The guys from the Sports Blast caught up with Buz McKim a couple weeks back to discuss the incoming class at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. CHECK OUT the interview here: https://soundcloud.com/bighal/sports-blast-buz-mckim-nascar-hof
Join the Sports Blast every Monday night at 6:00 pm on Sunny 94.3 FM and AM1490 Fayetteville NC
Talking Sports for the last 13 years.
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Brett Friedlander: @StarNewsACC Don Koonce @DKSportsMedia BigHal Nunn @bighalnunn
158 media members gathered at Pinehurst Resort this past weekend with players and coaches present from all 14 members teams. Eric MacLain formerly of Jack Britt High was present and now he is an offensive lineman for the Clemson Tigers! and a BIG ONE !! MacLain said he added 60 lbs to bulk up for his new role. He is now 305 lbs and it looks to be all muscle. He said he was eating 6 times a day. Whole grains, pasta’s and going crazy in the weight room. He also said going back home to the Jack Britt area has changed a lot even the art on the field at the Bone Yard has changed. His goal this year is to be the outright starter on the team, a vocal leader, all academic acc and to be the best o-linemen in the country.
HERE IS THE Preseason Media POLL
ATLANTIC DIVISION
1. Clemson 2. Florida State 3. Louisville 4. NC State 5. Boston College 6. Syracuse 7. Wake Forest
COASTAL DIVISION
1. Georgia Tech 2. Virginia tech 3. Miami 4. Duke 5. UNC 6. Pittsburgh 7. Wake Forest
CLEMSON was picked overall to win the ACC
On the Monday April 20, 2015 Sports Blast, Brett Friedlander, Don Koonce and Hal Nunn interviewed former South View Tiger Jonathan Hannah on the sudden passing of Tigers Head Football Coach Randy Ledford. Here is that interview and our Thoughts and Prayers go out to the Ledford Family and South View Tigers family. Catch the Sports Blast every Monday at 6:00 p.m. on Sunny 94.3 Fm and AM1490 Fayetteville NC a Beasley Broadcasting Station. (The Sports Blast will be celebrating 13 years on the air-Formerly The Press Box with Brett and the Bad Boy, Allen Smothers)
Here is AUDIO LINK: https://soundcloud.com/bighal/sports-blast-interview-with-jonathan-hannah-on-passing-of-randy-leford
The Fayetteville Fireantz are members of the SPHL and play their homes games in the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville. Check them out here: http://www.fireantzhockey.com 
The Sports Blast radio show is moving to 6-8 pm effective November 3, 2014.
With growth comes change.
We are in our 13th year of local sports talk and we are now SIMULCAST on SUNNY 94.3 FM and AM1490 WAZZ !
Coming soon live streaming and podcasts.
Give a Listen and enjoy LIFE ! LISTEN TO SPORTS RADIO !!
CHECK OUT Brett Friedlanders story right here from Star-News Wilmington CLICK > NC State 41 Florida State 56
Photo’s By Hal Nunn
Follow ACC Insider Brett Friedlander here:
STORY: http://acc.blogs.starnewsonline.com/43538/warrior-byrd-comes-flying-to-the-rescue-for-wolfpack/
BLOG: http://acc.blogs.starnewsonline.com/
NC State 24 Georgia Southern 23
Photo’s By Hal Nunn
Follow Brett Friedlanders BLOG Click Here > ACC Star News Blog
Coach: Dave Doeren (2nd season)
2013 record: (3-9, 0-8 AAC)
Postseason: Did Not Qualify
Returning starters (Offense 7, Defense 7, Specialists 2): Shadrach Thornton, 6-1, 207, Jr., RB; Tyler Purvis, 6-2, 226, Sr., FB; David J. Grinnage, 6-5, 273, Soph, TE; Tyson Chandler, 6-7, 354, Sr., OT; Joe Thuney, 6-5, 285, OG, Jr.; Alex Barr, 6-7, 322, Jr., OG; Quinton Schooley, 6-4, 301, Jr., C; Art Norman, 6-0, 252, Sr., DE; Thomas Teal, 6-1, 308, Sr., DT; Monty Nelson, 6-2, 313, Soph., DT; Brandon Pittman, 6-2, 218, Sr., LB; Juston Burris, 6-1, 207, Jr., CB; Jack Tocho, 6-1, 196, Soph., CB; Hakim Jones, 6-2, 198, Sr., S; Niklas Sade, 6-3, 199, Sr., PK; Wil Baumann, 6-6, 197, Sr. P.
Others to watch: Jacoby Brissett, 6-4, 236, Jr., QB; Tony Creecy, 5-11, 215. Sr. RB.; Matt Dayes, 5-9, 202, Soph., RB; Bryan Underwood, 5-9, 179, Sr., WR; Marquez Valdez-Scantling, 6-3, 203, Soph., WR; Johnathan Alston, 6-0, 206, Soph., WR; Bo Hines, 6-1, 190, Fr., WR; Soph.; Bra’Lon Cherry, 5-11, 187, Soph., WR; Rob Crisp, 6-7, 285, Sr., OT; Tony Adams, 6-2, 301, Fr., OG; T.Y. McGill,6-1, 289, Sr., DT; B.J. Hill, 6-4, 300, Fr., DT; Mike Rose, 6-3, 271, Jr., DE; Kentavius Street, 6-2, 287, Fr., DE; Pharoah McKever, 6-6, 256, R-Fr., DE; Rodman Noel, 6-4, 223, Sr., LB; Jerod Fernandez, 6-0, 224, R-Fr, LB; Airius Moore, 6-0, 220, Fr., LB; Josh Jones, 6-2, 212, R-Fr., S; Jarvis Byrd, 5-10, 190, R-Sr., S; Tim Buckley, 6-0, 197, Jr., S.
