Tony Barnhart

**--The 2004 college football season will be Tony Barnhart’s 29th as a reporter for newspapers, television and radio.

**--A native of Union Point, Ga., Barnhart is in his 21st year with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He is a 1976 graduate of the Henry W. Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. He began his newspaper career in June of 1976 at the Union (S.C.) Daily Times. In March of 1977, he joined the Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record where he remained until Aug. 7, 1984 when he joined the sports staff of the Journal-Constitution.

**--In addition to his work with the AJC, Tony has his own radio show “The Southern College Football Kickoff Show” on Thursdays, 6-8 p.m., Eastern time on WQXI, 790, The Zone, in Atlanta

**--His television show, “College Kickoff Countdown” can be seen on FSN South on Thursdays at 10 p.m.

**--Tony is also a regular contributor to the College Football Today Show on CBS.

**--In 1999 Barnhart was named the Georgia Sportswriter of the Year. He is a past president of the Football Writers Association of America and in April of 2005 he will take over as president of the United States Basketball Writers Association.

**--In 2000 The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame named Barnhart to its prestigious Honors Court. The 11-member court is charged with selecting each year’s incoming class to the College Football Hall of Fame.

**--His first book, “Southern Fried Football—The History, Passion and Glory of the Great Southern Game” is currently in its third printing.

**--His second book, “What It Means To Be A Bulldog,” was released on Aug. 2, 2004 and can be found in major book stores throughout the South.

**--He lives in Atlanta with his wife, Maria. His daughter, Sara, is a senior at the University of Georgia.