NW GEORGIA’S PREMIER FEATURE READER MARCH 2010

Splashing
thepot
Why the field of young
athletes registered to compete M AG A Z I N E
in Darlington School’s
TRI FOR THE KIDS
weekend are hoping to
sweat out big bucks for
The Boys & Girls Club

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 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

OPENING MARCH — 2010
 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
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
The Only Solid
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Education is an investment in your
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Our 2009 graduates earned over $5.5
million in college scholarships, not
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Foreign language instruction begins
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13:1 student/teacher ratio
Daily bus transportation available
from Acworth, Calhoun, Cartersville,
Cedartown and Rockmart.
www.darlingtonschool.org | Rome, Georgia | 800-36-TIGER

vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 

 PUBLISHER’S NOTE

V3 Magazine, alongside
mourners across Rome-Floyd
County, lost a good friend M AG A Z I N E
Feb. 7 when Scott Hines, 47,
unexpectedly passed away NW GEORGIA’S PREMIER FEATURE READER MARCH 2010

during a training session at Splashing

thepot
Berry College. Why the field of young
athletes registered to compete
in The Darlington School’s
M AG A Z I N E

The news came to me just as the Super

TRI FOR THE KIDS
weekend are hoping to
sweat out big bucks for
The Boys & Girls Club

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 $4.00

V3, and even trainee-trainer by way of my

graduation from his Pro Performance Boot
Camp. And while I am by no means the EDITOR-IN-CHIEF +
PRODUCTION MANAGER +
most qualified person to write a column ART&DESIGN
in remembrance of a man that, up until a few years ago, I meekly referred to neal howard
as “Coach Hines”, I nevertheless considered him a great friend and influential
figure in my life. STAFF WRITERS
The frequency with which I saw him declined after my Pro Performance anna armas, will seifert, reagen
sessions came to an end, but each meeting that we were lucky enough to share lowrey, matt rood, brian foster,
was enjoyable and full of encouraging phrases directed at my lazy backside— dianna edwards
not to mention exactly what it was that I needed to hear.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Backwards down the number line, before my time with this publication, all sabrina wilson, neal howard
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 CONTRIBUTING PHOTOS
the lunchroom on my first day of high school. He was new to RHS around ruth anne anderson
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 ADDITIONAL A&D
was so ripped, in fact, that by the end of that day he was becoming known as anthony barba
“Hercules” to a growing number of students. CHIEF OF ADVERTISING + OFFICE
As a freshman, I’m sure you can imagine a man of that size to be quite SALES DIRECTOR
intimidating. But once in the weight room, you learned quickly that while ian griffin
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 CHIEF SALES REPRESENTATIVE
pushed you to the point of rejecting your breakfast in the middle of a workout, jeff miller
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We’ve all heard it said that first impressions are everything, and my first ORIGINAL AD DESIGN
anthony barba, ian griffin
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 LEAD MANAGEMENT +
home the reality that each and every one of us can be here one minute and BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
gone the next, particularly when a person who dedicated his life to physical anthony barba
fitness leaves us at such a young age.
I send my most sincere condolence Hines’s family and those who knew him PUBLISHER
best. I can say with confidence that he will be missed by many and that the v3 publications, llc
world was a far better place with him in it.
CONTACT
Thanks for the laughs, the pain and, most importantly, the encouragement one west fourth avenue, rome, ga
to better myself, Coach. I’ll never forget it. 30161/ phone: 706.235.0748
email: v3mag@bellsouth.net

v3mag.com
 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
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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
TOSUCCESS

textreagen lowrey
photosneal howard

vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 15

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 Rome-
Floyd 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 “He can do just about anything,” says Bill Having retired
possible. Through higher education, interior Knight, a retired distinguished professor of last May after a
design, music and, more recently, painting, piano at Shorter College and close friend to nine-year stint as
Thomason has spread his knowledge and Thomason. “He’s a scholar, a great teacher, English professor
talent across this ‘Enchanted Land’ with a a wonderful artist and a talented musician. and director of
very broad stroke—thus earning the alias What else could you do, you know? He humanities at Shorter
given by his peers. really is a true Renaissance man.” College, Thomason
has devoted all of
his time since to oil
painting. What began
as a hobby roughly
On Lookout Mountain in Cloudland, GA 15 years ago has now

