Pick 'em Week 4 recap

This week I'm going to combine my Pick 'em recap with the regular weekly recap of CVAC games that didn't involve the Red Tornadoes. As you know, I am definitely not a "professional expert" like some. So it gives me great pride to point out that I was a perfect 11-0 this past week picking the outcome of local football games. So now that I'm 100% correct, there's really no need to compare myself with anybody else. It wouldn't be fair to the others...

Obviously the big news from Friday night was the shocker down in Maiden. After more than two decades of frustration and failure the Fred T. Foard Tigers unloaded on the Blue Devils, 47-14. Apparently the final score is a little misleading when you consider that the score was 40-0 at halftime. So not only did the Tigers humiliate the Blue Devils on their own field but they actually called off the dogs in the second half and took it easy on the homers. I had a feeling that Foard would pull off the upset and I gave the reasons why: Foard has a strong running game and an equally strong defense. Maiden has neither of those things. And because Maiden can't run the ball effectively or play defense, the aspect of their game that is supposed to be "good" - the passing attack - is rendered harmless. I mentioned last week that this was an opportunity for the Tigers to make a statement about how good or how average they were going to be this season. Well, now we have our answer. Hickory has Fred T. Foard for Homecoming this season. Too bad it couldn't be Maiden!

The other big matchup involved our friends from Springs Road and the Dirt Devils from out there in Rootin' Tootin' Newton. In this case the contest was much closer than the final score indicates. Newton was only up 8-6 going into the fourth quarter. So either the Devils have some inconsistency problems or (I believe) the Indians really do have a good defense. Don't forget what a difference it made to Alexander Central when they lost to St. Stephens in Week 2. The Cougars racked up 455 yard in total offense in a 56-3 win over last year's Class 3A West Region champ, North Gaston. The Indians, however, cut that yardage total in half and held Central to a single score in a 10-7 win over the Cougars.

The difference maker in the Newton-Saint game was Red Devil running back Dorian Jones. He ran for approximately 100 yards and a touchdown in the final period to seal the victory. St. Stephens is struggling offensively, scoring just 16 points in their last two ballgames. There will be a lot more on the Indians as the week progresses.

The Patton Panthers have now won two football games. So far, so good for the folks up on Enola Road in Morganton. There are several severe beatings awaiting the new kids later this season but in the meantime they certainly can enjoy the reality of being tied with Hickory in the CVAC standings. My advice? Take a photograph and frame it quick. The good times ain't gonna last, friends.

Finally, don't tell anybody this (it's a big secret) but Hibriten is pretty good this year. Shhhhhhhhh! That's just between me and you. I got that from a reliable source, though... We'll talk later about the situation in Lenoir.

Great moments in schadenfreude

If you don't know what the word schadenfreude means, click here. But if you want some good schadenfreude, just check out these comments posted by various Blue Devil fans on NCPreps.com following Maiden's humiliating loss to the new "Big Blue" - Fred T. Foard!

"Foard wins 47 to 14. The actual score was 40 - 0 (halftime). Maiden refuses to play football. At least 2 starters sitting on the sideline for not showing up for practice. We seem to be more worried about how we look in the uniform than doing what we need to do to play well in them. I believe this team has found a different way to spell teIIIIIIIIIIIIam.

Very disappointed." ...Azul Diablo


"I don't see us winning very many games this year if any more at all.We have NO defense !!!!!!!!!!! 22 and 20 looked good again when they seen playing time. My only thing Azul is Team begins with the leaders that unify the " Team " and I'm just not seeing it . There's way to much talent on this team to take a beat down like we did tonight.The right guys have to be in the right places and I don't think we've found that yet.We still need to put some of that beef on the D-line I don't care if their not that great at least they could clog a hole and give the linebackers time to read the play.Oh well better luck next week ! Sorry if I tick some people off with my assessment I just think you should call an apple a apple." ...bluestorm


"I was disapointed in the teams play, like Azul Diablo said ,it looks like theres not a team effort on the field.I know some people will disagree but I cant help but noticing it, this is FOOTBALL there should be no sugar coating it. This game was one of the most lack luster of a game ive witnessed at Maiden .To me your representing the town and the fans that come to the game ,if theres a problem on the team sit down discuss it get over it and start playing like a team , we that support you deserve your best effort" ...maidenUSA


