Stadiums I have been to

I have been blessed to have done the radio play by play for the LaGrange Grangers for ten football seasons.  Throw in a few baseball seasons and one basketball game.  Drew Champlin, who used to cover Troy athletics in the Dothan Eagle has pictures on his Facebook account of stadiums he has been to.  I wish I had done that this past ten years.  I may start next season.

But I got to thinking about places I have been to.  Some have been memorable.  Others were less so.  I thought I'd put my observations down here.  Forgive the cloudy memory of those I haven't been to in years.

Callaway Stadium, LaGrange - I love the view from the home booth.  The lack of track makes us closer to the action.  I loved it more before it was enclosed in glass.  I didn't mind the cold and sometimes the rain.  But when there is no window to open, I feel I'm broadcasting the game from inside a phone booth.  We have to run a crowd microphone through the ceiling and set it on the roof.  You still can't hear the crowd very well through it.  Hopefully when (if?) a new press box is built on the other side, it will have windows that we can slide and fold open, giving us full access to the crowd cheering on the Grangers.  The SprinTurf field will need replacing soon.  But it beats the mud four teams would surely create with a grass field.

Drake Stadium, Newnan - The old Drake Stadium had two press boxes.  A nice, air conditioned lower level,  and a sweat box of an upper level.  Their new stadium is nice.  An elevator, the whole press box is air conditioned, even internet hard-wired in the walls.  Of course with their local cable TV using the visitor's booth, we were relegated to being outside.  But it was a covered area.  The folks there are very nice and helpful.  We had a great view of the game.  A few times I have even been given a golf cart ride with the radio equipment from the parking lot to the press box!

Grisham Stadium, Carrollton - The new stadium has a college-like press box that is first rate.  So is the food the media is provided.  The old stadium allowed a crowd mic to be fed through a PVC pipe.  The new stadium has no access for a crowd mic for the visitors.  But the view is great, and the people are better.  I love the fact we are given stats at the end of every quarter.  I was asked to do the radio for their baseball semifinals a few years ago.  Carrollton always treats me well, so I had no problem helping them out.

Kinnett Stadium, Columbus - A dump.  To be fair, they have SPLOST money to upgrade their facilities and I look forward to when it happens.  The new scoreboard looks good.  The press box is old, the windows look like they haven't been washed since it was built, and the air conditioning blows hot air until the 4th quarter through September. 

Memorial Stadium, Columbus - A very nice press box in a very old stadium.  I love the feel for the whole building when we are there.  It is rich with history without being run down.  At around 13,000 seats, it would be the ideal place for a state championship game.  The radio booths are a bit small, but overall one of my favorite places to call a game.

Tiger Stadium, Hamilton - I haven't been to the new stadium yet.  But before a tornado tore up the area, we were put into a building we had to share with the coaches.  Imagine then offensive coordinator David Trayor, then defensive coordinator Donnie Branch, Todd Willis and myself crammed together looking out the same window and hoping neither one of us cusses into a live microphone.  Looking off to the left is a great view down the hill (mountain?) and over the trees, usually starting to turn colors.  I look forward to being in their new digs in 2013.

West Thomas Stadium, Cairo - I would love to tell you how their press box was.  From the outside it looked grand.  The home side looked great as well.  But as I was waiting for someone to unlock the door to get in, the Syrupmaker athletic director pointed across the way to an eight by twelve Cracker Jack box on the visitor's side and said I was to be over there.  The visitor's side was, as I recall, about 12 rows high and goal line to goal line.  When Marshall Sheppard ran down the near sideline in 2005, he disappeared near the 20 yard line behind the standing crowd.  I didn't see if he got in or not.  I asked "is he in, is he in?"   A guy on the last row right in front of us turned around, looked at me, and threw his arms up to signal "touchdown."  I took his word for it and gave the "give 'em six." 

Bobby Gruhn Field at City Park, Gainesville - Another one of my favorite places I have been.  If a new press box is built at Callaway Stadium, I would love for the Walt Snelling Press Box to be the template.  Sliding glass doors to get in the booths.  Windows that open to the crowd.  Plenty of room.  As I recall, there was little, if any, crown on the field.  Just a great place to watch a football game, especially since the Grangers won a thriller there in 2005.

