Bleacher Report - Athens

Georgia Bulldog Pride is Back!

Bill B — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:59:37 -0500

The 2009 game against Georgia Tech marked the beginning of a new era for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Not because we beat Tech in Bobby Dodd stadium.

Not because we beat Georgia Tech.

Not because we will be the best football team in Georgia for the next twelve months.

And not because we put an end to Tech’s one game win streak when we have been listening for the past twelve months how 2008 was the beginning of years of Georgia Tech dominance over the Bulldawgs.

On Nov. 28, Georgia Tech learned that a focused, talented team CAN beat its "unbeatable" triple option.

Josh Nesbitt had his worst game all year. And it wasn't because he didn't want the win. It wasn’t because he was looking past UGA and at the ACC championship.

Jonathan Dwyer was virtually a non-factor. It was not because he played poorly or because he didn't REALLY want this game.

This game meant every bit as much to the Yellow Jackets as winning the ACC championship.

The reason Nesbitt, Dwyer, and the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets had their worst game was that we saw the UGA run defense play to their potential. Which is something we have seen very little of all year.

UGA played to their potential and shut down the legendary TO. Even our secondary stepped up and played enough pass defense to keep the Georgia Tech air game a non-factor.

From the opening series, we saw the return of the offensive style that defines Georgia football.

We saw an offensive line that dominated the opposing defensive line. We saw fullbacks open holes and tailbacks that ran, at will, for over three hundred yards. We saw clock control and we saw dominance in every aspect of the game.

We saw an offense that just plain wore down the opposing defense. We saw attitude and confidence.

That's Georgia football!

But the Techies will blame their loss on Nesbitt being out for one series. They will no doubt blame bad officiating, UGA cheating, or Tech players having the Swine flu. We may even see them blaming the loss on George Bush.

They will also ignore the fact that UGA was without its biggest play maker (AJ Green) the entire game.

There is no doubt that UGA wanted this game badly. But more than that, they wanted to prove to the college football world that this team and these players are better than what everyone has been seeing all year.

The truth is, Tech did not have an "off game" last night.

The truth is, UGA finally played the game we in the Bulldog nation have known all along that they were capable of.

But this game means so much more to the UGA program than a Georgia Tech win.

There has been a change in the attitude of the Dawgs since the Tennessee loss.

The Dawgs have been slowly pulling it all back together since the losses to Florida and Tennessee. They looked really good against Auburn. But then they choked in the Kentucky game.

So what’s been changing?

There has been a noticeable change in the intensity of Coach Richt that has not been there for a couple of years. This change was not the result of a concern in job security. He knows his job will be safe for years, even if Tech had been able to win two, three, or four in a row.

This was the intensity of a proud and talented coach who knew that HE had been letting his team down and knew that it was up to HIM to turn his team around.

We don’t know what changes have been happening behind the scenes, in the locker rooms, on the practice fields and in the coach’s meetings over the last several weeks.

But I am completely convinced that what we saw last night was the culmination of just one month of Coach Richt re-taking control of this team and making the changes needed for his team to start winning again.

I believe that what we saw was Coach Richt climbing down into the trenches and taking control of the Offense, the Defense, the play calling and the attitude of this team.

I believe that this is the Coach Richt we will be seeing for many seasons to come from here on. He saw that he lost control of his team this season. He will not let that happen again.

The result was seen on Saturday.

Talented players on both sides of the ball, made plays, played their assignments, and played with heart filled intensity.

That is what this team has needed all year. It’s had the talent. It needed coaching, discipline and attitude.

With the re-emergence of the old Mark Richt, and the phenomenal young talent this team has now and will have for years to come, I predict that Georgia will see many 10 and 11 win seasons and SEC championship games and wins.

UGA will see its next National Championship within the next 3-4 years.

Before last night, I was a proud Bulldog fan, but it was a mid-1990's kind of pride.

Today, I have Bulldog pride. But now it's that "Herschel Walker/Glory Days" kind of Bulldog pride.

Right now I see a bright future for this proud team.

And It feels DAMN good to be a Bulldog.

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Michael Turner Injury Leaves Atlanta Falcons Backfield with Many Questions

PJ Ross — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:33:46 -0500

Michael Turner left Sunday's game against Tampa Bay after re-aggravating a right ankle injury.

Turner initially suffered a high-ankle sprain two weeks ago, and was re-injured today after awkwardly twisting backwards on the previously damaged ankle.

Considering that a high-ankle sprain requires at least four-to-six weeks to heal, what were the Atlanta Falcons thinking?

Additionally, the injury can sometimes be so severe that it requires a cast or splint to support the damaged joint.

An athlete who sustains this injury will normally be on crutches for around two weeks, yet the Falcons' training staff seemed to have no qualms about rushing their superstar back against the Buccaneers.

Turner signed a six-year, $34 million contract before the 2008 season, and as the featured back he had no business trying to play through this injury.

By no means should he have been on the field during Week 12 action, especially considering the Falcons were facing the the one-win Bucs.

Not to mention that putting him back on the field allowed him to further damage the joint and perhaps could keep him out for the remainder of the season.

My hat goes off to Turner for attempting to show him teammates and coach that he is tough enough to play through the injury, but he displayed a visible hitch in his gait during Sunday's game even before hurting the ankle again.

Turner carried 12 times for only 33 yards before leaving the game.

If the Falcons had played this on the safe side, they could have had Turner back at full strength by Week 16, but now his timetable for return could extend past the end of the regular season.

Despite coming from behind and picking up a 20-17 victory, the Falcons face two pivotal games in the upcoming weeks with Philadelphia and NFC South leading New Orleans coming to town back-to-back.

Atlanta is now left with Jason Snelling and Jerious Norwood to shoulder the load.

Many fantasy owners picked up Snelling before his breakout game last week, when he rushed for 76 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, and it would be a good idea to retain him for the near future considering Turner's unsure status going forward.

Snelling rushed only four times for eight yards today, but he will surely see an increased workload next week against the Eagles.

As for Norwood, he also returned from an injury today, and he carried the ball six times against Tampa Bay for 22 yards, with 18 of those coming via one long run.

For those owners looking to fill an RB2 slot or utility role, Snelling or Norwood might provide a boost for your squad over the next few weeks.

But with the lingering question of which back will get the bulk of the carries, be sure to keep up-to-date during the week on whether Snelling or Norwood is being favored at practice.

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After Big Win Richt Must Answer The Bowden Question: Is He Tough Enough?

Chip Curington — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 15:38:14 -0500

After the most complete and satisfying win of a much-maligned season, Mark Richt faces some serious questions. The biggest question may be one that was posed more than nine years ago.

When Richt interviewed for the head spot at the University of Georgia, he got a glowing recommendation from his boss and mentor Bobby Bowden. The legendary Florida State coach told Vince Dooley and UGA president Michael Adams that Richt possessed a great offensive mind and that had he “left him alone” the Seminoles might have won a couple more national championships in Tallahassee.

When Dooley and Adams asked Bowden what Richt’s downside might be, his boss answered with a question: Is he is tough enough? Bowden knew the expectations at Georgia and knew that if Richt struggled, the heat would be scorching and wondered deep down if Richt had what it takes to make the tough choices a head coach must make.

Richt’s career at Georgia started with a couple of speed bumps; questionable time management issues in two games may have cost him a shot at victories in an 8-4 inaugural season.

But two SEC championships, three SEC Eastern Division titles and six 10-win seasons have bought a lot of political capital for Richt and very little heated criticisms.

The 2008 season started with lofty, possibly unreasonable expectations and a preseason No. 1 ranking. The Bulldogs returned Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, two future first round draft picks on offense and returning starters on a defense that, based on a strong finish, most thought would improve from the previous year.

All the parts were in place for Richt to make a run at the National Championship.

That all went down the drain when Alabama marched into Athens and put 31 points up in a dreadful first half. Down 31-0 and donning black jerseys, Georgia fought back in the second half but lost the game 41-30. A 49-10 beatdown by Florida and a second half meltdown against instate rival Georgia Tech left Georgia with a 10-3 record and no national championship and no SEC championship.

The undercurrent of grumblings began. It wasn’t so much the three losses as it was how the team lost those games. In the Alabama game, the defense looked clueless in giving up 31 points in one half.

Florida outscored the Bulldogs 35-7 in the second half and Tech scored 26 unanswered points in the third quarter alone.

The Georgia fans seemed to notice a trend on the defensive side of the ball. Willie Martinez, defensive coordinator since Brian Van Gorder’s departure in 2004, was the target of criticism. Many fans thought Martinez was not up for the job and should have been replaced after the 2008 season.

Enter the 2009 Georgia Bulldogs, an enigma of epic proportions. Turnovers, penalties, terrible special teams play and poor fundamentals haunted this team.

The disappointing season culminated late in the season with another second half meltdown against Kentucky. After squandering a 20-6 halftime lead late in the fourth quarter, the Dawgs fumbled on the two-yard line going in for a tying touchdown.

The fans had endured enough. They fled the stadium and abandoned the team.

The Tech game, to most Georgia fans, was going to be an absolute blowout and a fitting end to a season and a team that had most questioning Mark Richt’s ability to win in the SEC.

Richt and the Dawgs had other ideas. They came out and punched Tech in the mouth and did not stop until they had racked up 339 yards in smash mouth, ole fashion football rushing yards.

The same Georgia team that had fans scratching their heads, beat Tech at their own game: a tough running game.

Now the season is over with a 7-5 record and a big win over a highly ranked rival. What’s next?

Looking at the season as a whole, there are obvious issues. The Bowden question rings in every Bulldog’s ear.

Is Mark Richt tough enough to make the changes to his staff that the fans are clamoring for and must be done? Or if he believes that this staff is the one that can get the job done, can he endure the rage that the bloodthirsty fans will throw his way for not sacrificing coaches. He could use this big win over Tech to defend his coaches.

These are some of the choices facing Richt. Tough choices only reserved for head coaches in college football.

Is he tough enough? This is the burning question. Is he tough enough to do what is right for the program even if it means sacrificing personal friend? Is he tough enough to bust up a staff that has been mostly intact for a cozy nine-year run?

But do not think that it is easy. Do not question the struggle deep down inside. Martinez is a lifelong friend and he and his family is in Athens because Richt personally brought them there. Now he has to make the decision to send them away. For fans it’s easy to pull the trigger because we don’t hold the gun.

We don’t see the lives and relationships it affects. We are not staring into the eyes of a close friend and saying you no longer have a place here. It is not easy.

In the end, from what I saw in Richt during the Tech game, I have no doubt the answer to the question Bobby Bowden posed. Yes, he is tough enough. And in that answer, I feel for him and what he has to do. Tough decisions, no doubt…tough.

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Georgia Strikes Back: Ealey and King Lead Bulldogs Over Tech

Josh Rutledge — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 13:53:17 -0500

That was big.

Left for dead by critics and fans, the Georgia Bulldogs showed up Saturday night and notched one of the biggest wins of the decade for the program, knocking off No. 7 Georgia Tech 30-24.

Yes, the Bulldogs still walked away with a 7-5 record, but this game wasn't about records. This was about a Georgia program that had been bleeding ever since Alabama sliced up the Bulldogs over a year ago.

Since that game, Georgia had been manhandled by it's rivals. Since that game, the Bulldogs had posted huge losses to Florida, Georgia Tech, Tennessee, LSU and others.

Not once had Georgia stepped up in a big game and defeated a superior or equal opponent. Every win since that point had been to inferior opponents.

That finally changed on Saturday.

Georgia Tech was at home, coming off two weeks of rest. Georgia was a week removed from one of the most embarrassing performances in the program history.

The script was already written for this game. Georgia's much maligned defense would be physically abused by the No. 2 rushing game in the country.

This was Georgia Tech's season. This was Paul Johnson's year. Georgia Tech was on the rise. Georgia was on the decline.

Instead, Georgia turned the tables on it's biggest rival, pounding Georgia Tech. It would have been different if Georgia had simply out-gimmicked Tech.

Far from it. Georgia simply bullied Tech. From the very first play, Georgia threw their playbook out onto the field. It was a simple strategy. Run right at the Tech defense. And then do it again. And again. And again.

All night long, Georgia physically dominated their in-state rivals, playing the kind of game Tech was supposed to play.

The game was about pride for Georgia. Before the game, Paul Johnson had tried to calm the storm, claiming the Tech program was something bigger than just a year-long rivalry against Georgia.

That's a clever way of saying Tech has surpassed Georgia and is on to bigger and better things. Georgia brought them back to reality.

Now, it's on. Georgia Tech called out Georgia last year, and then expected the Bulldogs to play dead this year. Georgia responded in a big way.

A true Georgia knows how big of a game that was Saturday night. That was about pride, a type of pride Georgia hasn't shown in year.

Pushed to the brink, Georgia was about to be officially dropped to the floor. A lot was on the line, more than people might realize. And Georgia responded.

Who knows what will happen next year. A lot of big questions are still on the table.

But last night proved one thing. Blooded and bruised, Georgia wants another round.

