Links of Note

Links. Links. Links. Links. Links.


First and foremost. Never forget [CNN]

Unbelievable breakdown of how Nick Saban will try and stop Manziel. Keyword: Try [SB Nation]

Whitlock says it's not personal. Could have fooled me. [Deadspin]

How much caffeine is too much? [iO9]

What the heck is Sammy Sosa doing to himself? [CBS Sports]

How long is too long to stay at your job? Good info here. [The Week]

On what would be Bear Bryant's 100th birthday, a former player says Nick Saban is better. [Orlando Sentinel]

Sadie Robertson from Duck Dynasty was in New York modeling for Fashion Week [US Weekly]

U.S. clinches a World Cup berth with a 2-0 win over Mexico last night [USA Today]

Could be looking at a letdown game for the Gamecocks against Vandy this weekend [Augusta Chronicle]


Finally, a video....


Just doing my part. Over 40,000,000 views and rapidly counting. I hate everything.

Murray Keeps Dawgs On Top

Blessed with two backs capable of being stars in the SEC and all five starters returning on the offensive line, it would seem the Georgia Bulldogs' best chance of taming the Tide and playing for the last BCS crystal football rests squarely on the burly shoulders of their prized two-back attack.

It's easy to see why you might think that. I mean, just look at these guys.

Clemson's New Triple Option

Over the past ten years offenses in college football have evolved, revolved, and even devolved for some (see last years Sun Bowl). Earlier last decade--good god I'm talking about the 2000's--we watched the triple option reemerge onto the national scene as a great equalizer for undermanned teams, and as a way for talented teams to keep the ball in the hands of the most athletic playmakers while having a measured number advantage against the defense.

Lunchable Links 8/28

About as in-depth on Nick Saban as you're gonna get right here. [GQ]

Follow up: Are Bama fans bored with winning? [Wall Street Journal]

Crazy situation for C.J. Spiller. No timetable for his return to Bills yet. [CBS Sports]

"I've talked to defensive coaches. These guys are actually practicing faking injuries in practice."--Kirk Herbstreit [AL.com]

Titus Young Is A Sad Disaster [Deadspin]

Rolling Stone offering up some teasers on their upcoming investigative report on Aaron Hernandez. Fact checkers must be getting some overtime. [Rolling Stone]

College Football's Most Dominant Player? ESPN. [NY Times]

Elliot Johnson of the Braves breaking triple down like a NASCAR driver. Pretty funny.  [via Deadspin]



Breaking Bad in 2 hours. (Seasons 1-4)....new ones are on demand






ONE. MORE. DAY.

Gameplan: Georgia vs Clemson

Photo by rylan8t

 Each week I will offer a pre-game  breakdown on one of the best college football games of the week. This is not so much a prediction of who'll win more than about what type of plays they'll use to get there. Remember, it's about the journey. 


Last year, we were force-fed promos of what was sure to be an "exciting"and "thrilling" opener to the college football season between Michigan and Alabama.

College football's winningest program back on track with fiery Head Coach Brady Hoke and Heisman hopeful Denard "Shoelace" Robinson against the defending National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide.

Local Businesses Eye Value In Super Bowl Ads

Rare is the televised sporting event where you’ll find dialogue that sounds like this – “Hurry up! The Patriots just scored, they’re about to kick the extra point and go to commercial. You can finish those dishes when the game comes back on!” – but for Super Bowl Sunday it is. Talk of the ads dominate conversations, with emphasis on what companies will come up with next and who’ll pony up the $3.5 million—or in one late entry’s case, as much as $4 million—to guarantee a seat at the party.
“The Super Bowl is the highest watched program in the country,” said local sales manager for NBC 26, Pete Michenfelder, whose station will air Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, Feb. 5. “What’s neat about it is that people don’t take bathroom breaks during the commercials, they take them during the game.”

And for all the talk surrounding the national ads, it seems we forget that there are local businesses wrestling for those same eager eyeballs in order to have their product or service viewed by the largest collective audience of the year.

“There’s so much interest over the years for watching the commercials,” said Michenfelder. “What we’ve suggested locally is that they take a similar approach (like national advertisers) and put their best foot forward that evening.”

The same intoxicating question asked nationally even arises at the local level: how much does a 30 second spot cost to air?

“We are not going to share any of that information,” said Michenfelder. “That’s just some information that’s proprietary from our regard.”

While the different pricing structures of the sales packages affect how much an individual 30 second spot would run, on average, the in-game spots are rumored to be in the neighborhood of $5,000 a pop.

“Spots are certainly at a premium, but if you look at the cost-per-thousand and cost-per-rating points (measurement metric), it’s a tremendous value,” said Michenfelder.

The majority of the Super Bowl units sold were packaged with other programming, such as the Super Bowl pre-game broadcast, the premiere of Season 2 of “The Voice”—which follows the Super Bowl – and the 17-day 2012 Summer Olympics.

Driving the demand for much of the coveted national space again this year will be automotive ads, and that trend extends here to the local level as well. Car dealerships, lumber companies and fast food are the primary clients committed to the Super Bowl, Michenfelder said.

Last year’s Super Bowl between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers was not only the most watched Super Bowl, but also the most watched single program of any kind in US TV history. The 162.9 million estimated viewer total outdrew the previous leader, Super Bowl XLIV (Colts-Saints) by over 9 million viewers. The TV rating for last year’s game was 54.0—that means 54% of all TV’s, including those not even turned on, were tuned to the Super Bowl. The telecast also garnered an astronomical 73 share, which means that 73% of people that were watching TV while the game was on were locked on FOX.

Mammoth ratings for sports are nothing new for viewers familiar with NBC’s programming. Their Sunday Night Football program consistently dominates ratings in the regular season, so sales staffs across the country have a leg up when retreading their pitches for the Olympic Games. Also, since both boast similar buying practices, and many Olympians have become as recognizable as some of the NFL’s brightest stars, some things are an easier sell than others.

