NW GEORGIA’S PREMIER FEATURE READER MARCH 2010
Splashing
thepot
Why the field of young athletes registered to compete in Darlington School’s
M AG A Z I N E
TRI FOR THE KIDS weekend are hoping to sweat out big bucks for The Boys & Girls Club
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V3mag M AR CH 2 0 1 0 D EPAR T M E N T S
+++FEATURES 15 LOCAL ARTS
Former interior designer and Shorter College instructor, George Thomason, lends his newfound talent to the canvas
20 NWGA GARDEN
Ten years after opening its doors for business, Lavender Mountain Hardware & Garden has grown beyond expectation
26 COVER STORY
Darlington School’s “Tri For The Kids” weekend helps show NWGA youngsters what they’re made of
34 BETWEEN THE LINES
Darlington Lacrosse looks to “stick it” to the competition in a sport all but unknown to the masses
+++COLUMNS 40 HI-TEKNOLOGY
Oh, Apple... Is there any noun you can’t prefix with an “i” to give us tech geeks a sweet rush of seratonin?
42 INSIDE & OUT
A visit from actor and friend Dennis Haysbert draws some interesting parallels from V3’s newest columnist
44 TAKE ON HEALTH
Concussions suffered by high-profilers during the 2009 football season prompts concern and questions alike
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE V3 Magazine, alongside mourners across Rome-Floyd County, lost a good friend Feb. 7 when Scott Hines, 47, unexpectedly passed away during a training session at Berry College.
The news came to me just as the Super Bowl was kicking off, and to describe my reaction as anything less than shocked would be an understatement. My relationship with Hines evolved through several stages in the years I knew him—that of student-teacher in our days at Rome High School, advertiser-client through V3, and even trainee-trainer by way of my graduation from his Pro Performance Boot Camp. And while I am by no means the most qualified person to write a column in remembrance of a man that, up until a few years ago, I meekly referred to as “Coach Hines”, I nevertheless considered him a great friend and influential figure in my life. The frequency with which I saw him declined after my Pro Performance sessions came to an end, but each meeting that we were lucky enough to share was enjoyable and full of encouraging phrases directed at my lazy backside— not to mention exactly what it was that I needed to hear. Backwards down the number line, before my time with this publication, all I knew of Scott Hines was the pain that came with his weight training classes at Rome High. I can clearly remember the first time I saw him walking through the lunchroom on my first day of high school. He was new to RHS around that time, so just about everyone took notice of the new teacher/coach who looked as if he could walk clear through a brick wall without noticing. He was so ripped, in fact, that by the end of that day he was becoming known as “Hercules” to a growing number of students. As a freshman, I’m sure you can imagine a man of that size to be quite intimidating. But once in the weight room, you learned quickly that while Coach did have that ‘all-business’ kind of feel about him, his motivational skills were not geared by fear at all, but by positive reinforcement. So, even when he pushed you to the point of rejecting your breakfast in the middle of a workout, you knew making you sick wasn’t his goal, but helping you to overachieve. We’ve all heard it said that first impressions are everything, and my first impression of Scott Hines was that of a bionic man—invincible even. Maybe that is what makes the news of his death so hard to believe. It certainly drives home the reality that each and every one of us can be here one minute and gone the next, particularly when a person who dedicated his life to physical fitness leaves us at such a young age. I send my most sincere condolence Hines’s family and those who knew him best. I can say with confidence that he will be missed by many and that the world was a far better place with him in it. Thanks for the laughs, the pain and, most importantly, the encouragement to better myself, Coach. I’ll never forget it.
M AG A Z I N E NW GEORGIA’S PREMIER FEATURE READER MARCH 2010
Splashing
thepot
Why the field of young athletes registered to compete in The Darlington School’s
M AG A Z I N E
TRI FOR THE KIDS weekend are hoping to sweat out big bucks for The Boys & Girls Club
$4.00
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF + PRODUCTION MANAGER + ART&DESIGN neal howard STAFF WRITERS anna armas, will seifert, reagen lowrey, matt rood, brian foster, dianna edwards PHOTOGRAPHY sabrina wilson, neal howard CONTRIBUTING PHOTOS ruth anne anderson ADDITIONAL A&D anthony barba CHIEF OF ADVERTISING + OFFICE SALES DIRECTOR ian griffin CHIEF SALES REPRESENTATIVE jeff miller ORIGINAL AD DESIGN anthony barba, ian griffin LEAD MANAGEMENT + BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT anthony barba PUBLISHER v3 publications, llc CONTACT one west fourth avenue, rome, ga 30161/ phone: 706.235.0748 email: v3mag@bellsouth.net
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When this George gets curious, watch out. The mild-mannered but multi-talented Mr. Thomason may just be on another...
FASTRACK
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T
alladega, Ala. is not a town that typically evokes words like ‘art’ or ‘culture’, at least not for those who believe stock car racing and beer drinking fall into neither category. However, long before its NASCAR racetrack put Talladega on the map, the small Alabama town was the birthplace of a true Renaissance man— “Rome’s Renaissance Man,” that is. George Thomason, a resident of RomeFloyd County since 1963, will be the first to tell you that in his time, his hometown was better known for antebellum homes than burned rubber. And that, despite the seemingly odd pairing, both art and culture have managed to play an important role throughout his life. Although the nickname “Rome’s Renaissance Man” would be decades in the making, it is certainly fitting. Thomason, 63, originally crossed state lines to teach English at Darlington School, and has since managed to impress his artistic touch upon fellow Romans in just about every means possible. Through higher education, interior design, music and, more recently, painting, Thomason has spread his knowledge and talent across this ‘Enchanted Land’ with a very broad stroke—thus earning the alias given by his peers.
