The Word

Here are the links to The Herald Tour videos from Pelham high school this week on YouTube.

Herald Tour, Part I

Herald Tour, Part II

Here are the rest of Paul Dehner Jr.’s predictions leftover from Friday’s Herald.

SEMINOLE COUNTY (6-2) AT RANDOLPH-CLAY (2-6):  A few weeks ago nobody would have thought these two teams would play a close game against each other. Seminole was rolling up points by the dozens and the Red Devils were on their way to what could be a winless season. But in the last three weeks Randolph found two wins and pushed sub-region champ Miller County in a 39-28 loss.
Seminole is favored to win here, but the Devils can score with them.
PREDICTION: Seminole County 51, Randolph-Clay 38

WORTH COUNTY (3-5) AT WESTOVER (3-5): These two teams have the same records but two different stories. Worth appears to have found its identity and even held a lead against Peach County last week in the third quarter. Westover hasn’t led much of anything the past four weeks, all losses.
Worth believes if it wins this week against the Pats and next week against Monroe they will be in the playoffs. That will likely be true if they could pull it off. They should get halfway there tonight.
PREDICTION: Worth County 16, Westover 7

DWS (8-2) AT BROOKWOOD (3-7): Brookwood is down this year and DWS is back up to its standard position. Technically, the Knights have nothing to play for with the Region 3-AAA title already in hand. But coach Allen Lowe wants to use this as an important dress rehearsal as the last game of DWS’ regular season. Expect more of the same from the Knights.
PREDICTION: DWS 40, Brookwood 10

TERRELL ACADEMY (7-2) AT WESTWOOD (3-5): The Eagles and Wildcats have had an exciting rivalry over the years that of late has been dominated by Terrell. The Eagles have won four consecutive in the series since losing eight of the previous nine.
Terrell is favored to keep its current streak alive, though the return of Mason Worsham at QB for the Wildcats gives them a fighting chance.
PREDICTION: Terrell Academy 28, Westwood 21

First things first.. COMMERCIAL TIME!.

ok, not the typical commercial I usually show ya on here, but the song IS fitting (and I’m sure co-worker and die-hard yankees fan Barry Levine will appreciate it — any guy who brings in a small-wide screen tv into the newsroom so he can watch his Bronx Bombers is a sports fan in MY books!!)

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I’m gonna do something I don’t think I’ve done all year — run a blog without a commercial and marching band? Not a chance.

Some things are just too sacred to change.

I’m gonna lead the blog with Georgia Tech, which certainly should get its due after thumping Virginia on Saturday. That’s right, Jackets! Party like it’s 1990, the LAST time you guys beat the Cavs in Charlottesville. After Miami fell against Clemson, Tech only needs to win its two remaining ACC games to play for the conference title. And how did they do it? Seriously, if you don’t know how Tech is winning right now, you’re probably waiting for the BYU-TCU game story to be on here (HA!). Tech runs the ball — period. Here’s the game story from the AJC. And you (well, ME) thought the Jackets’ offense was a gimmick that might work in high school or junior college. Whoops! Here’s the story from the Macon Telegraph about today’s win.

Now, keeping up with my blog tradition, here’s a commercial break. Only fitting, I know, right?

Want to know what else happened, as far as the AP top 25? Click here.

At Georgia, the Bulldogs are getting ready for QB Tim Tebow and Florida, as this story illustrates.

Now, onto the game I was at, Saturday. The Rams let a game get away they should have won. Albany State’s normally dominating offense was far from that Saturday against Tuskegee as the Rams lost, 21-19. Here is the game story I wrote from that game, as well as a sidebar with a focus on ex-Albany High star Ryan Jackson, who plays for Tuskegee. I have already written my column for Monday on Saturday’s game, and I will give you a hint what it’s about — missed opportunities.

The biggest story from the top 25 today was how Bama struggled. Well, what else is new when it comes to the Tide’s offense? Even in 1992, a mediocre offense that scored occasionally with David Palmer was carried by Antonio Langham and the Tide’s defense. That’s just the Bama way. Here are some more stuff on Bama-Tennessee.

