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It was a pretty cool gig to host a show like Countdown to Signing Day for 3 years. We always brought in the top 10 or 15 kids each season and talked about where they were headed to college and what special talent made them stand out–Viewers would call in and write to us on-line about prospects we covered and always had a strong opinion. The show was almost an obsession in the Southeast and I sometimes sit back and scratch my head as to why it is no longer–oh well! …Michael Conley Jr. was one of our guests on the show the last year in production, and he was fantastic! humble and graceful. And as I did my pre-show research along with recruiting analyst Dave Telep (pictured next to me on my right) we found out that not only was he
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The Countdown to Signing Day Hoops crew:Greg Oden, Bobby Cremins, Dave Telep and yours truly right after our interview with the big fella. Oden is A soft spoken wonder kid who truly didn’t believe he was ready for the NBA. if you would have asked him duting his Junior year in high school if he was considering turning pro after high school he would have looked you in the eyes and said, ” I’m niot sure I am ready to evenb consider that level–a lot of players out there are better than me and i must conticue to work on my basketball skills..almost to the point that you thought he was embarrassed by the question. That is until you saw him throw down one of those thunderous dunks.
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So you’re 5 feet 7 inches tall and you are named an All American basketball player in high school. not to shabby. Yes, that’s 5 foot 7 inch Drew Lavender with me who is now looking to make it onto the next level. he’s already achieved a high mark for his 15.5 points per game at Xavier and being named to the Atlantic 10’s second team. You think you cluld stop him, just try and get on the ocurt with him. i was recently at a pre NBA draft workout watching him and 10 or so other NBA hopefuls Read the rest of this entry »
Ahh yes, The First Lady of Peachtree” Gayle Barron and the city of Atlanta are synonymous. Gayle won the first Peachtree road race back in 1970 (looks like yesterday from this picture) even though this pic was taken at the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame ceremony in 2007.) She also won the Boston marathon in 1980 and was so excited she called back to her hometown and told a local broadcaster and it was announced on the air that night.
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An amazing athlete, Gayle Barron has run 25 marathons in her day and was very gracious in accepting her induction into the ASHOF last summer. The Atlanta Sports Hall of fame would not be the same without you Gayle.
Forgive me but I couldn’t resist—I had to take this picture–it was the first NBA playoff game featuring a New Orleans team ever and I had to be there and I had to capture it with a snapshot. Yes, they won and Chris Paul could be and should be the Mayor of the city and the King of Bacchus…If only the “Pistol” Pete Maravich could see the NBA team in Nawlins now… Read the rest of this entry »
The post-season is over, yes, the Hawks made it to the post season for the first time in 9 years and actually pushed the Celtics to the brink to a game 7 in the opening round.
All I know is this, They better re-sign Josh Smith. This picture you see was taken before a regular season game when I was catching up with Josh reminiscing about the time we had him on Countdown to Signing day–The college basketball recruiting show a few years ago…at that time in 2004 Josh wasn’t sure if he would even enter the NBA draft or head to college –as there was no NBA rule preventing graduationg seniors from taking the leap directly into the NBA..Good for Josh and good for the Hawks that Josh did go pro. Read the rest of this entry »
If you’re spending your nights watching the NBA playoffs…you know how good Allan Houston was shooting the jumper! point blank reminds me of a smoother Ray Allen, can flat out fill it up–and did so many times during his but Houston’s jumper was even smoother–the former NBA sharpshooter currently doing some broadcasting and probably counting his cash–mellow demeanor and all around good guy–could give a clinic on what it meant to get a shot off with time winding down. Read the rest of this entry »
Some of the best times I’ve had as the MC for the Atlanta Touchdown Club has to be seeing the thrill in the high school football players eyes as they are intrdouced at the luncheon and asked to come up and receive their player of the week award> It’s a big deal and would be for you too, 17 years old–the community recognizes your accomplishments and your family, coaches and friends in attendance–It’s a very big deal—I get to have some fun with them and sometimes even ask them if they have a brother or sister who they competed against as a youngster–some of them say yes and roll along with the teasing when I say–did you ever play your sister in basketballl as a kid? come on admit it, she beat you a couple of times–the audience would laugh and the good humored kids like this guy, star Quarterback Gordon Beckham, tearing it up as a baseball player for the Georgia Bulldogs-NCAA leading 21 Hr’s to this point. He went on to become the 8th overall pick after his Senior season with the Dawgs..in the Major league baseball draft–2nd best Shortstop in America)
recognition of our youngsters accomplishments on the field and off is the key to building a supportive community relationship from the ground up–The Atlanta TD Club certainly does it right…
First thing I did when introducing Georgia coach Mark Richt to the Atlanta Touchdown club crowd was to talk about his calm demeanor on the sidelines how he never wavers in public and has a balance of emotions like you’ve never seen from any other major college coach, “It’s my honor to introduce to you, Georgia head Coach Mark Richt.” even his speech was balanced–a bit of humor, a bit of x’s and o’s and a bit about the kids that organizations like The Touchdown Club inspire and educate on a higher level. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the perks of covering sports is the proximity you have to high profile athletes. Many times you come across a kid who has more than a game on the court, Former Norcross and Georgia Tech basketball player Gani lawal is one of those guys..bright, congenial and star power written all over him.
This picture was taken at the Gwinnet County and Collins Hill awards ceremony..Gani showing up to support his freind and fellow hoopster Maya Moore, who happens to be one of the best female basketball players in the nation (successive blog about Maya if you scroll down) today, Maya is playing for the University of Connecticut. Read the rest of this entry »