Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2016
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
PAGE 7B
Sports Opinion
High School Football: Apalachee High School
Art Demmas
College football has
spawned some notable
players who loved com
petition, but
also appreciated
the game for its
inherent values,
its heritage and
the fact that win
ning with honor
was the way
football should
be played.
Nobody was
more of a dot
ing advocate of
college football
played the old
fashioned way — pros
pering from that envious
tradeoff of playing a game
and becoming the bene
ficiary of a free educa
tion — than Art Demmas,
Vanderbilt letterman (‘51-
’56), who spent his sun
down years as the South
ern Regional Coordinator
for the National Football
Foundation.
Along the way he became
a highly regarded umpire
in the National Football
League, officiating four
Super Bowl games.
The officers and board
of directors of the Univer
sity of Georgia chapter of
the NFF, considered Dem
mas a valuable friend and
enjoyed hearing his stories
about NFL officiating with
humorous vignettes about
well known players and
coaches.
A loyal friend of the Uni
versity of Georgia chapter,
the nation’s No. 1 chap
ter for many years, Dem
mas gloried in coming to
Athens for the chapter’s
annual shrimp cookout and
golf outing at the Athens
Country Club. He became
a welcomed fixture in Ath
ens.
The Foundation has
never had a greater good
will ambassador than
Demmas who learned foot
ball under Art Guepe, let
tering for the Commodores
1953-55. His successful
post graduate life in the
brokerage business was
accented by his work as a
college and NFL official
and volunteering for col
lege football activities, his
alma mater and his com
munity.
A native of St. Louis,
Demmas. who died recent
ly, was proud of his Greek
heritage. If he invited you
to his home for dinner, you
became the beneficiary of
his wife Nancy’s expertise
in the kitchen. Dinner was
a feast with a fine Greek
flavor. Nancy, who had
Georgia roots, delighted in
entertaining Art’s friends
from his multiplicity of
affiliations. There were a
lot of friends always pass
ing through Nashville, but
Nancy never tired of host
ing and entertaining.
While Nashville has
always been a laid back
city, it also is electric with
an accent on tradition.
Music City is historical
and alluring. Now major
league, Nashville has a
small town feel. Art was
well known and high
ly regarded in Nashville
because of his accomplish
ments and his integrity.
It was always fun to see
him at work as an NFL
official on Sunday after
noon.
At kickoff, he became
engrossed in his on-the-
field assignment.
He enjoyed being part of
the action, but never want
ed to be the show. All he
wanted was for the show
to go on without any dis
tractions or faux
pas. That is why
he became one of
the league’s most
decorated officials.
Art enjoyed
a good story and
was an entertaining
raconteur himself.
Before dinner he
would often take
out an old video
tape and plug it into
the VCR machine.
There was a
but poignant mes-
contained in the
Someone had taped
coming into
highlighting
funny,
sage
video.
the officials
the stadium,
the engaging and pleasant
pre-game banter between
the coaches and the men
in stripes. Coaches would
kibitz with the officials,
everybody smiling and
laughing. A coach would
ask an official about a
family member in an old
home-week environment.
When the game started,
it became a different scene.
There were epithets and
intense yelling and scream
ing. Suddenly the coaches
were insulting, threatening
barracudas. The heat of
battle transformed them
from nice guys on the lawn
to near life-threatening
advocates on the field. Or
so it seemed as the video
graphically exposed.
One of Art’s premier
episodes had to do with
Bill Parcells, who became
a friend of Art’s when Par-
cells coached at Vandy. In
a close NFL game, late
in the fourth quarter, the
Giants, one of the three
teams with whom Parcells
was a head coach, needed a
critical first down in order
to run out the clock.
With a nice gain by a
running back, it appeared
that the Giants might have
made the first down. The
official spotting the ball
did not have the best angle
for marking forward prog
ress. Art, however, was in
perfect position, so he goes
over and moves the ball
back a yard which brought
the first down opportunity
in question.
Parcells and his assis
tants began to howl! The
most vocal was Parcells
himself, appealing to the
official who first marked
the ball. “He can’t do
that!” was among the nice
things Parcells screamed.
The argument and the yell
ing became rigidly intense
until Demmas walked over
to Parcells and said, “Okay,
coach that’s enough.” Par-
cells, who knew that an
unsportsmanlike penal
ty could be next, calmed
down and said to his assis
tants.
“Would you believe that
s.o.b. was my tennis part
ner, who I coached at Van
derbilt?”
Football has lost a won
derful gentleman and
friend with the passing of
Art Demmas.
Loran Smith is a col
umnist for the Barrow
News-Journal. He is host
of the University of Geor
gia football tailgate show.
Considering
In M r) )
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770-867-9026
www.maynardrealty.com
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Town of Carl
regular town meeting,
September 15, 2016
@ 7:00 p.m.
Elusive victory slips away from Wildcats
Union Grove rallies to force tie with AHS last week
By Chris Bridges
Sports Editor
It wasn’t a loss for the Apalachee
High School football team this past
Friday, but players, coaches and fans
couldn’t help but ask “What if?”
following a 22-22 tie against Union
Grove on the road.
The Wildcats moved in front
22-2 at one point but had to have a
blocked extra point by Jason Craig
in the final minute to prevent a pos
sible loss.
“We didn't feel great coming off
the field,” AHS coach Steve Sims
said. “We missed two field goals
that could have put the game away.
We just couldn’t make a play in the
second half. They converted some
long third downs. Those final two
touchdowns hurt us. We gave up an
easy one early in the third quarter.”
The blocked extra point did pre
vent Union Grove from coming
all the way back and AHS actually
moved into position to possibly win
the game. However, the Wildcats
were at a disadvantage with an injury
to their kicker and had to throw the
football into the endzone to try and
win the game. Union Grove inter
cepted an AHS pass on the final play
of the game.
