The East Carolina basketball team is in the midst of an extended break. The Pirates downed visiting Maryland Eastern Shore, 70-47, on Dec. 2 and won’t return to action until taking on host Charlotte on Dec.18. “Obviously, we had exams mixed in this deal,” ECU coach Joe Dooley said. “There’s a million things we need… [ Continue Reading ]
Recent News & Features
The Bradsher Beat
Pirate Nation’s Top Ten List for 2018
As I see it, the perfect antidote for the post-Christmas letdown during the last week of the calendar year is taking in all of the “Year In Review” articles and specials. I never tire of the retrospectives, lists and highlight reels reviewing the year that was. I like those features so much, in fact, that… [ Continue Reading ]
From the Anchor Desk
The boys are back in town
Rock band Thin Lizzy had a hit song in the mid ‘70s with “The Boys are Back in Town.” The band certainly wasn’t talking about coaches returning with the hit, but that’s what it feels like at East Carolina. New ECU coach Mike Houston has made Donnie Kirkpatrick, Steve Shankweiler and Dale Steele part of his… [ Continue Reading ]
Insights from Brett
Eventful week restores stability, optimism at ECU
Figuratively speaking, East Carolina hit both the PowerBall and MegaMillions jackpots this week with the twin hirings of athletic director Jon Gilbert and football coach Mike Houston. Just three days later, the Pirates came into an actual financial windfall with the announcement of a $20 million cash infusion into the school’s athletic budget. Ten million… [ Continue Reading ]
VIEW FROM THE EAST
Hart helps Pirate ship change tack
Dave Hart will leave East Carolina in better shape than he found it earlier this year when he returned to the program as special athletics advisor to Dr. Cecil Staton, ECU chancellor. The Pirate ship has been listing in a sea of red ink. Jeff Compher’s biggest move as athletic director, the firing of Ruffin… [ Continue Reading ]
Football Recruiting
Big defensive end’s long journey stops at ECU
Sometimes the toughest journeys result in the greatest reward. The road Hozey Haji-Badri traveled to a scholarship offer to play football for East Carolina certainly fits that scenario. A 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive end from Chantilly, VA, Haji-Badri made a verbal commitment to the ECU recruiting Class of 2019 on November 19 after also considering offers… [ Continue Reading ]
From the Anchor Desk
Houston takes command with authority
Mike Houston looks like he was chiseled into a likeness of Knute Rockne. Early word is that his pregame speeches are even better than ‘Win one for the Gipper.’ Houston agreed to become East Carolina’s 22nd football coach on Sunday afternoon. By Monday he was in Greenville meeting with the Pirate football team and selected… [ Continue Reading ]
The Bradsher Beat
Pirate Nation begins trek out of ‘wilderness’
East Carolina Board of Trustees Chairman Kieran Shanahan described the place the Pirate faithful have been inhabiting this fall as “the wilderness,” and that seems accurate if that wilderness is also dry and sweltering like a desert. Fans in the Pirate Nation have been trudging along, thirsty and scorched, suffering a glut of disappointments, wondering… [ Continue Reading ]
Insights from Brett
Dual hirings don’t mean overnight turnaround
It took awhile to happen, but once the dominoes finally began to fall, they all came down in a hurry. First came the emergency meeting of East Carolina’s Board of Trustees last Wednesday, followed in rapid succession by the announcement a day later that Scottie Montgomery had been fired, effective immediately, as the Pirates’ football… [ Continue Reading ]
Basketball News
Pirates turn back Maryland Eastern Shore
GREENVILLE — East Carolina moved out to a 42-21 lead at the half and got 22 points from freshman Jayden Gardner in defeating Maryland-Eastern Shore, 70-47, in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on Sunday. The Pirates got 10 points each from Shawn Williams, Seth LeDay and K.J. Davis in improving to 6-4 with their second… [ Continue Reading ]
Inside Game Day
Quarterback continuity powers Wolfpack
RALEIGH — Ryan Finley finished his career at N.C. State 1-1 against East Carolina, the win coming Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium in dominating fashion, 58-3, as the transfer from Boise State completed 32 of 44 passes for 409 yards and three touchdowns. Finley threw a rare interception to Daniel Charles late in the first half… [ Continue Reading ]
Special Photo Feature
Game Day Gallery
Bonesville’s Al Myatt roamed the Carter-Finley Stadium sidelines with his camera during East Carolina’s loss to N.C. State on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018. Myatt captured this curated collection of action shots and other candid photos. (Click any image for expanded view, caption & slide show.) (Click any image for expanded view, caption & slide show.)
Audio Feature
Coach Blackwell Postgame
East Carolina interim coach David Blackwell spoke with reporters after the Pirates were defeated by N.C. State on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018, at Carter-Finley Stadium. (Recorded by Al Myatt)