“He can do just about anything,” says Bill Knight, a retired distinguished professor of piano at Shorter College and close friend to Thomason. “He’s a scholar, a great teacher, a wonderful artist and a talented musician. What else could you do, you know? He really is a true Renaissance man.”
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Having retired last May after a nine-year stint as English professor and director of humanities at Shorter College, Thomason has devoted all of his time since to oil painting. What began as a hobby roughly 15 years ago has now turned into another artistic avenue. “I started [painting] simply because I wanted to see if I could do it,” says a candid Thomason, “and it was supposed to be fun. It still is fun, but once I realized that people actually liked these things and would pay money for them, it has become as much a profession as it has a pleasurable past time.” Generally speaking, art has been a constant in Thomason’s adult life. Following his high school teaching career in the 1960s, he experienced success as an interior designer for nearly 30 years. “I always have liked art and I took one basic drawing class in college,” Thomason explains. “In those days, everything was abstract art and I wasn’t interested in that so [I stopped taking those classes.] Then, as an interior designer, finding paintings and things for clients, I had a chance to look at a lot of art. “One day, some time later,” he adds, “I decided that I would buy an easel, canvases and paints. My thinking was that if I put a good deal of money into it, I would feel guilty if I didn’t use it. So I got busy...”
It seems as though “guilting” himself into painting has paid off. Thomason’s oil paintings currently range between $500 and $2500, depending on size and complexity. His work has been showcased in several galleries across the Southeast and featured in a variety of art shows. Two of his pieces were selected for auction at the prestigious
through in his paintings. He is passionate about his work and I think that shows in the way that he paints.” Most recently, Thomason completed 26 paintings for a one-man show in the vacant building on Third Avenue in Rome, right next to his old interior design stomping grounds of Chisholm and Thomason, Inc.
“...PEOPLE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH [MY WORK]. IT IS NOT CUTTING EDGE, IT’S NOT SHOCKING... I THINK MANY PEOPLE FEEL LIKE THE IMAGES ARE PLACES THEY HAVE VISITED, LIKE A ROCKY COAST OR A MOUNTAIN TROUT STEAM.”
Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, among a number of highpriced works from internationally renowned artists. In 2008, Thomason was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from Rome Area Council for the Arts (RACA) for his contributions to the city’s growing art scene. “[Thomason] has helped our organization tremendously through having a presence in our gallery and through his service,“ says Rebecca Koontz, executive director of RACA. “He is just a gracious… person and a true Southern gentleman. “I think his character really comes
In a few weeks, Thomason sold roughly one-third of his selected paintings. Rome’s Renaissance Man attributes this popularity to his choice of subject matter, which most often includes reflections on images from his world travels. “I think people are comfortable with [my work],” he explains. “It is not cutting edge, it’s not shocking. Mostly, I paint seascapes or appealing landscapes and none are painted too artificially. I think many people feel like the images are places they have visited, like a rocky coast or a mountain trout stream.” Thomason considers his work to be slightly impressionistic, drawing influences from the Glasgow Boys—a group of late-19th to early-20th century Impressionist and PostImpressionist painters from Scotland, known primarily for their painted landscapes. But perhaps his biggest influence is Dale Kennington, a rather successful artist in the realm of contemporary realism, and one who shares the same small-town ’Bama heritage as Thomason. “Dale is a close friend of mine and also was my mentor,” says Thomason. “When I started, I went down to watch her paint. She showed me a few things, but she also told me to not take lessons. She said, ‘You have been fooling with design, color
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and placement all of your adult life, and you already know in your head how to [arrange things] in a pleasing manner. You just need to go teach your hand what your brain already knows.’ So that is one reason I never took any lessons, and I hope that has been the right thing to do.” Thomason remains dedicated to nurturing his latest talent by painting increasingly harder subjects. He says his current goal is to shift his efforts toward painting still
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‘...YOU ALREADY KNOW IN YOUR HEAD HOW TO [ARRANGE THINGS] IN A PLEASING MANNER. YOU JUST NEED TO GO TEACH YOUR HAND WHAT YOUR BRAIN ALREADY KNOWS.’ life and interior scenes, subjects that force him to be much more precise than in his landscapes. “I am still struggling some,” Thomason admits. “I have paintings that turn out great and some that I want to take the knife to and slash apart.” However, close friend and former interior design partner, Jim Chisholm, believes in the continued success of his longtime friend. “It’s been really fun watching the quality of his work grow over the years,” says Chisholm. “He has always been interested in painting and it is nice to see that it is really taking off, thanks to the support of his friends and all the great patrons here in Rome.” VVV
If you are interested in taking a further look at George Thomason’s work, his paintings can be viewed at the following locations in Rome: Chisolm and Thomason, 14 East Third Avenue; Duffy’s Deli, 500 East Second Avenue; and Hanging Around Rome, 1205 Dean Avenue.
