Snow on the Horizon, But It's Hot When You're With Wes...

Well, the woman is off snow skiing for the weekend (even though she could have stayed home and had the same experience if the radar holds true). Therefore, my boredom is coming like a torrential downpour.

The saving grace was going to see the Rocky Mount - Nash Central game scheduled for Friday night. Then, of course, the game got moved to Thursday and my director of information ‘forgot’ to make a simple phone call and let me know the game got moved to Thursday. So I missed Tashawn Mabry score 37 points and pull 17 rebounds while the director sat front and center. This misdeed will not go unpunished. Btw, Rocky Mount wins 82-71 to go to 15-1 on the season.

In related news, we had a big week of Stretchlon Sports Show tapings. First, we got the opportunity to see UNC commitment Reggie Bullock and the Kinston Vikings match up SouthWest Edgecombe in Pinetops. Kinston did us all a favor keeping it close until running SWE out of the building in the 4th quarter. Mr. Bullock was our Telco Credit Union Player of the Game as he scored 35 points. He thoroughly impressed the near capacity crowd with an array of 3-point shots, alley oop dunks and mid range jumpers. He’s a very smooth player who should translate well into a top player for Coach Roy Williams and the Tar Heels.

This past Tuesday night, we got to see history made at the Rocky Mount High School gym. The above mentioned Mr. Mabry needed 23 points against arch-rival Northern Nash to pass the legend Phil Ford for 1st place all time on Rocky Mount’s career scoring list. He scored 31 in the Gryphons’ blowout of the Knights. A 3-pointer early in the 3rd quarter was the record setter. Tashawn was of Player of the Game and we had a really nice interview with him and his parents in the post-game show. A talk with Mike Gainey afterwards gave some really good insight into Rocky Mount’s recent run of high level play. Mike is always a very good interview with a lot of things to say. A true pleasure to deal with and a great face for his program.

After I got home Tuesday night, I caught the 2nd half of the UNC - NC State game. My final verdict: bad basketball. UNC is young and very inexperienced. Talented yes, but not ready to make a run. John Wall would be a perfect fit for this team at point guard, but I understand why Coach Williams didn’t recruit him. One and done is not his thing and also Wall has baggage. But he would be great running that system. NC State has some nice pieces in place, my favorite being forward Tracy Smith. State’s backcourt play is embarrassing though. We will see if Sidney can save his job after next year when he brings in his two hotshot guards, Ryan Harrow and Lorenzo Brown. It will be the best backcourt Lowe has put on the floor since being at State.

I flipped over to ESPN with about 10:00 left in the South Carolina - Kentucky game. Now this was exciting. John Wall and Derrick Cousins for UK and Devan Downey for SC kept us all entertained with a frenetic up and down pace that came down to the last 10 seconds. Downey hit some huge shots and was fast as lightning as SC held off UK for the upset win. A big thanks to President Barack Obama for giving UK the ‘Kiss of Death’ phone call earlier in the day.

On the Red Sox front, Theo Epstein can't seriously be thinking of Mike Cameron being our Opening Day centerfielder can he? I mean really. Mike Cameron was a mediocre bat 5 years ago. He is an above average defender, but he is all pop and will hit .230. not to mention he will be on the DL by May, make another trip in July and be hobbling into the playoffs (fingers crossed) to go 1-14 with 8 K's. While I have no problem with Boston letting OF Jason Bay walk (too much money for a streaky hitter), there are still solutions available. My pick: Johnny 'Jesus' Damon. My reasons: A.) He can still hit. Not quite the fielder Cameron would be, but you move Jacoby Ellsbury back to CF and let JD play the Monster in left. Easy solution. B.) JD can bring back the beard. And really, that is what has been missing since he left town. The beard. C.) Wouldn't you just feel a lot more comfortorable as a Sox fan with Damon patrolling the outfield and getting meaningful at-bats than Mike Cameron?

VERDICT: Bring back Johnny!! It might cost more, but both are past there prime. Damon just has a better twilight.

Well, this is where we come to the end. Everyone be careful in the snow this weekend. I will personally be finishing up a dynasty on NCAA Football 2006 (this one went UMass to SMU to Miami where I have currently won 2 national titles in 5 years) and checking out my Netflix of the week, "Public Enemies". If I get too bored, I might even fire up "Pineapple Express" and 'The Godfather 1 & 2'. And now I leave you with our quote of the week. This week's quote is from Lil' Wayne:

Man I got Summer hating on me cause I'm hotter than the sun
Spring hating on me cause I ain't never sprung
Winter hating on me cause I'm colder than ya'll
And I would never I would never I would never Fall