Mets and Lowe in Talks

News reports have the Mets offering sinker baller Derek Lowe a 3 year 36 million dollar contract. A considerable sum, but his agent, Scott Boras, is not saying if the Mets are now at the top of Lowe's list. Boras is suppose to be looking for a 5 year deal, something I am not sure he will get because of Lowe's age. However he has historically stayed healthy. Boras also said there have been a number of offers from different teams. I wonder if the Braves are a part of that. If they're not, they should be, but I think the Mets are on the right track at about 12 mill a year. Now that some market value has been reported, the Braves should start to move. I know Boras can be an ass, but we really need one more pitcher. With this off season, if Wren doesn't get in the ballpark on this one, we can officially declare it an abysmal failure and one of the worst off season ever. We don't have to sign Lowe, but we need to compete. If we can't compete with Lowe, I am not sure how the Braves will be able to sign big names ever again. It's a scary thought, and it is time for the Braves to put that crap behind them and start to try and legitimately sign some names.

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The NFL Playoffs: An Actual Football Postseason

First, let's not acknowledge how my picks went this week.... I went 6-4. Ugh. Thanks a lot Giants, Bucs, Bears and Saints. You are all dead to me now. Well, moreso than usual. In any case my playoff bracket was messed up a bit by Tampa's inability to beat the Raiders at home. What a collapse. Arguably worse than the Jets or Broncos. Tampa drops their final four games to get knocked out of the playoffs completely. Well that's what happens when you bench Jeff Garcia and your defensive coordinator takes a college job. How that defense collapsed. Tsk tsk. Right so the playoff bracket. Very very interesting, Philly sneaks in after dominating a distrastrous Dallas team... the Chargers destroy Denver and steal the division after Cutler's Brocnos lose their final three games... and Miami improves by ten wins over last season and knocks the Jets and Pats out the postseason. Also, non-playoff related, the Detroit Lions managed to lose again - setting a new landmark in futility by losing all sixteen games this season. 0-16. I hope Matt Stafford or Sam Bradford enjoy losing next year.

Basically here's the deal with the Falcons:
Saturday, Jan. 3, 4:30PM @ Arizona (NBC-TV). If we win, we will need the the Eagles to win if we want to avoid playing the Giants in the Divisional Round. If we win and Philly does, we'll head to Charlotte to take on the Panthers the following week.

Personally I think the Colts, Falcons and Eagles are the most dangerous non-bye teams in the bracket. Let's not forget the last time the Falcons played the Panthers and Vikings, beating them both (but let's do forget their meeting with Philly). The Eagles have beaten a lot of very good teams this season (including the Steelers, Bucs, Falcons and Cardinals), and the Colts are the hottest team in football, winning their final nine games. If the Colts weren't taking on an equally hot (and finally healthy) Chargers team, I'd say the Colts are a safe bet to get to the AFC Championship game. Anyway here's a lovely article from the good folks at ESPN: "Why Not the Falcons?" - Why the Falcons might be the most dangerous team in the NFC bracket. ESPN is definitely doing that sweet dirty bird for sure.

Right so lets take a look at the matchups this weekend, on Saturday and Sunday, and what we have to look forward to now that an actual football postseason has begun. Enough with the meaningless bowl games, lets get the playoffs going!

Saturday January 3rd
4:30PM: (5) Atlanta Falcons @ (4) Arizona Cardinals
Ryan/Turner VS. Warner
As long as Atlanta leans on their running game and Ryan minimizes his mistakes, the defense should get the handful of stops it needs to help the offense out-score Arizona's high-powered passing game. The main obstacle for the Falcons should be scoring enough points to keep up. They've shown they can put points on the board, with a variety of talented weapons in the air and on the ground. If they can limit their turnovers, the Falcons should win in a high-scoring matchup.

8:00PM: (5) Indianapolis Colts @ (4) San Diego Chargers
Manning VS. Rivers
These are the two best quarterbacks in the AFC, and you know they'll be on their game. This should ultimately come down to whether the Colts defense can contain the (at times) inconsistent Chargers offense, including limiting Tomlinson and the ground attack. I think the Colts D is up to the task. If they can force Rivers to beat them in a duel with Manning, the Colts should win. Another high scoring affair.

Sunday January 4th
1:00PM: (6) Baltimore Ravens @ (3) Miami Dolphins
Defense VS. Defense
The beaten down vet Pennington rose from the ashes to have a phenomenal year; rookie QB Joe Flacco went from 3 to 1 on the depth chart to become a viable ROY candidate. But this game won't come down to the quarterbacks. Its the defenses that will decide this. The Ravens need to decide on a stable running attack to get past the Dolphins if they want to win, and containing Ronnie Brown is a tough task as well. I think ultimately the Dolphins have more drive, more experience and a more consistent offensive approach to edge the Ravens.

4:30PM: (6) Philadelphia Eagles @ (3) Minnesota Vikings
McNabb VS. Defense
The Eagles improbably find themselves in the playoffs, staring down the league's best running back. Their defense is more than up to the task though. The bigger matchup is whether McNabb can overcome a strong Vikings defense to score enough points. The problem for Minnesota is the Philly offense is clicking, is healthy, is angry, and is hot as hell. Expect Philly to pull away in the second half and move on to the Divisional Round to play the Giants.

So there we have it! Can't wait for the weekend and some real football games.

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Jonesin' for A Yankee Budget

Here's my problem with baseball. Here it is. My one problem. When GM's like that one in Milwaukee get all upset at the Yankees for spending too much money. Sure everyone's cool with it when they're sinking buckets of cash into Carl Pavano and Jason Giambi, but when its guys you had on your radar.. surefire superstars like CC and Tex... then we get all upset. Then the Yankees are ruining baseball for the rest of us. Not true. Not true at all, and you're a fool if you think otherwise. Now I hate the Yankees. Hate them. But not because they spend money. I spend money because I have money. So do they, it makes sense. Lets actually look at the numbers and see how the Yankees are saving money this year, really haven't improved that much, and how the rest of the league (coughAtlantacough) needs to step up the aggressiveness to play with the big boys.

