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 ]
Recent News & Features
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)
Basketball News
Pirates overtake Appalachian State
GREENVILLE — East Carolina overcame a 13-point deficit in the second half for an 83-81 win over Appalachian State in Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum on Friday night. Jayden Gardner had 22 points and 11 rebounds for ECU (5-4). Seth Leday had 18 points and nine rebounds. A tip-in by LeDay gave the Pirates an… [ Continue Reading ]
Al Myatt & Kevin Monroe Audio Feature
Bonesville Pregame
Join Al Myatt and Kevin Monroe for the Bonesville Pregame Podcast as East Carolina prepares for a noon kickoff against in-state rival N.C. State at Carter-Finley Stadium. The duo analyze the Pirates and their opponent ahead of kickoff each week. With decades of experience as a sports journalist, Myatt has been an anchor columnist for Bonesville… [ Continue Reading ]
Special Feature
Game Day Weather
East Carolina visits N.C. State for a noon kickoff today. The forecast is calling for a temperature of 59 degrees with 72 percent humidity, a zero percent chance of precipitation and wind out of the southeast at two miles per hour at the start of the nonconference contest. By game’s end the temperature is expected… [ Continue Reading ]