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BrewedTo
perfection textanna armas text
photossabrina wilson Just in time for the spring growing season, the entrepreneurial pair behind LAVENDER MOUNTAIN HARDWARE & GARDEN are gearing up to celebrate 10 years of success by nurture
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F
or Virginia and Spencer Brewer, sometimes it’s hard to believe that it has been 10 years since they envisioned, developed and constructed Lavender Mountain Hardware & Garden from the ground up. The Brewers had yearned to step away from the corporate world and into a more inspired business, and as they researched, they came up with the idea of a hardware and garden shop designed to help
likely remaining so loyal in response to the store’s refreshing customer service and eclectic variety of products and services. “We’re very hands-on owners and we have great employees,” says Virginia. “We have connections with our customers. As soon as you walk in the door, we’re talking to you. We make it a
“WE MAKE IT A POINT TO REMEMBER OUR CLIENTS, AND IT’S NOT HARD TO BECAUSE WE ENJOY IT.” people truly better their homes and gardens. With that, the seed had been planted. And today, one proud decade later, Lavender Mountain continues to grow. On Mar. 9, 2000, the couple opened their doors to new business for the first time, and in walked their very first customer. Nearly a million sales transactions later, that customer, whose name they still remember, still frequents Lavender Mountain—most
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point to remember our clients, and it’s not hard to because we enjoy it.” This is not your typical general store. Lavender Mountain has everything you could ever need for your home and garden, and any kind of gift for yourself or a loved one that you can think of. There’s a huge selection for the man of the house: brand name tools, plumbing and electrical supplies, a fullservice paint department, a 20-foot section of National Hardware. And, traditionally speaking, the ladies have their own section to match, chock full of charming tools of a different sort—for the soul: Burt’s Bees products, lotions and soaps, Portmeirion China Botanic Gardens collection, Leanin’ Tree greeting cards, gourmet cookware, suncatchers, Carhartt clothing for men and women, candles, wind chimes, birdfeeders and much more. And then there is the Garden Center. “When we opened up,” Virginia explains, “we thought we’d just be a general hardware store and have a little bit of a garden center. Now we have a huge garden center… We have two
acres of property and our plants cover every inch of space we can find. We have a heated greenhouse and a non-heated one, also. “We also now do installation and maintenance, so if you want to do landscaping at your house or business, you can come to us. We’ll send a designer to your location who can offer you several design options to purchase. We can also install it for you or give you advice if you’d like to do it yourself. “We go to a lot of plant tradeshows and seminars, and we stay in touch with the University of Georgia about new varieties of plants that are coming out.” Lavender Mountain keeps all the beautiful standards in stock (perennials, azaleas, shrubs, hydrangeas), while making it a point to offer unique plants and planting materials. After all, the Brewers opened their business with the vision of stocking it full of wonderful things for their customers, and this has proven to be a great success for both their shoppers and their business model. “One of the things that has helped us through the years is our diverse product line,” Virginia says. “We offer garden supplies, feed, hardware, and a gift department. So if one area of the store is down, something else picks up the slack. And I think that is why it has worked well through droughts, other weather related setbacks, 9/11, and a bad economy. “It’s been a lot of hard work,” she adds, “but we really enjoy it. I don’t think it would be so successful if we didn’t enjoy it so much. There is just a really good feeling here.” The Brewers say this “good feeling” comes from the customers they welcome in every day, because they know they can offer them a perfect blossoming rose bush, ripe summer vegetable garden, or perfectly designed landscape—wind chime and all. VVV
For more on Lavender Mountain Hardware & Garden, please visit lavendermountainhardware.com.
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Entering its second annual fundraising effort for the Boys & Girls Club of South Rome, Darlington School’s TRI FOR THE KIDS lets local youngsters know...
YOU CAN MAKE IT IF YOU TRI textbrian foster
photosruth anne anderson
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S
wimming, biking, running—in that order—the young competitors involved in Darlington School’s “Tri For The Kids” last May remember well what this event adds up to: a high intensity, allout triathlon. Of course, when they signed up around this time in ’09, many had no idea what the word ‘triathlon’ entailed. But for those who finished the race with aching muscles and exhausted smiles, this annual competition is slowly becoming a staple of life for students at Rome’s premier private school. “Tri For The Kids” (TFTK) will return for its sophomore season this May 1-2, and the spectators who cheered from the sidelines last year, itching for some action, will again have the chance to lace up and dive in for an Olympic-length triathlon all their own. To boot, this grueling workout will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of Rome, which received over $14,000 in proceeds from the 2009 TFTK. Sign-ups will be open to all children ages 7-14, with an age bracket for 7-9 year olds and one for 10-14 year olds. The course for the younger competitors will include a 50-yard swim, 2.4-mile bike ride and 1mile run. The 10-14 group will complete a
similar course, with each segment equaling twice the length of the 7-9 group. The entire course will be set on Darlington’s Upper School campus on Cave Spring Road. Darlington and The Boys & Girls Club (BGC) have been buzzing with anticipation for this year’s event, and are both gearing up for an even greater turnout than the 150 competitors seen in 2009. “We wanted to empower kids to think outside the box, get off the couch, go outside and do something they never thought…possible,” says Beth Smith, TFTK director and Darlington Pre-K teacher. “The turnout was overwhelming.”
“WE [WANT] TO EMPOWER KIDS TO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX, GET OFF THE COUCH, GO OUTSIDE AND DO SOMETHING THEY NEVER THOUGHT...POSSIBLE.”
