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Alan Cole

@alan-cole.bsky.social
614 followers 203 following 5.9K posts

Former sports writer now freelancing after a layoff. AP and a few other places. Used to cover South Carolina athletics, among other things. Be kind to others. Take care of your people.

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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 8h
Reese had an unreal year, Howard and Gray are finally on the big stage after a steady rebuild, Bonner has a chance to get another ring, the franchise has never won a title, etc. But yeah, "Can they find a venue with more than 3,500 seats?" is just such an elephant in the room you can't ignore it.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 8h
It's of course the biggest story surrounding the series and everyone is correct to be going at it hard, but it is disappointing for everyone involved that the Atlanta Dream finally got back to the WNBA Finals with a transformational season and there's this cloud hanging over it.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Lane Kiffin getting eleventy billion dollars a day to punt on fourth-and-1 with a chance to ice the game and let first year coach Kentucky hang around.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
“The Irish kicker from near Belfast” Chris Fowler out here trying to restart The Troubles on ABC tonight?
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 11/10/2026
Clutch two minute drill from Alberto Mendoza to get the Jackets down to the 1, a Trelain Maddox plunge in and then some special teams luck as Georgia Tech gets a badly needed win. apnews.com/article/duke...
apnews.com
Trelain Maddox's late TD, Duke missed FG gives Yellow Jackets first ACC win of season.
Georgia Tech beat Duke 28-25 with a dramatic last-minute score and stop. Trelain Maddox gave the Yellow Jackets the lead on a one-yard touchdown run with 54 seconds remaining, and despite driving into...
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Tech takes the lead, only for Sheppard two bust two plays for over 50 yards to get the Blue Devils back in scoring position with half a minute to go. Whoa.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Good finish coming up on ESPN2. Georgia Tech down four, with the ball in the red zone and 1:15 to go.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Duke just took its first lead of the game on a Nate Sheppard TD rush with 2:40 to go. Yellow Jackets staring down the barrel of a 1-4 start and back-to-back double-digit blown leads
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Georgia Tech and Duke got through the first half unscathed by the weather, but there’s a solid rain and steady wind rolling through Bobby Dodd right now. Should be an interesting finish.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
This is exactly the type of day where an undefeated Duke team would step into some bad weather and lose to 1-3 Georgia Tech, as is the ACC Coastal tradition.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Some incredible things happening in Boone right now
App State 3, Old Dominion 2, 3:57 left in the third quarter.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Team sport, great opponents, etc. etc. but Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson getting swept out of the same postseason is breaking my brain. Might not be two players in all of sports you just associate with relentless winning more than them.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Dream would host games 3, 4 and 6 of the best-of-7 series, dates Oct. 22, 24 and 29. Still waiting on official word for a venue.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 10/10/2026
Found out the Dream were going to the WNBA Finals the way any normal person would, listening to the final minute in a high school press box after I made someone call me, put on speaker and drop their phone next to the TV.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 09/10/2026
Georgia Tech football just released a statement confirming tomorrow's game against Duke is still on for 3:30 despite potential Hurricane Isaias impacts. The same statement also tells fans "not set up any items that could be affected by high levels of winds" so make of that what you will.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Was at the Dream game last night and got a big ovation.
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Reposted by Alan Cole
Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Alright. Updated with comments from Breanna Stewart and the WNBA's pool report. Pretty confident this won't be the last of the story in the coming days. apnews.com/article/wnba...
apnews.com
Breanna Stewart says Liberty were told they did not have a reset timeout in overtime
The New York Liberty opted not to advance the ball for a better shot at a tying 3-pointer, then said after their loss Wednesday night that officials told them they didn’t have a reset timeout left.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Alright. Updated with comments from Breanna Stewart and the WNBA's pool report. Pretty confident this won't be the last of the story in the coming days. apnews.com/article/wnba...
apnews.com
Breanna Stewart says Liberty were told they did not have a reset timeout in overtime
The New York Liberty opted not to advance the ball for a better shot at a tying 3-pointer, then said after their loss Wednesday night that officials told them they didn’t have a reset timeout left.
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Reposted by Alan Cole
Alexa Philippou @alexaphilippou.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
This was the pool report I had with crew chief Fatou Cissoko-Stephens:
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Here's one story from tonight. Still waiting on the league's pool report for clarity about the timeout situation, more to come there. apnews.com/article/libe...
apnews.com
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Atlanta coach Karl Smesko also said he thought New York had a reset timeout and was surprised when it didn't advance the ball.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Breanna Stewart said the Liberty were told by the refs they did not have a reset timeout for the final possession of overtime, but they left the court with one. Would've allowed them to advance the ball to halfcourt down three with four seconds left.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Rhyne Howard's buzzer-beater was halfway down, it rims out and we're heading to overtime after Atlanta coughed up a six-point lead with 1:45 to go.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
