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Stuart Crosby Columnist

Published Monday, August 25, 2008

Reflections of my ninth anniversary in Newnan

As we begin another week of sporting activities in Coweta County, I realized something in between sleeping sessions that I had around the US Men’s Basketball Gold Medal game that was on at 2:30 in the morning.

My realization is that today will mark nine years since The Times-Herald hired your erstwhile sports journalist to a job that anybody could have had and fortunately I did.

When I took the job (I wore a tie on day one), my nephew Peyton was two years old and my lovely niece Emma wasn’t even a thought to her parents.

The Atlanta Hawks were getting ready to move into Phillips Arena after a successful run under then-head coach Lenny Wilkins who led this team to the playoffs.

The Atlanta Falcons were looking to build on a 1998 campaign in which they finished with a 14-2 record and a trip to the Super Bowl.

Jeff Francoeur was a sophomore sports legend at Parkview High School where he may have chased high fastballs.

In other words, I am aging.

In nine years, I have gone through four cars (technically one car twice) and will be going through a fifth car as the football season nears opening day.

In nine years those vehicles have amassed several thousand miles with two trips to Kingsland, several to Valdosta, one to Thomasville, two to Moultrie and one to Oxford, Alabama.

While I would hope for a brand new Ford Focus station wagon, a Ford Escort wagon will work just fine.

My weight has gone as high as 265 to around 195 while the hair on the top of my head is thinning and the rest is turning gray.

I have gone through three prescriptions of eyewear which means I am looking for the perfect glasses or I am getting visually challenged.

I discovered a blood clot in my leg which I hoped would increase my foot speed but alas a sundial is still a required piece of equipment in my life.

My “employees” have grown from just Peyton (a.k.a. the Heir Apparent) to Emma (Lightning) and her little brother Jackson (Thunder) with another due in January which means I am going broke in my plan to get revenge on my two brothers.

I have had my share of difficulties with park staff who want to look important including one who threatened to call the police.

There have also been parents or other relatives who either get mad at me or will allege chicanery in terms of which school gets the love.

There have also been a lot of moments of happy tears by players and coaches, high-fives and laughter, hugs and a few wins along the way as well as a few exasperated coaches after a game.

I have been able to interact with a number of athletes that I only knew from watching games or a card and other people in the world of journalism.

I have also been able to gently poke some fun at people like one athlete who claimed to dislike macaroni and cheese (the official side dish of this column) and East Coweta assistant football coach Roc Coleman’s preference of Snickers over Reese’s (good coach but Snickers?).

Oh well, I am slowly getting the concession stands at the schools to carry Coke Zero which I have dubbed “the magic elixir” and is the official drink of the column.

There have been the opportunities to speak to a class, serve as a public address announcer at a school’s game or even help out during an event like driving a golf cart at a track meet with an injured person or securing items at a football practice.

As I look at year 10 (I am getting older), I still remain optimistic and am hopeful for more enjoyment along the way watching the games that people play.