1st Annual William Avery Invitational

Here is the schedule for the basketball tournament taking place this Saturday at Christenberry Fieldhouse.

Door open at 11a with games being played all day until 9pm.


12p-Augusta Eagles vs Fox Creek (SC)

1:30p-Evans vs Hephzibah

3p-Norcross vs Stephenson

4:30p-United Faith (NC) vs Central Park (ALA)

6p-Mill Creek vs Carver (ALA)

7:30p-Butler vs Greater Atlanta Christian

A NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCE

A new book sheds light on one of the nastiest, most unpredictable rivalries in college football.What follows is an excerpt of what happened after a 12-6 Carolina win in 1902. The Gamecocks snapped a four-game losing streak against the Tigers, but what happened after the game could have potentially derailing the rivalry forever.

After the game, joyous Carolina students celebrated downtown by unveiling a large transparency that depicted a Gamecock crowing over a wounded Tiger. Clemson cadets were not amused, and a bloody confrontation followed after they tore down the image. The Carolina side claimed later that cadets brandished swords and wounded two students. The Clemson side claimed later that Carolina students brandished brass knuckles and inflicted injuries. The account from Charleston’s News and Courier read:

The South Carolina College boys were naturally very happy to-night. They had a great jubilee as the result of their victory over Clemson College. About 9 o’clock there came near being a serious row between the Clemson and Carolina boys. The South Carolina College boys had a large transparency with a tiger representing the Clemson team and a game cock on top of this tiger. The tiger had a twist in its tail. The South Carolina College boys were marching down Main street with the transparency when a body of Clemson boys rushed into the South Carolina College boys’ ranks to capture the offending display. It was not ten seconds before a good row was going on. Sticks were in use and the South Carolina boys were incensed because one of the Clemson boys struck one of their number over the head with his drawn sword.

The cadets issued an ultimatum: don’t dare bring a similar transparency to the popular Elks parade the next night. Carolina’s students did not oblige, redrawing the image on another piece of cloth and displaying it at the parade. The series of events that followed was disputed between the two sides, but it was generally accepted that Clemson’s cadets marched to Carolina’s campus with swords and bayonets drawn. A vastly outnumbered group of Carolina students, armed with shotguns and pistols, barricaded themselves behind the eight- foot walls that surrounded the Horseshoe. Jerome Reel, the Clemson historian, says the fault was clearly with the cadets. “They were hot-headed and inflamed. The Carolina kids were very proud, and they taunted them. It’s the nature of kids. And the reaction was an overreaction: ‘Fix bayonets and march.’”

James Rion McKissic, a Carolina sophomore who would later become the school’s president, was armed with a handgun. A fellow student told him, “Make every shot count.” The two sides were seething and on the verge of a bloody—and, very likely, deadly—riot.

From the mayhem, a peacemaker emerged in Christie Benet, who’d helped coach the Gamecocks to the exhilarating victory a day earlier. He climbed to the top of the wall and offered to fight any cadet to settle the dispute. There were no takers, so Benet climbed down to Clemson’s side and tried to arbitrate. A six-person committee was formed with three men from each side. The committee suggested burning the cloth transparency, and Carolina’s side reluctantly agreed.

The event did not create much of a splash in the next day’s newspaper. A short story with the headline “They’ve Buried the Hatchet” ran on page eight of The State, and it painted a picture of a warm, amicable resolution between the two sides: “Every member of the two committees applied a match to the cause of the trouble. Quickly the flames ate their way into the painted cloth and finally the last shreds fell to the ground in darkness and silence. Three cheers were given by Clemson for Carolina and were returned heartily.”

But more details began to surface about the incident, and Carolina students weren’t happy to hear that the cadets trumpeted themselves as the victor of the altercation by virtue of the burned image. Benet, who would later become a U.S. senator, wrote a letter to The State presenting his account of the episode, and the story gained momentum. An editorial ran in Monday’s paper chastising Clemson’s cadets while also calling for the retirement of Clemson’s commandant of cadets, Lieutenant E.A. Sirmyer, for abetting the “raid” by disappearing after the cadets announced their intentions to march on campus. The editorial credited Benet and the other arbitrators for averting a disaster that “probably” would’ve resulted in deaths.

“The colleges of the State are not enemies of the other, and they should not be permitted to appear as enemies. Fair rivalry in sports should not provoke bitterness nor should its results breed hatred. Harmony between those who are alike the beneficiaries of the State should be demanded.”

The flames were fanned further after Clemson president P.H. Mell wrote a letter to The State providing a different account of events while also staunchly defending Sirmyer. The State published a lengthy editorial the same day disputing a number of Mell’s points, asserting that there was “no excuse” for marching on Carolina’s campus and nothing insulting in the transparency.

“One shot fired them would have brought on a battle, and perhaps dozens of the young men for whom South Carolina is providing an education would have fallen in death upon the grass of the campus.”

A number of other newspapers across the state joined in the condemnation of Clemson and its commandant. Some historians would later argue that The State’s sensationalism made an innocuous confrontation seem much worse than it was. Carolina’s trustees later elected to suspend the series, and the Gamecocks and Tigers would not play again until 1909.

But had Clemson’s cadets and Carolina’s students truly lost their tempers that Friday night after the big game, a budding rivalry might not have simply been put on hold but lost forever.

"Classic Clashes of the Carolina-Clemson Football Rivalry: A State of Disunion” by Travis Haney and Larry Williams is available at www.historypress.com, www.amazon.com, or any bookstore.

Interview: Jack Bechta

I had the chance to talk with Jack Bechta, co-founder of National Football Post (www.nationalfootballpost.com). Jack is also one of the most respected agents in the NFL. We talk about when he decided to become a sports agent, his contributions to media on a national platform, and the most gratifying part of his job. Click here to listen.

I'm Thankful For....

Instead of me going on and on about what I’m thankful for this year, I decided to devote my space this week for others to vent before the holiday. Thank you. I agree, that’s quite a gesture on my part. But there’s always what was really said, and what we know they wanted to say. So to celebrate the Thanksgiving season, I’ve compiled the Thanksgiving edition of “What We Wish They Said”.

