Another tough loss for the Scarlet Knights!

Well, Rutgers is now 0-2 for the season and unfortunately for the Knights both losses have been on ESPN. The good news is that San San Te did his job well tonight! San San was 2-for-2 tonight, booting field goals of 34 and 32 yards. The rest of the team wasn't nearly as good. Final score: 44-12, Tar Heels.

GOOD JOB SAN SAN!

Finally!

It seems strange that it's Week 4 of the 2008 season and tonight is the first time that a game is played at Frank Barger Stadium. But such is the case when the JV host the Bandys Trojans at 7:00. This is OUR HOUSE and I have no doubt that the Young Tornadoes will take care of their business tonight.

Never forget

Championship of the Unifour!

Apparently there was a HUGE game played over in Burke County last Friday night. I'm embarrassed to admit that I was completely unaware that the "Championship of the Unifour" was happening at East Burke when the Newton-Conover Red Devils paid a visit. Well I guess the Red Devils are the champs because they humiliated the Cavs, 35-8. You can read all about the "Championship of the Unifour" right here.

Anyway, congratulations to the Newton-Conover Red Devils for winning the mythical "Championship of the Unifour." I'm sure the trophy is lovely. Every trophy needs a trophy case to keep it in. So here's one for you.

BCRS outbreak on the West Coast!

In case you thought Burke County Referee Syndrome (BCRS) was merely a local threat you should realize that it is part of a larger pandemic. Just this past weekend on the collegiate level there was a flare up of acute BCRS in in the Pacific Northwest when the woeful Washington Huskies lost a heartbreaker to the BYU Cougars.

The video pretty much speaks for itself. Quarterback Jake Locker drove the Huskies 76 yards in 17 plays, capped by his 2-yard plunge to pull Washington within one. But Locker was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after the touchdown; replays showed Locker throwing the ball in the air before jumping with his teammates in the end zone. A penalty was assessed on conversion which effectively negated any thoughts of attempting a winning 2-point conversion. Instead it turned the PAT into a 35-yard field goal attempt. To complete the farce, BYU then managed to block the kick and preserve the victory. Have another look:



The sad part about this whole disgraceful episode is that yes, technically, the official was correct in his call. There is a specific stipulation in the rules concerning, among other things, tossing the ball in the air. So thanks to Rule 9, Section 2, Article 1 of the NCAA rule book, which says throwing the ball high in the air constitutes an unsportsmanlike penalty, the smug jackass who threw the flag felt perfectly justified in imposing himself on the game. Larry Farina, the official in question, decided that he is more important that Jake Locker or any other player, coach or ticket-buying fan in the stadium. Sad...but typical.

"After scoring the touchdown, the player threw the ball into the air and we are required, by rule, to assess a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty," Farina said in a statement given to Washington officials.

"It is a celebration rule that we are required to call. It was not a judgment call."

Required to call...

Or else...what? An extensive audit by the IRS? Internment at Guantanamo? Death by firing squad? It's nonsense. It's from a book of rules, not a book of laws. It's certainly not on a tablet full of commandments. The rules are not written in stone or in blood or in the heavens. It's a game that is incapable of functionig satisfactorily without emotion. I'm sorry but any IDIOT can tell the difference between honest, spontaneous celebration and deliberate taunting. There doesn't need to be a rule for it.

How many times have you heard it said, "If a ref wanted to, hell, he could throw a flag for holding on every play." The same could be said about "interference" by a defensive back. So why isn't a flag thrown on nearly every play? I mean, the rule book says, right? It's called judgment. Let me spell it out for the all the referee-types out there who have difficulty following along: J-U-D-G-M-E-N-T. Give it a try sometime, it won't bite you.

Why can't the real taunters be punished when they actually violate the rule rather than punishing all of us in advance by deliberately draining all the passion and exuberance out of the game? Why should the college game and, increasingly, the high school game, be ruined like the No Fun League has been ruined?

The kids don't make millions like the professionals do. Now they can't even have fun playing the game. Which means we the fans (whose money makes this whole thing work, by the way) get a diminished product for our hard-earned dollars. Once again, football officials and the shadowy "rules committees" that give them cover, keep thinking the game is about them. Instead of letting the players decide the game and giving the fans the opportunity to see an overtime finish, some official is feeling all important now because he applied the rules.

Because you know...rules ARE rules.

