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That’s right — Kinston Mayor (and FOB) B.J. Murphy and his wife Jessica have brought a new baby into the world!
Kathryn Lane Murphy was born at 12:16 p.m., weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces and 20 and 1/4 inch long. Here’s a photo from the proud daddy:
(Click on the photo for a better look at the bundle o’ joy)
Congratulations to the mayor and his wife!
Following last night’s debacle at Chapel Hill, N.C. State’s Scott Wood answered a question from a reporter in an … interesting manner.
Check it out (it’s only about 10 seconds into this video):
My take: Whoa. And he also refers to “beating his sister” later in the interview.
Justin “The Kid” Hill made a great point: if Wood just came up with that on the fly, it’s a heck of a response. However, if he had planned to respond that way to that question (and HE KNEW it was coming), Justin thinks it’s different … but I think it’s pretty classless.
Was it the best question from a reporter? Nah, but Wood’s heard worse questions. I don’t know who the reporter was, but my gut tells me it’s some poor dude who gets to cover two or three ACC games a year from the County News-Enterprise and was humilated by an athlete who had just been embarrassed on the court at Carolina. Wood wouldn’t have done that to Jeff Gravely from WRAL or the N&O’s beat writer.
I’ve been asked — how would’ve I responded? Honestly, I don’t know. Since I’m not married, I would’ve probably flippantly responded right back, but I really don’t know.
Wondering if there’s going to be any response from N.C. State coach Matt Gottfried.
LEFTY MAD BECAUSE OF ‘GARY WILLIAMS COURT’
Former Maryland coach Lefty Driesell is angry because the University of Maryland named its basketball court at the Comcast Center after Gary Williams, who retired following last season.
My take: While I can see why Lefty might be a little upset — he does have the all-time winningest percentage of Terps coaches — I think he’s just jealous. Williams won the school’s only basketball national championship and helped restore the program back to national prominence … after Lefty pretty much buried it following the Len Bias tragedy.
So, Lefty … get over it. You have your great memories and wins — and guilty conscience over how you essentially destroyed a program you helped build.
FERRIS BUELLER TO RETURN!
Matthew Broderick is set to reprise his famous “Ferris Bueller” role in a Super Bowl commercial next weekend. Here’s the video teaser:
My take: It’s not been revealed what the product is (my money is it’s Pepsi; the font of the date gives it away).
In the interest of full disclosure: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” is arguably my favorite movie OF ALL TIME (up there with “Pulp Fiction,” “Anchorman,” “For Love Of The Game” and “The Breakfast Club”). They’ve teased for years there might be a Ferris sequel … and if this is the first indicator it’s going to happen — I’M ALL IN.
NO. 1 KINSTON LOSES AT NORTH PITT
Kinston, the No. 1-ranked team in this week’s NCPreps.com 2A poll, lost at North Pitt last night, 64-53.
My take: I still think Kinston is the best 2A team in the state; maybe the Vikings needed this wake-up call — just as they did on Reggie Bullock’s Senior Night two years ago when they lost to Farmville Central.
Speaking of FC — that’s who visits Viking Gym tonight.
The iPod shuffle
On The Road Again — Canned Heat
I Wish I Was Queer So I Could Get Chicks — The Bloodhound Gang
Summer Love / Set The Mood Prelude — Justin Timberlake & Timbaland
New Kid In Town — The Eagles
Perfection — Run-D.M.C.
Fresh off the email from N.C. Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton:
“I believe that our future economy and better jobs depend on our historic commitment to education. After all, education is in North Carolina’s DNA – it’s what sets us apart and it’s what will determine our future. However, you can’t make progress if you are pointed in the wrong direction. Pat McCrory and the Republican leadership are facing the wrong way by cutting teachers, reducing scholarships and abandoning economic development. They are doing lasting damage to our state. I’ve dedicated my career to improving education at all levels and making North Carolina a great place to do business.
“Today, I’m announcing that I am running for Governor. Lucille and I love this state and we understand tough political races. I am the only candidate who has run and won statewide and I look forward to waging an aggressive campaign. Elections are about choices. As a state we must decide the direction in which we will turn. With this campaign, I choose to look ahead to a brighter future. I choose progress. I choose a future where public education is the foundation of our economy.”
My take: Well … THAT didn’t take long! So who else joins the fray?
My second take: With 10 minutes of reflection, let me say this — I think he’s making a grave mistake announcing this, this soon after Perdue’s announcement. Why? It’s going to be buried in EVERY newspaper in North Carolina tomorrow AND under every Perdue headline online today and tomorrow.
If he’d waited until tomorrow to do this, he’d had the headlines all to himself. Now, however, he’s going to be buried deep under all the Perdue headlines.
Not a very smart first move for his campaign.
Like many of you, I’m REALLY looking forward to tonight’s N.C. State-UNC basketball game. Here’s an interesting photo from Chapel Hill:
(Click on this bad boy to see it better, Wuffies)
WOW. Should be a great atmosphere at the ol’ Dean Dome tonight!