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By the Numbers: Georgia Runs All Over Georgia Tech

GeorgiaDawg — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:56:49 -0500

In case you missed it last night, Georgia Tech's dominance over the Georgia Bulldog came to a sudden end at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

For one solid year, many in the Bulldog nation have endured a flood of verbal abuse from Jacket fans. After last year's victory the Jackets pranced around Sanford Stadium as if they had won 10 straight over the Dawgs.

Tech players acted as if they had never been there before (I guess there is a reason for that), tearing up the hedges at Sanford Stadium. Showing the same lack of respect they have accused Georgia players and fans of for years.

Last night all of that came to an end. Last night order was restored to the football universe in the state of Georgia. Last night the annoying buzz of a Yellow Jacket was swatted into the turf.

Georgia came into this game with a chip on their shoulder. That was obvious from their first offensive drive. Washaun Ealey and Caleb King ran all over Tech. Tech's defensive front was pushed around like they were a middle school team.

They simply had no answer for Georgia's suddenly dominant run game.

The Dawgs put up Tech like numbers on the ground, finishing with a Mark Richt era high of 339 yards rushing. Ealey and King tag teamed the Jackets for long runs, highlighted by King's 76 yard burst. King left Tech's players in his wake, never looking back as he split the middle of the field.

Tech's vaunted offense had it's moments, but Georgia's strength at defensive tackle shutdown Dwyer up the middle and contained Nesbitt enough to slow Tech down.

For Tech fans this will be a bitter loss. My guess is that they will be a classless in defeat as they were in victory last year.

They will point to their 10-win season, and their ACC Championship game berth. They will point to Georgia's five losses and their second-tier-bowl berth. They will try to find satisfaction.

They will fail.

Georgia can simply smile through the bitter reaction that is sure to come over the next 365 days. This one will be sweet.

But unlike Tech's win last year, it is not sweet because it is so rare. No, this one is sweet because it shuts the buzz up for 12 wonderful months.

Georgia owns Tech, there is no doubt about that. The Dawgs have now won 15 of the last 19 games played in this series.

Although the two teams don't agree on the number of games played, one thing is undeniable, Mark Richt has put Tech in it's place for almost a full decade.

Richt is now 8-1 against Tech. The great Paul Johnson is now 1-1 against the Dawgs.

So Georgia now awaits a bowl invitation. Hopefully the Music City bowl will call and the Dawgs will head to Nashville. Any bowl will be nice considering what this season has become.

Tech now heads to play another ACC team that couldn't handle a "mediocre" SEC team in their conference championship game. Tech and Clemson will meet to see which BCS bowl will have to endure an over rated ACC team as one of it's teams.

So to all my Tech friends out there, I say enjoy your championship game. Enjoy your BCS bowl game (if you get it).

Just remember one thing...on Nov. 28 in Atlanta, you couldn't beat the Dawgs...again. Ding dong, the streak is dead...the Tech win streak is dead at one!!

Go Dawgs!!!

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Do Da Dirty Bird: Previewing Week 12, Falcons v. Bucs

John McCurdy — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:45:55 -0500

There are a few reasons that my team should win this game.

We're coming home—thank goodness—to the Dome, where we're unbeaten this year.
We played a decent game last week, showing a good amount of moxie, despite the end result.
And, of course, we're facing friggin' Tampa Bay.

Shortly before starting this article, I came to the realization that it might be easiest to just analyze the one game the Bucs have won—Week Nine, at home against Green Bay—and then show how the Falcons could not possibly come up short in the ways the Pack did.

But that'd be too easy, and the few DDDB readers out there know my personality by this time: total perfectionist. So I'll break it down as I normally do, but let me remind you all to keep the comparison with the TB-GB game in mind this afternoon.

Because, in all honesty, that is the only game in which the Bucs did enough things right to matter at all.

Tampa Bay Rush Offense v. Atlanta Rush Defense

There can be just one reason a guy like Cadillac Williams has yet to top 100 yards in a single game this season, and that's a piss-poor line. I have watched him since the very beginning of his Auburn days, and this is a feature NFL back, I guarantee you.

Besides that, the acquisition of Derrick Ward should mean more here. But no, these two studs combined have not clocked 700 yards on the campaign, making me even more certain where to point the finger.

Looking at these guys Tampa puts in the trenches, it's neither inexperience nor old age that is holding them back. It's clearly either playcalling or straight-up ability, as all have played between three and seven years in the league.

This just isn't a bunch that can create holes or pull a back through, and they struggle with stopping penetration on runs, too. Not that we have guys who make too many tackles behind the line these days (looking at you, Jamaal Anderson), but after we held the Giants to 88 on the ground last week at their place, I ask anyone to tell me that the Falcons can't make a tackle within five yards of the handoff against this bunch.

The Bucs are, in general, an awful offense, ranked 29th overall in the league. More on the air game in a sec, but keep in mind that this is actually the better half of their production, and it's still barely getting to the century mark per game (100.9 yards average).

A Sunday ago, we Atlantans enjoyed a return to form for both Curtis Lofton and Mike Peterson, our real defensive keys (sorry, John Abraham). It was encouraging, especially on the road. They could only get in trouble today if they are looking ahead too much at the Eagles matchup in a week.

Atlanta Rush Offense v. Tampa Bay Rush Defense

A completely healthy Falcons team (I know, such a thing is hard to imagine) would be licking their chops at the prospect of facing this last-ranked rush defense. As is, I'd say we're still probably looking forward to ramming it down the Bucs' throats, considering how Jason Snelling looked last week against a stalwart N.Y. front.

The latest on Michael Turner is that he's expected to play, but that doesn't mean a whole lot to me, personally. I have to expect that a guy still rated "questionable" is at best at 75 percent, so I'd rather keep our third-stringer out there than risk the main man.

Of course, Jerious Norwood is also apparently feeling much better, and I'm not going to pretend that having three bodies is worse than the one we did last week. Throw in that that one had never before started a game, and the ground should serve us well.

Few things would please me more than for us to just eat up clock, giving our defense a veritable bye week.

We won't be facing much pressure; the Bucs rely far too much on Barrett Ruud (86 tackles to second-place-on-the-team Sabby Piscitelli's 59). The fact that the man's only at "probable" certainly doesn't help the case, either.

Tampa has forced just four fumbles and given up 12 rushing TD, 14 runs of 20 or more yards, and 84 first downs on the ground. Their 168.9 yards allowed per game means they're granting almost 100 yards more than league-leader Pittsburgh, and the 4.9-per-attempt is tied for the worst in the L.

Stoppage is just an ugly topic down by the Bay.

Tampa Bay Pass Offense v. Atlanta Pass Defense

One can at least say this for the Bucs' air game: Things are more interesting since the rookie took over.

Meanwhile, one can at least say this for the Falcons' air defense: Things are always interesting.

Whether or not you think Josh Freeman is "ever going to succeed at the next level," he's starting there right now. He's been no rookie sensation like a certain someone I know and love, but consider that he'll take over the Tampa lead for passing yards this week after getting serious burn in just four games, and I'm not ready to pass a verdict yet.

His ratio (five TD to five INT) is far from great, but he's shown better mobility than the guy on the roster who's got a better one (Byron Leftwich with four-to-three). It's that mobility that's the key to why he's been getting the nod, after all, and it's what's led him to fourth in rushing yards on the club and a 6.9-per average when he scrambles.

I've quit pretending that Atlanta can produce a consistent pass rush, as Abe is at least playing like he's past his prime (if he isn't) and Kroy Biermann can't be put in on every down for the liability he presents in the ground game. But I tell you what, I'll take my chances with Freeman's 51-percent completion rate.

Dude has questionable accuracy even when not pressured.

It won't help that both Antonio Bryant and Kellen Winslow are a little shook up. Then again, against a secondary that let Eli Manning throw for over 380 yards last week (and more telling, let four different guys rack up more than 60 yards receiving, including Mario Manningham's 126), you don't really need health.

Just a pulse might be enough against the inconsistent Brent Grimes. I beg you, pray tell: How do you look so good one second only to suck the next?

Overall, you know I'm giving us the edge, though. Not even we can make a 61.1 passer rating across the Buccaneer QB corps look elite.

Atlanta Pass Offense v. Tampa Bay Pass Defense

At least you didn't throw a pick last week, Matty Ice. I might really have cried had you managed that. Please let this be a sign of good things to come.

Though, of course, as I say that, it's time to dig back up something I mentioned at the outset - the Tampa-Green Bay game. It was in that contest that the strength of the Bay secondary came out, and Aaron Rodgers threw three picks. Returns of 35 or more yards (including one for six) did the Packers in.

And so, all the more important to keep the ball on the ground. Aqib Talib and Tanard Jackson will be all too happy to wrestle us from the warm embrace of victory.

Still, don't be fooled by the unit's 13th-overall rating, or at least not entirely. See a group that's given up the third-most passing TD in the league and allows the fourth-most yards per pass attempt for what they really are: prone to the big play.

The occasional big play is all we'll need as long as the ground game does what it should be able to do. Now you see why I was stressing the run attack.

I was hoping for more Tony Gonzalez last week, and I got it; maybe they'll listen again as I request that he gets a break here. We'll need Roddy White down the sideline for the now-and-again bomb to keep the Buc defense honest, but Gonzo should take a breather while the mid-range game is handled by the tailbacks.

Good for us that four of our last six are at home, where Ryan seems not just comfortable, but All-Pro. How he got so harried against the Panthers a fortnight ago I'm trying not to think about; instead, I'm picturing a confidence-boosting crushing of Tampa's defensive backfield.

Prediction : Falcons 34, Buccaneers 13

The Giants game was a heartbreaker for us. I won't get into how we could have won had Jason Elam been a bit more accurate, though I will thank administration for exploring Brandon Coutu as an option.

We shouldn't be worried, especially now that we're back in friendly confines, but it's important to keep in mind that our destiny is "in our hands." Winning out is a long shot, but getting five of the remaining six would certainly help.

Tripping over Tampa, either today or in a few weeks, would spell certain doom. We must use this as a week to get our minds right and learn as much as possible about the Bucs so that we can earn a rare road win in late December.

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Who Should be UGA's Next Offensive Coordinator?

Peter Flournoy — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:39:30 -0500

As Joe Cox took the final kneel down against Georgia Tech, a feeling of relief spread across the Bulldog Nation. The Bulldogs had stunned the Yellow Jackets 30-24 and for at least the rest of the night “It was great to be a Georgia Bulldog”. Not only had they shattered instate rival Georgia Techs dream season, but they will also have several weeks before they have to worry about which Georgia team will show up in their bowl game. Despite their jubilee, Bulldog fans realize that this season was a disappointment and changes must take place to make sure that this season is the exception and not the rule. During the last four games of the season, despite the loss to the University of Kentucky, Bulldog fans witnessed a youth movement, which if properly developed, could translate to a national championship. However, Dawg fans, maybe more than any other program in the nation, realize that talent does not automatically equal success. For example, last season the Dawgs produced the first quarterback taken, Matthew Stafford, as well as the first overall running back selected, Knowshon Moreno, in the NFL draft. Yet Bulldog fans have little to show for their production as a team during their span at UGA. Yes, they did finish #2 in the nation in 2007. However, neither Stafford nor Moreno ever won an SEC championship and the Bulldog Nation has still not felt the jubilee of a national championship since 1980. It is the opinion of most observers, that UGA will need more experienced coordinators to make a legit run at a national championship. Both Mike Bobo and Willie Martinez had never been coordinators before being hired at those positions at UGA, and while talent got them bye against teams like Vanderbilt, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Arkansas, they have been unable to consistently beat teams like Florida and Tennessee under the tutelage of Bobo and Martinez. I have put together a realistic look at who their top 5 candidates should be for a new offensive coordinator. You will not see names like Jon Gruden, Charlie Weis, or any other unrealistic choice. These 5 candidates are realistic options for the 2010 season.

Begin Slideshow

Falcons' Ryan: Twinkle, Twinkle Falling Star

Mike Franklin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:59:34 -0500

If you read the comments around the Atlanta Falcons’ official website message board, and a few of those to the various bits of birdseed around the web, you will quickly note how far Matt Ryan’s star value has fallen since the beginning of the 2009 campaign.

The young signal caller came into the season riding a tsunami of confidence within both the Falcons’ organization as well as their long suffering fan base. In fact, as recently as the game against the Patriots, Ryan was being compared to the likes of Tom Brady on the field and Joe Montana, who now plays the hallowed halls of Canton.

But the times, they have been a-changing and so too all that friendly patronage. The network desk jockeys and stadium booth apes are now more apt to note the guy behind center for his ability to toss air balls and interceptions.

Hey, that’s just life, right?

Football, like most all sports, has a fickle following. Win and you could end up on a box of Wheaties and grace the breakfast tables of America. Lose and, well, you’ll earn the scorn of every adolescent booger-flinger, his Dad and their pet Airedale.

History, though, is ready to offer us a little relief via a lesson in the person of former Falcons QB, Steve Bartkowski.

