Bishop Media Sports Network
How The West Was Won
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Why don’t we take a look at the toughest division in all of College Football and that, my friends, is the SEC West.
Here are my SEC West Predictions for 2019:
Alabama 12-0: Tua will be the frontrunner for the Heisman, and Najee Harris may be the best overall running back in the SEC when it is said and done production wise.
The Alabama receiving corps with headlined by Jerry Jeudy are the best in college football.
Nick Saban is the best in the business, and the Tide has the best starting 22 players in the country.
LSU comes to Bryant-Denny, but dangerous road trips to Texas A&M and Auburn seem to be the only hurdles on the regular season slate. Alabama heads to Atlanta for another epic showdown with Georgia for the SEC Title.
LSU 9-3: Coach O has got the Tigers headed back in the right direction.
Joe Burrow is back under center for a second straight season. John Emery is coming in at running back, and LSU has the best defensive backfield in the conference.
With that said this team is not going to beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa. A tough road game at Texas in week 2, and dangerous SEC road trips to Starkville and Oxford in mid-season. I think the Tigers drop one of those Magnolia State road trips.
Texas A&M 8-4: This schedule is brutal with the SEC West slate plus Clemson and Georgia. Is this team ready for primetime?
The Aggies lost their leader rusher and tackler from 2018. Is Kellen Mond an elite SEC QB? Jimbo Fisher is an elite coach, but it’s still too early to proclaim the Aggies as great in this division.
The Aggies will lose to Alabama and LSU in the West this year.
Auburn 8-4: Gus Malzahn is sitting on the hottest seat in the conference.
Who is going to be the starting QB? Will a running back up to Auburn historical standards surface? The front seven on defense will be solid and Derrick Brown may be the best defensive lineman in the conference.
Who knows about this team? Georgia and Alabama come to Jordan-Hare. Brutal schedule with the opener in Dallas against Oregon and a trip to Florida make it hard to predict big things for the Tigers in 2019 which usually means they play in the National Title game right?
A lot of questions right now in Auburn, Alabama. Gus is feeling the heat.
Ole Miss 8-4: This is my SEC West sleeper team. Yes, I see 8 wins on the schedule.
This team has some talent on offense with Matt Corral at QB. Ole Miss always has productive wide receivers. Can this defense hold up is the question?
I think the Rebels come back in 2019 after the probation period and go bowling.
Rich Rodriguez may have struggled as a head coach, but he is one of the best offensive coordinators in the business. This offense will cause problems in the SEC.
Mississippi State 6-6: The Bulldogs are going to struggle in 2019.
How do you lose three first round draft picks on defense from 2018 and improve on that side of the ball?
MSU gets in a bowl at 6-6 and the heat starts getting turned up on Joe Moorhead in 2020. Keytaon Thompson has talent at QB. The jury is out on the Bulldogs.
Arkansas 4-8: Chad Morris is in a total rebuild in Fayetteville.
It is going to take a couple more recruiting classes for Arkansas to be competitive again. Proud program that let a Big 10 coach come in and drive it over a cliff. Hog fans need to be patient with Chad Morris.
Bowl Teams: Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State
Division upset of the year: Ole Miss over LSU in Oxford on 11/16. LSU suffers a letdown after losing to Alabama on 11/9.
SEC Championship Game: Georgia over Alabama
Putting In The Werts
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
In 2017, Shai Werts was a redshirt freshman who was thrown into the fire as the quarterback of an inexperienced offense that ended up posting the worst record in Georgia Southern history.
Last season, Werts entered the year with plenty of question marks around his ability to run the offense and take control of games.
He answered the questions with plenty of big plays and bold statements as he fueled one of the best turnaround stories in college football history. Werts looked smooth in driving the Eagles’ option attack and didn’t turn the ball over once all season en route to a 10-3 record and a bowl victory.
Now entering 2019 as a grizzled veteran and unquestioned team leader, Werts is ready for the added expectations.
“I feel good,” Werts said as he relaxed on a couch at the Ted Smith Family Football Operations Center Monday afternoon. “We’re ready for a big year. We’ve got a lot of games that will make it tough to top last year’s record, but that’s what we’re setting out to do.”
