I was PISSED last week. It almost felt like 2002 again, back when I couldn't talk following a Georgia loss. Recently I've been taking the losses better because CMR has made losing such a common thing that I've gotten used to it. PS, that isn't a good thing. Well, maybe for my health it is. Regardless, I will NOT be watching the Georgia game tomorrow. I will be attending Suwanne Day. And working on the bathroom (this thing HAS to get finished sometime, right?). And before you say, "well the UGA game is on PPV so you couldn't watch it even if you wanted to!" I would say, "I could always go to a Taco Mac and watch it, dummy." But I am not. Nope. Take that Richt! PROTEST! On to the picks.
3 LSU @ 25 Miss State…You will need to believe me for this pick, but I TOTALLY knew LSU was going to win the game. Actually, who didn’t know that? The hangover Miss State had after losing the way it did to Auburn, there was no way the OTHER Bulldogs could have won this game. PS, LSU is PDG. And the craziest part: Zach Mettensexualassaulter isn’t the one doing it. It’s Jarrett Lee doing it. Well, the running game and defense, but that sounds like the recipe the Tigers had in 2003 and 2007. Looking like my LSU call in the SEC West is going to happen…
Friday 4 Boise State @ Toledo. Just when I was really starting to grow a measure of respect for Boise State, I remember that the Broncos do crap like this to piss me off. Boise State, you go out and knock off Georgia (made them look BAD) but then you go and schedule a MAC team when you play in the MWC? And you play on Friday nights? On a blue field? Stop with the gimmicks. If you want to be taken seriously, play the TOUGHEST non-conference schedule you can because even your new conference blows. Boise State, you should be pushing to be a member of the Big XII. Say, “OU, Texas, OSU, Don’t leave, we’ll join!” But NO, you’d rather play Toledo. If you want to be Big Boy Football (sorry Colin), then take measures to PLAY BIG BOY FOOTBALL. Stop with Fridays on blue fields. Broncos win this one easily.
Saturday
18 West Va @ Maryland: I love Maryland because I love Crabcakes and I love football. (And that’s what Maryland does, lest we forget). I also love Randy Edsall. However, West VA is just too talented for this Terp squad. I like Maryland in the ACC (just not against FSU), but I am thinking Chick-fil-A bowl ultimately for Maryland, not BCS. It will be losses like this that keep them from the BCS. Neers win this then return to Morgantown and throw burning couches off of frat house roofs. We should really do a study to see which is more depressing: throwing burning couches off of a frat house roof or TP’ing a couple of dead trees.
21 Auburn @ Clemson. Speaking of TP’ing dead trees, Auburn visits Clemson and Auburn never seems to do well in these early games (See 2006 vs Arkansas and 2006 vs Georgia.) Clemson has struggled so far this season, but perhaps they were playing opossum, waiting for Auburn. Awesome Opossum, that is. I believe the Tigers, Clemson version spring the upset and take down the Tigers, Auburn-style. Go Dabo. And Auburn loses the first of its eventual five for the 2011 season.
EMU @ Michigan. Michigan needed a miracle to beat Notre Dame. It will need to show up to beat EMU.
Penn State @ Temple. JoePa is excited that he will get to speak with the man that will take his place at PSU next year Al Golden. Wait, Al Golden left and Temple went out and hired that Addazio guy that messed up Florida’s offense and caused Urban Meyer to quit? And Urban is calling the game….awkward. JoePa, while confused, wins.
Pitt @ Iowa. This game is on ESPN2….which means the Pam Ward Dance party hits Iowa City! That Iowa/Iowa State game last week was great. Iowa State pulled out the OT win to claim the CyHawk trophy (so stupid). How will Iowa cope? Oh, by beating Pitt and then dancing all afternoon with Pam Ward in downtown Iowa City! (Not the capital by the way.)
Ole Miss @ Vandy: Ole Miss is bad. Vandy is not as bad. Vandy is still not GOOD, but they aren’t as bad as Ole Miss. Vandy is 2-0, make it 3-0. Someone tell ADGM to put the phone DOWN, Georgia doesn’t need James Franklin
Kansas @ GT. A Georgia Tech game on TV? Now Techies can play D&D online and watch the game at the same time! In all seriousness, this game was a Kansas win one year ago, which was a black eye (actually it is Navy Blue and Old Gold…whatever. It looks black.) for Paul Johnson. Will he have the team ready to go for the Jayhawks this year? He had better hope so. Seriously, you lose to KU again and ….well Tech won’t do anything about it because they don’t care about football. They cannot even sell out their 55,000 seat stadium.
Duke @ BC. I went to Boston a few years back but didn’t stop by Chestnut Hill. ( I was too busy watching Georgia lose to Okie State in a bar. I was stupid.)I did go to Fenway. That was fun. Walked by the Gahden. That was cool. Boston seems pretty neat, except for the people. Back to the game: boring. If this was basketball it wouldn’t really be interesting either. I am going with BC. Why? Because I have never picked Duke (don’t quote me on that) and I probably never will, unless we do a CBB picks piece during CBB season, but I don’t see that happening.