Selected #1 in the first round of the 1975 NFL Draft, he went on to earn Rookie of the Year honors as well. (Sound familiar?) But the next two seasons that followed saw injuries as well as a combined 22 interceptions against an anorexic 7 total TD tosses.

Of course, we all know that Bart overcame his problems. He went on to a great career and is today on the Falcons Board of Directors.

So, the lesson is clear even if the future is not. What is required now is a dash of patience and then, a little good luck wouldn’t hurt a thing either.

Matt Ryan is undoubtedly a very talented player and if the Falcons manage to keep him healthy, he could, conceivably, end up in Canton as well someday.

Oh, and along the way, who knows? We, as fans, might also find a reason to cheer for him again, too.

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How Can Fred McGriff Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame?

Harold Friend — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:05:41 -0500

When compared to Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, George Sisler, Hank Greenberg, and Bill Terry, Fred McGriff is not a Hall of Famer. But when compared to Tony Perez, Orlando Cepeda, Eddie Murray, and Harmon Killebrew, Fred McGriff is a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Fred McGriff Compared to the Greatest First Basemen

Fred McGriff's offensive production pales in comparison to the first group's offensive production, but it holds its own against that of the second group.

Batting Average

With respect to the batting average for the first group (McGriff .284, Bill Terry .341, Lou Gehrig and George Sisler .340, Jimmy Foxx .325, and Hank Greenberg .315), Fred McGriff is overwhelmed.

When compared to Tony Perez (.279), Orlando Cepeda (.297), Eddie Murray (.287), and Harmon Killebrew (.256), McGriff holds his own.

But statisticians have discovered that batting average is a highly overrated yardstick of achievement. On base average is a more reliable measurement.

On Base Average

Fred McGriff's on base average was .377, compared to Gehrig's incredible .477, Foxx's .428, Sisler's .379, Greenberg's .412, and Terry's .393. McGriff comes close only to Sisler and Terry, neither of whom walked much.

Compared to the second group, (Perez .341, Cepeda .350, Murray .359, and Killebrew .376), Fred McGriff tops them all.

Typical Season

Fred McGriff averaged 32 home runs, 102 RBIs, and a .509 slugging average over a 162 game season. This compares favorably with Tony Perez (22, 96, .463), Orlando Cepeda (29, 104, .499), Eddie Murray (27, 103, .476), and Harmon Killebrew (38, 105, .509).

More Than Numbers

There is more to player evaluation than just numbers.

McGriff was a positive presence in the clubhouse, who got along well with other players and the media. He was constantly attempting to improve his game and took the game seriously.

He was the MVP in the 1994 All-Star game, and led the American League in home runs in 1989 while with Toronto, and led the senior circuit in home runs in 1992 while with the Padres.

The New York Yankees drafted Fred McGriff out of high school and while he was in the minors, they traded him to Toronto for relief pitcher Dale Murray. It was a trade that ranks right up there with Jim Brosnan for Lou Brock.

An Atlanta Brave World Champion

Although he played first for Toronto and then San Diego, Fred McGriff will be remembered as an Atlanta Brave. He helped them win four division titles and their only World Championship in Atlanta.

Fred McGriff doesn't rank among the elite Hall of Fame first basemen, but neither do Tony Perez, Orlando Cepeda, Eddie Murray, or Harmon Killebrew. The last four are in the Hall of Fame.

Based upon the above, the question is not "Does Fred McGriff belong in the Hall of Fame?"

The question is, "How can Fred McGriff not be elected to the Hall of Fame?"

Reference:

Fred McGriff at Baseball Library

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What Would it Take to Get Carl Crawford to Brandish a Tomahawk?

Cameron Britt — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 00:20:00 -0500

For those of you who have actually looked over my profile, you know that Carl Crawford listed first on my Short List under "Favorite Athletes."

To expand on that positioning, Carl Crawford is my favorite baseball player/athlete/celebrity/everything.

Speed, defense, average, a little pop, and hustle.

What's not to love?

So, when I saw this article on the St. Pete Times site, you can believe that a smile ran across my face.

Now, that piece says that the Braves and Mets have only expressed interest in the 2009 All-Star Game MVP.

That doesn't mean that anything is imminent, nor does it mean that any names have been exchanged in trade negotiations.

I know that.

But, it is interesting to think about what it would take to acquire the left-handed outfielder.

Let's start by talking about why this implications this would have for Atlanta.

Pros: Speed, Hitting, Fielding, 'Swag'

Carl Crawford brings all of those things to that table.

The dude has epic speed (362 stolen bases in six-and-a-half years), which is something that the Braves have been lacking since Rafael Furcal's final season in '05.

The guy is also a perennial .300 hitter who is a lock for 15 homers (not exceptional, but the speed, average, and doubles and triples (36) make up for it) who can get to a lot of balls.

Put all of that together, and you have a complete package.

And add that package to Heyward and McLouth (possibly down the road), and you have the best outfield in the National League.

He may not fill the "right-handed, power-hitting bat" card, but he is a dynamic outfielder who has been great for his entire career.

(sorry about the bit of bias there)

Cons: Package(s), One Year?

We all know about the Floridian mantra (since it applies to both the Rays and Marlins).

Pay less, trade more.

That's why this rumor even has the bit of legs it possesses.

But it's also what makes this deal questionable.

The Rays will (likely) not accept any veterans with salaries exceeding about $6 MM.

We're talking the Julio Teheran's, Jordan Schafer's, and Craig Kimbrel's of the world (but not necessarily those guys).

And with only one year left on his contract, is he worth that type of talent?

That's up for debate...

Now, let's discuss a potential deal.

As we just established, the Rays will likely be seeking top-flight talent.

For only one year of Crawford, however, I think any deal could be leveraged into one blue-chip prospect, and three "above-average" prospects (remember, Mark Teixeira, with 1.5 years left, came over for five prospects).

So, this is, from the Braves' perspective, as far as I would go if trading for Crawford (and Crawford only) this offseason:

Braves Get: Carl Crawford, Ramon Ramirez
Rays Get: Julio Teheran, Kris Medlen, Jordan Schafer, Brandon Hicks

There's your primo, possible Neftali Feliz-type regret, good MLB-ready arm, MLB-ready replacement (if they do choose to deal BJ Upton as well), and some organizational depth for the Rays.

Add in the fact that this type of move would absolutely require the departure of Derek Lowe or Javier Vazquez (it was probably going to happen anyway, but still...) and you have some questions to ask yourself (all asked as if I were Frank Wren) of you want to pull the trigger:

Are we sure we can get this guy to stick around? (a must)
Could we wait until July and possibly give up a little bit less?
Can we compete next offseason if he were to become a free agent?
Will this guy's skill set age well?

My ten cents?

Wait.

As much as a guy like Crawford would bring to the table, the risk-over-reward factor would make many fans (including myself) flash back to the summer of '07 when Mark T. came over.

With retain-ability and organizational depth both issues in any blockbuster like this, I would probably drop the gun and walk away.

Besides, the Braves have just as much of a shot at keeping him (in a trade) as they would acquiring him through free agency.

As hyped as I may have seemed at the beginning of this, thinking about all of that talent going to the Rays really took the wind out of my sails.

As I said...wait and try to get him in a year (by then, you may no longer need him for the offense if Cody Johnson, Jason Heyward, Jordan Schafer, and Freddie Freeman all show signs of panning out).

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Georgia-Ga Tech Preview: Yellow Jackets Adjustments Are the Difference

ACC SEC Blog — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:05:53 -0500

This may be the most heated rivalry in the South—so much so that the schools can't even agree on the series record.

Georgia Tech says it is 59-39-5, while Georgia claims a 59-37-5 series lead, not counting Tech's victories in 1943 and 1944.

You can throw the series record out this year, as we find a role reversal with Georgia Tech's eyes set on a BCS bid while Georgia is fighting for a 7-5 season.

UGA head coach Mark Richt started out 7-0 against Tech after arriving in 2001, largely because of the Bulldogs' three straight losses to the Yellow Jackets.

Before last season though, Georgia Tech hired Paul Johnson to restore this game to rivalry status, and he did in year one, beating UGA in Athens. With Johnson's arrival, Georgia Tech is 19-5 in two seasons and favored over their in-state nemesis by a touchdown.

Things are not as rosy in Athens, where Richt and his staff have come under fire with two straight disappointing seasons.

Friendships are lost, families are divided, and coaches fired over Clean, Old Fashioned Hate.

Keys for Georgia Tech

1. Don't Beat Yourself

Georgia Tech's offense is on a roll and has largely avoided coughing the ball up this season. But the option is a high risk, high reward offense that can be slowed by turnovers. Quarterback Josh Nesbitt needs to continue his good decision-making this season and not give UGA any easy scoring chances.

The Bulldogs have only recovered one fumble this season, so they will have to reverse recent fortune. But Nesbitt is third in fumbles among active players.

I think defensive coordinator Willie Martinez has to force the ball out to the pitch, where turnovers are more likely.

2. Pass Defense

Despite the success on offense, Ga Tech's defense has left something to be desired with their pass defense ranking 78th nationally.

Star WR A.J. Green's status is doubtful, so guys like Mike Moore, Rantavious Wooten, and Orson Charles will need to step up and take advantage of a porous Jackets defense.

The Yellow Jackets' pass defense will be greatly aided if they can get pressure from the front four and especially from guys other than star DE Derrick Morgan. Georgia's offensive line has played pretty well in pass protection, allowing just one sack per game.

Keys for Georgia

1. Control the Clock

Georgia Tech leads the nation in time of possession, and that time on the field, combined with a punishing running game, wears opposing defenses out. Georgia has to establish a running game to hold on to the ball and keep it away from the explosive Yellow Jacket offense.

GT's key to holding on to the ball is their conversion rate on third down, ranking third nationally. UGA ranks 27th nationally in opponent third down conversions.

2. Pass Coverage

I know you are scratching your head, Georgia fans, but hear me out. Everyone knows Ga. Tech is going to run the ball, and UGA is going to try to load the box to stop it.

But when Nesbitt can consistently connect with his receivers downfield, especially Demaryius Thomas, this offense is nearly unstoppable.

For GT, they have to get the ball to the edge enough to keep those corners and safeties peeking into the backfield. Those DBs peeking is a reason why Nesbitt is second in the country in passes completed over 50 yards.

Prediction

Last year, Georgia Tech won the game by outscoring Georgia 33-14 in the second half and has never looked back.

I think this game goes back and forth in the first half, but in the second half Georgia Tech's offense makes the necessary adjustments, leaving Mark Richt, Willie Martinez, and the Georgia Bulldogs befuddled again.

Georgia Tech Wins
Georgia Tech Covers -7.5

You can check out this preview and other rivalry week previews at The ACC & SEC Blog .

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Georgia-Georgia Tech: Admission of a Dawg Fan and Tech Hater

Patrick Garbin — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:39:56 -0500

I do not like the Georgia Institute of Technology, and I especially do not like its football team.

I somewhat respect the Yellow Jackets for their sudden turnaround with Coach Paul Johnson at the helm, but I certainly don't like them or their reversal of fortune.

When I started rooting for the Bulldogs in the early 1980s, unlike many decades ago, I believe many Dawg fans felt more sorry for Tech than those who disliked the Jackets. Hate was reserved for the likes of Clemson, Auburn, and maybe Florida.

This all changed for me when, in 1984, I witnessed an underdog Georgia Tech team come into Athens, soundly defeat my Bulldogs, and tear up Sanford Stadium's hedges afterwards.

The next day, on the cover of the sports section of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Tech coach Bill Curry was pictured loving on John Dewberry, a transfer from Georgia two years earlier (Photo). Dewberry, winning quarterback of the Yellow Jackets, was holding a piece of our beloved hedges.

This exhibition of disrespect would not be accepted, I decided. No more did I feel sorry for our neighbors to the west; I felt hatred.

However, there is one, and only one, single issue I will side with our in-state adversary. Most Tech and Georgia football fans are familiar with this controversy and the pair of asterisks that has made it renowned.

If you're unfamiliar with the dispute, I'm sure you'll hear about it this Saturday if you watch the 104th, or 102nd, meeting between Georgia and Georgia Tech; the game's television broadcast mentions it every year.

The Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets cannot agree on how many times they've played one another in football. Georgia defends a 59-37-5 advantage, Georgia Tech claims a 39-59-5 disadvantage.

The disagreement lies with the games played between the teams in 1943 and 1944—both blowout wins for the Yellow Jackets by a combined 92-0 score. Georgia Tech counts the two games while Georgia does not recognize them.

By the start of the 1943 football season, World War II was raging. Because of the war, graduation, and injuries, lost was every one of the Bulldogs' lettermen from its 1942 national championship squad.

Georgia's 1943 team was comprised of just 25 17-year-old freshmen too young for the war's draft and a few older players who had not met the military's physical standards.

Many of the teams around the country were in the same predicament as Georgia and a good number of schools cancelled their '43 football campaigns...

Only a day before the Bulldogs' season opener, Coach Wally Butts asked his team if it too wanted to cancel its season. They refused, joining only three other SEC teams, of its 12 members, who would play football in 1943.

