Coach Jim Grobe put Wake Forest football on the map. While these are no longer the days of people painting “Wake zero” on I-40 signs, the Deacons record this year might not show it. Grobe gets the best out of his players but this year’s team is not as good as last year’s team which went just 5-7.

Without four-year starting QB Riley Skinner and without three excellent offensive linemen who graduated, the Deacons will struggle to score enough points to overcome an average-at-best defense which is thought to be soft up the middle. On offense, Cary’s Josh Adams will have a lot of chances to carry the ball as the Deacs focus more on the ground game and less on the passing game. A lot will rely on him.

Wake will be in a lot of games and can reach five wins but, again, the Deacs aren’t as good as last year’s team that won five. It will be a frustrating season but then again expectations are low. Only Virginia and possibly Maryland can rival the Deacons as the worst team in the conference this year. While all six of the home games are winnable, I’m picking Wake to win only two of them and to win only one on the road.

The Deacs hit a temporary bump in the road this year and finish at 3-9.

Here’s a game-by-game breakdown:

Sept. 2, Presbyterian: Against the Demon Deacons, Presbyterian doesn’t have a prayer.

Sept. 11, Duke: Wake has a couple of extra days to prepare for the Blue Devils and this should be a close one. But Wake is on the way down and Duke is on the way up. Devils by a field goal.

Sept. 18, at Stanford: Stanford is still fuming about losing a 14-point lead to Wake last year and about a controversial clipping call that negated a chance to take the lead. Stanford won’t let this one slip away at home. Stanford.

Sept. 25, at Florida State: Florida State is perhaps the best team in the ACC and Wake could be the worst or next to worst to Virginia. Easy win for the Seminoles.

Oct. 2, Georgia Tech: Georgia Tech should be beatable this year but they are still a bit better than Wake, even on the road. While the Deacons very well could win, the edge goes to Georgia Tech.

Oct. 9, Navy: We’ll see a lot of a good Navy team as the Midshipmen play three ACC teams and ECU. Wake Forest lost a heartbreaker in Annapolis last year and will want revenge. Both teams play the option so they each get a lot of practice against it. By now, the Deacs are adjusting to life without Skinner. Wake Forest gets a break or two and upsets Navy at home for the second victory of the season.

Oct. 16, at Virginia Tech: Again, the argument could be made that the Hokies are perhaps the best team in the ACC. Easy win for Virginia Tech.

Oct. 30, at Maryland: The Terrapins aren’t very good but they are at home and they should have enough to eek by Wake Forest. Terrapins by less than a touchdown.

Nov. 6, Boston College: Wake Forest really should have beaten BC in Chestnut Hill last year but fell in overtime. The Deacons are still stinging from this loss. Will Wake Forest let this one slip away at home? Sorry, but yes. It’s a good game but BC pulls it out again.

Nov. 13, at N.C. State: The Wolfpack better win this one or there might be another coaching search in Raleigh at the end of the season. State wins going away.

Nov. 20, Clemson: Clemson is only average this year and if the season has gone south for them, they could be demoralized and the Deacs could win in their last home game. As in other games, the Deacons will hang in there but come up short. Tigers hold on.

Nov. 27, at Vanderbilt: Vanderbilt’s program has had a lot of turmoil and is coming off a very poor season. Wake Forest should spill out a lot of built up frustration and whip the Commodores.

That makes the season prediction 3-9.

If Wake finds someone to take Skinner’s place adequately and the Deacs’ offensive line matures quickly, Wake Forest could match last year’s disappointing 5-7 record. That record wouldn’t be disappointing this year.

While I have a lot of faith in Grobe, I don’t have a lot of faith in his horses, who ride into the sunset with a 3-9 record.

Former UNC and Washington Redskins star Chris Hanburger, now 69 years old, has been approved for induction in the the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio by the Hall’s senior committee. It will come up for a full vote in February.

Hanburger was one of Carolina’s first great linebackers. He starred for the Heels from 1962-64 and led them to an ACC championship and a Gator Bowl win during the 1963 season. He also played center on offense. He was named to the All-ACC team both his junior and senior seasons.

Hanburger, who majored in history, now spends much of his time reading books about American history and says he doesn’t keep up with pro football much because it just doesn’t interest him.

Hanburger played with the Redskins his entire pro career from 1965-78 and was named to nine Pro Bowl teams including in 1972 when he was also chosen as the NFC defensive player of the year. In the off season, he worked at Ford car dealerships and eventually owned one himself.

Hanburger, the defensive captain, was known for his hard hits and playing through pain. He played in 135 consecutive games for the Redskins. He mastered the art of the clothesline tackle, which is no longer legal in the NFL. He sidelined many a runningback and receiver by sticking that immovable arm around their neck. Before it incurred a penalty, it was fun to watch.