Look. As of today, the Yankees have a lower payroll than they did last year. Lower.
2008 Yankees Payroll: $218M Total. Subtract the expiring contracts of Jason Giambi ($23.4M), Bobby Abreu ($16M), Andy Pettitte ($16M), Johnny Damon ($13M), Mike Mussina ($11.1M), Carl Pavano ($11M), and Kyle Farnsworth ($5.9M)... and we're back down to $121.6M. Add back CC Sabathia ($20M), AJ Burnett ($15M) and Mark Teixeira ($22.5M) and we end up at just about $180M. So with all this crazy Yankee spending, they're actually coming in at about $30M under their payroll from last year. So what's that mean? They're gonna spend more? Well it shouldn't shock anyone if Andy Pettitte returns, or if Pat Burrell ends up in left field. Don't start screaming if they do, because the Yankees still have money. Honestly I don't see any huge names landing in the Bronx, but there are still moves to be made for Brian Cashman.

Enough with the money, let's compare their current roster to last year's, which you may remember failed to advance to the playoffs. With Damon and Abreu gone, the Yankees still have a big hole in their outfield (and in their leadoff spot). They traded for Nick Swisher, who will probably play center, and have held onto Melky Cabrera and Xavier Nady who could play the corners. And let's not forget the suspect health of left-fielder Hideki Matsui, who has basically become a DH at this point. So the entire outfield remains a bit of a question mark. However, the infield does not. Tex, Cano, Jeter, A-Rod. That's an incredible infield, besting the Phillies and their lack of a stud at the hot corner.

Okay so their outfield is holey and their infield could start the All-Star game, so what about the starting rotation then? Mussina had a career year in 2008, going 20-9 with a 3.37 ERA. He was their ace. The new ace, CC Sabathia, went a combined 17-10 with a 2.70 ERA with Cleveland and Milwaukee. Hmm. What about Pettitte: 14-14 with a 4.54. Burnett? 18-10, 4.07. Do some math and you see that the Yankees in fact bought one more win than they had last year with the two veterans. They did get younger, sure, but this is the Yankees. They expect to wake up in the ALCS next season. Not one win better.

Well surely adding Teixeira should propel them into the playoffs right? He'll tack on his 35HR, 130RBI... but remember, again, how much the Yankees lost this offseason:
Damon: 95 R, 71 RBI, 17 HR, .303 AVG
Abreu: 100 R, 100 RBI, 20 HR, .296 AVG
Giambi: 68 R, 96 RBI, 32 HR, .247 AVG
Did anyone else know Abreu had 100 R/100 RBI? Wow. Anyway thats nearly 70 HR, 270 RBI, and 260 R the Yankees have to replace. Hmm.

Look, the Yanks still have some work to do if they want to best their 89 wins from last year, good enough for third in the AL East. They replaced two veteran studs with two young studs. They let Abreu and Giambi walk, and popped in Teixeira. Damon out, Swisher in. Its a different looking team, not sure who will lead off, or who will fill out the back of the rotation, so they're just like any other team.. they have holes! Yes they have money. Yes they're angering other GMs by spending freely and rounding up the richest contracts in baseball history.. but they still have holes. They're still not better than the Sox or the Rays, and they still haven't spent as much as they did last year. Bring it on Yankees. See if you can buy a team again. And see how that's fared for you the last nine years.

Oh right, here's the deal. The Yankees were mad. Very mad. They missed the playoffs for the first time in forever. So they kicked out the old guys, opened the checkbook and are on the path to being in the playoffs in a couple years. The Braves have now spent the last three seasons watching the playoffs at home like the rest of us bums. And what have we done about it? We traded for Tex in the middle of a season, and traded for (read: stole) Jurrjens. And that's the difference between a franchise that just wants to win every single year regardless of the payroll and who's on the roster. If the Braves front office actually wants to get back into playoff contention, don't stalk marginal talents like Burnett and Furcal and think they like you because you talk to them more than anyone. Frank Wren: this is about sealing the deal. This isn't about being friends! Don't do their homework, don't make them mix tapes, just ignore them while all the other boys try and take them home, understand the market, and jump in with the just right.. "yo, here's our offer, but i mean.. i dont really care if you take it or whatever, i mean we dont really need you so whatever its cool" and walk away. Just walk away. Let them come to you.
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The Final Countdown! Week 17 Forecast!

Alright folks. Put away that delicious Christmas goose and stop playing with the kiddies, its time to get back into the fold. Its Week 17. The final week. The last chance for middling teams to make their push for the playoffs. Will it be Chicago or Minnesota? New England or Miami? Can Dallas last long enough to lose their Wild Card game again? Lots of drama coming this Sunday, lots of sweet, delicious, fattening drama. So let's get into it. I'm riding solo this time, seems everyone else is out of town or not working or just being lazy. But us MEN still have jobs to attend to. Jobs in cubicles. And cute little schnoodles at home. I went 3-2 last week... here's my super-sized fearless forecast for NFL Week 17:

1. STL at ATL: its the rams, its at home, and there's a playoff bye on the line, Falcons by 17
2. NE at BUF: tom brady jr. steps up again and wins in the snow, but not into the playoffs, Pats by 14
3. NYG at MIN: giants have nothing to play for, but they're still damn good and need some work recovering from injuries and Burress' absence, sorry Vikes, Giants by 6
4. CAR at NO: a win means a bye, but brees needs 400 yards for the single season record, and he'll come up short, so will the panthers, Saints by 6
5. OAK at TB: raiders overmatched in tampa, russell spends half the game on his back, Bucs by 17
   
6. CHI at HOU: the weather might.... matt schaub could... but kyle orton.... hmm. Bears by 14, take the division
7. JAX at BAL: the only thing the jags have left to prove is whether del rio should coach them next year, he probably wont, Ravens by 10
8. MIA at NYJ: poor favre. enjoy actual retirement. Dolphins by 14.
9. DAL at PHI: will mcnabb return? reid? nothing would be sweeter than to keep dallas out of the playoffs, romo should have won last week when he had the chance. Eagles by 8!
   
10. DEN at SD: san diego doing what they do late in the season: winning. broncos gave away this division weeks ago, sorry cutler. Chargers by 6.

How's this all shape the NFL playoff picture you might be asking yourself, reading this blog alone in your uncomfortable tent made of bed sheets and a wooden pole? Here's what we're left with:

AFC
Bye: (1) Titans, (2) Steelers
(3) Dolphins vs. (6) Ravens
(4) Chargers vs. (5) Colts

NFC
Bye: (1) Giants, (2) Falcons
(3) Bears vs. (6) Buccaneers
(4) Cardinals vs. (5) Panthers

NFC East eat your heart out. Read Full Article!

Take me out to...the movies!

With the Hot Stove burning, the winter meetings over, and Scott Boras alienating every team in baseball, the game of inches is inching closer by the day. In a month's time, pitchers and catchers will report to their teams for some long-toss and bullpen sessions. Soon after, spring training games will attract the speculation of experts, as Peter Gammons and Co. return to prominence. That's right! Baseball will be back before you know it, and what better way is there to whet the past-time appetite than enjoying a funny, compelling or enticing baseball flick?