“And y’all gave me hell about some tattoos. Told ya it could’ve been worse!”- Jim Tressel, currently consulting for the 0-10 Indianapolis Colts, former Ohio State head coach, ’02 BCS National Champion, 12x Coach of the Year


“They just boys bein’ boys, man. We over here poppin’ bottles, puffin’ Bubble Kush and paying dimes for a good time, then you got Sandusky towel fightin’ and showering with little leaguers? What the hell that white dude thinkin’? Now dat is a lack of institutional control!” –Nevin Shapiro, Ponzi schemer, convicted felon and Miami booster who allegedly gave $2 million in illegal benefits to athletes at the University of Miami. Side note: Miami this past weekend removed themselves from bowl eligibility because of the violations; their game on Saturday versus Boston College will be their season finale.


“Honey, I’m gonna be gone for a few days. With the economy like this I can’t currently afford Christmas presents just yet, so I’ll be in Atlanta for a bit. If there’s any game a gullible Georgia fan will pay 4x the ticket price to see live it’ll be this one.” --Every third-party ticket seller for the SEC Championship game as the Georgia Bulldogs--and their fans--head to the Georgia Dome playing the “nobody believes in us!” card.


“Really guys, NC State?!?!?! Are you trying to get me killed?!?! You know it’s a contract year for me!! If you don’t get your act together and make everybody think I’m a good coach again I’m going to throw a fit every day during bowl week. That’s right, a first rate hissy fit. You got that?!?!” –Dabo Swinney, Head coach of the Clemson Tigers, who somehow fumbled their way out of national title contention. Programming alert: If you are from the Southeast you already know to replace ‘somehow’ with ‘predictably’.


“Jay Cutler broke his thumb!!! Jay Cutler broke his thumb!!! Our season might be saved after all!” – Any member of the Atlanta Falcons organization or fan base


“God bless you.”–Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos quarterback, former Florida Gator, and all-around great guy who stands for more than the average guy can understand, so he catches grief for it. As far as I can tell this is really what he’s thinking.


Games of the Week


Green Bay @ Detroit-Thursday-12:30p-FOX

There is much anticipation for this one. Haven’t said that for quite some time.


No. 3 Arkansas @ No. 1 LSU-Friday-2:30p-CBS

Isn’t having the Top 3 teams in the nation from not only the same conference, but from the same division ridiculous? SEC WEST! SEC WEST! SEC WEST!


Aquinas vs. Landmark Christian-Friday-7:30p

The Irish are continuing to leave their imprint on the school record books. Keep up the good work, boys.


No.13 Georgia @ No.23 Georgia Tech-Saturday-High Noon-ESPN

“I know I’m asking a lot you guys, but hunker it down one more time!”


No.17 Clemson @ No.12 South Carolina-Saturday-7:45p-ESPN

Tommy Bowden made a living underachieving with Clemson, but at least he knew how to beat Carolina. Dabo is in a contract year, you best believe a loss here will rearrange some of the digits around on that paper.

Interview: Dip Metress, Augusta State

Dip, doing what he does best.

Coming off a Peach Belt Conference tournament winning season, and a milestone season for yourself, what does surpassing 300 wins mean now that you are a season removed from it?

“It just shows, as I’m in my 16th year as a head coach, that I’ve had the opportunity to coach some good players. We’ve also had a good run here with some talented guys, and hopefully we can keep that tradition going.”

With two senior guards returning—O’Neal Armstrong and Tye Beal—do you think you will be a guard dominated team, or will you be stronger in the frontcourt?

“I think we’ll be a little more inside-oriented than we were last year, but we’ll have balance. Last year, we were kind of handcuffed by not having an inside presence. This year we return Travis Keels—Jr., 6-9 206—who is healthy coming into the year, Harold Doby—So, 6’5 209—who is an Augusta native and transfer from Georgia State, who is an inside-outside guy who can score with his back to the basket, and another transfer, Kelth Cameron—Jr., 6’7 259—who will be an excellent post defender and rebounder for us once he gains experience. It should be a good mix of inside and outside."

Over the past few years you’ve always had an identified scorer who could create when necessary--All-Americans AJ Bowman, Ben Madgen, and George Johnson. Will this team have someone who emerges as such, or will balance be this team’s strong point?

“I think it will be balanced. It will be more of a situation where we could have four players scoring in double-digits. I don’t know if we have many guys who can get us over 20 points on a given night, but I think we have a lot of guys who can get us 10. Doby, is probably the most talented player inside, and once he gets in a little better shape and works on his perimeter game, he has the potential to be that kind of scorer down the road.”

The schedule looking to be as challenging as in recent years?

“It’s absolutely brutal during the first part of the season. One of these years it’s going to catch up with us in terms of over-scheduling—hopefully it won’t be this year! We’re going to have a lot of new guys playing prominent roles, and many of them are Freshman and Sophomores. The more experience they get playing on the road the better off they’ll be towards the end of February and into March.”

Your team was picked to finish third in the Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coach's Poll. You think that’s about right?

“Every year I’ve been here the team that’s been picked to win it has never won it. It’s like it’s a curse. Four out of the last five years we won it, the year we didn’t win was the year we were picked to win it. When I saw us not first I was happy. And when I saw us not last I was happy."

What are some final thoughts on your team as you begin the season this week?

“I think we’ll be a team that, hopefully, contends for the regular season title. You never really know what each team has until you see them in games, or in the box score. The box score never lies."

All This Talk of Destiny



Hard luck square, George McFly

George: Lorraine, my density has popped me to you.

Lorraine: What?

George: Oh, what I meant to say was...
Lorraine: Wait a minute, don't I know you from somewhere?
George: Yes. Yes. I'm George, George McFly. I'm your density. I mean... your destiny.