Coastal Carolina @ Georgia. The Dawgs had better win. That is all I’m going to say about it. Love Crowell by the way. I think three TDs. Wait, I won’t be able to watch it. So who cares. NO ONE GET HURT!
7 Wisco vs Northern Illinois: This game is at a neutral field I think someone told me. It had better be. I’ve never been to Madison, but I wouldn’t mind going there. Northern Illinois? I’ve been to Illinois a few times and I can say that if I never go back, that will be too soon. Wisco wins. Russell Wilson is a Richmond guy. Going with the Richmond guy.
U-Dub @ 11 Nebraska: I spoke with my Nebraska insider and he isn’t worried about the Huskers. (playing the Huskies. No? no laugh?) He still likes the defense. Still likes the offense. He isn’t worried. Nebraska at home…going with the Big Ten (+2) in this one.
15 Michigan State @ ND.Last year Michigan State won on a fake field goal. Gutsy. Sparty and company won’t need that this year. Notre Dame starts 0-3. You still liking a BCS bowl Lou? Wait, let me rethink that pick. ALL of the officials will be paid by NBC for a victory. Maybe I should switch my pick. Hmmmm. I’ve picked FOR Notre Dame the last two weeks. Irish fans, you LIKE that I’m picking against them to play like Champions Saturday.
Tennessee @ 16 Florida. I remember when this game was the de facto SEC East championship. Now it is to see who goes to the Outback Bowl! Fun! (Because Georgia is winning out and going to either the Sugar Bowl or the CapitalOne Bowl. Just go with it!). Tyler Bray has looked good. Brantley has looked better. The Champ beats Dooley in a battle of UGA alumni (well, Dooley went to UGA law school!)
23 Texas @ UCLA. Losing coach gets fired on the spot? WHAT? Texas wouldn’t fire Mack Brown! Umm, he might get urged into retirement. All I am saying. Way to comeback last week, Mack! I was talking to Joey Bagofdoughnuts last weekend (he’s an Auburn fan) and he was asking if Georgia was going to go after Gary Patterson. I said no because Patterson wants to coach in a BCS conference (which he will next year) and Patterson is holding out for the Texas job. Patterson is Texas’s next head coach. No one else. GP isn’t coming to Georgia. (Texas wins BTW)
UVA @ UNC. I went to the 1998 game between these two in UNC, and I must say that the Chapel Hill football stadium’s setting is beautiful. How Butch Davis never went to a BCS bowl game while there shows that he is ALL RECRUIT, NO COACH. UNC is a sleeping giant in the college football world. Just get a good coach in there and it can take off. UVa, I’d like to take you in this one, but you are one year away. Tar Heels take it.
Norhtwestern @ Army. This game is being played at West Point my Play-by-play partner Bob Houghton tells me. He wanted to go, but I think decided against it. I’ll ask him why TONIGHT on GPB.org/sports at 7:30pm! Colquitt County @ Warner Robins. Tune in! Northwestern wins.
Navy @ 10 SoCar: Steve Spurrier said he was lucky to win last week and he was. Oh well. This game won’t help Georgia if SoCar loses, so WIN South Carolina. Start losing when you resume SEC play!
Louisville @ Kentucky. Joker! Chaz Strong! The Battle of the Bluegrass! Imagine how different this season would be if Georgia had kept its date with Louisville instead of dumping them for Bosie State. Hmmmm. I don’t know if Georgia would have beaten Louisville though. Chaz Strong is building something up there. I am worried for Joker. But he has Josh Clemons, so he wins at home.
17 OhioState @ Miami: I know a few Ohio State grads (poor me, I know) and they were going to go down to the game but the suspensions scared them away. I don’t know why. The Buckeyes will still win. I would say Poor Al Golden, but he did this to himself when he said Jacory Harris would be the starter.
1OU @ 5 FSU Will Sooner Boom or go boom? Apparently the Sooners are just 2-10 against top five teams in the last decade or something. Landry Jones throws 70% of his interceptions on the road…whatever. I say Oklahoma wins it because of Landry Jones, Ryan Broyles and the fact that Seminoles are, right now, where the Sooners were last year: one year away but still in a BCS bowl year. The Seminoles will make a BCS bowl, OU will make THE BCS bowl.
6 Stanford @ Arizona Nick Foles and the Wildcats crapped the bed last Thursday against Okie State in Stillwater. I expect Foles and the Wildcats to have a MUCH better showing at home against Stanford. That said, Stanford wins. But closer than ya think.
Pro Picks: Eagles over Falcons. Washington TO THE SUPERBOWL BEHIND TOUCHDOWN TIMMY HIGHTOWER!
Upset pick: Clemson?