Among my favorite movie genres, the baseball movie is second only to the western. There are no baseball-westens, as far as I know, but there are many great baseball movies. Here are ten that are sure to entertain.

The Sandlot (1993). Where it all begins. Who can forget the countless hours, as a kid among your friends, striking-out one another, Big League Chew, calling your shots, planting the seeds of a wilderness of smack-talk—usually sunflower seeds. Sandlot baseball is one of many rites of passage, and this movie is about all of them. Scotty Smalls is the new kid in the neighborhood who makes friends and learns to play baseball. After defeating the bullies, kissing the girl, and throwing up the real tobacco, the gang lands itself in the biggest game of pickle they've ever faced. It's the peachy PG baseball movie. A good time for everyone. Special appearances by James Earl Jones and Dennis Leary. "FOR-EV-ER."

Field of Dreams (1989). For a while, if you needed an actor fit to play baseball on screen, Kevin Costner was your leading man. He made two important baseball movies in the 1980s, Bull Durham (the player to be named later) and Field of Dreams. Ray Kinsella (Costner) is the farmer who reads the signs of a cosmic coach to embark on a mystical mission of discovery to bring back the ghosts of baseball's past and learns something about his own in the process. If Henry David Thoreau had a favorite baseball movie, this would be the one. It's about baseball, yes. But it's about much more than that. "The one constant is baseball," James Earl Jones' character summarizes in the end, as he notes how the great game has "marked the time" in the lives of us all. This the most "movie" of baseball movies.

Eight Men Out (1988). Shoeless Joe Jackson is definitely the most famous of the 1919 Chicago White Sox, known as the "Black Sox" for allegedly taking gamblers' money to lose the World Series. This movie is a dramatization of those eight players accused. It is a great baseball movie. The plot twists and turns and involves a wealth of recognizable acting names. This is the "Outsiders" of baseball films, whose cast includes: John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, Charlie Sheen, David Straitharn, John Mahoney (the dad from Frasier), D. B. Sweeney and many other familiar faces. See also 61* (directed by Billy Crystal, HBO Films 2001), and Pride of the Yankees, (staring Gary Cooper, 1942) for historically-based dramas.

Ken Burns' Baseball (1994). If hardcore baseball history is in your wheelhouse, then this boxed set featuring the 1140-minute PBS documentary series is for you. It's the 7-game series of baseball films. It's long, detailed, and full of amazing baseball footage and interviews of the most famous players and prominent historians. It fetches a Mark Texiera price tag, but unlike a certain free-agent, this set is definitely worth it.

Rookie of the Year (1993). "Gardenhoser!" the Chicago Cubs' manager yells as he calls into the game his new 12-year old phenom, Henry Rowengartner, who after a freak arm injury, has become the hardest throwing pitcher in the game. This seventh-inning stretch of a film is a great middle school comedy. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the movie is that it marks one of the last pre-total-insanity appearances of Gary Busey in a major role. The voice of The Wonder Years' Kevin Arnold and supreme Cubs' enthusiast Daniel Stern also gives a convincing performance.

Bang the Drum Slowly (1983). In a battery of buddy film and tear jerker, Robert De Niro plays Bruce Pearson, the average Joe catcher to his team's ace pitcher. The two of them are great friends, and in the off-season, Pearson learns he is terminally ill. They do their best to make the most of Bruce's last season.

A League of Their Own (1992). Another all-star roster of cast members embodies one of the most oft-quoted of baseball films of all time. "There's no crying in baseball!" reprimands manager Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks) to one of his women players, a member of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, put in place to retain revenues during the years of the U.S.'s involvement in World War II. This dramatization of true events is definitely one of the most entertaining of these selections.

Major League (1989). Ah, Charlie Sheen. He's only made a few movies that warrant recommendation, and this is one. Cheesy soundtrack aside, this is a essential on the baseball movie must-see list. If one thing is true about the 1980s, it's that teams with Native-American mascots were terrible. The Cleveland Indians was by far the worst (I'm biased), warranting the production of this comedy of errors.

The Natural (1984). If Robert Redford is in a movie, it's usually very good. This one is no exception. Roy Hobbs is that iconic mythical figure, who's legend is only superseded by his actions. A rookie past the prime of his youth, he returns to dominate the game and battle the shadowy figures of the front office. I like to think "Wonderboy" by Tenacious D is a direct derivative of this modern fable.

Bull Durham (1988). While this is not a traditional "top ten" list, I've chosen to save for last what I submit as the best baseball movie of all time. Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) is the all-knowing seasoned veteran catcher, bounced around the minor leagues until he's hired to corral and tutor his foil, the young, reckless and undeniably talented pitcher "Nuke" LaLoosh (Tim Robbins). Torn between the two of them is the local slump-buster Annie Savoy (Susan Surrandon). The great thing about this movie is the chronicled life of the minor league player, far from the spotlight and fame. The other great thing is, it's the date-movie of baseball movies, one you can convince your lady to watch. She'll enjoy it and thank you for it—hopefully in an appropriate fashion. There's baseball, and there's sex. Then there's Bull Durham, which finds the balance between both. Bull Durham also contains one of the best monologues in movie history.

So...what have we learned? Probably less than expected, which was little. You've probably seen most of these movies before, but have you seen them lately? Have you forgotten the majesty of The Beast? Do you remember how to use your "Hat-to?" (What the heck was he taking about?) Have you gone home lately and given your wife a pickle tickle? Maybe you need a reminder, or maybe you just need something to tide you over between bowl games, both super and otherwise, and spring training. Along with the Swatch, Eurythmics, greed and The Noid, these ten baseball movies are among the best things to come out of the 1980's and 1990's. They're worth extra innings.

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Playoff Bound!! #2 Seed Possible?

With a win over the Vikings yesterday, your beleaguered Atlanta Falcons are now playoff bound! At 10-5 the Falcons are only a game behind division-leading (and current #2 seed) Carolina Panthers after their loss to the Giants last night. In all likelihood the Miami Dolphins will be in the AFC playoffs, capping two remarkable turnaround seasons for two teams left dead in the water before the season started. Many major publications picked the Falcons to win 2 games or less this season. Its an unbelievable story and Dimitroff, Smith and the new front office deserve all the credit in the world for turning this franchise around in such a short time.

