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Published Thursday, November 05, 2009 in Sports

How the impartial observing sportsdude deals with the local rivalry

Sports Column by STUART CROSBY

stuart@newnan.com

Whenever I cover a contest involving Newnan and East Coweta, it's always entertaining because people ask me who I'm rooting for or who I think will win that particularly day.

As an impartial observer I tend to root for the local team (how's that for a cop out?), but I also root for a good game that will keep the fans interested and make for a good story or two.

I know that's the wimpy way of answering the question, but I think if I were one of area's ministers or politicians and was questioned about the rivalry, I'd still answer the same way.

If anyone thinks that's wimpy you should have met my mother because when she was alive I would ask who her favorite son was of the three she gave birth to and her response was that she loved each of us for a different reason and could not narrow her response to one child.

I digress a little since the only parental favoritism was Dick Smothers' mom liked him over brother Tom during their showbiz career and it is almost how yours truly deals with our local rivalry.

Sometimes I do receive my share of grief if I show up at either school with attire that looks like the opposition like the verbal abuse from East Coweta football coaches whenever I go to a practice wearing a royal blue cap with the letter N in the middle.

That cap wasn't a Newnan Cougar cap, but one I acquired a few years ago when the PONY League held tournaments at the Temple Avenue complex. However, I still get my share of grief.

I normally wear a Times-Herald shirt to football games and on occasion a cap of the school I'm covering that evening or a Braves cap since I own so many, but when I'm at a game involving two of our local teams I tend to grab whatever works, but I have also worn a cap from my old high school.

Outside of my headwear, there are other items that tend to bring out my flakiness and a very dry sense of humor that has served me well over the passage of time.

As I continue to state my non-bias and I get a fair amount of grief over where I am sitting, I have a pet response that I have used for a number of years during this rivalry between two schools that I cover.

I also use the same response when Northgate gets thrown into the rivalry mix like they will for basketball soccer, softball, volleyball or wrestling.

Usually I tell people that there is an imaginary circle, an aura or something around me that I declare is part of the nation of Switzerland.

For a couple of hours, a portion of the area my posterior is affixed to is neutral territory and is part of the Swiss Mission which is used by the United States against nations they don't play with like Iran and Cuba.

I don't carry the Switzerland flag to games and I don't wear clothing pertaining to them but I figure for a couple of hours I can make light of the rivalry in my own way.

Also, some people learn something about other nations when they weren't planning to do so or they may theorize that I have lost what is left of my mind.

After the event is complete and I rise from my spot, the people involved with the mission come in and prepare the circle for return to the Coweta County School System and they return the property back to the school and all is well until the next battle commences.

Enjoy the game on Friday, it should be a good one.

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