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ON THE PORCH by Wit1 Davis
it
bad
My 14-year-old son, a backup placekicker
for Mary Persons,was a bit grumpy on
Saturday. He didn t like it when I suggested
an attitude improvement would be helpful
since Friday's 10-7 loss was "just a game"
I think he spoke for most of Monroe County when he
rephed tartly: "It's not just a game, dad!"
Indeed.
Here in the South, and here in this county, football
is surely more than a game. Mary Persons footbalHs a
source of great community pride, especially during the
incredible, dominating season the Bulldogs just gave us.
Football captures the imagination because, like life, it's
tough, Football players must work hard. They push. They
fight. They struggle. They lift weights. They do things
that aren't fun in order to enjoy success. Just like life.
I read where UGA coach Kirby Smart said the other
day that his purpose with his team is not to have fun.
They're there to work hard and do hard things so they
can win. Only then do they have fun.
Because the Mary Persons Bulldogs had been so good
this year, with no blemishes, I think the whole commu-
nity took Friday's loss especially hard. While Marist was
good as always, strong fundamentally, one of the most
common things heard around
town since the loss has been: "If
we play them 10 times, Mary
Persons wins eight of them."
I think that's right.
Or, moreover, if Mary
Persons plays Marist 10 times
without rain, we may win all
10.
Weather forecasters, voodoo
palm readers that they are, said
that the rain would be gone by
Friday night. That turned out
to be as accurate as widespread
predictions that the Bulldogs
would win.
A cold drizzle blanketed the
stadium all night long. Sports editor Richard Dumas told
me when he saw the rain was not going to stop, he feared
the worst about the outcome. He was right.
MP was a very fast team this year. Quen Wilson. An-
toine Davis. De'Adrek Alford. J.T. Hartage. These are our
key offensive players who've re-written the MP record
books this year. Yes, a good offensive line has been a key
to their success. But their blazing speed has too. And on
a wet field, that speed was difficult to find.
Marist, meanwhile, plodded along in its triple option
offense, giving the potent MP offense just four posses-
sions in the second half. Watching them soldier down
the field at four yards a clip was as mind-numbing as the
slow, dripping rain that blanketed The Pitt.
MP has had some good teams in the 11 years I've
watched them play. I dare say this was the best. That's
why Friday's loss, short of the semifinals which the last
two teams have made, was so heart-breaking, This was
our year to win the state title. It didn't happen. Techni-
caUy, it's just a game. But Friday's setback will cast a pall
over MP football for a long time. We will lose most of
our best players next season. But if coach Brian Nelson
has taught us anything since becoming head coach, it's
don't count out Brian Nelson. He seems to find a way.
We just couldn't find one on Friday night.
eoe
If there was any consolation for Mary Persons' fans
this weekend, it was that our own Malik Herring got
his first start for the Georgia Bulldogs. He responded
with his best game to date in wrecking the Georgia Tech
triple option, a fitting retort to the Marist loss. Just as
few expected Marist to beat Mary Persons, few expect
the Georgia Bulldogs to upset Alabama in the SEC title
game Saturday. Maybe it's time one group of Bulldogs
got a break. Richard Dumas and I will be in the Benz to
cover it all for our readers. Stay tuned!
the
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Will Davis, President Robert M. Williams Jr Vice President
Cheryl S. Williams, Secretary-Treasurer
t
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Publication No. USPS 997-840
PEACH STATE POLITICS by Kyle Wingfield
woke up
one morning,
boarded a flight
landed in
a place where the locals
sounded a little funny to
his ear (and he to theirs).
He had been there once
before - "there" meaning
the capital
city, but no-
where more
than 20 miles
or so beyond
it - but ev-
erything he
knew about
its govern-
ment and
politics he'd
learned by
reading what
others had
written.
And he
commenced
writing about the elections
going on there.
He sounded out a couple
of local authorities on the
subject; sought local lead-
ers of the major parties,
some of whom spoke to
him and some of whom
didn't; tried the "man on
the street" approach to
divining popular opinion,
then wrote up his account
of what was happening.