Lock of the week: Wisconsin
Local: Georgia Tech and Georgia both win. AND ATHENS GOES CRAZY WITH EXCITEMENT! Or to their cars in the third quarter when Hutson Mason comes into the game.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Friday Night GHSA football preview for Metro Atlanta
One year ago Austin Hardin kicked a 58-yard field goal with just seconds left to help Marist to a huge road victory over Southwest DeKalb. This year the War Eagles are at home and breaking in a new quarterback. It is the GPB-TV game of the week…
After appearing on the GPB.org game of the week last Friday, Kell is once again on the road, this time heading to the Bone Yard to face East Paulding. East Paulding is averaging 42 points per game this year and was led last week by Mitchell Webb (265 passing yards) and Thomas Wooley (109 rushing)…
The ML King offense is starting to look unstoppable with Jonquel Dawson and Blake Tibbs lighting up scoreboards. Tibbs had two scores one week ago in a win over Collins Hill. Dawson, Tibbs and Jamonde Hunter welcome Westlake to Hallford Stadium…
Mill Creek will put its undefeated record on the line at Mountain View likely
without quarterback John Russ. The senior suffered a mild concussion one week ago…
Defending 4A champion Chattahoochee travels to face Creekview seeking its second straight win on the road…
Kenyan Drake and Hillgrove host South Cobb as the Eagles will try and contain Drake, who has scored eight touchdowns this year…
Walton lit up Milton earlier this season. Now Lassiter and Eddie Printz, who threw for nearly 400 yards one week ago, host the Eagles…
North Gwinnett and Collins Hill square off with both teams looking to avoid a crippling region-opening defeat in Region 7-5A…
Walton will look to keep Roswell on the deck with an offense led by Tyren Jones and Parker McLeod…
Mays thumped Miller Grove 35-0 one year ago but the Wolverines defense has improved and is allowing just 114.5 yards per game this season. The two will tango Saturday at Grady Stadium
After appearing on the GPB.org game of the week last Friday, Kell is once again on the road, this time heading to the Bone Yard to face East Paulding. East Paulding is averaging 42 points per game this year and was led last week by Mitchell Webb (265 passing yards) and Thomas Wooley (109 rushing)…
The ML King offense is starting to look unstoppable with Jonquel Dawson and Blake Tibbs lighting up scoreboards. Tibbs had two scores one week ago in a win over Collins Hill. Dawson, Tibbs and Jamonde Hunter welcome Westlake to Hallford Stadium…
Mill Creek will put its undefeated record on the line at Mountain View likely
without quarterback John Russ. The senior suffered a mild concussion one week ago…
Defending 4A champion Chattahoochee travels to face Creekview seeking its second straight win on the road…
Kenyan Drake and Hillgrove host South Cobb as the Eagles will try and contain Drake, who has scored eight touchdowns this year…
Walton lit up Milton earlier this season. Now Lassiter and Eddie Printz, who threw for nearly 400 yards one week ago, host the Eagles…
North Gwinnett and Collins Hill square off with both teams looking to avoid a crippling region-opening defeat in Region 7-5A…
Walton will look to keep Roswell on the deck with an offense led by Tyren Jones and Parker McLeod…
Mays thumped Miller Grove 35-0 one year ago but the Wolverines defense has improved and is allowing just 114.5 yards per game this season. The two will tango Saturday at Grady Stadium
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Colquitt County young, Softball ACTION!
Rush Propst told the Moultrie Observer before last week’s win over Westlake that he does not consider this a veteran team. “We are not a team yet that can just show up and win.” The Packers avoided Homecoming distractions to pull out a 21-10 victory and this week (GPB.org game of the week at Warner Robins) could get one of the few veterans on the roster back in all-state center Bryce Giddens…
This will also be Colquitt County’s first road test of the year.
Middle Georgia is often overlooked in the Atlanta vs. South Georgia debate, but a pair of “middle Georgia” running backs certainly turned some heads last week. West Laurens’ Demetrius Green rushed for five scores and 117 yards in a win over Howard. Not to be outdone, Marteze Waller of Putnam County ran for 196 yards and four touchdowns in the first half as Putnam County thumped Crawford County 55-0…
Clinch County’s loss to Wilcox County last week means that three defending champions have now lost thus far this year (Brookwood, Chattahoochee)…
Two of the state’s best met on the softball diamond when No.2 Mill Creek hosted No.4 Collins Hill earlier this week. The host Hawks gave up five runs on eleven hits but received a complete game from Tori Mitchell and three RBI from Taylor Rogers to win 9-5. Anyssa Robles contributed with a two-run single in the third inning to help Mill Creek to a lead it would not lose…
Krista Gustafson crushed a grand slam to help GAC knock off four-time defending Class AA champ Buford 5-0…
On the volleyball court, No.1 Harrison edged No.2 North Cobb when the two programs opened Area 5-5A competition. The Lady Hoyas held off the Lady Warriors 26-24, 25-23 according to the Marietta Daily Journal.
This will also be Colquitt County’s first road test of the year.