"So we'll play football as long as 11 men are available to put a team on the field," said Butts.

Georgia Tech was one of the three other participating schools in the conference. The Yellow Jackets, unlike the Bulldogs, would benefit from the war.

Georgia Tech had the Navy V-12 Program, as did other schools, whereas any student who signed up could remain in school and continue playing athletics.

The University of Georgia did not have such a program. In addition, Tech had a Navy flight school which drew students, including football players, from other universities.

In 1943, not only did the Yellow Jackets return most of their team from the year before but, according to Dan Magill, a long-time member of UGA's athletics department, they were also joined by the captains of Alabama and Vanderbilt and other players from various schools.

Georgia Tech appeared to have an overwhelming advantage over Georgia, and it was evident on the gridiron with a 48-0 victory in 1943 and 44-0 in 1944.

Soon after his hiring as publicity director of UGA football in 1948, Magill told Coach Butts he would no longer count the 1943 and 1944 games in the series record between Tech and Georgia.

In the football records, Magill placed asterisks beside the two Bulldog losses because "those were not true Georgia Tech teams," Magill has told me and countless others.

"There's no question about it, there's no way they are true Georgia-Georgia Tech games," Magill said. "There's no question about that. [Georgia] had a freshman team."

This is where I am in disagreement and admittedly side with the enemy.

That freshman team for Georgia in 1943 reached as high as No. 20 in the AP Poll during the season. The following year, going into the Georgia Tech game, the Bulldogs were actually seen as only a slight underdog; some even placed even odds on the game. I have the feeling if Georgia would have been victorious in one or both of the '43 and '44 games, they would be recognized today and there would be no asterisks.

Both the NCAA and SEC acknowledges the two games as losses for the Bulldogs. Actually, Georgia also recognizes the losses in its yearly results and all-time record, just not in its series with the Yellow Jackets.

Soon after the beginning of the controversy, few stood by Magill and the Georgia records on their viewpoint or took the stance very seriously.

Only three years following Magill's debatable decision, the Athens Banner-Herald recognized the '43 and '44 games, announcing the 1951 Tech-Georgia contest as the "46th Annual Battle," not the 44th.

Six years later, Furman Bisher of The Atlanta Journal jokingly responded to Magill's statement of "Henceforth our records will refer to those 1943 and 1944 games as Georgia versus the Georgia Tech Navy " with:

"That being the case, Louisiana State, Wake Forest, and Daniel Field, three other teams that defeated Georgia those two years, are expected to be notified in due time that their victories have been revoked."

The fact of the matter is, although Georgia basically had an all-freshman team during those two seasons while Georgia Tech was supported by a Navy program and had a few players from other schools, Coach Butts had asked his team if they wanted to participate or not and they agreed to play the '43 season, including against Georgia Tech. They consented to do so knowing the situation and what the consequences might be.

"I asked [the 1943 team] frankly if they wanted to pay the price in defeats they'll have to take," said Butts.

There were very few "bona fide" college football teams in 1943 and 1944. If all of these teams were not "true" teams, are they suppose to revoke their results from those two years? If the Bulldogs were not a "true" team in '43 and '44, should they discount the 13 combined victories they accomplished those seasons?

In its early years, Georgia played several athletic clubs featuring former college players and even a preparatory school or two; all of these games are recognized in UGA football's yearly AND series results although they do not seem to be "true" opposition.

In 1907, Georgia played against Georgia Tech with at least four "ringers"—former collegiate or professional players from the North—who were paid for their services.

Because of this illegal action, Georgia's head coach would be eventually banned from coaching in the South forever. The result of this game, a 10-6 Georgia loss, is acknowledged in UGA's yearly and series results.

In the first Tech-Georgia game of 1893, the Red and Black played a professionally paid trainer at halfback while three of Tech's five touchdowns were scored by a 28-year-old doctor in the U.S. Army.

In addition, the umpire of the game, who made several controversial calls in favor of Georgia Tech, was the brother of Tech's trainer. This 28-6 Georgia Tech victory is also recognized by Georgia.

In support of identifying the 1943 and 1944 as "true" games, I believe author Bill Cromartie put it best in his book on the Georgia-Georgia Tech football rivalry, Clean Old-Fashioned Hate :

"If the games are not official, then the University [of Georgia] boys who got their teeth kicked in (so to speak), played the games for nothing. They would, most likely, want them to count ."

I know Dan Magill well. He is the greatest NCAA tennis coach of all time, the foremost knowledgeable historian of UGA sports, has probably done more for UGA athletics than anyone ever has, and is a wonderful and kind individual, to name a few.

However, and I say this with the utmost respect, I totally disagree with his decision from more than 60 years ago regarding the 1943-44 Tech-Georgia games—a decision he still vehemently stands behind today.

During the time of Magill's 1948 ruling, unlike when I was growing up, no Georgia football fan felt sympathy for Georgia Tech, just dislike.

I suspect part of the decision by "Dangerous Dan," as Bisher tagged him in 1957, was because of this hatred for Georgia's, at the time, chief rival.

Nevertheless, Magill's judgement and asterisks will remain in the UGA football record books forever, whether I, the Yellow Jacket faithful, or anyone else likes it or not.

Personally, I have and can certainly continue to live with the UGA icon's decision, especially if Georgia Tech football continues to prosper while the Bulldogs continue to falter.

At this rate, Georgia could soon not afford the two series losses to, as Magill has labeled, "The Eternal Enemy."

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Hawks-Magic: Orlando Embarrasses Atlanta on National Television

John Boller — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:45:03 -0500

The undefeated season at the highlight factory is no more. After seven straight wins at Philips Arena, the Orlando Magic left the Hawks with a bitter taste in their mouths to go with their turkey.

The win pushed the Magic's record to 12-4, earning them a spot alone atop the Eastern Conference, while giving Atlanta its first back-to-back loss of the season.

Leading the Magic to their 93-76 win was All-Star center Dwight Howard. Howard played over 40 minutes in the game and finished with 22 points and 17 rebounds.

Howard’s new buddy, Vince Carter, also proved to be too much for the Hawks in the 17-point loss. Carter finished with 21 points and nine rebounds, shooting just 7-for-18 from the field but connecting on three treys.

As a team, the Magic made 10 three-pointers, three of which came from former Hawk Anthony Johnson.

In its first big test of the season, Atlanta failed miserably. It was a poor shooting night for the Hawks, as they shot 38.8 percent from the field, just 7-of-19 from the three-point line, and an embarrassing 3-for-7 from the foul line, finishing well below the team’s 78.6 percent season average and 23.3 attempts per game.

Joe Johnson finished the night with 22 points and seven boards while Josh Smith had 13 points and 13 rebounds. Both Johnson and Smith played over 40 minutes, but it was not enough to keep the Hawks perfect at home.

Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford each played a little over 31 minutes and scored 10 points apiece. They also shot a combined 8-for-24 from the field.

Marvin Williams did little in his 28 minutes of action while Al Horford was a complete zero on the offensive end. He took only three shots to finish with a season-low two points.

The Hawks, who are off to the one of the best starts in franchise history, had been looking almost unstoppable up until tonight’s debacle.

The 17-point loss is their worst defeat of the season. And to have it come on such a big stage is unnerving.

A loss like this one could lead to a disastrous slide. The Hawks were up by 14 points at one point and had a 12-point, 51-39 lead at halftime. They even held the Magic to just 16 points in the second quarter.

However, in basketball there are two halfs, and the Hawks might as well have stayed in the locker room for the second of them. They scored only 14 points in the third quarter and just 25 points in the entire half.

That’s right, 25 points.

Was Atlanta’s practice squad playing the second half? It sure didn’t look like the team that was 11-3, perfect at home, and one of the NBA’s elite through the earlygoing this year.

It is a long season and there will be games like this where it just isn’t your night. But why did the Hawks have to let it be this game?

Perhaps Atlanta was still thinking about its eight-point loss to the New Orleans Hornets five days earlier.

Judging from the way they played, it looked like the Hawks were waiting to get back in control of the game against the Magic, as if they just expected Orlando to play nice and let them come back and win the game.

Hello? This is the Orlando Magic. The defending Eastern Conference champion, a division rivalry where the winner takes over the top spot in the East.

There is hope, though; Atlanta can rebound quickly following the setback. The Hawks’ next two opponents, the Philadelphia 76ers and Detroit Pistons, have combined for 10-straight losses.

Following those two games, the Hawks return home to play the Toronto Raptors and New York Knicks, both of which are below .500.

Atlanta still has three games against the Magic this season, but they will have to wait until January for a chance to avenge this Thanksgiving Day Massacre.

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Hawks-Magic: Atlanta Taking Flight?

steve tisch — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:56:24 -0500

With an 11-3 record both against the spread and straight up, good enough for tops in the Eastern Conference, Atlanta has a lot to be thankful for.

The Hawks can tie the Phoenix Suns for the best record in the league (12-3) if they defeat the Orlando Magic tonight—Atlanta is a 3.5-point home fave with a Total of 198.

In the last nine games in which the Hawks are favored by four points or less, they are 7-2 ATS and have taken six Overs in a row with the same spread range.

Atlanta is 7-1 ATS in its last eight home games, and in that time has cashed on the Over six times.

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Jason Heyward: Why The Jay-Hey Kid Is The Next Willie Mays

Evan Bruschini — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:03:23 -0500

Whether you've heard of him or not, Jason Heyward is good. Really good.

I suppose those of you who are still uninformed need an explanation.

Heyward, age 21, was born in McDonough, Georgia, also the hometown of outfielder Matt Murton. As the crow flies, The Geranium City, as McDonough is known, is just 27 miles away from Atlanta, home of the Braves.

After being an All-American at Henry County High School, he was selected 14th overall by Atlanta in 2007, and signed a deal worth $1.7 million—$170,000 more than MLB's slot recommendation of $1.53 million, and the same as the 2006 14th-slot amount that the Toronto Blue Jays gave Travis Snider in 2007.

But he's not just one of those bonus-babies. The Braves know what they were getting here.

Sort of. Local pitchers were so afraid of him that he didn't get many good pitches, creating a small sample size for scouts.

He has great plate discipline. Think Albert Pujols or Jason Giambi. He's got that even temperament and a great work ethic that make naturally great players into franchise players.

It's not surprising that he was able to garner an impressive award case in his minor league career. In his first year, he was a midseason and post-season all-star for the South Atlantic League, where he won Most Outstanding Major League Prospect. He was also named to the Minor League All-Star Team.

This past year, he played in the Carolina League All-Star Game and the Futures Game in St. Louis. Then he capped it all off by becoming the 2009 Minor League Player of the Year.

So when can we expect Heyward to reach the major league level?

I would look for him to be on the fast track to the majors sometime this season. Regardless, you can expect him to be a top candidate for Rookie of the Year.

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Billy Wagner in Atlanta: A Perfect Fit?

Cameron Britt — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:18:00 -0500

With Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzalez's departures nearly a given in Atlanta, the Braves have to look towards the Free Agent market for their closer.

(Well, they don't have to, but who is going to trade away a legitimate closer this offseason?)

Names that jump out include Brandon Lyon, Fernando Rodney, and Jose Valverde.

But combinations of ability and contractual issues make these guys relatively poor fits.

One name that has been established through various media outlets for the Braves, though, is Billy Wagner.

The 38-year-old lefty has drawn interest from various teams and, according to MLB Trade Rumors, is prepared to begin fielding offers next week.

The Hot Stove's beginning to heat up, no?

The one hitch that comes along with Wagner is that he is coming back from Tommy John Surgery.

But with a success rate in the 90's for TJS and a solid 17-game exposition (1.72 ERA, 26:8 K:BB, in 15.2 innings) at the end of the '09 season, the qualms many should have should be quieted a bit.

That's not to say that he should be given a $15 MM annual salary, it just means that the operation shouldn't stop anyone from making him an offer.

Anyway, here are a few reasons as to why Wagner makes sense for the Braves:

1. Despite his type-A (if the Red Sox choose to offer him arbitration), the Braves need not worry.

They'll be getting four picks from whomever signs Gonzo and Soriano, so that is not an issue.

2. According to David O'Brien of the AJC, Wagner is a "FOC (Friend of Chipper) and has made it known that he'd like to pitch for Bobby Cox."

Does that necessarily mean that he'll take a discount?

No, but it does mean that the Braves have a little leverage over some other clubs.

3. He's only (39) saves away from John Franco for the all-time lead for most saves as a left-handed pitcher.

I'm not naming that for the novelty of having Wagner set a record in a Braves' uni.

I'm saying that that means that he'll want the ball.

Then again, Bob Wickman also wanted the ball...just only in save situations (but Wagner didn't record a save in his late-season return with K-Rod and Papelbon ahead of him and didn't complain, so...).

Are there better options on the market?

Yeah, and two of them will be departing Atlanta (most likely) in the coming weeks.

But there is no other option out there that makes as much sense for the Braves.

The team saw Peter Moylan succeed in '09 after his surgery, and I would expect Wagner to do the same.