"I have never seen a Maiden team play this bad. This is a team that has good players and there not really weak in any positions. There not really great but there good. They just dont act like they want to be out there. The offense couldnt get anything together the defense looked like they were afraid to tackle. I thought you learned how to tackle in peewee. They just play with no HEART. With the score as bad as it was at halftime im surprised the fans stayed around as long as they did. Maybe that was just for the 50/50 but they stayed. I heard that they had 6 players quit this week to." ...Tarheels#1


"The fact of the matter is this team does not have the desire. I agree that they do have some talent, but you play like you practice and if you don't practice then you don't play. I am glad Brian sat those guys down and I hope they get the message. Another thing I am wondering is if they work on tackling at all during practice. Evidently, they think this is two hand tag.

Great job by Foard. They came to kick Maiden's butt and they did. I hope they can keep it going." ...SlyOldDevil


"I have been going to MHS football games since I was six years old (1957). I've missed only about 20 games during those 50+ years. This is the worst game that I have ever seen a Maiden team play. This is, without a doubt, the least amount of effort that I have ever seen a Maiden team put forth.

I didn't think we were going to be overly talented this year, but I did think that maybe we could match last year's 6-5 regular season mark. Based upon what I saw last night, I'd say winning four games is absolute best-case scenario for this group." ...Smokin'DeepBlue


"Ive heard rumors same as you did blue storm that the qb will only throw to one reciever .I cant help but think that somethings going on with the team. I dont know if its the I factor or what, I do know theres no unity on this team .If it is the I factor , let me say 1 or 2 guys are not going to win any games alone I dont care who you are or how good you think you are, it takes team work ,if this is true get over all that bull ,it takes the WHOLE TEAM to win games.WE that come to the games come to see the team play not 1 or 2 players . It actually makes me mad to see a player trying to be the team. AS IN THE WORDS OF THE BEATLES COME TOGEATHER" ...maidenUSA

You just know it's bad when the Beatles references come out! Let's keep the poor Blue Devils in our thoughts in the hope that they can truly "come togeather."

Shelton, Sewanee live on internet broadcast today!

You can watch former Tornado quarterback Patrick Shelton lead his Sewanee Tigers against Washington & Lee today on live streaming video. Click here to watch the game live. Gametime is 2:30 PM, EST.

Around the World (ATW) Sportscast is partnering with Sewanee to provide high quality audio and video LIVE streaming and Video-On-Demand internet webcasts to promote their most valuable assets: THE STUDENT-ATHLETES…To their families, alums, fans, and community.

My thoughts on tonight's game

I freely admit that this short but spirited series is completely impossible to analyze beyond the mundane stuff like: "The team that makes the fewest mistakes will win. Or the team that gets the ball last will score to win the game." All very true, of course. But there is no common thread that runs through all the games these past three years except that you just never know for sure how it will end. Three straight times the game has been decided in the 4th quarter OR beyond!

Do I think Hickory will win? Yes, I've picked them to win. Do I have a clue as to how they will win? Not really. It could be a fumble recovery or interception returned for a touchdown to clinch the victory. It could be a punt or kickoff return. It might be a career night rushing the ball for Rakim Barrett or a career night throwing the ball by Kevin Shelton.

I know this: Each team is hoping to grow up a lot tonight. Bandys has the added pressure of facing elimination from the CVAC race if they lose tonight. The Tornadoes won't be technically out of the running with a loss but the way things are shaping up with Newton-Conover and Hibriten it would not bode well for Hickory in the long run. Plus starting the season at 1-2 would be really uncool.

This will be the last time these two teams meet on a football field for a long time - if ever. Let's make this a great one tonight!

Pick 'em Week 4

It's about to get interesting, I think. The CVAC race gets underway in earnest tonight. Based on the past three encounters between the Red Tornadoes and Trojans tonight's game is basically a toss-up. Newton-Conover is a legitimate favorite over St. Stephens but the Indians have just enough potential to make things interesting. The Maiden-Foard game also has some mystery to it. Maiden always wins this game but Foard has a defense, and a running game - Maiden doesn't. So, here I go...

