Smith: Jim Minter

Then he sprang to his feet and said, “Come, let me show you my mule.”They walked outside, where a limp-looking mule stood as though he might collapse at any minute.“I’d like to sell you my mule,” the governor said.“How much do you want for him?” the man asked.“Five hundred dollars.

Smith: Times have changed

Football teams across the country are preparing for the upcoming season. Even underclassmen, in many cases, are positioned to benefit financially through name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities while hoping to play well enough to reach the National Football League.

Smith: Enjoying European sports

With the recent conclusion of the French Open, the second Grand Slam tournament of the tennis season, the sport's scene in Europe during June and July is a reminder of how captivating it is.In just a few days, Wimbledon will begin.

Smith: Wayne Brantley

This is overdue, and I regret having to pay tribute to a good friend belatedly. When I heard the news that my longtime friend Wayne Brantley had passed away a few weeks ago, I made plans to drive from Athens to Vidalia for his final service.

Smith: Bobby Cox

Something is inspiring about a ballpark where those who professionally inhabit one of those big-league shrines can’t wait to start their day within its friendly confines.

Smith: UGA Hall of Fame

The University of Georgia chapter of the National Football Foundation — the largest chapter in the country for more than 15 years — held its annual awards banquet last week, perhaps its most successful event in its 40-year history.

Smith: Facts about cotton

Having grown up on a farm where our principal cash crop was cotton, I am always interested in what is going on in our state regarding the agriculture sector.

Smith: The Masters

No one knows what the Garden of Eden was like. Still, Masters aficionados, without the slightest hint of irreverence, certainly wonder if that remarkable and stunning place was more beautiful than the grounds of the Augusta National Golf Club at its peak in April.

Smith: The catch

As I sat in the Georgia dugout with Cole Johnson and reminisced about his game-saving catch last Sunday against Tennessee, I thought about how nice it would have been if Jimmy Dorsey’s rendition of his 1957 hit, “So Rare,” had been the musical backdrop to the glorious scene that brought about...

Smith: Catchings & Company

The last home game of the basketball season had something for everyone, including a malfunctioning clock and one or two negatives, each of which was blown away by Catchings & Company, a one-man firm if you peruse the stat sheet — but in actuality, a cog in the well-oiled team machine of one Coach...