Newsflash: Nobody pays to see the officials throw flags (despite what the officials may tell themselves while checking out their potbellies in the mirror). Nobody appreciates the "sacrifices" made by the knuckleheads on the "rules committee" who are not interested in having to do the hard work of actually, you know, applying good judgment to a situation. Nope, better to write a rule about it and then hide behind it when stupid and needless controversies erupt.

All of this leads me to wonder if BCRS was cooked up in a lab somewhere and then unleashed on the unsuspecting sports world during the Cold War era. Perhaps some bizarre experiment gone horribly wrong? Gosh, what if there really is an evil genius lurking in some evil underground lair, plotting against the players, coaches and fans of this country? And if the evil mastermind does exist then that would help explain why the officials have no choice but to throw as many flags as possible.

Remember the words of Larry Farina: "It is a celebration rule that we are required to call. It was not a judgment call." I shudder to think about what would have happened to good ol' Larry if he hadn't thrown that flag. The Organization does not tolerate failure...

Shelton, Sewanee open season with road win

The Sewanee Tigers opened their 2008 season in Fulton, Missouri, to take on the Westminster College Blue Jays. The result was a 26-14 victory. Quarterback Patrick Shelton was 8-15-0 for 84 yards. He also had a net of six yards rushing, including a touchdown on a 4-yard keeper. For the game summary, click here. The Tigers have their home opener this Saturday when they host Washington & Lee.

San San gets mentioned in press conference

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano gave his usual Monday game-week press conference yesterday and was asked specifically to comment on the performance of kicker San San Te in the 24-7 loss to Fresno State on Labor Day. In his first-ever start for the Big East team, San San was 0-2 on his field goal attempts but did successfully kick the extra point following Rutgers' only touchdown.

“San San had one bad kick, the other one was a bad snap. Jeremy Ito, who is one of the more storied kickers in our history, had a few bad kicks his first game. I have seen enough of San San in practice, and I’ve seen the way he works and prepares, and I just believe in him. The worst thing you can do is beat somebody down. I know that San San didn’t go out there and say ‘let me overkick this one and shank it to the left.' He will be fine.”

Coach, you are correct!

Rutgers will host the Tar Heels of UNC this Thursday on ESPN. Gametime should be approximately 7:30.

NEWS FLASH!! NEWS FLASH!!

EUREKA! The Daily Record's ace sportswriter Captain Obvious has discovered that water is wet and the sun is hot...

But wait! There's more!

In the best tradition of Woodward, Bernstein and other legendary investigative journalists, Captain Obvious has laid it all on the line and risked his reputation to uncover and expose the truth behind the recent success of the Hibriten Panthers: they're really, really good!

Wow, that's hot. I wouldn't have gone there...oh wait. I did go there on August 21st and picked the Panthers to finish second in the CVAC. (Like I was really going to pick them ahead of the Tornadoes) and talked about why the Panthers are a dangerous team.But now...well, now Captain Obvious is starting to re-think the CVAC situation. The Panthers are now 3-0 for the season with a league victory over Bandys already in hand. Shocker! Except that Hibriten administered a similar spanking to the Trojans in last season's CVAC opener. Throughout most of the 2007 season the common wisdom was that Hibriten was the last test for Hickory on the way to an undisputed conference title. Emphasis on test. The Panthers were a dangerous team then and they're an even more dangerous team this year - and nobody who follows local football here is surprised by that.

He then continues with a brief synopsis of the season so far:I can let the reference to "our affection" go as poetic license. Because as we all know, the Daily Record sports department is waaaaaay above playing favorites... But the idea that any of us need enlightening as to the undeniable strengths of the Panthers is precious. Bless his lil heart! He is a true professional expert.

He then supports his ground-breaking thesis on Hibriten football prowess by quoting the "Mighty Quin" Smith himself:Yeah, slim chance before. No chance now. Captain Obvious is absolutely not afraid to call a cat feline.

Then Captain Obvious really sticks the landing by quoting Coach Cannon on the matter of radar-awareness here in Catawba County:I'd just love to know who came up with the notion that any coach or football aficionado in this county was actually taking Hibriten for granted?

Actually saying that which goes without saying? Captain Obvious loves to go there.

Mild-mannered dude by day, thrill-seeking, truth-talking, poet-journalist on Friday night. Just doing his duty.

"I don't think Bunker Hill is bad. Just misunderstood."

