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BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the Anchor Desk
Thursday, August 7, 2008
By Brian Bailey |
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The swagger is back
By
Brian Bailey
©2008 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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It all started with such
a fury. The East
Carolina football squad
arrived a few days ago,
checked in, practiced,
slept and then awoke for
media day to kick off
the 2008 football
season.
It’s hard to believe
that the regular season
is just over three weeks
away.
The biggest thing I
noticed at last
Saturday's media day was
the quiet confidence
coming from Coach Skip
Holtz and from many of
his players.
It was much different
last year, when there
was so much inexperience
all around. Remember,
last year’s Pirate team
was a 28-point underdog
to Virginia Tech in
Blacksburg. That squad
played a great game,
especially on defense.
That success paid
dividends throughout the
rest of the season.
“A year ago we had so
many unknowns,” said
Holtz. “We came in with
a couple of
quarterbacks, none of
which had taken a snap.
You had a bunch of
defensive backs, none of
which had played a snap.
"You had Chris Johnson –
you knew he had a ton of
potential, but he had
yet to have that
breakout year. There
were just so many
unknowns.”
Things are so much
different in 2008, and
the coach is quick to
point out the positives.
“This year we have two
quarterbacks with a lot
of experience," said
Holtz. "You have six or
seven secondary players
that have all played.
You have three
linebackers who have all
started. You’ve got five
offensive linemen that
have all been in the
mix.”
On Tuesday, the Pirates
practiced for the first
time in full pads. The
temperature was 98
degrees that afternoon,
and had to be close to
95 at 5:30 that
afternoon when I
arrived.
Working in the heat has
always paid dividends
for this Pirate squad.
It will certainly pay
off again this year.
“It could be this hot on
August 30th against
Virginia Tech in
Charlotte,” said
quarterback Patrick
Pinkney. “We know that
we have to be ready for
it.”
I don’t think there is
any doubt that the
Pirates will be ready
for the heat. While the
first day in pads wasn’t
a masterpiece of a
practice, it was
certainly solid,
especially for the
defense.
“I thought we worked
really hard,” said Zack
Slate with the sweat
dripping down. “Nobody
is really in a great
mood, with the start of
camp and the heat and
all. It’s really just
part of it.”
I wrote last year about
Coach Holtz speaking to
his team on the field in
Blacksburg. The emotions
were certainly flowing
as Holtz told his team
that they certainly
belonged on that stage.
He told them to look
around, to be
disappointed with the
loss, but to understand
that this program
belongs on the same
field with any team in
the country.
That’s the attitude that
this program needs.
That’s the attitude that
every successful
football team in East
Carolina’s history has
had.
This program always
plays better with a chip
on its shoulder.
That chip is back.
Isn’t it great to be
talking football again!
BB
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08/07/2008 01:20:59 AM |