Confession: "He" was
media outlets: the pos-
sibility of a partisan flip,
the unmistakable con-
trast between them both
personally and politically,
the potential for making
history as Abrams would
be the first black female
governor, the controversial
ads and support from a
controversial president
that propelled Kemp to
the GOP nomination, the
allegations of voter sup-
pression, the fact Kemp
as secretary of state was
overseeing an election in
which he sought a promo-
tion from the voters.
The danger for any
reporter coming here from
the outside, however, lay in
getting caught up in those
storylines without ques-
tioning their premises.
Thus we saw stories
from national media
outlets taking at face value
Democrats' daims that, for
instance, Kemp's office was
preventing people from
getting the absentee ballots
they t requested, when that
responsibility rests with
local election officials. That
would be local election
officials, in this particular
case, in a county whose
government is dominated
by Democrats.
news business. To travel
somewhere else, try to take
in everything relevant to
the story and write it in a
truly informative way is
very difficult. The potential
benefit is casting a fresh
eye on a situation in a way
local reporters, too close
to the stor
cannot. The
risk, which
in my view is
much more
likely, is that
one's ignorance
and bias more
than offset any
genuine fresh-
ness.
I conducted
this sort of
.t reporting
severaltimes
in my career
as a newsman,
most often when I was
stationed in Brussels, Na-
tional elections in Britain
and Ireland, peace talks in
Belfast, energy politics and
intrigue in Spain: These
were exciting stories I
enjoyed chasing.
But a wave of unease
about the practice rushed
over me as I watched the
national media coverage
of Georgia's gubernatorial
election over the past few
weeks.
The contest between
Democrat Stacey Abrams
and Republican Brian
Kemp had all the storylines
that would attract national
Then there was the
kerfi le about the alleged
improper release of voters'
personal information by
Kemp's office - likened to
"doxxing" by some nation-
al reporters based outside
Georgia. Local report-
ers repeatedly, patiently
corrected them: This was
a regular public report-
ing of information about
who voted, as required by
state law. Sadly, the local
journalists' corrections on
social media tended to get
much less notice than the
original, erroneous reports
by the national outlets, as
judged by "likes ' retweets
and such.
At a time when local
joumalism is threatened
by a lack of attention and
resources, it would be
nice to see national outlets
using respectable locals'
stories more often. That
would give local joumal-
ists a boost, prevent some
duplicative or erroneous
reporting, and allow na-
tional outlets to focus their
own limited resources
elsewhere.
Journalism in the 21st
century has enough prob-
lems without creating new
ones for itself.
me. Locally based journal- The president and CEO
Parachute journalism - ists chose not to report the of the Georgia Public
where a reporter drops in story because they un- Policy Foundation, Kyle
on a new locale for a story derstood the process well Wingfield's column runs in
- is one of the tougher enough to know the daims papers around the state of
things to do well in the were bogus. Georgia.
JUST THE WAY IT IS by SIoan Oliver
A esS Americans, we should all ran ,under sniper fire"; George B,ush about being called names by the media. 4
be thankfifl for the many lied, Islam is a religion ofpeace. ; Bill Not Trump, he calls them out as Fake
ings that we have. By the Clinton lied, "I did not have sex with News because they are Fake News. Last
of God we were bomthat womar '; and Bush 41 lied, "Read week, Tromp said that he cafft imagine
in, or immigrated to, the greatest coun- mylips, no new taxes? So, what's the Time Magazine naming anyone but
try on Earth. To the rest of the world, difference between Donald Trump and him as their "person of the yeaff and
we truly are a'"shining light on the hill? every other politidan when he said and the press had conniptions about his
Proof right on our southem border did exactly what they said and did? arrogance. Trump blasted Chief Justice
as thousands try to illegally enter our John Roberts when Roberts said there
country. People aren't trying to enter THE DIFFERENCE is that Trumparen't Obama judges or Clinton judges,
China, Russia, or Venezuda; they're is not a politidan. He doesfft view the only impartial judges. Rightfully,
trying to get to Americ,x world through the politi- Trump called Roberts on that stupidi
On Thanksgiving Week-
] cal lens ofnot"offending" There are Obamajudges and Clinton
end,
all
of us
should
~ii~!iii!ili[ii!iiiii!iii!iiii
I
people or constantly judges, and thankfully there will never
spend an extra moment worrying about being be Hillary judges. If all judges are the
giving thanks for all we re-elected. Trumps a busi- same, why do the Dems fight so hard
have. rm thankful for my nessman who makes deals to put their judges on the court, fight
health, fame, church, and tells it like it is. When so hard to oppose conservative judges,
and communi Also, you make a deal, two and shop for the "correct" leftist judge
I'm thankful for Pies'l- people obligate themselves whenever they file lawsuits?