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Smith has seen firsthand the excitement TFTK brings to the halls of the Lower School. “Every one of the kids were just so thrilled when they crossed the finish line. I didn’t see anyone that didn’t have the biggest grin on their face. Everyone wore the [TFTK] shirt and medal to school [the following] Monday. They were so proud that they had accomplished something like that.” TFTK registration is open not only to Darlington students and other local children, but to participants from all over the region, as seen by a number of nonlocal competitors from last year. The event is also designed to fit the special needs of physically disabled participants who wish to compete. For Dr. John AzarDickens of Rome, the TFTK weekend offers a chance for parents and triathletes to share healthy lifestyle choices with their children. “For my son,” says Azar-Dickens, “[TFTK 2009] was a wonderful experience because he had seen me do triathlons for years growing up… He asked me
“WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE GREAT STORIES WE HEAR FROM CLUB MEMBERS. THEY CARRY THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS SO PROUDLY, AND THE STORIES THEY SHARE OF WANTING TO QUIT BUT NOT GIVING UP...ARE INSPIRING TO US ALL.”
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3 magazine
SPORTS MEDICINE
when he would get a chance to do one, and at the time there weren’t many opportunities around here for him to get involved. So, for him to be able to actually do the real thing was very exciting for him. “It’s a great experience that we can kind of train together for an event like this, and for me to be able to cheer him on… It has a great impact on self-esteem and confidence for the kids.” On Sat., May 1, the day prior to the youth event, Dr. Azar-Dickens and dozens of other triathletes will be participating in this year’s inaugural adult race. The adult triathlon will showcase scenic views of downtown Rome, its three
confident that the triathlon will attract a rich mix of the area’s top triathletes, while simultaneously encouraging some curious locals to turn off the tube and test their limits. If you can’t swim or you haven’t ridden a bike since grade school, don’t worry. To facilitate broader involvement from those new to the sport, the adult incarnation of TFTK will offer a team relay division that will allow for participants to choose which facet of the triathlon they feel most comfortable competing in. “We hope to get a lot of locals and visitors involved over the weekend and…raise as much [money] as possible for The Boys & Girls Club,” says Husser. “Hopefully, this event can continue to grow in the coming years.” BGC of South Rome, located on East Main Street, has benefited greatly from the proceeds of last year’s TFTK. But, according to organizers, the sentiment runs much deeper than the thousands of dollars donated. “We have seen increased exposure of our mission and support from the community,” says William James, director of BGC South Rome. “We have also seen a huge increase in our club members’ interest in physical activities and excitement about the upcoming race. “We look forward to the great stories we hear from the club members. They carry their accomplishments so proudly, and the stories they share of wanting to quit but not giving up…are inspiring to us all.” So, this May, hustle your family members to hop off the couch and come sweat it out for a good cause. It will not only give you and your kids an opportunity to get in better shape and experience the gorgeous scenery Rome provides, but also the chance to raise a little cash for an organization that makes a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of local children. VVV
“IT’S A GREAT EXPERIENCE... TO BE ABLE TO CHEER [MY SON] ON... IT HAS A GREAT IMPACT ON SELF-ESTEEM AND CONFIDENCE FOR THE KIDS.”
rivers and a course that spans some 33 miles. The race will begin at 7:30 a.m. with a 1.2-mile, downstream swim in the Etowah River, followed by a 24-mile bike ride through South Rome, over Walker Mountain, then north along Horseleg Creek Road. The final leg will feature a 6.25-mile run, with the finish line set at the new town green on West First Street downtown. Organizers for the adult race, Sarah Husser and Robert H. Ledbetter, Jr., are
The 2010 Tri For The Kids will be held May 1-2. To register, please visit www. imathlete.com. For additional info, please contact Beth Smith at bsmith@ darlingtonschool.org, or visit the Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Georgia’s event page at www.bgcnwga.org.
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CRO RO OSSING SSING Over
text textbrian foster
photossabrina wilson photos
Twenty seasons after emerging as the first program of its kind in Georgia, Darlington Lacrosse hopes to accent its storied tradition in a sport all but unknown to the masses
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I
t’s made in America; it’s older than baseball, basketball and football; and its origins can be traced to centuries before the Pilgrims ever laid eyes on Plymouth Bay. Yet, upon its very mention, the game of lacrosse leaves many sports fans scratching their heads. Funny then, that while overshadowed by a host of other popular American sports, lacrosse is, in fact, the fastest growing team sport for young males in the United States, one that has seen over a 500-percent increase in participation/registration in the past decade alone. Modern lacrosse has thrived for over a century in the sport’s traditional domestic hotbeds—Baltimore, New York State, Boston—and these areas continue to produce some of the nation’s top players. Many ink scholarships or fill roster spots with NCAA powerhouses like the University of Virginia, Johns Hopkins, Princeton and Syracuse. But only in the past couple of decades has lacrosse significantly gained traction in other parts of the country, with the South seeing interest swell in high schools and colleges across the region. Darlington School sits proudly among these institutions in its own light, as the first prep program in Georgia to adopt lacrosse as a varsity sport in October 1990. Twenty years later, over 70 schools in the state are fielding boys’ varsity lacrosse teams. This year also marks the 11th season of play for Darlington Girls Lacrosse, which, as a microcosm for girls’ programs nationwide (and particularly in the state of Georgia), has also witnessed significant growth in recent years.