Added note, should the playoffs start today with the current seeding, Atlanta would visit Arizona for the Wild Card round. Arizona has been in a tailspin the last few games, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Atlanta go out west and show the Cardinals a thing or two.

Now then, who's doing the dirty bird??
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Dirty South Bowl Pick 'Em

Hello loyal fans and readers. Its that wonderful time of year ridiculously referred to as the college football postseason.. the Bowl Season! And what better way to get fired up than to play head-to-head with your favorite Dirty South writers in a College Bowl Pick 'Em Challenge!

Here's the deal:
Make sure you have a Yahoo! account (they're free and easy to create). Go HERE and register your pick 'em set. Please choose a creative set name or you will be severely hammered in subsequent DSS posts. Then choose your winners, assign your confidence points, and then watch as I destroy you game after game in a horrifying series of destruction!!

*And if that link didn't work, here's the league info:
Group ID#: 50350
Password: dirtysouth

Good luck soldiers! And God help you if you don't have the Dawgs stomping them Spartans on New Year's Day!!
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Pinch Hitting for You and Me

Reports from mlb.com are that Greg Norton, the leading pinch hitter in the majors, will return with a one year contract. Good news for our bench, and some needed good news in a hard off season. Nortons had 18 pinch RBI, 17 pinch walks and, and 18 pinch hits as a switch hitter (Greg Dobbs had 19 pinch hits) last year. Those late innings hits are invaluable.

Lets hope for some more good news.
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NFL Week 16 Fearless Forecast

It took us long enough, but the Dirty South team has finally pulled together to give their top five matchups of the week and choosing the winners. Let us know who's picks are the picks of fools, and come Tuesday we'll know who's really the best around the office. If we had an office. Moving on, check out the picks:

Jonesin's Picks:

1. ATL at MIN: an angry abraham throws tavaris around all game, Falcons by 6
2. CAR at NYG: a healthy jacobs ought to mean a win, but still Panthers by 3
3. BAL at DAL: flacco is no matt ryan, romo steps up, t.o. catches 2 passes, Cowboys by 10
4. ARI at NE: cards cant pass in the snow, pats need this win, Patriots by 13
5. SD at TB: tampa rush d has disappeared, big day for LT, Chargers by 9

Andy's Picks:

1. ATL at MIN: Matty Ice throws 10 passes of 20 yds or more and ends with 4 TDs, Falcons by 21
2. BAL at DAL: Ray Lewis and the Ravens defense put Romo on his back enough to scare him into bad decisions, Ravens by 13
3. PIT at TENN: Titans step it up and prove they are real contenders, taking care of the biggest threat in the AFC, Titans by 3
4. MIA at KC: Kansas City has been a different team lately but Miami is hungry for a playoff spot and possibly the AFC East title, Dolphins by 14
5. NO at DET: History will be made as the Lions drop to 0-15, but at least they clinch the first pick, Saints by 10

Jeremy's Picks:

1. BAL at DAL: Tony R. sucks a D., Ravens by 3
   
2. MIA at KC: Miami's back! win by 10
   
3. ATL at MIN: Ryan can't get it done this week, Vikings by 2
   
4. GB at CHI: How are the Packers doing? Oh yeah Terrible. Urlacher eats Aaron Rodger's first born., Bears by 14
   
5. CAR at NYG: Carolina is 3 - 3 on the road. NY is 6-1 at home. Giants by 14

Rudolph's Picks:

1. ATL at MIN: With increased coverage of white, Ryan and Norwood hook up. Coach Smith enters the game to pick a fight with a struggling Adrian Peterson - pokes him shamelessly in the eyes, Falcons by 10
   
2. PIT at TEN: Hines Ward catches a pass from Mewelde Moore for TD, Steelers by 7
   
3. CAR at NYG: Coach Smith enters the game to pick a fight with Steve Smith after scoring 2 TDs, shamelessly bitch slaps him, Giants by 3
   
4. ARI at NE: Outkast writes a new song about Randy Moss but includes Wes Welker, Pats by 10, both teams post 30+
   
5. NO at DET: Because no team is going to have a perfect losing record this year. However, Detroit will miss every point-after from the shock of feeling what scoring actually feels like. Lions by 3

Adam's Picks:

1. ATL at MIN: Ryan fumbles twice and throws a pick and the Vikings lead early, but the falcons will themselves to the win in the second half by stopping Petereson. Falcons by 2.
2. CAR at NYG: Eli learns how to throw again with help from the run game, giants by 9. Razlze and Dazzle, or whatever there names are, are held under 100 combined yards by the giant deffense. Home field advantage for the Giants, and Carolina will look vulnerable.
3. BAL at DAL: A low scoring affair, and I think Baltimore sneaks up on Dallas who thinks they are all of a sudden good after beating the giants. Baltimore by 3.
4. ARI at NE: New England doesn't lose this game, and Arizona has sucked this side of the Mississippi. New England by 11.
5. SD at TB: Tampa Bay keeps winning at home, and the Chargers are miserable. Tampa by 7.
6. PIT at TEN: Tennessee is stumbling into the playoffs and lets Pittsburgh steal it
   in the end. Pittsburgh by 4.

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Burning Bridges

The AJC is still reporting about the one that got away. Rafael Furcal's agents the Wasserman Media Group dumped us like a bad date, and now the Braves are not going to let it happen again.

Guru of deal making, John Schuerholz had this to say in the AJC:

Having been in this business for 40-some years, I’ve never seen anybody treated like that,” Schuerholz said. “The Atlanta Braves will no longer do business with that company — ever. I told [agent] Arn Tellem that we can’t trust them to be honest and forthright. I told him that in all my years, I’ve never seen any [agency] act in such a despicable manner.

“It was disgusting and unprofessional. We’re a proud organization, and we won’t allow ourselves to be treated that way. I advised Arn Tellem that whatever players he represents, just scratch us off the list. Take the name of the Atlanta Braves off their speed dial. They can deal with the other 29 clubs, and we’ll deal with the other hundred agents.”

Let just say those are fighting words. And some highlights from the Wasserman Media Group's response:

Statement from Arn Tellem of the Wasserman Media Group:

With regard to the negotiations between the Atlanta Braves and Rafael Furcal, the essential facts are clear and cannot be disputed.

1. There was never an agreement reached between Rafael Furcal and the Atlanta Braves.

2. In fact, the Braves were fully aware that Furcal was not prepared to make a decision but had requested an opportunity to sleep on it, before deciding.

...