“We are proud of how we came
back and had a chance to win at the
end,” Sims said. “We have tried to
focus on that. It’s about baby steps.
The first game we were careless with
the football. This time we jumped
out and got a lead. Our one turnover
during the game didn’t hurt. We
didn’t have another one until the
final play.”
While officially the Wildcats’ los
ing streak, dating back to 2014, is
over, Sims wants his team to be
able to take that final step toward a
victory.
“We have to be able to finish a
game,” the coach said. “These kids
don't have a lot of experience clos
ing out games. It’s still a process
although I know people get tired of
hearing that. At the end of the day,
we played better. A big part of what
we are facing is learning how to win.
We had several chances last Friday
to make plays to stop their final
score.”
See Wildcats on Page 8B
E ^ sS=l I
EMOTIONAL LEADER
Apalachee High School senior Jason Craig has played well in his
team’s first two games this seasons. Photos by Jessica Brown
ON THE LINE
Austin Jones lines up at wide receiver for the Wildcats. AHS will
travel to Discovery High School this week.
Barrow County Board of Commissioners
PUBLIC NOTICE
The Barrow County Board of Commissioners does hereby announce that the millage
rate will be set at a meeting to be held at the Barrow County Historic Courthouse
Building, 30 N. Broad Street, Winder, GA on September 27, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. and
pursuant to the requirements of O.C.G.A. section 48-5-32, does hereby publish the
following presentation of the current year's tax digest and levy, along with the tax
digest and levy for the past five years.
TAX DIGEST AND 5 YEAR HISTORY OF LEVY
Incorporated Other
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Real & Personal
295,793,114
266,519,955
275,377,203
285,640,047
352,297,830
385,821,659
Motor Vehicles
20,359,960
20,260,860
21,722,040
17,445,510
13,429,870
9,758,270
Mobile Homes
993,103
1,033,624
950,535
897,852
891,767
879,400
Timber-100%
0
0
0
0
-
0
Hvy Duty Equip
0
0
0
0
-
0
Gross Digest
317,146,177
287,814,439
298,049,778
303,983,409
366,619,467
396,459,329
Less M&O Exemptions
43,776,062
47,452,861
48,253,086
46,255,554
52,751,981
77,136,550
Net M&O Digest
273,370,115
240,361,578
249,796,692
257,727,855
313,867,486
319,322,779
Gross M&O Millage
13.980
17.129
17.009
16.462
14.935
15.000
Less Rollbacks
3.050
3.620
3.750
3.710
3.410
3.461
Net M&O Millage
10.930
13.509
13.259
12.752
11.525
11.539
Net Taxes Levied
2,987,935
3,247,045
3,312,054
3,286,546
3,617,323
3,684,666
Incorporated Winder
Real & Personal
294,950,929
259,108,995
257,795,869
277,299,072
326,984,136
331,506,408
Motor Vehicles
29,480,390
29,649,260
31,145,270
25,044,920
18,714,490
13,425,250
Mobile Homes
386,226
396,286
342,786
245,947
258,632
190,084
Timber 100%
0
0
0
0
0
0
Hvy Duty Equip
0
0
0
0
0
0
Gross Digest
324,817,545
289,154,541
289,283,925
302,589,939
345,957,258
345,121,742
Less M&O Exemptions
39,461,871
37,340,882
37,383,501
37,414,413
40,826,349
37,803,867
Net M&O Digest
285,355,674
251,813,659
251,900,424
265,175,526
305,130,909
307,317,875
Gross M&O Millage
13.980
17.129
17.009
16.462
14.935
15.000
Less Rollbacks
5.272
6.172
4 696
4.790
3.410
3.461
Net M&O Millage
8.708
10.957
12.313
11.672
11.525
11.539
Net Taxes Levied
2,484,877
2,759,122
3,101,650
3,095,129
3,516,634
3,546,141
UNINCORPORATED
Real & Personal
1,187,578,984
1,024,295,084
1,013,417,920
1,055,046,463
1,247,120,052
1,279,368,268
Motor Vehicles
110,178,750
110,683,970
119,858,390
97,128,590
76,390,330
60,119,060
Mobile Homes
6,206,168
6,480,715
5,651,330
5,281,532
5,290,977
5,228,895
Timber-100%
25,506
752
1,568
66,514
37,653
37,653
Hvy Duty Equipment
0
0
0
0
0
0
Gross Digest
1,303,989,408
1,141,460,521
1,138,929,208
1,157,523,099
1,328,839,012
1,344,753,876
Less M&O Exemptions
291,906,554
253,853,629
246,410,416
240,587,022
283,082,427
278,574,171
Net M&O Digest
1,012,082,854
887,606,892
892,518,792
916,936,077
1,045,756,585
1,066,179,705
Gross M&O Millage
13980
17.129
17.009
16.462
14935
15.000
Less Rollbacks
3.050
3.620
3.750
3.710
5.470
5.628
Net M&O Millage
10.930
13.509
13.259
12.752
9.465
9.372
Net Taxes Levied
11,062,066
11,990,682
11,833,907
11,692,769
9,898,086
9,992,236
TOTAL COUNTY
Total County Value
1,570,808,643
1,379,782,129
1,394,215,908
1,439,839,458
1,664,754,980
1,692,820,359
Total County Taxes Levii
16,534,878
17,996,849
18,247,611
18,074,444
17,032,043
17,223,043
Net Taxes $ Increase
10,806
1,461,971
250,762
-173,167
-1,042,401
191,000
Net Taxes % Increase
0.06%
8.84%
1.39%
-0.95%
-5.77%
1.12%