College Football Preview

Resource person: Audra Bullard - office@clehighlands.com

Description:

As in previous years, the main topic will be the ever changing and controversial status of college football today and the general direction of college athletics in the future. The days of Wally Butts, Frank Howard and Bobby Dodd, which many Highlanders are still young enough to remember, are long gone. The focus will be on SEC and ACC football programs but also will include some programs that have not recently been in the national championship discussions. Now that the national championship playoffs have expanded to twelve teams: How will the selection process work? Where will games be played? What impact will this have on the various athletic conferences? Do traditional bowls have a future in light of the post-season departures of key players? What challenges in roster management face all sports programs – not just football – because of NIL and the transfer portal? Barnhart will talk about his new book, The 19 of Greene: Football Friendship and Change in the Fall of 1970. Smith will discuss his new book, How Bout Them Dawgs! After the program, enjoy complimentary signature cocktails, beer, wine and light bites at the meet-n-greet tailgate party, from 4:00- 5:00pm.

Location: Village Green Cashiers, NC (Please do not call the Village Green to register)

Tony Barnhart, a 1976 graduate of UGA’s school of journalism, has covered college football for 47 years. This includes 25 years as a columnist and reporter for the Atlanta Journal Constitution and stints with CBS Sports and ESPN. Tony is currently an analyst for the SEC Network and a columnist for TMG College Sports. He is the author of many books on college football, including biographies of Vince Dooley and Larry Munson and most recently The 19 of Greene: Football Friendship and Change in the Fall of 1970.

Loran Smith is a lifer in the world of Georgia Bulldog Sports. He graduated from Georgia in 1960 having been MVP of the Georgia Track Team in 1959. He has spent most of his professional life in various positions for the Georgia Athletic Department. Bulldog loyalists remember him most famously for his work as a sideline reporter responding to the growl of Larry Munson: “Whaddaya got, Loran?” No one knows more about the lore of Georgia sports than Loran Smith who has authored or co-authored eighteen books on the subject in addition to numerous news columns.

Don Munson is Director of Broadcasting for the Clemson Athletic Department in a career that began in the department in 1994. He is one of the most knowledgeable, versatile and busiest of sportscasters and currently works as the radio playby-play announcer for Clemson football, basketball and baseball. Regarded for his preparation and attention to detail, Munson’s approach is to gain the trust of the coaches and players and tell the audience what he sees on the field, “I just tell the play-by-play and hopefully, I do it well.” Clemson fans will attest that he indeed does it well.

Notes: Cancellation Policy Please let us know immediately if you are unable to attend a class. There is no refund for cancellations within two (2) weeks prior to a scheduled class. Programs that include food, beverage or art materials must be canceled within three (3) weeks prior to receive a refund. CLE reserves the right to cancel a program if the minimum enrollment has not been met or for circumstances beyond our control, and participants will be notified, a complete refund will be issued. All classes are held in the CLE Lecture Hall at the Peggy Crosby Center unless otherwise noted. In the event information has changed from the published brochure, it will be posted on our website and in our e-blasts. Addresses for “private home” venues will be provided to registrants within 2 days of the program date.

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