seen herein, as well—a fact that draws many new players from wide-ranging athletic backgrounds to the game. For Darlington senior defender Bryan Davidson, the physicality of lacrosse was the attraction. “I’ve been playing soccer all my life, and it really wasn’t rough enough for me,” says Davidson. “I kept getting called for fouls, so I really needed a sport where I could hit somebody.” In contrast to men’s play, women’s lacrosse penalizes hard contact, and as a result has developed into a game of finesse and precision. According to Darlington Girls Lacrosse head coach Theresa Dulaney, this draws many competitors familiar with basketball, soccer or field hockey. “I think the aspect [of lacrosse] that is most appealing is that the game…is really a combination of many
“...UP UNTIL LAST YEAR,THERE WERE NO CLASSIFICATIONS. HALF OF OUR AREA WAS 5-A PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS, SO GOING AGAINST THE BIG BOYS...[WAS] QUITE THE CHALLENGE.”
With origins that date back over 800 years, the varying ancestral forms of lacrosse appear to have been used as war games by a number of different Native American tribes, in particular the Huron and Iroquois. Games could last for days and include as many as 1,000 participants. Fields of play often covered miles. Though having undergone some obvious changes, today’s game, played on a 110 x 60-yard field, still resembles its ancient forbearer in overall objective: score goals by hurling a ball with the wide end of a netted stick. Simple premise, complicated game. Modern lacrosse closely resembles hockey in its speed, style of attack, defensive schemes and aggression, but elements of many other major global sports can be
sports in one,” Dulaney says. “There is also constant movement, making [it] a very exciting and fast-paced sport.” Though relatively young by comparison, today Darlington Lacrosse stands shoulder to shoulder with some of the school’s more established athletic programs. State championships and a rich tradition of winning have helped cement the Tigers as one of the most feared opponents in Georgia, whereas, just 19 years ago, they were the only program in the state. In the spring of 1991, then freshman Gordon Hight was among the twenty-odd Darlington students who padded up and took the lacrosse field for the first time. “We were the first high school program in
the state,” Hight reminisces. “We would travel up to Chattanooga to play McCallie and Baylor; we’d travel to Nashville to play Montgomery-Bell and some of the other schools in that area—even over to Memphis. We had to travel a long way to find games.” The claim could be made that Darlington’s first state championship came in that inaugural 1991 season, seeing as they were the only team in Georgia. And while no one can blame them for boasting about “winning it all,” Darlington’s first official state championship actually came in 1999, by which time the state had fielded 12 legitimate varsity programs and had officially begun recognizing lacrosse as a sanctioned, varsity-level sport. Whether or not by coincidence, current boys head coach Gordon Hight began his sideline career that ’99 season as an assistant under Coach Tim Foote, one year after graduating from the University of Virginia. After stints as a graduate assistant for the University of Georgia club team and three years as head coach at the Wellington School in Columbus, Oh., Hight returned to Darlington for the 2009 season and led his alma mater boys squad to a 10-6 record, one
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that would help erase the disappointment of the program’s first losing season in ’08. Bus trips are now a little closer to home for Hight than in his 1991 freshman year, as the number of teams in Georgia, especially across Metro Atlanta, has since ballooned. And with an increase in competing schools has come increased competition, making it harder and harder to realize a return to the championship game. Still, in his second year as head coach, Hight and his Tigers have their eyes firmly set on bringing home a second state title, an accomplishment that eluded Darlington this past decade. “The competition is always tough,” Hight explains. “We’re one of the smallest schools fielding a lacrosse team in the state, and up until last year, there were no classifications. Half of our area was 5-A public high schools, so going against the big boys, certainly with a numerical disadvantage, [was] quite the challenge. “Darlington, for years, especially since we had an established program, typically had an edge when it came to stick skills and organized schemes. Other teams were just getting their programs started, but that advantage is long gone. So, it’s tough, but we are ready to compete and we know that we can.”
