Chris Mooneyham, Georgia High School Scoreboard Show host
Today’s interviewee is Chris Mooneyham, host of the Georgia High School Scoreboard Show, which returns tonight from 10 to midnight on more than 30 Georgia affiliates. Mooneyham also is a co-host for the Georgia Tech Sports Network and a play-by-play commentator for Georgia Swarm lacrosse, Emory basketball and baseball and the NFHS Network.
1. What’s the history of the show and the legacy you're continuing? “The Scoreboard Show has been around for two decades in one form or another. As many folks will remember, the legendary Tommy Palmer hosted the show for 18 seasons. When we took over in 2020, we didn’t want to reinvent the wheel, but we did want to make it our own. So, we brought back some aspects Tommy perfected while also quickening the pace of the show and leaning more into topical storylines, analysis and debate. A new edition to the show this year is a main feature on our Twitter feed (@GAHSFBScoreShow), ‘The Big Peach Poll.’ Nearly every day, I will post a bio for a Georgia high school football program – wins, seasons, state championships, region titles, etc. – and ask our listeners and fans: Is – insert team name here – a GAHSFB Blue Blood? I am particularly excited about this one. For instance, is Grayson, with all the success the program has had in its short history, a statewide Blue Blood? We posted the poll on Tuesday and included LaGrange, a six-time state champion with the second-highest win total in state history. I felt it was a no-brainer, yet five people voted no. It’s a great ignitor of debate.”
2. Who were some of the best interviewees you’ve had on the show? “You can never go wrong with GHSA executive director Dr. Robin Hines. He is a straight shooter, a genuine man who truly cares about the state of Georgia and our young athletes. We have a running joke with Dr. Hines about his love of guitar playing. He spilled the beans one night about how, in his youth, he was in a couple of pretty talented bands. And yes, he says he stills plays quite often. Alan Chadwick, head coach at Marist, is one of my favorites. During the public-private squabble last season, he was very vocal in his displeasure with how things were being approached on both sides. He was very even-handed in understanding the challenges and differences between the two sides. Finally, if you need someone to bring the hammer to an interview, look no further than Maurice Freeman at Brooks County. Coach Freeman brings honesty and energy.”
3. Your 680 the Fan preseason rankings poll was the only one that had Grayson No. 1. What do you like about the Rams? And is there another team or two that is especially intriguing? “The team to garner the rest of the top-ranked spots in the various polls was Buford, and for good reason. For me, the two were 1A and 1B. If there is one team which can match the Wolves across the board in the great combination of athleticism, physicality, experience and depth, it is Grayson. The Rams will feature at least four four-star players – Michael Daugherty, Waltclaire Flynn, Zion Ferguson and Kylan Fox – and a running back who is ready to explode on the state scene, Joe Taylor Jr., and the program’s single-season record-holding tackler, senior Jaylen Smith. A couple of sleepers I like, for a potential quarterfinal appearance, would include Parkview, Troup and Mary Persons.”
4. What night games are you most looking forward to following and why? “In general, I am looking forward to the nightly contests in region in 7A. In my opinion, the state’s highest classification, since 7A was created, has never been this deep with top-10-caliber teams. By my count, as a state media group we could have argued for 20 odd teams who deserved to be in the top 10. In at least one poll across the state, this is a list of the highly touted, tremendously talented programs which were left out of someone’s top 10: Mill Creek, Milton, North Gwinnett, Westlake, Parkview, Walton, Denmark, Valdosta, Kennesaw Mountain, Marietta and Norcross. Any of these clubs could be a quarterfinalist this season. I cannot wait.”