Dahlonega
Literary Festival
An Annual Celebration of Readers, Writers, and Books
Loran Smith
Loran Smith, who just completed his fiftieth year as sideline reporter for the University of Georgia football radio broadcasts, has spent most of his professional life at UGA. He is a former assistant sports information director, business manager, and executive director of the Georgia Bulldog Clubs, and as a member of the Athletic Association development office. An inductee and past chairman of the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, he currently serves as a fundraiser and historian for UGA Athletics. Smith holds a Journalism degree from UGA and is a writer and author or co-author of eighteen books. He maintains daily and weekly radio shows that air statewide and writes a syndicated newspaper column published throughout Georgia.
Whaddaya Got, Loran?
"Most Georgians know Loran Smith from Saturday afternoons and Georgia Bulldog football. Larry Munson would oftentimes say after a play, "Whaddaya got, Loran?" His colorful responses and chemistry with Munson made listening to the game an absolute joy. But, for decades Loran Smith has also either written or spoken about the things that interest us. Finally, in this book, Smith gathers his best columns and moments covering topics in four areas: Georgia, sports, travel, and the Greatest Generation. Smith's career began early enough to interview Ty Cobb, the Georgia Peach and one of the greatest baseball players ever to play the game (and one of the most divisive), and it has continued until this day. Whether he is writing on the Georgia Bulldogs or walking along the sideline, or if he is talking about quail hunting in South Georgia, Smith writes with a downhome flavor but with keen intelligence and empathy. His subjects range from small town living to international travel having visited five continents, from local sports to national sporting events, from fly fishing to hunting, visiting presidential libraries, museums, and birthplaces."