5. Losing out on an all-star player like Furcal is always disappointing, and we understand the Braves’ frustration with the outcome of this negotiation, but it does not change in any way the fact that we conducted ourselves with integrity and complied with all rules of major league baseball throughout this process.

Now, I and everyone else had issues with one person or another. I am not saying that the braves and the Wasserman Group should find a room and hug and out. This kind of language and rhetoric is dangerous for long term business. So we won't deal with this agency, then will we trade for players they represent? Who does the Wasserman Group represent?

Well, Alexis Rios, Aramis Ramirez, Carlos Lee, Edison Volquez, Edwin Ecarnacion, Francisco Rodriguez, Frank Thomas, Geovany Soto, Hanley Ramirez, Hedeki Matsui, Jason Giambi, Jason Kendall, Chase Utley, Nomar Garciapara, Randy Wolf, Vincint Padilla, and most interesting of all Peter Moylan (and many others).

All those names, all those great players who we will never have a chance to see play in a braves uniform. What will happpen with moylan? Will you offer him a contract when he is a free agent? This has got to calm down. We can not excumincate an entire group of players because of their representation. It is a disservice to the organization, and most importantly it is a disservice to the fans.

If I were running things I wouldn't burn the whole bridge down. This is how I think it should play out:

WMG: Sorry about the Furcal thing.

Braves: Yeah, whatcha going to do. Some get away.

WMG: I know you still need pitchers, and the Wolfman is availble.

Braves: Oh yeah. Well how does 1 year 6 million sound.

WMG: I don't know, we were looking for more years and a little bit more cash.

Braves: Go screw yourself you selfish dirty bastards. How dare you offend us like this? You should be ashamed. Now acccept our offer or we'll kick you in the balls so many times that it will turn into soup.

WG: What?

Braves: 2 years 16 mil with incentives.

WG: Deal.

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Jeff Owens is Returning

Jeff Owens, who was hurt tore his ACL in the first game of the season, will return for an encore second senior year. Owens wants to get healthy and if he plays well next year, he will likely be a top pick in the 2010 draft. Another reason for Owens returning is the lost to hated in state rival, Georgia Tech, "“We lost to Tech. Can’t leave having lost to Tech.”


This is great news for the UGA defense, who failed to show up to the most important games this year. I met Owens at the Georgia-Florida game, he stayed in our hotel. He's a big guy and certainly a cornerstone to the defensive front. With Jeff back, the defensive line will be more fiersom than it was this year. For Georgia, the next step is to keep Asher Allen, Stafford, and Moreno.

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Rah, rah, tits boom-bah!

Sports Illustrated's website (SI.com) has a nifty weekly column that I think is worth noting....

Drum roll, please!

Cheerleader of the Week.

This week's winner is Western Michigan University's Kylee Ann Crawford. "I smile like a saint and swear like a sailor," Kylee professes. And you have to respect that. Read Full Article!

Who's Left for the Braves to Pursue?

After pursuing Jake Peavy, AJ Burnett and Rafael Furcal and coming up short on all three, Braves GM Frank Wren has had quite the miserable offseason. So who's left out there for the Braves to get? I think there's a couple of free agents left we should get in on - and close the deal this time. With holes in the outfield and the rotation, I expect Wren to try and address these needs first... but my top guy doesn't pitch and he isn't an outfielder:

1) Orlando Hudson, 2B
After the debacle with Furcal, one thing became clear about the Braves roster: our middle infield is our best shot at trading for a stud pitcher. If we go sign Hudson (and he'll probably cost more than Furcal, think 3 years, $40M), that gives us a Gold Glove winner who can swing the bat, allowing us to actively shop Kelly Johnson. The Cardinals were interesting in Kelly, and would love to unload Rick Ankiel before he hits free agency, and he's a viable option for Atlanta. As is Ryan Ludwick. But if we bring in Hudson, I'm guessing come February Kelly will fill a hole in that San Diego middle infield, and we'll have a new ace at the top of the rotation.
Also look at Orlando Cabrera, a Gold Glove at short who can bat leadoff, though he had some problems dealing with Ozzie Guillen in Chicago, but so did Javy Vazquez.

2) Derek Lowe, SP
He's a proven post-season pitcher, top of the rotation, veteran with insane control. He may be the best sinker-ball pitcher this side of Brandon Webb. The only real issue I think is his age (35), but with his easy-going delivery and lack of power, think of him more like Jamie Moyer than AJ Burnett. This guy could pitch for a long time, and pitch well, in fact his control has actually improved over the last couple of years, barely issuing any walks. Pair him with another sinker-baller in Tim Hudson (in 2010) and you've got half the rotation keeping the ball on the ground, which usually leads to success (especially with Gold Glove-caliber talent in the infield). A three to four year deal would be good, somewhere just shy of what Burnett got from the Yankees.
Another option would have been Randy Wolf, but his agents happen to represent Furcal, so kiss that goodbye. Brad Penny could be a cheap option after a hugely down year, and he's a talented hard-throwing guy a la Vazquez. Ben Sheets would probably get hurt in Spring Training, pass.

3) Pat Burrell, LF
He's right-handed, plays left-field, and is an RBI machine. Say what you will about the former Phillie, he would fit nicely into our lineup. While I would prefer to see us deal for a cheaper option like Ankiel, Ludwick, or Corey Hart, signing Burrell to a 2-3 year deal might be perfect. Right now its all about bridging the gap between our current roster and our roster of the future (starring Tommy Hanson, Jason Heyward and Jordan Schafer), and the way to do that is to bring in guys like Burrell for a couple years. Burrell's value is higher than normal right now, but we have the money. And no matter what you think about Burrell, plugging him into left for two years definitely couldn't hurt.
Bobby Abreu and Juan Rivera could also work in left, but Abreu's a lefty, and Rivera is as injury prone as Ben Sheets, though he'd be cheap and does have potential.

Couple of other names to ponder..

• The Astros decided to non-tender Ty Wigginton. Wigginton went on a monster tear last season after LF Carlos Lee went down, replacing him in left. However he's normally an infielder (3B or 2B). He'd be cheap, can put up good (not great) numbers and doesn't require any sort of long-term commitment.
• P Daniel Cabrera was let go by the Orioles, who finally gave up on the right-handed flamethrower after years of never achieving his potential. Should Leo Mazzone still be here, I'd say Cabrera could be signed.. but I'm not sure relcamation projects are really our thing anymore.
• The Braves have been linked to courting Japanese pitcher Kenshin Kawakami. He's won the Japanese equivalents of the Cy Young and MVP in 2004, and posted an ERA of only 2.30 in 16 starts last season. The Braves met with Kawakami's agent at the Winter Meetings in Vegas, but there appears to be multiple teams interested in the hurler.
  