The dude is still nasty, as evidenced by his K:BB above, and has always been "mean" enough to take the ball in the ninth.

Other clubs (Cubs, Tigers, other clubs with closer-holes since he doesn't want to be a set-up-only guy) may come knocking with more cash, but the Braves come knocking with Chipper, Bobby Cox's last go-'round, and a Championship-caliber rotation (and an offense that's primed to be the same once a move or two is made).

If I'm Frank Wren, I say "Hey Bean [Stringfellow, Wagner's agent and holder of the "best name for an agent in baseball" award], how does Billy feel about a two-year contract at $15 million guaranteed to play here in Atlanta?

"We'll even throw in a third-year mutual option and performance-based incentives each year along the way that could bring each up to...say...about $9 MM?

"C'mon."

(Okay, maybe the negotiations would go a little deeper than that...but you get my point)

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Road to Eastern Conference Crown Runs Through...Atlanta

Kenny Crute — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:42:08 -0500

With a little less than one-fifth of the 2009-2010 NBA season in the books, it may be a bit soon to anoint a conference champion. What we know so far is that the Atlanta Hawks have come out of the starting blocks quickly, and appear to be a team built to pose a legitimate threat to the Eastern Conference powers that be.

Atlanta is tied with Orlando for the best record in the East at 11-3 (Los Angeles and Phoenix also have 11-3 records in the Western Conference). The Hawks are undefeated at home (7-0) with eight of their 11 wins coming against teams with a .500 or better winning percentage.

The Hawks have tweaked their roster from last season, adding journeymen centers Jason Collins and Randolph Morris. Atlanta also got help in the backcourt by acquiring versatile guard Jamal Crawford via trade and signing veteran forward Joe Smith.

Atlanta has long been a place where aging players come to finish their careers, or unproven talent cuts their teeth in the NBA. Now the Hawks are long, athletic, and young. Atlanta has but two players on the roster (Mike Bibby and Joe Smith) with more than 10 years in the league.

The Hawks trot a balanced scoring attack onto the court now, with no one player or group doing the bulk of the scoring. Veteran Joe Johnson still leads the way for the Hawks at 22 points per game. Still, Atlanta gets scoring from the front and backcourts with Al Horford (14.6), Josh Smith (15.6) providing a solid punch in the paint.

One of the glaring weaknesses from last year's version of the Hawks was the lack of a true center, and a second clutch scorer. With the addition of Collins (7'0") and Morris (6'11), there are plenty of fouls to be given inside.

Crawford is a very capable "Robin" to Joe Johnson's "Batman" as the additional go-to-guy.

With a young roster, multiple scoring threats, long and athletic bodies, and solid veteran leadership, Atlanta appears to be built for the long haul. The Hawks eliminated Dwyane Wade and Miami in round one of last year's playoffs, but were swept by Cleveland the following round.

With Boston getting older, Cleveland, Orlando, and perhaps Miami seem to be the only roadblocks between Atlanta and a deep run in the playoffs. It is of course too early to tell, but at this stage in the young season, all roads point to "A-Town".

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Atlanta Hawks Hope to Feast on Turkey and Orlando Magic This Thanksgiving

John Boller — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:30:25 -0500

The last time the Atlanta Hawks played a game on Thanksgiving, President Barack Obama was 34 years old and winning a Grammy for the audio version of his autobiography, “Dreams From My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance,” according to the president’s biography.

Meanwhile, Atlanta was being led by Steve Smith and Mookie Blaylock.

Now, go ahead and fast-forward 14 years later, President Obama is our 44th President, and the Hawks are tied for the best record in the NBA because of Joe Johnson and Josh Smith.

The Atlanta Hawks (11-3) are a perfect 7-0 at home this season, where the entrée will be the Orlando Magic (11-3) on Thursday night, followed by turkey for the main course, and for dessert, the best record in the NBA.

Could the NBA have planned their Thanksgiving any better?

Two of the three best teams in the league, who also happen to be in the same conference and same division, battle it out on Turkey Day to be the best team in the league.

Good thing it is on TNT, because they know drama, which is exactly what this game will be.

It is the first time that the two teams have played each other all season, and they do not play each other again until Jan. 9.

The Magic won the season series last year 3-1. The Hawks beat Orlando by 14 to open the season last year, but then Orlando won the final three games by an average of 14 points. Their second win over the Hawks last season was a 34-point blowout at Orlando.

Both teams have new looks to their rosters. For the Atlanta Hawks their new key addition is guard Jamal Crawford, while the Magic have brought in Vince Carter.

Crawford is the second-leading scorer for the Hawks with 16.7 points per game and Carter’s 18.7 points per game is good enough to lead the Magic.

Atlanta will have the benefit of playing on five days rest, while the Magic have to host the Miami Heat tonight and then fly out to Atlanta to start a three-game road tip that ends on Sunday at New York.

Advantage Hawks.

Atlanta will have to make sure and not let Carter get off to a fast start. Carter has led the Magic in scoring in four of Orlando’s last six games, including their last three and had a season-high 29 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Nov. 11.

The Thanksgiving Day matchup will also feature two of the premiere double-double players in the NBA. The Hawks’ Al Horford is scoring 13.7 points per game and pulling down 10.1 rebounds per game, and Dwight “Superman” Howard is averaging 11.1 rebounds per game to go with 17.4 points.

Howard is also the only Magic player to have played and started in all of Orlando’s 14 games.

The jump ball is at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, so if you are on the East Coast have dinner eaten and the dishes cleaned before then. For you central and West Coast time zones, better find a television set with some wheels.

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The "What Could Have Been" Could Haunt Georgia Again

Zachary Osterman — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 02:33:56 -0500

(How different would things be if we cut the 'Tech' off that jersey?)

Recruiting college sports is a funny thing. It's a quirky thing. It's a science, but possibly the most inexact one.

Coaches not only have to evaluate a player's physical tools or mental capacity, but also project their development, their potential upside, future value, and role within a college program.

Then they have to take all that, develop some sort of adequate cost-benefit rubric, and make decisions on what players to pursue, and how hard to pursue them. They do all of this, of course, with a rulebook thicker than a dictionary weighing them down and recruiting services offering fans an insider's glance into their work.

Mark Richt has long been a guy that's excelled in recruiting.

He goes toe-to-toe with every program in the nation, and has landed himself big-time names (Matthew Stafford, for example) and big-time classes (his overall hauls are rarely worse than top-15 material). Wisdom says—and wisdom is, to a certain extent anyway, right—that his team is stocked with talent.

But this Saturday in Atlanta, Richt could get a rudimentary yet insightful view of what might have been, just by looking across the sideline.

Demaryius Thomas. Morgan Burnett. Josh Nesbitt. Jonathan Dwyer.

All recruited by both Georgia and Georgia Tech, all wearing the white and gold when they run out of the tunnel on Saturday. Not by coincidence, the last three names on that short but talented list were all members of the 2007 class.

That 20-player haul, far and away Chan Gailey's finest whilst on the Flats, was good enough to rank 18th in the nation, according to Rivals.com. While nine spots lower than Georgia, the Yellow Jackets still celebrated the ranking, which was better than they were used to at the time.

Georgia's class that year ranked ninth, headlined by players like offensive lineman Justin Anderson, wide receiver Israel Troupe, quarterback Logan Gray, and running back Caleb King, considered by some the best overall prospect in the state of Georgia.

Compare those groups, three years later.

Gray, who was ranked just behind Nesbitt at quarterback nationally, has been unable to unseat starter Joe Cox this season, even when the latter has struggled.

Israel Troupe is listed as the Bulldogs' backup at one receiver position, with all-star starter A.J. Green out of the lineup.

Caleb King, once a Georgia high school darling (covered him for a time), has split carries with freshman Washaun Ealey, and has never locked down a starting place.

King might be the most relevant subject for our discussion. Now a redshirt sophomore, the Norcross, GA, native was one of the hottest commodities in Georgia high school football his senior season.

His blend of size, speed, and power, it was believed, would make him a great SEC back one day. For that, and as well, I'm sure, as several other reasons, Georgia went after King hard, and they got their man.

Three years later, King has 615 career rushing yards.

Dwyer went to Georgia Tech, and three years later, he's the top running back on most 2010 NFL Draft big boards.

The point is this: Talent is nothing if it's not developed properly, the same way you can't grow most plants in a lightless room, even if you water them every day.

Now, this one case study doesn't deny a body of work that suggests that Mark Richt certainly knows how to recruit. Just think of the number of players he's sent to the NFL. And his overall success at Georgia certainly suggests he knows what he's doing once he gets those guys, at least some of them.

But how often, in Richt's tenure at Georgia, has a player left without a ready-made replacement behind him? This isn't the first time the Bulldogs had to use tailback by committee, nor is it the first time the surprising lack of continuity at quarterback produced poorer-than-expected on-field results.

That also doesn't mean Richt would have automatically gotten those four guys had he not gotten other ones. In some cases—perhaps in all of them, I cannot say empirically, one way or the other—the player chose Georgia Tech over Georgia, as was the case with Thomas.

But even then, Thomas had already given a verbal pledge to Georgia Tech when Richt and Co. came in, essentially rendering Georgia's effort useless. And obviously, Georgia has A.J. Green, but right now he's injured, and might not play.

Whatever the reason, each of these players chose Georgia Tech over Georgia.

And on Saturday night, Mark Richt will look across the sideline and see a team that has a superstar running back, a top-flight wide receiver, a playmaker in its secondary, and a quarterback who is his team's unquestioned leader and obvious engine.

Richt would be hard-pressed to convince anyone that he wouldn't take any of that over his current options.

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A Georgia Bulldog Fan's Thanksgiving Wish for 2010

Kimberley Nash — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:20:40 -0500

As the first official holiday approaches, I find myself wishing, hoping, and wanting more for my beloved Dawgs next season. The 2009 version of my great Georgia Bulldogs has left me concerned and disappointed as to what the future may hold. However, I am also optimistic that I am not the only one who sees a need for change. You see that smile on the gentleman to the right? That fella looks like a man with a plan—a winner. I suspect that he is on vacation at the moment as his current embodiment is still trying to understand how his team lost to Kentucky—AT HOME! Yet, I digress. The point of this article is to say that 2009 may have been dismal but 2010 offers something very hopeful. So, as I sit down to my Thanksgiving table on Thursday, I shall let the memory of a broken 2009 fade away as I look forward to a 2010 that shall, hopefully, bring the following.

Begin Slideshow

Georgia Tech-Georgia: A Role Reversal in November

GeorgiaDawg — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:26:01 -0500

November in the state of Georgia is one of my favorite months. Over the past decade, certain constants have elevated it above its fall counterparts.

November brings the meat of the college football season. Crunch time, make or break ball games. Normally high school playoffs start off my weekends, but, sadly, my local team finished strong after a slow start but didn’t make the postseason playoffs.

I may have to make a visit to the Georgia Dome for the championship games to get my high school playoff fix. But it just won't be the same.

For Georgia fans, November also brings a couple of great rivalry games. Georgia and Auburn battled two weekends ago. Georgia came away with the hard fought victory, 31-24. Georgia has now won four straight in the series for the first time since the 1940s.

Of course, with Thanksgiving just a few days away, it's time for turkey, dressing, and the Georgia-Georgia Tech football game. But, again, this November brings a change in "the normal."

In what has become a disappointing season for Georgia, they must now face a Tech team that is currently seventh in the BCS standings. Georgia is 6-5 after a complete collapse in the second half against Kentucky this past Saturday.

The Dawgs will be happy with a trip to the Music City Bowl or even a trip to Shreveport. The fans may be cursing Willie Martinez and Mike Bobo while traveling, but they will be there to cheer on the Dawgs, no matter what bowl game it turns out to be.

Tech on the other hand is an impressive 10-1 and headed to the ACC championship with its sights set on a BCS bowl game. Nesbitt, Dwyer, and company are in high gear.

My November has been completely turned upside down.

Tech coach Paul Johnson has brought a whole new attitude to North Avenue. Tech is playing with a lot of confidence this year. Offensively, the Jackets have been lighting up the scoreboard, averaging 36 points per game. Defensively they have struggled at times, but they always seem to adjust just enough to get the job done.

Georgia lost a multitude of talent when Matt Stafford, Knowshon Moreno, and Mohammed Massaquoi all exited Athens for the NFL. Offensively, the Dawgs have been inconsistent all season, which is understandable after losing that much talent.

But, defensively, the Dawgs have looked lost most of the year, giving up an average of 26.6 points per game. Since the Alabama lost last season, the Dawgs have allowed 34 or more points in 10 games. Seriously bad numbers!

Last season, an upset-minded Tech visited Athens. After a slow start in the first half, the Jackets rebounded to run all over Georgia in the second. Tech prevailed in a very exciting game, 45-42, and their fans have feasted on that win for 12 months.

Meanwhile, Georgia fans spend time reminiscing about the good old days, when Reggie Ball and Chan Gailey strolled the Tech sidelines. Oh, how I miss Reggie!

