BRIAN BAILEY'S TAKE ON PIRATE SPORTS

From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
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By Brian Bailey
WNCT-TV 9 Sports Director

Saying goodbye is never easy

Audio: The Brian Bailey Show
The Brian Bailey Show airs on Pirate Radio 1250 on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. Brian's topic this week was the N.C. High School Athletic Association playoffs: Replay show...
 

MULTIMEDIA

Audio: Coach Ruff Weekly Presser

ECU coach Ruffin McNeill spoke with the media at his weekly press conference on Monday as the Pirates prepare to host Central Florida on Thursday night (courtesy of Pirate Radio 1250): Select clip...

 

American Football Schedule

THURSDAY
   UCF at ECU, 7:30 pm (ESPN)
SATURDAY
   Houston at Cincinnati, 12 pm (ESPN)
   SMU at UConn, 12 pm (CBSSN)
   Temple at Tulane, 7:30 pm (ESPN2)
AAC SCORES >>> ..... | FRIDAY ..... UCF 16, USF 0 (ESPN2) ..... Houston 35, SMU 9 (CBSSN) ..... ECU 49, Tulsa 32 (ESPNU) ..... | SATURDAY ..... Cincinnati 14, Temple 6 (ESPNN) ..... Memphis 41, UConn 10 (ESPNN) ..... | .....
 
 

FOOTBALL

Saying goodbye is never easy

Nineteen East Carolina seniors will dress for the final time at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Thursday night. It’s a stellar group, one that trusted a brand new coach enough to help start his program at his alma mater. ... More from Brian Bailey...

 

BASKETBALL

Ziggy perfect in Pirates win

GREENVILLE — Michel-Ofik "Ziggy" Nzege made all nine of his field goal attempts to score 18 points and lead host East Carolina to a 74-59 win over Central Connecticut State on Sunday afternoon. ... More...
 

FOOTBALL GAME CENTER

EAST CAROLINA 49, TULSA 32

Inside Game Day | Photos... | Post-game Audio...

AAC SCOREBOARD >>> ..... | FRIDAY ..... UCF 16, USF 0 (ESPN2) ..... Houston 35, SMU 9 (CBSSN) ..... ECU 49, Tulsa 32 (ESPNU) ..... | SATURDAY ..... Cincinnati 14, Temple 6 (ESPNN) ..... Memphis 41, UConn 10 (ESPNN) ..... | .....

Pirates overcome Tulsa's emotion

TULSA, OK — Tulsa had the intangibles but East Carolina had the talent in a 49-32 American Athletic Conference win for the Pirates on Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium on Friday night. ... More from Al Myatt...

View Al Myatt's game day photo gallery...

Ruff post-game audio

ECU coach Ruffin McNeill spoke with the news media after the Pirates defeated Tulsa on Friday night (recorded by Al Myatt): Select audio clip...

 

FOOTBALL

Kevin's Keys to the Game

East Carolina and Tulsa will face off tonight in an American Athletic Conference contest. ECU enters this game 7-3 against a 2-9 Golden Hurricane team. ... More from Kevin Monroe...
 

FOOTBALL

Familiar Foes Tangle

Familiar foes clash in the 12th meeting between Tulsa and East Carolina. The Pirates lead the series 6-5-0. East Carolina has won the last four meetings, including a 58-24 home victory last year. ... More from Greg Vacek...
 

FOOTBALL

Ruffin and stuffin'

Al MyattEast Carolina's football team observed Thanksgiving on Wednesday and will fly to Tulsa today for an American Athletic Conference game with the Golden Hurricane at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time on Friday. The contest may be seen on ESPNU. ... More from Al Myatt...
 

BASKETBALL

Hawaii edges East Carolina

ESTERO, FL — East Carolina overcame an 11-point second half deficit to lead Hawaii with 8:18 left in the fifth-place game in the Gulf Coast Showcase on Wednesday before the Rainbow Warriors responded with a 14-3 run en route to a 75-73 win over the Pirates. ... More...
 

BASKETBALL

Tyson helps ECU hold off Fresno

ESTERO, FL — Freshman guard B.J. Tyson scored East Carolina's last eight points, including all six of his free throw attempts down the stretch, as the Pirates held off Fresno State for a 58-52 win in the Gulf Coast Showcase on Tuesday afternoon. ... More...

 

FOOTBALL

Justin Hardy: A player for the ages

What a thrill it was to be on the sideline on Saturday when Justin Hardy set the all-time NCAA FBS record for career receptions. The former West Craven standout needed just four catches to break the all-time mark. ... More from Brian Bailey...

Audio: The Brian Bailey Show
The Brian Bailey Show airs on Pirate Radio 1250 on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. Brian's guest this week was ECU director of high school relations Harold Robinson: Replay show...
 
 

By Brian Bailey
©2014 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.

View ECU's 2014 football schedule

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Nineteen East Carolina seniors will dress for the final time at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium on Thursday night.

It’s a stellar group, one that trusted a brand new coach enough to help start his program at his alma mater.

It’s a special group to Pirate head coach Ruffin McNeill in a number of ways.

“You know how much I care about the kids, how much I fight for them and how much they fight for me,” the ECU coach remarked when asked about his seniors at his weekly news conference.

“It’s a two-way street," said McNeill. "It’s not just me. I love coaching with them and coaching for them. These guys have done everything I ask. They’re my sons and it’s not lip service. I love them more as people than I do inside their uniforms. I love those kids personally.”

McNeill says he doesn’t want any of his seniors to mask their emotions on Senior Night. Shane Carden says that won’t be a problem.

“Sure it’s going to be emotional,” said the Pirate quarterback. “It’s really starting to hit me and I know I will be emotional.”

I’ve seen many a senior say goodbye to the Pirate Nation. Rarely have I seen a group that truly loves their university and their coach like this group does.

Ruffin McNeill has preached about a family atmosphere from day one. Five years of this consistent philosophy is the proof in the pudding. These aren’t only Pirate seniors, they are Pirates for life.

“With these seniors, I can identify with exactly what they’re going through,” said McNeill. “I’ve gone through the exact same thing and I know what’s going through their minds. There is going to be some emotion with these guys. I’m not going to hide it or ask them to suppress it. I want them to enjoy it. They will handle it well.

"I’m looking forward to hugging each one as they come out (of the tunnel) and meet their parents at midfield in front of Pirate Nation for their last time at Dowdy-Ficklen.”

After the seniors are honored, East Carolina once again takes to the ESPN stage for Thursday night football.

UCF has a championship to play for, so pardon the Knights if they don’t get all emotional for the Pirate seniors.

“We know we’re facing a really good football team in Central Florida, too,” said McNeill. “It will definitely be a big-boy pad day. George (O’Leary) has built that program where they win consistently. You watch them on film, defensively, and they’re one of the best in the conference. Offensively, they do a good job of moving the ball. They’re solid all across the board.”

UCF rolls into town on a three game winning streak. In wins over Tulsa, Southern Methodist and South Florida the Knights have outscored the opposition 100-14.

The Knights also have this stat in their favor. UCF has won 24 consecutive games that have kicked off at 3 p.m. or later. Thursday night’s kick-off is at 7:30.

I personally look forward to seeing Shane, Justin Hardy and the rest of this senior class honored before the game. I’m betting dry eyes will be hard to come by.

This is a special group and one that Coach Ruff can always look back on as the building blocks that his program was established on.

Hopefully the Pirate Nation will also be out in force to thank this group for the magic that is college football in Greenville, NC.

BB

E-mail Brian Bailey.

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12/10/2014 05:19 AM
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