Herb St. John Stadium, Perry - Not one of my favorite places.  The field looked like I had played golf on it.  There were bad divots everywhere.  They put us in the top of the middle section, right behind the clock operator and scoreboard operator.  Immediately to their right was Perry's radio guys.   I make no bones about the fact I pull for the Grangers, but I at least try to be professional about it.  OK, I lost my cool at Chestatee once, but that is a rarity.  Hearing Perry's radio crew gripe about every call that went against the Panthers made my ears bleed.  The rollaway doors to get in the press box was an interesting touch.

Brad Henderson Stadium, Macon - Not much to say about this old stadium.  While Tommy Traylor was doing the sideline interview, a police officer told us to hurry up and leave.  "I'm not staying long to protect you," he said.  As soon as the interview was done, we didn't even do the game recap.  We wrapped it up and got gone.

North DeKalb Stadium, Chamblee - One-sided and old.  Nothing else is memorable about it.

The Reservation, Toccoa - I liked the atmosphere there.  That place is what small town Georgia high school football is all about.  The press box was OK, but the whole experience was just fun.  Great crowd, friendly fans, nice folks in the press box.  Just an overall fun time there.  Folks who know me know I do NOT like long drives.  I did not like getting there.  But I did like being there.

White County, Cleveland - They put us on the roof in 40 degree weather.  They gave me a metal folding chair to sit on.  I didn't notice much else except the cold being conducted through the chair and through my pants to my backside.  I think it was one-sided.

Panthersville Stadium, Decatur - Not as bad as I thought it would be.  Also one-sided.  The main gate wasn't open when I arrived, but a side gate was.  I had to walk down about 50 steps down the side of the stadium, then walk up what seemed like 35 rows to get to the press box.  Thankfully, then #42 Quan Delaney offered to help me carry the 50 pounds of radio equipment up the stadium steps.  I did not turn him down.  The press box was complete open air with only a waist-high wall between the booths.  I was sitting arms reach away from a Cedar Grove coordinator.  I was hearing his exasperation several plays after Xavier Cooper dropped a pass 20 yards away from the closest defender.

Taylor Memorial Stadium, Haralson County - The only time I called a game from somewhere other than a press box.  The athletic director said we would be in a "media area."  It was a roped of section of the concourse in front of the concession/press box right behind the back row of stands.  And it wasn't bad.  It wasn't raining, We had good crowd noise as they were all around us and a great view of the field.  Great fans who were appreciative of the team and the band.

Tiger Stadium, Fayetteville - The athletic director put us on the roof and told us we couldn't be near the middle.  No problem, because in the middle was a big speaker.  Out of that speaker came a loud voice of the public address announcer doing a lot more than PA guys are supposed to do.  We were also treated to the rather animated antics of the Tiger head coach, who was on the roof as well.

War Eagle Stadium, Chestatee - We were on the far right on the upper part inside the press box, right behind the Granger coaches.  So putting the crowd mic down there where the coaches' exclamations could be heard clearly was out of the question.  A one-sided stadium, so using the sideline microphone as a crowd mic was also out of the question. So we made due.  The scoreboard was behind the goal post to our right, so I had to move way over to the left see around the side wall of the press box.  How do you not put the scoreboard beyond the corner of the field of a one-sided stadium?  But they had Buffalo Wild Wings for the media.  Any stadium that provides good food for the media can be forgiven for where they put the scoreboard.

Bowers and Painter Field, Rossville - This place had a rather blah press box, but the rest of the place was anything but.  A beautiful field, picturesque facilities, and the cleanest bathrooms outside of Callaway Stadium.  Like Toccoa, being in Rossville was much better than getting there. 

Graham-Hixon Field at Colquitt Stadium, College Park - Like Bowers and Painter Field, Graham-Hixon is a beautiful place to watch a game.  Nice turf and not a bad seat in the house nor in the press box.

