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BARROW JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2016
The Game Plan
A wise decision for Megatron
N ews broke this week about Calvin
Johnson — otherwise known as
"Megatron” — retiring from the
NFL. Johnson played his entire
career for the Detroit Lions and
was touted as one of the top Wide
Receivers in the game every one of
the years.
This is very similar to the story
of Barry Sanders who also retired
at the prime of his career. Oddly
enough, he also played for the
Lions and was touted as one of the
best (if not the best) at his position.
This is a very sad correlation for
Detroit fans.
Not only have the Lions been
lack-luster over the last few
decades, managing to have a few
good seasons here and there, but
now they seem to be going through Deja
Vu. Detroit has had a few good seasons
where they seemed to be improving, but it
seemed like every good year they had was
followed with another slump.
It’s interesting, really, how a team with
so much talent couldn't find a way to be
successful in the NFL. It makes you won
der if Detroit’s success had anything to
do with Johnson’s decision to retire. I’m
not saying that a playoff berth this season
would have kept the man around, but I am
curious if there have been effects from the
teams lack of success over the years.
Quite frankly, Johnson always deserved
to be on a better team. He had a good
quarterback in Matthew Stafford. Now
Stafford isn’t an "elite” quarterback by
any means, but there are a bunch of teams
that would love to have a shot caller with
that much talent. So, unless we are obliv
ious to something, it wasn’t Stafford that
drew Johnson to this decision.
The former Georgia Tech star truly
deserved to be on a team that
would compete in the league.
It is a shame that he never got
a good chance at a deep playoff
run. I suppose that at the end
of the day, he just lost the will
to play. And whether we like it
or not, it is probably the right
decision.
It’s easy for us to question
and criticize the guy for walking
away from a profession that he
could dominate in his sleep, but
I think everyone on this planet
can resonate with what Mega
tron is going through. At the end
of the day, you have to do what
you love and what you are pas
sionate about, and if you aren’t passionate
about football then don’t play anymore,
simple as that.
It doesn’t mean that the guy is washed
up or doesn’t love the game, he just might
not have the same desire that he used
to have, and that is something I totally
understand.
There are a lot of people who walk away
from things they are good or talented at
because they simply don’t have a desire to
do it anymore.
And even though that can seem con
fusing to the outside world, that is a
very important realization one can make.
Kudos to Calvin for that.
Tyler Rollason is a Winder-Bar
row High School and Universi
ty of West Georgia graduate. You can
e-mail comments about this column to
tyrollason@ yahoo, com.
High School Track: Winder-Barrow
WBHS begins season in Hoover, Ala.
Branch, Allen and Pursell
all excel for Bulldogg team
By Chris Bridges
Journal Sports Editor
The calendar still read
January but the Wind
er-Barrow High School
track teams ushered in a
new season in a neighbor
ing state.
WBHS attended The
Last Chance Invitational
in Hoover, Ala. as spring
sports officially arrived
locally.
"It was a great little pre
season meet to get us off
the ground and running for
2016.” said new WBHS
track coach Chris Davis.
Two of the top per
formers for WBHS were
Jay Branch and Jonathan
"Tucker” Allen. Branch
finished third overall in the
pentathlon as he competed
in the 60-meter hurdles,
shot put, high jump, long
jump and 1,000-meter run.
Branch posted a personal
best in the long jump at
21-6.
Allen finished sixth
overall in the pole vault
posting a jump of 11 feet
even.
Austin Cha took eighth
place in the 60-meter hur
dles with a time of 9.78.
Sarah Grace Weather
ford had a strong showing
for the Lady Bulldoggs in
the 400 meters posting a
time of 1:04.44, good for
18th overall.
WBHS also had sever
al quality performances in
the distance events includ
ing:
3,200-meter run
•Will Pursell ran a
10:29.27 and was 12th
overall with a personal
reord
•Jake Martinez ran a
10:45.00 in the 3,200-
meter run and was 18th
overall, also establishing a
personal record.
•Taylor Smith ran a
12:13.18 after returning
from a month off due to a
knee injury.
1,600-meter run
Pursell ran a 4:53.62
while Martinez ran a
5:06.08.
Cody Boles had a per
sonal best in the 1,600-
meter run in 5:05.15 while
Smith ran a 5:34.71
"All of our coaches were
pleased with the way our
kids competed.” Davis
said. Certainly it was a
good starting point for us
to gain some momentum
headed into the season.
WBHS will next com
pete at Mill Creek High
School on Tuesday.
Youth Sports: Baseball and Softball
Softball, baseball registration ongoing
Registration for the 2016 Barrow County Leisure Services youth softball and baseball
seasons are currently ongoing.
Registration is now open for youth softball and baseball registration through Friday,
Feb. 19, for girls and boys ages 4 through 16. Volunteer coaches are also needed.
Registration takes place at the Leisure Services Center. 175 2nd St. in Winder, from 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
For softball information, contact Megan Myers by email at mmyers@barrowga.org or
by calling 770-307-3024.
For baseball registration information, contact Sara Call by email at scall@barrowga.
org, or by calling 770-307-3024.
PASS OFF
Bethlehem Christian Academy’s Stella Byrd looks for an open teammate
during recent region action for the Lady Knights. Photos by Jessica Brown
INSIDE THE PAINT
Kara Maxwell drives toward the basket for the BCA Lady Knights during a
home game in late January.
TOWARD THE BASKET
Catherine Doolittle attempts to add to the point total for the BCA varsity
girls basketball team.
Lady Cats
fall Tuesday
The Apalachee High
School girls basketball
team gave visiting Gaines
ville High School more of
a challenge than expected
but in the end the Lady
Wildcats fell 39-25 Tues
day night.
Shania Thomas paced
AHS (6-16 overall) with
14 points and five rebounds
while Nakia Hooks scored
six points and pulled down
eight boards. Kate Thomp
son had two points and two
boards.
The Winder-Barrow
High School girls basket
ball team is now one win
shy of 20 victories fol
lowing a 55-35 road win
against Lanier High School
Tuesday. WBHS (19-4)
will host Gainesville Fri
day while AHS hosts Dis
covery.
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Monday, February 8
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