By Rubin E. Grant  Mark Blackburn was doing what he’s been doing for 20 years when the announcement came that he was receiving what he termed a lifetime achievement award. He was in Memphis early last week, coaching one of his golfers as the golfer prepared for the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. While he was there, the PGA of America announced that … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant Andie Freedman was in her classroom at Hoover High School one Monday morning in July when her phone rang. On the other end was Homewood athletic director Doug Gann, asking her if she had any interest in becoming the Patriots’ head volleyball coach. The position came open suddenly when Cynthia Padgett moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, because her husband, … [Read more...]

Features Safety in Smaller Numbers: Friday Night Lights Will Look Different This Fall End of the Line: Gibbs Sets Sail on His Final Season as Spartans’ Quarterback ‘Greatest Game of all Time’: Patriots Revisit Epic 2000 Championship Contest High School Football Team Profiles Briarwood Christian High SchoolHomewood High SchoolHoover High SchoolJohn Carroll … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant As one of the greatest championship games in the history of Alabama high school football unfolded, Parker Gargis and Colt Byrom found themselves on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. Gargis was simply enjoying the moment, while Byrom was a nervous wreck as Homewood battled Benjamin Russell on a cold early December night at Legion Field for the Alabama … [Read more...]

By Rubin E. Grant A cloud of uncertainty has enveloped the Vestavia Hills’ football program heading into the 2020 season. Legendary head coach Buddy Anderson and several Rebels players tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-August, forcing the school to suspend practice and cancel its first two games of the season, against Mountain Brook and Homewood. (See story on page 25) The … [Read more...]