With 14 returning seniors prepped to carry much of the load, the Tigers are confident they can add to the run of success to which the program and its fans have become so accustomed. As for the Lady Tigers, many are looking to 2010 as a crucial year. Players say they are hoping to truly establish their program this coming season, amidst a rapidly
“I DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE OUR [GIRLS] PROGRAM CONTINUE TO GROW STRONGER AND DEVELOP INTO A MORE COMPETITIVE [ONE]... WE ARE STILL FACING OBSTACLES THAT WERE AROUND AT THE BEGINNING STAGES.” growing field of schools entrenched in one of the nation’s most competitive states. “I definitely want to see our program continue to grow stronger and develop into a more competitive [one]…,” says Coach Dulaney. “We are still facing obstacles that were around at the beginning stages of the program. Without a feeder program, or the
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participation of the community, it is hard each year for us to be a competitive team.” In terms of youth camps, prep school teams and overall exposure, the growth of women’s lacrosse in Northwest Georgia has lagged in comparison to the rest of the state. Though always strong enough to fill out a competitive roster, the Lady Tigers have often struggled with recruiting students to give the sport a whirl and try out for the team each spring. Exposing the speed and somewhat aggressive nature of lacrosse to girls at a young age will be key in ensuring a bright future for the sport, but with the introduction of both men’s and women’s programs at Berry and Shorter College slated for 2011, there is great potential for change. Taking the reigns as head coach for the Shorter Lady Hawks will be Coach Dulaney’s daughter, Brittni Dulaney, a 2006 Darlington graduate and current senior midfielder at Presbyterian College. “I am very excited that Shorter and Berry College are starting a lacrosse program in 2011,” says Brittni’s mother. “Hopefully this will spark [greater] local interest in the game of lacrosse, and possibly make opportunities to provide summer camps and leagues for the Rome area. “Because lacrosse for girls is growing so rapidly, it is providing opportunities for girls to advance to the college level, with scholarships available.” Lacrosse is hardly a mystery to the students at Darlington. Yet, despite the hundreds of thousands of kids that participate in the game each year, a large portion of the country remains ignorant of this action-packed sport. For many native tribes, lacrosse was considered “the Creator’s game”; James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, played lacrosse growing up, perhaps drawing from elements of the sport as he developed his new attack and defend game. Whatever the case, lacrosse is deeply rooted in this nation, and though its cultural influence has not yet produced the passionate fanfare of Super Bowl Sunday, March Madness or the October Classic, its time may soon come. Through Darlington’s dedication to its own program, this generation of athletes now has the option to take up the stick and show America what the game is all about, and it looks to be catching on. VVV
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HI-TEKNOLOGY withWILLSEIFERT
PADDING the stats With its latest stroke of tech wizardry, the iPad, Apple looks to stay atop the E-world while making another sweet chunk of change
I
t’s tough to stay at the top. In terms of meeting demand, keeping up to speed with the latest technologies and simply being innovative, this is true for all industries. Luckily for Apple, Inc., the view is from here is sublime. In fact, it almost seems that every six months Jobs and company break the mold in one area of technology or another, typically with the release of a groundbreaking new product that blows away techno geeks the world ’round. January’s announcement of the muchanticipated iPad is no exception. For months leading up to the its official press, there was
end-all-be-all of tablet machines. Not just a computer, but a multi-functional media device that makes Hewlett-Packard’s tablet look like a glorified laptop. End result: a machine so incredible in concept that it has the potential to not only kill every e-reader on the market, but to potentially take a bite out of the company’s own iTouch sales. As expected, the iPad is exactly what you would think it to be: a bigger iTouch with the power of a laptop computer. Apple’s designers, however, prefer not think of it as a tablet computer, but as a device somewhere between a modern smart phone and a laptop. At first glance, the iPad ...WITH ALL THE HYPE [THE IPAD] looks like a mega-sized HAS GARNERED IN THE WEEKS iPhone. But once you dig in, SINCE ITS ANNOUNCEMENT, IT CAN it’s readily apparent where PROBABLY BALANCE THE FEDERAL Apple meant to go with
size, is a technological marvel in itself. Aside from that, the iPad interface is very similar to what iPhone and iTouch users are accustomed to, with the prototypical buttons for applications such as Safari, Mail, iPod, iTunes, iBooks and YouTube, among others. This is because the device will be available with Wi-Fi capability in the base model, and with 3G + Wi-Fi capability built in on later models. Want to check iTunes for a new book to read while you’re at the coffee shop? You got it. Want to listen to Led Zeppelin while surfing the web? Bam. It’s the integration of these functions (already available on other Apple products), ported over to a larger screen with more maneuverability, that puts this newbie in a class all its own. And if you haven’t seen photos of the virtual keyboard, suffice to say
great speculation in the tech world that Apple was working on the “tablet computer” to end all tablets. However, in the end, the problem was just that: all speculation. Turns out what we didn’t know was that Apple not only wanted to build a tablet touch computer, they wanted to build the
you are truly missing out. (Ok, ok, it’s just a touchscreen keyboard… But it’s REALLY cool.) The iPad can also be placed on a docking station in multiple positions, turning it into a digital picture frame or even an alarm
BUDGET, DO YOUR TAXES, WALK THE DOG AND COORDINATE AID DEPLOYMENTS TO HAITI.
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this product. Measuring 9.56 x 7.47 inches, a half-inch thick, and weighing a featherlike 1.5 lbs, this is no small feat of design. Apple also promises a whopping 10 hours of battery life (typical usage) and up to 140 hours of listening. That fact, coupled with its
clock posted next to your bed. It has an audio jack for listening to music, built-in speakers and even a microphone, all of which come standard. Not to mention other optional accessories that can be added later to connect an external keyboard or an adapter to display video via a monitor or projector. Heck, with all the hype this thing has garnered in the weeks since its announcement, it can probably balance the federal budget, do your taxes, walk the dog and coordinate aid deployments to Haiti. The problem is we just don’t know yet, because it has not yet been released to the public, and will not be on the shelves until the end of March. What we do know, however, is that the first iPad model to hit stores only has Wi-Fi capability (wireless a/b/g/n), and just like every other Apple product, the price will depend primarily on storage. All models will have 16 GB, 32 GB or 64 GB options for storage capacity. The Wi-Fi only models
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...EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING FOR YET ANOTHER REVOLUTIONARY CREATION FROM APPLE, AND THIS PROJECTED BLOCKBUSTER IS EXPECTED TO SELL IN LARGE NUMBERS... ALL CONSUMERS CAN HOPE FOR IS THAT THE COMPANY...CAN DELIVER ON ANOTHER PROMISE. will run $499, $599, and $699 respectively. The Wi-Fi + 3G models (to be released in late April) will run $629, $729, and $829 respectively. 3G service on the more expensive models will be provided by AT&T through both limited and unlimited data plans, to be paid separately, and, fortunately, either can be canceled at any time since there is no contract involved. Across the globe, excitement is building for yet another revolutionary creation from Apple, and this projected blockbuster is expected to sell in large numbers the minute it hits the market. All consumers can hope for is that the company can live up to the hype and deliver on another promise pitched in slick product demos and a corresponding media blitz. At the very least, we can expect something remarkable no matter how it turns out, and I expect to have my hands on one as soon as possible. VVV
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INSIDE&OUT withDIANNAEDWARDS
Of pinto beans, MOVIE STARS, AND The harvest
Mooooon!