No. 55 was honored in 2002 as one of the 70 greatest Washington Redskins players of all time.

East Carolina is coming off perhaps its best three-year run but with Coach Skip Holtz and 28 seniors gone, and with only eight starters returning, and with a very tough schedule, this is going to be a down year.

New coach Ruffin McNeill wants to play a more wide-open, pass-happy game and that will take time to put in place. While there is some good talent on offense and special teams that should keep them competitive, the defense looks shaky.

If ECU could get to six wins, McNeill should get coach of the year consideration in Conference USA. While five wins is doable, 4-8 is more likely not only because of the tough opponents but when the games are played. Two conference games and two away games against strong ACC teams is not how you’d like to start a new regime.

Here’s a game-by-game breakdown:

Sept. 5, Tulsa: A conference game to start… at least it’s at home. Tulsa is coming off a 5-7 season and will be better this year. If Holtz were still there, I’d give this one to ECU but you have to think there will be growing pains early in Greenville. Tulsa.

Sept. 11, Memphis: This could be the most important game of the year, especially if ECU loses to Tulsa. These teams are evenly matched even though Memphis was only 2-10 last year. Being at home against a slightly inferior opponent and having a game under their belts, East Carolina should come out on top.

Sept. 18, at Virginia Tech: The Hokies are favorites to win the ACC and if QB Tyrod Taylor improves a good bit, they could be in the national championship talk at the end of the year. While this is an away game for ECU, it wouldn’t matter where it is played. Virginia Tech in a blowout.

Oct. 2, at North Carolina: ECU would dearly love to win this game, and if emotion alone could win at game, this would be it. And who knows what Carolina’s state of mind will be after tough games against LSU and Georgia Tech. But the game is in Chapel Hill and the Tar Heels have too much talent. UNC.

Oct. 9, at Southern Miss: Southern Miss is a Conference USA East favorite. They have one of the better defenses around, with almost everybody back. This shouldn’t be close. Golden Eagles.

Oct. 16, N.C. State: Tom O’Brien beat Skip Holtz twice and he can beat a first-year coach. ECU will fight hard at home against a hated in-state rival. But… the Pack. That leaves the mid-year record at 1-5.

Oct. 23, Marshall: With four straight losses and possibly only one win on the season, ECU fans will be singing Waylon Jennings – “This is gettin’ funny but there ain’t nobody laughin’.” Marshall is coming off a winning season where they went to a bowl but they have a new coach too and this game is at East Carolina. ECU will be hungry and, especially at home, wanting to show they are better than their record. ECU.

Oct. 30, at UCF: Along with Southern Miss, the favorites in the Conference USA East. ECU will be sky high after beating Marshall but UCF has too much talent, especially All-America defensive end Bruce Miller and tailback Brynn Harvey. UCF wins to drop ECU to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the conference.

Nov. 6, Navy: The Midshipmen have had winning seasons for seven years in a row and went 10-4 last year with a big win in a bowl game. Some people have ECU winning this game. But East Carolina’s defense, especially along the line and at linebacker, is suspect and Navy, the nation’s fifth best rushing team last year, have their QB, their running backs and both tackles back. I know it’s at home but Navy’s running game can wear you down. Navy.

Nov. 11, at UAB: This is a Thursday night national TV game. Why, I don’t know. UAB has a poor defense and they lost their starting QB from a year ago. I suppose they’ll be fired up to host a primetime game but they are also probably the worse team in Conference USA. Plus, by this point in the season, it won’t seem like McNeill is a new coach and he should have things heading in the right direction. ECU improves to 3-7.

Nov. 20, at Rice: Rice reminds me of a dish that isn’t so tasty but there’s a lot of it. In other words, the Owls were terrible on both sides of the ball last year but most everybody is back. You have to figure with more experience that they’ll be better and they’re playing at home. But ECU has learned to play tough teams on the road by this point. They should be able to beat a less-than-tough team this late in the season. Plus, they have more than a week to prepare. ECU moves to 4-7.

Nov. 26, SMU: This should be a real fight. A proud East Carolina team will be playing its finale at home with no bowl prospects and SMU will be playing for a bowl and possibly the Conference USA West. SMU is an up-and-coming team under June Jones. Advantage SMU.

That makes the season prediction 4-8.

If Emanuel Davis, an all-conference cornerback, can step up as an effective leader and Boston College transfer QB Dominique Davis is as strong and mobile as advertised, and Davis can find someone to throw to besides Dwayne Harris, and Harris can run back a few punts or kickoffs for touchdowns, the miracle of miracles could happen and the Pirates could finish 7-5 or 6-6.

With a new coach and the schedule the way it is, I’ll stick with 4-8.