HHS Alumni Update #6: DARRIEN BURCH

He is the all-time leading rusher in Hickory High's long history. He also owns several other school rushing records. He was the CVAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2007 after helping lead the Red Tornadoes to the CVAC title and a 13-1 final record.

Now Darrien Burch is a freshman football player at Fork Union Military Academy. If you follow college football you probably recognize the name. In addition to it's elementary and high school programs it also features a "postgraduate" program for student who have received their diplomas but have not yet qualified for four-year colleges and universities.

Fork Union's prep and postgraduate programs have produced over 70 NFL players through the years. Among these are the following 1st-round draft choices:

2007-Gaines Adams
2000-Plaxico Burress
1997-Jim Druckenmiller
1996-Eddie George
1996-Rickey Dudley
1992-Robert Jones
1987-Vinny Testaverde
1982-Mike Quick
1954-Steve Meilinger

Darrien is #23 on the roster. Here is a video of a pre-season practice in which you can Darrien running skelly with his teammates. He is #23 in RED.

Pick 'em Week 3 recap

It wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't forfeited the two games that were played Thursday night. If not for those I would have been right in the thick of things.

My biggest failures of the week were picking Maiden and East Burke. I thought that the Cavaliers would be able to dictate the tempo of the game by pounding away with big Tyler Shatley, playing stout defense and avoiding costly turnovers and penalties. The Red Devils had other ideas... Going with McDowell against East Rutherford was against my better judgment but was a safe pick since only Douche Bigelow had them winning.

But just like the Tornadoes I will have to get it back a little at a time. As Lou Holtz once said: "First we will be best. Then we will be first."

Here is the leader board after Week 3:

1. Captain Obvious (24-8)
2. Douche Bigelow (22-10)
3. Who? (21-11)
4. G&G (20-10)
5. Jabba the Hut (18-4)
6. Bias the Clown (18-4)

Not quite there yet...but moving in the right direction!

Sooner or later Hickory will solve its two biggest problems: mastering a sophisticated new defensive scheme and forging a cohesive, precision-oriented offensive line. When that happens the Red Tornadoes will begin to roll over and crush any team that gets in their way. Until then, the Tornado Nation will happily settle for the kind of gritty, never-say-die victory that we witnessed Friday night.

No, it wasn't pretty. Yes, the Cougars actually outgained the Tornadoes in total offense (320 to 251). In fact Central had more first downs, more rushing yards (and a higher per carry average) and more passing yards. But in the end it was Hickory that won the only statistical battle that really counts: 19 for us, 14 for them.

Despite their advantage in total yards the Cougar offense was shutout in the first quarter and the entire second half. The Cougars managed to score on a touchdown pass right before halftime and tie the game at 7-7. After that it was Hickory's offense that made things happen. The only points Central could manage in the second half was the 91-yard kickoff return by Logan Chapman that gave his team the lead. Chapman's return came immediately after Hickory had taken the lead on Rakim Barrett's short touchdown run. The only scoring in the fourth quarter was Rakim's game-winning 34-yard touchdown dash.

Ahhh, the kickoff return. That kind of thing should never happen against a team like Alexander Central. Not to take anything away from the Cougars. I was impressed with the abilities of their backfield. But there's no way that any of them should be able to go 91 yards on us. Crest? Yes. Statesville? Yeah, maybe. But not Central. I've said it before and others, as well. Hickory needs to be the one dealing out punishment on special teams. Hickory is the kind of team that could be murduring opponents on kickoff and punt returns. It's almost like free points! And nobody should be able to get a freebie on Hickory.

Another of my concerns has to do with our run production. Rakim had a great game, racking up 168 yards and two TDs on 28 carries (6 yards per carry). He is on track to get the 1,000-yard season that I predicted for him. But after him there just hasn't been much going on. Tyshon Chisholm and Kyshell Geter combined for 20 yards on six carries (each carried the ball three times). Keep in mind that last year against Central the Red Tornadoes had three ballcarriers finish the game with over 100 yards apiece.

In that contest, a 40-12 victory, Geter had 146 yards on 17 carries and Barrett had 109 yards on just six carries (Burch led the way with 157 yards on 20 carries). And those rushing yards did not come at the expense of the passing game, either. Shelton's numbers against the Cougars last year were good: 8-13-0 for 101 yards. That game was also memorable for the Trevin Parks halfback pass that resulted in a 63-yard touchdown for Jordan Wilson.