This season, it is the Dawgs who must think upset. Georgia is the big underdog in Atlanta. Tech fans are very confident they will win their second straight over their hated rival. Paul Johnson is the new flavor of the month, while Mark Richt is moving towards the proverbial hot seat.

While most Tech fans lack respect for the Georgia team and seem to be marking this one down as a victory before the opening kickoff, coach Paul Johnson and the Jackets know all too well what a loss could do for their season.

They won’t take the Dawgs lightly, even if their fans do. One Tech fan (his attitude is the extreme minority) told me, "I am always scared of Georgia. The Dawgs have more talent than anyone Tech has played this season."

A very true statement. I sure wish Georgia had played at that level all season.

If Tech wins, no one will be surprised. If Georgia upsets them, it will help ease the pain of what has been a very disappointing season.

Either way, as a Georgia fan I am ready to close the book on the 2009 season. The New Year will bring a new season, and, hopefully, a "normal" November come next fall.

In the new movie 2012, the world as we know it comes to an end. The Mayans had predicted this catastrophe hundreds of years earlier, but their predictions were ignored.

Interestingly enough, the Mayans also predicted that in 2009 Georgia would have an unusual season. They would reverse roles with their in-state rival, Georgia fans would panic, and many Tech fans would strut around with an air of confidence not seen in many decades on North Avenue.

However, the Mayans recorded that in 2010 things will return to normal.

Georgia will reclaim their top-10 spot in the polls and will contend for an SEC title. Tech will return to a secondary role in the ACC, and visit "a field of blue" during the bowl season (Boise?).

So, to all my Tech friends out there, I say enjoy this odd November while you can.

According to the Mayans, it won’t last. If you don’t like the ending, don’t blame me.

I’m just the messenger.

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Know Your Prospects: Jason Heyward, RF, Atlanta Braves

Dylan Sharek — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:53:00 -0500

Jason Heyward was chosen by the Atlanta Braves as the 14th pick in the first round of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft.

Now, according to Baseball America and USA Today, he's the No. 1 prospect in all of Minor League Baseball. And with the Stephen Strasburg hype machine chugging along at full steam, Heyward has, in a way, become the forgotten uber prospect of 2009.

But hey, he's used to it.

Nearly half of Major League Baseball couldn't see Heyward's incredible promise; the then 17-year-old high school product from Georgia's McDonough High was passed on by 12 other teams in 2007's stacked draft class. Outside of Baltimore's Matt Wieters and Tampa Bay's David Price, he's thoroughly surpassed all of his contemporaries and will become 2010's premier impact prospect.

It's a funny story how Heyward fell to the Atlanta Braves. In the high school circuit, the lefthanded Heyward was a feared hitter renowned for his plate discipline. He was pitched around frequently and refused to chase anything out of the zone.

As a result, regional MLB scouts rarely saw a full at-bat. When the draft came around, no one was truly sure of the skills Heyward possessed because they simply hadn't seen them.

But for Atlanta Brave's scouting director Roy Clark, proximity to the prospect was both a luxury and an advantage.

Heyward was sent to the club's rookie level teams in the Gulf and Appalachian leagues after the draft. The short stints did little to clarify exactly what Atlanta had signed in Heyward, but the 17-year-old held his own.

Heyward finished third in the low Class A South Atlantic League in batting average (.323) and fourth in on-base percentage (.388) in 2008. A brief call up to the high Class A Myrtle Beach Pelicans at the end of the season wasn't a success, but the rookie campaign was enough to solidify the rightfielder as Atlanta's No. 2 prospect behind righthander Tommy Hanson.

Any debate surrounding Heyward's potential disappeared as he rocketed through three levels of professional baseball in 2009. With the same high Class A Myrtle Beach club where he hit a paltry .182 to finish 2008, Heyward started his dominating season by hitting 10 home runs, driving in 31 runs and scoring 34 runs in just 49 games.

The performance garnered a promotion to the Double A Southern League, where Heyward slammed 7 home runs, 30 RBI, and 31 runs in 47 games. The plate discipline that had frustrated high school pitchers and intrigued pro scouts returned: in 195 plate appearances, Heyward walked 28 times compared to just 19 strikeouts. His batting average soared to .352.

The tremendous performance earned him a three-game showcase with the International League's Gwinnett Braves. He hit .364 in limited action.

Heyward's progression has many comparing him to former-Brave's wonderkid Jeff Francoeur. Others seem more satisfied comparing him to a young Frank Thomas, a franchise player that was once the epitome of patience, power, and discipline.

A hybrid of the two seems the most appropriate evaluation.

Heyward's offensive accomplishments often overshadow his defensive prowess. For a 6'4", 220 pounder, Heyward is surprisingly lithe patrolling the outfield. He profiles as an above-average corner outfielder with an extremely strong arm a notch below Francoeur's cannon. Some speculate that Heyward could possibly play centerfield, but his barely above-average speed makes the notion merely a pipe dream.

Offensive comparisons to Francoeur seem uninspired. Francoeur was a strikeout machine at the minor league level, notching 262 punchouts to just 88 base-on-balls. This hacking approach at the plate belied future struggles to come; Francoeur's inability to adapt to major league breaking balls earned him a return trip to the minors in 2008.

Heyward, on the other hand, has struck out just 138 times and earned 108 walks. His plate discipline has markedly improved at every level and his approach has been described as "cerebral" and "commanding."

It's incredibly optimistic to call him the "next Frank Thomas," but Heyward's plate presence is extremely polished for a 20-year-old.

Heyward and Francoeur's power numbers, however, are undoubtedly similar. In his first two full professional seasons, Heyward hit 11 and 17 home runs, respectively; Francoeur notched 14 and 18 through the same time period. No matter which level he begins the oncoming season in, Heyward will most likely test his power stroke at the expense of a few batting average points.

He doesn't have incredible speed, but he is just as smart on the basepaths as he is in his outfield routes: he's been successful 26 times out of 31 tries, an 84 percent success rate.

According to the Brave's brass and Heyward himself, there is no definitive timeline for Heyward's ascension to Major League Baseball. If he plays well enough in Spring Training, he'll make the team and if the team decides he's not ready, he won't.

But Atlanta has patience. And for a 14th pick that has the potential to be a game-changer, they'll make all the time in the world.

This article can originally be found at Blogging About Baseball.

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Atlanta Thrasher Coach John Anderson Is Focused on Winning

Warren Shaw — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:58:36 -0500

Coach John Anderson is proving himself to be a leader to be reckoned with in his short tenure as the Atlanta Thrasher bench boss.

It’s not easy coaching a NHL team in any city, but it is especially difficult in Atlanta, Ga., where some fans are watching the game and learning it at the same time.

Attendance is an indicator of success. It also helps pay the bills and allows the team to negotiate lucrative compensation with star players to keep them in town. The more seats filled in the 18,545 seats Phillips Arena, the better.

The only way to make sure more fans attend the games and keep coming back is to win. So, coaches can feel the heat if they cannot produce a winning product on the ice quickly.

Anderson and the Thrashers management have been surprisingly adept at piecing together a competitive team utilizing a mixture of veterans, free agents and draft choices.

Few remember that just last year the Thrashers had a team that was out of playoff contention early and lost games often. This season it has been different and much of the credit goes to Anderson’s approach to the game.

Ilya Kovalchuk, the Thrashers captain and best player, has come out of the gate scoring goals at a record pace, averaging a goal a game. Of course this may seem not so unusual to the casual observer given Kovalchuk’s immense talent, but historically, star performers have problems performing at a high level when contract negotiations are going on.

Off the record, players complain that when contract time comes each side takes a position that sometimes creates hostile feelings. Both sides are looking for the best deal possible and, occasionally in the midst of negotiating, agents and team management can resort to criticism and name calling to gain a strategic advantage.

In his autobiography Gretzky, Wayne Gretzky describes how difficult contract negotiations were for him, overhearing a conversation between Bruce McNall of the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers owner Peter Pocklington referring to [Gretzky] as egotistical and selfish.

He also wrote about former teammate Paul Coffey’s feud with coach Glen Sather during contract time.

“In the end Paul’s pride had been wounded too badly. Edmonton ended up offering more money, but Paul was never coming back to the Oilers” said Gretzky.

Coach Anderson has managed to keep Kovalchuk motivated and focused during the tedious process of negotiations.

Anderson has also shown himself to understand showmanship by putting together a forward line with Kovalchuk, Andropov and Afinoginev, all Russian-born, resulting in a fast skating and hard shooting unit dubbed the Russian Express. The three forwards playing on the same line has reawakened both Andropov and Afinogenov, resulting in both players tracking to score 80 points plus for the season record highs for both.

Coach Anderson has tried Andropov and Afinoginev with different players, but the three Russians have played inspired hockey together.

The line of Colby Armstrong, Evander Kane, and Marty Reasoner have also skated well together, contributing critical goals and doing a good job keeping the opposition off the score board.

Kane, a rookie, has seven goals and is a plus player—unusual for a first-year performer.

Last season the Atlanta defense was severely criticized for its lackluster play, but this season Engstrom, Kubina, Hainsley, and Bogosian have improved the team’s defense, reduced giveaways and added to the offense.

Just a sophomore, Bogosian, who leads all NHL defenseman with eight goals, was chosen alternate captain by Anderson at the start of the season.

When Anderson was selected as Atlanta’s new head coach in 2008, many questioned the move. Some cited the fact that Anderson was an unknown commodity. Most were not aware of the layers of experience that Anderson brought with him to the job.

Anderson played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Quebec Nordiques, and Hartford Whalers in the NHL. He also did time in the minor leagues with Dallas (CHL) Binghamton (AHL) and Fort Wayne (IHL) before coaching the Chicago Wolves (AHL) for 11 years.

Players can’t help but to respect a man with a 17-year pro career followed by 11 years as a coach.

The Thrashers have room for improvement, but no one is counting them out of the playoffs and John Anderson has helped change a lot of opinions.

The Thrashers are making believers out of a lot of fans this season.

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Georgia Bulldogs' Youth a Calming Brightspot

Mike Foster — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:29:36 -0500

It's been a long year Bulldog fans, and I am well aware that one of the most painful parts of a controversy-filled year is the constant output of negative articles.

Whether we log onto a blog, a local news site, or Bleacher Report, people are going to be complaining about the program.

I am guilty. But, in even the worst times, I try to find a bright spot in the situation.

Georgia's coaches are under fire. Their culture is under fire. Athens hasn't been in such a disarray since I can remember.

I know people have given the coaching staff a lot of heat, and rightfully so, but I cannot seem to notice a strange correlation between age increase and lack of game.

Joe Cox, our senior quarterback, has looked like a deer in headlights all season. Bryan Evans, our senior safety, doesn't even understand what "pass interference" entails. Reshad Jones, despite his talents, is always out of position.

Roderick Battle has been MIA all year, and even Rennie Curran has lacked big play ability.

It's been a tough sledding so far, but if I had to choose one bright spot, interestingly enough I find it to be the youth.

It seems the guys that are the most productive, and more importantly, more fan-friendly, in terms of playmaking ability, are the youngsters.

A.J. Green is only a sophomore, yet he has emerged into one of the best receivers in college football. And to add on, Georgia's second wave of receivers is beginning to really come along.

Rantavious Wooten and Tavarres King, who really are carbon copies of one another if you ask me, are lightning fast downfield threats who really compliment A.J.

It was an interesting contrast hearing the fans, who have "booed" Joe Cox so much this year, chant "Wooooooooooten" after Rantavious' two touchdown grabs last weekend.

The only guy in the stadium who's name we are chanting is a freshman? Nice.

Both King and Wooten are averaging over 20 yards per catch on the year. Their speed, quickness, and athleticism is something Georgia even lacked at wide receiver during their 2002 and 2005 championship years.

And Orson Charles, a freshman tight end, has become just as consistent as A.J. Green in terms of getting open and hanging onto passes.

Give us a live-armed quarterback and we might be in good shape. Aaron Murray anyone?

And how about Washaun Ealey. The suffix of his first name isn't the only thing similar to the last guy who wore No. 24. Ealey, frankly, looks a lot like Knowshon Moreno.

And I'm not just being some dorky, overly excited fan here. Ealey really is an impressive player. He came on halfway through the year, much like Moreno did, and completely charged this Georgia running game.

Georgia's tandem of Ealey, King, and Samuel has turned out around 1,300 yards this year. Considering we were running for squat a game in the first half of the year, I feel like this running game is on track to become that dangerous weapon we all thought it would be.

There are no seniors or juniors in that backfield, mind you. They are all freshman or sophomores.

In our defensive backfield, which is three-fourths upperclassmen, the only standout this year has been Brandon Boykin. Boykin at least gets his hands on balls, which might be thanks to his 43" vertical leap.

He also appears to me as the most physical cornerback specimen we have had since Demario Minter. This is a guy who I think has potential to be an All-SEC cornerback.

Oh, and he has two—not one—100-yard kickoff return touchdowns. His return ability has yielded at least one "ooh-ahh" kickoff return in each game he has participated in.