Camp Juliette Low turned into another

artistic avenue.
For Girls, Ages 7-17 “I started [painting]
simply because I
One and two week sessions are available wanted to see if I
June 6th - july 31st could do it,” says a
candid Thomason,
ACTIVITIES “and it was supposed to be fun. It still is fun,
•Ropes Course but once I realized that people actually liked
these things and would pay money for them,
•Climbing wall it has become as much a profession as it has
•Archery a pleasurable past time.”
•tennis Generally speaking, art has been a
constant in Thomason’s adult life. Following
•hiking his high school teaching career in the
•overnights 1960s, he experienced success as an interior
•sailing designer for nearly 30 years. “I always have
liked art and I took one basic drawing class
•canoeing
in college,” Thomason explains. “In those
•swimming days, everything was abstract art and I
•diving wasn’t interested in that so [I stopped taking
those classes.] Then, as an interior designer,
•Campfires
finding paintings and things for clients, I
•crafts had a chance to look at a lot of art.
•Horseback riding “One day, some time later,” he adds, “I
decided that I would buy an easel, canvases
770.428.1062-Phone 770.428.1302-Fax and paints. My thinking was that if I put
visit us on the web at www.CJL.org a good deal of money into it, I would feel
guilty if I didn’t use it. So I got busy...”
Email-info@CJL.org

16 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

 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
“...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 high-
priced 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
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.
Delicious and
healthy burgers?
From our pasture...
to your plate.
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 Post-
Impressionist
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
313 Broad Street
also told me to not take lessons. She said, Rome, Ga.
‘You have been fooling with design, color
Spring, 2010
vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 17

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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
‘...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.
vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 19
20 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
BrewedTo
perfection textanna armas
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

vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 21

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
“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
22 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
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
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 full-
service 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.
vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 23
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vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 25
 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

26 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 27
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, all-
out 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 “WE [WANT] TO EMPOWER
for some action, will again have
the chance to lace up and dive in KIDS TO THINK OUTSIDE THE
for an Olympic-length triathlon BOX, GET OFF THE COUCH,
all their own. To boot, this
grueling workout will benefit
GO OUTSIDE AND DO
the Boys & Girls Club of Rome, SOMETHING THEY NEVER
which received over $14,000 in THOUGHT...POSSIBLE.”
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 1-
mile run. The 10-14 group will complete a
28 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
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.”
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 non-
local 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 Azar-
Dickens 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.”

vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 29

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.  limits. If you can’t swim or you haven’t
“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 “IT’S A GREAT EXPERIENCE...
confidence for
the kids.” TO BE ABLE TO CHEER [MY
  On Sat., May SON] ON... IT HAS A GREAT
1, the day prior
to the youth IMPACT ON SELF-ESTEEM AND
event, Dr. CONFIDENCE FOR THE KIDS.”
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
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
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
ridden a bike since grade school, don’t
worry. To facilitate broader involvement
from those new to the sport, the adult
incarnation Delicious and
of TFTK
will offer a
team relay
healthy burgers?
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
No, you’re not
and…raise as much [money] as possible
for The Boys & Girls Club,” says
dreaming.
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
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
313 Broad Street
and Girls Club of Northwest Georgia’s Rome, Ga.
event page at www.bgcnwga.org.
Spring, 2010
vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 31
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vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 33

34 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
CROSSING
Over textbrian foster
photossabrina wilson

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
36 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
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 “...UP UNTIL LAST YEAR,THERE
particularly in the
state of Georgia),
WERE NO CLASSIFICATIONS. HALF
has also witnessed OF OUR AREA WAS 5-A PUBLIC
significant growth
in recent years. HIGH SCHOOLS, SO GOING
AGAINST THE BIG BOYS...[WAS]
With origins that
date back over QUITE THE CHALLENGE.”
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
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
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
sports in one,” Dulaney says. “There is also “winning it all,” Darlington’s first official
constant movement, making [it] a very state championship actually came in
exciting and fast-paced sport.” 1999, by which time the state had fielded
Though relatively young by comparison, 12 legitimate varsity programs and had
today Darlington Lacrosse stands shoulder officially begun recognizing lacrosse as a
to shoulder with some of the school’s sanctioned, varsity-level sport.
more established athletic programs. State Whether or not by coincidence, current
championships and a rich tradition of boys head coach Gordon Hight began his
winning have helped cement the Tigers sideline career that ’99 season as an assistant
as one of the most feared opponents in under Coach Tim Foote, one year after
Georgia, whereas, just 19 years ago, they graduating from the University of Virginia.
were the only program in the state. After stints as a graduate assistant for the
In the spring of 1991, then freshman University of Georgia club team and three
Gordon Hight was among the twenty-odd years as head coach at the Wellington
Darlington students who padded up and School in Columbus, Oh., Hight returned to
took the lacrosse field for the first time. Darlington for the 2009 season and led his
“We were the first high school program in alma mater boys squad to a 10-6 record, one
vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 37
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.”
executive chef
zane nicholson
38 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
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
TRUST in our
timeless tradition
of giving
northwest georgia
the most
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team of
professionals
during our exciting
2010 transition
that promises to
continue raising
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rome, ga 30161
706.238.9000
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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vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 39