The difference this year is the inexperience of the work-in-progress that is our offensive line. Last year's squad came into the season knowing what to do, having paid their dues in 2006. Well, it's dues-paying time again. There is only one cure for inexperience: time.

Also, the line was not at full strength against Statesville. Hickory lost. With Clay Johnson at 100% this week the O-line was at full strength and the running game was clearly better. This coming Friday I expect the O-line will be even more improved. So, it's a process. "Better" is the goal every week for the line.

Hickory has been outrushed each of the past two weeks. That is rare. Statesville did it with 187 yards to Hickory's 68 (-119). Central did it with 225 yards to Hickory's 181 (-44). So, Hickory's rushing total is going up while the yardage deficit is going down. That's a positive trend.

Normally I would say that this week's benchmark would be to outrush the opposition altogether. However, because the Trojans have accomplished very little with their rushing attack so far, I think that simply outrushing them would not be much of an accomplishment. So instead I'm looking for Hickory to have two 100-yard rushers this week. It could be Rakim and Kyshell or Rakim and Tyshon or any combination you'd like. But Hickory needs to control the ball, move those sticks and dominate the rushing statistics. If this happens then we will know that the line is becoming what it needs to be: a precision machine.

It was definitely an exciting, dramatic game. What a huge moment when the Red Tornadoes went for it on 4th-and-9 at the Cougar 22 and got a crucial first down when Shelton found Parks on the sideline for a 19-yard gain. Barrett scored on the next play. Clutch plays pay dividends far beyond that play itself. The confidence that builds every time a team comes face-to-face with one of "those moments" and succeeds is priceless. Hickory has shown the ability to make clutch plays and, more importantly, has yet to quit. It's only a matter of time before the more "routine" aspects of Hickory's game get on track. And when it all comes together and the Tornadoes play a complete game some team is gonna get blasted.

GO HICKORY!!

Tornado Nation: The Next Generation!

They'rrrrrrrrre Baaaaaaaack!

For my fellow Dawg fans (and anybody who just loves old Van Halen)!

Long Live The Streak! JV takes care of business

Steven Davenport returns a fumble for a TD


The Hickory JV squad traveled to Cougar Flats last night in a quest to maintain a winning streak that began in 2002. The Young Tornadoes rolled to a 24-7 win over the Alexander Central, extending The Streak to 57 games. The Hickory JV has also won 76 of its last 77 ballgames.

The junior varsity squad did not have the opportunity to participate in any pre-season scrimmages. In years past they would have gotten some reps in at least one scrimmage prior to starting the regular season. This season the varsity participated only in the Border Bash and the Cleveland County Jamboree, neither of which includes JV action. Furthermore, this contest was the second of the season for the Alexander Central JV, who opened their season last week. In my estimation the only thing that kept the score relatively low was Hickory's inexperience. They will only get better and better and the season goes along.

The 2008 JV is as talented and athletic as any of the ones that came before it. This is not surprising since the freshmen were members of last year's outstanding middle school squads. Northview went 7-0 while Grandview finished 6-1 in 2007.

Scoring first for the Young Tornadoes last night was sophomore T.J. Wimbush on a 7-yard run. Fellow sophomore Steven Davenport pounced on a Cougar fumble and sprinted 42 yards for the next touchdown. Later it was the freshmen's turn, as the explosive Casey Stinson led Hickory downfield with some outstanding runs before capping it off with an 8-yard run. The final score of the night was on a 13-yard run by freshman Quai Linebarger.

Stinson was the game's leading rusher with 104 yards on 10 carries.

The Young Tornadoes will open CVAC play next Thursday night, 7:00 PM, at Frank Barger Stadium.

Pick 'em Week 3

Yours truly was not fast enough to react to the news that Fred T. Foard and Freedom were playing their games on Thursday night and so I failed to make my predictions in time. So now I've basically forfeited a couple of sure-fire winners. I definitely would have picked the Tigers to win and the Patriots to lose, just as all the hyper-sensitive idiots did. This shortfall doesn't necessarily mean that I can't win it this week and stay close to Captain Obvious...but it certainly doesn't help! Here we go now:

Alexander Central at Hickory
Winner: Hickory

Bandys at Hibriten
Winner: Hibriten

Maiden at Lincolnton
Winner: Maiden

Newton-Conover at East Burke
Winner: East Burke

South Caldwell at West Caldwell
Winner: South Caldwell

Patton at Andrews
Winner: Andrews

Avery County at Watauga
Winner: Watauga

East Rutherford at McDowell
Winner: McDowell

Owen at A.C. Reynolds
Winner: A.C. Reynolds

Hurricane Hanna

It doesn't appear as if Hanna will force a postponement of tonight's scheduled game with Alexander Central. Some schools in the area opted to play last night. The schools in Cleveland and Gaston counties made the decision earlier in the week to get it over with. The only Catawba County team to play a Thursday night game was Fred T. Foard. The Tigers beat West Lincoln, 33-0.

