cummings (11-29-2002)
238 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. East Rutherford (10-28-2005)
236 - Chris Jolly, Kings Mountain vs. South Point (9-7-2001)
234 - Troy Goss, Burns vs. North Gaston (9-13-2002)
234 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. McDowell (8-27-2004)
232 - Troy Goss, Burns vs. Foard (10-18-2002)
232 - Darryl Montgomery, Shelby vs. Brevard (9-23-2005)
231 - Chris Blanton, Crest vs. McDowell (10-17-1997)
230 - D'Andre Hopper, Crest vs. East Gaston (10-30-1992)
226 - Steve Gardner, Burns vs. South Point (11-1-1974)
225 - Ryan Hamrick, Crest vs. East Burke (10-28-1994)
224 - Jordan Robinson, Crest vs. Kings Mountain (9-16-2005)
222 - Brandon McClain, Kings Mountain vs. Shelby (10-14-2005)
220 - Ryan Hamrick, Crest vs. Mount Tabor (12-2-1994)
219 - Mark Lackey, Shelby vs. East Gaston (10-4-1974)
219 - Travis Withrow, Burns vs. St. Stephens (10-31-2003)
219 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. Kings Mountain (11-4-2005)
217 - Tim Gilbert, Burns vs. South Point (11-4-1988)
217 - Troy Goss, Burns vs. Hickory (10-26-2001)
216 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. Forestview (9-23-2005)
215 - Shawn Haynes, Shelby vs. Burns (9-6-2002)
213 - Chris Jolly, Kings Mountain vs. Glenn (11-15-2002)
212 - D'Andre Hopper, Crest vs. North Mecklenburg (10-16-1992)
211 - Travis Lee, Crest vs. North Forsyth (10-4-2002)
210 - Travis Lee, Crest vs. Anson County (9-6-2002)
210 - Travis Lee, Crest vs. South Point (9-20-2002)
208 - Troy Goss, Burns vs. Kannapolis (11-22-2002)
207 - Troy Goss, Burns vs. East Rutherford (9-21-2001)
206 - D'Andre Hopper, Crest vs. R.J. Reynolds (11-12-1993)
205 - Tommy Hamrick, Shelby vs. Lincolnton (9-18-1970)
205 - Dennis Sinkler, Crest vs. Burns (10-12-1973)
202 - Lance Camp, Burns vs. Shelby (9-3-2004)
201 - Brandon Boone, Crest vs. North Forsyth (10-5-2001)
200 - Ricky Sims, Burns vs. Crest (10-12-1973)
200 - Brad Hoyle, Burns vs. South Point (11-18-1994)
200 - Jamie Smith, Crest vs. Alexander Central (11-8-1996)
Top career receiving totals:
165 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2001-04)
128 - Chris Coleman, Crest (1992-94)
78 - Kendrick Bell, Kings Mountain (1996-98)
69 - Maurice Petty, Crest (1998-01)
69 - Antonio Odom, Shelby (2004-05)
66 - Ulysses Tuft, Burns (2004-05)
65 - Elvin Webber, Crest (1971-73)
62 - Gene Proctor, Crest (2001-03)
60 - Orlando Goolsby, Burns (2001-03)
59 - Omar Washington, Crest (2002-04)
56 - Morrio Clark, Burns (2000-01)
52 - Chesley Borders, Crest (1995-97)
50 - Bruce Smith, Crest (2004-05)
Active totals:
50 - Smith
Top career receiving yardage totals:
3,519 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2001-04)
2,352 - Chesley Borders, Crest (1995-97)
2,217 - Chris Coleman, Crest (1992-94)
1,505 - Maurice Petty, Crest (1998-01)
1,320 - Morrio Clark, Burns (1999-01)
1,300 - Kendrick Bell, Kings Mountain (1996-98)
1,192 - Antonio Odom, Shelby (2004-05)
1,166 - Omar Washington, Crest (2002-04)
1,086 - Ulysses Tuft, Burns (2004-05)
1,062 - Orlando Goolsby, Burns (2001-03)
1,038 - Van Eskridge, Shelby (2001-04)
1,017 - Elvin Webber, Crest (1971-73)
Active totals:
749 - Bruce Smith, Crest (2004-05)
Top single-season receiving totals:
49 - Chris Coleman, Crest (1994)
49 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2004)
48 - Chesley Borders, Crest (1996)
48 - Antonio Odom, Shelby (2005)
46 - Chad Beam, Burns (1994)
45 - Chris Coleman, Crest (1993)
45 - Chesley Borders, Crest (1997)
44 - Tijuan Griggs, Burns (2001)
44 - Maurice Petty, Crest (2001)
43 - Morrio Clark, Burns (2001)
43 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2002)
43 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2003)
43 - Nate Marable, Kings Mountain (2005)
40 - Gene Proctor, Crest (2003)
38 - Colonel Hopper, Shelby (1987)
38 - Omar Washington, Crest (2004)
38 - Bruce Smith, Crest (2005)
37 - Tyrice Brooks, Crest (2004)
33 - Travis Lee, Crest (2001)
32 - Chris Coleman, Crest (1992)
30 - Kendrick Bell, Kings Mountain (1998)
30 - Mike Haggard, Shelby (1968)
30 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2001)
30 - Orlando Goolsby, Burns (2003)
30 - Shamar Howell, Burns (2005)
Top single-season receiving yardage totals:
1,195 - Chesley Borders, Crest (1996)
1,163 - Chesley Borders, Crest (1997)
1,139 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2002)
1,128 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2004)
1,028 - Morrio Clark, Burns (2001)
1,015 - Maurice Petty, Crest (1994)
1,014 - Chris Coleman, Crest (1994)
899 - Omar Washington, Crest (2004)
812 - Travis Lee, Crest (2001)
770 - Chad Beam, Burns (1994)
744 - Nate Marable, Kings Mountain (2005)
726 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2003)
685 - Colonel Hopper, Shelby (1987)
671 - Chris Coleman, Crest (1993)
670 - Antonio Odom, Shelby (2005)
639 - Tyrice Brooks, Crest (2004)
627 - Keith Brooks, Shelby (2002)
608 - Shamar Howell, Burns (2005)
605 - Brian Huffstetler, Shelby (1983)
602 - Tijuan Griggs, Burns (2001)
594 - Mike Haggard, Shelby (1968)
569 - Kendrick Bell, Kings Mountain (1998)
546 - Bruce Smith, Crest (2005)
538 - Ulysses Tuft, Burns (2005)
532 - Chris Coleman, Crest (1992)
530 - Van Eskridge, Shelby (2004)
526 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2001)
525 - Darik Gary, Kings Mountain (2004)
522 - Antonio Odom, Shelby (2004)
506 - Orlando Goolsby, Burns (2002)
506 - Jermaine Strong, Crest (2002)
500 - Rodney Borders, Shelby (1983)
Top single-game receiving totals:
232 - Josh Briscoe, Burns vs. McDowell (8-30-2002)
190 - Chad Beam, Burns vs. North Gaston (9-30-1994)
188 - Morrio Clark, Burns vs. St. Stephens (11-9-2001)
180 - Josh Briscoe, Burns vs. Anson (11-19-2004)
179 - Josh Briscoe, Burns vs. R-S Central (10-8-2004)
177 - Chesley Borders, Crest vs. East Forsyth (11-15-1996)
172 - Nate Marable, Kings Mountain vs. Central Cabarrus (9-23-2005)
166 - Travis Lee, Crest vs. Hickory (9-28-2001)
165 - Morrio Clark, Burns vs. McDowell (8-31-2001)
164 - Montaze Thurman, Crest vs. South Point (9-20-2002)
156 - Dee Bell, Hope Christian vs. Lockhart, S.C. (9-30-2005)
153 - Chesley Borders, Crest vs. McDowell (10-17-1997)
153 - Josh Briscoe, Burns vs. McDowell (8-27-2004)
151 - Darryl Ellis, Burns vs. South Point (11-1-1974)
Top career total yardage (rushing and receiving):
5,672 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain (1996-99)
4,840 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest (2001-04)
4,719 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby (1968-70)
4,701 - Travis Padgett, Crest (2001-04)
4,670 - Tavorris Jolly, Shelby (2002-05)
4,555 - Josh Brown, Burns-Crest (1997-00)
3,872 - Brandon Jackson, Burns (2002-05)
3,761 - Brian Clemmons, Crest (1995-98)
3,690 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2001-04)
3,662 - Nelson Woods, Burns (2000-02)
3,479 - Tony Scott, Burns (1992-94)
3,221 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby (1997-99)
3,089* - Ken Baity, Kings Mountain (1955-57)
2,994 - Sidney Goode, Kings Mountain (2003-05)
Active leaders:
1,272 - Tosh Toms, Crest (2004-05)
Top single-season total yardage (rushing and receiving):
2,533 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain (1998)
2,144 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby (1970)
2,073 - Josh Brown, Crest (2000)
2,039 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest (2003)
1,890 - Anthony Davis, Crest (1995)
1,823 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby (1998)
1,768 - Travis Padgett, Crest (2004)
1,766 - Tony Scott, Burns (1994)
1,765 - Joseph Bell, Kings Mountain (1997)
1,718 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain (1999)
1,711 - Brian Clemmons, Crest (1997)
1,671 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest (2004)
1,605 - Nelson Woods, Burns (2002)
1,594 - Tavorris Jolly, Shelby (2005)
1,585* - Kevin Mack, Kings Mountain (1979)
1,577 - Sidney Goode, Kings Mountain (2005)
1,499 - Brandon Jackson, Burns (2003)
*-receiving totals unavailable