Middle Georgia is often overlooked in the Atlanta vs. South Georgia debate, but a pair of “middle Georgia” running backs certainly turned some heads last week. West Laurens’ Demetrius Green rushed for five scores and 117 yards in a win over Howard. Not to be outdone, Marteze Waller of Putnam County ran for 196 yards and four touchdowns in the first half as Putnam County thumped Crawford County 55-0…
Clinch County’s loss to Wilcox County last week means that three defending champions have now lost thus far this year (Brookwood, Chattahoochee)…
Two of the state’s best met on the softball diamond when No.2 Mill Creek hosted No.4 Collins Hill earlier this week. The host Hawks gave up five runs on eleven hits but received a complete game from Tori Mitchell and three RBI from Taylor Rogers to win 9-5. Anyssa Robles contributed with a two-run single in the third inning to help Mill Creek to a lead it would not lose…
Krista Gustafson crushed a grand slam to help GAC knock off four-time defending Class AA champ Buford 5-0…
On the volleyball court, No.1 Harrison edged No.2 North Cobb when the two programs opened Area 5-5A competition. The Lady Hoyas held off the Lady Warriors 26-24, 25-23 according to the Marietta Daily Journal.
TheFletch from AWeek ago
Sorry it is a bit late. I forgot to post it this past Monday. Enjoy the shot at Georgia Tech!
College football is BACK and soon the National Football League will be in our living rooms, in our mancaves and in our sports bars. Thank goodness Labor Day is past us (one of my favorite holidays because it means the start of football), because now football is upon us.
Several quick thoughts from the opening weekend of college football: Nessler is great and Pollack is SO much better on television than on the radio. First off, Brad Nessler made watching the second half of the Boise State/Georgia game tolerable (for me as a Georgia fan at least. I am sure Georgia Tech fans loved watching the Georgia game for different reasons, those that weren’t consumed with watching their own game on the web or attending DragonCon). Nessy is of course lives in Georgia so when he talks about the Bulldog program, you get the sense that he actually knows what he is talking about instead of what he crammed in a two-hour interview the week of the game. At one point he discussed Mark Richt on the hotseat and how the “radio stations were sure to heat up” and odds are he probably does listen every now and then to the local two sports talk stations when in town and not out on assignment. Later he talked about the Buford/Carver-Columbus game from the night before and it was just nice to hear someone nationally speaking about a local high school game. It gave me, as a Georgia high school football fan, a bit of a thrill to hear it talked about nationally.
I also enjoyed watching former Georgia All-American and former 790 The Zone personality David Pollack on ESPN Gameday. He seemed far more comfortable in the three-minutes-at-a-time spots on ESPN opposed to how he sounded nervous/uncomfortable most of the time on 790 The Zone. Perhaps he had a better rapport with his co-hosts on Gameday moreso than he did with Mike Bell, but this appears to be the better fit for Pollack and it is good for him that he found it.
Speaking of Mike Bell, he and David Archer are now officially a team on 790 The Zone’s afternoon drive slot, bringing up an interesting shift between the two local sports talk stations. When Bell was teammates with Pollack and up against 680 The Fan’s Buck & Kincade, Pollack & Bell seemed to skew more towards the younger demo and court the 25-39 audience. Now that 680 moved Chuck & Chernoff into that spot, the younger audience (myself included) is likely flipping back and forth more often between the two. Ever since Arch & Bell has been on though, has the dynamic completely flipped in that 680 is going after the younger crowd with 790 featuring the two 40+ guys going after the older end of the demo? It seems like a strange flop but Arch & Bell keep throwing out movie/music/television references from before my birth and playing the “back in my day” card. My, how the tides quickly change.
GPB has been all over the 2011 high school football season so far and don’t look for the coverage to ramp down at all with the region matchups beginning soon. Gil Tyree and Dave Hunter were joined in the booth last week by Trey McDaniel, and having worked with McDaniel before I can say that his presence was a great addition. McDaniel called games for years on 790 The Zone and his voice is professional-grade and his high school football knowledge is first-grade. Dave Hunter offers a true former-coach-in-the-booth view and he can break down how the safety came up to fill the gap like no other in the state. On the web side, Bob Houghton and I have had two great finishes so far this year and if last year is any indicator, the great finishes will last throughout the entire season. Be sure to log on this Friday as Kell travels to Woodstock. Word is the Wolverines will have a special 9-11 tribute before the game. Two years ago we webcasted the 9-11 tribute also at Woodstock then watched a tremendous game where McEachern’s Rajaan Bennett rallied the Indians to an overtime win.