Werts was cheery and casual with his answers, but he isn’t taking anything for granted. His demeanor was the same coming off of a 2-10 season where not much of anything went right for him.
The cheerfulness is part of his outward personality, but it only partially hides a more serious side under the surface. That focus and determination played a large part in getting the offense on track last season and is still burning even after the success of 2018.
“We took a lot of pride in what we accomplished last year,” Werts said. “I know some people are still picking us to finish behind Troy (and Appalachian State) again this year. They are really good teams, but we definitely take it to heart that some people don’t think we can beat them.”
For each of his first two seasons, Werts had the benefit of some senior leadership in the backfield with him.
There is still plenty of talent at the skill positions, but several offseason transfers and the graduation of running backs Wesley Fields and Monteo Garrett and tight end Ellis Richardson leave Werts with far more career snaps under his belt than anyone else who will line up in the backfield.
That can be an issue in the Eagles’ triple-option scheme. Even if running backs have all the vision and speed in the world, all of the timing between players has to sync up perfectly in order for reads, gives and pitches to work as designed.
That’s where Werts is stepping up as a leader. “We have a thing at least once a week called ‘Blue Collar’,” Werts said. “It’s player-led, with no coaches. We’re just going over plays individually. We’re getting on the same page right now. When fall camp starts, that’s when it will be time to execute in game situations and see who steps up.”
The 2019 Eagles are a complete unit, with all incoming true freshmen checked in for their first day on campus. Workouts, meetings and a few team bonding activities will fill up the calendar in the coming weeks, with fall camp slated to begin during the first week of August.
Georgia Southern kicks off the 2019 regular season on Aug. 31 with a trip to Baton Rouge to take on LSU.
Tomahawkin
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Atlanta Braves have been scorching hot lately. They leapfrogged the Phillies to take sole possession of first place in the National League East.
With the All-Star Break rapidly approaching, the Braves appear to be positioning themselves well to go into the second half as the team on top and that might mean that General Manager Alex Anthopoulos may be able to make moves (on top of the Dallas Keuchel signing) before the trade deadline to bolster some of the weak spots on the roster.
That being said, let’s take a brief look at some of the things that have led the Braves into first place, as well as a few things that need improvement.
The Really Good:
Austin Riley – It’s not a coincidence that Riley’s promotion to the big leagues proceeded the Braves rise to the top of the heap.
Riley has been beyond exceptional for Atlanta, not just hitting the ball out of the yard but also coming up with clutch hits and playing better left field than a third baseman has any right to.
Nearly the rest of the lineup, for the most part, has been roaring during this surge. Ozzie Albies has found his stroke, Freddie Freeman is putting up MVP-type numbers, Dansby Swanson and Ronald Acuna have been consistent (Acuna loves that leadoff spot), and the catching platoon has been reminiscent of the Flowers/Suzuki platoon a few years ago.
Mike Soroka – The undisputed ace of the staff in 2019, picked up right where he left off in 2018. He has a razor-thin ERA and composure on the mound far exceeding his years. With Keuchel as an unknown factor at the moment, Soroka starts Game 1 of the playoffs for this team.
Julio Teheran – To the surprise of many (myself included – see my unflattering and now-proven-wrong article about Julio from the end of March), Julio Teheran has recaptured the magic that caused the Braves to extend him years ago. He’s been more reliable than Mike Foltynewicz and Kevin Gausman, stepping up as the veteran presence in a young rotation.
Luke Jackson – A relief pitcher? Yes. Jackson opened up the season with an atrocious showing, but has since taken over the closer role and has been a solid – if imperfect – piece to close out Atlanta’s victories in 2019.
The Not So Good:
Josh Donaldson – The Bringer of Rain has managed to hit 10 homeruns and has a surprisingly robust batting average with runners in scoring position, but he has failed to earn the $23 million the Braves gave him during the offseason.
It’s unlikely the Braves will find a trade partner for the veteran, but with Riley’s emergence it seems like that Donaldson’s tenure in Atlanta will not span past one season.
