Brian Vanderhoff's North Fulton Real Estate Blog

Big SEC Game of the Week.

#3 Georgia vs. #8 Alabama in Athens. Game time is 7:45 pm ESPN, temperature 61 degrees, Georgia in black. Alabama will try to shut down the Georgia run. Georgia is two dimensional on offense which will keep the defense guessing. We believe it will be a low scoring game with defenses dominating. We like Georgia's confidence in their passing game and give it to the Dawgs 17-14.

Tennessee vs #15 Auburn in Alabama. Game time is 3:30 pm on CBS. Tennessee got smoked last week by Florida. Auburn got beat in a cat fight at home. The Vols confidence has to be down with the Head Coach Fulmer being criticized in the media. We like Auburn who we believe will not lose two SEC games in a row this early in the season. Auburn 24 Tennessee 10.

Ole Miss vs #4 Florida in the Swamp. Florida put a whooping on the Vols last week. This week with the #1 spot up for grabs, you can count on the Gators running up the score on the Rebels. Ole Miss has too many kinks to work out to handle such a talented Florida team. Florida 45 Ole Miss 10.

Miss State vs #5 LSU in Baton Rouge. LSU managed to find a way to score on a very talented Auburn team on the road. Miss State has not found an offense that can score any points. There will be blood in the water for the Tigers and they will not hold back from running up the score. LSU 42 Miss State 3.


Jay Holgate is a sports analyst for SEC Sports Report. He can be emailed at editor@secsportsreport.com

Labels: Alabama, auburn, dawgs, Florida, Georgia, ole miss, SEC, Sports report, Tennessee River

U.S. court sides with Alabama, Florida on use of Lake Lanier water

A federal appeals court has denied Georgia's request to reconsider a recent ruling that denied metro Atlanta more water from Lake Lanier.

A three-judge panel of U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington denied the request without comment in a ruling issued Thursday. The court's earlier ruling invalidated a 2003 settlement among the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates Lanier, federal hydropower customers, who buy electricity produced at the dam, Georgia, and metro Atlanta governments.

As part of the settlement, cities and counties that depend on Lanier for drinking water agreed to pay the Corps $2.5 million a year to offset the costs of operating the dam in exchange for laying claim to 65 percent more water from the lake for up to 20 years. Alabama and Florida strongly opposed the agreement.

In February, the appeals court ruled the amount of water metro Atlanta wanted — about 14 percent of Lanier's water — constituted a major operational change that would require congressional approval.

At the time, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley said the court foiled Georgia's "massive water grab." Georgia had argued it has a right to the water.

Labels: Florida, Georgia, lake lanier water, water ruling

The fog has lifted and some of the smoke has cleared at the scene of a triple-fatal pile-up on I-4 in Polk County revealing a charred disaster.

At least 3 people have been killed, and there are reports some people might still be trapped in their cars. All lanes of I-4 are closed between the Polk Parkway and U.S. 27. That's roughly from Polk City to the Osceola County line; nearly 15 miles.

The pile-up happened early this morning when visibility was nearly zero on I-4 due to thick fog and lingering smoke from a brush fire. Polk County officials say a tanker overturned on the roadway, but it's not clear if the truck was part of the pileup.

Troopers are asking drivers who are stuck in traffic to stay in their cars for their safely and the safety of rescue workers.

"Please, remain in your vehicle, remain patient, and follow the detours ahead. We do have emergency vehicles and responding personnel, some of which are walking and do not want to be struck by vehicles that are trying to make up some time and get down the road on the shoulders," Trooper Larry Coggins said. "It's a very dangerous situation right now. Please, everyone drive safely and have some patience."

Yesterday's brush fire began as a controlled burn, but it jumped a firebreak and eventually grew to 250 acres before being contained.

Labels: Crash, Florida, Fog, I-4, Pile up