I’ve managed to catch a few of the other high school football broadcasts (thank you Charter DVR!) and I must say that we are in the golden age of GHSA football coverage. WSB’s Zach Klein has teamed with the AJC’s Michael Carvell and the two are getting a feel for each other, though Klein is really talented calling play-by-play. The WSB broadcast has improved over last year’s coverage ten times over and the Thursday night game concept is really clever as to not get lost on a triple-digit channel number on a Friday night. Meanwhile CSS has rotated its crew a bit the last few weeks but the games have been entertaining and it is interesting going with Barton Simmons, a full-time recruiting expert as your color commentator, but he is providing some great recruiting background on the players involved. Matt Stewart continues to roll on without missing a beat as one of Atlanta’s broadcasting treasures.
Finally I was a little disappointed after listening to Yahoo! Sports Radio for over a month and not hearing much of a change from Sporting News Radio. 790 The Zone goes to Yahoo! Sports Radio for its after-hours programming and I listened in on August 1, 2011 when the change was officially made as SNR became Y!SR. I thought that perhaps more of the Yahoo! Sports writers (who are actually becoming better at writing about sports rather than just pushing agendas cough-ESPN-cough) would get airtime to break down the day’s top stories and biggest rumors. No luck though. So far the same shows are airing under the company name Yahoo! Sports Radio instead of Sporting News Radio. I am a bit disappointed. If I listen to overnight and weekend programming I am still listening to ESPN radio. I would have loved if Yahoo! had tried to steal away some of that airtime but alas.
Can You Believe He Said That
"So much for 'halftime adjustments,' eh? And so much for Joe Tereshinski’s conditioning methods."
Mark Bradley of the AJC seems to enjoy needling the Georgia Bulldog football program, but I must agree with his thoughts here. Why did Todd Grantham not make the adjusts after Boise State adjusted to him? And why were Georgia’s players cramping up so much IN A DOME? They weren’t outside in the heat. It was night…in a dome. What is up with the fatigue in the team’s first game? Lots of questions after that one.
College football is BACK and soon the National Football League will be in our living rooms, in our mancaves and in our sports bars. Thank goodness Labor Day is past us (one of my favorite holidays because it means the start of football), because now football is upon us.
Several quick thoughts from the opening weekend of college football: Nessler is great and Pollack is SO much better on television than on the radio. First off, Brad Nessler made watching the second half of the Boise State/Georgia game tolerable (for me as a Georgia fan at least. I am sure Georgia Tech fans loved watching the Georgia game for different reasons, those that weren’t consumed with watching their own game on the web or attending DragonCon). Nessy is of course lives in Georgia so when he talks about the Bulldog program, you get the sense that he actually knows what he is talking about instead of what he crammed in a two-hour interview the week of the game. At one point he discussed Mark Richt on the hotseat and how the “radio stations were sure to heat up” and odds are he probably does listen every now and then to the local two sports talk stations when in town and not out on assignment. Later he talked about the Buford/Carver-Columbus game from the night before and it was just nice to hear someone nationally speaking about a local high school game. It gave me, as a Georgia high school football fan, a bit of a thrill to hear it talked about nationally.
I also enjoyed watching former Georgia All-American and former 790 The Zone personality David Pollack on ESPN Gameday. He seemed far more comfortable in the three-minutes-at-a-time spots on ESPN opposed to how he sounded nervous/uncomfortable most of the time on 790 The Zone. Perhaps he had a better rapport with his co-hosts on Gameday moreso than he did with Mike Bell, but this appears to be the better fit for Pollack and it is good for him that he found it.
Speaking of Mike Bell, he and David Archer are now officially a team on 790 The Zone’s afternoon drive slot, bringing up an interesting shift between the two local sports talk stations. When Bell was teammates with Pollack and up against 680 The Fan’s Buck & Kincade, Pollack & Bell seemed to skew more towards the younger demo and court the 25-39 audience. Now that 680 moved Chuck & Chernoff into that spot, the younger audience (myself included) is likely flipping back and forth more often between the two. Ever since Arch & Bell has been on though, has the dynamic completely flipped in that 680 is going after the younger crowd with 790 featuring the two 40+ guys going after the older end of the demo? It seems like a strange flop but Arch & Bell keep throwing out movie/music/television references from before my birth and playing the “back in my day” card. My, how the tides quickly change.
GPB has been all over the 2011 high school football season so far and don’t look for the coverage to ramp down at all with the region matchups beginning soon. Gil Tyree and Dave Hunter were joined in the booth last week by Trey McDaniel, and having worked with McDaniel before I can say that his presence was a great addition. McDaniel called games for years on 790 The Zone and his voice is professional-grade and his high school football knowledge is first-grade. Dave Hunter offers a true former-coach-in-the-booth view and he can break down how the safety came up to fill the gap like no other in the state. On the web side, Bob Houghton and I have had two great finishes so far this year and if last year is any indicator, the great finishes will last throughout the entire season. Be sure to log on this Friday as Kell travels to Woodstock. Word is the Wolverines will have a special 9-11 tribute before the game. Two years ago we webcasted the 9-11 tribute also at Woodstock then watched a tremendous game where McEachern’s Rajaan Bennett rallied the Indians to an overtime win.