As for Auburn? Auburn fans can open their eyes, now. That game’s over with LSU dominating them. Here is a story from the AP on that. Here is some more writings on the Auburn loss, and another blog is here from the Mobile Register’s Evan Woodbery.

And with the FSU ‘Noles, the coaches found a way to spark their team’s comeback win Thursday against UNC, as the Tallahassee Democrat writes about here.

I would be surprised if Bama is still atop the AP poll. The Gators did not play that well either against Mississippi State, but look for the two teams to be switched today. I think, however, for now they have proven themselves to be the country’s top two teams.

And if you are REALLY wanting to know more about the BYU-TCU game (sigh) … click here.

OK, there. you have it.

well, not completely, yet. Here is today’s marching band, not only honoring Iowa’s last-second win, but also — the KING OF POP! I couldn’t find one of them playing “Billie Jean.” anyway…

GO GET ‘EM.

Before I do anything, I would like to direct everyone’s attention to my favorite video of the high school football season. This one was captured at Terrell County last night. On the surface the 99-yard fumble return for a touchdown appears to be a normal high school football play. Exciting? Yes. Extraordinary? No.

That is until, my boy, No. 42 running all alone down the field on a convoy, well, let’s just say he loses his footing. The video is in the player at albanyherald.com. No hate here, but let’s be honest, that’s comedy.

You don’t believe people falling is funny? Well, here is more evidence otherwise.

Now, here are the five things I learned Friday:

1) Deerfield-Windsor is going to repeat as state champions. I typically don’t like to make declarative statements like that as predictions, but their performance last night leaves me no other option. Westfield was the unanimous top team in GISA. They were undefeated and relatively untouched. They had this game circled on their schedule all season after losing in the state title game last year at DWS. All signs pointed to Westfield finally having its day.

Then Deerfield dominated every aspect of the game and won 27-7. With Tony Zenon at tailback they have the star power and the speed on everyone they see. With Reggie Brown at wideout and Banks Kinslow at QB they have the ability to pass whenever necessary. With Justin Webb and Quinton Adkins they have depth in case of injuries.

And, oh yeah, I don’t think their defense hasn’t allowed double digits points since before the swine flu showed up.

Add in the experience of having won the big game last year and it seems the only thing that can stop DWS from another title is itself.

I sure would like to see how this team competed in GHSA Class A….sorry, couldn’t resist.

2) Bainbridge may be the most inconsistent team in Class AAAA. One week the Bearcats look like they can compete for a region title. The next week, they look like they sent the JV team to the wrong field. Not sure how to explain the Bearcats, one week after beating Hardaway to put themselves in prime position for a postseason run to lose to hapless Upson-Lee. This was the same Upson Lee team without a region victory and losses against lowly Lee County and Americus-Sumter.

This performance was very un-Pilcher-like. Typcially his teams are always up for games and never overlook an opponent. We can be sure the Bearcats won’t overlook anybody the rest of the season.

3) The Internet may explode this week and it will be the fault of SGA and SCA. Never has there been more talk on the message board than the back and forth surrounding these two schools. From the transfer of Nile Knapp to the transfer of the city school players to Old Pretoria Rd., they have been galvanizing programs. More than anything, they love to hate on each other. They will play this Friday for the Region 3-AA title and No. 1 seed entering the state tournament.

If only David Bell turned out to be the brains behind Balloon Boy would there be more hits on The Vent this week.

4) Pelham is the feel-good story of the year. The Hornets will play for a sub-region title against Clinch County on Friday. There have not been two more opposite programs this decade, but here they meet with significant stakes. A win would guarantee the first home playoff game in Pelham since 2001.

Caleb Morrell has turned into an outstanding quarterback and his collection of running backs around him have been exciting. If they are good enough to beat Clinch, rather than the rest of the relatively bad region they play in, is yet to be seen, but they have now won four games in a row and have the confidence that it can be done. Two thumbs up to everybody down there. Looking forward to coming to the game on Friday. Just send me an email with a great place to go to eat when I get there!