If you’re not watching the Little League World Series on ESPN and ABC, you should check it out. The double-elimination tournament continues through Saturday when a U.S. champion is determined and Sunday when a World champion is determined.

The team from the Southeast appears to be one of three U.S. powerhouses (the others Texas and Ohio). That Georgia team came out of a regional held in Georgia where the team from North Carolina – Winston-Salem Nationals – lost in the semi-finals.

Winston-Salem National, representing the Tar Heel state, fell to the eventual runner-up Melbourne, Fla. team 3-2. The Florida team had outscored opponents 22-1 going into that game so North Carolina got close to some national TV exposure.

Winston-Salem got the tying run to third in the last inning but a Florida relief pitcher came on to strike out two straight batters to end the game.

Unfortunately, it’s been since 2004 that North Carolina won the Southeast regional and went on to play in the Little League World Series tournament. That year a team from Morganton went undefeated and beat a team from Georgia (which wins most of the Southeast regional titles) to advance to the World Series.

That North Carolina team made it all the way to the U.S. semi-finals before losing to Richmond, Texas, which lost in the U.S. championship game to the West team from Thousand Oaks, Ca.

By the way, no team from the Triangle area made it to the North Carolina championships where Greenville, Wilson, Boiling Springs, Charlotte and Morganton teams competed against Winston-Salem.

NFL and former UNC player Kentwan Balmer, who is said to have paid for a trip for UNC players, says he hasn’t spoken to NCAA investigators.

If that’s the case, the investigation is moving too slowly. A lot of players, coaches and fans that had nothing to do with getting perks from sports agents are being held hostage to the investigation.

The much-anticipated season, which starts with a neutral site season kickoff against LSU, has now been dampened with no apparent resolution in sight. Carolina is using second-team players as starters in practice for fear that Marvin Austin and Greg Little won’t be able to play. Whether they are or not, the Heels are at a disadvantage. A victory over LSU would certainly tell a lot about the character of the team.

The NCAA just needs to do whatever it’s going to do and the Tar Heels will move on. Some guidance should be given prior to the start of the season. Unfortunately, because Cam Thomas, who played last year for the Heels, is involved, there has been speculation that wins could be taken away from Carolina from last season as well.

Here are 10 opening football games that are within driving distance in the Triangle area tonight. In bold is the predicted winner. Games are at 7:30 p.m. except Cary at Broughton which is at 7 p.m.

Cary at Broughton

Harnett Central at Apex

Holly Springs at Southeast Raleigh

Northern Durham at Middle Creek

Wake Forest-Rolesville at Durham Riverside

Leesville Road at Panther Creek

Greenville Rose at Southern Durham

Fuquay-Varina at Knightdale

Millbrook at Garner

Sanderson at Athens Drive

Check the scores in our Sports Roundup on the left navigation bar.

Bobby Thomson, the man whose shot was heard ‘round the world in 1951, died Monday at the age of 86. But few know, or remember, that Thomson played minor league baseball in North Carolina.

Thomson, a Staten Island, NY native, played 29 games at third base for the Rocky Mount Rocks in 1942 at the age of 18. He batted just .241 but he had three key homers and 18 RBI.

When he was signed by the Rocks, the Rocky Mount Telegram newspaper, where I was sports editor years later, ran a story titled “This Bat Is Rocks’ Insurance.” Thomson’s first professional home run came in his first at bat at Rocky Mount’s Municipal Stadium. Not only was it his first home at bat, but it was the first pitch thrown to him.

Plus, he had his first big-time home run in Rocky Mount. Playing the rival Wilson Tobs in a seven-game playoff, the Rocks were down three games to none but managed to pull even at three games a piece. With the deciding seventh game in Rocky Mount, Thomson blasted a six-inning home run over the left field wall to open up a close game and give the Rocks the victory.

It was believed to be only the second time in pro baseball history that a team came from three games down to win a series. After the game, appreciative and ecstatic fans passed a hat and gave Thomson 11 bucks, which he probably needed at the time.

At the end of the season, he enlisted at the height of World War II. He served in the Air Corps from 1943 through 1945.

After the war, he continued his career and became a regular for the New York Giants in 1947. He was a star for years but he’s most remembered for the Oct. 3, 1951 home run in game three of a three-game playoff against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Thomson came to bat in the ninth inning with one out, two on and his Giants down 4-2. On an 0-1 count, Thompson banged “the shot heard ‘round the world” as he homered off Ralph Branca for a three-run, game-and-series winner.

The Giants’ announcer Russ Hodges shouted the famous call, “The Giants win the pennant, the Giants win the pennant, the Giants win the pennant.” It was perhaps the biggest home run in major league history… but his first home run came in North Carolina.