Poss & Head back at behind the mic together

Two veteran sportscasters are set to return to the air this week

Back in the 1980s, television was all abuzz in Northeast Georgia as Roy Gaines put WNEG TV 32 on the air. One of the most viewed programs was High School Football on TV 32. Two local men were tabbed to handle the telecasts. Coach Mack Poss and Charles Head would be the announcing team.

This Friday night these two veterans will team up again as they begin hosting the Indian Tailgate Show on 93.1FM and AM 630 WNEG.

Poss was brought in to the TV booth because of his extensive knowledge of football and specifically Stephens County football. He had served as a defensive coach and later the receivers coach for the Indians for over a decade.

Head had established himself as a broadcast veteran through his work on local radio for nearly 20 years.

Since that time Coach Poss has hosted various sports programs on television and radio. 

Friday Night Under the Lights was on TV 32 for many years. Then, for 24 years Crunch Time on WNEG radio. He also was the color commentator for University of Georgia Women’s Basketball for nearly a decade.

Head chose a different avenue in the sports world. He began announcing stock car races back in the early 70s and continued after his TV days to the top levels of NASCAR as a commentator and announcer. He currently hosts the Champ Racing Show on WCON as well as the Champ Racing Update on WNEG, WCON, and WLHR weekly.

Together, they forged a team that offered professional commentary for all the high schools in Northeast Georgia. Along the way they also began a personal friendship that has lasted three-plus decades. Both have made marks in their world and are eager to get to work together again.

Coach Poss says, “To get together with (Georgia Racing) Hall of Famer Charles Head again… absolutely amazing! Sports is such a huge part of this community. It has been a huge part of my life to have coached here. It is so rewarding to still be a small part of any sports event whether a spectator, fan, or assisting with a broadcast. When our local visionary, Roy Gaines, and his family and staff owned the local TV station, and came up with the idea of a “game of the week”, they brought Charles and I on as commentators. This evolved into a highlight show of area teams. It added so much depth and support to games and events being broadcast. It is special here in Stephens County. Our local news paper has a special section devoted to sports. We have live radio coverage, formerly television coverage, of game of the week. And, of course, highlight features. For a community this size this speaks volumes about the interest in supporting and investing in the lives of our young people as they participate and compete.

Other communities and counties are so envious of what we have…It is a one-ness- a coming together. ‘Unity in the community’. And it’s our local businesses that make all this possible through their advertising and sponsorship. Together all of us enjoying watching our young people and enjoying each other as fans. Whether it’s Friday nights under the lights, with the pageantry of football, or basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, or one of the many other sports, it is a source of great community pride. We are “The Indians” and we are still Stephens! Go Indians! So happy to be a part!”

Head comments, ““I am so privileged to get to work alongside Coach Poss again. Mack and I became fast friends during our TV32 days. We’ve laughed together, cried together, and rejoiced together in many situations since that time. I am just happy that Phil (Hobbs) and Ken (Brady) are giving us this opportunity. Actually, to get to work with Mack again is just a dream come true. We have enjoyed such a great friendship since back in the early 80s, it’s gonna be fun being teamed up with him again. We both have so many stories that we want to share with the fans about our days in football coverage and about former players. On TV, we didn’t get to show that we were Indian fans on our telecasts. We had to remain neutral, but now we can show our great loyalty to this amazing school. We will be able to highlight the athletes, the cheerleaders and the band members. We plan to give special attention to the Band of Brothers each week as we talk with those players who have paved the way for this outstanding athletic program.

We are both Indians through and through. I haven’t been this excited about a broadcast venture in a long Time.”

WNEG station manager Phil Hobbs offers, “WNEG is happy to bring Charles and Mack back together to kickoff our home football Friday night broadcasts, and with the game crew of Ken Brady, Buzz Tatham, and Tony Byrd, we feel like we have the most experienced and listener-friendly presentation in high school football.”

This Friday night this duo will, once again, be behind the mic as they begin hosting the Indian Tailgate Show. The 90-minute show will begin at 5:30.

No butterflies for these two. They are seasoned professionals who are ready to contribute to their community, their school, and the legacy that is Indian football.