I
t is an odd thing to be friends with a celebrity. In this case, I’m not referring to the fact that I know Doc and Ginny Kibler, fellow Cave Springers and most famous in these parts for running what is arguably Rome’s favorite restaurant, The Harvest Moon. I once proposed marriage to Doc (preGinny) through his sister-in-law, Sal, simply because he owned a farm in Cave Spring and had just birthed calves. Like Scarlett O’Hara, I learned early that land was the only thing worth living for, worth dying for, worth proposing marriage for. This time I’m talking about Dennis Haysbert (TV’s The Unit, 24; feature films including Heat, Major League, Far From Heaven). As a celebrity, he completely won the hearts of Cave Spring, Rome and Marietta over Valentine’s Day weekend. As a friend, Dennis won my heart years ago. But this time together in February took our friendship to a deeper level. You can’t
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hide who you are when you spend this much time together in one house—or when your dogs do that thing all dogs do when they greet a stranger for the first time. But when a celebrity friend answers a call for help that means flying across the country and offering himself up to crowds of people for days at a stretch, it is something else altogether. Something akin to love and sacrifice that catches at the heart if
Bear Bryant’s and a starter for the Seattle Seahawks) asked my help for a group launching the new Aviation Wing of the Marietta Museum of History. This museum will honor the thousands of men who worked at the Bell Bomber plant, worked at Lockheed, flew planes built by Lockheed, jumped out of planes built by Lockheed. In other words, this is a museum to honor my father (who designed C-130s and C-5s), my husband (who survived burning to death in a C-130), Howard Norton of Cave Spring (a test pilot for hundreds of Lockheed airplanes), and thousands of other men and women.
...when a celebrity friend answers a call for help that means flying across the country and offering himself up to crowds of people for days at a stretch... something akin to love and sacrifice that catches at the heart if you dwell on it long enough. you dwell on it long enough. And being a dweller, I’ve given it a lot of thought. This adventure started simply enough. My brother Randy (no stranger to celebrity himself, having been a favorite player of
I jumped at the chance to honor the men I love. And Robert Patrick, Dennis Haysbert, and Michael O’Neill, all actors and friends from Eric’s years on The Unit, offered immediately to appear at our USO-
!
style fundraiser “if it would help” attract an audience. Ahhhhh, yes. We thought it might. Why did they do this? Because their friends had asked and the cause mattered to them, too. Robert Patrick is from Marietta and his father had worked at Lockheed. Dennis Haysbert and Robert have visited troops in Iraq—on their own dimes—and believed this Museum to be important for veterans. Michael O’Neill is from Alabama, and he and Eric are blood brothers of the spirit and according to Michael’s late Aunt, Nez, related in fact as well. These men, all famous, all “celebrities”, all as unlike what most of us imagine ‘movie stars’ to be as possible. The Southern common denominator may have something to do with it. If so, then Matt Damon must be from the South
The picture-taking never let up. Not that afternoon, that evening on stage, or later still at the after-party held at Governor Roy Barnes home. (I can’t call him ‘former.’ This thing with Mr. Perdue has been a bad intermission.) Dennis’ grace and good nature never let up, either. Neither, for the record, did my beloved husband’s. Both men were dressed to the hilt in their show regalia and spoke on stage, signed books, met with veterans young and old—and were both inspired and inspiring in equal measures. And then came the snow. Before noon, on Friday morning, we were driving in a snow globe back to Rome for Eric’s first book signing for “No Man’s Land.” Eric went ahead to the signing and Dennis and I waited behind a bit. Dennis feared his
this is hardly an epiphany, but celebrities are people. some good, some bad... some celebrities, like dennis, know that being famous is one aspect of the work that feeds them. Boston because from everything I’ve heard, he is also a decent, good man who just happens to be an actor. As things turned out, Robert Patrick wasn’t able to make the event in Marietta. He was shooting something, somewhere; I can’t remember what. And Michael O’Neill, who has visited Cave Spring before, couldn’t make it this trip because of some movie or another. Either Flying Lessons with Hal Holbrook or Green Zone with Matt Damon. (Did I just leak my source on Matt Damon?) Dennis, however, had time to visit Cave Spring Elementary School’s Annual Pinto Bean Lunch with Eric. (Notice I say, “visit” because I know he didn’t get much chance to eat.) I understand that from the moment he strolled in—all 6’4½” of him—hearts fluttered and camera phones clicked away. I don’t know how many pictures Dennis posed for then or how many paper napkins he signed, or how many toddler hands he held in his enormous, gentle hands (yes, the “good hands” of Allstate). I do know that by the time he and Eric got back home, both of them were already weary for a nap that they could not have. The Marietta event was still ahead.
