County Signs: Fresh air and Friday night

By MONTE DUTTON (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. Provided the Upstate can avoid further natural disasters, if not political ones, high-school football returns on Friday night. This week the meteorological disaster is presumed to be hitting Florida. God bless them. What kind of name for a hurricane is Milton? At least Helene was appropriately hell. …

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Blue Hose Blurbs: Football’s young men go west

Jalen Patrick (PC photo) Click here. To summarize, nothing is going on. Not in Laurens County … unless you booked a flight to San Diego, Calif., where the Blue Hose went. Since my power went out, I opened offices all over the county: Whiteford’s in Laurens, three Bojangles, the Clinton Public Library for a day, …

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Furmanology: ‘Dogs almost always ornery in Charleston

A year ago at home (Furman photo) Click here. While Clemson continues its fated tour of storm-torn football locales, Furman returns to action, almost dipping its figurative toes in the currently stable Atlantic. The Tigers miraculously played – and defeated -- Stanford last week while surrounded by Helenic despair. This week’s game in in Tallahassee, …

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County Signs: As Helene looms ever closer …

By MONTE DUTTON Click here. We’re in an oddly opportune, not in bad way, place for hurricanes. The little desk is made of wood. I’m knocking on it. Most Atlantic hurricanes bore into the coast and curve upward instead of clobbering us with a direct hit. Most Gulf hurricanes weaken, particularly where the land is …

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County Signs: Daniels assumes command

By MONTE DUTTON Not actually Jayden Daniels (AI-generated image) Click here. One Monday-night football game does not a career make, but I can’t remember a more impressive performance by an NFL rookie quarterback than Jayden Daniels’ brilliant night in Cincinnati. In a matchup of ex-LSU stars, Daniels was almost faultless in leading the Washington Commanders …

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Furmanology: Hendrix says Furman flaws are fixable

By MONTE DUTTON Clay Hendrix (Furman photo) Click here. The Southern Conference schedule begins for Furman at home when Samford takes on the Paladins at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Paladins have already dropped as many games as in the entire 2024 season, in which they won their 15th SoCon title. Head coach Clay Hendrix …

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County Signs: Davidson regularly gets in a rush

By MONTE DUTTON Bailey Memorial Stadium will be under the lights again (Monte Dutton photos). Click here. Steve Englehart likens Presbyterian College’s first four football games to exhibitions. No surprises, thus far. The Blue Hose were outmatched in the opener, a 63-10 loss to Southern Conference member Mercer (4-0). Then, as expected, they defeated Erskine, …

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Furmanology: Lady Paladin Invitational tees off for 50th time

(Furman photo) Click here. It’s the Lady Paladin Invitational, teeing up for the 50th time on Friday at the par-72, 6,262-yard university golf course. The 54-hole tournament began Friday with a 10 a.m. shotgun start. The Paladins will teed off on holes No. 1 through No. 4 and opened in a group with Old Dominion, UNC …

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