OK, Pirate Nation — your basketball team stinks, your baseball coach has been suspended … but at least you have football to look forward to! Here’s the 2012 ECU football schedule, hot off the press:
Sept. 1 – Appalachian State
Sept. 8 – at South Carolina
Sept. 15 – at Southern Miss*
Sept. 22 – at UNC
Sept. 29 – UTEP*
Oct. 6 – at Central Florida*
Oct. 13 – Memphis*
Oct. 20 – at UAB*
Oct. 27 – Navy
Nov. 3 – Houston*
Nov. 17 – at Tulane*
Nov. 24 – Marshall*
My take: All us/you ACC fans can say what we want, but ECU doesn’t back down from anyone when it comes to its football scheduling. Instead of putting LCC or a D-2 team on its schedule, the Pirates get the best FCS team (Appalachian State) in the country, along with games at South Carolina and Chapel Hill, and include a home contest against an up-and-coming Navy squad.
Not too shabby. Now, if C-USA were a legit conference …
Of course, I finish my first MNR in a month … and THIS breaks — N.C. Gov. Bev Perdue will not seek reelection this year, according to the Washington Post.
My take: Wha-wha-what? The Democrats in North Carolina had already pretty much resigned themselves to Perdue running — so who will feel that void now?
So why is she getting out? Are there new allegations coming against her? Did she realize she had no chance against Pat McCrory? Is it not for nefarious reasons but simply because she was tired of the game?
And why is the Washington Post reporting this and not the Raleigh News and Observer, the Charlotte Observer or another NORTH CAROLINA media entity?
Wow. Huge news. I’ll add updates here throughout the day.
UPDATE 10 A.M.: I’ve seen Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx’s name emerge as a possible candidate (and he’d be solid), along with Lt. Gov. Walter Dalton. Any other names out there?
UPDATE 12:55 P.M.: Here’s an official statement from Gov. Perdue –
Like the rest of the nation, North Carolina has been facing difficult economic times — demanding many difficult decisions. I have had to make painful budget cuts in important areas of government. But I believe I have approached this challenge in a way that is consistent with my values and the values that have made our state a wonderful place to live and raise a family. I have spent my tenure in office – and, in fact, my adult lifetime – fighting for things that I care deeply about. And as anyone who knows me will tell you, I do not back down from tough fights.
But I understand this: We live in highly partisan times, where some people seem more worried about scoring political points than working together to address the real challenges our state faces. And it is clear to me that my race for re-election will only further politicize the fight to adequately fund our schools. A re-election campaign in this already divisive environment will make it more difficult to find any bipartisan solutions.
The thing I care about most right now is making sure that our schools and schoolchildren do not continue to be the victims of shortsighted legislative actions and severe budget cuts inflicted by a legislative majority with the wrong priorities. Therefore, I am announcing today that I have decided not to seek re-election. I hope this decision will open the door to an honest and bipartisan effort to help our schools.
To those of you who have supported me throughout my years of public service, I will always be grateful for the confidence you have placed in me. In my remaining months in office, I look forward to continuing to fight for the priorities we share, by putting North Carolinians back to work and investing in our children’s future. To my children and grandchildren, and especially to my husband Bob, thank you for always being there for me – especially as I’ve weighed this difficult decision.
Thank you all, and God bless North Carolina.
My take: Nice sentiments … hard to believe, but nice sentiments.
I’ve met and interacted personally with Gov. Perdue a few times and I’ve always found her to be a very pleasant and professional person. She and our publisher, Patrick Holmes, have known each other for decades and that’s always been an aid to talking to her.
But if she was sincere about helping the education system, why not run for reelection and battle it out as the governor for four more years (if she won)? How does being a lame-duck governor help her cause to help kids? It doesn’t.
I feel pretty much the same way about this situation that I did about Sarah Palin stepping down as Alaska’s governor so her administration could continue “with great administrative and legislative success.” Palin did it to sell books and become a multi-millionaire; her reason wasn’t for the best interest of Alaska.
The same goes for Perdue — she’s doing this for one of a few reasons:
It’s one of those reasons — not for her written reason. We’ll see.
Ahhh … the ol’ MNR. Here you go:
PRESIDENT GETS LECTURED?
It sure looks like it in a photo that has, no doubt, circled the globe a few times since it was taken yesterday; in it, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer appears to be wearing out President Obama about SOMETHING:
(Photo courtesy: Associated Press; click for better view)
My take: According to both, it’s not as bad as it appeared. I’ll say this: President Obama is not perfect … but he’s still the president. If this type of exchange is going to take place, it sure as hell doesn’t need to take place out in public in front of cameras. Walk with him inside and talk to him.
Something like this does nothing but hurt America’s image in front of the world. It’s this simple — even if you don’t like Obama, respect his office. It’s too bad she can’t be punished for what appears to be an overt lack of disrespect.