George McFly, one of cinemas most insecure, nerdy wimps, could have about-faced, mumbled some obscenities under his breath and not gathered himself to take another run at the lovely Lorraine Baines in "Back to the Future". Known to all as the sci-fi geek equipped with a laugh that could clear a room, it’s safe to say McFly would have had better luck with natural selection rather than convincing Baines to date him (much less not explode into laughter anytime she looked at him).

And for some reason, when I remember this small exchange, I’m reminded of this year’s edition of the Georgia Bulldogs, and what’s still attainable if only they finally assert themselves like the clumsy McFly did.

We compare McFly’s initial fumbled attempt at conversation, which on a scale is somewhere between inaudible and verbal diarrhea, in correlation to the Boise St loss to open the season. The grand stage was set in Atlanta, only to end sloppily against the winningest college program over the past few years. The injury bug also hit UGA during the game which became a common thread for the season. But, It was a game Georgia could lose—the SEC Championship was still in sight.

The next shot at serendipity came with the Gamecocks coming to town. This would be Georgia’s toughest SEC opponent of the year, and it also doubled as a rivalry game. Much like McFly gaining his footing in the beginning the second time a round, the Dawgs bounced back from their season opening loss to outplay the Gamecocks. But outplay as they might, they did not outscore the visiting team. You gotta stay focused from start and finish to end with a win, or in McFly’s case, to construct a comprehensible sentence.

The very second the wrong word came out again, McFly, or Georgia for that matter, knew its safety net had disappeared. And just as the memorable klutz somehow instantaneously fired out the corrected word, somehow these Dawgs persevered through five straight SEC games, climbed over and through suspensions/injuries/maturity issues/Preseason All-American candidates forgetting how to kick the ball, and landed back into destiny’s driver seat.

The courtship for Lorraine was not won in the diner that day, but a seed of belief was planted in her heart. For no matter how faulty, square and lame McFly indeed was, he really thought he had a chance with her. That same seed has been growing in these Dawgs since September 10th. And whether they were right or wrong at the time to believe it, he made his statement, and they won their games. And sure, there are other scenarios that could play out and still land UGA in Atlanta again on Dec. 3rd, but I doubt the Dawgs give up the keys this time.



Games to Watch


No. 10 Virginia Tech @ No. 21 Georgia Tech-Thursday-8pm-ESPN

Great Coastal division matchup with both teams coming off bye weeks

No.1 North Carolina vs Michigan St.-Friday-7pm-ESPN

Basketball on an aircraft carrier. This should be interesting.

No. 20 Auburn @ No. 15 Georgia-Saturday-3:30-CBS

The Bulldogs now have the keys. Sure hope that car don't sputter.

New Orleans Saints @ Atlanta Falcons-Sunday-1:00-FOX

The Falcons can't afford to lose this one at home. Rise up!

Interview: Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News



Mike DeCourcy

I had a chance to catch up with Mike DeCourcy, National College Basketball writer for Sporting News about the college teams in our region and what to realistically expect from them this year. You will notice that South Carolina is left out of this exchange. That’s because when your leading scorer also plays football for a team that will probably make a New Year’s Day bowl game, its safe to say that it’ll be a tough year for the Gamecocks. There’s your explanation.

On Clemson:

“I think Clemson has a real opportunity here. Beyond the top two teams (Duke and North Carolina) I don’t think there is a great team. Florida State has good components and could be that third team, and then it really thins out from there. Clemson has some veterans in Andre Young, Milton Jennings and Devin Booker. Those guys have been role players in the past. I think Jennings has the potential to be a significant player in the ACC, and we saw some really good play from Andre at the end of last year. So I think they have a chance. The fact that there are no other GREAT teams beyond those top two gives Virginia, Clemson and NC State a chance. If you listen to your coach and build team chemistry you can win those games. That’s the way Clemson has to approach this season.”

On Georgia Tech:

“The talent drain out of the program subsequent to Paul Hewitt leaving has been fairly substantial. And it wasn’t really that great of a base to begin with. Georgia Tech begins at square one with Brian Gregory. I like Brian a lot. He’s a great person. The one thing he was never able to do at Dayton was take full advantage of the power of his brand. They were always good, but being very good to excellent always seemed to be a bounce of the ball away. At Tech, he has a stronger brand now, stronger talent base, so the margin for error is greater. Because if he’s a little off what the potential is at Georgia Tech, that’s still pretty good. It’s up to him if he can translate his recruiting base from the Midwest to the South (he worked at Michigan State and Northwestern before coaching at Dayton). He’s an appealing personality and a very good basketball coach.”



Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Rivals.com

On Georgia’s star frosh Kentavious Caldwell-Pope:

“Pope is a tremendous talent. He’s probably the best pure basketball talent Georgia has had in the program for at least five years, and possibly longer than that. This is a gifted young man. A Top-15 player coming out of high school, and somebody they can build around.”

On Georgia losing Travis Leslie and Trey Thompkins, and also what those players lose as well: “They lost a ton into the abyss of this lockout. If those guys (Leslie and Thompkins) were back, they would be better served to be playing basketball now, to be coached, to be developing. So many guys made the mistake of jumping into that lockout. Especially the guys who knew it was coming, and knew they probably weren’t first round picks. And as much as Georgia is paying a price for them leaving, so are they.”

Predictably Irrational

When do the dominoes start to fall for undefeated teams in college football? Just check around when the initial BCS rankings are released.


Those pesky rankings, all they ever do is confuse everything and everyone. Yet, ratings show we don’t mind it a bit. We enjoy talking heads giving their take and stirring the pot to promote viewership for a system that has not existed one year without some sort of controversy. It’s opinion and chaos that sells, remember. But before we open that can of worms, lets not wax poetic on why we need a playoff system, but profile the teams that have had their bubbles busted—and one that came mighty close-- since the BCS rankings came out.

Stanford- Almost blew their chance at the big one with a three overtime thriller against USC on Saturday. I personally was all-in for this one once I saw that Georgia Tech was doomed against Clemson. The Cardinals still have a long road ahead as they still play Oregon before finishing the regular season with Notre Dame.

