Today's interviewee is Rick Wright, a retired accounts manager at Georgia Power and longtime fan of Georgia high school football. With no particular favorite team, Wright has attended hundreds of games over the decades and experienced various venues around the state just for the love of the game. A resident of Auburn, Ga., Wright is going to watch Valdosta play at Johns Creek tonight in the second round.
Rick Wright, high school football superfan
1. What's your background with high school sports? Where are you from and what caused you to become a fan? "I played football at Murphy High School in the '60s, and this began a love affair I've never been able to abandon. The pageantry of Friday nights is special with the teams, bands, cheerleaders and fans. Nothing matches it, and the coaches here are excellent on balance. Football in Georgia is extremely good, no question about it. I met a man at a Peachtree Ridge game 12 years ago, and we are still friends and go to games together now.''
2. What's your weekly ritual? And how many games have you seen and where all have you been? "It starts with an analysis of games each week by both of us. We discuss it and finally settle on a game. We go every Friday night. Over the last 40 years, I've seen something on the order of 300-plus games. Games from all over the state, too, as we don't have a favorite team. We look for competitive games. Me and my friend have gone to games from Atlanta to Macon, Moultrie and Valdosta, also to Columbus, Rome and Augusta. Some of our elite teams are Buford, Grayson and Marist in the Atlanta area, but football in South Georgia is mighty good too.''
3. What are some of your best memories of games you've seen? "I've seen so many great games it's really hard to say. One great memory is when Wright Bazemore led the Valdosta Wildcats and when Buck Godfrey led the Southwest DeKalb Panthers. What football they provided. I remember when Peachtree Ridge shared a state championship with Roswell in a great matchup before the tiebreaker system was implemented. I like teams who love challenges and who will play out of their class to meet challenges not presented otherwise. Buford has fearlessly adopted this practice as other teams go on the road to out-of-state games. To get prepared you need challenges, and playing elite teams wherever they are is providing this. I love, too, that Parkview and Brookwood are still a factor in Lilburn and Snellville. Metro Atlanta is full of great teams from every class.''
4. Sounds like you love your hobby. What keeps it fun for you? "Nothing matches Friday night football in this world. It's not a hobby. It's a passion. The young men led by their coaches is unmatchable. It's the ultimate social atmosphere where boring politics, racial tensions and other problems are put on hold. Communities band together with no hidden agendas. It's the best entertainment you're going to find."
Produced by Georgia High School Football Daily, a free e-mail newsletter. To join the mailing list, click here.
About the Author
