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BAILEY'S TAKE
ON PIRATE SPORTS
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From the Anchor Desk
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
By Brian Bailey |
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Getting it done with
Bubbas
By
Brian Bailey
©2009 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
Dictionary.com says that
“Bubba” is strictly a
southern term for
brother, usually used by
the younger sibling.
I’ve always thought of a
“Bubba” as a really big,
fun-loving guy. Bubba
Smith was a former star
with the Colts, and was
one of the original
Miller Lite All-Stars in
the commercials. I
believe John Madden also
liked to us the nickname
“Bubba” for lineman from
time to time.
A couple of East
Carolina’s “Bubbas” came
through big time this
past weekend, adding
their own little chapter
to the ECU-Southern Miss
series.
First, big Linval
Joseph, all 6-6, 322
pounds of “Bubba,” dived
in from a yard out for a
touchdown early in the
game. The Pirates were
having trouble earlier
in the year around the
goal line, so in came
Joseph to help clear the
way.
This time, though,
Joseph got to actually
run the football. The
big fella took that
handoff and simply would
not be denied. Touchdown
Pirates!
Joseph looked just like
an original “Bubba,”
William “Refrigerator”
Perry with the Chicago
Bears in the 80’s.
"It was great to see
Joseph go over the top,”
said Pirate coach Skip
Holtz. “I didn't put a
320-pound guy in there
to go over the top, I
kind of wanted him to go
through it. He did a
great job, though.”
Joseph’s touchdown was a
called play. C.J. Wilson
made his own play.
I joked with Coach Holtz
in an earlier press
conference about giving
the ball to Wilson
around the goal line.
Wilson is headed to the
NFL as a defensive end.
In high school, though,
C.J. was an outstanding
tailback at Northside
High School in Beaufort
County.
C.J. Wilson has made
plenty of big plays in
his career at East
Carolina. But he’ll now
be best known for one
long sprint against
Southern Miss.
The Golden Eagles had
just scored a touchdown
and needed a simple
extra point to take a
one-point lead in this
Conference USA East
Division winner-take-all
showdown.
That’s when another
“Bubba” came to the
rescue. Wilson shot his
gap, blocked the extra
point, knocked down the
Golden Eagles holder,
kicked the football
forward, scooped up the
pigskin and ran it all
the way in for two
points for ECU.
Instead of trailing
21-20, the Pirates had a
22-20 lead that they
would never relinquish.
“We had worked on that
all week,” said Wilson.
“I just shot through my
gap and got my hands up.
I like running the ball,
just like in high
school.”
Wilson said the Pirate
masses in Dowdy-Ficklen
Stadium helped him make
it the distance.
“I could hear the crowd
getting louder so I just
kept running,” he said
with a huge grin.
It was ECU's biggest
two-point conversion
since Jeff Blake slipped
through on the option to
beat Pitt way back in
1991!
Speaking of “Bubbas,”
how about some love to
the East Carolina
offensive line. The
Pirates are tied for
third nationally in
sacks allowed this
season. Boise State is
first, Stanford is
second and then East
Carolina is third, tied
with Georgia Tech and
Nevada.
The Pirate offensive
line has given up just
nine sacks in the team’s
twelve games.
Pirates set to host
title tilt
Saturday’s atmosphere
for the East
Carolina-Southern Miss
game was one of the most
electric I can remember.
It was hard to believe
that it was a holiday
weekend, because the
fans came out in force.
Now, the Pirate faithful
will get another chance
to cheer.
"I think hosting this
championship game and to
keep with the momentum
of the program is huge,”
said Coach Holtz.
“That's something the
seniors have looked at
as their legacy. I don't
think there's any doubt
that they left it much
better than they found
it. That's something we
have harped on.”
Just like last year
against Tulsa, the
matchup in the
championship game
features two teams with
very different styles.
Once again, it’s the gun
slinging west against
the blue collar east for
the title.
"This is very similar to
last year's game in a
lot of respects," said
Holtz. "Statistically,
the offenses are very
similar, but the two
styles are very
different. Tulsa ran the
motion and did it all by
formations and gadgets.
Houston is only going to
line up in a couple
formations.
"I don't think Houston
ever sits down and
watches opponents' game
film. Houston can go out
and run its offense on
air. They do what they
do. But yes, the numbers
are very similar to
Tulsa last year."
The game will be
nationally televised on
ESPN2.
Championship Saturday in
college football will
feature a stop in our
neck of the woods for
the first time. It
should truly be
something special.
BB
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Brian Bailey.
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12/01/2009 02:08 AM |
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