Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

PAGE 2B BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2020 The future of Sports Illustrated Sports Illustrated is going to be different under new ownership, and while I suppose that is to be expected, I am not excited about what the magazine is likely to become. First of all, we will get less of it — publishing few er issues, they say, with more in-depth pieces. I like the sound of that, but whom are they kidding? Who out there can write like Dan Jenkins, John Underwood, Tex Maule and Jack Olsen? Those iconic and classic essayists? My introduction to the magazine came about in the late ‘50s, when the Dean of Men at the University of Geor gia, William Tate, an unforgettable character, who was a devoted SI subscriber, gave me a subscription to the magazine. He kept all the copies of the magazine for years and later gave them to me. a trea sure that was overwhelming. Most them are in bound copies, resting inconspicuously in book shelves in my basement. A sidebar to where this treatise is going is that if the grand old dean was here today and wanted to give something of journalist value to an enterprising student, he would have to gift him a piece of technology which in most cases would be as literarily redeeming as a re capped tire. From the early sixties to yesterday, I have been a de voted advocate of SI, mainly because of the extraordi nary writing and photography that led to sensational and classic presentations. I was fond of the magazine’s elo quent essays and avant-garde photography long before the swimsuit issues came about. If you read one of those outdoor essays by Jack Olsen, for example, it made you want to go shopping at L. L Bean, head off into the Adirondacks, accompanied by nature and its uninhibited influence; immerse yourself in field and stream and “gather ye rosebuds while you may.” Time was never of the essence with those long narratives which the magazine referred to as bonus pieces. Two of the vaunted SI writers became close friends and provided enlightenment that resonates today — John Underwood and Dan Jenkins, a Conch from the Keys and a caustic Texan. I have spent time in their homes and they have spent time in mine. I never took the lead in any conversation. To talk with them about journalism would have been tantamount to talking football with Bear Bryant or Bill Belichick. I was. however, a steadfast and doting listener. The re wards of conversational osmosis with these two journal istic icons brings about joyful noises in my head today. SI writers were well paid, well-traveled and well- dressed. They were the beneficiaries of one of the best retirements in the business. I learned that from David Halberstam in his classic book, “The Powers that Be.” SI founder Henry Luce was a remarkable man when it came to vision and an appreciation for making the best writers the best paid for all Time-Life publications. There was more than enviable compensation, fringe benefits and the best retirement system in the publica tions industry. SI writers were allowed to write books. Then the magazine promoted their staffer’s books with unimpeachable urgency. Underwood enhanced his income significantly with biographies of sports legends such as Ted Williams and Bear Bryant. Underwood also spoke to the conscience of sports. His book. “Death of an American Game,” was published in 1979 and some of his fears about football’s issues are manifesting themselves today. Jenkins became the premier sports novelist of our time. He could make readers laugh uncontrollably with his wit and humor. He never took himself seriously. Three of his novels — “Semi-Tough”, “Dead, Solid, Perfect” and “Baja, Oklahoma” — were turned into movies. I will always be indebted to Underwood who took me to dinner one night, with Ted Williams, following a Red Sox spring training game. I didn’t need a bucket list after that. When Jenkins hosted me for dinner at Club 21 in New York, he advised, “order anything you like.” After he ordered a hamburger, I followed suit. Because of such friendships, my affection for Sports Illustrated has endured for years, but not only is the mag azine not what it used to be, it will be hard pressed to equal the lineup of the magazine’s heyday when sports fans couldn’t get enough of writers like Underwood and Jenkins. Loran Smith is a columnistfor Mainstreet Newspapers and a University of Georgia sports radio announcer. Year continLied from IB Photos by Scott Thompson The Apalachee softball team celebrates a walk-off win against Harrison in Game 3 of the first round of the state playoffs on Oct. 9. Apalachee head volleyball coach Joey Alfonso led his team to a second consecutive area title and fifth in program history, all under his leadership. GARREN RETIRES After wrestling with the decision following the end of his team’s season, Wind er-Barrow High School head boys’ basketball coach Ron Garren officially announced his retirement Feb. 21, bring ing to a close a 40-year career in coaching. Garren spent 32 seasons as a head coach at four different schools, amassing a record of 401-397. He led his teams to three region titles, 13 state playoff appearances, five Sweet Sixteens, three Elite Eights and one Final Four. In 19 seasons at Winder-Barrow, spread across two separate stints, Garren was 243-217. The Bulldoggs finished the winter 8-18 and were eliminat ed from state playoff conten tion in the region tournament by Apalachee for a second consecutive year. The high light of the year came on Jan. 22, when the