East's O'Brien
CHATS ABOUT SEASON
I still remember when I first
saw East Forsyth's talented
quarterback, Danny O'Brien.
He was an eighth grader playing
AAU ball for coach Andre
Gould, who's now the head bas
ketball coach at Winston-Salem
Prep.
Gould always had some tal
ent on his Kappa Magic squads,
but something was different
about O'Brien. Some of you
might 've guessed the difference
was the fact that O'Brien is
white. But he played tough,
smart basketball. And, his out
side range was crazy. O'Brien
stood out and fit in at the same
time. I had no idea that he'd turn
out to be one of the best football
players around.
O'Brien is arguably the best
quarterback in Winston-Salem
this year. He recently committed
to play ball for Maryland. He
and I sat down earlier this week
to talk about his decision to play
for the Terps, as well as a num
ber of other things. Danny and I
also talked about his top five
players in the county, D.J.
Adams, Mt. Tabor, coach Andre
Gould, coach Todd Willert,
Jeremy Peterson, basketball and
Lil' Wayne.
Check out some of the other
things Danny and I talked about
on Tuesday evening,
Anthony: What's going on,
Danny? ,
Danny: Nothing much.
(Smiles.) Just getting out of
practice.
Anthony: I hear that.
(Smiles.) You've got a big game
this week. That might be the
game of the night on Friday.
What are your thoughts heading
into that big showdown against
Mt. Tabor?
Danny: (Smiles.) We're
excited. This is going to be our
first big test around here. We're
really looking forward to it.
? Anthony: You all are 4-0,
but you actually lost the first
game of the season. Do you
really think of yourself as being
unbeaten, or do you still think
about that one loss?
Danny: We definitely got
beat. Rocky Mount is a really
good team. They're rolling right
now. (Smiles.) I'll take a win
any way that I can get it. I'll take
4-0. (Smiles.) I think that loss
actually got our heads
straight. I mean, they
pounded us. They
were more physical.
We saw where we
needed to be.
Anthony: When
we first met you were
playing basketball
heavy. When did foot
ball become the sport
for you?
Danny: I would
say my ninth and tenth grade
year. It just seemed like that
would be the path I would take
as far as college. I just stuck
with it. Basketball is still a pas
sion. I still love it, and I'm still
going to play my senior year. I
love basketball. But football is
the main thing for me now.
Anthony: Most people
know that you committed to
Maryland. What made that the
school for you?
Danny: Everything. The
coaching staff, the area -
Anthony: They got a big
win over the weekend too.
Danny: (Smiles.) Oh yeah.
They put it to Cal. They needed
that one after losing to Middle
Tennessee.
Anthony: Why did you
choose Maryland again? Did
Wake recruit you?
Danny: Uh, a little bit. It
was between, Maryland, Duke,
ECU and Virginia. But I wanted
to go somewhere that I knew I
was wanted.
Anthony: Is the ACC get
ting a bad rap? The experts are
calling it weak after some week
one upsets.
Duiny: Yeah. I think it's
still a really good conference.
UNC killing Rutgers, Maryland
bouncing back against Cal. We
started off a little slow. Now it's
time to get going a little bit.
Anthony: (Smiles.) Do you
see yourself as the premier quar
terback in the city this year? Are
you the best QB around?
Danny: (Smiles.) There's a
lot of talent in the county. DJ.
(Adams) is a great quarterback.
We have a lot of good quarter
backs in the county. But I don't
really compare myself to every
body else. I just try to do my
thing.
Anthony: Do you feel like
you have something To prove
Ptxxo by Charlie Pfaff
East Forsyth's Danny O'Brien will lead his Eagles against Mt.
Tabor tomorrow night.
One-on-One
with Anthony Hill
every Friday? You know some
guys would just love to make
you look overrated.
Danny: A little bit. I think
you always have to have a little
chip on your shoulder as a quar
terback. That makes me play
better.
Anthony: You know I ask
all area guys who they think are
the top five players in the city.
Give me your top five of guys
O'Brien
that can get it done.
Danny: I think
Hunter Furr can get
it done. Ian
Thompson on our
team gets it done.
Anthony: No
doubt. Ian is proba
bly the most under
rated player around
here.
Danny: I think
so. He gets it done.
He s gotten a loucnaown in
every gam^ that we've won.
And, DJ.
Anthony: You're going
with DJ. Adams?