 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

end-all-be-all of tablet machines. Not just
meeting demand, keeping up to speed with
a computer, but a multi-functional media
size, is a technological marvel in itself.
Aside from that, the iPad interface is very
the latest technologies and simply being
device that makes Hewlett-Packard’s tablet similar to what iPhone and iTouch users
innovative, this is true for all industries.
look like a glorified laptop. are accustomed to, with the prototypical
Luckily for Apple, Inc., the view is from
End result: a machine so incredible in buttons for applications such as Safari, Mail,
here is sublime. concept that it has the potential to not only iPod, iTunes, iBooks and YouTube, among
In fact, it almost seems that every six
kill every e-reader on the market, but to others. This is because the device will be
months Jobs and company break the mold in
potentially take a bite out of the company’s available with Wi-Fi capability in the base
one area of technology or another, typically
own iTouch sales. model, and with 3G + Wi-Fi capability built
with the release of a groundbreaking new
As expected, the iPad is exactly what you in on later models.
product that blows away techno geeks the
would think it to be: a bigger iTouch with Want to check iTunes for a new book to
world ’round. the power of a laptop computer. Apple’s read while you’re at the coffee shop? You
January’s announcement of the much-
designers, however, prefer not think of it as a got it.
anticipated iPad is no exception. For months
tablet computer, but as a device somewhere Want to listen to Led Zeppelin while
leading up to the its official press, there was
between a modern smart phone and a surfing the web? Bam.
laptop. It’s the integration of these functions
...WITH ALL THE HYPE [THE IPAD] At first glance, the iPad (already available on other Apple products),
HAS GARNERED IN THE WEEKS looks like a mega-sized
iPhone. But once you dig in,
ported over to a larger screen with more
maneuverability, that puts this newbie in
SINCE ITS ANNOUNCEMENT, IT CAN it’s readily apparent where a class all its own. And if you haven’t seen
PROBABLY BALANCE THE FEDERAL Apple meant to go with photos of the virtual keyboard, suffice to say
BUDGET, DO YOUR
TAXES, WALK THE DOG
AND COORDINATE AID
DEPLOYMENTS TO HAITI.
great speculation in the tech world that
Apple was working on the “tablet computer” this product. Measuring 9.56 x 7.47 inches, you are truly missing out. (Ok, ok, it’s just
to end all tablets. However, in the end, the a half-inch thick, and weighing a feather- a touchscreen keyboard… But it’s REALLY
problem was just that: all speculation. like 1.5 lbs, this is no small feat of design. cool.)
Turns out what we didn’t know was that Apple also promises a whopping 10 hours The iPad can also be placed on a docking
Apple not only wanted to build a tablet of battery life (typical usage) and up to 140 station in multiple positions, turning it into
touch computer, they wanted to build the hours of listening. That fact, coupled with its a digital picture frame or even an alarm

40 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine

clock posted next to your bed. It has an
audio jack for listening to music, built-in
speakers and even a microphone, all of
Call today for Easter Specials!
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

...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
Session plus one 8 x 10 for $75.00
from Apple, and this projected blockbuster
is expected to sell in large numbers the
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vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 41


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 (pre-
Ginny) 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
42 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
INSIDE&OUT
withDIANNAEDWARDS
Of pinto beans,
MOVIE STARS, AND
The harvest
Mooooon!
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
...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
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.
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
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.
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
Delicious and
beloved husband’s. Both men were dressed
to the hilt in their show regalia and spoke
on stage, signed books, met with veterans
healthy burgers?
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
Lean, clean, and
tasty.
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 313 Broad Street
course. VVV Rome, Ga.
Spring, 2010
vini vidi vici / v3 magazine 43
 HARBIN CLINIC’S
Take On Health OUR PHYSICIANS ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS
Team Harbin Sports
Medicine takes a unique,
Future Shock: Harbin and ImPACT™ Team Up to
multi-disciplinary approach
to providing care for athletes
Change the Game in Concussion Management
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.
In the last several months, there has
been a great deal of press about high-
profile 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 sports-
related concussions in Northwest Georgia.
Harbin Clinic is proud to now provide
the ImPACT™ system of concussion
management. ImPACT™ (Immediate Post-
Concussion Assessment and Cognitive
HARBINCLINIC.COM | 1-888-427-2461
44 vini vidi vici / v3 magazine
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
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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