I’ve managed to catch a few of the other high school football broadcasts (thank you Charter DVR!) and I must say that we are in the golden age of GHSA football coverage. WSB’s Zach Klein has teamed with the AJC’s Michael Carvell and the two are getting a feel for each other, though Klein is really talented calling play-by-play. The WSB broadcast has improved over last year’s coverage ten times over and the Thursday night game concept is really clever as to not get lost on a triple-digit channel number on a Friday night. Meanwhile CSS has rotated its crew a bit the last few weeks but the games have been entertaining and it is interesting going with Barton Simmons, a full-time recruiting expert as your color commentator, but he is providing some great recruiting background on the players involved. Matt Stewart continues to roll on without missing a beat as one of Atlanta’s broadcasting treasures.
Finally I was a little disappointed after listening to Yahoo! Sports Radio for over a month and not hearing much of a change from Sporting News Radio. 790 The Zone goes to Yahoo! Sports Radio for its after-hours programming and I listened in on August 1, 2011 when the change was officially made as SNR became Y!SR. I thought that perhaps more of the Yahoo! Sports writers (who are actually becoming better at writing about sports rather than just pushing agendas cough-ESPN-cough) would get airtime to break down the day’s top stories and biggest rumors. No luck though. So far the same shows are airing under the company name Yahoo! Sports Radio instead of Sporting News Radio. I am a bit disappointed. If I listen to overnight and weekend programming I am still listening to ESPN radio. I would have loved if Yahoo! had tried to steal away some of that airtime but alas.
Can You Believe He Said That
"So much for 'halftime adjustments,' eh? And so much for Joe Tereshinski’s conditioning methods."
Mark Bradley of the AJC seems to enjoy needling the Georgia Bulldog football program, but I must agree with his thoughts here. Why did Todd Grantham not make the adjusts after Boise State adjusted to him? And why were Georgia’s players cramping up so much IN A DOME? They weren’t outside in the heat. It was night…in a dome. What is up with the fatigue in the team’s first game? Lots of questions after that one.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
How good could the O's have been in 1996?
Don’t you hate to play the “What coulda been” game? I grew up in Midlothian, Virginia, one of the biggest Baltimore Orioles and Cal Ripken Jr., fans in all of the Western Hemisphere. I ate, drank and slept the Orioles. Seriously, we are talking Orioles plates and spoons, glasses (some saved from gas stations and Hardee’s) and bed sheets. I loved the Orioles. My dad would take me out of school to go watch the O’s on Opening Day. Three hour drive to Baltimore? So what! The Orioles’ season is starting! Two particular trades helped make the Orioles into what the franchise was in the late 90s and prevented it from being what it could have been in the late 90s.
Looking back I don’t remember the first trade when it happened but I certain remember the second trade and being at first excited and then incredibly disappointed. The first trade happened in 1998 when the Orioles traded a two-time Opening Day Starter and 1984 all-star Mike Boddicker to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Curt Schilling and Brady Anderson. Boddicker was a strong pitcher for the O’s in the early 1980s, winning 79 games and helping the team win the 1983 World Series. After he left Baltimore, he was only able to win 55 games in six years before retiring. He did win a Gold Glove in 1990, but so what?
On the flip side, Brady Anderson (and his sideburns) became a mainstay for the Birds, as he starred in centerfield (and later leftfield as age crept up on Anderson), slugging and swiping bases with regularity. Anderson made three all-star teams while hitting 209 home runs (a high of 50 in 1996) and stealing 307 bases (a high of 53 in 1992). Anderson never stole less than 12 in a season while stealing at least 21 seven times, 30+ three times. Other than Cal Ripken, Anderson was by far the most popular Orioles player during the 1990s.
The other part of that Boddicker trade was quickly flipped in a trade that could have benefited the Orioles more if the Baltimore GM had dialed Houston incorrectly or the Astros GM not picked up. Curt Schilling was with the Orioles just three years before being sent to the Astros in a deal for Glenn Davis. Schilling was 1-6 with Baltimore and had ZERO starts in 1990, his final with the club. The coaching staff apparently was trying to use Schilling as a bullpen arm. OK. Good thing Schilling went on to win 215 games with other clubs, including three World Series titles (plus another appearance in the Fall Classic), make five all-star teams and finish in the top-four of Cy Young voting four times. Glenn Davis meanwhile played in just 185 games over three seasons for the Orioles, hitting .247, slugging 24 home runs and driving in 85 runs. Yeah…..(But let me stop hating on the former Georgia Bulldog now.)
So the Orioles traded Curt Schilling for a washed-up Davis, just think about what the club could have had with Schilling in the rotation alongside Ben McDonald and Mike Mussina and later Scott Erickson. Wait, what? There was more in that Davis trade? Steve Finley AND Pete Harnish were included? Finley who would win five Gold Gloves and make two all-star teams after leaving Baltimore? Finley who would hit at least 28 home runs five times and steal at least 30 bases three times, including 34 the year after he was traded to Houston and 44 the year after that? Pete Harnish, the 1987 first-round pick that won 11 games the year after you traded him and was an all-star in 1991? Crud.