presence might shift the focus a bit away from Eric’s book. He was right about that. We talked about all the things people talk about. Life. Love. Work. “People” is the operative word here. This is hardly an epiphany, but celebrities are people. Some good, some bad. Most are more beautiful on the surface than the rest of us, but that’s not always the case. (I’ve met Ricky Jay. He’s not beautiful. Unless you really look deeply into his eyes, that is.) Some celebrities feed on being famous, and some, like Dennis, know that being famous is one aspect of the work that feeds them. When we finally wandered into Barnes and Noble, the magnetism that fame generates started up again. By the time we made it back to where Eric was signing, we’d picked up a crowd. So I stepped aside with Christ and Todd Elsen (our Barnes and Noble hosts) and we watched the show begin again. Eric and Dennis smiled for the cameras, shook hands, signed more books. Then we all headed out into the night and the snow to have dinner—at the Harvest Moon, of course. VVV
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Spring, 2010 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
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HARBIN CLINIC’S
Take On Health
OUR PHYSICIANS ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
Team Harbin Sports Medicine takes a unique, multi-disciplinary approach to providing care for athletes in our region. As the official sports medicine providers for all major teams in our area, Team Harbin is continually striving to stay on the cutting edge of medical care. Dr. David Hale (top left) a Harbin Clinic neurologist, and Dr. Brad Bushnell (bottom right), a Harbin Clinic orthopaedic surgeon, have played a central role in bringing ImPACT™, a new system of concussion management, to Northwest Georgia. Below, they answer several pertinent questions about this exciting new development.
Future Shock: Harbin and ImPACT™ Team Up to Change the Game in Concussion Management
In the last several months, there has been a great deal of press about highprofile athletes sustaining concussions— quarterbacks Ben Roethlisberger and Tim Tebow, and snowboarder Kevin Pearce, for example. What is a concussion? A concussion is a traumatic injury to the brain that can have a wide variety of symptoms and severity. Our understanding of concussions has changed significantly in recent years. While we traditionally think of football as the main sport producing concussions, other sports such as field hockey and lacrosse are actually much higher in concussion rates. Also, younger athletes and female athletes may be at a higher risk of long-term problems from these injuries. What is Harbin doing about these injuries at the local level? Harbin Clinic plans on improving the recognition and management of sportsrelated concussions in Northwest Georgia. Harbin Clinic is proud to now provide the ImPACT™ system of concussion management. ImPACT™ (Immediate PostConcussion Assessment and Cognitive
Testing) is a computer test that generates a “score” based on that patient’s cognitive brain function. The post-injury score is compared to a baseline score obtained in the off-season, providing a sensitive and reliable assessment of that patient’s recovery from injury. Is the ImPACT system used by any other institutions? ImPACT™ was initially developed at the University of Pittsburgh, and it is now used by almost every major professional athletic club and most major college athletic programs. A handful of larger community hospitals and school districts across the country are starting to offer it as well. Harbin Clinic is one of the first few ImPACT™ providers in the state, and the only one in Northwest Georgia. Why is this system of scoring so important? Traditionally, sports medicine providers have relied upon clinical symptoms, such as headache, blurry vision and nausea to assess recovery from concussion. Recent research has shown that the old methods are not very reliable, and that it is much better to use actual brain functions, such as memory and processing skills, to evaluate recovery. We have even found that using the brain too much after a concussion can be detrimental to recovery. This has very important implications for patients with academic demands such as tests, quizzes and papers. Asking a patient to take a test after a concussion is like asking them to run on a broken leg! Most importantly, a second concussion sustained while the brain is still healing can cause permanent brain damage or
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even death. The ImPACT™ system lets us determine exactly when the brain is ready to return to work, and when the athlete is safe to return to play. Who can use ImPACT™? While it is ideal for a patient to have a baseline test score, ImPACT™ can still be used on any patient with a concussion. [His or her] post-injury score is compared to an expected average score based on their age, sex and other factors, giving a rough idea of [the patient’s] healing status. While this approach is better than traditional methods, it is still not as reliable as comparison to a personalized, individual baseline score. Harbin is in the process of obtaining baseline exams on athletes at multiple schools in the area—both at the high school and college level—to be sure that as many patients as possible are “covered” with a baseline score. VVV
For more information on ImPACT™, contact Neurologist, Dr. David Hale, at 706.233.8512 or Orthopaedist, Dr. Brandon Bushnell, at 706.236.6362. Dr. Hale received his medical doctorate degree from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. While there he completed his internship in internal medicine and completed his residency in neurology. Hale is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, the American Medical Association, the Medical Association of Georgia and the Georgia Neurological Association. Dr. Bushnell graduated from Vanderbilt University in Nashville with a degree in religious studies. He received his medical doctorate from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, later completed his orthopaedic residency at the University of North Carolina Hospitals in Chapel Hill, and followed with a Sports Medicine Fellowship at Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Denver.
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Culinary wizard in his Coyote CafÊ. 50 mile desert vistas in his backyard. 5,000 cookbooks in his library. So what’s cooking in the kitchen? Mark Miller, world famous restauranteur of Coyote Cafe and Wildlife Sydney, creator of modern Southwestern cuisine, author, anthropologist and connoisseur of culinary and cultural ethnicity in his GE Monogram kitchen, Santa Fe, Mexico. To learn more, visit monogram.com
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