As mentioned above, I look forward to the new stadium at Harris County.  Plus we will make the trips to Alexander, The Battlefield and The Brickyard.  There are other places I haven't been to but would like to go.  Grady Stadium tops that list.  I drove by there while in Atlanta one day.  LaGrange would have played there if they had defeated White County.  Calling a game from where Georgia and Auburn first played each other would be great.  Also the Granite Bowl in Elberton and the House of Pain in Sandersville are two others I'd like to visit.

Ridgeland 41 LaGrange 34

The last time LaGrange played a team from Rossville, the game ended in a tie at the end of regulation.  I was beginning to think the same was going to happen Friday night, despite the Grangers turning the ball over five times.  But a sixth turnover doomed the Grangers and sent Ridgeland to the quarterfinals.

LaGrange's opening drive was an acting masterpiece.  Dee Smith "cramped up" and limped off the field after the first snap.  Demoton Boyd was then replaced by Benny Gray, but that would have left ten men on the field.  Boyd went to the sideline but did not leave the field of play.  The next snap, Boyd was uncovered and Giddens threw a touchdown pass to him.  7-0 Grangers.  Ridgeland answered with a nine play, 65 yard drive.  Vonn Bell ran in from 12 yards out and the score was tied 7-7.  After a Benny Gray fumble, the Panthers started inside Granger territory at the 43.  Five plays later Eric Bridges found the end zone from nine yards out.  14-7 Ridgeland.  Dee Smith would fumble the ball away, but on the next drive he would recover a Ridgeland fumble.  LaGrange then went three and out but Dee Smith would further atone for his miscue, recovering another Panther fumble.  LaGrange would get points after this turnover, going 40 yards in ten plays.  A one yard sweep by Boyd cut Ridgeland's lead to 14-13.  The Panthers answered right back with a 71 yard drive to the Granger 33.  The next play saw Bridges run those 33 yards for a touchdown.  21-13 Ridgeland.  With only 4:22 left to go in the half, the Grangers drove 58 yards in 11 plays.  Gray forced his way in from the two, and the two point conversion was good.  The teams went to the locker room knotted at 21 each.

The Granger defense held Ridgeland to a three and out on the second half opening drive, but Zach Giddens threw an interception.  Another Panther three and out ended with a bad snap and the punter had to cover the ball at his own 15.  LaGrange could not get points as Giddens threw another interception on fourth down.  Ridgeland benefitted by going 77 yards in seven plays with a seven yard touchdown run by Bridges.  28-21 Panthers.  Another turnover by Giddens, this time a fumble of effort, gave the ball to Ridgeland at their own 47.  Two plays later, Shaqualm McCoy ran into the end zone from 42 yards out.  35-21 Panthers.  LaGrange responded quickly with a two play, 60 yard drive when Clete Miller caught a Giddens pass for a 20 yard touchdown.  35-28 Ridgeland.  A 71 yard Panther drive ended when Bell rushed in from the Granger 21 and it was 41-28.  The teams exchanged punts and the Grangers would score again.  A 57 yard drive capped by a 33 yard touchdown catch from Giddens to Gray pulled the Grangers within a touchdown.  41-34 Ridgeland.  The Panthers were forced to punt and LaGrange had 2:54 to go 80 yards.  But on second down from the Panther 43, Giddens would throw a long pass intercepted by Dillon Peterman and Ridgeland would go to the third round with a 41-34 victory.

The Grangers finish the season 6-6, and 1-1 in the postseason.  Thanks to the seniors for their hard work and dedication, leaving a good fighting spirit to build on for next year.  Looking at the names of today's juniors, sophomores and freshmen, Granger football is in good hands.  2013 should be an even better year.

This was my tenth year announcing Granger football on the radio.  Todd Willis and Tommy Whitworth are great folks to ride with and work with.  I really appreciate LaGrange High allowing me to do this.  I hope they will allow me to do this another ten years. 

LaGrange 59 Chestatee 46

As one who played defense, and takes blood pressure medication, I love the low scoring defensive games.  Like Head Coach Donnie Branch, one of my favorite games was the 2003 quarterfinal against Swainsboro.  2-0 was the final score.  At Chestatee's War Eagle Stadium Friday night, the Grangers gave up 46 points and won, scoring 59 along the way.  Wore me out and I did nothing but talk on the radio.