And this guy is a sophomore? Prince Miller, what have you done for us lately? Where is Reshad Jones? Why in the world do we even let Bryan Evans on the field?

These are juniors and seniors I am bashing. Heck, our best defensive rush end, Justin Houston, is a sophomore and a heck of a good player. Where is that upperclassmen defensive end huh?

All over the board it appears that Georgia's biggest liabilities are the older guys, which was so ironically put on display during the loss to Kentucky on Senior Day.

Who were the big names in that game for Georgia? Wooten. King. Ealey. Charles.

And yet, the senior quarterback stares down a linebacker and throws him a gift—the game.

Before Cox's infamously bad interception (one I think should go on Best Damn Sport Show 's 50 Most Embarassing Moments) Washaun Ealey, a freshman, had to tell Joe Cox, the senior, that the play was a handoff rather than a toss.

Really, Joe Cox? Georgia has run that tight-I handoff over and over, yet you tossed it and the frosh had to give the, "are you serious?" assessment?

I'm not going to lie folks, this has been a bad year, but it looks to me as if the last few recruiting classes could very well pay off for us.

Maybe we need to be patient? I even figure it's time to dump Willie Martinez, but maybe we just need to wait out the storm. Heck, even if problems exist in the coaching, I'd have to argue Georgia is starting to look more talented than it did in 2002 or 2005.

I know that in college youth and age disparity should never be an issue for big schools—you reload, not rebuild.

Well folks, maybe we needed to rebuild a little bit. But, I think we have some potential to build something great.

But, regardless, the fact I'm fishing to the guys who are younger than me for answers, is, well, not a very good thing.

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Upset of Georgia Tech Would Work Wonders for Georgia Bulldogs

Cole Salmon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:15:14 -0500

It's hard to sit here and write this only two days removed from witnessing a gut-wrenching loss to Kentucky at Sanford Stadium. Naturally, Georgia's 6-5 record and third-place finish in the SEC East is not what I envisioned at the beginning of the season. (I actually had the Dawgs going 10-2...what was I thinking?)

Not only was it painful to see the seniors lose their last game in Sanford Stadium, it was painful to finally come to the realization that there is something seriously wrong with our football team.

Now I could go off on a rant about how we need to clean house and burn down the city of Athens. But I am not going to, nor do I want to do either of those things. I have left that job to the more radical parts of the so-called Bulldog "Fanbase" (which I was appalled to hear boo the team on multiple occasions Saturday).

I decided to write an article focusing on the upcoming game against archrival Georgia Tech this Saturday because I believe that is what our team is doing as well. Am I going to say that we are going to beat these guys? Of course not. Do I believe we have a chance? Sure. Do I think a win would help stop the bleeding from a wounded football team? Definitely.

I pray that our team does not have another season like this one in store for a long time. It has been tough to stick with the Dawgs through thick and thin, but deep down, I know that I could never bring myself to abandon the men in red and black—ever.

I realize that the majority of the Bulldog Nation wants a change—including yours truly—but we need to accept that this season isn't over. Our team plays the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets this weekend. This is the game we all had circled to start the year and a 6-5 record should not change our desire to put those bugs back in their place.

A victory over Georgia Tech would work wonders for this team. Not only in terms of a bowl game but for the 2010 campaign, as well. We have got to show that we are still the Georgia Bulldogs. We run this rivalry.

Of course, for our team to even compete with the Yellow Jackets we are going to have to put together the best game we have played in two years. That means no turnovers, no penalties, no mental lapses, and make their lives a living hell.

The Dogs have got to send the seniors out on a high note. What better way than to ruin Georgia Tech's season? We've done it before, Bulldog Nation. No one gave us a chance in 2006, but we prevailed.

And look how that season turned out.

Go Dawgs!

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Derek Lowe: What's His Trade Market?

Adam Bernacchio — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:19:39 -0500

On January 13, 2009, the Atlanta Braves signed Derek Lowe to a four-year, $60 million deal. The Braves signed Lowe after they failed to sign AJ Burnett, who signed with the New York Yankees.

Now less than one year later, the Braves are looking to trade the 6′6” righty.

Why would the Braves look to trade Lowe after just one year? Well, for one, they feel they have an excess of pitching. And two, if they are able to trade Lowe, they could free up some money to add offense.

The Braves want to unload Lowe

So can the Braves trade Lowe? Let’s take a look at the pros and the cons of Lowe and what teams would be interested in trading for the former member of Red Sox Nation.

Pros

If you trade for Lowe, you are going to trade for one of the most durable pitchers in the game.

Lowe has started 30-plus games every season since moving from the bullpen to a starter in 2002. And since moving to the National League in 2005, Lowe has led the league in starts three out of those five years.

Over the last three years, Lowe is third in the National League in innings pitched with 605. In a sport where quantity counts just as much as quality for a pitcher, Lowe’s durability goes a long way.

Perhaps Lowe’s best asset is his ability to pitch well in big games. We all know what he did in the 2004 playoffs for the Red Sox winning the clinching game in all three series.

Lowe was also solid in two out of his three starts for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2008 playoffs.

Cons

Can you believe Lowe is going to be 37-years-old next year? It’s a little surprising considering that he looks a lot younger.

And with Lowe getting older, perhaps his age started to show in 2009. Lowe’s ERA rose from 3.24 in 2008 to 4.67 in 2009 and Lowe’s hits/9 increased to 10.7, which was his highest since 2004 (11/9).

Lowe K’s/9 went down from 6.3 in 2008 to 5.1 in 2009 and his BB/9 went up from 1.9 in 2008 to 2.9 in 2009. And while Lowe is known as a sinkerball/groundball pitcher, in 2009 he threw a lower percentage of groundballs (56.3) than at any point during his career.

It’s never a good sign when a groundball pitcher is throwing more flyballs than ever.

Lastly, the biggest con Lowe has going for him is his contract. Lowe still has three years and $45 million on his contract. The Braves overpaid for Lowe last year and they are going to be hard pressed to move that size contract in this economy.

Now that we have looked at the pros and cons of Lowe, let’s take a look at the teams that might be interested in trading for the native of Dearborn, MI.

Milwaukee Brewers: There was a lot of talk recently of a Lowe for Corey Hart swap, but that was correctly turned down by the Brewers.

I know the Brewers are desperate for starting pitching, but even if all things were equal I wouldn’t have made that move if I was the Brewers’ GM.

New York Yankees: The Yankees had their choice between Burnett and Lowe last year and went with the younger Lowe. However, if Andy Pettitte doesn’t come back they feel Phil Hughes is still better suited to be in the pen, then Lowe could be an option.

It would be a long shot, but an option none the less.

Seattle Mariners: Another long shot, but the Mariners do need a number two starter and perhaps the Mariners could bring back the pitcher they traded away almost 12 years ago.

For those of you not familiar with what I am talking about, the Seattle Mariners traded Lowe and Jason Varitek to the Boston Red Sox for Heathcliff Slocumb.

I’ll check that one off as a win for the Red Sox.

Texas Rangers: Unless the Braves ate a significant portion of Lowe’s contract, it would be hard for the Rangers to acquire Lowe.

However, the Rangers could use a guy like Lowe and if they can get the Braves to eat a large portion of Lowe’s contract, then he would make sense for the Rangers.

As I have mentioned, the biggest problem the Braves will have with trading Lowe is his contract. Unless the Braves eat a significant portion of the deal, they are going to have a tough time trading him.

Now if it were my decision, I wouldn’t trade Lowe. This whole “the Braves have an excess of pitching” is comical to me.

Guess what? There is no such thing in baseball. The Red Sox had more pitching depth than any team in baseball going into 2009 and they still had to bring in Paul Byrd off his couch in August.

I guarantee that if the Braves trade Lowe or Javier Vazquez, something will happen to one of their remaining starters and they will be searching for a starter by the July 31st trading deadline.

That’s just the way baseball works.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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Atlanta Falcons' Secondary Holding Team Back

Mike Foster — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:38:30 -0500

After seeing Atlanta's offense make drastic improvements last season, thanks to key offseason additions, many Falcons fans questioned GM Thomas Dimitroff's less-than-reserved attention to defense this offseason.

The Falcons' offseason additions on defense, heading into the 2009 year, included Mike Peterson and a slew of rookies.

Many fans began to wonder why we did not make a big signee to help sure up a young and inexperienced secondary. Brian Williams was signed late in preseason to give the Falcons more depth; however, the former safety turned corner did soon appear to be the answer to the Falcons issues.

However, at the beginning of the year, I rested my faith in Dimitroff, as well as Mike Smith, in hopes of seeing this secondary improve over the course of the season.

They have had a few good games this year, like their performances against Chicago and Miami.

However, recently, the Falcons defensive backs have been holding back this football team. The problem is that they have not progressed; if anything they have regressed, and are forcing the Falcon's offense to score every possession to have a chance at victory.

This is a problem, and the sad thing is the fans were right all along. This secondary has issues.

It's not that the Falcons secondary is not athletic, but their are protruding issues that could be promptly diagnosed and fixed at a high school level, and yet these NFL corners—the best of the best—have failed to improve.

Chris Houston, despite being very good at running with receivers, has a serious problem with using his head.

Either he is not listening to coaching, he isn't getting coached, or he has a broken neck that has not been diagnosed.

Houston has become so bad at playing the ball that it has become obvious opponents are gameplanning to throw his way whether the receiver is covered or not.

Sadly, even in good coverage, teams are picking up tons of yardage throwing his way. Why?

Because for some odd reason Houston refuses to turn his head and play the ball. Now, I know that if you get beat you are supposed to be run with the receiver and keep your head on him, but the fact is Houston does not get beat.

He actually runs with even the best receivers fairly well. But he never ever turns to play the ball. What is wrong with this man?

Yesterday, he was so busy trying to undress a receiver in the corner of the end zone that he failed to realize the ball passed right by his buttocks. Instead of getting an interception, which would have been the result had he just rotated his head, Houston instead got flagged 15 yards.

It was the worst job I have ever seen a defensive back, at any level, do at covering a pass play. This is the NFL, Chris Houston. And this isn't just a one game thing folks; Houston has had this same problem since he arrived.

Brent Grimes seems to be having these issues as well, but he also is too small for the position. Sure, he might make a great "ooh and ah" play every once in a while, but the fact is he is a hit-or-miss type of player.

Either he makes a big play, or he gets smoked. Atlanta must get a taller and more consistent player to play at that position.

I actually really like Chris Houston. He is fast, and is a great tackler. I really like Brent Grimes and his athleticism. But, these two guys have to progress, and the fact that their style of lackluster play has not changed one bit in the past two years baffles me.

Are they to blame? Is our coaching slacking? The Falcons gave up 368 yards passing yesterday, and the cornerbacks have shown zero sign of resiliency.

Atlanta cannot rely on their defense to win games until these issues are fixed. The front seven has become very good. I like our defensive line and our linebackers. The offense is pretty potent as well.

But, if Atlanta is going to have to score 30 a game to win, they will not make the playoffs this year.

It's time Chris Houston, Brent Grimes, or Tye Hill step it up. Sure, Ryan has been in a slump. Turner is injured, and Norwood has been out. But, I would never question Matt Ryan's abilities or the abilities of the front seven on defense.

But hear me Falcons secondary, I have seen better pass defense in pickup football in my friends front yard. Get it right, because you are holding this team back.

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Atlanta Falcons Leave New York Defeated: Who's The Boss?

Richard Bridges — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:07:15 -0500

Well folks, it's official. The Atlanta Falcons defense is terrible. Not just bad in that under-performs, split second late kind of way. No, they just aren't any good.

When Peyton Manning tosses almost 400 yards and three touchdowns you say, "That figures, it's Peyton." But this isn't Peyton, it's Eli! When Eli Manning has his best performance (FIRST 300 yard passing game) at home in his career then you need to scrap everything and start over.

Below I will include some suggestions. Brian Van Gorder is welcome to try any of them and he doesn't even have to give me credit. It will be my pleasure. But first, let's hear what it feels like to play a defense so bad that you can just sling passes deep at random for big gains.

"This was definitely a game I will remember for a while," said Eli Manning after the game. "It is a big win for us, we needed one at this time, and hopefully this will keep us going, get a little rally, and continue to play well."

"I knew we had moved the ball very well most of the game, especially in the second half. We had some drives, we were throwing it well, guys were protecting, we were running pretty well, so I felt good."

Translation: Everyone should play the Falcons defense at home!

Eli was being modest however. Sure, in the second half they did look pretty good on offense. But the Giants only had 227 total yards in the first half. Hardly worth mentioning...

I would be remissed if I titled the article something cool like "Who's the Boss?" and not discuss the studly tight-end Eli embarrassed the Falcons with in the red zone. So allow me to let others descibe the man simply known as Kevin Boss.

"He is a big target," said Manning. "He is 6’7”. On the second touchdown he just got inside the safety with his big body where you can just throw it. Another time I hit him on a seam. I really had the chance to hit him on a couple touchdowns on our first drive."

You heard Eli! On the first drive Manning could have scored multiple TDs with his tight end. Manning had to hold back to avoid scoring an impossible feat due to the defense he faced being so horrible.