5) Seriously, falls are funny.

Check out the Herald Tour with YouTube for instant viewing.

Click here for Part I

Click here for Part II

Today’s brief Daily Word is brought to you by Greek God of Lust ex-Mets GM/ESPN announcer Steve Phillips, who apparently hasn’t learned anything since being sued a few years ago by a former (female) Mets underling when he was running the show in the Big Apple for sexual harrassment. The case was, naturally, settled hush-hush out of court.

However, mutiple news outlets are reporting Wednesday that this time Phillips had an affair — BTW, he’s married with four kids, although his wife is divorcing him ASAP — with an ESPN production assistant, who in turn outed Phillips to his wife after he broke it off recently. Turns out the chick, Brooke Hundley, 22, is also kinda crazy, at one point posing as a student at Phillips’ son’s school in an effort to find out more information about the Love Doctor and also tearing through Phillips’ front lawn and smashing into a stone column (whatever that is) in an effort to get away from the wife after she showed up just as Ms. Hundley was posting a note with all the affairs’ sorid details on the door. Classy move, dear.

I’m under the weather today. And this is the best story of the day. So that’s all I got.

Enjoy.

SIDE NOTE: No one at ESPN likes Steve Phillips. And haven’t for a long time.

Well, after eking out a win like the Atlanta Falcons did last night, all I can say is this — they found a way. It wasn’t graceful, pretty by any means. The Bears had their chances to win, but on their final opportunity, the Falcons’ defense kept its ground. As they say, a win is a win and it had perfect timing since the Falcons were on NBC’s Sunday night game for the first time. Here’s the Associated Press’ story. In the AJC, they make note that last year’s game between the Falcons and Bears was pretty exciting, too. As AJC writer A. Orlando Ledbetter puts it in his first sentence of today’s game story — “The NFL schedule makers might want consider pitting the Chicago Bears and the Atlanta Falcons against each other more often. This is getting to be fun.” Here’s the rest of THAT story. Super Bowl, anyone? Evidently, Bears and Falcons fans are thinking of Miami quite a bit, lately as you can see from reading this story from Yahoo!

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OK, there’s so much to talk about in college football today, let’s get right to the traditional commercial, which you will see anytime you visit a Scott Chancey blog. Pizza Hut’s first-ever commercial, courtesy of the Herald vault (OK, seriously, youtube; wow, amazing all the stuff they have). Has to give Pizza Hut a shoutout, especially the one in Camilla for letting me go in one of their booths late Saturday night and letting me turn it into a personal work station. Sorry, my fingers were just a tad too numb to type outside after covering the Mitchell County-Albany game. For those who seemed a little perplexed when a guy with a backpack walked into the Pizza Hut when you were there around 11:10 p.m. last nite, nothing to worry about — it was me.

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OK, OK, I know … I’ve been slacking on my “Daily Word” lately.

But the mix-master is back and ready to drop it like it’s hot.

Or something to that effect.

A lot has happened in the last 24 hours, much of which didn’t find its way into The Herald’s tight, four-page section for Friday.

What did make it in, however, was certainly of local interest with the centerpiece story Friday being none other than a double preview on the “Family Feud” — a name coined by last year’s prep football beat writer, Derek Barichello, who these days is off somewhere trying to become the next Mark Geragos — for the annual showdown between Miller and Seminole counties. They’re region rivals and in neighboring towns separated by no more than a few blades of grass and a BBQ stand.

Paul Dehner Jr.’s story on Miller County’s ill defense is here, while his Seminole angle on the Indians’ even iller (pretty sure that’s not a word) offense is here. Dehner predicted, among other things, that Seminole wins by a score.

Speaking of scoring, Herald staffer Scott Chancey scored a great interview with LPGA Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez, who lives in Albany, on why she wouldn’t take the vacant LPGA Commissioner’s job if asked. On a down note, it appears as if Lopez and local Dougherty baseball legend Ray Knight, the 1986 World Series MVP with the Mets, are calling it quits after 27 years of marriage, or so reported Mariela Rosario at latina.com back in July.

