Cole Cubelic
The Gulf Coast Athletic Club opened its January 30, 2023 meeting in the Clubhouse at Craft Farms Golf Resort at 7:00pm. President George Autrey welcomed the crowd of 45 members and guests. George noted this was our annual Senior Bowl meeting and the last of this year.
President George started talking about an Office Football Pool Dynasty and he wasn’t talking about the Georgia-Alabama conversation. Out of 26 people and going into Week 12, HiYield AKA Cynthia Tunnell was ahead of Shug Jordan AKA Mayor Steve Means by a small margin. Proving it’s tough to win from being ahead, Cynthia hung on through the end of the season as Shug was vanquished by 9 points in the tiebreaker as both tied with equal won-lost records! Cynthia again got the Winner’s share while Steve got a consolation prize and the coveted GCAC Prolific Pigskin Prognosticators trophy for the second straight year. Another, Means, Taylor1980, finished DAL and got his money back! Accepting the winner’s check for his bride, your Editor was heard to have said “I’ve got to live with this all year”. 3 season wins in the past 7 years for the Tunnell household. Congratulations to HiYield!! Momma needs new shoes!
George noted that our Number 1 Bama Fan, Barb Patty, was not doing well. (Editor Note: She passed away the next day at age 83-Rest In Peace, Barb). He also said our resident Michigan Wolverine, Papa Rocco, was scheduled for surgery the next day.
Gulf Shores School Board Chairman Kevin, Corcoran gave a great Dolphin Report. They created an Athletic Director position and hired Coach Kevin Tubbs who has been fantastic in the role. Sadly, we must say goodbye to Coach Tubbs as he’s leaving for Tennessee this week. Coach Paul Williams is coming to fill big shoes.
Football went 11-2 and reached the third round of the playoffs – best year ever!! Every GSHS team has qualified for State so far this year. GSHS is Top 10 in Alabama for Academics!! Wrestling was third in the State. Thanks to GCAC for all the great support! GO, DOLPHINS!!
Doctor Gaylon McCollough once again handled the introduction for our Scholar-Athlete with a shout-out to Kevin and those visionaries for bringing this all together. It’s a great investment and it all starts with schools Tonight’s choice truly epitomizes the ideal! Keller Thomas, a GSHS Senior, has a 4.4 GPA and made a 35 on the ACT!! Almost perfect! He pole vaults on the track team as well as runs distance relays. He swims and participates in martial arts as well. He’s also a member of the Drum Line in the Band. He’s been selected by the College Board of Advanced Scholars as a Rural Town and Small Town Scholar, only a handful in the United States. He wants to major in Natural Sciences and minor in Music, possibly at Rice or possibly Auburn. This National Honor Society member said his coaches were unmatched and he appreciates the support of his parents.
President George handled the Team Reports and noted that Georgia did win. No Crying Towel was issued, probably because there weren’t that many small towels for sale in Gulf Shores!
Taylor Means has the distinct honor of introducing our Speaker for the evening, saying “None more plugged in than Cole”. Cole Cubelic is one of the finest speakers in the GCAC history and always continues to amaze all present with his depth of knowledge on all aspects of the SEC and its teams.
The former Auburn Center played from 96-2001, joined ESPN in 2011, has a daily ESPN radio show and will be prominent in XFL reporting coming up in the Spring. He noted that College Football is in a real mess right now, with NIL, Transfer Portal, etc. issues. Kids are free to redshirt themselves to save a year of eligibility and there seems to be no end in sight. Agents are talking to all in high school and in college and eventually he believes the SEC and Big Ten will pull away and play each other. Sadly, small colleges live on payoffs from these “Big” games.
As he usually does, he went on in amazing detail about all teams and their players. “I might not know all the names, but I know the numbers”. Asked who will be in the Final Four next year, he says “Georgia and who else?”. He’d pick UGA to win, but noted Coach Saban has incentive this year, but who’s playing QB? Auburn and Coach Frieze has total support from the “AU power culture”. LSU will be really good. “Vandy RB Greg Davis will be awesome – remember that”. The ACC will be the weakest in years.
The 50-50 was awarded and donated back to the Club. Thank you!
The meeting was adjourned at 8:40pm.
