Back to profile

Loran Smith

Stories by Loran

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Former Bulldog English playing with confidence

Loran Smith writes a column about Harris English, a recent Georgia grad who rallies in the second round to make the cut in his first British Open.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Royal Lytham is unlike any other course

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith takes a closer look at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, the beautiful and challenging course the world’s best golfers will have to conquer this week at the 141st annual British Open.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Lytham abuzz as 141st Open Championship makes return

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith, who will be in England all week reporting on the 141st annual British Open, previews golf's third major of the year.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Catching up with Guy McIntyre

Former UGA sidelines reporter and current Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith sits down and catches up with former Bulldogs great Guy McIntyre, a Thomasville native.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Georgia native, legendary broadcaster Jackson settles into retirement

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith writes about Keith Jackson, who became the longtime face and voice of college football on ABC-TV.

Tease photo

You don’t have to be a redneck to like the rg

On the way to Callaway Gardens, it was refreshing to organize lunch at Newnan’s “Redneck Gourmet,” founded by the late Mike Smith and run by his widow, Cile, and her sons, Casey and Chad.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Olympic Club was the real winner of the U.S. Open

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith believes that except for Pebble Beach, there might not be a more exciting setting for a championship than the Olympic Club.

Tease photo

Georgia was represented well at the Alamo

SAN ANTONIO — The Alamo-or “Mission San Antonio de Valero” to the Spanish-is quiet and peaceful today, but it will always be remembered for a bloody battle in 1836 with which most everybody is familiar.

Tease photo

Brooklynite finds Georgia lake alluring

On Highway 53, the road to Dawsonville, only a half-dozen miles north of the chicken capital of the world, is a place called Harbour Point. Must have driven by it scores of times over the years without knowing what lay beyond the entry gate.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Story of UGA’s Olivadotti, daughter inspiring

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith sits down with Georgia linebackers coach Kirk Olivadotti, who shares his heartfelt --- and gut-wrenching --- story of his four-year-okd daughter Kasyn's battle with leukemia.

Tease photo

Bonnie and Clyde still not easy to find

There is much to see and explore in Texas’s most famous city. Houston and San Antonio, even Austin, might take exception to that, but Dallas, if you count the Metroplex, is the most populous in the state, with the most recent head count standing at 6,371,773. Houston’s population is 6,086,538.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Coaches just can’t get away from the sidelines

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith writes about the difficulty for coaches at any level to step away from coaching.

Tease photo

Immigrants often have fascinating stories

There has always been a fascination with immigrant stories — not about those who steal across any borders, but about those who come here to live the American dream and to immerse themselves into society, obeying the laws and giving back to their communities.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Fowler was a heck of a Dawg

Herald Guest Columnist looks back on the remarkable life and career of former UGA great Willie Fowler, who died of Alzheimer's last week.

Tease photo

Nature come naturally in the big city

A comforting respite on a weekend while visiting old friends, who live by the Chattahoochee in Atlanta, was again a reminder that in this state, there generally is a pleasant and alluring environment wherever you pause — there’s good living to be found everywhere.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Kuchar’s TPC victory at Sawgrass feels like a major championship

Herald guest columnist Loran Smith writes about former Georgia Tech star Matt Kuchar's recent win at TPC Sawgrass.

Tease photo

The Tavern is more than just a breathtaking view

HELEN - Jimmy Harris, the gentleman proprietor of Unicoi Outfitters, didn’t have to extend his invitation but once: “Why don’t you come up for lunch and spend an afternoon on the Chattahoochee?”

Tease photo

An affection for entertaining shared with others

NORTH AUGUSTA, S. C. - The spacious home of Tim and Natalie Nixon overlooks the Savannah River. Out on the water, where once there were barges that floated cotton down to Savannah, there are now recreational and fishing boats.

Tease photo

Swainsboro, radio bring back fond memories

SWAINSBORO — Growing up in Wrightsville my first memory of Swainsboro, 26 miles away, was a bus trip over to the Pine Tree Festival in the mid-fifties. It was nice to experience a parade with an opportunity to observe displays and booths of all types. Not really anything to write home about, however.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Coca-Cola and Trippi

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith looks back on the life and career of UGA great Charley Trippi, who was honored last week.

Tease photo

There are many reasons to return to Aiken

AIKEN, S. C. - Last week during the Masters, I had the good fortune of spending time in Aiken, the laid-back Southern town with an interesting past.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Bubba’s the pride of Georgia

Herald Guest Columnist and longtime University of Georgia supporter Loran Smith looks back on the Bulldogs’ own Bubba Watson capturing the Masters on Sunday at Augusta.

Tease photo

Lotto win isn't always lucky

In case you haven't heard, I did not win the lottery.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN:The third round can be magical — and oh, so cruel

Loran Smith writes about the brutal third round of the Masters

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH: No one like Arnie

Loran Smith is at the Masters all week, and on Wednesday he writes about longtime legend Arnold Palmer.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: There's nothing but class at the Masters

Loran Smith writes about the rare beauty and majesty of the Masters.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Georgia native Westbrook a soft-spoken hero

Herald guest columnist Loran Smith writes about Cardinal pitcher Jake Westbrook, a native of Ila, Ga., who was instrumental in St. Louis' World Series title last season.

