Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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October 14, 2009

Wagner should stay in MLB and Bradshaw should go in NFL

On the ball

By Larry Hypes

Hopefully, Billy Wagner’s rumored retirement will be no more than that.

At least, for now. Billy has 385 saves, sixth on the all-time list, and baseball observers believe that 400 is the “magic number” for the Hall of Fame.

Nevertheless, Billy told a reporter for the New York Post a couple of days ago that he wasn’t planning to talk to any teams about playing next season. Right after that, the former Tazewell Bulldog and Ferrum College star’s agent noted that Billy was ‘absolutely planning to play next year.’

So, it appears that the left-handed ace, who was an All-State performer at Tazewell in 1990 before becoming the first round (13th player selected overall) selection of the Houston Astros in ‘93, is not quite ready to hang up that near-100-mile-per hour fastball.

Bad news for major league hitters but good tidings for local sports fans.

Another headline-maker in the New York media is ex-Graham High School running back Ahmad Bradshaw. The fleet-footed No. 44 piled up 110 yards rushing and scored twice while hauling in a 56-yard pass from Eli Manning as the ‘big’ G-Men walloped hapless Oakland 44-7.

Bradshaw was dazzling as an All-State performer during his days at Graham and now has a hefty 6.5-yards per carry average as a Giant. Bradshaw has been tabbed in recent days by teammate Antonio Pierce as ‘one of the most complete running backs in the NFL.’

With 375 rushing yards, he has zipped past injured Brandon Jacobs on the team’s ground gaining leaders.

Bradshaw’s game continues to improve. Coaches and players have noticed not only his power and quickness but his ability to make good yardage after catching passes. He has also become a respected blocker, so it is no surprise that the New Yorkers are thinking seriously about a full-time starting spot for this rising star who refined his skills at Marshall University after graduation from Graham.

Despite the fact that Bradshaw is a Super Bowl ring owner, local fans will probably always rate some of his performances at Graham as his best.

He once went over 300 yards in a single game, consistently averaged near 10 yards per carry, and was truly a threat from anywhere on the field.

He was only a youngster in 2001, the year that the G-Men under the late Glynn Carlock had such an awesome offensive juggernaut. Playing with stellar teammates such as Paco Jones, Reed Oakes, H. T. Matthews, and Chase Elswick in the backfield, along with sure-handed Nathan Belcher catching passes, it was understandable that Bradshaw, who was ‘only’ a sophomore, had to share the football.

That team piled up more than 6,000 all-purpose yards and was arguably the most exciting team ever at Graham and perhaps the entire area. It was only because Coach Carlock did not often try to pile up extra yards that the totals for that team were not far higher. If he had kept the starters in for most games, it is hard to say just how many records those guys could have set.

As it was, the state runners-up G-Men gave the ball to Bradshaw enough so that he averaged 24.4 yards per catch, 7.2 yards per carry, and scored a hefty 102 points.

Considering the great play from former Richlands and West Virginia star Mike Compton, who won a pair of Super Bowl rings with the Patriots, local fans have had some of the finest athletes in history playing in Four Seasons Country within the past two decades. There are several more who probably could have made the ‘Big Show’ with just a little luck, or some different circumstances.

Come back, Billy, and keep on running, Ahmad!

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