Hickory at Bandys
Winner: Hickory

Newton-Conover at St. Stephens
Winner: Newton-Conover

Hibriten at Bunker Hill
Winner: Hibriten

Fred T. Foard at Maiden
Winner: Fred T. Foard

West Caldwell at Patton
Winner: Patton

East Burke at Hunter Huss
Winner: East Burke

T.C. Roberson at A.C. Reynolds
Winner: A.C. Reynolds

R-S Central at McDowell
Winner: R-S Central

South Caldwell at Wilkes Central
Winner: Wilkes Central

South Point at Alexander Central
Winner: South Point

Watauga at North Surry
Winner: Watauga

Tornado JV runs roughshod over Bandys

Casey Stinson...TOUCHDOWN!


The Young Tornadoes pushed the JV winning streak to 58 with a 30-6 thrashing of the previously undefeated Bandys Trojans (2-1, 0-1) Thursday night. The visitors from Balls Creek had no answer for Hickory's trio of running backs: sophomore T.J. Wimbush and freshmen Casey Stinson and Quai Linebarger.

Stinson led Hickory in scoring with touchdown runs of 78 and 28 yards. He was also the game's leading rusher with 154 yards on only five carries (30.8 yards per carry). Wimbush opened the scoring for Hickory with a 65-yard run immediately after Bandys took a brief 6-0 lead. Wimbush was second in yards rushing with 99 on six carries (16.5 per carry). Hickory got 2-point conversions from a run by Linebarger and a pass from quarterback Kyle Johnson to Jordan Walls-Davis. The score was 24-6 at halftime.

The only scoring in the second half was by Linebarger, on a run of five yards. Linebarger totaled 68 yards rushing on 11 carries (6.2 per carry). As a team, Hickory rushed for 364 yards on 27 carries (13.4 per carry).

The victory sets up a cross-town showdown next week when the Tornadoes pay a visit to St. Stephens. The Indians (2-0, 1-0) defeated Newton-Conover, 39-29, based in large part on 315 all-purpose yards by sophomore Devon Shuford.

What is athleticism? Here are two prime examples!

Knowshon is the best running back in collegiate football right now. Don't even try to argue the point. It's done! Have a look at his highlights from the win over Central Michigan. Be on the lookout for "The Hurdle."



One thing that Knowshon has in common with one of my all-time favorite Dawgs (David Pollack) is that they both have/had motors that do not quit. Check out this clip from the 2002 Georgia-South Carolina game. It takes a DAWG to do this!

Defensive stats now available!

Starting with the Alexander Central game you can now view the defensive stats for each Hickory game. You will find them on the 2008 Tornado stats page TornadoPride.com.

Breaking down Friday's CVAC games

Bandys and Hibriten got the ball rolling last week in the CVAC's first game of 2008. Hibriten took an early lead in the standings by ripping the Trojans to shreds, 45-27. This week everybody else jumps into the fray. Three new head coaches (Brian Brown of Maiden, Fred Whalen of St. Stephens and Mike Setzer of West Caldwell) will get their first taste of life in the CVAC when they get that W or L next to their name. This week's slate of games should tell us quite a bit about who the real contenders will be for the final "original" CVAC title. Let the games begin!

FRED T. FOARD (2-0) at MAIDEN (1-1)

Series Notes: The Tigers are hoping that this is the year they can break a Maiden winning streak that now stands at 22 and counting. Maiden shutout Foard 35-0 last year. The last Tiger victory in this series was in 1985.

What to look for tonight: This is the week when Foard either puts up or shuts up. At 2-0 the Tigers can use this game to make a statement that they're ready to be a contender or they can do what comes naturally and take another beating at the hands of the Blue Devils. The Tiger defense has only allowed seven points in two ballgames. In fact, Foard hasn't allowed a score in the last seven quarters. The top offensive threats for the Tigers are quarterback Landon Isenhour (averaging 113 passing yards per game and 51 yards rushing), receiver Trent Safrit (4 catches for 100 yards) and running back Quinton Owens (12 carries for 96 yards - 8 per carry). Maiden will counter with its spread offense, featuring quarterback Justin Sizemore (27-55-1, 372 yards, 3 TDs). Sizemore is a talented passer who reminds folks, visually anyway, of a poor-man's Tim Tebow. But like the Gators, Maiden's ground game is highly suspect. Equally questionable is the Blue Devil defense. Last week Maiden gave up 345 rushing yards in a 40-23 loss to Lincolnton. If the Tigers can withstand the Maiden air assault and not panic they can control the tempo of the game with their superior rushing attack. Give me a stout defense over a pass-happy offense anytime.

