July 21, 2026
David Carroll
Drinking from a fire hose
Igenerally limit my column to one topic. Sure, I often veer off course, but I always return to the main topic. It’s like when I’m on a road trip to Cincinnati. When I see a Shoney’s sign, I will go out of my way to get a hot fudge cake. But I always end up in Cincinnati. Having said that, let’s explore a few recent diversions.
Braves organist is most valuable player
Atlanta Braves fans are familiar with the names Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, and Chris Sale. These are among the many All-Star players we cheer for at Truist Park 81 games a year. All of those guys get plenty of media coverage, becoming household names among baseball fans. But there are so many people off the field who deserve our praise as well. From the parking lot attendants, to the food workers, ushers, security officers and more. I can’t leave out the video, radio, and social media crew, the in-game entertainment staff, world-class TV broadcaster Brandon Gaudin, and opera singer Timothy Miller, who delivers perfect renditions of “God Bless America” at Sunday home games.
Back to the ball cap
When I speak to high school classes about my career, students usually ask, “Who’s the most famous person you have ever seen?”
More reasons to love America
What a country, right? As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday on the Fourth of July, let’s pause and list a few reasons to love America. Thanks to cable TV and YouTube, we can still enjoy the Ed Sullivan Show, Little Joe Cartwright and Mary Tyler Moore, even though few people under 40 know who they are. We have amazing medical workers who respond to the emergencies the rest of us are trying to run away from.
What politicians really mean
Welcome to election year. I know, if you live in Georgia, this is old news. Y’all have been to the polls more often than some folks take a shower. I can never keep track if it’s a primary election, a general election, a jungle primary, a jungle gym, a primary runoff, a water runoff, an election to fill an unexpired term, a SPLOST, an E-SPLOST, or a SPLISH-SPLASH.
Don’t fly off the handle
Let’s explore the origin of some common sayings. After writing several columns about sayings like, “I’ll read you the riot act” and “The straw that broke the camel’s back,” many of you suggested some others. Have you ever been called “One tough cookie?” Back in the 1920s, the nickname “cookie” was intended as a compliment, usually aimed at a female. A hard-working or resilient lady was often referred to as a “tough cookie.” By the 1950s, the term showed up in various publications referring to both men and women as “smart cookies.” But in order to be described as such, one would have to be intelligent or quick-witted. Upon the birth of our first grandchild in February, my wife chose “Cookie” as her grandmother name. And she is, indeed, a tough, smart cookie. (I’m Papa D, by the way).
More adventures in customer service
Ibelieve in the importance of customer service. A while back, I dropped my cable/internet provider after spending half my time battling their so-called customer service reps. I had many indecipherable conversations with guys in India who called themselves “Rick” or “Sam.” I finally switched to another provider. I should have done it years earlier. The new company’s customer service was excellent. Within days, my cholesterol level improved, my headaches disappeared, and I could leap tall buildings in a single bound.
The state of the column
My fellow Americans. In recent months, you’ve been enlightened by political leaders, real and imagined, who have delivered the State of the Union, the State of the County, and the aptly named State of the State. When a governor recites that one, he or she should be greeted by Kenny Rogers’ classic hit, “I Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition is In.”