Starters lost: Brandon Mitchell, QB; Quintin Payton,WR; Rashard Smith, WR; Duran Christophe, OG; Darryl Cato-Bishop, DE; Robert Caldwell, LB; D.J. Green, LB; Dontae Johnson, CB.
Preseason prediction: 5th, Atlantic Division
Outlook: Sometimes you have to tear the old building down before constructing a new one on the same site. In essence, that’s what N.C. State did last year in its first season under coach Dave Doeren.
Granted, the demolition was a lot more extensive than anyone expected, resulting in the Wolfpack’s first winless ACC season since 1959. The resulting silver lining is an almost complete roster turnover that will allow Doeren and his staff to get more of their own players onto the field now that the rebuilding process has begun..
A full 70 percent of this year’s team are freshmen, redshirt freshmen or sophomores, many of which are already either starting or on the preseason two-deep. But while immediate contributors such as WR Bo Hines, OT Tony Adams, DE Kentavius Street and LB Jerod Fernandez provide hope for the future, it’s another more experienced newcomer that will have the biggest impact on whatever improvement State makes in 2014.
Florida transfer Jacoby Brissett has been the heir apparent to the Wolfpack’s tradition of top QBs since the day he arrived on campus. The junior gave a glimpse of his ability by throwing for 365 yards and two touchdowns in last year’s Kay Yow Spring Game. Now that he’s finally eligible after sitting out his transfer season, Brissett can’t help but improve a passing game that accounted for 15 interceptions and only 14 TDs a season ago.
Brissett’s receiving corps will be young, but there’s some proven talent there in senior Bryan Underwood and a group of promising sophomores – led by Marquez Valdez-Scantling. The RB position is solid with three experienced runners, especially if junior Shadrach Thornton can stay out of trouble and in the lineup. Up front, Brissett will also benefit from the return of oft-injured tackle Rob Crisp along with four other veteran starters.
Defensively, the Wolfpack has a chance to be solid up front with Street joining holdover DTs Thomas Teal and T.Y. McGill and DEs Art Norman and Mike Rose. Although the LB corps took a hit with a season-ending injury to promising M.J. Salahuddin, the secondary has a chance to be improved with youngsters such as CB Jack Tocho and S Hakim Jones benefiting from the experience they got last season.
For the fourth straight year, State’s special teams are in capable hands with Wilmington’s Wil Baumann doing the punting and Niklas Sade handling the placekicking chores.
Quotable quote: “We won three games, so we have no choice but to go up. We have a great quarterback in Jacoby Brissett. Not to take anything away from the last two quarterbacks, but Jacoby Brissett is a really good quarterback and also a really good leader.” Senior running back Tony Creecy.
That having been said, the depth of last season’s struggles makes it possible for State to take a noticeable step forward in 2014. Although Doeren’s rebuilding process is still only in the early stages, six wins and a return to bowl eligibility are not unreasonable goals if all goes well.
NC State Athletics Dedicates New Indoor Practice Facility
School announces building to be named for alums Close and King
Raleigh, N.C. — A ceremony to dedicate the Wolfpack’s new state-of-the-art indoor practice facility was held on the construction site adjacent to Carter-Finley Stadium today. The facility will benefit football, track and field, and other field sports, and is scheduled for completion next spring.
The ceremony featured remarks from Chancellor Randy Woodson, Director of Athletics Debbie Yow, head football coach Dave Doeren and Executive Director of the Wolfpack Club, Bobby Purcell.
It was announced that the facility will be named the Close-King Indoor Practice Facility in honor of NC State alums Derick S. Close (’82) and James S. King (’62), who donated the lead gifts for the project. Close and King currently serve on the Wolfpack Club Board of Directors, while King is a past president of that board. Close previously served as chairman of the Goal Line Drive Campaign that raised funds for the Murphy Center and the South End Zone project. King served on the Construction Oversight Committee that help facilitate the construction of the Murphy Center, Vaughn Towers and the North End Zone addition.
“Derick Close and Jim King have been great leaders and contributors to NC State Athletics for decades,” said Purcell. “Their generosity has provided scholarship opportunities for countless student-athletes and now their generosity is helping make this new Indoor Practice Facility a reality.”
Those individuals, along with the 2014 football team’s 27-member Leadership Council, participated in the ceremonial “official dig.”
The privately-funded $17.2 million facility will boast a full, 120-yard football field with a roof height sufficient for kicking game and suspended goal posts. There will be additional training and conditioning space beyond both end zones and four sprint lanes down the full length of the field.
Other features include an in-ground and above-ground pads for long jump, triple jump, high jump and other track events, end zone and 50-yardline viewing platforms, clerestory windows and glass roll-up doors to allow natural daylight, a complete sound system, and support areas for equipment, strength and conditioning and sports medicine.
FOR THE LATEST ON NC STATE, Listen to The Sports Blast every Monday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 p.m. on AM1490 WAZZ Fayetteville, NC a Beasley Broadcasting Station. #GoPack
The 2014 ACC Football Kickoff was held today at Grandover Resort in Greensboro NC. Welcome to the ACC Louisville and returning National Champs Florida State !! Check out these pics from The Sports Blast on radio row and follow Brett Friedlander on Twitter @StarNewsACC and BigHal on Twitter @BigHalNunn
Listen to The Sports Blast every Monday 4-6 pm on AM1490 WAZZ Fayetteville NC
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