It's 79-78 Atlanta with 5:54 to go. This has been a fantastic basketball game and it's worth flipping over to ESPN if you're not already there.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
The Dream lead 56-54 at halftime. Breanna Stewart is on pace for 50 points. Both teams are shooting the absolute lights out. Already 13 lead changes and six ties. There's also halftime performance by 2 Chainz, so that's fun.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
And a third on Angel Reese now with three minutes left in the first half.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Fouls are stacking up in a hurry here. Three each on Howard and Stewart.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Two fouls for Rhyne Howard in the first quarter of what is already an extremely thin Atlanta rotation (as shown by the fact she is still on the floor with said two fouls).
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 08/10/2026
Breanna Stewart just ripped off eight points on three possessions with three different Atlanta players guarding her for them (Bonner, Hilllman, Reese).
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Fun with numbers, Atlanta Dream edition: DeWanna Bonner: 101 career playoff games Every other active Atlanta player, combined: 89 career playoff games
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Atlanta Dream President and COO Morgan Shaw Parker said they are "finalizing" their location for potential home WNBA Finals games but did not have anything to confirm at this time. Said all their focus is just on today, game two.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The Dream will have to do it without their top scorer again tomorrow night: apnews.com/article/drea...
apnews.com
Dream leading scorer Allisha Gray ruled out for Game 2 of WNBA semifinals
The Atlanta Dream will have to play Game 2 of their WNBA semifinal series against the New York Liberty without leading scorer Allisha Gray.
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Reposted by Alan Cole
Alexa Philippou @alexaphilippou.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The Atlanta Dream will play home games at State Farm Arena beginning with the 2027 season, the team announced. It’s a multiyear deal that’ll move the team’s home from Gateway Center Arena to the much larger and more central venue downtown.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Slight update to this: I can confirm that Gas South Arena in Duluth, Ga., which hosted game 3 of the 2013 WNBA Finals while State Farm Arena was unavailable, has NOT been in talks with the Dream yet about potentially doing so this time around.
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Reposted by Alan Cole
Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
39-year-old DeWanna Bonner scored 23 off the bench in an emergency expanded role: apnews.com/article/drea... Expanded because Allisha Gray got hurt, but no update yet: apnews.com/article/libe... The Dream forced 21 turnovers and scored 32 points off them in a game 1 win: apnews.com/article/libe...
apnews.com
DeWanna Bonner scores 23 off bench, helps Dream oust Liberty in WNBA semifinals
The Atlanta Dream defeated the New York Liberty 92-82 in game one of the WNBA semifinals, and forward DeWanna Bonner stepped up with 23 points of the bench.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
39-year-old DeWanna Bonner scored 23 off the bench in an emergency expanded role: apnews.com/article/drea... Expanded because Allisha Gray got hurt, but no update yet: apnews.com/article/libe... The Dream forced 21 turnovers and scored 32 points off them in a game 1 win: apnews.com/article/libe...
apnews.com
DeWanna Bonner scores 23 off bench, helps Dream oust Liberty in WNBA semifinals
The Atlanta Dream defeated the New York Liberty 92-82 in game one of the WNBA semifinals, and forward DeWanna Bonner stepped up with 23 points of the bench.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
No update on Allisha Gray at this time from Atlanta's post-game.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Dream have forced five turnovers in the first four minutes of the second half and gone on a 13-3 run. Just a nightmare in the halfcourt.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Allisha Gray is out for the remainder of the game with a left hand injury.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
And back to the locker room holding that same finger after diving for a loose ball.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Dream only -4 in six minutes with Gray in the locker room.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
This is a very interesting Te-Hina Paopao spot in the sense that the floor is wide open and the game is ripe for a live grenade 3-point shooter to get hot, and also she is going to be New York's hunt target on every offensive possession in this lineup.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Allisha Gray going to the locker room holding her left hand was the last thing the Dream needed this early in the series. Think she got hit going through a screen.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
For what it's worth Dream coach Karl Smesko said he wasn't sure about the possibility of where WNBA Finals games in Atlanta would be held. State Farm Arena is booked on those dates. On if there's been conversations about a different venue: "My guess is yes, but nobody has talked to me about it."
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
*extremely southern dad voice* big game today Dream-Liberty game 1, coverage coming at AP News dot com.
State Farm Arena before game 1 of the Liberty-Dream series.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
*takes drag on cigarette* seen this a few times
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
*Stares at South Carolina blowing 16-0 lead in its most recent home game* Not so fast, my friend.
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Auburn-Tennessee is a very interesting match-up where one team is clearly better, but the inferior team's best unit is its D-line and the superior team's worst unit is its O-line. Might be enough to throw the game in doubt on its own!
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
The legend herself. bsky.app/profile/alan...
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Alan Cole @alan-cole.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Absolutely correct read on what is currently happening in Starkville.
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