CLEVELAND COUNTY football - part 2
Top career point totals:
390 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain (1996-99)
374 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby (1968-70)
372 - Tavorris Jolly, Shelby (2002-05)
346 - Travis Padgett, Crest (2001-04)
312 - Josh Brown, Burns-Crest (1997-00; 146 at Crest)
308 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2001-04)
306 - Brandon Jackson, Burns (2002-05)
300 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest (2001-04)
294 - Nelson Woods, Burns (2000-02)
292 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby (1997-99)
287 - Jimmy Miller, Shelby (1968-70)
283 - Tony Scott, Burns (1992-94)
250 - Norris Hopper, Shelby (1994-97)
250 - Lance Camp, Burns (2003-05)
232 - Chesley Borders, Crest (1995-97)
218 - Tommy London, Shelby (1970-72)
214 - Larry Eberheart, Shelby (1971-73)
204 - Brian Clemmons, Crest (1995-98)
Active leaders:
250 - Camp
166 - Arsenio Parks, Shelby (2004-05)
84 - Tosh Toms, Crest (2004-05)
Top single-season point totals:
182 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby (1998)
164 - Travis Padgett, Crest (2004)
156 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain (1998)
156 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain (1999)
156 - Nelson Woods, Burns (2002)
152 - Joseph Bell, Kings Mountain (1997)
150 - Tavorris Jolly, Shelby (2005)
146 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby (1970)
146 - Josh Brown, Crest (2000)
141 - Tony Scott, Burns (1994)
138 - Norris Hopper, Shelby (1997)
138 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest (2004)
134 - Josh Briscoe, Burns (2002)
134 - Terrell Gullatte, Shelby (2004)
134 - Lance Camp, Burns (2005)
126 - Mike Haggard, Shelby (1968)
126 - Markus Tate, Shelby (1997)
122 - Punch Parker, Kings Mountain (1960)
122 - Arsenio Parks, Shelby (2005)
120 - Jimmy Miller, Shelby (1969)
120 - Jimmy Miller, Shelby (1970)
120 - Larry Eberheart, Shelby (1972)
120 - Van Eskridge, Shelby (2004)
118 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby (1969)
118 - Robert Robinson, Shelby (1984)
118 - Josh Brown, Burns (1998)
116 - Lance Camp, Burns (2004)
114 - Anthony Davis, Crest (1995)
114 - Chesley Borders, Crest (1997)
114 - Wesley Pryor, Shelby (1997)
114 - Travis Padgett, Crest (2002)
114 - Marquitt Jones, Shelby (2003)
110 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby (1968)
110 - Donnie Malachi, Burns (1989)
110 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby (1999)
108 - Cedric Surratt, Shelby (1987)
108 - Corey Jones, Kings Mountain (1996)
108 - Marcus Smith, Kings Mountain (1996)
108 - Montrell Robinson, Crest (2000)
108 - Tavorris Jolly, Shelby (2003)
106 - Clint Gwaltney, Shelby (1987)
104 - Brandon Jackson, Burns (2003)
103 - Hicks Beam, Shelby (1975)
102 - Tommy London, Shelby (1972)
102 - Kevin Mack, Kings Mountain (1979)
102 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest (2003)
102 - Brandon Jackson, Burns (2004)
Top single-game point totals:
42 - Josh Brown, Crest vs. Freedom (10-6-2000)
36 - Kendrick Leslie, Burns vs. East Rutherford (10-7-1994)
36 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby vs. Maiden (10-15-1999)
36 - John Gwinn, Hope Christian vs. Bethesda Day (11-19-2005)
30 - Kenny Bell, Kings Mountain vs. Burns (11-4-1977)
30 - Anthony Davis, Crest vs. Alexander Central (11-3-1995)
30 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain vs. South Point (10-29-1999)
30 - Tavorris Jolly, Shelby vs. East Rutherford (10-3-2003)
Year-by-year scoring leaders:
1967 - Mike Haggard, Shelby 30
1968 - Mike Haggard, Shelby 126
1969 - Jimmy Miller, Shelby 120
1970 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby 146
1971 - Tommy London, Shelby 86
1972 - Larry Eberheart, Shelby 120
1973 - Larry Eberheart, Shelby 68
1974 - Larry Hopper, Burns 76
1975 - Hicks Beam, Shelby 103
1976 - Anthony Webber, Shelby 66
1977 - Anthony Webber, Shelby 96
1978 - John Woods, Shelby 74
1979 - Kevin Mack, Kings Mountain 102
1980 - Timmy Kee, Burns 74
1981 - Darin Brown, Burns 72
1982 - Herbert Harbison, Crest 96
1983 - Kevin Toms, Shelby 92
1984 - Robert Robinson, Shelby 118