A final decision on whether or not to play tonight will be made at 12:00 PM today by Coach Worley and Central head coach Tom Harper. If the game were to be postponed it would be played on Monday night at 7:30.

Hickory is 5-0 in games played at Moretz Stadium since returning to the old stomping grounds. Lenoir-Rhyne's College Field was the home of Red Tornado football throughout most of its history. Frank Barger Stadium was opened in 1984. This will be the second year for Hickory to face Alexander Central "between the bricks." Last year the Cougars were designated the home team. Hickory won that game, 40-12.

Tonight the Red Tornadoes are the home team and fans will sit on the pressbox-side of the stadium.

Young Cougars hungry for respect

They have a couple of games under their belts in Taylorsville and already it's been something of a rollercoaster ride for the Cougars.

Coach Tom Harper and his team hope that tonight's game with the Red Tornadoes will decide which path Alexander Central will take in 2008. Will it be the way of Week 1, when they crushed a seriously-depleted North Gaston squad, 56-3? Or will it be the way of Week 2, when they stumbled in a 10-7 loss at St. Stephens?

The win over North Gaston was so over-the-top ridiculous that I think it seriously skews the statistics for Alexander Central. Call me crazy but I really don't think that Central is the type of team that can routinely crank out 387-yard rushing performances. Not to take anything away from Central's two primary running backs, Logan Chapman (5'9, 180, Jr.) and Kyle Bradshaw (5'9, 185, Jr.), but they are not quite as good as their performance against North Gaston would seem to indicate. Chapman racked up 151 yards on 15 carries. Bradshaw was even more impressive, totaling 186 yards on 19 carries.

Last week's 10-7 loss to St. Stephens provides a much more accurate snapshot of where the Cougars are in their progression as a team. Against the Indians, Chapman gained only 66 yards on 12 carries while Bradshaw's production fell to a mere 26 yards on six carries. In fact, the team's leading rusher last week was the youngster playing quarterback: sophomore Kyle Kinnaird (18 carries for 67 yards).

Kinnaird was not particularly successful as a passer. He completed only 22% of his pass attempts for 77 yards. He also threw an interception. Kinnaird does have a favorite go-to guy in senior Billy Fisher (6'1, 165, Sr.) who has four receptions for 84 yards so far.

Other potential receiving threats for the Cougars are Kori Kinnaird (5'11, 165, Sr.) and Heath Pennell (5'11, 160, Sr.), as well as both Logan and Chapman coming out of the backfield.

The Cougars will need the defense to stay strong and play fast in order to contain the Red Tornadoes. The defensive unit, led by linebackers J.D. Latham (5'10, 165, Sr.) and Justin Honeycutt (5'10, 195, Sr.), has only allowed 13 points in two games. Against the run they have been impressive, holding North Gaston to a mere 31 yards and limiting St. Stephens to 141 yards. (It's interesting to note that in last week's game between the Cougars and Indians it was the quarterbacks who led their teams in rushing.) But it's also true that neither North Gaston nor St. Stephens have the kind of top-shelf ground attack that Hickory possesses. The Cougar run defense simply has not been properly tested. It will be tonight.

Central's secondary has been solid so far. After surrendering 157 yards to North Gaston (but no touchdowns) the Cougar defensive backs only gave up 33 yards to St. Stephens. The Coogs have also snagged five interceptions, three of which were at the expense of Indian quarterback Matt Fussell. Jonathan Dockery (6'0, 170, Sr.), Dylan Tedder (5'11, 160, Sr.) and Jacob Frye (5'7, 160, Sr.) are the leaders of the secondary.

Coach Tom Harper has always been a proponent of two-platooning. He did it at East Burke and he is doing it now at Alexander Central. Hickory has always utilized its best players to the max, playing them both ways when necessary. Hickory also substitutes liberally, something that can create some hairy moments from time to time (especially early in the season) but does tend to create a more experienced team with better stamina. I don't think that Central will wear Hickory down by any means. If Hickory gets off to a fast start tonight things could get unpleasant for the Coogs.

