Time to transition from Cozumel to kickoff

By Brian Bailey
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It is indeed time to crank it up again.

The greatest of all of the seasons is just about upon us. Football season is the greatest season hands down.

A recent joke sent to me on Facebook had a guy asking his wife if there was anything she’d like to say before the start of football season. I only chuckled to myself and really hoped my lovely wife would appreciate the humor. I’m not really sure if she did.

Vacations are nice and I truly enjoyed mine. I just returned from my first-ever cruise. While I loved my visit to Grand Cayman and Cozumel, I don’t know if I’ll cruise again. There’s just something about being stuck on a boat for a week, especially when you’re trying NOT to eat everything in sight.

I did return to “Sting Ray City” in the Caymans. Swimming with the huge sting rays for the second time in my life was another huge thrill! Feeding them out of my hand and literally “dancing” with them was an experience I will never forget.

OK, enough about my fun. As I said it’s time to crank it up.

Most of you probably know by now that WNCT-TV is back as the official station of the Pirates. This was huge for me personally. Some of my best memories in Greenville were working with the various coaches on their individual shows.

I’ll get a chance to work with my best friend, Brian Meador, who produces the shows in-house at East Carolina. Meador started with me as an intern in the mid-90’s and we worked together for a number of years at channel 9.

Broadcasting legend Jeff Charles will still host the shows. I’ll get a chance to work with a player each week on a feature for the show. I’m really looking forward to it.

I will also be doing something brand new this season. We are still working on the details, but I’ll be providing in-game reports from the sideline for the scoreboard at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

I have really never seen it before, so I’m a little anxious about the project. Personally I just want to provide a bonus for Pirate fans at the stadium if I can.

Pirate coach Ruffin McNeill was my guest for my first radio show of the 2014 football season on Pirate Radio 1250 and 930.

It’s been a privilege to work with the guys at Pirate Radio for the past 12 years. While others come and go and come again, Pirate Radio has stood the test of time and I look forward to another year on radio.

There was some news from Monday’s practice. Wide receivers Daquan Barnes and Jonathan Stanley will both miss the rest of camp with injuries. Barnes has a bad back and Stanley has a leg injury.

Three players joined the Pirates in camp. Running back Devin Anderson, wide receiver David Kelcy and wide receiver Anthony Russo were added to the 105-man roster to start the week.

Coach Ruff has had a little hop in his step so far, perhaps excited about the prospects of this upcoming season.

“I am very proud of the guys,” said McNeill after Monday’s practice. “I am proud of the way we are attacking the process. The guys are always helping guys along and finishing races and Coach "C" (strength coach Jeff Connors) is very demanding. That's what it's all about. We will keep building on it. We still have a long way to go. It’s drawing near but guys are making progress.”

Maybe McNeill’s great mood is because of the leadership many of his players have shown. This East Carolina team has several players that have taken that role, led by the ‘Captain.’

“I call him (Shane Carden) the Captain for sure,” said McNeill. “In basketball they call it a gym rat. He’s a film rat. He graduated last year just before the bowl game so he’s got his degree. And now he’s helping our younger quarterbacks every practice.”

Or maybe Coach Ruff is just excited to crank it up again, as am I.

BB

E-mail Brian Bailey.