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Boston Wins 16th Straight, Hawks Come Up Short Again

Again I'd like to not go into detail about this game, because GRR it makes me so angrrry! But once again the Celtics took our best shot and walked away winners, 88-85. Joe Johnson took over in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough after he missed a game-tying free throw with less than three seconds left. And as much as we all hate Kevin Garnett and his freakishly long arms and endless smack talk, boy can that guy play. Garnett came in midway through the fourth and led the charge as Boston was trailing going into the final period.

Also Josh Smith chipped in with a wacky ten second period of ball: he fouls Kendrick Perkins by giving him a little hug under the basket and allowing the easy lay up (3 point play), then on the other end of the court Josh gets the ball in the paint, loses control, gets it passed back to him, drives on Perkins, and does this...



Sometimes, Josh can be a badass. Of course he missed the ensuing free throw. We missed our first 11 shots of the game. And it was still close. We're just one rowdy emotional speech away from beating the Celtics every single time. Love this rivalry. Read Full Article!

Furcal Signs... with the Dodgers?!

I'll keep this short. Frank Wren and the Braves have proven this offseason that we are no longer the Braves dynasty of old. No longer are we the team that free agents flock to, want to play for, hope to get offers from. Former Braves Rafael Furcal, on the verge of signing a contract with Atlanta, quickly changed his mind after the Dodgers said "Whoa whoa whoa hold on a second, let us get our offer in!" And boom, Furcal remains a Dodger. Now unless we were going to parlay his signing into trading a middle infielder to the Padres for Jake Peavy, I don't think we should have signed Furcal. I'm glad we didn't. I'm glad we didn't get Burnett for that matter. But still, these free agents have made it abundantly clear that despite getting the same or similar offers from Atlanta, it's more appealing to play someplace like New York or Los Angeles. So how does Frank Wren begin to rebuild this ball club when high-profile players who either have roots or friends in Atlanta choose not to play here? That's a good question.

UPDATE: While I'm still upset that the Braves aren't the appealing franchise they once were.. it appears as though Furcal's agent stabbed us in the back. He verbally agreed to a deal with the Braves, Dodgers got a hold of it, and he used our deal to leverage L.A. to getting Furcal a new offer. Guess he was going to land in Los Angeles all along. And Frank Wren is pissed. But oh well, funny how a couple days ago it was Oakland and Toronto who were the frontrunners.
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UPDATE: Special Report - Extinct Species

To update a previous post, the economic bug has bitten another second-tier Atlanta team. The Georgia Force and the AFL have called it quits for the 2009 season. The Force cited the accruing financial losses, uncertain financial future, and disappointing number of investors as the basis of the decision. The team, league plan to restructure their business model and rethink capital flow during the sabbatical.

Successful investor and financial advisor, Lenny “Nails” Dykstra (you heard me right) notes, “benching the 16 teams will be hard on the players and their owners (rocker Jon Bon Jovi among them). It's also rough on their die-hard fans who just can't get enough football.”

Arthur Blank, team owner of the Force, remarks how the “club is very proud of its leadership position in the league in many areas on and off the field. We want that to continue for our fans, so we support the decision to focus our energies on securing the long-term success of the Arena Football League.” But no one heard his words because they were shocked to learn that Arthur Blank owned the Force too.

The decision hurts the players themselves the worst whose salaries range from $50,000 to $130,000 leaving many to work side-by-side Chuck James at Home Depot during the off-season. Look for a small spike in the unemployment levels during the next fiscal quarter.

While the option to enjoy arena football will be less next year, the impact will be hard to notice amidst the wide availability, accessibility of actual football.
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Thrash 'n dash

The Atlanta Thrashers have the best commercials. I have a fairly lengthy daily commute, and I listen to 680AM during my drives. The morning show, The Rude Awakening, is pretty funny most of the time. Just as funny is the newest radio spot for the Thrashers. You've probably heard it. A guy suddenly realizes he's become the biggest Thrasher's fan. He realizes he goes to games and sings along to the "Woo Hoo Song." In conversation, he confesses that when he dies he wants his ashes to be frozen within the rink ice at Philips Arena. He says, "That's my dream," and a very low voice immediately whispers in an awestruck reply, "That's greaaaat." It's funny.

I have an affinity of sorts for the Thrashers and their commercials. I'm not a huge hockey fan, though seeing it live is always exciting. Can you say, "board check?" I have always lived in Atlanta, and I like to support the home team. Wins and losses aside, the commercials have always been good. I was part of my band in years past, as many of you know, and we were asked once to record a radio spot for the Thrashers. It was an easy $250 for about 4 hours of work at a local commercial recording studio. We were asked to record some jazzy type jam, and then I was given a list of words/phrases to sing as voice overs. "Zamboni" and "Cuckoo for Kovalchuk" are the two that come to mind. It was put together with some promotional messaging and sounded pretty funny once it was on the air for the next couple months. As good as their markteting seems, their ownership, however, is ridiculous.

Bad trades, shotty deals and now a lawsuit account for a shaky Thrashers ownership group that doesn't know what its doing. Clearly Arthur Blank's influence isn't catching on. The Atlanta Spirit is a group of investors who apparently only enjoy the idea of owning sports teams. At the moment, they appear to own the Thrashers, along with the Atlanta Hawks NBA team. There is talk that in the aftermath of this recent verdict, they will try to sell the Thrashers. That turn of events could prove to be great, if a new owner is interested in improving what is clearly a popular franchise with some talent under its wings. At the same time, it also means that the team could be relocated to another city, leaving many fans without a focus. Speculation continues to spread.

For many, the Thrashers are a team that was born right before their anchored eyes and pumping fists. It's a rare thing to be a fan of any team from the time of its inception. Even rarer are commercials you actually want to hear and enjoy. I hope for the sake of Thrashers fans and my driving entertainment that the franchise sticks around.
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Roddy and The Burner off to Hawaii

Atlanta Falcons WR Roddy White and RB Michael Turner have been named to the NFC Pro Bowl roster as reserves. White is polishing off his second straight 1,000 yard season, the first Falcon to do so in ten years. In fact he has over 1,300 yards, good for second-best in the NFL. Turner, up over 1,400 yards, was the big free-agent acquisition and is paying off completely (his total is good for second in the NFL as well). These two are definitely deserving, and congratulations to both of them.

Now then. Where's John Abraham? Matt Ryan? Are you really going to tell me that Eli Manning is having a better season than Matty Ice?