Tease photo

Little boys’ game is big business

Little boys play baseball when it is fun for everybody. While immature exuberance often goes over the top with some parents, the most fun for the little guys comes when the game is over, nobody is bent out of shape with regard to who wins or who loses, and there is pizza and ice cream for everybody.

Tease photo

COLUMN: Furman, I will miss you, dear old friend

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith offers his tribute to the life and career of the dean of Georgia sports writers, Furman Bisher, who died last Sunday at the age of 93.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Don Sutton’s story is one we can all appreciate

Herald guest columnist Loran Smith writes about Former Dodgers pitcher Don Sutton and his journey to 300-plus wins and 3,500-plus strikeouts.

Tease photo

Thomasville a city in full bloom

Spring likely will have sprung in Thomasville by the time this reaches print — if not in full bloom, enough so that the planting of crops, the flowering of plants and shrubs, and emergence of balmy conditions will signal that the growing season has begun in this gem of a south Georgia community.

Tease photo

COLUMN: Was UGA’s win vs. UF a sign of things to come?

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith takes a closer look at Saturday's huge confidence-building win for the Bulldogs over the Gators, which may have signified big things for the future of the struggling program.

Tease photo

Serendipity something to relish

Serendipity is when you get a surprise package at your front door that links you to your past. That happened a few days ago, when a box of pear relish showed up at our address — six mouth-watering jars of a side dish I learned to appreciate to the fullest, growing up on a farm where the highlight of the day was a filling meal.

Tease photo

‘Hunting with Hap’ in Albany, a good time

DESOTO — On a cold day — not biting, but just right for quail hunting — the hospitality of the hosts warmed the atmosphere considerably.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: UGA plays fantasy football

Herald guest columnist Loran Smith writes about Georgia's perceived easy football schedule next season.

Tease photo

Making do is something we all can learn

A long flight or time spent driving to a destination, deep in an adjoining state, allows time to reflect and reminisce.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Could we be in for a Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh Super Bowl?

Herald Guest Columnis Loran Smith takes a look at Ravens coach John Harbaugh as Baltimore gets set to duel with the Texans in the AFC divisional round of the playoffs Sunday, which could set up a rematch against his brother Jim, the coach of the San Francisco 49ers, in the Super Bowl.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Hard to beat same team twice

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith looks back on some of the other cases in college football history where teams failed to win a rematch after winning the first meeting after Alabama demolished LSU, 21-0, in Monday's BCS National Championship game.

Tease photo

Newnan holds on to its traditional ways

Ol’ timers here can remember when Newnan was 30 miles from Atlanta — a nice drive up through croplands and pastures to a city on the move.

Tease photo

Time stands still for this coastal fishing village

SHELLMAN BLUFF — This coastal fishing village has not changed very much since the forties when it had its beginnings.

Tease photo

Loran Smith column: Looking back at some of Georgia’s finest bowl moments

Loran Smith remembers some of Georgia's best bowl moments.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Scott got into HOF, but many other deserving Bulldogs have been left out

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith is glad that former UGA star Jake Scott got into the College Football Hall of Fame, but says there are plenty of other Bulldogs stars in multiple sports who still deserve recognition.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: This is a week for UGA fans to celebrate good coaching

Herald guest columnist Loran Smith writes about how successful Georgia coach Mark Richt has been this season.

Tease photo

Thomasville’s Julie Moran true to her roots

Julie Moran, Thomasville native and Georgia graduate, lives in the Hollywood environment but has an unconventional approach to working in the television industry.

Tease photo

Building custom fly rod is a work of art

Blue Ridge is the county seat of Fannin, where more and more visitors enjoy hanging out.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Unlikely to be a star upon first glance, freshman Bennett emerges as big-play WR for Georgia

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith talks a closer look at Bulldogs freshman WR Michael Bennett, who has emerged as a big-play threat for Georgia this year.

Tease photo

Visit to Sewanee leaves you with YSR

The notion of higher education always brings about feelings of sentimental warmth. When you walk a college campus and absorb the atmosphere and environment, you find yourself thinking aloud, if you are anything like this campus collector, “I would like to have enrolled here.”

Tease photo

Autumn time to count blessings

For many of us the fall season begins as soon as we can wear long sleeves in the early morning hours, sometime after Labor Day, and lasts through Thanksgiving.

Tease photo

Lisa Short of Atlanta a true Renaissance woman

Out on West Wesley on Atlanta’s north side, inactivity at the homestead of Herb and Lisa Short is as unwelcomed as the plague.

Tease photo

LORAN SMITH COLUMN: Bulldogs looking to continue dominance of Commodores

Herald Guest Columnist Loran Smith looks back on the one-sided history between Georgia and Vanderbilt in advance of this weekend's latest showdown.