Bulldoggs beat Apalachee at home to give Garren his 400th win. Discovery assistant Travis McDaniel was hired to replace Garren. AD CHANGES AT BCA, WBHS In February, Bethlehem Christian Academy fired its head varsity football coach and athletic director Lance Fendley, as school officials announced they wanted to take the programs in a different di rection. In April. Gus Felder, a long time college assistant coach and a former offensive line man at Penn State, was hired as the school’s new athletic di rector and head football coach. Felder had been director of strength and conditioning at Miami under Mark Richt for the previous three seasons prior to Richt’s retirement. He was also Richt’s assistant strength and conditioning di rector at Georgia from 2014- 2015. Felder also brought in sev eral assistants with college coaching experience. The rebuilding Knights struggled in Felder’s first season, going 1-10, but the coach said he was encouraged by the team’s progress throughout the sea son. The highlight of the year was a 65-0 rout of Augusta Prep on Oct. 4. Meanwhile, Winder-Barrow also underwent its own change at athletic director. At the end of the 2018-19 school year, Rob McFerrin announced he was stepping down after six years to take an assistant prin cipal position at Jefferson. In June, Hillgrove High School assistant principal Jar ed Noblet was hired to the po sition. He had previously been an athletic director for three years at North Cobb and also had football coaching experi ence. AHSSOFTBALL ADVANCES TO COLUMBUS The Apalachee softball team defeated Effingham County 7-2 in the third game of a best- of-three series on Oct. 17 to advance to the double-elimina tion Elite Eight tournament in Columbus for the second time in program history and the first time since 2007. After Apalachee took Game 1 of the series 4-1 on Oct. 16, the Rebels bounced back to win 5-2 in game 2 to force a third game Oct. 17. But Game 3 belonged to the Wildcats and junior pitcher Emily Hod- nett, who went the distance, allowing just one earned ran on three hits while striking out nine batters without any walks. Apalachee eventually dropped a pair of one-run contests in the Elite Eight, fin ishing the year at 19-12-1 and as Region 8-AAAAAA run ners-up under first-year head coach Allan Bailey. Bailey, also the school’s head baseball coach had been tapped in the spring to take over the softball program after his predecessor. Jessica Sin clair, took the head coaching job at Parkview. WBHS BASEBALL WINS ANOTHER REGION CROWN, MAKES ELITE EIGHT The Winder-Barrow base ball team went 15-0 in GHSA Region 8-AAAAAA play to win its third straight region championship. The Bulldoggs ran then- region record over three sea sons to 41-4 and went 28-5 overall on the year before losing to Effingham County in two straight games in the Elite Eight. Winder-Barrow advanced to the quarterfinals after sweeping River Ridge in the second round, avenging a two-game sweep at the hands of the Knights the previous year. AHS VOLLEYBALL WINS SECOND STRAIGHT AREA TITLE Hosting the GHSA Area 8-AAAAAA tournament on Saturday, Oct. 12. top-seeded Apalachee came back through the losers’ bracket and rallied past Gainesville in four sets in the championship match to win its second consecutive area title after losing to the Red Elephants earlier in the day. It was the fifth area title for the program, all under the leadership of head coach Joey Alfonso. The Wildcats finished the year at 44-7 after losing a tough first-round match to River Ridge in five sets. It was the third straight year Apalachee had a 2-0 lead in a playoff match, only to lose the final three sets. WBHS RECLAIMS BATTLE OF BARROW TROPHY Winder-Barrow senior Harlin Brown’s three field goals made the difference as the Bulldoggs held off rival Apalachee 24-19 in the 16th Battle of Barrow at W. Clair Harris Stadium on Oct. 4. The Bulldoggs avenged a 7-6 loss to the Wildcats the previous year and extended their lead in the all-time se ries to 9-7. They also used the win to help catapult them to a return to the state playoffs af ter missing the postseason in 2018. The Bulldoggs grabbed control of a back-and-forth contest in the second half but had to sweat it out at the end. AJ Forbing’s 34-yard touch down pass to Hayden Goss brought Apalachee to within 24-19 following Adrian Lo pez’s extra point with 1:54 re maining in the game, and the Wildcats got even more life when Tyson Wilson recovered Brody Ham’s perfectly-exe cuted onside kick at the Wind er-Barrow 47. But the Bulldogg defense stiffened. After they stopped Apalachee running back Shaan Cook for a two-yard loss, James Albury sacked Forbing, and a pair of incom plete passes turned the ball back over to the Bulldoggs, who were able to take one knee to run out the clock. Considering ((TM*R) )) buying or selling? 770-867-9026 www.maynardrealty.com Barrow Gounty Leisure Services SPRlNtf 2-02-0 REGISTRATION December I'p'th -January 31st barrowlei^ure^ervice^.or^ FASTPITGH softball AGES 5 16 $85 $120 Age control date-. December 31 2-019 AGES 4 16 $55 $130 Age control date-. April 30 2-02-0 For more in-Po please contact Athletic Supervisor Misty Gray 770-307-302-4 or mgay<2-barrowga.org BARROW COUNTY LEISURE SERVICES GIRLS > VOLLEYBALL REGISTRATION ONLINE AT www.barrowleisureservices.org DEC 15TH - JAN 31ST Girls Ages 9-16 $80 For more info., please contact Misty Gay at: mgay@barrowga.org or 770-307-3024 Farrow County Lelsurr 2020 TRACK & HELD REGISTRATION $105.00 / X For more info contact Dan Magee at dmagee@barrowga.org