HIBRITEN (3-0) at BUNKER HILL (0-2)

Series Notes: Hibriten has won three in a row against the Bears and is 12-8 overall in the series. The Panthers crushed Bunker Hill up in Lenoir last year by the score of 56-0.

What to look for tonight: This one could get out of hand real quick. Hibriten is better than it was last year at this time while Bunker Hill is suffering through a 21-game losing streak. Last year's experienced Bear ballclub went 0-11. The Bears graduated a bunch of players and entered this season in rebuilding mode. But then almost every season is a fixer-upper in Claremont. In last week's 45-27 romp over Bandys the Panthers scored pretty much whenever they wanted to until the starters got bored and the reserves got a chance to play. I doubt many of Hibriten's starters see the field after halftime in this one. Consider this: last week the Panthers had five guys rush for at least 50 yards. The total was 311. New quarterback Jamichael Walton only completed three passes - but they went for a total of 101 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Besides, the word on the street is that Hibriten wants to be the object of everybody's affection.

WEST CALDWELL (0-2) at PATTON (1-1)

Series Notes: Stop! You had me at hello... These teams have never played each other in a varsity game.

What to look for tonight: The new kids on the block had to go deep into the Smoky Mountains to find that elusive first-ever victory...but they got it done. Patton beat tiny Andrews High, 34-24, to claim the school's first varsity victory. The Panthers scored in a variety of ways, including a nice 48-yard TD run by Brandon Bethel, a 35-yard pass from quarterback Cody Story to Zack Cole, a 40-yard fumble return by Chris Wiseman and finally a 60-yard scamper by Story. Even though this is Patton's first season of varsity competition the Panthers did have a pretty good JV team last season and Burke County has strong middle school programs. So the Panthers may be a little better equipped than other teams in a similar situation. West Caldwell continues to struggle but I still maintain that the future is bright for the Warriors under new head coach Mike Setzer. This game is a golden opportunity to get off the snide and back into a winning mindset. To know exactly how tough things are right now up in Gamewell just consider that last Friday the Warriors took a 35-0 beating from South Caldwell - the same South Caldwell team that took a similar beating from Fred T. Foard in Week 1. The good news for the Warriors is that even if they don't get a win this time there is always Bunker Hill next week!

Newton-Conover (2-0) at St. Stephens (2-0)

Series Notes: In 2007 the Indians snapped Newton's 10-game winning streak in this series with a 13-10 victory. But that's only their second win in the last 16 meetings.

What to look for tonight: Somebody is gonna get their first loss tonight. It isn't often that we can say that about this game. There have been times in the recent past when neither one of these teams was worth much. That is definitely not the case this time around, however. Last week the Red Devils road-tripped to Icard and slaughtered the East Burke Cavaliers, 35-8, for what was apparently the "Championship of the Unifour." I'm still scratching my head over that one... On paper it did look like one heck of a matchup. But the Red Devils quickly and easily brought the Cavs to their knees, taking a 29-0 lead before the homers finally put some points on the board. As expected, Dorian Jones is having a great season for the Red Devils. Against the Cavs he exploded for 174 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries (10.9 yards per carry). He also caught three passes for 48 yards and a touchdown. I heard he also worked the concession stand in the 4th quarter and then drove the team bus back to Newton. What a player! All of this behind a completely rebuilt offensive line. Scary, seriously.

St. Stephens has looked good in their two victories (43-14 over West Lincoln and 10-7 over Alexander Central). Although the margin of victory was much slimmer against Central the victory was actually a lot more impressive. West Lincoln is a punchline, period. But we know that the Cougars can play some football. Quality win for the Indians, just like it was for the Red Tornadoes. However, in my humble opinion, the jury is still out on the Indians. What does it say about an offense when the quarterback is the team's leading rusher? I don't care who it is - St. Stephens or the University of Florida - if you're relying on your quarterback to get it done on the ground as well as in the air, you've got a problem. Quarterback Matt Fussell is the Indian rushing leader (72 yards per game) as well as the passing leader (88 yards per game). That won't be enough to get a victory over a complete team like Newton-Conover. On the bright side, St. Stephens did have an extra week to prepare for this. That's got to be worth something, right?

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)!