Today's entry is an addendem to an earlier entry from 2011.
Here's the link -
http://bill-1956.blogspot.com/2011/02/shiloh-general-store.html
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
On The Other Hand . . . .
After I wrote my last post - I went online to see what other organizations (Rivals, Athlon, etc.) have predicted for NC State.
To recall - the ESPN Blog has NC State picked to finish next to last - just ahead of Boston College.
Surprisingly, I found most other sites have a more positive outlook for State.
Case in point - Athlon has just come out with their ranking of all BCS football schools along with a write up of each school and why they are picked where they are. They have NC State picked #54. Here's the link -
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/top-25
Now - let's be real. Preseason hype is just that. A bunch of hype. But, if you're a college sports fan - its a fun thing to follow and talk about.
So - here's NC State's (#54) schedule broken down by Athlon preseason rankings:
So - NC State, with a good defense but questionable offensive line - And a completely unknown QB - who might even be a transfer that hasn't even taken an NC State snap in spring ball - by the preseason numbers - should be 8 and 4. Or even 9 and 3 if we beat Maryland at home.
Yeah - that's gonna happen. LOL
If T'OB were still coach - no way. With new coach Doeren, a fired up motivator - well, maybe 7 and 5 is possible. Which is the same record T'OB squeezed out last year with a 'better' team.
I'm feeling much better about the upcoming season.
Addendum 7-9-13
At the other end of the prediction spectrum - these guys believe State will finish dead last in the ACC.
http://www.footballnation.com/content/acc-football-2013-preseason-power-rankings/23240/
So - there you have it. State will probably finish somewhere between a dismal losing season of 3 and 9 and a spectacular winning season of 9 and 3.
LOL
To recall - the ESPN Blog has NC State picked to finish next to last - just ahead of Boston College.
Surprisingly, I found most other sites have a more positive outlook for State.
Case in point - Athlon has just come out with their ranking of all BCS football schools along with a write up of each school and why they are picked where they are. They have NC State picked #54. Here's the link -
http://www.athlonsports.com/college-football/top-25
Now - let's be real. Preseason hype is just that. A bunch of hype. But, if you're a college sports fan - its a fun thing to follow and talk about.
So - here's NC State's (#54) schedule broken down by Athlon preseason rankings:
- Louisiana Tech (54 > 90) State should win.
- Richmond Spiders (54 > D2) FCS School - no rank - State should win.
- Clemson (6 > 54) State should lose - Clemson might be in the hunt for a National Championship
- Central Michigan (54 > 111) State should win.
- Wake Forest (54 > 70) State should win - but with WF, you never know.
- Syracuse (54 > 75) State should win. Obviously Syracuse was added to the ACC for their basketball program.
- Florida State (15 > 54) State should lose.
- UNCheats (38 > 54) State should lose. And, as much as I hate to say it, UNCheats will probably be a top 25 team. However - home game - revenge factor - you never know.
- Duke (54 > 73) State should win. But like Wake Forest - you never know.
- Boston College (54 > 84) State should win.
- East Carolina (54 > 77) State should win. ECU is always motivated when they play State or Carolina. Could be another "you never know".
- Maryland (53 > 54) A toss up. Give the game to State due to home field advantage. Plus, we'll be motivated to end Maryland's ACC affiliation with a loss.
So - NC State, with a good defense but questionable offensive line - And a completely unknown QB - who might even be a transfer that hasn't even taken an NC State snap in spring ball - by the preseason numbers - should be 8 and 4. Or even 9 and 3 if we beat Maryland at home.
Yeah - that's gonna happen. LOL
If T'OB were still coach - no way. With new coach Doeren, a fired up motivator - well, maybe 7 and 5 is possible. Which is the same record T'OB squeezed out last year with a 'better' team.
I'm feeling much better about the upcoming season.
Addendum 7-9-13
At the other end of the prediction spectrum - these guys believe State will finish dead last in the ACC.
http://www.footballnation.com/content/acc-football-2013-preseason-power-rankings/23240/
So - there you have it. State will probably finish somewhere between a dismal losing season of 3 and 9 and a spectacular winning season of 9 and 3.
LOL
Monday, June 24, 2013
Way Too Early To Think About Football
Read an article today where Rivals has ranked NC State football recruiting #16 for 2014. Now, that's a year after this years season - and a long way off. Still - looks like one of the reported strengths of new Head Coach Dave Doeren is already starting to show.
No matter how great a coach - you have to have the athletes / players. Yeah, you can 'coach up' some underrated guys that have potential. But there's 90+ on the team and just from the numbers - you have to recruit the talent.