Folty and Gausman – The two steadiest presences in the rotation in 2018 were both injured during Spring Training and neither seems to have come back quite right.
Gausman hit the Injured List, and with Keuchel waiting in the wings he may have made his last start for the year.
The Rest of the Bullpen – I know it. You know it. Let’s move on.
I’ll do the math for you, there’s more good than bad on the team right now.
Plus, the weaker points can be improved: Keuchel for Gausman is sure to be an upgrade, and the party line for months has been that Anthopoulos will make moves if the Braves are contending and first place is certainly contending.
If things continue as they are or improve even slightly, Braves Country is in for a great second half.
The SEC East Crystal Ball
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
We are now under three months and counting until the start of College Football Season.
As far as I’m concerned, no other sport compares to College Football and the best conference from top to bottom is the SEC.
Clemson from the ACC won the Natty in 2018, but the ACC is nothing near the caliber of the SEC in football. If that previous statement bothers you then get some sensitivity training. We will take a look at the SEC East.
Here are my SEC East Predictions for 2019:
Georgia 11-1: Kirby Smart is the best recruiter in the business. Georgia has the best 85-man roster in the country.
Jake Fromm could be a sleeper contender for the Heisman. The offense could be scary good with the best offensive line coach and players in the country.
Will this team lay an egg against someone they are not supposed to? History says yes.
I’m dreading the Auburn trip on 11/16. This team will play for the SEC title and will contend for the College Football Playoff. If the Dawgs win the SEC, they are in. This could finally be the year. The pass rush must improve in 2019.
Missouri 9-3: Kelly Bryant will be at QB in 2019. Barry Odom is doing a fine job in Columbia. Could the Tigers be 8-0 coming to Athens on November 9th? Florida comes calling on November 16th for second place in the East. Give me the Tigers over the Gators.
Florida 8-4: Two words, Feleipe Franks. Will Franks lead the Gators to back to back 10-win seasons?
Dan Mullen has trolled UGA in the off-season, but the schedule is tough. The Gators open against Miami and have Auburn, LSU, and Georgia in the heart of the SEC schedule.
Florida is putting all of its’ eggs in the Georgia basket, but they better be careful.
They have a solid defense, but again Feleipe Franks. If this team contends in the East it will be because of improved QB play. Can Mullen recruit with Kirby? Time will tell.
Tennessee 7-5: If the Vols win in Gainesville on 9/21 then excitement goes through the roof in Rocky Top.
Jeremy Pruitt is a fantastic coach and he is starting to put some pieces together in Knoxville.
Will Tennessee ever beat Alabama again in football? Pruitt needs two more top 15 recruiting classes to get Tennessee back to being Tennessee again. Be patient Vol fans you are on the way back.
South Carolina 6-6: The Gamecocks have a brutal schedule. Alabama and Texas A&M from the west and Clemson to close out.
I think Will Muschamp is a pretty good football coach, but with Georgia being a national power, and Florida and Tennessee on the way back it is going to be hard for Carolina to get any traction in the division.
South Carolina is putting together a good 2020 recruiting class. This team will upset someone in 2019, and ruin their season.
Kentucky 5-7: The Cats will come back down to earth in 2019. Benny Snell is gone.
The Cats host Florida early in the season after breaking a long losing streak that stretched over 30 to the Gators in 2018. Basketball is king in Kentucky. Cats go back to being a bottom feeder in football.
Vanderbilt 3-9: Vandy hosts UGA in the opener and LSU in week 3. This is going to be a long season for Vandy football.
Vandy fans might better tune into the College World Series starting this weekend as that may be the high-water mark for the athletic program for the rest of 2019.
Biggest division game: UGA vs UF in Jacksonville
Division upset of the Year: South Carolina over Texas A&M. The Aggies get caught overlooking Carolina at home the week before playing Georgia in Athens.
Bowl Teams: Georgia, Missouri, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina.
Field Of Dreams
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Georgia Premier Academy phenom Daniel Espino achieved the goal of a lifetime’s worth of work as the flame throwing pitcher was selected by the Cleveland Indians with the 24th pick in the first round of Major League Baseball’s draft last week.