The Grangers opening drive lasted one play, a 62 yard run by Demoton Boyd.  A two point conversion gave the Grangers an 8-0 lead.   Chestatee responded with a kickoff return to the LaGrange 34.  After a Granger penalty, a 29 yard touchdown run by A.J. Sijiye and a two point conversion tied the game 8-8.  LaGrange answered back with a 69 yard scoring run by Benny Gray.  Four snaps and 86 seconds into the game it was 14-8 LaGrange.  Chestatee turned the ball over on downs and the Grangers drove 61 yards in nine plays, ending with a two yard run by Gray for the touchdown.  21-8 LaGrange.  The War Eagles answered with a nine play drive of their own going the full 80 yards.  Quan Clark scored from 14 yards out.  21-15 Grangers.  LaGrange then went 68 yards in five plays, with Gray scoring again from two yards out.  27-15 LaGrange. 

There still was 11 minutes 32 seconds left to go in the first half.

Both teams turned the ball over on downs.  Then on first down from the Chestatee 37, Joe Sanders ripped the ball away from the runningback and rumbled in for the touchdown.  35-15.  Boyd would get his first interception of the night with a minute to go and the Grangers went into the locker room leading 35-15.

Chestatee opened the second half with a 63 yard drive.  Quan Clark scampered in from 12 yards out for the TD and cut LaGrange's lead to 35-22.  The Grangers' next drive stalled at the War Eagle 17, but they would still get points.  Michael Ward nailed a 33 yard field goal, his first this season, to extend the Grangers' lead 38-22.  The teams exchanged possessions and Clete Miller set up another score with a punt that went out of bounds inside the War Eagle 10.  On third down and forced to pass, Demoton Boyd, #32, intercepted a pass at the 32 yard line and ran it in.  46-22 Grangers.  Chestatee then scored on their next drive.  The second play saw Jordan Degraff throw a 60 yard touchdown strike to Kelly Arthur.  46-30 LaGrange.  The teams exchanged fumbles twice each before the Grangers scored again.  A pass for zero yards from Zach Giddens resulted in an 87 yard touchdown as Dee Smith caught it and outran four defenders to the end zone.  52-30 Grangers.  Chestatee then drove 63 yards and Quan Clark got another touchdown from 21 yards away.  52-38 LaGrange.  The Grangers would punt again, and again Miller pinned the War Eagles inside their 10 yard line.  And just like last time, Boyd picked a Degraff pass out of the air, this time at the midfield stripe and yet again ran it in for a touchdown.  59-38 Grangers.  Chestatee would not go away as they drove 59 yards for another touchdown.  Clark again, this time from 46 yards out and the Granger lead narrowed to 59-46.  The onside kick was corralled by Dee Gates and the Grangers ran out the clock.

This was the first playoff win for the seniors.  Hopefully it won't be the last.  Now comes a historic rematch of sorts.  LaGrange has never played Ridgeland.  But Ridgeland is the product of a merger between Chattanooga Valley High and Rossville High.  The Grangers' first state championship since the GHSA organized was a shared one when they tied Rossville 13-13 in 1955.  That game was played in Rome.  This one will be played at Bowers and Painter Field in Rossville, 177 miles away.  If you can't make the game, listen on WCJM 100.9 FM, The Bull, or on line at www.lagrangefootball.com or www.wcjmthebull.com.  If you do make the trip, set your radios to 101.3 FM in the stadium.  Let's bring a big crowd.  Holiday shopping can wait.

Carrollton 41 LaGrange 14

As high school football games go, this one was a rollercoaster.  The first quarter was a big uphill climb, the second quarter saw twists and turns, the third quarter saw one big twist and the fourth quarter saw the game slow down until it stopped.  But we saw a lot of speed, mostly by a freshman.  In the end, the Carrollton Trojans upended the Grangers 41-14.

