2013 year in sports

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2013 year in sports

The moments to remember in 2013 in Atlanta sports, by AJC sports writers.

Hard as it is to believe, Robert Nkemdiche was the first-ever No. 1 prospect out of Georgia. Nkemdiche committed to Ole Miss on signing day to play on the same college team as his brother.

Former Milton High School defensive end Carl Lawson, who was Georgia’s best 2013 prospect not named Nkemdiche, stuck to his original decision and signed with Auburn, despite the firing of Gene Chizik. Ironically, Lawson was recruited to Auburn by new defensive line coach Rodney Garner, who passed on Lawson when he coached at UGA.

Nothing gets UGA and Georgia Tech fans stirred up in recruiting like when one archrival steals a prospect from the other. That’s what happened with Aquinas high school’s Brendan Douglas, the longtime Georgia Tech running back commit who switched to Georgia a week before signing day. Douglas was UGA’s third-leading rusher as a freshman.

On the eve of signing day – at the worst possible time imaginable – UGA defensive coordinator Todd Grantham interviewed for an NFL job. Understandably, it caused panic among Bulldogs fans. Fortunately, it didn’t appear to cost UGA any recruits on signing day.

How did Ridgeland’s Vonn Bell decide between Ohio State, Tennessee and Ohio State? Bell later admitted that, in a dream, that “God said, ‘I want you to go to Ohio State.’” It broke the hearts of Tennessee’s new coaching staff, as Bell grew up in the state as the die-hand fan of the Volunteers.

Georgia Tech got off to a hotter start than normal this year due to better resources and new strategy. The Yellow Jackets expanded their recruiting staff to three assistants, including former Heisman runner-up Joe Hamilton. Georgia Tech has also decided to focus a little more on private schools and out-of-state kids.

Not only did former Dooly County High School defensive tackle Montravious Adams decide at the last-minute to take an official visit to Auburn on the last weekend before signing day, he also ended up signing with the Tigers. It broke the hearts of fans from UGA, Clemson and Alabama. Much of the credit goes to Rodney Garner, the newly-hired Auburn assistant from UGA.

One of the state’s top prospects for 2015, Creekside’s De’Antre Turman, died after sustaining injuries while making a tackle in a scrimmage. Creekside, which reached the Class AAAAA state championship game, dedicated this season to the fallen star.

UGA’s Mark Richt made history by becoming the first college coach to publicly comment on prospective student-athlete (at least permissible comments), under a new NCAA rule. Richt spoke about Josh Malone, who had signed financial-aid agreement with the Bulldogs, Tennessee, Clemson and Florida State. The other coaches also followed and spoke publicly about Malone, who is committed to Tennessee.

Taking advantage of a loophole in the SEC’s rules, UGA finished with 33 signees in February – Mark Richt’s largest class as coach of the Bulldogs. Thirteen of the recruits enrolled early at UGA, allowing the Bulldogs to “back-count” at least 10 toward the previous year’s scholarship numbers.

In these days with social media, you can’t get away with anything. Central Gwinnett High School’s Trey Johnson, while committed to Ohio State, denied he was on an official visit with Tennessee. But photographic evidence proved otherwise, and Johnson fessed up. He still ended up signing with Ohio State.

Former Troup High School linebacker Reuben Foster, despite having an Auburn tattoo, flipped from Auburn to Alabama shortly before signing day. It even caught the attention of the President Obama, an avid watcher of ESPN Sportscenter. Foster decided against altering or removing the tattoo, saying it would be honor the memory of a late family member who played at Auburn.

Golfers Go Wild. PGA Tour players dropped the plastic façade and expressed their personalities like never before in 2013: The Golf Boys rap video; Jason Dufner honking his wife’s tush after winning the PGA Championship; Dufner, again, turning a stupor into an internet sensation (see “Dufnering”); Bubba Watson breaking out the hover golf cart; Billy Horschel celebrating a win in New Orleans like an amped-up wide receiver.