A member of the Georgia Premier Academy for the last three seasons, Espino blossomed into one of the best professional prospects – at the high school or collegiate level – in the country.
He was rated by Baseball America as the best prep pitcher in the nation last summer and he is certainly still the hardest throwing after being clocked at 99 miles per hour at a Perfect Game showcase at Wrigley Field last summer.
A dominant showing by Espino during GPA’s spring season made sure that he was on the radar of every team and it was the Indians that finally called out his number.
“It was such a great feeling – I can’t even describe it,” Espino said. “This is what I’ve dreamed about. It’s been crazy the last few days, but that’s a moment I’ll remember forever.”
The moment was especially memorable for Espino, not so much because of the new members of the Indians’ organization that will be coming into his life, but because of the old members of his journey to the draft that were there to share in the celebration.
Espino grew up in Panama before leaving his home country behind in search of better chances to develop as a player in the United States.
He has only seen his family sporadically over the last few years, but everyone was on hand for his graduation from Bulloch Academy before joining him on his journey to New York for the draft.
“Everything is more special because I get to share it with my family,” Espino said. “They’ve supported me and encouraged me the whole time. They’ve also helped to keep everything calm leading up to (the draft). To be able to tell my mom and dad that I had been picked and to be able to hug them – that was very special for me.”
All of the hype that has surrounded Espino for the last two seasons will only grow now that he is a first-round selection, but the next step for him is still uncertain.
Joining the Indians will likely come with a big signing bonus and plenty of support from the organization to give their top pick a good path to the big leagues.
On the other hand, Espino and his family also value education and he has already locked down a scholarship to play at LSU next spring if he chooses to go to college before turning pro.
“I’ll be making a decision pretty soon,” Espino said. “I see it as a win-win. I like what I’ve seen from Cleveland’s organization and it’s obviously great to be able to start a professional career. But LSU is also a great school with a great team and coaches that I like.
“God has it all planned out. I know that it’s going to be great.”
The Top 5 From The Peach State
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Recently, the rural North Carolina town where I currently reside dedicated a plaque outside of its city hall to UNC head basketball coach, Roy Williams.
Now, Williams did not grow up in the town or attend the local high school. Truth be told, he has no affiliation with county at all, except for the fact he was born here.
As sports fans, you and I always take pride in seeing an athlete that attended the school we went to, or root for, be successful; now it appears that same pride extends to city/town of birth.
There has been a plethora of great athletes born in the state of Georgia, and while I’m sure I’m missing someone you believe deserves to be on this list (and you might be right) for a variety of reasons, these are my top five:
5.Terry “Hulk” Hogan (b. Augusta). Anyone who complains that wrestling is fake and therefore not a real sport, should have their fandom pass revoked.
Just because the first statement has some merit doesn’t mean the latter does, too. The athletic ability Hogan showed in the wrestling ring, particularly for his size, and the longevity he was able to sustain is enough to earn the respect of any informed sports fan.
Throw in the fact you could argue his popularity is the main cause behind wrestling’s three decades of success and that’s why he’s on this list.
I haven’t watched wrestling since the Rock asked me to smell what he was cooking, but I would start tonight if Hogan was back in the ring.
4.Wyomia Tyus (b. Griffin). I admit I had no idea who Wyomia Tyus was and to my own embarrassment, I still don’t know as much as I probably should.
What I do know is she was a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist (2- 100m. dash, 1- 4x100m relay) and was the first Olympian ever to win back-to-back gold medals in the same event. That alone is more than enough justification to have her on this list.
3.Herschel Walker (b. Wrightsville). Name me an athlete that is the definition of “Georgia Athlete” more than Walker. The man is such an icon I truly am surprised there isn’t some sort of state legislature stating every male born in Georgia is required to have “Herschel” or “Walker” somewhere in their birth name.
2.Ty Cobb (b. Narrows). If you’re going to be ahead of Herschel Walker on this list you’d better be damn good and since Cobb is considered one of the greatest baseball players ever, that fits the bill.
Obviously, I wasn’t around to watch him to play, but the man’s name appears more times in the record books than Donald Trump’s does on his own buildings.
