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Of football, Patty and friends
Dee McLelland new

Some thoughts on different things.

We now are a few weeks into college football and the hopes of each fan rest squarely on the shoulders of their favorite school.

It looks like the SEC will again be a power player in the national title chase and some unfamiliar names are joining the list. Arkansas, Ole Miss, Kentucky and Texas A&M have shown early season success and could be contenders. Of course, Alabama, Georgia and Florida are again some of the better SEC teams and the knock down drag out that Bama and Florida had this past Saturday is a pretty good indication that there’s still going to be some tight games the rest of the way.

As an Alabama fan, I’ll take any win be it by 1 point or 40, but if you listened or read anything about the Tide’s 31-29 win over Florida you would have sworn Alabama had lost.

Maybe Alabama fans are spoiled, wait, I know they are. Of course, some of that could be excused considering the success Nick Saban has brought with his program since he came to Tuscaloosa, but at the same time a win is a win.

Many of my Georgia friends sense the Tide may be vulnerable after squeezing past the Gators, but if you look a little deeper, Florida’s Dan Mullin has always played Saban’s teams close, even when he was at Mississippi State. There’s history there. Same for Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. Real Alabama fans are worried more about the game with Ole Miss than they are about Texas A&M or Auburn.

Georgia better have their ears perked up because Florida showed talent and grit against Alabama and that makes the trip to Jacksonville no walk in the park. Plus, let’s remember for the crowing Georgia fans have been doing early, they still haven’t snapped that title drought that has been ongoing for over 40 years.

I don’t think Georgia or Alabama fans need to take any SEC opponent lightly, unless you are talking about Vanderbilt.

One other note, the rankings this year are ridicules. These are made up for television. So far, 18 of the Top 25 ranked teams have been beaten and we are only in the third week of the season. It’s more hype than reality.

About Patty Leon.

Patty is leaving the Courier for a new adventure and career. I personally have worked with many great people over the years and I consider Patty to be one of the best and she had to perform and produce in very trying circumstances. 

I believe when Patty and I first talked about how we would manage her position we were in unchartered waters, but she rode right into it without reservation and has served the Courier and Liberty County well during her time.

I and the entire staff at the Courier, Bryan County News thank her for all her efforts and for the great work she has done.

Best of luck Patty.

Final thoughts.

Friends are hard to come by. 

The good ones are the ones you don’t have to talk to every day, and it takes only moments to catch up when you do. I have been very lucky in my life to have friends across the country, different states, different regions and climates. The one thing true is that it only takes a moment to catch up.

I have made many good friends here in Liberty, Bryan and Long counties and they will always be special to me. Maybe it’s Patty’s leaving that made me realize just how many good friends I do have here what a special time this has been in my life.

If you see me, say “Hey!”


Dee McLelland is Publisher of the Coastal Courier and the Bryan County News.

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