February 7, 2012
Can you imagine if Gwinnett County football teams won 12 straight championships in the state's largest classification? People statewide would have to acknowledge Gwinnett as the state's mecca for high school football. Even South Georgia fans.
What if Gwinnett boys basketball did the same and ruled Class AAAAA for more than a decade? Forget Wheeler. Forget Milton. All the media focus would be right here.
That sort of statewide dominance by Gwinnett's sports teams is happening currently, but nobody knows about it. That's the life for an unheralded sport like swimming and diving.
Gwinnett's boys swimming and diving teams are on an amazing run of success that started when Parkview won the championship in AAAA, the last year it was the state's largest classification. A Gwinnett team has won every boys swimming and diving state championship in AAAAA since it was added in 2001 — a run of 12 straight state championships.
Parkview's boys have won six of those 12 state titles, Brookwood won three in a row from 2008 to 2010 and Collins Hill had back-to-back championships in 2004-05. Peachtree Ridge's boys won the AAAAA crown last season (edging out county rival Parkview) to maintain Gwinnett's stranglehold on the state meet.
Plan on seeing Gwinnett take home its 13th in a row this weekend. The Parkview boys, motivated by the near-miss at state last season, should win their eighth boys swimming and diving state championship and first since 2007.
Let's hope that run of dominance gets recognized outside of Gwinnett County, as it would in a more mainstream sport.
A time for healing
The exciting stretch run in Region 7-AAAAA girls basketball was tempered a bit when injury and illness hit frontrunners Norcross and North Gwinnett.
Superstars Diamond DeShields of Norcross (broken wrist) and Lexie Brown of North (mono) have both missed time, but their teammates have stepped up in their absence and helped their teams remain at the top of 7-AAAAA.
That said, both teams need their marquee players back at full strength ASAP. The one who comes back strongest will be pivotal in the 7-AAAAA tournament and in the state tournament, where Norcross is aiming for its third straight title and North is hoping for its best-ever showing.
There shouldn't be any lingering problems for DeShields when she gets back in the lineup, but hopefully Brown will get her strength and endurance back soon after returning from her sickness.
Call from the White House
Got this press release today from the White House (I guess the government gets its releases to every media outlet, everywhere):
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 7, 2012
Readout of the President’s Call with Coach Coughlin of the New York Giants
This morning, President Obama called New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin to congratulate him and the rest of the team on their recent Super Bowl victory. The President said that the team’s victory was a testament to Coach Coughlin’s leadership and that his team came across with true grit and determination. President Obama told Coach Coughlin that he looks forward to shaking his hand and congratulating the team in person when they visit the White House.
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It's nice for Tom Coughlin to get a call from the Prez, but can't we leave it at that? Do we really need a press release on the subject?
This will no doubt be followed by another release about the Super Bowl champions visiting the White House for personal congratulations from the President. What do you think of the frequent team visits to the White House to hang out with the President? Is it time to put that tradition to rest? Or is it still worthwhile?
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