1985 - Jody Cook, Shelby 66
1986 - Cedric Surratt, Shelby; Raynard Roberts, Kings Mountain 54
1987 - Cedric Surratt, Shelby 108
1988 - Chad Holbrook, Shelby 84
1989 - Donnie Malachi, Burns 110
1990 - Monty Montgomery, Burns 92
1991 - Marjuan Huskey, Crest 54
1992 - Omar Roberts, Shelby 72
1993 - Tony Scott, Burns 86
1994 - Tony Scott, Burns 141
1995 - Anthony Davis, Crest 114
1996 - Corey Jones, Kings Mountain; Marcus Smith, Kings Mountain 108
1997 - Joseph Bell, Kings Mountain 152
1998 - Travis Roseboro, Shelby 182
1999 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain 156
2000 - Josh Brown, Crest 146
2001 - Morrio Clark, Burns 96
2002 - Nelson Woods, Burns 156
2003 - Marquitt Jones, Shelby 114
2004 - Travis Padgett, Crest 164
2005 - Tavorris Jolly, Shelby 150
Year-by-year rushing leaders:
1967 - Ted Whitworth, Shelby 516
1968 - Mike Haggard, Shelby 958
1969 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby 1,155
1970 - Marcus Mauney, Shelby 1,936
1971 - Tommy London, Shelby 1,023
1972 - Tommy London, Shelby 1,442
1973 - Larry Eberheart, Shelby 842
1974 - Alvin Lee, Crest 848
1975 - Dockery Youngblood, Shelby 1,330
1976 - Alan Burrus, Shelby 932
1977 - Anthony Webber, Shelby 1,051
1978 - John Woods, Shelby 603
1979 - Kevin Mack, Kings Mountain 1,585
1980 - Robert McCluney, Crest 1,202
1981 - Herbert Harbison, Crest 739
1982 - Herbert Harbison, Crest 1,459
1983 - Curt Pressley, Kings Mountain 1,185
1984 - Robert Robinson, Shelby 1,137
1985 - Jody Cook, Shelby 859
1986 - Cedric Surratt, Shelby 1,429
1987 - Cedric Surratt, Shelby 1,185
1988 - Chad Holbrook, Shelby 877
1989 - Donnie Malachi, Burns 1,412
1990 - Ronald Ross, Crest 901
1991 - Diron Bell, Kings Mountain 814
1992 - Omar Roberts, Shelby 811
1993 - Aric Lipscomb, Shelby 1,182
1994 - Tony Scott, Burns 1,635
1995 - Anthony Davis, Crest 1,762
1996 - Corey Jones, Kings Mountain 1,126
1997 - Brian Clemmons, Crest 1,726
1998 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain 2,510
1999 - Anthony Hillman, Kings Mountain 1,682
2000 - Josh Brown, Crest 1,938
2001 - Travis Padgett, Crest 1,360
2002 - Nelson Woods, Burns 1,605
2003 - Martray Littlejohn, Crest 1,993
2004 - Travis Padgett, Crest 1,624
2005 - Sidney Goode, Kings Mountain 1,373
Highest team point totals:
80-0 - Shelby vs. Kings Mountain (1923)
71-0 - Crest vs. Foard (10-17-2003)
70-6 - Shelby vs. Bessemer City (9-29-2000)
70-6 - Crest vs. Foard (10-26-2001)
68-0 - Kings Mountain vs. Bessemer City (9-10-1999)
64-0 - Shelby vs. East Rutherford (10-18-1996)
63-7 - Kings Mountain vs. Burns (10-8-1999)
63-28 - Shelby vs. Maiden (10-13-2000)
63-13 - Crest vs. St. Stephens (10-19-2001)
63-3 - Crest vs. St. Stephens (10-10-2003)
63-3 - Crest vs St. Stephens (10-15-2004)
63-42 - Kings Mountain vs. St. Stephens (10-22-2004)
63-28 - Crest vs. Piedmont (11-19-2004)
62-7 - Shelby vs. Bessemer City (10-3-1997)
62-13 - Burns vs. R-S Central (10-14-2005)
62-20 - Shelby vs. Cherryville (10-10-1997)
62-0 - Shelby vs. Lincolnton (10-24-1997)
62-8 - Shelby vs. Cherryville (10-6-2000)
62-0 - Crest vs. Hunter Huss (9-15-2000)
62-0 - Kings Mountain vs. R-S Central (10-19-2001)
62-14 - Burns vs. St. Stephens (10-31-2003)
61-0 - Shelby vs. Cool Springs (1961)
61-0 - Shelby vs. Chase (11-6-1987)
61-7 - Crest vs. Burns (8-25-1996)
61-0 - Crest vs. Foard (10-25-2002)
61-27 - Burns vs. St. Stephens (11-8-2002)
Top coaching records:
201-54-2 - Jim Taylor, Shelby (1977-97)
173-48-13 - Gerald Allen, Shelby (1956-76)
157-97 - Ron Greene, Burns (1984-05)
137-95-20 - Casey Morris, Shelby (1925-32, 36-55)
90-33 - Roy Kirby, Crest (1997-05; 99-23 w/out 2005 forfeits)
88-25-1 - Chris Norman, Shelby (1998-05)
82-36-1 - Mike Stewart, Crest (1987-96)
67-60-1 - Dennis Hicks, Kings Mountain (1983-94)
59-27 - John Taylor, Crest (1979-86)
47-15-2 - Ron Massey, Kings Mountain (1995-99)
All-time records:
626-249-42 - Shelby (88 years: 1910-11, 1920-2005/1912-19 no team)
398-363-37 - Kings Mountain (84 years: 1922-42, 1944-2005/1943 no team)
278-164-6 - Crest (39 years, 1967-2005)
209-214-8 - Burns (39 years, 1967-2005)
6-7 - Hope Christian (1 year, 2005)
Records unavailable for Cleveland School

