As they say in baseball….let’s go round the horn; meaning here are a few things I need to get off my mind.

For starters, did anyone sit through the entire GOP Debate last week? I tried my best, but it was painful to watch….more like an old-fashioned WWE pay-for-view event; the latter was more entertaining.

Personally, I saw no clear-cut winner emerge. I guess the same could be said for the host city.

With pro wrestling overtones, Trump and Christie would make great tag-team partners (aka the bullies). I see neither winning the “belt.”

Trump entered the great debate (round 1) as the leader in most polls, but he acted like he was in last place. It’s never a good idea for a politician (and I use that word very loosely in “The Donald’s” case) involved in a debate to get into a war of words with the event’s moderator. That latter title belonged to Megyn Kelly.

Some referenced Kelly’s questions to Trump as “baited” and “unprofessional.” Trump should have downplayed it all, but that’s not his style, and his tweets afterwards added fuel to the fire – saying she had a “hidden agenda” and is “totally overrated and angry”….“Fox viewers give low marks to Bimbo”….“You can’t out trump Donald Trump.”

While he’s charismatic, The Donald’s ego will eventually cost him the GOP nomination.

Rand Paul was interesting, but I doubt standing on top of The Bill of Rights will get him elected.

The same can be said for Dr. Ben Carson. Nice enough guy, but when was the last time we elected a neurosurgeon as our President….never! He did spin the best line of the debate, saying he was the only candidate to have ever removed half of someone’s brain. “But then in Washington, someone has already beaten me to it.”

And what about Jeb Bush? The answer: is America ready for another member of this family to lead our great nation? I guess we could say the same thing about Hillary Clinton.

One night after watching the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction on Saturday, I got to work on Sunday and learned of the passing of one of my all-time favorite NFL players.

While not a NY Giants fan, I’ve always admired Frank Gifford…first as a player and then as a broadcaster.

Gifford passed away on Sunday at the age of 84.

The former Southern Cal University star was selected in the first round of the 1952 NFL Draft, meaning he broke into the league one year before I was born.

As so many players of his era did back then, Gifford played with the Giants for his entire career, retiring in 1964. He was also a “throw-back” player by being used at different positions, to include running back, defensive back, wide receiver and on special teams. He was selected as a Pro Bowl player at three different positions.

After retiring from the NFL, Gifford remained close to the game he so loved. He originally worked in the broadcast booth for CBS and later as co-host of Monday Night Football from 1971 to 1985. It was there that most of my generation learned of Gifford’s greatness.

Speaking of former athletes, I experienced a “moment” last week where I really felt for what former Olympic Gold Medalist Bruce Jenner is going through during his transition to “Caitlyn.’

At one time in my life, I too was a male trapped in a female’s body…then my mother gave birth. Sixty two years later, I’m still Cal.

Cal Bryant is Editor of Roanoke-Chowan Publications. He can be contacted at cal.bryant@r-cnews.com or 252-332-7207.