By MARGARET HOBBS / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard BRITTNEY GRIDER A woman’s life has been compared to the changing seasons. Different phases reflect the changes, hopes and aspirations brought on by the various seasons.Brittney Kay Grider recently was honored for her 18th birthday with a “Seasons of Her Life” gathering, planned by her…

By Murphy Fair / Columnist Just about everyone who is charged with the responsibility of writing a sports column has taken a shot at the National Collegiate Athletic Association during the last two or three weeks regarding the committee’s recent action over nicknames and mascots. I thought that before the issue gets too cold in…

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard The Lady Bronco soccer team traveled to Webb School on Saturday to compete in their yearly tournament. The Lady Broncos came back to McMinnville with a 1-1 record for the weekend.The Lady Broncos first game was against the host team, the Lady Feet. The game…

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama is envisioning a return to those offensive glory days — back when Brodie Croyle was passing, Ken Darby was running and Tim Castille was blocking and catching balls. You know, the first three games of last season. Before Croyle went down with a knee injury. Before running backs Darby, Castille…

By ELIZABETH A. DAVIS / AP Sports Writer KNOXVILLE — Watson Brown has faced enough Tennessee teams in his football career as a player, offensive coordinator and now coach at UAB to know when the No. 3 Volunteers are at their best. Brown believes this is one of those years. His Blazers will find out…

By DALE STUBBLEFIELD / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard Bethany King of the Warren County volleyball team returns the ball during her team’s match against Cumberland County Monday afternoon. (Dale Stubblefield photo) With the weather canceling school and most athletic events slated for Tuesday, the Lady Pioneer volleyball team hit the hardwood on Wednesday…

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Time and time again, Vanderbilt watched close games go the other way in the final period last season. On Thursday night, the Commodores looked like they had seen more than enough. Jeff Jennings scored from 5 yards out with 1:48 to play, helping Vanderbilt beat Wake Forest 24-20 and win a…

By ROB NUNLEY / Columnist Exciting, isn’t it?Sporting a 2-0 record, continuing the new tradition of “Red Friday,” and watching busses full of fans making road trips like some kind of “Hoosiers”-inspired caravan will certainly get you fired up.I’ll admit, the guy whose grinning visage you see at the top of these few paragraphs is…

By TERESA M. WALKER / AP Sports Writer NASHVILLE — Mike Sherman is certain his Green Bay Packers aren’t ready for the regular season. For Jeff Fisher and his young Tennessee Titans, go ahead and bring on the opener. Craig Nall tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Walt Williams early in the fourth quarter, and…

By ROB NUNLEY / Sports Editor for the Southern Standard Warren County’s Nick Cantrell trips up DeKalb County running back Corey Cripps (25) during last week’s win at Nunley Stadium. The Pioneers are looking for their first road win since 1999 tonight against Lincoln County. (Dale Stubblefield photo) Back-to-back victories by the Pioneer football team…