Last year we mistakenly expected to be a 9 - 3 or 10 - 2 team. We found that while we had solid students and players - we didn't have the recruits to get us past a 7 - 5 team. Again. Thus, TO'B was let go.
It was a senior heavy team so we've lost a lot to graduation.
This year's season? Well - I wouldn't hold my breath.
ESPN predicts we'll be next to last in the ACC - just ahead of Boston College.
On the other hand - we have favorable home and NC schedule this year. And, our defense will be good - possibly really, really good. Offense? Well, inexperienced offensive line and we have no idea who our QB will be. So - four wins, five maybe?
If we can squeeze out 6 wins - we'll go to a bowl game. Even if we're the last bowl pick - NC State always travels well and we'll support a new coach. Especially since 6 and 6 would exceed expectations.
Basketball
From what I've read - it also seems that Coach Gottfried is pulling a few recruiting rabbits out of the hat too with some highly rated transfers coming in. Hmmmm . . . . it's a lot more interesting in basketball than it's been in decades. And football might just be ready to get pretty good too.
No matter how great a coach - you have to have the athletes / players. Yeah, you can 'coach up' some underrated guys that have potential. But there's 90+ on the team and just from the numbers - you have to recruit the talent.
Last year we mistakenly expected to be a 9 - 3 or 10 - 2 team. We found that while we had solid students and players - we didn't have the recruits to get us past a 7 - 5 team. Again. Thus, TO'B was let go.
It was a senior heavy team so we've lost a lot to graduation.
This year's season? Well - I wouldn't hold my breath.
ESPN predicts we'll be next to last in the ACC - just ahead of Boston College.
On the other hand - we have favorable home and NC schedule this year. And, our defense will be good - possibly really, really good. Offense? Well, inexperienced offensive line and we have no idea who our QB will be. So - four wins, five maybe?
If we can squeeze out 6 wins - we'll go to a bowl game. Even if we're the last bowl pick - NC State always travels well and we'll support a new coach. Especially since 6 and 6 would exceed expectations.
Basketball
From what I've read - it also seems that Coach Gottfried is pulling a few recruiting rabbits out of the hat too with some highly rated transfers coming in. Hmmmm . . . . it's a lot more interesting in basketball than it's been in decades. And football might just be ready to get pretty good too.
Friday, June 21, 2013
Friday June 21, 2013
First day of summer. I like this time of year.
UNCheats beat NC State 7 - 0 in baseball last night in the College World Series. State comes home - UNCheats advances. They will have to beat UCLA twice in a row to advance to the Final 2. It's tough to beat a team twice - especially in succession.
Entertainment
Two of my favorite shows are ending their runs this year - Dexter and Breaking Bad.
I don't get pay cable - so I have to wait till Dexter is out on DVD before I get to see it. I just finished watching the last season. Great show - but it seems as though they are jumping the shark a little bit.
While Dexter is a great fun roller coaster ride - to be honest - the writing on Breaking Bad is far superior. The main character, Walter White / Heisenberg, has gone from a scared teacher trying not to mess up to a cold blooded killer who will analytically calculate the odds of your being a danger to him - and if you're a serious thereat - you're dead. The last episode scene where Walter White decides to get out of the meth business and goes to see Jessie Pinkman for an 'old times sake' visit - is simply one of the best dramatic scenes written. It'll make the hair on your arm stand up.
The 1950s and 60s were the decades of great American writing. The 60s were when European films were the cutting edge of writing. The 70s decade belonged to the great American film - and continues from then.
I think America's appreciation of great cinema from the 70s helped pave the way for independent films. I remember taking my parents and grandmother to see Tender Mercies. Grandmama cried just about the whole second half the film. (I think this is Robert Duvall's best performance - period.) My folks in turn made sure I saw Breaking Away.
Outside of some great movies and the beginning of independent films - the 80s were a bit of a cultural wasteland. This was the decade that gave us Disco.
Starting with the 90s through today - the best dramatic writing is found on cable television. It was pretty much started by HBO. Cable as a venue has allowed writers and actors the ability to create some fantastic art without the hugely exorbitant expense of movies. Broadcast TV has to satisfy 'everybody' - therefore it caters to the lowest common denominator - so that leaves cable.
Which brings us back to Dexter and Breaking Bad. Ending their runs this summer and fall.
Weekend Plans
None.
UNCheats beat NC State 7 - 0 in baseball last night in the College World Series. State comes home - UNCheats advances. They will have to beat UCLA twice in a row to advance to the Final 2. It's tough to beat a team twice - especially in succession.