Tiger Wins, but Without Exclamation. If Tiger Woods wins a tournament and it’s not a major, does it make a noise? No, the Players Championship doesn’t count. He regained the world’s No. 1 ranking, won both Player of the Year and the Vardon Trophy, yet his majors drought reached a fifth year. He finished a combined 19-over par in the year’s last three biggies.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie. Adam Scott won a Masters classic on the second playoff hole over Angel Cabrera, breaking through to become the first from Down Under to claim a Green Jacket. The ghost of Greg Norman was routed.

Tiger vs. the Rules. Woods had more issues with drops than the New England Patriots receiving corps. The most noted came after his shot to the par-5 15th at Augusta clanged off the flagstick and ricocheted into the water. His drop was a tad questionable, reviewed more than the Zapruder film, and eventually resulted in a two-stroke penalty. There were other issues, in Abu Dhabi and at the Players. He took a two-shot penalty at the BMW Championship after his ball moved, almost imperceptibly, while he was removing nearby debris. The Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee suggested the world’s No. 1 was a little fast and loose with the golf’s persnickety codes and got run over by the Woods publicity machine.

The Best Golfer You’ve Already Forgotten. Sweden’s Henrik Stenson ruled two continents at season’s end, winning the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup and the European Tour’s Order of Merit (based on money winnings). Not shabby for a fellow who was ranked No. 621 in the world ten years ago.

The Women’s Golfer You Didn’t Appreciate Nearly Enough. Korea’s Inbee Park became the first since Babe Zaharias in 1950 to win the first three majors in women’s golf. OK, she fell off the edge of the earth in the other two (yes, the women have five majors), finishing t-42 and t-67. They don’t, however, make her give back any of her trophies for that.

Mickelson wins British Open. Lefty began the final round at Muirfield five shots back of Lee Westwood. He finished three strokes clear of the field, with birdies on four of his closing six holes. “I played some of the best golf of my career,” he happily declared. And no one argued the point.

Furyk Shoots 59. No, Jim Furyk did not shoot his age in the second round of the BMW Championship. It just seems he has been around that long. His was the sixth 59 shot in a PGA Tour event, and was an astounding 12 shots lower than the field average that day. Phil Mickelson just missed his chance at 59 in Scottsdale, Ariz. when his 25-foot birdie putt on No. 18 lipped out.

Spieth Breaks Through. Just two weeks ahead of his 20th birthday, Jordan Spieth became the first teenager to win on Tour since 1931. And he did it dramatically, holing a bunker shot on the 72nd hole of the John Deere Classic to make the three-way playoff he survived. A star was born as most are, with a bang.

Vijay sues PGA Tour. Deer antler spray – you can’t make this stuff up. Singh was accused by the Tour of using that particular banned substance, but over months, the matter went away. Not placated, Singh sued the rulers claiming they acted negligently and caused him great distress. Although who could tell; his distressed face looks pretty much the same as his satisfied face.

Child Makes Masters Cut. Under the Masters Junior Pass Program, Tianlang Guan, 14, could have gotten into the tournament for free with a paying adult. He instead entered the gates in another way, as a competitor. Then the kid made the cut. But, speed it up, son (he was assessed a slow-play penalty). While you’re young.

Missing: Rory McIlroy. Seemingly ready to take over as the young, fresh face of golf, McIlroy went winless on the PGA Tour. Was it love? Was it the switch to Nike clubs? Whatever, he could have won just as many tournaments using Nike lacrosse sticks.

R.I.P. Ken Venturi. Upon Venturi’s death this year at the age of 82, some remembered him as the 1964 U.S. Open winner and very good player left in the backwash of Arnold Palmer’s Masters victories of 1958 and ’60. More recalled him as an early-era broadcaster, whose easy-going style helped foster the notion that watching golf could be almost as pleasant as playing it.

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Hard as it is to believe, Robert Nkemdiche was the first-ever No. 1 prospect out of Georgia. Nkemdiche committed to Ole Miss on signing day to play on the same college team as his brother.

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