Danny: I mean, he puts up
the stats ? consistently. So, I'll
put him up there. Uh, Jeremy
Peterson is a bailer at Reynolds.
And, Dominique Tate at Carver.
Anthony: OK. You guys
have Mt. Tabor on Friday. What
about them worries or concerns
you right now?
Danny: I wouldn't say wor
ries. But they definitely have a
winning tradition. We definitely
have to come out real physical
right away. We have to set our
own tone at home. They're
always a good team.
They have a lot of defense
and offense every year. They
kind of just keep reloading. But
I think we can compete right
with them. The entire team is
confident. We work hard.
There's no cockiness or big
heads. It's a product of working
hard.
Anthony: Where did that
attitude come from, though?
Danny: 1 think it started
right after we lost in the first
round of the playoffs last year.
We made an oath to get to work
in the off-season. We've just
been hungry for a long time.
Anthony: I hear that. OK.
What are you doing when
you're not playing football or
studying?
Danny: I just hang out.
(Smiles.) I just hang out with
my friends. I just chill. I get on
the PlayStation a little bit. I roll
with Maryland on '09.
Anthony: (Smiles.) They're
not that good on the game.
Danny: (Smiles.) I can win
with them.
Anthony: I bet. Hey, what
other high school might you
V
have gone to if you didn't attend
East Forsyth?
Danny: I don't even know.
Probably like Tabor or some
thing like that. I'm glad I'm at
East Forsyth.
Anthony: How's your rela
tionship with coach Gould?
Danny: We're tight. We go
back to like seventh grade bas
ketball. He's real cool. We've
been to Brazil together, and all
that stuff.
Anthony: That's what's up.
If you could trade places with
anyone who would it be?
Danny: Take away the
injury and it would probably be
Tom Brady. He's my role model.
Anthony: How are the
ladies treating Danny O'Brien
around here?
Danny: I've got a girl
friend. She goes to (NC) State. I
try to stay low key.
Anthony: Who gets more
love: the football or soccer play
ers at East?
Danny: (Laughs.) Before
this year it was the soccer play
ers.
Anthony: What type of
music do you like to listen to?
Danny: Lil' Wayne is my
favorite rapper. I listen to every
thing, though. I listen to every
thing except extreme country
and heavy metal.
Anthony: What's your
favorite TV show?
Danny: SportsCenter.
Anthony: Favorite cartoon
growing up.
Danny: Spiderman.
Anthony: If you could date
any celebrity who would she be?
Danny: (Pause.) That's a
tough one. Jessica Simpson.
She's fine.
Anthony: What's the best
part about playing for coach
Willert?
Danny: He's intense. He
stays on you. He never lets you
get a big head around him. He's
a real humble guy. I just like
playing for him.
Anthony: OK. Let's finish
with free association. Uh, East
Forsyth football.
Danny: (Smiles.) Hungry.
Anthony: Danny O'Brien.
Danny: A winner.
Anthony: Basketballs
Danny: First love.
Anthony: Three-pointer.
Danny: (Smiles.) My shot.
Anthony: 4 A State
Champs.
Danny: East Forsyth.
Anthony: Mt. Tabor.
Danny: Next oppenent.
(Smiles.) Next victim.
Anthony: (Smiles.) Best
team in Kernersville.
Danny: (Both laugh.) East
Forsyth.
Warthogs, Ernie Shore Field to host auction
CHRONICLE STAFF REPOKI
The Winston-Salem
Warthogs and Ernie Shore Field
will host an absolute auction at
the ballpark on Saturday at 10
ajn. Everyone is invited and
encouraged to attend this special
event, as all of the remaining
assets in the ballpark will be
sold.
After 53 years as the home of
professional baseball . Ernie
Shore Field will give way to a
new state-of-art stadium in
downtown Winston-Salem that is
scheduled to open in April of
2009. As a result, all remaining
assets associated with the opera
tion of the Winston-Salem
Warthogs will be sold.
Among the numerous items
available for auction include: all
turf equipment (John Deere
Gator and John Deere mower),
picnic tables, tents, cubicle sys
tems, desks and file cabinets, and
all components of three fully fur
nished restaurants.
All stadium signage includ
ing the entrance marquis and
thousands of other collectibles
such as souvenirs and gift shop
items will be available.
For rruire information or to
take part in this once-in-a-life
time opportunity, please visit
wwwpeggauction.com or call
336-996-4414 for additional
details and to view photos of the
auction items.
? 336-722-2593
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