Clemson- Look, it was unfortunate running back Andre Ellington could not play against Tech and then have the bye week to regain his health back. Clemson was reduced to a pass-only offense when they could not establish any type of run game. And four turnovers have never helped a team win a big game on the road. Or so I’ve been told.

Wisconsin- You could say the hailmary pass that connected in the Michigan State game was a fluke. A fluke that cost the Badgers a shot at the BCS title game. But the same thing against Ohio State? For a team that looked to be the most complete in the nation, its funny that the same gimmicky type play would cost them two weeks in a row. No matter how small, a chink in the armor is still a chink in the armor.

Oklahoma- The injury-riddled Sooners were the shoe in for the title game against the LSU-Alabama winner, so all they had to do was win out the rest of their games. Not even convincingly, just win, baby. How horrifying that the dream came to a crashing halt against an also injury-plagued 4-2 Red Raider bunch who on their best day, sadly, were enough to beat my pick of this years BCS champion. Crap.



“A Dream Come True”

That’s exactly how Scott Elledge, Executive Producer of Chevy Game Night Live on WJBF’s digital channel 6.2, explains the thrill of bringing live football on Thursday nights into the homes of everyone in the CSRA.

“As an ex jock myself (Elledge played football at Middle Tennessee State University) I know how big a deal it is to have the local outlets covering your game, much less a full production with six cameras, incredible graphics, sideline reporters, etc.”

For the eleven game schedule that concluded last Thursday, it has been an exciting first year not only for football fans but for the administration of those schools as well.

“Outside of the usual player spotlight segments we have each week, we were also able to donate $500 back to each home team with the help of our sponsor, the CSRA Chevy dealers.”

And it’s that exclusive time slot on Thursday that seems to be the key for all those involved.

“You are able to watch a bunch of local teams that otherwise you might not have the opportunity to see,” said Grovetown’s Rodney Holder. “We have to coach every Friday night, so it’s nice to be able to sit back and watch a live game each week of the season.”

And the games have been great theatre for those able to watch them live or replayed Sunday on WJBF Channel 6. Holder can attest to the excitement around the games as his Warriors defeated the Greenbrier Wolfpack in the first game of the season 28-24 in a thrilling finish. And for his post game report on how the entire production played out?

“If you can’t get behind this you’re just crazy. The excitement and exposure for the kids playing on Thursday night is incredible.”


Games to Watch


Burke County @ Thomson-Friday 7:30pm

The CSRA’s version of LSU-Alabama. Seriously. No hyperbole here.


South Carolina @ Arkansas- Saturday 7:15- ESPN

Must win for the Gamecocks in order to stay atop the SEC East division.


LSU @ Alabama- Saturday 8:00pm-CBS

Even causal fans are talking about this game and how important it is.


Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburg Steelers-Sunday 8:20- NBC

Don’t miss this one. Always one of the best played games of the year in the NFL.

Coaches' Conundrum

If you’re a regular at football games here locally you have no doubt been subject to a hefty share of final scores that sent you home with more questions than answers. Even on nights where dominance is the only word you can use to describe what happened, vagueness is what you’re left with.

And your final score from tonight’s ball game:

Burke County 84 Cross Creek 7

Thomson 63 Harlem 0

 Strom Thurmond 77 Gilbert 6

Blowouts seem obvious in their outcomes. One team looks out of this world while the other just looks outclassed, outmatched and endlessly flawed. Kudos are in order for the victor. Post-game, the coaches are anxious to heap praise and sound off in pre-recorded clichés congratulating the team on “perfectly executing the game plan” and “taking care of business.” After doing this though, many times while walking back to the locker room, those coaches begin the anxiety-filled cycle that coaches are ingrained to go through. But sometimes, the result just mixes into a compound angst that only worries the coaches  that much more.

“It’s frustrating.” says Thomson Offensive Coordinator Tucker Pruitt, as the Bulldogs have won their last five games by a margin of 291-26. “Now don’t get me wrong, I’m always thankful for a win, but it does make other parts of the job a little more difficult…Sometimes it’s just your night and your opponent could look as bad as they have all year. It’s just hard to rate your teams progress after games like that.”

Part of the reason for the disparity in scoring margin has to do with Region 3-AAA not being as competitive as in years past with competitive teams in the middle. The top has some of the best teams in the state, but there is a severe drop-off after that. For Thomson, it’s been worrisome for their new coaching staff as they are still getting familiar with the tendencies of the kids on the team.

“Many times this year we have finished around the mid-twenties in our total snap count for our first team offense. Teams we’ll likely play in the playoffs are getting 50+ snaps each game, so we have to adjust our practices a little to make sure we get our work in.”

Coaches are paid to find insufficiencies in their team, shore up their weaknesses, and also forecast potential bumps in the road as the season progresses. It’s in the details. They sweat the small stuff. Which is why for several teams in our local area that’ll have a chance to be contenders come playoff time, these wide margins of victory can be burdensome at times.

“We usually do what we can for a half, and sometimes in the first couple of series of the third quarter,” says Strom Thurmond Head Coach Lee Sawyer, who’s defense has only given up double digit points three times this year. “Once they go to a running clock, we step off the gas. Most coaches understand.”

The conundrum for coaches is that while they don’t want to rub it in the face of any opponent, they have to work on their game plan and get as much “game action” for their players as they can. And too many games in a season like the ones referenced earlier hurt more than they help. For a few reasons:

1. Coaches, Players don’t “participate” in a full game.

This is all-encompassing:  offense, defense and special teams. It is impossible to replicate what happens under the lights against an opposing team. Coaches and players aren’t put between a rock and a hard place in big game moments, and players don’t learn how to finish an entire game.

2. False sense of self.

Getting too strung out on complements and overdosing on confidence can gear your team to float in and out of consciousness. Entering “win or go home” games with a big head or distorted self image will quickly punch your ticket back to the house. While the game must be physically played to win or lose, it can be lost mentally weeks in advance.