dent Trump. to action. You pay them
money; they build you UNLIKE ALL other Republicans,
HISTORY IS replete a building. If they don't, President Tnunp does not crumble to
with examples that coun- you call them out - and the media pressure. He thrives on it.
tries don't always get Trump does. When George Bush was the absolute worst.
the leader they want; /7-, problems arise - zoning For eight years, the media pum-
" " issues, labor disputes, meled him, and he said nothing; he
theythey need.get thewashing leader weather delays, and never even defended himself As Rush
ton overcame great on and on - you solve Limbaugh says, Trump "rams it back
physicalhardships to them; and Tromp does. down their throats ' Perfect example
lead America to independence. Lincoln A businessman doesn't delay and delay is the Saudijournalist who the Saudis
overcame tremendous political dif- because that only keeps the deal from murdered when he visited their em-
ferences to insure the North prevailed getting done. That's the exact opposite bassy in Turkey The CIA even claims
in the Civil War. Teddy Roosevdt of politicians. Politidans lie by making they have a recording of the murder. As
overcame extreme corporate pushback promises they never intend to keep expected, the leftist media is screaming
when he broke up huge monopolies, and make excuses why they broke their for President Trump to do something;
FDR led the country to victory in promises. Thus, politidans always have he must punish Saudi Arabia. Well,
WWII. And General Patton furiously reasons why you must re-elect them. Tromp said that he's not going to do
pushed his troops to crush the Nazis. a thing because he doesn't want to
Each of those leaders prevailed despite AFTER EIGHT years of Obama, jeopardize our relationship with the
huge obstades. They might not have Hillary would have been a disaster. The Saudis. OMG - the media is apoplectic
been the nicest person, most intelligent, country would go from bad to worse, with their hatred of Tromp. Mind you,
or favorite of the press. However, they Obama ignorantly asked if Trump the press said nothing when Obama
were the leader the country needed at had a magic wand to get the economy made friends with Iron, the world's
that time. Piesident Trump falls into growing at more than 1% (the rate that largest sponsor ofterrorism; the press
that category, heand Hillary were happy with.) When says nothing when dozens ofjoumal-
Obama was president Iran, China, R.us- ists are killed everyyear in Mexico; and
BACK DURING the 2016 presiden- sia, and Syria kicked sand in our face. the press says nothing when China
tial campaign, Donald Trump was not Think how much worse be with systematically puts Mnslim Uighnrs in
my first or second choice. I preferred Hillary as president, especially given mass detention camps.
other Republicans. However, once he that she's corrupt to the core. Hillary
cemented the Republican nomina- sold out the Secretary of State's office. ON THIS Thanksgiving Weekend,
tion I began examining the differences with corrupt donations to the Clinton I'm thankful that the country has
between a Piesident Trump and a Foundation. And she was a national President Tromp. On a daily bas' he's
President Hillar . To all who honestly security nightmare with her countless fighting the good fight against political
analyzed their pros and cons, Donald security violations, correctness, the Swamp, and dishon-
Trump was the only viable optiorr Yes, est
he's a braggadocio (as are many politi- PRESIDENT TRUMP is a ferodons
clans.) He has a huge ego (as do many counter-puncher who hits back much WEEKLY Thought: Hopefully, other
successful people.) He was accused of harder than he takes. The media and Republicans will learn from President
lying but so too do many politicians: the Dems accuse him of something, Trump's examples.
Obama lied, "ffyou like your health and he throws it right back at 'em -
care, you can keep your health care"; only harder. Republicans never do Sloan Oliver is a retired Army officer
Hillary lied, "1 landed at Tuzla and that because they're sooooo worried who lives in Monroe Coun