It's in the game

2006-07-19T22:05:00.000-05:00

EA Sports has released NCAA Football 2007, and as usual, it delivers top-notch college football action to a gaming console near you.

For me, it's the PS2 (as I wait for the PS3 to hit stores later this year). Just for fun, I looked up some of our local kids and checked out their stats to see how much love the designers gave them.

Here's the breakdown:

Brandon Spikes - As far as I can tell, he's not in the game for Florida. Horrible omission. Ditto for Tavorris Jolly, Andy Barbee and Ulysses Tuft (no shock there as academy freshmen are never in these games).
Troy Goss - In a dead heat with Brian Hampton for the Navy QB job. Good stats, and a better fit if you're passing a lot.
Keenan Little - Starting at corner with good stats for the Middies.
Van Eskridge - Didn't get much dap from EA. Pretty low stats.
Josh Briscoe - Third WR for Tennessee, pretty good numbers.
Jermaine Strong - Reserve corner for the Tar Heels. Numbers aren't great.

Game quick hitters
Likes - The momentum meter is fun, if it's in your favor. The offensive controls are easy to pick up and there is a huge variety of playbooks to choose from.
Dislikes - The kicking game is almost impossible and the close-up view on punt and kick returns makes it hard to spring a big return.

Basically, if you've liked the past games, this one will suit you fine. This one's fine, but I liked last year's game better.

High school football season approaches

2006-07-08T14:26:00.000-05:00

Here's a sneak peak at my column in Sunday's Star:

It’s hard to believe, but we’re 22 days away from the start of high school football practice.

The Border Showcase Jamboree, featuring Crest/Gaffney, S.C., and Shelby/Dorman, S.C., is set for Aug. 12 at Gardner-Webb and the annual Cleveland County Jamboree with all four local teams on display will take place the following Friday at Shelby High.

With that — and the fact that I can’t resist the urge to talk about high school football — in mind, here’s a few thoughts on the upcoming season.

Biggest questions
Question No.1 — How will Crest respond to having to forfeit its season on the eve of the 4A Western Finals last year? If the 0-15 that went down in the history books wasn’t bad enough, the Chargers must replace Florida signee Brandon Spikes and Brevard recruit Brandon Peterson from a defense that has long been the Chargers’ strength.

Answer — I think they’ll have a chip on their shoulders and a sour taste in their mouths after last season, so I don’t look for that to be a problem.

As for retooling the defense, I think the Crest offense — led by quarterback Jordan Robinson, skill players Bruce Smith and Tosh Toms and a solid offensive line — might be good enough to pick up the slack.

Question No. 2 — Can Shelby do it again? Losing a four-year starter on either side of the ball — Tavorris Jolly and Keon Ross — is tough to overcome, both on the field and from a leadership standpoint.

Answer — Anyone writing off the Golden Lions from the 2A State Championship picture is crazy. Shelby returns its all-time leading passer in Darryl Montgomery, a bruising fullback in Arsenio Parks and a talented anchor for its offensive line in Lamont Carpenter.

I know there are questions on defense, but I’m sure there will be more than enough answers to keep the Lions in the hunt for another state title.

Games of note

Burns at Crest — We certainly won’t have to wait long to find out how the new-look Crest defense responds to adversity, as the Burns Bulldogs and reigning Star co-Player of the Year Lance Camp comes calling for the season opener.

Camp has never beaten Crest, and the senior quarterback has had mixed results against the Chargers. He rushed for 55 yards on 25 carries and completed only 10 passes in 34 attempts in a season opening loss last year.

In 2004, however, he piled up 371 yards of total offense and accounted for all five Burns scores in his last visit to what’s now known as Sid Bryson Stadium.

Freedom at Shelby — Shelby was dealt a bitter overtime defeat in Morganton last season, and now it’s payback time. The Patriots will bring a new head coach to Shelby for a date with the Lions, and I think it will be a long night for the visitors in this one.

Crest at Shelby — Is there really a need to explain this choice? The intensity of this rivalry is off the charts, and this year’s version will be no different.

Shelby spoiled the dedication of Sid Bryson Stadium last year with a 21-17 victory, so the Chargers will be eager to return the favor at Blanton Memorial Stadium’s Pearley Allen Field.

Shelby at Kings Mountain — The Battle of Buffalo Creek is always interesting, not necessarily because its competitive, but because it’s the state’s most contested rivalry. The two teams tied 21-all in 1999 and you have to go back to 1998 to find the last Kings Mountain win in this series, a 7-6 decision at John Gamble Stadium.

Record watch

Camp is 595 yards away from passing former Burns High and current Navy quarterback Troy Goss for the top spot on the county’s all-time passing list.

Goss had 5,267 yards in his career in Lawndale and camp starts his season with 4,672.

Camp also sits 19th on the all-time rushing list with 2,496 yards, giving him a good chance of cracking the top 10 and an outside shot of slipping into the top five after his senior campaign.

Contact assistant sports editor Randy Capps at randycapps@shelbystar.com.

It's now or never...

2006-06-21T23:19:00.000-05:00

Here's my column from Thursday's Star:

It’s Thursday morning, and unless you’re on a goofy shift like I am, you’re probably supposed to be at work today.

Apparently, the schedule makers at FIFA didn’t consider the American audience when it put the U.S. team’s final World Cup first-round match with Ghana on the pitch at 9:55 a.m. today on ESPN.

It’s now or never for the home team. We need to beat Ghana and hope that Italy trips up the Czech Republic so we can move on to the second round.

And the team needs your support.

So, cash in a sick day. Tell the boss you’ve got a summer cold. Tell her your allergies are acting up (which for my wife, would be a great excuse.)

You could always go for the appointment ruse. “Well, I need to be home from 9 to noon to let the air conditioner repairman in.” As hot as it’s been lately, you’re sure to get a heathly dose of sympathetic understanding.

If all else fails, go the patriotic route.

“You think they’re working in Accra today?” When you point out that Accra is the capital of Ghana, you score points for a good working knowledge of world geography.

While TV ratings for this year’s World Cup are double what they were in 2002, when all the games were played in Asia and aired here in the middle of the night, we need every viewer we can get.

I guess you didn’t need any excuses to get out of work then. You just needed some coffee.

This year’s version of the good guys needs more than that. They need the hopes and dreams of a nation of fans cheering them on to victory.

The fans who crossed the pond to Germany — better known as “Sam’s Army” — have been loud and raucous in their support of our national team. They’re doing their part. Are you doing yours?

You don’t have to be a soccer fan to get on board with what’s happening today. Even if you don’t know a forward from a midfielder, you can support a team of your countrymen as they play for our nation’s pride.

We’re playing a country that’s slightly smaller than Oregon with our future on the line.

So ditch work, get in front of a TV and watch some soccer.

We have to make sure Landon Donovan stays aggressive, Kasey Keller plays up to his potential and none of our players get sent off for silly red cards.

You don’t think Ghana’s into this game?

“Our roster is 23 strong, and all the guys are ready to die for the nation,” Ghana’s Stephen Appiah said.

Your country needs you. This game is critical to the evolution of American soccer, and … uh, wait a minute. If we make it to the second round, we have to play Brazil?

Oh well. Watch it anyway.