Hickory leads the series with Alexander Central, 16-5. The Red Tornadoes have won 10 of the last 11 meetings with the Cougars.

Here's hoping for a Tornado touchdown on the opening kickoff!

No time for nonsense!

There is a lot at stake tonight when the Red Tornadoes host the Cougars of Alexander Central at Moretz Stadium. It's rare that Hickory loses two games in a row. The last time it happened was in 2005 and the back-half of that 2-game losing streak was Alexander Central. What a terrible week that was!

Bad weather forced the Homecoming game against Newton-Conover to be postponed till the following Monday. After coming up short in a 7-3 loss to the Red Devils, the Tornadoes had to get back on the field four days later up in Taylorsville to face the Cougars for their Homecoming game. That game ended in a frustrating last-minute loss. Hickory then rolled through the rest of the schedule to clinch a share of the CVAC title.

Before that one bad week in 2005 you have to go all the way back to 2001 to find an example of a Hickory 2-game losing streak. So, it's rare and it definitely does not need to happen tonight! That's one reason for the Red Tornadoes to explode on the Coogs.

Another reason why Hickory needs a big-time performance tonight is to get the taste of losing out of everybody's mouth. It's bad business to lose an opener because it blows away all of the off-season and pre-season mental preparation. It causes questions to be asked that go directly to the heart of the matter: Does this year's edition of Red Tornado Football have the heart, the dedication, the determination to maintain the tradition?

Frankly, there is concern that this group doesn't have the "fire in the belly" that last year's group did. I reject the notion that this team has less talent than the 2007 squad. I have argued that, in fact, this year's squad has more overall talent. But a team plays the way it practices and the feedback I have received is that the practices have not gone well. Too much lazy, listless, unfocused "effort" during the week will get us beat on Friday night.

For the sake of the team psyche tonight's ballgame needs to be big and it needs to be a victory for the home team. Hickory has not started a season at 0-2 since 1991. The Red Tornadoes must have some momentum built up before heading down to Bandys next week. The players are not used to losing. As a group they've only experienced a couple of losses in their high school careers. But those losses have now occurred back-to-back and it needs to stop. Even though separated by a long off-season the fact remains that Hickory is on a 2-game losing streak dating back to the Catholic loss last November. Hickory hasn't won a varsity football game since November 16, 2007. It's time for a W!

From a more technical standpoint it needs to be mentioned that Hickory can still enter the playoffs with an unblemished record. For playoff seeding purposes only, teams are allowed to drop one loss from their record. So when the folks at the NCHSAA get into the bracketology of the 2008 playoffs they will ignore the Statesville loss. If the Red Tornadoes can run the table, starting tonight, they can still grab another #1 seed in the West. Being 10-0 is not a guarantee, of course, if there are multiple teams with spotless records but it definitely would put Hickory in strong contention. Sometimes it comes down to a flip of the coin. But that's a bridge to cross some other day. By the same token, every loss from now on will hurt - and hurt badly.

I know this: Last week's loss has left me reeling all week. I feel like I've been sluggish and out of sorts for the past seven days. I need a victory tonight. The team needs a victory tonight. We all need a victory tonight! What we don't need is anymore nonsense.

MAKE IT HAPPEN!!

The last word on last week!

Wow, for some reason I am still running way behind schedule here. Maybe it's because of the beginning of the college football season on top of Labor Day on top of...yada yada yada, blah, blah, blah! I don't know!

Anyway, before I proceed with the discussion about this week's opponent there are a few observations about the games from last Friday that I would like to make.

• As expected, Brian Brown's debut as Maiden's head coach was successful. Of course, why wouldn't it? For the 15th straight time the Blue Devils beat the crap out of everybody's favorite opponent, West Lincoln. I can't think of another team that has been as successful as the Rebels at getting the other team's season off to a fantastic start. I mean it's almost pointless to go over the details of the 38-7 win because the Rebels are profoundly awful. I was surprised to see that Justin Sizemore only threw for 119 yards and one touchdown. Maybe he was pulled fairly quickly because of the impending blowout. I'll take a look at the quarterback situation shortly.



