Parkland's Tim Bess is set to sign with college
Parkland's senior All-State
lineman, Tim Bess, may sur
prise a few people with his
decision on where he wants to
go to school next fall. Sure,
most of the nation's top sen
iors have already signed on
the dotted line. But Bess want
ed to take his time in making
his choice.
There's nothing wrong
with that. Take your time, big
fellow. The colleges aren't
going anywhere. But, for a
moment, Tim thought the
offers were evading him. left
and right.
"I had a few schools that
backed out on me," Bess said.
"It was looking crazy for a
moment, but I think things are
looking pretty good again. I
just want to make sure that
I'm making the right decision.
iQhaVe. to see what's the best
option for me."
A few schools did take
their offers back, but you have
to understand that Tim had
enough schools wanting him
that'he could afford to have a
few take their scholarship
offers back.. The 6-3, 340
pound offensive guard was
clearly one of the top linemen
in the state last season. 1
caught up with big Tim earlier
this week to see what's taking
him so long to sign. 1 also
wanted to find out where he
might be going next year. He
gave me a pretty good indica
tion of where he was more
than likely headed, and I sim
ply relayed it to you all.
Anthony: What's going
on, big Tim?
. Tim: (Smiles.) Nothin'
much. I'm just trying to sign
somewhere. 0
Anthony: Speaking of
signing, the big day was last
week. Why hasn't the best
lineman in Winston-Salem
signed a scholarship yet?
What's your hold-up, man?
Tim: (Smiles.) I don't
know, man. It was looking bad
at one point. It's looking bet
' ter now.
Anthony: What was the
problem? Was it test scores?
Was it indecision on your
part? Were schools backing
off you? What's the deal? >
I Tim: Oh, I had the test
scores back when I was in the
10th grade.
Anthony: OK.
Tim: I basically felt like a
lot of schools looked down on
me at first. They're starting to
come along now.
Anthony: Tell me how
frustrating that has been for
you?
Tim: It really hasn't been
that frustrating for me. I'm all
right. I feel like somebody is
gonna come along.
Anthony: I bet you feel
like a free agent or something.
(Both laugh.) You've basically
been let go, and now you're
waiting on somebody to sim
ply pick you up. Does it kind
of feel like that right now?
Titn: It feels a little bit like
that, but I feel like I'm waiting
on the right person.
Anthony: Which schools
are in your top three right
now?
Tim: Vanderbilt, Syracuse
and N.C. A&T.
Anthony: A&T? How did
they get into the equation?
Tim: (Laughs.) I wasn't
even thinking about A&T
when all of this first started.
But I really liked it there when
I took my visit there. I liked itd
a little more than I liked Vir
ginia Tech, Virginia and the
other school's like that. 1 also
think I would get more play
ing time if I chose A&T.
Anthony: OK. (Pause.)
You also played in the Shrine
Bowl. How was that experi
ence?
Tim: It was fun. It was a
lot of hard work in practice,
though. It was cold. I mean,
the sun was in your eyes* but it
was still cold. I also got a
chance to meet a lot of people
from North Carolina that I
didn't even know existed.
Anthony: When you're
picked to play in the Shrine
Bowl that pretty much means
you're the best at your posi
tion in North Carolina. Where
would you rank yourself as far
as linemen in the state?
Tim: On a scale of one to
10, I'd say that I'm about a
seven.
Anthony: Oh yeah?
Tim: Yeah. I need to work,
on my speed a little bit. I got
the power. I just need to work
t*. Photo by Anthony Hill
Parkland High School All-State lineman Tim Bess is set to sign
with his college of choice.
on my speed. I play basketball
for the workout. I've also been
Tim: If 1 ain't playing bas
ketball, then I'm either lifting
One-on-One
wiili Anthony llill
doing some running drills with
this trainer from Atlanta. He's
really helping me out. I ran a
5.5 on my 40-yard dash the
other day.
Anthony: What did you
used to run it in?
Tim: (Smiles.) I was run
ning it in about six seconds.
Anthony: What? (Both
laugh.) So you've been doing
your thing.
Tim: (Laughs.) I still need
to get a little faster, and lose
some more weight.
Anthony: When you're
not training what are you usu
ally doing?
weights or doing some jump
rope. I also play on the com
puter a little bit. 1 like comput*
ers. Or I'll get on the PS2 or
something.
Anthony: What's your
game right now?v
Tim: (Smiles.) I like the
college basketball game. I
usually run with Saint
Joseph's. I like their point
guard a lot.
Anthony: Who's going to
win the real NCAA tourna
ment?
Tim: Duke is on a roll
right now. It will either be
them. Saint Joseph's or Stan
ford.
Anthony: What about
Wake?
Tim: Wake Forest is all
right. I'm not really feeling
Wake Forest though. I always
want them to lose. They're
doing pretty good, though.
They just remind me of a high
school team. They don't have
any big players, except for
(Eric) Williams.
Anthony: Speaking of
Wake, where did they go as far
as your choices for schools?
Tim: Actually, they gave
up on me. They said they
needed a tackle, and ended up
not even signing any linemen.
And they've lost their best
returning offensive lineman to
Appalachian State. He left
because he wanted to play
defensive lineman.
Anthony: Wow. I didn't
know that. (Pause.) Who's the
best player that you've ever
played with?
Tim: (Smiles.) I'd have to
say Jed Bines.
Anthony: When was the
last time that you hollered at
Jed?
Tim: Yesterday.
