Congratulations to Athens Academy and North Oconee High School football teams on their playoff wins

Given all the shock and dismay over the Oconee County High School softball coach's sleazy and reprehensible behavior with one of his recent former players, I am glad there is something positive to write about this week. After rain and thunderstorms delayed kick off for an hour, the Titans of North Oconee and the Spartans of Athens Academy made the home folks proud with victories in the opening rounds of the Georgia High School Association football playoffs last night. I hope both teams go all the way to the Georgia Dome and win, but each week will become increasingly difficult. Also this season you have to make it all the way to the Finals for the trip to the Dome (instead of the semifinals, where Athens Academy made it the last two years).

I feel sorry for the Oconee County HS Warriors quarterback Zach Mettenberger in their opening round loss at Gainesville but he will be enrolled at UGA soon enough and finally be surrounded by talent equal to his on his side of the ball.

Also I give the highest salute to Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry and the police in North Georgia College in Dahlonega for their handling of the Brian Dickens situation and think that this alleged child molester should get thrown in jail as soon as he is convicted. I would love to kick Dickens' ass myself, but that would end up getting me in the pokey. His behavior is unforgivable but I am most sorry for the former teacher and coach's (soon-to-be-ex?) wife and child.

We ended up watching UGA stomp USC-Upstate men's basketball team and an amazing John Sparks-like dunk by freshman phenom Travis Leslie over a 7-foot-3-inch player from Upstate. We did drive by Slaughter Field on the way back and thought the game was almost over (when it had actually barely started). Lowell wanted to get home and watch the new episode of the new animated Star Wars television series The Clone Wars instead.

If you know DEFINITIVELY who and where the Spartans and Titans are playing next week, please let me know. There are conflicting reports in the newspaper this morning at least with the Spartans' case.

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