WGWG-FM 88.3 won’t be airing Crest High football in ’06

2006-06-19T17:45:00.000-05:00

Randy Capps
randycapps@shelbystar.com

For the past five seasons, WGWG-FM 88.3 in Boiling Springs has been the voice of Crest High School football. This fall, the broadcast service of Gardner-Webb University will be the voice of a different school, likely in the upstate of South Carolina.

According to WGWG General Manager Noel Manning, the station is “really close” to an agreement with Byrnes, S.C., to air its games in the 2006 season.

The Rebels have won four straight South Carolina AAAA Division II titles.

“Our intent when we started carrying high school football games eight years ago was to rotate among different schools,” Manning said. “We did Shelby one year, we did a game of the week another year and the past few years, we’ve done Crest games.

“We just decided to get back to our original intent. We started looking at schools in our coverage area that we haven’t done before, and we decided to look at the possibility of doing Byrnes’ games. We’re excited about the possibility of working with Byrnes. It’s a great opportunity for us to reach into the upstate of South Carolina.”

When asked about the possibility of the decision having anything to do with Crest having to forfeit its wins from 2005, Manning said that it “had nothing to do at all with that, whatsoever.”

Paul Foster, the play-by-play voice of the Chargers over the past few seasons and a GWU employee, understands the decision.

“Personally, it will be with great sadness,” Foster said of not calling Crest games this fall. “It’s been a great relationship with the team and the community, but we understand what the station is trying to accomplish (with the move).”

In addition, Saturday Sports Talk, a weekly show hosted by Tim Foster and Rob Ruppe — former members of the WGWG Crest High broadcasts — will no longer air on the station. Manning said that decision was made by the show’s hosts, and not the university.

As one might imagine, Crest High head football coach Roy Kirby is not happy with the decision.

“They’ve been with us for five years,” he said. “There have been a lot of exciting games, and they’ve been right there. Our community and our fans have pretty much paid the bills for the games. If it was more of a move to a Cleveland County school, or somewhere close like East Rutherford or Gaffney, I could understand it better.

“To go 40 miles down the road to Duncan (Byrnes High) — and with Gardner-Webb sitting in our backyard — I just don’t understand it as far as public relations go. And a lot of people in our community feel the same way. To dump us dead after five years doesn’t sit well with someone who’s an alumnus. I’ve got two schools — Crest and GWU — and I feel like one of them dumped me.”

According to Kirby, Crest games may end up with a new home when the season gets under way in late August.

“Hopefully, we can work out something and give them a little competition,” he said.

World Cup Preview

2006-06-09T21:52:00.000-05:00

I love the World Cup!

Here's a little bit of the preview we ran Friday...

Who will win?
Germany — home field advantage looms large on this stage. I look for them to ride the fervor of their fans past Brazil in a thrilling final.

Golden Boot winner?
I’ll go with Portugal’s Pauleta. He lit up UEFA qualifying with 11 goals and he’s been solid in club play too.

How will the U.S. fare?
Group E is a nightmare, but I like our chances against the Czech Republic and Ghana. Two wins there and a split with Italy would likely be enough to win the group, setting up a good draw and a deep run in the rest of the tournament.

Dark horse team?
For some reason, I think the Netherlands might surprise some people. Ruud van Nistelroy is one of the world’s best strikers, and if the Dutch make it out of group play, they could make a serious run.

Underachiever?
Somebody please explain to me how the Czech Republic became the No. 2 team in the world? I really think they’ll be lucky to finish third in Group E behind the U.S. and Italy.

Toughest group?
Group E is pretty tough, but I’ll go with Brian and take Group C. You could really take Argentina, the Netherlands, Serbia and Montenegro, and the Ivory Coast and pull them out of a hat to guess how they might finish.

Easiest group?
Group D looks a little thin. Sure Portugal and Mexico are big-name teams, but both have their flaws. As far as Iran and Angola go, well, they’re not exactly ready for primetime.

Update from Walnut Creek

2006-06-02T17:28:00.000-05:00

Kings Mountain 0, SW Randolph 0 - Bottom 6th (KM is the road team)

UPDATE: 7:10 p.m. - Still 0-0, lightning delay, bottom of the eighth

UPDATE: 9 p.m. - Postponed until Saturday morning

Wall lands Crest job

2006-05-30T21:25:00.000-05:00

John Wall is the new boys basketball coach at Crest High. He's a good man who I think will do a great job. Here's a sneak peek at the article that will appear in Wednesday's Star.

Randy Capps
randycapps@shelbystar.com
It's a long way from Salisbury, and it's been a long time since John Wall followed his dad around a basketball court, flicking jumpers at open baskets while Coach Glenn Wall ran practices.

A journey began there, however, and the latest step on that path came Tuesday in the Crest High library where, in front of his parents and other family members, he accepted the boys' varsity basketball coaching job at Crest High School.

"This is an opportunity I've dreamed of since I was a little gym rat running around and following dad's basketball practices,'' he said. "He's coached ever since I can remember growing up. This is an opportunity I've dreamed of and I'm going to do everything I can to make the best of it."

Wall spent last season guiding the varsity girls' squad to a 14-12 record, and the seven before that coaching under the man he's following, Bill Ellis, as an assistant on the varsity level and a head coach on the JV girls and boys' squads.

"We'll probably have a few more dunks this year,'' Wall joked about the difference between coaching the boys and girls' teams. "Whether they're boys or girls, young men or young ladies, I expect them to be on time. I expect them to do the things I ask them to do. I expect them to be good people off the floor and I expect them to produce on the floor.''

Crest High principal Roger Harris, while impressed with Wall's coaching credentials, is more interested in his background as an educator.

"Sports are important to us at Crest High School, but nothing is more important than instruction in the classroom,'' Harris said. "John Wall is an outstanding educator and a strong instructional leader. He's a determined coach. He demands the best from himself and his players. That's what we want at Crest High School. We want a team player, we want a man of honor, we want a man of integrity.''

Wall favors an up-tempo style, much like Ellis and former Crest High coach Ed Peeler, and he believes that using that style - and keeping touch with the program's tradition - will be keys to being successful.

"Our basketball program is rich in tradition, most notably (former N.C. State and professional standout) David Thompson and Coach Ed Peeler,'' Wall said. "I hope to be able to continue to build this program and maintain a well-respected and successful program that Crest High School and the community can be proud of.''

Wall, the fourth new varsity boys' basketball coach in the county in the past two years, also plans to continue the Chargers' recent success in conference play.

"I'm looking forward to going to battle with those two teams (Big South 4A rivals) Ashbrook and East Gaston),'' he said. "Hopefully, it will come down to that last ballgame, where we're playing to get that automatic bid. The sure way to get into the playoffs is to win the 4A and get that automatic bid, and obviously that's our goal.''

Toward the end of Tuesday's press conference, Dion Malachi - David Thompson's nephew and Charger basketball standout - congratulated Wall on becoming the new head coach and told him that he and his teammates were "ready to work.''