Entertainment
Two of my favorite shows are ending their runs this year - Dexter and Breaking Bad.
I don't get pay cable - so I have to wait till Dexter is out on DVD before I get to see it. I just finished watching the last season. Great show - but it seems as though they are jumping the shark a little bit.
While Dexter is a great fun roller coaster ride - to be honest - the writing on Breaking Bad is far superior. The main character, Walter White / Heisenberg, has gone from a scared teacher trying not to mess up to a cold blooded killer who will analytically calculate the odds of your being a danger to him - and if you're a serious thereat - you're dead. The last episode scene where Walter White decides to get out of the meth business and goes to see Jessie Pinkman for an 'old times sake' visit - is simply one of the best dramatic scenes written. It'll make the hair on your arm stand up.
The 1950s and 60s were the decades of great American writing. The 60s were when European films were the cutting edge of writing. The 70s decade belonged to the great American film - and continues from then.
I think America's appreciation of great cinema from the 70s helped pave the way for independent films. I remember taking my parents and grandmother to see Tender Mercies. Grandmama cried just about the whole second half the film. (I think this is Robert Duvall's best performance - period.) My folks in turn made sure I saw Breaking Away.
Outside of some great movies and the beginning of independent films - the 80s were a bit of a cultural wasteland. This was the decade that gave us Disco.
Starting with the 90s through today - the best dramatic writing is found on cable television. It was pretty much started by HBO. Cable as a venue has allowed writers and actors the ability to create some fantastic art without the hugely exorbitant expense of movies. Broadcast TV has to satisfy 'everybody' - therefore it caters to the lowest common denominator - so that leaves cable.
Which brings us back to Dexter and Breaking Bad. Ending their runs this summer and fall.
Weekend Plans
None.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Very Quick Update
I haven't been keeping up my online Journal like I should. No reason for it - just being lazy.
So - here's a very quick update.
Power went out during Thursday's storm line. It was pretty loud when it came through. The power outage was due to downed lines on Deep River Road. I saw them the next day on my way home from work. Yeah - the power was still out more than 24 hours later.
I started reading a couple of books by the daylight out on the screened porch. It was pretty nice sitting out there. Actually, re-reading to be more accurate. I just picked a couple books at random from the shelf.
One of the books, Bully, is excellent. But the true story is depressing as it could possibly be. It's about a murder, 20 years ago now, in Florida by a bunch of High School dropouts. Motive? Money, drugs, sex? Nope - they just didn't like one of the kids in their group. So they killed him. Totally without morals, ethics, or souls - just complety empty kids.
Even worse - the description of these kid's home lives (parents) give you a clue as to how they grew up to be the way they were. You just want to line the parents up and slap the stoopid out of them. Incredable, horrific, book.
NCSU Baseball
NCSU plays UNCheats in the NCAA D1 baseball championship in a little bit.
Not a big baseball fan - but I'll be watching.
That's about it for now.
Addendum
NCSU 8 - UNC 1
Baseball is a tricky game. The best team in the nation (UNC) can have an off day - and be beat soundly.
Next games - Tuesday - UCLA vs. NCSU and UNC vs. LSU
So - here's a very quick update.
Power went out during Thursday's storm line. It was pretty loud when it came through. The power outage was due to downed lines on Deep River Road. I saw them the next day on my way home from work. Yeah - the power was still out more than 24 hours later.
I started reading a couple of books by the daylight out on the screened porch. It was pretty nice sitting out there. Actually, re-reading to be more accurate. I just picked a couple books at random from the shelf.
One of the books, Bully, is excellent. But the true story is depressing as it could possibly be. It's about a murder, 20 years ago now, in Florida by a bunch of High School dropouts. Motive? Money, drugs, sex? Nope - they just didn't like one of the kids in their group. So they killed him. Totally without morals, ethics, or souls - just complety empty kids.
Even worse - the description of these kid's home lives (parents) give you a clue as to how they grew up to be the way they were. You just want to line the parents up and slap the stoopid out of them. Incredable, horrific, book.
NCSU Baseball
NCSU plays UNCheats in the NCAA D1 baseball championship in a little bit.
Not a big baseball fan - but I'll be watching.
That's about it for now.
Addendum
NCSU 8 - UNC 1
Baseball is a tricky game. The best team in the nation (UNC) can have an off day - and be beat soundly.
Next games - Tuesday - UCLA vs. NCSU and UNC vs. LSU
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