And now onto “The Daily Word” ….

*** Pretty good college football game Thursday night on ESPN between No. 8 Cincinnati and No. 21 South Florida, although I expected more out of the Bulls, who lost, 34-17, to the still unbeaten Bearcats. The most intriguing thing to come out of the game other than the fact the Bearcats are completely trying to ruin a BCS showdown between Texas and Florida by staying perfect and trying to “Utah” their way into the picture was the play of Cincy’s backup QB Zach Collaros. Collaros came in for Heisman Trophy contender Tony Pike when Pike went down injuired right before halftime — and basically BLEW IT UP, leading Cincy to 17 second-half points. (BTW, “Blew it up,” if you’re over 40, is a good thing. Oh, and “BTW” means “by the way.”)

I found a good story from the game and on the emergence of Callaros here. It’s written by this guy who seems sorta familiar. But I can’t put my finger on where I know him. Ahhh …. it’ll come to me sooner or later.

*** I can’t believe I’m saying this, but make sure to watch Oprah today. For some reason, Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield are getting together on her show to have a biting contest hash out their differences from that infamous night in 1997 when Tyson went berserk and decided early on if he couldn’t beat Holyfield, at least he was make him wish they’d never fought.

*** Like this guy, I really dislike Raiders coach Tom Cable. And like this other guy, I will NEVER ever again bet on the Raiders — unless it’s against them — as long as I live.

*** Under the category of other things I will never do, this is MOST certainly one of them. (HINT: If you like jumping cars off bridges and onto boats just for the hell of it, this story is for you). I just hope come Jan. 1 at sunrise, we’re not talking about Travis Pastrana in the past tense. Good luck to you, sir.

*** In local Southwest Georgia athlete news, Albany pro golfer Josh Broadaway may finally win his first career event down in Miami. He’s two shots off the lead after the first round. There must be something about that course because he had the best finish of his career (third overall) there a year ago.

As for Leesburg’s Buster Posey, top prospect of the San Francisco Giants, he’s headed to the Arizona Fall League, which is apparently so stocked with talent, he’s just another young star among stars, according to Atlantabraves.com. Still, I’d be willing to bet by the end of December, Posey is named MVP.

*** A buncha people who don’t know what the hell they’re talking about continue to profess that offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher is not the problem at Florida State. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Sure, while coach Bobby Bowden does need to retire after this year, Deion Sanders with Oklahoma State WR Dez Bryant illegally on his payroll as his top assistant would be better coaches than these two right now.

Oh, and the same clueless folks who scribed that story, also think that Bulldog fans need to be careful what they wish for when it comes to wanting Mark Richt and Willie Martinez’s head on a platter. Same story as always, different year.

And now we conclude with a “Daily Dose of Deadspin,” …

** This first story is a good example of why ESPN needs to slow its roll and watch the episode of Seinfeld where George screams out …”We’re living in a society ….!!” In other words, STOP ripping everyone off, ESPN. Including these high schools whose football games you televise nationally. Sure, the exposure is great, but wait until you find out how ESPN pays them (scan to the bottom) for three hours of airtime in which the network’s ad revenue is surely in the millions.

** Since when did it become cool to coach boys high school basketball and then go into a Costco and masturbate? Apparently in Idaho, this is how they roll.

** If you’re mentally unstable, you probably shouldn’t have a nationally syndicated column. Especially when you compare the Dodgers-Phillies series to the Crips vs. the Bloods.

** Word of warning to all colleges: If a player is accused of a crime as serious as rape, maybe you should wait to see if he’s exoerated or not before you kick him off the team and defame him like this guy is accusing Penn State of doing. As an FSU fan, I am pulling for Joe Paterno to lose some wins over this.

** For my birthday, I wanna trade places with Texas QB Colt McCoy for a day. Then hop over to Tim Tebow’s house and handle his light work.

I believe those two ladies know the meaning of dropping it like it’s hot.