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PAGE 6B
BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2020
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An impressive college football sports dynasty
Prep Calendar
Sports dynasties are
always fascinating to
watch, even if you are not
necessarily a die-hard fan
of the team.
In every sport at every
level, there have
been memorable
dynasties. From
the New York
Yankees in Ma
jor League Base
ball to the Chica
go Bulls, Boston
Celtics and Los
Angeles Lakers
in the National
Basketball As
sociation, to the
New England
Patriots, San
Francisco 49ers, Dallas
Cowboys and Green Bay
Packers in the National
Football League, champi
onship seasons covering
an extended number of
seasons demands respect.
Dynasties are not just
limited to professional
sports. Alabama has been
a football dynasty during
two occasions under Bear
Bryant and now Nick Sa-
ban.
One current college
football program, how
ever, has been on a run
as impressive as any. The
North Dakota State Bison
program has won sev
en of the last eight FCS
(formerly I-AA) champi
onships. NDSU will go
for another national title
on Jan. 11 when it plays
James Madison, the only
team to prevent it from
already being on an eight-
year title streak.
The FCS titles began in
2011 under coach Craig
Bohl, who won three na
tional title trophies. After
Bohl was hired by Wyo
ming, defensive coordi
nator Chris Klieman was
promoted to head coach.
Klieman then won four
national titles in five sea
sons leading the Bison.
The only time NDSU
fell short of winning it
all came in 2016 when
the Bison fell to
James Madison
in the semifi
nals. The two
programs are set
to meet again
this weekend in
the champion
ship game for
the second sea
son in a row.
Klieman, now
the head coach
at Kansas State,
was succeeded
by Matt Entz who has
compiled a 15-0 record
with one game left for the
2019 season.
When you consider the
location of this college
football sports dynas
ty you have to admire it
even more. It’s one thing
to build a successful foot
ball program at any level.
Try doing it where young
student-athletes have to
live in a freezer for eight
or nine months out of the
year.
Often it’s difficult to
continue a winning tra
dition when your team’s
head coach keeps getting
hired by larger schools.
However, both times
when Bohl and Klieman
moved on the winning has
continued to roll along.
It’s unlikely this type of
run will ever be duplicat
ed at the FCS level. It’s
really only a question of
how long this streak can
continue. James Madison
is a solid program and
will certainly present a
challenge to NDSU in the
championship game just
as it did for 2018.
The FCS national cham
pionship game will not get
the attention nationally as
the LSU-Clemson match
up, but make no mistake
there will be plenty of
quality athletes on the
field for both games.
An eighth national title
in nine seasons would cer
tainly qualify as a unique
sports dynasty. It would
also set up an intriguing
opening game for NDSU
in 2020.
The Bison offered a
challenge a few years
ago to play any school in
the Southeastern Confer
ence but there have been
no takers. In its last six
games against higher-lev
el opponents, NDSU has
gone 6-0. For the 2020
season opener, the Bison
will once again play up,
this time against Oregon.
It will be another chance
for the most successful
FCS program of all time
to show it can compete
with the big boys of the
college football gridiron.
POSSIBLE END
OF AN ERA
The New England Pa
triots’ loss in the opening
round of the playoffs has
created a good deal of
talk about the Tom Brady
era coming to an end, at
least with the only team
he has ever played for at
the professional level.
Brady had led the Pa
triots to six Super Bowl
wins (nine overall appear
ances) and is considered
by many, even those who
hate New England, as the
greatest to ever play the
game.
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Many legendary pro
fessional football play
ers have played for other
teams toward the end of
their careers. Joe Namath
and Joe Montana are two
who immediately come to
mind.
Brady probably has two
more years before retire
ment although it would
not be completely shock
ing if he decided to call it
a career.
He has nothing left to
prove and a professional
football season is such
a grind that he may not
think it is worth it to con
tinue.
If nothing else, we have
been able to witness the
career of a player who has
set a standard (similar to
Michael Jordan in basket
ball) that will be all but
impossible to top.
FRIDAY, JAN. 10
Basketball
Augusta Prep girls/boys at Bethlehem Chris
tian, 6/7:30 p.m.
Apalachee girls/boys at Lanier, 7/8:30 p.m.
Winder-Barrow girls/boys at Gainesville,
7/8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, JAN. 11
Basketball
Cherokee Bluff girls/boys at Winder-Barrow,
5/6:30 p.m.
Swimming
Apalachee at Blizzard Blitz Invite, Frances
Meadows Aquatic Center, Gainesville, 10:30 a.m.
Winder-Barrow at Shiver Me Timbers Pirate,
Ruby Fulbright Natatorium, Clarkesville
Wrestling
Apalachee and Winder-Barrow at GHSA Area
8-AAAAAA duals, Gainesville High School,
9 a.m.
TUESDAY, JAN. 14
Winder resident Chris
Bridges is a former sports
editor for the Barrow
News-Journal. He wel
comes feedback about
this column at pchris-
bridges @ gmail. com.
Basketball
Dacula girls/boys at Winder-Barrow,
6/7:30 p.m.
Apalachee girls/boys at Habersham Central,
6/7:30 p.m.
Bethlehem Christian girls/boys at Westminster
School (Augusta), 6/7:30 p.m.
READY FOR
DAWG DAY
FUN IN
THE SUN!*
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Emory University School of Medicine,
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Medical USC.Summa Cum Laude
UGA, Magna Cum Laude, American
Academy of Physician Assistants, Society
of Dermatology Physician Assistants,
Georgia Dermatology Physician Assistants
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Sat., Jan. 25 - 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 1-10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
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Ages 5-6 (T-Ball) -$120
Ages 7 - 8 (Pee Wee) - $120
Ages 9 - 10 (Minors) - $120
Ages 11-12 (Majors) - $120
Ages 13 - 14 (Pony) - $150
Multi-child and First Responder/Military Discounts
Winder Lions Ball Park Concession Stand
354 E. Broad Street, Winder
Cash, Check and Cards accepted
Office Manager Jessa Davis and Dr. Lance Walker
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