You are telling me that Steve Finley wouldn’t have looked better in rightfield over the 39-year-old one year part-timer Dwight Evans? Finley wouldn’t have looked better in leftfield than Joe Orsulak? Anderson eventually took over the leftfield spot but the offense could have benefitted from Finley in there over the next decade. The Orioles eventually won the Wild Card in 1996 and the AL East in 1997, appearing in the ALCS both seasons but could not sustain the good fortune. The team hasn’t had a winning record since 1997. Schilling meanwhile took the Phillies to the World Series in 1993, won a World Series MVP in 2001 plus two more rings in Boston in 2004 and 2007. Finley helped the Padres to the World Series in 1998 and won a championship with Schilling and Arizona in 2001. Finley would make the post-season seven times in his 19 seasons.
As good as the Orioles are and as much as the franchise profited from the Mike Boddicker trade, the team suffered after acquiring Glenn Davis due to the players surrendered. Those two trades turned the Birds into the team I followed growing up. It is crazy to think about the team’s path if that second one never happened…
Looking back I don’t remember the first trade when it happened but I certain remember the second trade and being at first excited and then incredibly disappointed. The first trade happened in 1998 when the Orioles traded a two-time Opening Day Starter and 1984 all-star Mike Boddicker to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Curt Schilling and Brady Anderson. Boddicker was a strong pitcher for the O’s in the early 1980s, winning 79 games and helping the team win the 1983 World Series. After he left Baltimore, he was only able to win 55 games in six years before retiring. He did win a Gold Glove in 1990, but so what?
On the flip side, Brady Anderson (and his sideburns) became a mainstay for the Birds, as he starred in centerfield (and later leftfield as age crept up on Anderson), slugging and swiping bases with regularity. Anderson made three all-star teams while hitting 209 home runs (a high of 50 in 1996) and stealing 307 bases (a high of 53 in 1992). Anderson never stole less than 12 in a season while stealing at least 21 seven times, 30+ three times. Other than Cal Ripken, Anderson was by far the most popular Orioles player during the 1990s.
The other part of that Boddicker trade was quickly flipped in a trade that could have benefited the Orioles more if the Baltimore GM had dialed Houston incorrectly or the Astros GM not picked up. Curt Schilling was with the Orioles just three years before being sent to the Astros in a deal for Glenn Davis. Schilling was 1-6 with Baltimore and had ZERO starts in 1990, his final with the club. The coaching staff apparently was trying to use Schilling as a bullpen arm. OK. Good thing Schilling went on to win 215 games with other clubs, including three World Series titles (plus another appearance in the Fall Classic), make five all-star teams and finish in the top-four of Cy Young voting four times. Glenn Davis meanwhile played in just 185 games over three seasons for the Orioles, hitting .247, slugging 24 home runs and driving in 85 runs. Yeah…..(But let me stop hating on the former Georgia Bulldog now.)
So the Orioles traded Curt Schilling for a washed-up Davis, just think about what the club could have had with Schilling in the rotation alongside Ben McDonald and Mike Mussina and later Scott Erickson. Wait, what? There was more in that Davis trade? Steve Finley AND Pete Harnish were included? Finley who would win five Gold Gloves and make two all-star teams after leaving Baltimore? Finley who would hit at least 28 home runs five times and steal at least 30 bases three times, including 34 the year after he was traded to Houston and 44 the year after that? Pete Harnish, the 1987 first-round pick that won 11 games the year after you traded him and was an all-star in 1991? Crud.
You are telling me that Steve Finley wouldn’t have looked better in rightfield over the 39-year-old one year part-timer Dwight Evans? Finley wouldn’t have looked better in leftfield than Joe Orsulak? Anderson eventually took over the leftfield spot but the offense could have benefitted from Finley in there over the next decade. The Orioles eventually won the Wild Card in 1996 and the AL East in 1997, appearing in the ALCS both seasons but could not sustain the good fortune. The team hasn’t had a winning record since 1997. Schilling meanwhile took the Phillies to the World Series in 1993, won a World Series MVP in 2001 plus two more rings in Boston in 2004 and 2007. Finley helped the Padres to the World Series in 1998 and won a championship with Schilling and Arizona in 2001. Finley would make the post-season seven times in his 19 seasons.
As good as the Orioles are and as much as the franchise profited from the Mike Boddicker trade, the team suffered after acquiring Glenn Davis due to the players surrendered. Those two trades turned the Birds into the team I followed growing up. It is crazy to think about the team’s path if that second one never happened…
Could Crowell save Richt's job?