Sure Manning quarterbacks the best team in the NFC, but the numbers don't add up:

Manning: 2938 yards, 20 td, 10 int, 60.3% comp, 86.4 Rating
Ryan: 3146 yards, 14 td, 9 int, 62.2% comp, 90.0 Rating

Besides touchdowns, Matty leads Manning in all categories. In fact, Eli is ninth in the NFC in quarterback rating, behind other snubs like Donovan McNabb, Aaron Rodgers, Jeff Garcia and the league leader, Tony Romo. (in fact the AFC leaderin QB Rating, Philip Rivers, was left out too...) Its all very sad. But all will be remedied when Matt Ryan walks away the Rookie of the Year and MVP hardware after the season.

Now then, look at the NFC defensive ends. John Abraham is third in the NFL in sacks with 15.5. That's 3.5 more than starter Justin Tuck (NYG). Tuck does blow Abraham's tackle totals out of the water, and even has an interception and touchdown to boot. But seriously, third in the NFL in sacks, and don't make the Pro Bowl. Its a shame, without Abraham our defense would be struggling week after week. But here we are, with 9 wins and actual snubs to complain about. That alone is good enough for me.

Falcons travel to Minnesota to take on the Vikings this Sunday. The matchup pits the NFL's top two leading rushers in Adrian Peterson and The Burner himself.
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10 Overhyped/Underperformed Games of 2008

Ten most overrated/overhyped College Football Games of 2008

10. LSU- App State - Michigan needs to pull themselves out of the crapper. App State apparently is not as good as once thought.

9. UGA - ASU - This game had all the hype, until ASU lost the week before to UNLV. Even so, it was the first time UGA was west of the Mississippi since 1960. I went to this game and even though the game was never close, it was worth going.

8. Penn State - Michigan State -- It's the (not so) Big 10. Michigan State had a share of their conference title on the line, then forgot to show up.

7. Alabama - Auburn - The annual rivalry game failed to generate any interest because Auburn was so terrible this year. Even so, I expected a fair showing from the Tigers, but I was wrong and they got handled.

6. Oklahoma - Missouri - This could have been a great story line for Mizzou, but instead, they decided to fold and get utterly distroyed in the Big-12 championship game.

5. Alabama - Clemson - This is the game we found out how good Alabama was going to be and how terrible Clemson was, despite the top ten ranking.

4. Alabama - UGA - 31 - 0 at the half, are you kidding? I was at this game and wish I would have sold my ticket. The second half was reasonably entertaining though.

3. Oklahoma- Texas Tech - This had national title implications all over it, then Texas Tech remebered that they don't belong.

2. USC vs Ohio State - Ohio State, big game, flop.

1. UGA vs Florida - This was also a big flop by the men in the silver britches. This game started off bad with missed field goals. Ended worse.


Best under the radar games/games that lived up to hype
Notre Dame - Syracuse - Did Syracuse beat Notre Dame? I bet that Lou Holtz still thinks Notre Dame should be ranked in the top 4.
USC - Oregon State - Great game. Always enjoy seeing USC go down to a mediocre team
Texas - Oklahoma - Opposite of Auburn - Alabama
Alabama - Florida - SEC title game generally is a fun game to watch, this one lived up to the hype unlike Oklahoma - Texas Tech
Penn State - Ohio State - Entertaining to see Ohio State lose.

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Showdown at the Highlight Factory

[photo: Jim Davis, Boston Globe]


The Atlanta Hawks. 15-9.
4th in the Eastern Conference.
Won 3 in a row.

The Boston Celtics. 23-2.
1st in the Eastern Conference.
Won 15 in a row.

Tonight the Celtics bring their insane winning streak to Atlanta for a showdown with the Hawks. A rematch from last year's playoffs, the teams' first meeting ended in dramatic fashion. Marvin Williams hits a three from the corner to put the Hawks up by one with five seconds left. Celtics in-bounds to Pierce, who dribbles, shuffles, maneuvers, steps back and fires a jumper. Boston goes up by 1 point with half a second left to play. Boston escaped that night with a win, handing the Hawks their first loss of the season (after a 6-0 start).

Expect an incredible playoff atmosphere tonight at Philips Arena, as Garnett and company return for the first time since Game 6 of the first round of the playoffs (a game I attended). I think its clear that the amazing seven-game showdown with the eventual champs helped teach the Hawks how to play hard, to play all 48 minutes, and how to never back down no matter how great the opponent. Like Pierce said earlier this year, they "created a monster", and I fully expect our monster with a fully healthy roster (we didn't have Josh Smith for the last meeting) to beat the crap out of the Celtics and end one more double-digit winning streak.

Go out and support the Hawks tonight, game should be sold out and loud as hell. Game is on ESPN at 7pm. Shock the world!! Read Full Article!

DUI Furcal: Does anybody Remeber?

Does anybody remember how Furcal left the Braves? Wasn't it because he was free agent? Yeah, but he also got busted for a speeding and a DUI on Interstate 85 and I believe that played a part too. The Braves are not a team that lends itself to controversy or normally keeps players around that have had poor conduct off the field, but there has been exceptions. Lest we forget Chipper and his divorce from his first wife. If that happened in new york, it wouldv'e been bigger then A-Rod and Madonna. We also can't forget the Gold Club where Andruw Jones had his choice of some fine stripper tail. Neither of those incidents resulted in indictments and charges. Rafael on the other hand was arrested, charged, and prosecuted for his actions.

This is the first time I can think of where the Braves welcomed back somebody who has had such a bad and public personal violation. Is this a sign of things to come? Are the Braves more willing to deal with off the field antics of its star players? I don't think so. What I think is going on here is that Furcal was quite young at the time of the incident, just 25, and now he is older and wiser. The Braves will likely not forget, and I bet somewhere in the fine print of that generous contract is stipulations on drinking and driving. They will be willing to dump him at the first sign of trouble (can we forget the infamous motorcycle and Ron Gant). As Rafi matures so do the Braves expectation. The willingness of the Braves to accept him is not a softening of the Braves towards problem players but rather a new respect for a wiser and more mature Rafial Furcal.


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WTF Braves? Furcal?