This certainly gives us something to think about next time we see a game that gets out of hand. The winning coach might have more on his mind that we once thought.

What Took So Long?

A football coach is hospitalized after a post-game fight; apparently not newsworthy enough to report ASAP.

I’ll start with a disclaimer, as my publisher so heartily encouraged me to do earlier this week. Alright! Alright! What can I say, it was his birthday.

This article is in my opinion. Don’t know if that’s even needed, but it’s there, for what it’s worth.

Upon meeting with Warren County Schools Superintendent Carole Jean Carey about the altercation that took place on Friday night after the Warren County-Hancock Central football game, she understood this would be one of many conversations she would have with people like me this week. I just wondered why some had not already taken place.

A coach was hit in the face by an opposing player’s helmet.

We’ll instantaneously inquire and argue the correct month that Beyonce’s child was conceived, but not about a melee at a high school game where a human being got smashed in the face with a helmet? I thought we had a 24/7 news cycle. Who are we?

The damaging blow to Warren County Head Coach David Daniel’s head came after a fight had blossomed when Daniel saw a Hancock Central player strike a Warren County player from behind with a helmet, said Carey. Daniel rushed to break up the fight and extinguish the post-game fireworks when he was struck and eventually hospitalized over the weekend. Major reconstructive surgery took place with even more surgery on the horizon for Daniel, who is 6-1 in on his first season as head coach of Warren County.

But from what I’ve heard after digging around and looping through multiple source wormholes, this desired GBI investigation that Carey wants could be ripe with several issues other than just the situation involving Daniel. I feel disgusted saying “just” like it’s not enough. There was a certain number of police officers that were supposed to be assigned to the Homecoming/Rivalry game detail—I’ve heard as many as 12 from one source-- and upon altercation, lets just say this, many have a hard time coming up with a respectable number of officers initially trying to curb the altercation before it got out of control.

I’ve also been told that the officers that were present near the exiting teams certainly left their mark. We have reports of pepper spray being used to break up the fight. Several players received doses so potent they had to stammer out of the way in order to regain their functionality. Several non-participants—of the game and fight-- were near the action on the field and in close proximity to the gas as well. One attendee of the game said the smell from the gas was so strong, Warren County put their jerseys in the back of a pickup truck to haul back home. And players were also said to have felt threatened by more than just the spray tactics used by the officers.

It will take time to hash out all the different investigations as authorities try and get the full story as to what really happened last Friday night. But remember, all of this happened without a confirmed source through Saturday and into Sunday afternoon.

My question is how?

Bright Lights, Rivalry Games, and Bud Heavy-Metro Spirit 10-13

To mistakenly say it was just a rivalry game would mean you had not done your due diligence. Oh no. There was a lot more than just pride on the line during this year’s Greenbrier-Evans game. What was up for grabs was an outside shot at postseason play, with the victor not only getting their first region win, but also staying in the “sure, things might look over, but don’t go sleeping on ______!!” conversation that we relish in having over the next few months. Yes, that interchangeable phrase that’s as frustrating to as the mound of leaves slowly piling up in your backyard.

Rare are the times when you can battle your way back into playoff contention after starting 0-2 in region play. To catch enough breaks that late in the season, much less play in a sub-region where the standard bearers are as great (Statesboro) and as talented (Lakeside) as many in the state, you got a better shot at getting a job by #OccupyingWallStreet.

In the tightly contested matchup, we saw Greenbrier get multiple key stops against the Evans offense. No series of them more essential than the first four possessions of the second half, when Greenbrier’s defense only gave up one field goal.

The Wolfpack offense sputtered at times, but did get the ball into their playmakers (Jahvon Hardrick, Jeremy Harden, and Thomas Brown) hands enough to keep the Evans defense honest throughout the game. Evans had many opportunities to put the game away, but at times showed some immaturity that comes with having talented underclassman in game-changing positions for the first time.

Watching a strategic defensive battle where ball control and time of possession are essential is fun to watch. Man on man, three yards and a cloud of dust. Nothing flashy, just America’s game.

“To hell with exciting. I’d rather be drab as hell and win.” That’s how legendary Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes described his offensive philosophy.

Thankfully for the fans at the Lexington-North Augusta game last Friday, neither coach channeled their inner Woody Hayes.

It was one of the biggest games of the year and as the stadium lights brilliantly pierced through the fall night, the stars of the Palmetto state dazzled for all to see. Yellow Jacket quarterback Tyrell Hillary was 23 of 38 for 331 yards, with five touchdowns and one interception. All night he worked the Lexington defense, hitting his receivers, like Montez McGuire (8 catches 125 yards, 1 TD) and even connecting with stud running back Vinny Miller on a receiving touchdown to go along with his usual course load (32 carries 158 yards 2 TDs). Also in the mood for a good ole’ fashioned shootout, Lexington brought a six-shooter of their own.

Shaq Roland, the #1 ranked player in South Carolina—also a South Carolina commit—brought heat with his nine catch, 176 yard and three touchdown clinic from the wide receiver position to go along with his two carries for 32 yards and two touchdowns while running the rock.The Wildcats proved to be too much for the Yellow Jackets—though the game was decided late and did have a cloud of smoke surrounding the finish—and dealt them the first blow to their very promising season.


Games to Watch

Hephzibah @ Butler-Thursday- 7pm- TV: Digital 6.2, Knology/Atlantic Broadband 246, Comcast 380
Bulldogs look to get back on track after a big loss to Washington County last week.


South Effingham @ Lakeside-Friday-7:30
South Effingham ruined Evans’ homecoming a few weeks ago. Can they return to Augusta and deal the Panthers a loss?


Eau Claire @ Strom Thurmond-Friday-7:30
Three more wins and the Rebels have an undefeated regular season. Don’t slip now!


College/NFL Games to Watch

No. 20 Baylor @ No. 21 Texas A&M- Saturday-12pm-FX
Robert Griffin III is one of the most exciting players in the country. Do yourself a favor and watch this game.


Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons-Sunday-1pm-FOX

Homecoming for Cam Newton (Westlake High School) and his feisty group of 1-4 Panthers are hungry for another win. You can’t pencil in a win against them like you used to, Falcons.


Dallas @ New England-Sunday-4:15-FOX
Are you kidding me? America’s team vs. America’s team? I might have to switch to Budweiser for this one. Trust me. It’s the American thing to do.

Metro Spirit 10-6

Last Thursday’s matchup between ARC and Thomson pitted two programs that are in completely different galaxies against each other. But I guess you could have read the box score and drawn that conclusion yourself. 61-7 was the final score from the legendary Brickyard in Thomson with the hometown Bulldogs overwhelming the Musketeers in a lopsided game that could have been much worse. I don’t say that to beat up on ARC, they finally reached a year where they are in a complete overhaul of their program. They’ve had a nice run the past few years with stellar play coming from each year’s upperclassmen. But In returning only seven total players with varsity experience, ARC Coach Chris Hughes knew it would be a constant uphill climb all year.

The question was just how steep.

It was weird to watch as ARC dominated the time of possession for the game—usually a decent indicator of the winning team—and the game could have not been more out of reach. Special teams miscues ran amok the entire evening and contributed heavily to the cause while Thomson’s intensity and effort never weaned. The defense also looked confused more often than not—which is what happens when only two of those returning players with varsity experience are on the defense, and your playing the Georgia’s #1 ranked scoring team at 53 pts/game-- and fell victim to Thomson’s expansive network of running backs. Head Coach Milan Turner scheduled a pregame ceremony to honor former head coach, the late Luther Welsh, so the Bulldogs had no shortage of inspiration performing in tribute to their fallen former leader.

Lakeside traveled over to Greenbrier in search of a win to snap the 4-game losing streak they brought into the game, and also to extend their winning streak over one of their fiercest rivals to four in a row. Lakeside completed both tasks as they beat the Wolfpack 34-17 to put them at 2-4 on the season, and 1-1 in region play. Remember that score, we’ll address some concerns to it in a bit.

Greenbrier did a good job of staying in the game before halftime, with Jahvon Hardrick logging an impressive 65-yard touchdown run that closed out the scoring for the first half and left the fans with an exciting 20-17 halftime score. The Wolfpack should have glanced outside the locker room during halftime for a preview of what was to come for them in the second half.

The lights went out.

No, like they literally went out during the halftime performance of Greenbrier’s band.

And as funny as it would have been if some ninth grader acting on the dare of a senior had cut the power, sadly, a transformer just blew. Nothing to see here. Literally.

Lakeside’s defense continued the lights out trend in the second half only relinquishing 18 yards of total offense and one first down to Greenbrier. The Wolfpack struggled to get the ball into their other playmaker’s hands. With Hardrick being the main target, Lakeside Coach Jarrett Troxler sought to shut the talented running back down.

Outside of this looking like just another Lakeside win over Greenbrier in a string of them, something bizarre occurred. Down 17 points with a little under seven minutes to go, ball on Lakeside’s side of the field, and all of their timeouts still in hand, Greenbrier punted it to the Panthers, who had been running the ball well on them all night long. It already raised concerns when they ran the ball on 3rd down and didn’t hustle back to the line to get the next play off, but punt it? I’m not the only one asking what happened that night—I was stopped by numerous “casual” fans who also noted the blunder. Lakeside ran the ball with ease, marched down the field and ran the clock out. I’m no game management expert, but isn’t the point to try and win? With the boys playing their hearts out against their rivals—Thomas Brown looked so gassed he could hardly muster the strength to get off the line of scrimmage near the end while handling wide receiver and safety duties all night. I know the kids left it all out on the field, living and dying with each play. They looked desperate for this win. Too bad we can’t say the same for the folks in the collared shirts.


Games to Watch

Lexington @ North Augusta-Friday- 7:30pm

Last weeks win over Northwestern was crucial for the Jackets. Can they have a repeat performance?


Greenbrier @ Evans-Thursday- 7pm-TV: Digital- 6.2, Comcast- 380, Atlantic Broadband/Knology 246

Both teams need this game to stay competitive in the Region 2B-AAAA race.


Butler @ Washington County- Friday- 7:30pm

Winner of this one sets up big matchup against Burke County in a few weeks.


College/NFL Games to Watch

No.3 Oklahoma vs No. 11 Texas-Saturday-12pm-ABC

Texas has been surging since replacing struggling QB Gilbert and going with the Case McCoy and David Ash rotation.

No. 17 Florida @ No. 1 LSU- Saturday- 3:30-CBS
Even if Florida had QB John Brantley, do you really give them a chance anyways?

Georgia @ Tennessee-Saturday-7pm-ESPN2

Last four years the home team has handled business in this series.

Metro Spirit 9-29

Somebody had to pull out of the parking lot of Grovetown High School with a loss, and to give you a hint, it sure wasn’t that raucous bus full of Bulldogs heading back across town. Butler took their talents on the road in a great contest not only between two good teams, but a couple of the area’s more outstanding coaches as well. In setting the table for the game, both teams knew they each wanted to run the ball effectively, manage the clock, and leave it up to their unyielding defenses to slam the door shut and leave with a W. As both teams did an impressive job in executing their defensive game plans, quality runs came about as often as they do in a fiber-less diet. Painfully not often enough. I know, I know, real cute, jackass. But after Grovetown took a 7-6 lead into halftime, Butler made the appropriate adjustments and took to the air to get their yards and open up running lanes for their running backs. More importantly in the second half, the Bulldogs found an extra defensive gear and held the Warriors to an astounding 11 yards of total offense and only one first down in the 20-7 victory.