"We have had the idea that this would be one way to help ourselves in the green zone," said coach Tom Coughlin. "It proved true today. Kevin made some big plays. The play before the touchdown to Madison was a big play."

Well, coach kind of took his thunder some. Lets hear from the man himself. The man who possibly could have scored two touchdowns on one drive!

"Coming in to today’s game, I knew I had a couple of plays that might be coming my way down in the Green Zone. Eli took advantage of it and threw me a couple of great balls."

Eli throws great balls. The New York Giants lost four straight coming into the game and had a bye week to prepare. That makes the fourth team this season that had a full bye week to prepare for the Falcons. Which prompts the question to the schedule makers.

Why do you hate the Falcons?

As great as the Giants felt offensively in the second half, the Falcons topped it. Coming out of halftime the Giants led 17-7 but the Falcons put up 24 points to force overtime.

What clicked? What was the difference from the first to second halves? It was the play of Matt Ryan. He settled down.

After giving up a ridiculous fumble in the first half, Ryan came out and systematically moved the Falcons downfield the entire second half. One drive was 18 plays that led to Jason Elam actually making a field goal.

"You get one or two cracks a game at it (kicking) and you have to do the best you can with it," said Elam. "So far, it hasn’t worked out too well for me the past few weeks, but we’re going to keep fighting."

Saying it hasn't worked out too well is like saying, "The Caveman TV show had promise." It's worked out less than 60 percent of the time, Jason. There are quarterbacks that complete higher percentages of passes than you make field goals. That's embarrassing.

The good news is punter Michael Koenan never came out in the second half.

"Guys looked at each other on both sides of the ball at halftime and said we’ve got to step up and improve the execution in the second half," said Matt Ryan after the game. "And I thought we did that. We gave ourselves a chance to win but we fell short."

The Falcons defense couldn't keep the Giants from taking the overtime kickoff and scoring the winning field goal. I say defense, but after a 29 yard pass to Manningham it was one person in particular. See below.

GOATS OF WEEK 11

I could go through the entire Falcons defense and call them all goats. When you allow 34 points you deserve to take the heat for a loss. But there are special offenders in this case.

Chris Houston begins our conversation. He played about as poorly as I've ever seen him play. That is saying a lot because he's never great. He refuses to learn to turn his head and get after the ball. He's not bad at covering, but he's terrible at playing the ball. It's a sad day when he's your best cornerback.

Brent Grimes we discussed earlier. He's the Rudy of the team and thanks to his coverage of Mario Manningham at the end of the game. He too played terrible Sunday. But that pass in overtime wasn't even close. Manningham made Grimes look like Rihanna after a night of binge drinking with Chris Brown.

Before I put defensive end John Abrahams face on a milk carton, can someone tell me if he still plays for the Falcons?

Whoever was supposed to cover Kevin Boss makes this weeks goat. I believe I saw DeCoud try and cover him which was a joke. I also spotted Coleman and Peterson trying their hand at it. I tell you what, lets just say the entire defense was bad and move on.

Michael Jenkins has been a fixture on the goat list of late. That sure touchdown he missed prior to the Elam field goal should have put him on the bench for the rest of the game. Granted, he stepped up in the second half and made some key third-down catches to keep the sticks moving. But dropping that pass in inexcusable.

Jerious Norwood makes the list this week as well. He and Abraham need to start playing football again. Once two of our ace playmakers, both are wasting a roster spot this season. I could complain about Jamaal Anderson but I don't expect much out of him. Those two are just disappointments. That will teach me not to buy players' jerseys anymore.

Jason Elam needs to retire. Hell, I'm getting too old to watch him kick. My heart can't take the strain. Find someone that is a sure three points from 45 yards or less and I will survive. Do we still have Morton Anderson's phone number?

STUDS OF THE WEEK

After a poor showing in the first half, the Falcons offense woke up and started imposing their will on the Giants defense. I've been saying it for ages and this week they actually do it. Too bad they waited until there was only 30 minutes of regulation time remaining.

Matt Ryan settled down and stopped moving around so much. Once he started going through his reads and planting his feet his accuracy increased dramatically. He played like a leader in the second half rather than that scared kid we have seen the past few weeks.

Jason Snelling filled in admirably for injured Michael Turner. There were a couple of his runs I though to myself had Turner been in the game, it would have been a big play. But he did the best with what he had and he's become a true utility player. Much like Kevin Faulk for the New England Patriots.

Tony Gonzalez is the man. No doubt about it, he's the Falcons most clutch player at present. He came up with some huge plays in the second half and was a major reason the Falcons tied the score. Now if he could mentor Jenkins on how to catch the ball away from his body, he'd be Superman.

OBSERVATIONS FROM THE COUCH

Sitting at home, watching the games on television somehow in my mind makes me an expert on the Falcons. I guess you could say I watch enough film throughout the week to qualify me as a semi-expert. So here are some things that are glaring issues I witness on a weekly basis.

Do the Falcons really need multiple tight ends running downfield catching passes? I can kind of understand if they stay in to block but they are all running routes. It wasn't until the second half the Falcons put more receivers on the field than tight ends. The result? A 17 point increase.
Matt Ryan does run like a wounded giraffe. I beileve it was Ovie Mughelli that made that comment earlier this season. There is no reason he should be trying to pick up yards with his feet. He makes me uncomfortable just watching it.
What happened to the blitz? Are the Falcons that bad at it that when they do it I still feel like I'm watching a four man rush? Here are some clues for you Van Gorder. No pressure on Romo, loss. No pressure on Delhomme, loss. No pressure on Manning, loss. You seeing the trend here? Fix it! Send nine people if you need but put the quarterback on his rear a few times. When you allow almost 400 yards passing, it's time for plan "B" if there is such a thing. Cover two zone isn't doing the trick.
Atlanta can put teams in third downs all day long. That's when the Falcons rush four, give the quarterback ten seconds to find someone open and allow the opponent to move the chains. They must learn to get off the field on third downs. But we did establish the defense just isn't any good so I realize it's asking much.

I know it's a bit late to start screaming for new players to replace old ones but the Falcons are dead in the water with that secondary and that lack of pass rush. Even with talent like Curtis Lofton, Jonathan Babineaux and John Abraham, the defense is in shambles.

It's like those days you have to go to Wal-Mart to get some shopping done. You cross your fingers when you grab your cart that all four wheels will come together but inevitably it will pull to the left. That's what it's like when you watch the Falcons defense take the field.

Typically by the time you get moving towards your goal the whole thing goes wide right. Then you get some stuff in it, the weight distributes some and the pull is less. But by the time you're ready to check out, you're pulling it from the front to avoid killing one of the blue haired ladies blocking the pizza isle. It's just discouraging.

Next week is the Buccaneers in Atlanta. The good news is the Falcons are 4-0 at home this season. The bad news is they are about to give Tampa fans a reason to cheer for Josh Freeman.

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The Atlanta Hawks: A Great Team Doing Great Things

T.W. Scott — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:23:37 -0500

It seems the basketball gods are finally showing a little love to the birds of the South.

The Hawks have popped the season off 11-3 and up until Saturday night they were on a seven game winning streak.

One of the proudest moments of my Fan-Dom occurred this week when I did my usual rounds to check out the weekend dime and a couple of my favorite analysts power rankings and what do you know sitting atop all of them were my beloved Hawks.

The same Hawks team that just five short years ago won 16 games.

The same Hawks team that contributed to 95 percent of my July nightmares with their draft night brain farts (see Sheldon Williams)

The same franchise that for the last couple years were in a seemingly never ending court battle over ownership of the team

But it seems like all of that is ours past, hopefully distant past.

This could be the new era of Hawks Basketball the part of our 60 years documentary were the fast and up beat music starts to play.

That's just how we feel as Fans of the newly invigorated franchise that is fifth in the league in scoring 105 ppg , Very Up Beat.

Sure there are some bandwagon jumpers but they are more than welcomed, it makes life fun for the hope shot and often disappointed die hard fans of the ATL.

It's great to see some new faces packing out Phillips arena, and screaming their heads off for a team who do nothing but play hard and play the right way.

For years we have criticized Coach Woodson for what seemed to be his ineffective coaching style now after closer evaluation and a couple more wins we see maybe it not his own deficiencies but the team wasn't not totally buying into his system why he constantly had that confused and dumbfounded look on his face all the time.

The season to date the have won by following two basic principles

Defense, this has been catalyst for this recovery thought it may not be over whelming in the stat book (15th in points given up), the have come through time and time again and leaned on their D when they really needed it.

Unselfishness, with the offseason moves the team made the Hawks are now legitimately six deep with guys who can score at least 10 points on every night.

The biggest proponent to that has to be the play of one Josh Smith.

For years we have known that he posses all the physical tools to be great even the most critical of his detractors say he can be phenomenal if he ever gets his mind right and now it seems he is putting it all together.

There have been a number of players in the league who like Josh were very athletic yet lacked a serious jumper and decision making skills. For these types of players to succeed and reach their full potential one or two things have to happen

They either develop that jump shot or they stop shooting it.

It seem josh has chosen the later group, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Best stat in basketball right now 12 games J-Smoove one three point attempt. Man this cat is really maturing.

This team shows that you don't have to just go out and spend unmissable amounts of money or just pick up Free agents to win, yes I'm talking to you "clear cap room and suck for a year in order to pray for one of the 2010 Elite, Type of owners."

I guess there is something to say for continuity, and dare I say maybe Billy Knight knew what he was doing. Nah, just a great team doing great things.

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SEC Thoughts: Georgia Is Officially the Most-Disappointing Team

ACC SEC Blog — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:46:56 -0500

Another good week of college football is wrapped up and I'm saddened by the realization that just two weeks remain in the regular season.

It was also a good week picking games again. I went 8-1 straight up and 6-3 against the spread.

Here are my thoughts on the week that was in the SEC and around the nation.

I really wanted to pick Kentucky for the win straight up (my numbers told me UK by two), but the Randall Cobb injury situation scared me off.

Turnovers killed Georgia again. UGA out gained Kentucky by 227 yards and threw for more yards (291) than the Wildcats had total.

You have to feel for a guy like Joe Cox who waited four years for his turn and then played so poorly on senior night. He finished with 12 for 30 passing and two interceptions.

Georgia has a highly touted freshman it is redshirting this season at QB. I would think Mark Richt would have learned his lesson with Knowshon Moreno and played the true freshman Aaron Murray if he was going to have a big impact on the season.

But it doesn't end with the QB and turnovers. Georgia's defense gave up more than 30 points to a team who had not scored that many on an SEC team all season.

You have to tip your cap to Rich Brooks. The man who proclaimed he was "still here" at the SEC Media Days a few years back has the Wildcats in line for a fourth straight bowl. The only coach other than Brooks to win three straight bowls at UK was Paul "Bear" Bryant.

Not bad company.

Brooks broke another Kentucky streak on Saturday winning in Athens for the first time since 1977.

Where does Georgia go from here? Probably to Shreveport or Memphis as it looks likely the Bulldogs will finish 6-6 barring an upset of Georgia Tech in Atlanta next Saturday.

Georgia has officially replaced Ole Miss as the owner of the most disappointing season in the SEC. This team has talent, so Richt has to answer some serious questions about his coaching staff after this season.

I love it when I nail close spreads . LSU fans hate it when their coach cannot manage the game clock inside of the 30 seconds.

You can read all you want about the game and its ending and draw your own conclusions. But I think Les Miles blew it when he waited 17 seconds to call time out after third down. But I also think a home clock operator would give LSU two seconds instead of one after Tolliver's catch (he was clearly on the ground at two).

Should Les Miles be on the hot seat? No, but maybe his offensive line coach should be after LSU put up just 40 yards rushing. You are telling me that mammoth line can't get two yards per attempt?

Florida and Alabama both won big. I wonder who got the jump on the SEC Championship Game preparation?

And now some national thoughts...

Texas' Colt McCoy set the NCAA record for all time wins at 43 and did it with an extremely accurate arm within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage. Texas has exploded after the Oklahoma win, but who is hotter right now: A Colt McCoy-led Texas offense or Colt McCoy's girlfriend ?

Somewhere Sammy Baugh is smiling with TCU's best start in 71 years. And somewhere an AD is looking up Gary Patterson's phone number.

Michigan's Tate Forcier threw four interceptions and added a fumble in the Wolverines sixth straight loss to Ohio State.

After the game Forcier texted to the AP "I lost that game". What is a college QB doing texting the AP, much less a true freshman? Rich Rod said the starting job is open in the offseason. Maybe this will bring Forcier back to Earth.

I was rooting for Arizona against Oregon. I wanted to see the Wildcats in their first Rose Bowl ever. I like teams who have a chance to do something they have never done before.

But I didn't like the Arizona students crowding on the sideline as regulation wound down. You have been waiting for 100 years and you can't wait five more minutes until your team actually wins?

Stanford lost following their win over USC making the Cardinal the third team this season to lose the week following a win over the Trojans.

What's your deal Stanford?

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