Carrollton opened the game with a 66 yard drive that ended when Wil Garrett found the end zone and the Trojans bolted out to a 7-0 lead.  Zach Giddens threw an interception and Carrollton only needed to go 23 yards to score.  The Granger defense held firm, though, and the Trojans settled for a 38 yard field goal.  10-0 Trojans.  A deep punt by Clete Miller pinned Carrollton to their own three yard line, but they would go the distance in only three plays.  A 91 yard run by freshman Jarvis Terrell extended the Carrollton lead to 17-0 with 47 seconds left in the first quarter.

LaGrange answered with a big play of their own, finishing a 68 yard drive with a 65 yard touchdown catch from Giddens to Dee Gates and it was 17-7.  The Grangers would force a Trojan fumble but they could not get points, having to punt the ball away.  Miller got off another good one pinning Carrollton down to their own 13 yard line.  But the Trojans would go on a long 12 play drive that went five and a half minutes.  Malik Sheppard ended that drive from three yards away and Carrollton went up 24-7 with a minute to play in the half.  LaGrange would not quit going 50 yards in three plays, capped by Dee Gates catching another Zach Giddens touchdown pass, this time from ten yards and it was 24-17 with 26 seconds left.  But that was all Carrollton needed as they added a field goal as time expired.  27-17 at intermission.

LaGrange opened the third quarter big, marching from their own 28 to Carrollton's 17 in four plays.  But Giddens threw another interception.  Four plays later Trey Chivers ran into the end zone from 32 yards out.  What could have been a 27-21 Trojan lead turned into a 34-14 lead.  Another Granger punt caused Carrollton to scrimmage from their own 23 yard line.  But the freshman Jarvis Terrell burned the Grangers again, this time for 77 yards and it was 41-14 Trojans.  The two teams exchanged missed field goals and punts the rest of the way out, getting youngsters needed game time experience.

The win gives Carrollton the number two seed in Region 5-AAAA and a first round home game, probably against Stephens County.  LaGrange finishes the regular season as the number three seed and will travel to Chestatee High School in Hall County.  We'll be there and hope to see a good crowd in that one-sided stadium.

LaGrange 35 Troup 20

"The world is again spinning on its axis correctly."  OK, so the words of Eli Gold is overstating it a bit.  But the Grangers ended the only winning streak Troup had against LaGrange Friday night, beating the Tigers 35-20 at Callaway Stadium.

Troup brought the two-game streak to Callaway Stadium and started strong, taking their first drive 53 yards in eight plays.  Daryl Dunlap found the end zone from 14 yards out and it was 6-0 Troup early.  But the Grangers would answer with a six play, 76 yard drive of their own, ending when Zach Giddens ran it in from 10 yards out.  Michael Ward hit the extra point and LaGrange went up 7-6.

It was a lead the Grangers would not relinquish.

Emmanuel Swanson recovered a pooch kick and LaGrange only had to go 37 yards to find the end zone.  Dee Smith did just that from 29 yards out on the second play when he caught a Giddens pass.  14-6 Grangers.  A Troup three and out led to a Granger 78 yard drive.  Demoton Boyd rushe in from the three yard line.  21-6 Grangers.  The teams exchanged possessions but Troup had to punt from their five yard line, giving the Grangers the ball at the Tigers' 37.  Four plays later Travone Rivers caught a two yard scoring pass from Giddens and the Grangers would lead 28-6 at intermission.

The Grangers' opening drive of the second half went 69 yards.  Boyd scored on a 21 yard sweep and LaGrange led 35-6.  After a Troup punt, Giddens lost the handle on the ball and Maurice Swain rumbled in from 40 yards out.  The two pint conversion was good and the Grangers lead narrowed to 35-14.  The teams exchanged punts and turnovers and Troup got one more chance down three scores.  Malcolm Tatum caught a 29 yard pass from Will Smith in the end zone and LaGrange led 35-20.  The Grangers were able to run the final three minutes 45 seconds off the clock.

The win and Sandy Creek defeating Carrollton sets up a big game next Thursday night at Callaway Stadium.  While the Patriots locked up the region championship, Carrollton and LaGrange play for the number two seed and home field for the first round of the playoffs.  WCJM 100.9 FM The Bull will be on the air at 6:30pm Thursday with kickoff at 7:00.  We'll see you at Callaway Stadium.