Before I get to number one, let me say there are a number of other athletes (Bobby Jones, Walt Frazier, Fran Tarkenton) that could just have easily ended up in top five; most probably would have had they been born in other states. However, none deserve to be above this next person.
1.Jackie Robinson (b. Cairo). There probably isn’t a sports figure, outside of Muhammad Ali, that would top Jackie Robinson on any list like this, no matter where he was born. I’m not sure there’s anything else I can say that hasn’t already been said by people much more articulate, so I won’t.
If we’re celebrating birthplaces, it’ll be harder to find a better collection than in Georgia.
Help Is Here
By: TJ Hartnett
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
One of the biggest stories in baseball through the first two months of the 2019 season was that of the unemployed: Craig Kimbrel and Dallas Keuchel.
They were linked to almost every team under the sun. I, myself, wrote about the need to have Kimbrel rejoin the Braves and help shore up their bullpen just a few weeks ago.
Eventually it became clear that both pitchers would have to wait until after the MLB Draft to find gainful employment for the rest of the season. After that event, teams that sign either player neither have to give up a draft pick nor would they be required to extend qualifying offers if the free agents leave at the end of this year.
So, the draft has come and gone and Kimbrel and Keuchel were snatched up quickly. Kimbrel, a former Atlanta Brave, was desired by most fans. However, he inked a three-year deal with the Chicago Cubs (allegedly the Braves didn’t want to sign him for three years, despite that being half the time he reportedly asked for during the offseason).
But the Braves didn’t sit idly by, inking Keuchel to a one-year, $13 million deal to join their starting rotation.
It was somewhat of a surprise, as the Yankees were in on the lefty as well. He must have really not wanted to shave his beard. It’s also possible that Keuchel wanted to work with Brian McCann again after a successful run with the backstop in Houston (we’ll see if Mac is assigned a majority of Keuchel’s games). Maybe he likes muggy summers. Whatever the reasons, Keuchel has the potential to be a big boost to the Braves postseason dreams.
Yes, Keuchel is 31 and is a few years removed from his Cy Young-winning peak, but he has plenty to offer, including being a fiery veteran in the clubhouse (perhaps a good balance to the quiet leader in Nick Markakis).
His experience also comes with four, count ‘em, four, postseason victories on his resume. That will come in handy if the Braves find themselves in the playoffs for a second year in a row.
Some of the young pitchers made appearances in the Division Series against Los Angeles, but they lacked effectiveness at the most important stage of the year. Mike Foltynewicz, a fiery competitor himself, notably melted down during Game 1 last October.
Keuchel will have the opportunity to serve as a steady hand (a hand that has a ring, mind you) on the national stage.
At the end of the day, Keuchel makes the rotation better at a fairly low cost and no cost in prospects.
He won’t need to be 2015 Dallas Keuchel to be a worthy addition to the team. Mike Soroka has essentially forced himself into the team’s number one, and Julio Teheran has looked like he might turn in a very solid season. Folty has shown signs of finally shaking his rust after a late start to the season and Max Fried is tied for the team wins with 7 (with Soroka).
Perhaps the most specific impact Keuchel might have would be to displace Kevin Gausman. Gausman just hasn’t been able to replicate the great success he had as a Brave last season after a midseason trade from the Baltimore Orioles.
Every time it looks like he’s on track, the next game (or even inning) gets away from him. I’m not sure what the Braves could do with him, contractually speaking, but all signs point to him being the odd man out once Keuchel makes a few starts in the minor leagues and gets ready to join the big club.
In any case, Keuchel, assuming health and the absence of a complete breakdown, can only help the team. We’ll be seeing him with a tomahawk on his chest soon.
Diamond Dawgs
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As I sat at the campsite on beautiful Lake Oconee last Sunday evening, I got on my phone and watched UGA fall to a hot hitting FSU squad in the finals of the Athens regional and it was obvious that this UGA baseball program is on the right track. Even Captain Obvious would be in agreement with me on the subject of UGA baseball.
The 2019 Bulldogs finished the season with a 46-17 record after reaching the NCAA Athens Regional final.
