Nice video by East Carolina University Athletic Director Terry Holland about Pirateland (via @Elector) .
Digital musings made without definite aim, reason, or pattern.
Nice video by East Carolina University Athletic Director Terry Holland about Pirateland (via @Elector) .
Best headline and the best story I read on the ECU-N.C. State game this morning is that of Lenox Rawlings in the Winston-Salem Journal: Dancing dork: McNeill gets a chance to celebrate in fine style.
Because CBS was quickly switching to the SMU-Navy game, they didn't show ECU coach Ruffin McNeill dancing in a post-game victory celebration for the 33-27 OT win over N.C. State in Greenville. I hope somebody posts YouTube video.
With rapper DJ Khaled’s hit All I Do Is Win blaring throughout the stadium, McNeill faced the folks behind his bench — easily 20,000 on that side — and raised his arms. He shook his ample torso, stepping and smiling and bobbing his head. As the song ended, he pointed at different people and put his right hand over his heart.
McNeill attributed his performance to daughter Olivia, a junior at Appalachian State.“She taught me how to do it during the summer,” he said. “I don’t do it very well. She’ll probably call me a dork, which I probably am.”
McNeill can't miss as C-USA coach of the year and ECU has to be among the most entertaining teams on the college football landscape this year with a hall mary pass to over Tulsa, a 44-43 wild win at Southern Miss and now the overtime win on an interception against N.C. State. What's next?
Keep dancin' Ruff!
Photo from the Raleigh News and Observer.
Love this quote from Ruffin McNeill following the 44-43 win over Southern Miss. in the post-game on-field interview with the CSS sideline reporter. He coaches with emotion.
Pirates first-year coach Ruffin McNeill was crying at midfield afterward.
"We've faced adversity all year," he said in a TV interview. "The last two games were pretty tough on us, we learned a lot about ourselves
"I'm so happy for the kids. It's not about me. I get emotional for them. When we got down, on the sideline, everybody was cheering for each other. That's what it's about. Trust and caring. That's what won tonight."
Photo: East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill yells to get the attention of his offense during a timeout in the first quarter of a NCAA college football game against Southern Mississippi Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010 in Hattiesburg, Miss. (AP Photo / Steve Coleman)
(Pat) Dye was asked what advice he might give McNeill as the Pirates set to embark on another trip to Chapel Hill for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday.
"He knows how to get ready to play them people," Dye said. "You ain't got to give 'em no famous locker room speeches to get 'em ready to play against Carolina. All you got to do is get 'em to the game. If you do any more than that, then you're probably doing too much."
Pat Dye was one of the most colorful coaches ever at ECU. He was the master at motivating his team as the "skinny legged kids" from down East. He gives a great recounting of the UNC-ECU games during his years in this piece. This won't be the greatest year of the rivalry with ECU in a rebuilding year and UNC dealing with "Agentgate," but I don't think that will matter much on the field. As Dye says, all you need to do is "get 'em to the game."