I’d like to take a quick break from bashing embattled head coach Mark Richt to say “WOW.” Isaiah Crowell is going to be incredible. In the true freshman’s first-ever carry in the Georgia Dome against Boise State, Crowell tripped and fell for a loss. He hasn’t looked back since. Against South Carolina last Saturday, Crowell was electric. He had the entire stadium buzzing and wondering if he alone could end up saving Richt’s job. Crowell found the endzone for the first time as a Bulldog with about six minutes to go in the third quarter on a 17-yard screen pass that gave Georgia a lead. If Sanford Stadium had had a roof, it would have been blown right off. In the fourth quarter Crowell scampered in from 15 yards out to give Georgia its final lead. He finished with 118 yards on 16 carries and two receptions for 40 yards.
Marcus Lattimore finished with 176 yards and one score but toted it 27 times for the Gamecocks. Several Georgia newspapers had stories about Crowell wishing he could have 30-40 touches per game like Lattimore racks up in SEC play against big-time opponents. My response to Crowell isn’t to shut up but to open up your arms for the ball. Take every ball handed to you and hold on to it. Crowell and Murray fumbled an exchange which led to an important South Carolina touchdown. Crowell needs to learn from that mistake and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Keep learning the playbook and learning how to block and Richard Samuel’s carries may just disappear. Crowell could be Richt’s next Knowshon Moreno and Crowell could well end up saving Richt’s job.
Isaiah Crowell won’t break any of Herschel Walker’s records, but Crowell could well have the impact that Moreno provided his freshman year. That year if you will recall the freshman tailback helped the sophomore quarterback to a BCS bowl game after losing to South Carolina in week two. If Crowell runs hard enough and Georgia gets a bit of help, he could lead the team to the Georgia Dome in December. But that is so far away for a 0-2 team. I just know that all of my doubts of Crowell disappeared. This kid is legit.
Now then, back to your regularly-scheduled Richt-bashing…
Marcus Lattimore finished with 176 yards and one score but toted it 27 times for the Gamecocks. Several Georgia newspapers had stories about Crowell wishing he could have 30-40 touches per game like Lattimore racks up in SEC play against big-time opponents. My response to Crowell isn’t to shut up but to open up your arms for the ball. Take every ball handed to you and hold on to it. Crowell and Murray fumbled an exchange which led to an important South Carolina touchdown. Crowell needs to learn from that mistake and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Keep learning the playbook and learning how to block and Richard Samuel’s carries may just disappear. Crowell could be Richt’s next Knowshon Moreno and Crowell could well end up saving Richt’s job.
Isaiah Crowell won’t break any of Herschel Walker’s records, but Crowell could well have the impact that Moreno provided his freshman year. That year if you will recall the freshman tailback helped the sophomore quarterback to a BCS bowl game after losing to South Carolina in week two. If Crowell runs hard enough and Georgia gets a bit of help, he could lead the team to the Georgia Dome in December. But that is so far away for a 0-2 team. I just know that all of my doubts of Crowell disappeared. This kid is legit.
Now then, back to your regularly-scheduled Richt-bashing…
The next Timmy Byerly?
It seems we are always looking for The Next fill-in-the-blank. The Next Tom Brady. The Next Herschel Walker. While sometimes it seems unfair, I look at it more as a compliment. Last season Chattahoochee’s Timmy Byerly led the Cougars to the Class 4A state title with his legs, his arm, his leadership and his guts. Last year I called him Tim Tebow-lite. I now want to submit several players from the 2011 football season that could become The Next Timmy Byerly. St. Pius standout Trey White rushed for 245 yards in the Golden Lions’ win over North Hall. White rushed for 187 two weeks ago and earlier this year helped St. Pius beat Westminster for the first time since 1992. Mount Pisgah Christian’s Kyle Sloter fired a 44-yard touchdown pass late in the fourth in a comeback victory. He accounted for all four of his team touchdowns and has recorded ten touchdowns this year (8 passing, 2 rushing) and 927 total yards in three games. Habersham Central’s Kevin Ellison ran for over 100 yards and three scores and passed for nearly 150 yards and two scores in the Raiders’ win over Salem. Ellison threw the game-winning score in the final minute…
Not only does McEachern have one of the best teams in the state, the Powder Springs school unveiled the latest phase of the 10-year renovation/construction project, the McEachern Health, Physical Education and Wellness Center. The 115,000 sq.ft. facility, funded by the John McEachern Endowment Fund, cost $12M according to the Marietta Daily Journal, and can reportedly host more than 1000 students and faculty members on a daily basis. The center is adjacent to Walter Cantrell Stadium. The basketball gym is also scheduled for a partial renovation following the upcoming basketball season.
Not only does McEachern have one of the best teams in the state, the Powder Springs school unveiled the latest phase of the 10-year renovation/construction project, the McEachern Health, Physical Education and Wellness Center. The 115,000 sq.ft. facility, funded by the John McEachern Endowment Fund, cost $12M according to the Marietta Daily Journal, and can reportedly host more than 1000 students and faculty members on a daily basis. The center is adjacent to Walter Cantrell Stadium. The basketball gym is also scheduled for a partial renovation following the upcoming basketball season.
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