BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
By Brian Bailey |
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Dr. Jekyll, meet Mr.
Hyde
By
Brian Bailey
©2008 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
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You just never know what
you’re going to get in
college football these
days.
Take East Carolina. The
Pirates were world
beaters for two weeks.
Since then ECU has a win
over Tulane and back to
back losses to N.C.
State and Houston.
East Carolina came from
behind to get past a
Green Wave team that
Army destroyed this past
weekend. Houston was
just 1-3 when the
Cougars came to
Greenville and took out
their frustrations on
the Pirates.
You just never know.
Take Virginia. The
Cavaliers were blown out
by Southern Cal in week
one, which was pretty
much expected. Then Duke
lays a beat-down on the
Cavs to the tune of a
31-3 pasting.
Maryland then traveled
to Charlottesville with
the momentum of a win
over Clemson in Death
Valley. The Terps were
talking ACC title.
That’s when Virginia
came to life, and
pounded the Turtles 31-0
this past Saturday
night.
You just never know.
Will you get Dr. Jekyll
or will it be Mr. Hyde?
Pirate coach Skip Holtz
knows first-hand that
the saying “any given
Saturday” is ringing
especially true this
football season.
“There is a tremendous
amount of parity in
college football,” said
Holtz. “It’s difficult,
but the team that can
stay focused and
concentrate on the task
at hand is the team that
will have the most
success.”
Most great teams get
better as the season
continues. Sure,
mistakes are made, but
the teams that adjust
and learn from those
mistakes are the teams
ready to play for
championships in
November.
Holtz knows his team is
not following the
winning formula, at
least not yet.
"I don't think we're
playing as well in the
fifth game as we did in
the first two. I don't
think we're playing at
that same level," said
Holtz. "It's very hard
to put a finger on
exactly why.
"I don't think we're as
together as a football
team as we need to be
right now. That's
something that we've
talked about. I'm very
honest with them. I'm
not a bag of tricks guy
to try and motivate
them. I'm very honest
with them and I think we
have to go back to
holding everybody
accountable, from
coaches to players to
being productive.”
You get the feeling that
UVa coach Al Groh and
the Cavaliers had that
same attitude after
their loss to Duke.
Homecoming for Holland
East Carolina athletic
director Terry Holland
spent most of his career
on some part of the
University of Virginia
campus.
Holland was Virginia’s
basketball coach from
1974-1990, leading the
Cavaliers to a pair of
Final Four appearances.
He is the school’s
winningest basketball
coach with a record of
326-173.
Holland also spent six
years as the AD at UVa.
He was the major force
behind the fundraising
campaign that helped to
build the $86 million
expansion of Scott
Stadium and the Carl
Smith Center.
Holland looks forward to
his trip back to
Charlottesville this
weekend.
“The main thing for us
is to leave there with a
win,” said Holland. “I
can assure you that the
Virginia people feel the
same way. They weren’t
very happy about
losing down here
two years ago.
"It’s just part of the
game. You’re always
playing against people
you like and respect,
but you really want to
like them and respect
them more after you
win.”
Holland says Virginia
was ranked 6th
nationally when the
Cavaliers agreed to play
East Carolina in this
series.
“This is brother against
brother, and friend
against friend,” said
Holland. “Both teams
need to win this game
very badly, and that’ll
certainly be the focus.”
Coach Holtz says the
matchup with Virginia is
another highlight of the
Pirates' non-conference
schedule.
“This is a great game
for us,” said Holtz.
“Just like the other
three games against BCS
teams, this is a great
opportunity for our
football team.”
Maybe the Pirates will
leave Mr. Hyde in
Greenville this week.
BB
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10/07/2008 01:39:25 AM |