By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

When my wife and I moved to Glynn County back in 2003 we didn’t know much about the area at all.

Over the three years we spent in the “Marshes of Glynn” we learned all about Willie’s Wee-Nee Wagon and 25 cent oysters during Happy Hour over on St. Simon’s.

We also became very aware of the importance and pride among all the high school athletic programs; a knowledge, along with an immense amount of respect, that has only grown over the years.

Most counties the size of Glynn are lucky if they have one or two athletes that make it to the professional level.

As comparison, the county in I live in now has roughly half the population and the biggest athlete they’ve produced has been St. Louis Cardinals reliever, Greg Holland. Granted, being the hometown of a three time All-Star certainly isn’t anything to scoff at, but it pales in comparison to Glynn County.

The first athlete I was aware of was Davis Love III. I couldn’t go anywhere without hearing someone talk about him; he was like the human embodiment of Starbucks.

Next, was Kwame Brown. Now obviously, I knew of Brown beforehand, but I didn’t realize he was from Brunswick until moving. I know his career didn’t wind up exactly like the locals wanted it to but being the number one overall draft pick is impressive, nonetheless.

Now, most communities have their own version of the “white whale”. And by that, I mean there’s always an athlete that is just mediocre, but over time the stories have taken on a life of their own, to point where he or she is the greatest athlete to have ever been born.

During our time in Brunswick, Adam Wainwright was that guy. I heard stories of what a tremendous pitcher he was and that he was destined to be an All-Star; all stories that I believed to be told in an attempt to hype up a local legend.

It’s rare that someone can live up to the reputation, but Wainwright has done that and more. Being a 2-time World Series Champion, to go along with 3 All-Star appearances, has a way of showing people the light.

If that list of players isn’t impressive enough, I did a double take, Bugs Bunny style, while watching the Women’s World Cup a few years ago. As I’m watching I swear I hear that one of the women is from St. Simon’s.

So naturally. I hop online and take a look. Of course, that player was Morgan Brian. For my money what Brian has accomplished is the most impressive, when you consider she is playing for our country in the World Cup.

You’ll notice I haven’t even mentioned a player like Darius Slay Jr., someone whom if he came from 95 percent of the towns across the country would have a key to the city and his own holiday.

Unfortunately, for him he’s up against a #1 draft pick, an All-Star, and a World Cup participant. Oh, and the human version of Subway (seriously, I couldn’t go anywhere without Love’s name being brought up).

The point is, there are a lot of things to like about Glynn County and a lot the residents of that area should take pride in.

Sure, it’s not nearly as big as Atlanta, Miami, or those other big cities, but when it comes to big time athletes, they take a back seat to no one.