Practice, after all, makes perfect.

Shelby Legion preview

2006-05-24T22:58:00.000-05:00

Here's a look at this year's Post 82 squad:

After being involved in two straight state tournaments with controversial circumstances, you could understand if Coach Mike Grayson and his Shelby Post 82 squad had a little extra motivation to make it to Thomasville for another try at a state title this summer.

In 2004, one of Shelby’s tournament losses was to Garner, a team that was later stripped of the title after using an ineligible player. Last season, a 6-3 loss to Lexington-Davidson in a rain-shortened game in the tournament dumped Shelby into the loser’s bracket and Post 82 was knocked out by Cherryville the next day.

Item No. 8 of the “Tournament Rules” section of the rulebook states that “all District, State, Regional and World Series games are nine (9) innings, unless extreme weather conditions dictate the modification of this rule.”

“Hopefully, we can get back to the state championship,” Grayson said. “I think that maybe we have some unfinished business there. It’s a shame the rules were interpreted like they were last year. The sad thing about American Legion Baseball is that the rules have been in place for 80 years, but we just can’t seem to get them right.

“Every year there’s something that crops up in North Carolina that seems to say we can’t get our rules right. … but that’s last year. This is a new year.”

It may be a new year, but the Western Division of Area IV is stronger than ever with Cherryville moving back in to join Caldwell County and Shelby as traditional powers in the league.

“Area IV baseball is about as good as it gets,” Grayson said. “Every year, there’s Caldwell and Cherryville that you have to beat. This year, Asheville is very good and Pineville in the other league is pretty good.

“Make no mistake about it. Somebody from Area IV will go down there and win that state championship. Area IV is that strong this year. Everybody knows what we’ve got coming back, and a lot of people have us picked fifth. If we end up fifth, then this is a pretty good league because we’ve got a pretty good team.”

Post 82 finished 34-16 last season and a wealth of offensive firepower returns from a club that scored more than six runs a game last season.

Josh Drewery, a rising sophomore at Gardner-Webb, hit .399 with 19 homers and 60 RBI last season while his GWU teammate, O.J. McFarland, was second on the team in batting while providing solid defense from his catching position.

Dusty Quattlebaum, a rising senior at Crest, added 17 homers last season to go along with a batting average over .300.

Toss in Shelby products Brett Wease and Seth Canipe and Kings Mountain’s Trey Glass, and you get an offense that should score plenty of runs and a defense that figures to be stingy.

Pitching is a different story.

After Drewery, who was 9-3 with a 2.80 earned run average on the mound last year, Post 82 has some holes to fill in the rotation.

Daniel Folk (9-4) and Kyle Elliott (4-3, two saves) combined for 23 starts and more than 160 innings last summer and neither is back for Shelby.

“Outside of Drewery, our pitching has not been that great if you look at our high school records,” Grayson said. “We’ve got a good pitching coach in Steve Gold, so we’re hoping to bring them a long over the summer. Just going on high school records, our pitching’s going to be suspect. You just never know. You can bring back your whole team, and maybe you don’t win.”

Grayson mentioned Wease, Canipe and Crest products Brian Greene and Kyle Kendrick as players that will be counted upon to fill the void.

Post 82 starts its season today — a schedule that could include as many as 33 regular season contests — with a home date against Area IV Western Division foe Henderson County.

First pitch at Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium is set for 7 p.m.

KM legion preview

2006-05-23T21:09:00.000-05:00

Here's a look at my season preview (a little belated) of the Kings Mountain Post 155 American Legion Baseball team:

Randy Capps
randycapps@shelbystar.com
Last season was a roller coaster ride for the Kings Mountain American Legion Baseball team.

It began with the team breaking ties from Post 155 and taking the field with only one player with any legion experience.

It continued with a 5-2 start that put the team squarely in contention for the Area IV Eastern Division race.

As quickly as the squad climbed, however, it fell just as quickly. The forfeiture of four games for the use of ineligible players resulted in a 3-13 overall record that left the team out of the postseason by a single game.

Kings Mountain head coach Chuck Austin hopes the ride is a little smoother this year.

“Hopefully, we won’t be dealing with any of that,” he said. “It just changed everybody’s attitude on everything (last year.) It just turned the whole thing around.”

The team is once again affiliated with Post 155, and the two players involved in last year’s eligibility controversy — Clover, S.C., products Michael and Steven Holland — are back in the fold this year.

Add those players to a healthy crop of returnees, and Austin thinks his team could make some noise in Area IV.

“We’ve got 10 guys back who started and played a bunch last year,” he said. “I think if our pitching comes around, we’ll be fine. We’re still very young. We’ll only lose three off this team for nest year.”

Kings Mountain products Josh Hendricks, Trey Robinson, Cody Barrett, Isaac Proctor and Luke Proctor form the nucleus of the squad, while the Cort Hall and the Holland brothers from Clover and Jordan Bingham (Cherryville) and Zach Williams (Bessemer City) provide experience as well.

Post 155 will also field a junior legion team this season, a move that Austin thinks will help the program in the long run.

“I think it will help us a lot,” he said. “We’ll have kids playing, we won’t have to cut anybody and we can move some of them up to the senior team if we need to. It kind of works as a farm system for us.”

Kings Mountain began its season with a 12-1, seven-inning loss to Cherryville Sunday night.

Post 155 (0-3) plays its home games at Kings Mountain High’s Lancaster Fields.

Fervor starts early

2006-05-10T22:54:00.000-05:00

It's May 10 and I've already gotten a piece of hate mail regarding high school football.

You've got to love Cleveland County football.

The wrath of the Pack

2006-05-08T22:47:00.000-05:00

The fastest way for a sportswriter to get an e-mail inbox full of letters is to write anything - good, bad or indifferent - about N.C. State.

My column in Monday's Star (http://www.shelbystar.com/story.php?ID=1693) has generated a ton of response, most of which is in firm disagreement with my stand that the recent hire of Sidney Lowe was not the best direction for the program to take.

Some of my favorites include:

"If you would look at the person and not the coach; you would see that Sidney Lowe has as much or more true substance than any coach. That substance in the long haul will show people like you what's really important to young kids. Just curious, how much recruiting have you done?"

"What would you know about style?"

"So, to stick with Sendek when in fact he had ten years to prove himself and
failed to do so is an exercise in insanity. (Doing the same thing and
expecting a different outcome.) To fail to address these issues is a
dereliction of duty and could not continue. So a change was necessary.
You may not think highly of the choice, but many of us who know Sid do."

"This really is one of the poorest, shallowest columns I've ever read. Lest you think I am a shallow Wolfpack fan, my journalism degree is from UNC. Have you done any research on the history of Wolfpack basketball? Do you realize this is a marquee program with an illustrious history and some of the smartest fans in the country? Were you raised in a turnip patch? Do you also realize that Sidney Lowe is associate head coach for the Detroit Pistons? Do you realize that he was the floor general on the national championship squad and that other coaches have been predicating since that time, that he would make a fabulous coach. Of course he has areas of growth, but come on. This is a grudge piece and nothing more."