The 46 wins is top 5 in school history and the 21 SEC wins is the most ever in a season for the baseball Dawgs. Georgia earned a National Seed two straight years and played host to an NCAA Regional in back-to-back seasons.
Yeah, The Dawgs lost to Duke and FSU at home over the last two seasons as a regional host, but baseball may be the greatest game on the planet. If a team gets hot at the right time and just goes on a tear, they are tough. That is what has happened to UGA over the last two baseball seasons.
I laugh at people who say this team choked without doing the research on how this baseball program has evolved.
As a fan of the program you hate to see your favorite team lose to anyone, but realize that prior to hiring of Scott Stricklin the Bulldogs had gone 42-72 the previous 4 years in SEC play and had conference records of 5-23 in 2011, and 7-20 in 2013. When Stricklin was hired the program was a dumpster fire.
It takes time to build a quality baseball program and when Strickin was hired in 2014 the rebuild was put into motion.
It took four tough years to start seeing results, and those results came in 2018 when UGA went 39-21 and 18-12 in the SEC. Anyone who follows UGA athletics can see that the program is rising to being one of the elite baseball programs in the conference.
The 21 SEC wins this season show that the program is on a solid foundation. I personally believe that a baseball rebuild is much harder than a football or basketball rebuild job.
Give credit to Greg McGarity, the UGA AD, for giving Stricklin the opportunity to put his stamp on the program. The results are starting to come in. Look at the Dawgs drafted in this week’s MLB draft.
Georgia’s draft picks were junior third baseman Aaron Schunk (2nd Round, Colorado), junior pitcher Tony Locey (3rd Round, St. Louis), junior pitcher Tim Elliott (4th Round, Seattle), senior second baseman LJ Talley (7th Round, Toronto), junior pitcher Zac Kristofak (14th Round, L.A. Angels), junior shortstop Cam Shepherd (20th Round, Tampa Bay), junior outfielder Tucker Maxwell (22nd Round, Philadelphia) and redshirt sophomore outfielder/infielder Riley King (26th Round, Atlanta).
When you have 8 players drafted from your current program things are clicking. Georgia has great pitching coming back in 2020, young talents like Randon Jernigan, and 12-13 new players coming in the 2020 recruiting class.
This team isn’t going anywhere folks except a Super Regional or a College World Series in the near future.
Scott Stricklin deserves a raise for the job he is doing in Athens. 85-38 overall and 39-21 in the SEC over the past two seasons. The rebuild has turned into reload mode now.
Georgia baseball is firmly on the right track.
Golden Award From Golden Bear
By: Rich Styles
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Mark David Johnson Jr, lives on St. Simons Island, Ga. He decided to go to school at Western Carolina in NC.
After a couple of years, he decided that he wanted to come home and go to college. He called Coastal Georgia’s golf coach, Mike Cook, and told him he wanted to come home and play golf on the school’s team. Coach Cook said, “of course….come on.”
That was two years ago. Since then, Johnson’s golf game has exploded.
After transferring, his golf game reached new heights. He won several tournaments and earned individual honors including Player of the Year for NAIA, Coastal Georgia’s Men’s Student-Athlete of the Year and most recently, The Jack Nicklaus Award for NAIA Division. Quite a senior year.
Coastal Georgia went to a tournament in Mesa, AZ at the Las Sendas Golf Club. A course, Johnson and the other team members had not played.
They studied the course on the internet. Johnson knew the conditions of the course would be different than others he played throughout his young career.
So, he practiced on similar grass. He chipped and putted for hours. He would also play on various courses but he practiced his short game more than most. It payed off in a big way. His senior year was marked by several wins and a couple of second places until AZ.
At Las Sendas Golf Club, his team was behind by 15 strokes going into the final round. He and his team mates knew they had to have a great day to catch up.
They caught up but fell short of the team title. Johnson finished tied for first individual honors and entered into a playoff for the title.
He had birdied the 18th hole during the first three rounds, then in the final round, a bogey. The three stepped to the tee on the playoff hole and he knew that he needed to hit quality shots. He did. The others did not.