Lincoln County (LC) knew they were in for a handful when South Carolina’s reigning Class A State Champion, Abbeville, hosted the Red Devils in a rivalry game on August 26th. The battle ended with LC prevailing 24-13. Abbeville had blemished LC’s record the previous three years. The date had been circled, enough was enough. It was thought, upon first glance at the schedule, the next opponent to have a punchers chance against the Red Devils would be Aquinas on Oct 21st. Insert an undefeated Warren County bunch led by fiery first-year head coach David Daniel. Daniel took over the program just days before the Screaming Devils’ first game against Glascock County- a game they won 51-7. How tall an order is it for Warren County to get a win against LC? The current Screaming Devils players could have lived two lifetimes until that point and still not have a memory of a victory against a Larry Campbell coached team. This year was destined to be different, right? Well, almost. It took a defensive stand from LC on the final possession to make it 37 in a row for Coach Campbell. The gritty 10-7 victory was obviously highlighted by solid defensive play, but none more so than LC’s containment of Warren County’s stud running back Jabari Wilson, who was held to 63 rushing yards total. Silver lining? Lincoln County gets a midseason wake up call, and Warren County continues their inspired, confidence building play into the second half of the season. A win for both sides, even though it wasn’t.

Give Statesboro respect, they always seem to find a way. We’ve sent two local teams (Washington County and Lakeside) against the Blue Devils, put them on the ropes, and watched them dance out of two defeats and win by an average of 6 points. For Lakeside, it was another game they were in, and just like that, they let it get away from them. It also marked their 4th loss in a row—albeit in a death row slate of games already chronicled many times over in this space- and a sluggish lead-in to region play. The question facing Lakeside is can they finish a game? Can they find a way?


High School Games to Watch

ARC @ Thomson- Thursday- 7:05- TV: Comcast 380, Atlantic Broadband/Knology 246

The area’s best gameday experience just got better as the Bulldog community honors the late Luther Welsh with a heartfelt ceremony.

Lakeside @ Greenbrier-Friday-7:30

The Panthers desperately need a win to restore the confidence they brought with them into the season.

Josey @ Westside-Friday-7:30

Can the Eagles make it two in a row?!?!


College/NFL Games to Watch

No.13 Clemson @ No.11 Virginia Tech-Saturday-6pm-ESPN2

Last test in the Schedule of Champions that Dabo keeps yapping about.


No.3 Alabama @ No.12 Florida-Saturday-8pm-CBS

Sorry, No Rules of Engagement reruns tonight. Instead, you get the pleasure of watching 71 yr old CBS play-by-play announcer, Verne Lundquist stay up way past his bedtime!

Detroit Lions @ Dallas Cowboys-Sunday-1pm-FOX

Let’s see if former Georgia Bulldog QB Matthew Stafford can keep the unbeaten streak alive for the Lions against DeMarcus Ware and the Cowboys.

Metro Spirit 9-22

I’ve always been a fan of big games early in the season. Not only are they fascinating to watch, but, win or lose, you walk off the field knowing you raised the bar and tested yourself against elite competition. Nothing is better than going toe-to-toe with the best the state has to offer and gleaning the irreplaceable experience that comes through playing in a marquee game. And for Burke County’s Eric Parker, it provides quality game film displaying endless teaching points on what to improve on for the remainder of the season. Sometimes, it also acts as a springboard.

Look at last year, when Burke won 10 consecutive games after the loss to Lowndes (AAAAA) and reached the AAA semifinals. The Bears once again head to Valdosta to take on Lowndes looking for a better showing than they had last year when they were blanked 36-0. Led by quarterback Corey Mayton, Burke County did the CSRA proud by battling the perennial powerhouse till the final horn sounded in a 21-31 defeat to the Vikings. It reminds me of what Roger Sterling said to his sales team after a failed presentation to the American Airlines executives in Mad Men, “no regrets fellas. We were in it, that’s the important thing.” Indeed.

Another area shootout—not that kind, thankfully the Harrisburg Bullets had a bye week—in Sandersville between Thomson and Washington County. Coming into the game, the Bulldogs were losers of three straight to WACO and had not won in the House of Pain since 1988. Quarterback Josh Jones once again led the high scoring Thomson offense with four touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) and found his favorite target Torrie Battle (4 rec 116 yards TD) whenever they needed a big play. It took two overtimes to get a decision between these two AAA playoff contenders, and, in fitting fashion, was won with a goal-line stand by the Thomson defense. This is the second consecutive loss for Washington County at home when they had a chance to win the game in the final minutes. One of those teams, Statesboro, is a AAAA team, but they are one of the more suspect in the Top-5. Great win for first-year Thomson coach Milan Turner.

Some nicknames are easier to come up with than others. They just pop in your head as you watch an athlete do his—Title IX: or her!—thing. Take Vince Carter’s for example, Half Man Half Amazing. Watch his numerous Youtube highlights and tell me it doesn’t fit perfectly with what’s happening on your screen. The same feeling is had watching Aquinas’ Brendan Douglas, except there is no half about it, this kid is All Man. No more evident than in his 359 yard rushing on 38 carries masterpiece he displayed last Friday against Hancock Central. He also had all five of the team’s touchdowns in a 35-20 win over the Bulldogs. What’s most impressive is that Douglas performs at this incredible clip while usually racking up 10+ tackles/game as well. What a beast.

Games to watch

Lakeside at Statesboro-Friday 7:30

Panthers really need a win here to get off this three game skid as they start region play.


Butler at Grovetown- Friday 7:30

Battle of the unbeatens. Lots of good running backs in this one.


Wilkinson County at Aquinas- Friday 7:30

Great matchup with the Warriors coming into town. Irish looking for revenge after a six point loss last year.


College/NFL Games to Watch

North Carolina at Georgia Tech-Noon-ESPN

Tech’s first true test. If you can really call it that.


Florida State at Clemson-Saturday-3:30-ESPN

The Seminoles have not won in Clemson since 2001. Should be an absolute barn burner.


Vanderbilt at South Carolina-Saturday-7pm-ESPN

Been very impressed with Coach James Franklin of the Commodores. Vandy is undefeated at 3-0 coming into this game. Never thought I’d say that. Wow.