DEATH ROW IS ‘LEISURE’ TO CON
A Gastonia man on death row rips the penal system while (literally) laughing at citizens and challenging them to go ahead and kill him in a letter to the Gaston Gazette.
My take: If you read this and it doesn’t anger you … you’re either a pacifist to the nth degree or mentally unstable.
This man ADMITTED to killing three women, then thumbs his nose at all of us. If there was ever — as comedian Ron White says of Texas — a death row express lane, this douche deserves it.
FACEBOOK CHANGING … AGAIN
So … you’re just getting used to Facebook? Guess what? The powers-that-be are changing the way your profile looks AGAIN.
My take: Congrats, Facebook — you’re yet another step closer to becoming MySpace. I know things change every day and you feel compelled to keep up with the “kids,” but you’re also starting to drive away users … like myself. Again, congratulations.
The iPod shuffle
Breakfast In America — Supertramp
Change Your Mind — The All-American Rejects
Dirty Day — U2
Cold As Ice — Foreigner
Darlington County — Bruce Springsteen
Again — sorry for the lack of activity up here on the ol’ blog. Thanks to those of you who have emailed, Facebooked and otherwise “checked up” on me.
Tina is doing really well — in fact, extremely well. We are both very, very thankful for your prayers, cards, emails, etc., that she has received from a lot of you.
I’ll be honest with you — I’ve had even more duties piled on my plate at work and that’s the primary reason I haven’t had time to blog. It’s tough to work 10-14 hour days and then have the energy for this. This blog — and many of you — means a lot to me and it hurts my heart to half-ass anything, especially something as important as this, that I’ve put so much of myself into.
I love this blog and I love that it means as much as it does to some of you. It’s been a unique community for some of us in the nearly seven years we’ve been doing it here and on the original one.
So … I am going to do my damndest to get everything caught up here. We still have a pick ‘em champ to announce, a crapload of things to talk about and some new ideas I want to trot out to you.
Thanks for your patience, bloggees. You are much appreciated.
A sneak peek at my Sunday column (and I promise this blog will roar back to life next week!):
An open letter to the owner of the Carolina Mudcats
Steve Bryant, just who the hell do you think you are?
First, you took our Kinston Indians from us. Sugar-coat it all you like, but you took one of the few good things — and strongest recruiting tools — remaining in our economically-ravaged town.
At least 70 times a summer for the past 25 years, no matter how bad the local economy and living situations were, we’ve had a respite, a place to get away from the bad news, for nine innings.
Now, thanks to you, Mr. Bryant, we no longer have that valuable resource in our town.
It’s bad enough you took our Indians … but now, you want us to drive a two hours and 36 minutes round-trip just to see the team you ripped out from under our feet?
On Wednesday, you had the nerve to tell The Free Press, “We have to tread carefully here, because we clearly don’t want it to appear like we’re rubbing anything in the face of the Kinston fans that the team is (in Zebulon) now.”
If you don’t want to rub anything in our faces, sir, than you don’t need to be promoting your product in our market. Obviously, I can’t speak for everyone in Kinston, but I speak for most when I say this: we have the best minor league facility in the country at Grainger Stadium and, frankly, we have no desire to visit your cookie-cutter stadium stuck out in the middle of nowhere.
Any person that calls themselves a Kinston Indians fan who visits your boring, atmosphere-less stadium (where you have to pay $5 for parking!) is not helping our cause to get a team back — all they’re doing is padding the pockets of a man who ruthlessly stole our town’s greatest asset.
Instead, the good people of Kinston will spend their hard-earned money taking in the multitude of American Legion, high school, AAU and college games that will fill the venerable stadium’s schedule this spring and summer. We’ll keep our dollars right here in Kinston instead of giving it to you.
“We don’t want to be the Grinch that stole Christmas,” you also told The Free Press on Wednesday. “It really wasn’t our goal to go out and hurt Kinston in any way.”
It might not have been your goal, but marketing your ridiculously-named “Mudcats” to a true baseball community like ours is hurting Kinston.
Mr. Bryant, I’ll give you credit for this — you’re a pretty gutsy individual and obviously, an outstanding businessman. But keep your billboards and marketing out of Kinston and Lenoir County.
It’s virtually impossible we’ll have a minor league team in place for the 2012 season, especially with schedules set and all. I hear from my good sources that 2013 will be a tough proposition, too, although it’s not out of the question.
But if the Carolina League will expand and allow Kinston back into it for the 2013 season or beyond, I can’t wait for that first game between our Indians and your Mudcats at beautiful and historic Grainger. I’ll be the one cheering loudest — for my K-Tribe and against your Mudcats, or whatever witty nickname of the day you and your marketing team have come up with.
Bryan Hanks’ column appears every Sunday in The Free Press. You can reach him at 252-559-1074 or at bhanks@freedomenc.com. Check out Bryan’s blog at bhanks.encblogs.com and follow him on Twitter at BCHanks.