"I am not sure why you and others were so enamored with a coach that could only claim superiority over Carl Tacy in accomplishments for coaches who were in the ACC at least ten years. Obviously you never had to endure 20+ games a year of Herb's slow death offense. Excitement and passion have returned to the Wolfpack Nation. Sidney will have to produce in the long run (which I believe he will). But for now he is a breath of fresh air and it is exhilarating. Go Pack!!!!"

This came from a friend of mine...

"if Sidney can show up with a little more juice to his "pitch" than Herbie had, then isn't it a little better than what we had (or at the worst, an even trade)? It's not like we were trading recruiting victories over UNC for an unproven commodity or something ... I didn't realize you were cut from the Gregg Doyel/Seth Davis/Jim Rome cloth ..."

Ouch, that hurt...

And the only person who agreed with me that wrote in:

"couldn't agree with you more. time will tell."

Well, there had to be somebody...

I love the passion that drives State fans. They live and die with their school, and you can't help but respect that. Still, I'm not among those that believe that the glory days are coming back to Raleigh.

One thing's for sure. The Sidney Lowe era will be far from boring.

Who's space?

2006-05-04T16:55:00.000-05:00

I guess I'm a little bit behind the curve, but I recently started a myspace page. It's a neat place to catch up with frends from high school and college and express yourself.

It's www.myspace.com, and it's fun.

Feeling a draft

2006-04-25T16:44:00.000-05:00

I found a really cool feature on nfl.com. If you click on the "NFL Draft" section, and check out the "Prospect Profiles," you can read the scouting reports on dozens of prospects.

I just wasted a good 10 minutes getting the skinny on former Clemson QB Charlie Whitehurst. The scouts question his release and consistency while praising his arm strength and feel for the game.

Really cool stuff.

Weather woes

2006-04-19T15:36:00.000-05:00

Heavy rains in the area Wednesday morning have pushed back the Shelby Savings Bank Easter Tournament schedule by a day.

Hopefully, Mother Nature will cooperate and we can get the event in by Friday, when I plan to go out of town...

Shelby Savings Bank Easter Tournament Schedule

2006-04-16T23:09:00.000-05:00

Better late than never, I guess...

What: Shelby Savings Bank Easter Tournament

When: Today through Thursday

Where: Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium

Who: Six teams in two three-team groups. Crest, South Caldwell and East Rutherford in one and Burns, Shelby
and Charlotte Christian in the other

Tickets: $4 each day, but if you leave between games, you must pay to re-enter

Standings
Pool A
South Caldwell 2-0
East Rutherford 1-1
Crest 0-2

Pool B
Charlotte Christian 2-0
Shelby 1-1
Burns 0-2

Schedule

Monday
South Caldwell 10, Crest 0, five innings
Shelby 6, Burns 4

Today
East Rutherford 4, Crest 0
Charlotte Christian 6, Burns 2

Thursday
Charlotte Christian 8, Shelby 2
South Caldwell 3, East Rutherford 2, 11 innings

Thursday
Burns vs. Crest, 1 p.m.
East Rutherford vs. Shelby, 4 p.m.
South Caldwell vs. Charlotte Christian, 7 p.m.

Staring 30 in the face

2006-04-09T22:24:00.000-05:00

My column from Monday's Star

I’ve always tried to be honest in these columns, so today I’m coming clean. I’m turning 30 next month and I’m not real happy about it.

Alan had his column about turning 50 a few weeks ago, so it’s only right that I use this space for a little self-help therapy of my own.

I was sitting in the drive-thru at McDonald’s the other day, getting my usual high-fat, high-taste breakfast — a bacon, egg and cheese bagel and a hashbrown — when I heard about Maggie Dixon’s death on the radio.

Dixon, the 28-year-old sister of Pittsburgh head basketball coach Jamie Dixon, had just coached the Army women into the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history in her first season as a head coach on any level.

Apparently, she died from an irregular heartbeat just a month after being carried off the court by her players after winning the Patriot League Tournament Championship. West Point cadets and staff mourned her passing last week, with a mixture of laughter and tears, remembering the brief, but special time she was a part of their lives.

It got me thinking. Instead of spending my time looking at my hairline and wringing my hands about exiting my 20s, maybe I should be seizing these days instead.

I’ll never be an anchor at ESPN, I’ll probably never land a job covering the Orioles and I’m not exactly on the road to fame and fortune, but I’m still rich in many ways.

I’ve got a job, a place to live and a family that loves me. I’ve got friends, a car to drive and more food than I need to be eating. And I’ve got something else that I’m going to stop taking for granted.

I’ve got today, and I should use it like Maggie Dixon would. After all, this is a woman that drove halfway across the country to cold-call about a coaching job at DePaul.

She spent five years there before walking on campus at West Point this year just 11 days before the season started.She molded a team that was 74-70 in the five years before her arrival into a championship squad.

And she did it at Army.

So, assuming I make it until May, I’ll still turn 30 kicking and screaming. I still won’t like it, but I can at least be grateful for the chance to make it there.

Just to see what I can do with the extra days.

Ramblings

2006-04-02T23:04:00.000-05:00

My column from Monday's Star:

I’ve always enjoyed filling out NCAA Tournament brackets, but this year has been a humbling experience. As team after team flamed out on my sheet, I made peace with the fact that 2006 simply isn’t my year.

And that’s OK.

I’ll still watch tonight’s final between UCLA and Florida. I’ll be hoping for a well-played, competitive game, despite the fact that I don’t really care for either program.

Even though my powers of prediction have been dreadful lately, I’m still obligated to take a stab at picking the winner.

UCLA is a lockdown defensive team that relies on its defense to jump-start its offense while the Gators, probably the more athletic squad, are deadly efficient on offense.

I get the feeling that the Bruins’ will have trouble putting up points on Florida, so I’m leaning towards the Gators bringing home the title.

Opening day
Today is special for another reason. It’s the first full day of baseball season. That means games on all day and night, and the start of fantasy baseball season.

I had a good draft, and I’m ready to roll.

Looking for the most entertaining game on the dial? Try the Yankees and A’s at 10 p.m. on ESPN. Two of the best left-handers in the American League will take the hill as the Yanks’ Randy Johnson matches up against Oakland’s Barry Zito.

Pulling the plug
I’m pretty disappointed that Fox Sports 1390 cancelled the local morning show with Jeff Champion and Andy Foster after only seven weeks on the air.

Foster was also terminated from his full-time job at WADA-AM 1390’s sister station, WOHS-AM 730 after almost four decades on the job.

He’s been on the mic for hundreds of Cleveland County sporting events, and a man who has given that much to his industry and community deserves better.