Anthony: How is he liking
it at Winston-Salem State?
Tim: He said that he didn't
like it that much. (Both
laugh.) He said the playing
time was gravy, but he just
wasn't enjoying himself up
there.
Anthony: Do you think he
will stay?
Tim: Yeah. I think he's
gonna stay because of the
playing time that he's getting.
He's going to be the starter
next year. Well, I'd stay if I
was him.
Anthony: Let's talk about
Parkland for a moment. You
guys are losing a few players
next year. What does the
future hold for your Mus
tangs?
Tim: (Smiles.) We're gain
ing a lot too. We've got about
six players from Glenn.
They're already enrolled here.
We're still gonna have to work
on the offensive line a little
bit. We lost four starters off
the line.
Anthony: What are you
going to miss the most about
being here at Parkland?
Tim: (Smiles.) I'll proba
bly miss the coaches the most.
I'll miss the coaches and
teachery^The teachers are
cool, ana the coaches are cool.
They're always cracking
jokes, but they're all right.
Anthony: Let's back this
Sec One-on-One on B7
Dick Vitale to sign books
at Wake Forest bookstore
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Sports commentator
Dick Vitale will sign copies
of his book "Dick Vitale's
Living a
Dream" at the
Wake Forest
University Col
lege Book Store
at noon Feb. 18.
The book will
be for sale at the
event.
The book
store is located
on University
Plaza, or the
university's main Quad. The
event is open to the public.
The bookstore is spon
soring a Wake ForRt spirit
contest in connection with
the book signing and will
award three prizes
to the most spirited
students. The Wake
Forest men's bas
ketball team will
play Duke Univer
sity at Lawrence
Joel Veterans
Memorial Coliseum
at 9 p.m. later that
day. Vitale will be a
commentator for
the game, which
will be broadcast on ESPN.
Winston-Salem Human Relations Commission
25th Annual Awards B<*ujuet
"Reflect ... Respect ... Renew"
The Winston-Salem Human Relations Commission
cordially invites you to attend our...
Twenty-Fifth Annual
Human Relations Awards Banquet
Thursday, February 19, 2003
M.C. Benton Convention Center
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Donation $25.00
Location For Purchasing Tickets:
Winston-Salem Human Relations Department
City Hall
101 N. Main St. Suite 109
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
(336) 727-2429
Corporate Sponsorship Welcome!
Student Nominations
Elementary Schools: Chelsea Brown-Ashley Elementary, Fatima Lee-Boltoo Elementary, Grace West-Brunson Elementary. Mark Malek-Cash Elementary, Thomas Russell-The Children's Center. Maureesha Dillard
Clemmons Elementary, Demetrius Brown-Cook Elementary. Maryel Simmons-Diggs Viaual and Peiformtng Arts School. Lauren Coldwell-Downtown Elementary. Keenon Martin- Eastern Elementary. Tamara
Reynolds-Forest Park Elementary. Keanna Johnson-Julian Gibson Elementary, Hayley E. Burgess-Griffith Elementary. Josf' Antuner-Hall - Woodward Elementary, Christian McCrae-lbraham Elemen
tary, Millesa Calicott- Jefferson Elementary, Betty Williams-Kotmoak Elementaryn Cameron Kapec-Kemersville Elementary. Mahogany Speas-Kimberley Park Elementary. Joshua Hampton
Latham Elementary, Bria Alexandria Duim-Meadowlark Elementary. Angela Overby-Mineral .Springs Elementary. Casey Gentry. Moore Magnet, Aiwa Hampton- North Hills Ele
mentary. Salem Dockery-Old Richmond Elementary, James Wtley-Petree Elementary. Sarah Wilson-Pmey Grove Elementary. Joseph Holbrook-Rural Hall Elementary,
Javor Jones-Sedge Garden Elementary. Grant Serfass- Sherwood Forest Elementary. Johana TVojillo-South Fork Elementary. Matthew Lang-Southwest Elementary.
De'Shaun Campbell-Speas Elementary, Sydney Anderson-Union Cross Elementary. Mark Kate Gladstone- Vienna Elementary. Keith Boyd-Walkertown
Elementary, Briana Brewer-Marvin M, Ward Elementary. Melody Butler- Whitaker Elementary . Middle Schools: Shontia S. Byrd- Atkins
Middle. Jasmine M. Pitt-Clemmorts Middle. John Elliott-Haws Academic Academy, Jamie Norton-HHl Magnet. Elhon Lemer
"Thomas Jefferson Middle, Perry Rowdy-JFK Learning Center, Christine Anvena-Kcmersv ille Middle. Aaron Mallev
Lowrance Middle. Michael Lang-Meadowlark Middle. Megan Bosworth-Notlhwest Middle, Lorrfe I.. Ftnk- ?
Paisley Magnet, Brad Sthwort-Philo Middle. Dalisha Johnson-Southeast Middle. Phoebe Roberts
Wiley Middle School, Ricky Slewan-Willcerram Middle High Schools: Rob
Stephens-Career Center, Sharee Denist Posey-Carver High. Daniel Williams- East W '
Fonyth High. Danielle PalmefForsyth Vocational High. Anna K. Jones
Glenn High. Norman E Godwin ITI-Monm Tabor High, Jo
Arm Lwa-Ntoth Forsyth High. Kla Hnrvey-Pork
Innd High. Eric B. Ffow-R J. Reynolds
. High. Carly Ybtingman-West
Fofsyih High.