VIEW THE MOBILE ALPHA VERSION OF THIS SITE

SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE
-----

Pirate Notebook No. 279 Monday, August 28, 2006 By Denny O'Brien

A few predictions worth noting

©2006 Bonesville.net
All Rights Reserved.

Unlike the practice employed by most publications, I prefer to wait until August before exposing my preseason predictions. That method has proven to be more bulletproof over the years.

And now that East Carolina has completed its preseason camp and is knee-deep in preparations for the opener, there is enough information to provide a more accurate forecast to the season. Here are a few bold predictions for 2006:

1. A familiar voice returns to host the popular Bud Lite Postgame Call-in Show on Talk 1070. Due to the record-breaking number of callers, Henry Hinton is forced to cancel dinner plans with a well-known D.C. politician in order to extend the show well beyond its normal one hour.
   
   Once again, Hinton finds himself officiating disputes between callers and defending the Pirates' head coach. Too bad the discussion never advances beyond those new Nike duds.
    
2. Fueled by a midweek announcement that American Idol Taylor Hicks will be on hand to belt some halftime tunes, UAB and ECU set a record for tickets sold at Legion Field. But when news spreads that the gray-haired crooner is under the weather, the crowd quickly shrinks to an even 8,000.
   
   The setting is as exciting as the historical series between these two, but it isn't enough to extend the Alabama curse.
    
3. ACC conspiracy theories gain more momentum. And for good reason.
   
   We all know that John Swofford's sole purpose behind expanding the ACC was not to enhance his league's national profile. Far from it. The true agenda behind ACC expansion was the negative repercussions that were certain to be felt at East Carolina.
   
   Look for the ACC to strike a backdoor deal that generates an undesirable time slot for the Pirates' nationally televised home game against West Virginia. Don't be surprised if ECU and WVU tee it up at 10:00 (AM or PM) on ESPNU, while the ACC finagles its way into both the noon and primetime slots on the mother ship.
    
4. The open date is met with the biggest storyline of the season to date. The Greenville community is rocked by news that former athletics director Mike Hamrick has resigned from his post at UNLV and plans to return to Pitt County.
   
   (Note that italics were not used in any way to suggest sarcasm, or that Hamrick would ever need to seek another job out of the insistence of his employer.)
   
   Since the AD business didn't work out, Hamrick decides to launch a new endeavor in which no one can question his expertise. His mail order sweat suit and hair product ventures prove to be an overwhelming success.
    
5. A controversial call will rekindle theories about the unfair treatment ECU has received from Conference USA officials over the years.
   
   In the aftermath, a grassroots investigation uncovers what many have long suspected. C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky and director of football officials Gerald Austin are on Swofford's payroll and for years have played a key role in the ACC's primary initiative, which is the demise of ECU.
    
6. The story of ECU's upset of Virginia is buried on page 17 of the the News & Observer's sports section, adding to suspicion that the paper has been working in cooperation with the ACC on its ambitions to marginalize ECU.
   
   This time the grassroots movement extends beyond the normal barrage of letters to the editor. An attorney and team of investigators are funded by a wealthy East Carolina alum, and a laundry list of charges are filed against both the ACC the N&O.
    
7. Despite desperate pleas from fans, the Pirates welcome the Homecoming crowd by sporting all purple. That propels much of Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium into a somber march towards the Tar River bridge in anticipation of another loss in those hideous Grimace suits.
   
   The parade of plunges is halted when news breaks that the Pirates have a commanding lead over Southern Methodist. The final margin is so impressive that Holtz decides gold tops will soon make a return to the uniform rotation.
    
8. On the eve of the big showdown with N.C. State, Terry Holland and Lee Fowler face off in a one-on-one match in front of a sold-out crowd at Reynolds Coliseum — with the loser forced to serve a one-week sentence as the personal assistant to UNC-Chapel Hill AD Dick Baddour. To make things more interesting, Lefty Drisell mans the Holland sideline, while Sidney Lowe supervises Team Fowler.
   
   (It should be noted that in a month-long search, both Rick Barnes and John Calipari interviewed for the one-game opportunity but respectfully declined — again.)
   
   Trailing by ten at the break, Holland fires the ole Lefthander and takes over the coaching duties himself. The move inspires a Rocky IV moment as Wolfpack Nation switches allegiances and propels a Holland ambush that forces Lowe to toss the white towel.

Send an e-mail message to Denny O'Brien.

Click here to dig into Denny O'Brien's Bonesville archives.

02/23/2007 02:03:17 AM