Johnson birdied the first playoff hole to win the NAIA Individual title and became the first player in the history of Coastal Georgia’s men’s golf program to do so. Coach Cook said, “he is the best player in NAIA this year and it has been sweet to coach him.”
When I interviewed both Coach Cook and Johnson, they both smiled talking about their relationship since his transfer from Western Carolina.
Johnson’s game exploded with winning title after title and then winning the Jack Nicklaus Award for NAIA. He was one of five winners of the award, one for each college division. What does that do for him? Just an opportunity to play one of the hardest golf courses, with a slope rating of 76, for an exemption into a PGA Tour event in July.
He did not win but he did get his chance to meet and talk with 18 Major winner, Jack Nicklaus in Ohio.
As I talked with Johnson on the range at Retreat, he said he didn’t play well against the other division winners, he just could not get his game going. You have to drive the ball well and the rough was…..well let’s say very rough.
On Sunday in a crowded room, he and the others were to receive the award from Jack Nicklaus. Johnson said Jack’s wife Barbara came into the room first and greeted them.
Then the room became silent waiting for the PGA Tour legend.
In he came with his gray jacket and tie, he greeted and took photos with each winner. Johnson said he stayed and talked for over an hour. What a treat and a once in a lifetime experience that will go into his memory bank forever.
One final note, the winner of the Memorial, Patrick Cantley, was a Jack Nicklaus award winner and now a PGA Tour winner. Johnson knows that and looks forward to the challenges ahead of him after graduation.
Congratulations, Mark David Johnson. Well done and well deserved.
The Super Mario Of The SEC
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When I was a kid, I remember I wanted to attend the college that had the best overall athletic program when it came to the three major sports- football, basketball, and baseball.
This way, no matter the season I would always be rooting for a winning team, not understanding at age 7 how those things fluctuate from year to year. (I actually asked my Dad, who told me Oklahoma at the time, and so for a brief period I was a Sooners fan. Don’t worry, it didn’t last long.)
Keeping that in mind I thought I’d take a look and see which SEC school had the most successful athletic season in those three sports- men’s and women’s, when applicable.
The most objective thing to do would be to assign a point system revolving around standings, post season appearances, and championships.
But, I would end up spending 80% of this article explaining the criteria and who wants to read that. Plus, it’s a lot more fun to just randomly pick a school and then argue it’s merit, right?
After much deliberation, (the amount of time it takes to drink a cup of coffee while listening to Side A of Aerosmith’s “Get A Grip”) I decided it was between three programs: Georgia, Kentucky, and LSU.
Georgia: If you take away the men’s basketball season then Georgia wins this by a landslide. Top 2 conference finishes in both football and baseball, as well as finishing in the upper half of the conference standings in both women’s basketball and softball.
Unfortunately, much to the dismay of some SEC fans, the next to last finish the men’s basketball team suffered this season does count. It’s hard to be the outright winner when you have a year like that in a major sport, even if you have the best finish of the three in the most popular one.
Kentucky: The Wildcats finished in the Top 4 in football, men’s and women’s basketball, and softball; a claim no other program in the SEC can come close to. Come to think, maybe they would win in a landslide??
Oh, that’s right, Kentucky’s baseball team was so abysmal this year the only logical conclusion is Drake owns at least three of their baseball jerseys. If I’m going to hold Georgia’s basketball season against them, I guess I’ve got to do the same with Kentucky’s baseball.
LSU: As for the Tigers, their best and worst finishes came within the same sport- first place finish for the men’s team, ninth place for the women’s. Everything else fell in between.
LSU is kind of like that band with one great hit and a bunch of decent songs nobody really remembers; the “Candlebox of the SEC” if you will.
Out of all three programs though, LSU is the only one to have a team to win a regular season conference title (neither of the three programs had a conference tournament champion among them), so there’s that.
When all is said and done there is really only one thing you need to take away from this article- If my son were to ask me the same question I asked my father over 30 years ago I’m not sure I could tell him which school he should go to, but I could tell him which one not to go to; Vanderbilt. I think we’re all in agreement that outside of their baseball team, they should just go ahead and shut the rest of them down.
