Welcome to Athens Power Rankings. In the spirit of sports rating systems, through painstaking analysis, we rank the top movers and shakers in the Classic City each week. Who’s hot? Who’s not? Find out below.
1. AthFest Educates (Last week: N/A)
The nonprofit’s AthHalf half marathon last weekend drew thousands of people to Athens and raised a ton of money for local music and arts education. (ICYMI, check out the winners and times here.) That’s the good kind of power.
2. UGA special teams (Last week: N/A)
And now for the bad kind. Blame the injuries. Blame the targeting rule. Blame Aaron Murray for having one of the worst games of his career (16/28, 114 yards, one pick, no touchdowns). None of it would have mattered if Trent Frix and Collin Barber had been able to execute a simple long snap or Damian Swann hadn’t muffed a punt return, both plays that led to Vanderbilt touchdowns. Now not only are Georgia’s national championship aspirations dead, they’re all but out of the hunt for an SEC East title. Pro tip for Mark Richt: Hire a special teams coach.
3. Bryan Poole (Last week: N/A)
Not only is BP exploding indie heads all across the country opening with Elf Power for the reunited Neutral Milk Hotel (coming to a 40 Watt near you this week) the “pedestrian” is also a minor Urbana, IL, celebrity after the local TV news interviewed him about a gun control law, of all things.
4. Paul Cramer (Last week: N/A)
After a tough fight with some Athens-Clarke County commissioners over funding for a Classic Center arena, Cramer got his mojo back last week, enticing the Classic City Rollergirls to hold their roller-derby bouts there.
5. Pretty Lights (Last week: N/A)
This dubstep (or electro-dub-hop or whatever the kids call it these days, I’m an old) DJ sold out the Georgia Theatre in 58 minutes. Not bad, kid. Not bad.
Dropping off: Anterior cruciate ligaments, Ideal Bagel, Paul Broun, of Montreal and Jim Corley.
Like what you just read? Support Flagpole by making a donation today. Every dollar you give helps fund our ongoing mission to provide Athens with quality, independent journalism.