• The Bandys Trojans found a way to lose to East Lincoln, the same team that Newton-Conover dismantled in Week 1. But hats off to the Trojans for fighting back from a 28-12 deficit after three quarters and tying the game at 28 all before giving up the game-winning touchdown with 1:49 left in the final period. This makes two weeks in a row that quarterback Kyle Houser has put up big passing numbers that normally would signal a big victory - but didn't.



• I didn't think it was possible but Hickory was not the most persecuted...um, penalized team in the area Friday night. The East Lincoln Mustangs suffered the indignity of getting flagged 15 times for a spine-chilling 161 yards! Seriously? It's amazing because the week before in the first game of the season the Mustangs were only penalized six times for 45 yards. Now I'm not an "expert" but it would seem to me that a team would be more likely to play undisciplined football in the season opener than in the Week 2 game. We're supposed to believe that a team that managed to control itself in the opener suddenly lost its marbles and went on a rule-breaking rampage in the second game? No folks, the difference is that some officiating crews choose to do their jobs properly while others choose to act like guards at a prison camp. From now on this phenomenon will be referred to as Burke County Referee Syndrome or BCRS. Unacceptable!

Once upon a time Paul Newman was afflicted by BCRS. Here is a classic demonstration and application of BCRS and what it does to a man's pyche.



• Hey, Hibriten can pass the ball, too! Before the season began one of the key issues for the Panthers was finding a successor for graduated quarterback Billy Crane. Well Week 1 provided a first look but Week 2 confirmed what I suspected: Jamichael Walton can not only run with the football when necessary but he can also throw it. In a 35-0 stomping of rival South Caldwell Walton completed six of eight passing attempts for 161 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions - in the first half!

Well, I guess that does it.

What history tells us...

This isn't the first time that Hickory has lost to Statesville. It just feels like it because it hasn't happened since September 7, 2001. And the last time Hickory lost in Greyhound Hollow was in 1994. And don't forget that Hickory went into the Hollow twice in 1996 and whipped the Greyhounds soundly both times - the second game being the West Region championship game.

But on those rare occasions when the Greyhounds find a way to get a win off the Red Tornadoes the consequences for the next several years are severe indeed. Consider this: Statesville's last three wins over Hickory have occurred in 1994, 2001 and now 2008. For the record, Hickory leads the series, 27-20. But let me illustrate what the Greyhounds can expect in the future, based on what has happened in the past:

1993 Hickory 14-10
1994 Statesville 19-7
1995 Hickory 15-13
1996 Hickory 42-10 (reg season)
1996 Hickory 35-0 (playoffs)
1997 Hickory 30-6
1998 Hickory 13-12
1999 Hickory 39-22
2000 Hickory 20-13
2001 Statesville 37-23
2002 Hickory 27-6
2003 Hickory 21-0
2004 Hickory 28-6
2005 Hickory 33-7
2006 Hickory 30-0
2007 Hickory 29-12
2008 Statesville 27-12
2009 Hickory
2010 Hickory
2011 Hickory
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Austin Johnson vs. the UCLA Bruins in the Rose Bowl tonight!

One year ago Austin Johnson was taking the field at Frank Barger Stadium to open the season against the Statesville Greyhounds. Tonight at 8:00 PM EST he will take the field at Pasadena's historic Rose Bowl to face the UCLA Bruins. What a difference a year makes!

Austin is currently the 2nd-team fullback on the Volunteer depth chart (pdf format), a position he won in spring practice and maintained throughout the pre-season. Two weeks ago he suffered an ankle sprain in a scrimmage but has since recovered from it sufficiently to make the traveling squad. He should definitely see action tonight.

Why oh why do former Hickory players keep going to Georgia's rivals? But I am so happy to see a former Tornado and all-around great kid getting to do his thing on national television. If it has to be for the Gamecocks and Volunteers, then so be it. But I would love to see a former Tornado wearing the Red & Black of the Mighty Ones from Athens someday soon!

BEST OF LUCK BRUISER, TONIGHT AND THROUGHOUT THE SEASON!

For more info on tonight's game, click here.

HHS Alumni Update #5: SAN SAN TE

San San Te (Class of '07) will make his first start as the placekicker for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights today when they take on the Fresno State Bulldogs on national television (4:00 PM EST on ESPN).

San San, who was one of the nation's best high school kickers during his senior season, will be one of three former Red Tornadoes to play on national television this extended weekend. Ryan Succop was successful on Thursday night against NC State. Austin Johnson plays later tonight in the Rose Bowl against UCLA.

For more information on the Scarlet Knights, click here. (pdf format)