More weird news
I guess Herb Sendek got tired of being the Wolfpack nation’s whipping boy. The successful, but constantly criticized, head coach has taken the Arizona State job.

In Tempe, his sole mission in life will be to beat Arizona. So, he basically traded in two Hall of Famers in his state (North Carolina’s Roy Williams and Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski) for one in Arizona’s Lute Olson.

Why State fans hate a guy that led his team to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances and 191 wins in his 10 years is beyond me.

Yes, he was 17-54 against Duke, Carolina and Wake Forest, but answer me this:

Who has done much better than that against those three schools?

The few guys who have aren’t coming to Raleigh to be the third wheel in the Triangle.

This is a sad day for Wolfpack fans, whether you guys realize it or not.

The new Star

2006-03-27T17:19:00.000-05:00

By now, most of you have probably seen the new Star.

So, what's the verdict?

Tourney thoughts

2006-03-21T17:36:00.000-05:00

Five minutes into Saturday's Duke/George Washington game, I knew how it was going to turn out.

When Duke's Shelden Williams is allowed to play that aggressively without the possibility of fouls being called, the Blue Devils are hard to handle. For one 10-minute stretch in the second half, GW was whistled for nine fouls while Duke had none. If the Colonials were jacking up threes left and right, I could buy that.

With them attacking the basket, it makes me wonder...

Credit where it's due

Give George Mason props for the perfect gameplan against the Tar Heels. Deny Hansbrough the ball and dare the Heels to beat you from deep. The Patriots did that to perfection, and that's why they're playing in the Sweet 16 a taxi ride away from their campus.

Bradley bias

I'm really impressed with the Braves. They were clearly better than Pittsburgh Sunday, and don't be surprised if they give Memphis all they can handle this week.

Saving Sendek

State fans need to get a grip. Herb Sendek has been a blessing for the Wolfpack's basketball program. To hear fans whine and cry about his team's style and inability to match up with Duke and Carolina is just silly.

Here's a newsflash: Every team in the nation, short of Connecticut, Arizona and other elite teams, has trouble with the Heels and Devils. You're no different.

Get over it.

You have a coach that runs a successful program with NCAA appearances every year, and he does it all within the rules.

Which is more than you can say for Sloan and Valvano...

A march to madness

2006-03-15T13:38:00.000-05:00

After a rough time predicting the opening round of the ACC Tournament, you might think that I'd be gun shy about breaking out the crystal ball on the NCAA bracket.

Nah.

Here are a few things to watch:

Atlanta Regional

Final Four team: Duke

Upset special: Texas A&M over Syracuse - The Orange's run through the Big East was special, but I think they may be out of gas.

Best nickname: Penn Quakers

Best possible game: Think Texas wants another shot at the Blue Devils?

Oakland Regional

Final Four team: Gonzaga - Someone has to emerge from a shaky region.

Upset special: San Diego State over Indiana - Mike Davis quit on his team. Now, they'll quit on him.

Best nickname: Oral Roberts Golden Eagles

Best possible game: I'd love to see a Kansas/Memphis battle in the Sweet 16.

Washington regional

Final Four team: Connecticut

Upset special: Winthrop over Tennessee - Here's a team seeded too low playing one seeded too high. I look at this as a 5/12 or 4/13 game. It's crazy, but I like the Eagles.

Best nickname: Wichita State Shockers

Best possible game: Michigan State against North Carolina would be a Final Four-quality game in round two.

Minneapolis regional

Final Four team: Ohio State

Upset special: Wisconsin-Milwaukee could beat Oklahoma, but I think the seeds will hold here.

Best nickname: Montana Grizzlies

Best possible game: Boston College and Vilanova would be a war.

Finalists: Connecticut and Duke

National Champion: Connecticut

ACC Tournament

2006-03-08T22:52:00.000-05:00

The ACC Tournament gets under way on Thursday with four first-round games. Let's break them down:

Clemson (18-11) vs. Miami (15-14) - The Tigers still have an outside shot at the NCAA Tournament (according to ESPN guru Joe Lunardi, a way outside shot) with a good showing in the ACC Tournament, so motivation shouldn't be a problem for Oliver Purnell's club.

Of course, the Hurricanes will be looking to win their way into the Big Dance by claiming the ACC Tournament crown. The last time these two teams met, Miami rolled to a 62-38 win in a game that saw Clemson shoot a brutal 25.4 percent from the floor.

Still, Clemson has won four of five while the Canes have dropped six of seven.

Prediction: Clemson

Wake Forest (15-15) vs. Florida State (19-8) - The Demon Deacons have been awful this season, treating defense with the same disdain that Kate Moss has for a double cheeseburger. Still, a team with Justin Gray and Eric Williams shouldn't be counted out. Wake has played better of late, ending its season with a 13-point win over N.C. State.

Still, the Seminoles have won four of five - including a win over Duke - and they really seem to be hitting their stride right now.

Prediction: FSU in a close one

Virginia Tech (14-15) vs. Virginia (14-13) - These bitter rivals are fighting for NIT bids in this opening round clash. The Hokies have lost five of six and were swept in two meetings with Virginia this season. But the Cavaliers didn't close the season very well either, dropping four of five.

I say the old "can't beat the same team three times in a season" theory plays here.

Prediction: Virginia Tech

Georgia Tech (11-16) vs. Maryland (18-11) - Georgia Tech has really slipped this season, leading to a disappointing record for Paul Hewitt's club. The Jackets never really found themselves, and the ACC Tournament isn't a good place to come looking.

Maryland is still building a NCAA resume, and I think the Terps will want this one a little more.

Prediction: Maryland

Live from JC - Part two

2006-03-03T22:51:00.000-05:00

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - Well, another dream has come to an end for the Runnin' Bulldogs.

Friday's 70-51 loss to Lipscomb puts an end to Gardner-Webb's chances of reaching its first-ever NCAA Tournament, but it was still a good time in Johnson City.

Thursday's win over ETSU, and the crush of national recognition that came with it, will surely pay dividends for the school down the road.

Well, time to pack up and come home for some desk work as Shelby gears up for a 2A Western Regional final against Forest Hills.

Won't be the same as sleeping at the Doubletree, but it's still a good way to make a living.

Live from JC

2006-03-03T09:47:00.000-05:00

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. - March has arrived.

Everything that's good and right about college basketball was on display Thursday night as Gardner-Webb rallied from a 17-point, second-half deficit to down the host East Tennessee State Buccaneers, 64-63, in a heart-stopping affair.

There was drama, there were tears and there was a sense of magic in the air.

As usual, I hope I did it justice.

It's pretty cool to see the Bulldogs on SportsCenter, as the highlights were on the show and the last play - Jennings' last-second shot - was named as the top play in their daily Top 10.

Times like this make my job fun.

Meanwhile, hundreds of miles from here, Shelby will try to keep marching towards a state title in a 2A Western Regional showdown with West Caldwell.

I'd really like to see that bunch win a state title, and I say they will.