TYBEE BEACHCOMBER | FEB 2019 39
Hello again sports fans! It’s time to shake off those winter blues and get
down to some good ole sports talk ... if you hear or read any please let
me know! But seriously, this time of the year is always a struggle for
me - football is basically over, baseball isn’t quite to spring training and
summer is still in the distance. Soooooo, we will have to make do with
what’s out there. Here we go…
College football ended with a bang as Clemson walloped Alabama 44-
16 in the National Championship Game. What a beat down! I thought
those two would end up meeting but really thought it would be a close
game like the previous two championship matchups. Boy was I wrong!
I was not alone as most - not surprised by the Clemson win, but by the
margin. The 28 point loss by Bama was the worst they have experienced
since 2007, and that was against LSU under Coach Nick Saban! Imagine
that. So congrats to Clemson for a great year and a second national
championship in the last 3 years. They aren’t going anywhere anytime
soon and neither is Alabama. Maybe Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma
can break into the game, but for now they are the kings. And who would
have thought that the old BCS format would have worked just fine this
year with them clearly being the 2 elite teams.
As for Georgia, despite losing some undergraduates to the NFL (and
some QB to Ohio State), I expect them to reload and be a factor in the
national championship race again like they were this year. Maybe they
can figure out a way to keep the pedal down in the second half and not
let Alabama come back like they have the last 2 games against them.
Things sure would have been a lot different the last 12 months or so if
they had. And we can just skip any analysis of the Sugar Bowl, as UGA
seemed to skip it altogether as they were uninterested and uninspired
and were manhandled by Texas. Even Bevo almost whipped Uga, but that
SEC speed saved him!
In the NFL we are coming up on the Super Bowl. As of this writing, we
have 8 teams left and I really think that you could make a strong case for
at least 6, if not all of them, making it to the big game. I might be (and
probably will be) wrong, but I see a LA Chargers vs. New Orleans Saints
matchup with the Saints winning in Atlanta. I do know that it will not
be the Falcons vs. the Jags, although they do play each other in Atlanta
next year during the regular season. Both teams have spared their head
coaches, but made some big changes in assistants and other coaches.
The Falcons at least have some players who can run, pass, block, tackle,
etc., whereas the Jags ... well, not so much.
One sport that I am excited about that is just getting back underway is
the PGA golf tour. This time of year they are playing in Hawaii & California
in some great locales that look so great on TV, especially when it’s in the
50s and raining on a winter Sunday afternoon. I know there is hope in the
world when they start airing Masters commercials on CBS and ESPN. It
will be interesting if Tiger continues to be competitive and makes some
runs against the young guards like Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Rory,
Jordan and the rest. As I write this it’s about 45 outside, dark and they
are just about to come on live from Hawaii. I’m in!
Well, that’s a wrap on this month’s Sports Teaser! February is a short
month so I’ll be back soon ... maybe sooner that you wanted! Hah! Happy
New Year again to all!
SPORTS TEASER
By George Hassell