Bobby Cox Still Boss of Braves, but Should That Remain the Case?

Chris Boyce — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:52:23 -0500

The glorious days of the '90s playoff era for the Braves have long ended and so should Bobby Cox's tenure with the Atlanta Braves.

Make no mistake about it, Bobby Cox did an amazing job during that incredible run of playoff berths for the Braves.

The way he adapted to his constant roster changes and still managed to coach his team into the playoffs is something that baseball fans nationwide can appreciate. But, just like the altering of the other Atlanta teams, the Braves should consider the same.

Before you guys comment on how much of an idiot I am, let's face the facts. The Braves have not made the playoffs in three years, and in the four years before, they were kicked out of the first round.

There is also strong speculation that Bobby wants emerging superstar Yunel Escobar out of Atlanta. Word is he has grown tired of the Cuban native's on-field antics.

As I am a huge Escobar fan, I was in no support at all of the proposed Peavy deal, along with the majority of Atlanta.

The young shortstop has averaged a .303 average in his two seasons in Atlanta and has one of the best arms in the game. However, chances are that he won't be here when the offseason ends.

Braves fans, I am by no means taking away what Bobby has done as the manager of the Braves. But we live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world, and that is a world in which Bobby has simply not succeeded.

Like I said in a previous article, the city of Atlanta is starving for a championship, and right now the Atlanta teams are fighting amongst each other in a race to see who can first satisfy the city, with the great play of the Falcons and the good play of the Hawks.

Just give Bobby this one season so you can see for yourself. With $40 million to spend this offseason, Frank Wren has assured Atlanta fans that they will be much more competitive.

Only time will tell with the moves that are made.

Let's face it, the Atlanta Braves love to settle. As much praise as they receive for making 15 straight postseason visits, they only have one championship. Open your eyes, Braves fans.

If the Braves fail to make the postseason for a fourth straight season, and Bobby still retains his job, it will truly prove that Bobby Cox runs the organization with an iron fist.

Atlanta Falcons: Dirty Birds Taking Flight, Ryan Leads

Chris Boyce — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 00:30:12 -0500

4 wins, 12 losses.

That was the disgusting taste of the 2007 season left in the mouth of Falcon fans.

"Star Atlanta Quarterback Jailed" and "Petrino bails for Pig-Sooey" were the national headlines surrounding a team drowning in turmoil. "We've just got to turn this thing around and rebuild." After hearing this statement from owner Arthur Blank, Falcon fans looked towards 2010 before they could invade the Georgia Dome for any type of playoff run. But the rebuilding process all began with the 2008 offseason.

With any type of hope for the 2010 target as the playoff year, Blank had to connect with all of his gambles and connect is exactly what Blank did.

First came Thomas Dimitroff, who had previously served as the Patriots' Director of College Scouting, to become the new GM. His first assignment was to find a head coach who could best help turn this team the quickest, but more importantly someone who wouldn't sneak out the fence when he faced adversity, as did the current Arkansas coach.

The man he found was Jags' defensive coordinator Mike Smith, and the Falcons had the vacant Board of Advisers spots filled. But now came the more difficult task: finding personnel.

With a glaring hole at the quarterback position, this seemed to be the most obvious place to start. As draft day closed in, it looked to be a lock that the Falcons would select LSU star defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey. The Falcons appeared that they would have an emerging defensive line with Dorsey and Abraham and the hope that Jamaal Anderson would recover from his sackless rookie season.

"With the third pick, the Falcons select Matt Ryan, quarterback, Boston College" is what resounded out of the commissioner's mouth and with that, the potentially star studded defensive line hopes exploded. "He lacks the arm strength!", "How's he gonna be ready for the bigs when he played at BC?" These are just some of the criticisms that followed Matt Ryan as he entered Falcons training camp.

All of this changed in his first pass against Detroit when he threw a beam to Michael Jenkins for the first Falcon touchdown of the season. The amazing rookie QB play from Ryan ("Matty Ice" in Atlanta) and the emergence of career LaDainian Tomlinson backup Michael Turner has Atlanta fans thinking "Maybe, just maybe 2010 could turn into 2008."

In a city starving for a championship this group of Dirty Birds have given Atlanta some team that they can trust in.

The glimpse of hope of the third overall pick has now turned into a ray of sunshine and the almost hands-down Rookie of the Year winner. The risk of signing backup Michael Turner has turned into the NFL's third leading rusher. The only bright spot of the 2007 season, Roddy White, has proven last year was no fluke and has opponents fearing the three headed monster of White, Turner, and Ryan.

Atlanta fans seem to have made the transition from reading the morning headlines of "Vick rushes for 124 in Falcons loss" to "Ryan Rises Again". With a record standing at 7-4, the Falcons look to be true playoff contenders.

Don't get your hopes up quite yet Atlanta, as we do live in the same city that houses the Braves, and we all know how they perform under the bright lights—getting tossed from the first round of the playoffs four straight years and not making the playoffs since—but that's a whole other article in its own right.

Hopefully some of that Turner Field depression won't rub off on the Georgia Dome magic.

Maybe, just maybe, Atlanta can enjoy some of that playoff magic the Hawks enjoyed against the eventual champion Celtics, this time taking it to the Gridiron.

Bleacher Report - Articles by Chris Boyce

Bobby Cox Still Boss of Braves, but Should That Remain the Case?

Atlanta Falcons: Dirty Birds Taking Flight, Ryan Leads