[SOURCE MLB.com] [MLB.com]


The Atlanta Braves appear to be on the verge of signing SS Rafael Furcal, the same Furcal who spent six years with us earlier this decade. The 2000 Rookie of the Year would be accepting a 3 year deal with a fourth year option, probably in the range of $11M per year. Cool, we got Furcal back. Great. He plays left field right? No no no he's a starting pitcher! Wait no his arm's good enough to play those positions, but he's a shortstop. A SHORTSTOP. Let's consider the many holes the Braves have in their lineup, excluding pitching. Left field. Center field. Right field (should Francoeur's downward spiral continue). Leadoff hitter. Power hitting righty. What does Furcal fit? Leadoff hitter... and.... aaaand........ well he's a switch hitter at least! Look, Frank, if you're going to sign Furcal in order to make Kelly Johnson or Yunel Escobar a trading chip, can you make the trade first at least? Trade Escobar while we appear reluctant to do so (like, for Peavy?) and then just go sign Furcal cause you were going to anyway. Then we'd have Furcal and Peavy for the next four years. Now we have one too many middle infielders, and sure we could consider moving Kelly back to left field since he's pretty awful defensively at second, but I don't see that happening. I expect to see Kelly traded and Furcal leading off, playing second. But now that teams know we need to trade Kelly, won't we get less value in return than we would have a week ago? Think of it like Fantasy Baseball, you drafted Hanley Ramirez.. five rounds later you draft Rafael Furcal thinking this other team got this pitcher you like, and they don't have a good SS. So you offer Furcal for the pitcher and he says screw you, give me Hanley you can make Furcal ride the bench. No deal is made and you wasted your fifth round pick. Wren better have some kind of brilliant move ready to follow up this signing, or I will continue to be disappointed with his ability as a GM (I almost want to chalk up the Jurrjens trade to Schuerholz setting it up and the Tigers losing their minds).

On another note, the Padres front office has announced that the Peavy talks appear to be over now that no one has stepped in to negotiate after the Cubs dropped out. The Padres appear to be content with keeping the ace. I'll say it again, with Furcal on the roster, can we please just throw the original offer back to the Padres (Yunel, Gorkys and a pitcher like Morton) and try one last time to snag the Cy Young winner? Read Full Article!

I'll give these to my kids one day...maybe.

All right kids. You've been coming to my house long enough. It's time grandpa sat you down and showed you what grandpa keeps hidden away from you grubby kids and another thing grandma likes to bitch about during commercials of Fox's hit 3rd spin-off, "74"—you know, the reruns. (Jack's got some blood thirsty moves for an old codger.) Anyway, his name was Gregory Alan (the way civilized people spell it) Maddux. He was the best pitcher the Atlanta Braves, those 21-time World Series Champions ever had. He was enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2013 as an Atlanta Brave, making the shortest acceptance speech ever. But his career began a while before that. Here are some of the highlights of grandpa's collection...

The year was 1987, and a young kid with baseball dreams and Fu Manchu hopes burst onto the MLB scene.



















1987 Donruss Rated Rookie. The flagship of Maddux rookie cards.

Toward the end of the year, grandkids, card companies released "updates" to their sets that were called various things. It usually meant that someone was sent down or called up or had made changes to their facial hair. In this case, Donruss called a particular segment of their update "The Rookies."



















1987 Donruss "Rookies." On 3, ready? 1...click.

Eventually, the youngster found his way—and his change-up—and began to gain the respect of the fans, players and card companies. One (playing) card company, in a clever play on the baseball vernacular, released a set of team playing cards featuring current stars. Our protagonist was appropriately featured as "The Ace of Diamonds," along side the Queen, Dottie Henson.



1992 U.S. Playing Card Co.

At the end of the 1992 season, the retarded Chicago Cubs (who incidentally, haven't won a world series in 160 years—remember this is the future, kids) signed Jose Guzman and told our 1st time Cy Young Winner that they "didn't need him any more." So, the Great Schuerholtz decided that Atlanta was a perfect place for another lights out starting pitcher. He was signed, and everyone was so pleased, they later set the press box on fire. It was glorious. He was also featured in a higher quality set called, SP. Ooooooooh. I know! Now fetch grandpa some scotch...



1993 SP. A good looking card set.

Maddux proved to be a great asset to the Braves. And he liked to harrass the rookies. He used to wipe all sort of bodily fluids on what a young Chipper Jones thought were clean socks waiting in his fresh laundry bin. But he kept beating teams like the Dodgers and Giants all the time, and finally he was featured in a very limited edition set called "Elite Dominators."



1993 Donruss Elite Domiators. #ed out of 10,000. This is the only one to be graded "BGS 9.5" or better.

As Maddux progressed in the league, he made great friends and friendly rivalries with teammates like John Smoltz (the eventual longtime ESPN baseball color man) and Tom Glavine (the 4 term Senator from Ohio). Along with their pitching, they were pretty decent hitters in the National League. You kids don't rememeber, but along with the absense of the laser strikezone detector, there used to be this thing in the other league (the one with all the criminal arrests lately) called the designated hitter, who'd bat for the pitcher. But now, everyone has to hit. Back in nineteen nine three, Maddux was a good hitting pitcher, and was actually featured on this card taking batting practice...



















Back of Upper Deck's 1995 SP. Card number is actually #31. Neat.

Oh, some of the best memories of my youth were back in the 1990s, kids. In 1996, the Braves made it back to the World Series and faced a team called The New York Yankees. You know them better as the "Panasonics." They had some trouble back in 2012 when they went bankrupt and were bought by the Japanese. But back then, they were the mighty Yankees and they played the Braves. Every player got a patch on their sleeve, like the piece of this one from that 1996 World Series...



















2002 Leaf Certified Mirror Blue "Game Worn Jersey" Card. #43/75. All have a piece of a jersey worn by the player featured, but there can't be many that have this piece. 1996 WS Patch. Pretty cool.

Eventually, Greg Maddux left our beloved Braves. He went back to Wrigley Field—you know, that place where the fan committed suicide a few weeks ago? I know, it's tragic, kids... It's just a game. But his career also took him to San Diego and Los Angeles. He won 355 games when it was all said and done. 300 wins signed your ticket to the Hall of Fame back then. Luckily I have one of those 300th win tickets...









300th Win Game Ticket. Graded Full Mint.

He was a great player. One of the best, kids. If it proves one thing, it's that if you want something badly enough, and you're blessed with some talent and determination to improve, and if you combine that with a devotion to what you do and love to do it, you can be great. Kind of like how good you are at pouring grandpa's scotch. OK, you can have a sip but you won't like it... Told you so... And that Greg Maddux wasn't the biggest or the strongest, but he learned how to pitch—and not just throw. He was smart and realized he could always continue to learn. Stay in school, kids. You can grow up and do great things, no matter how people might percieve you. Just look at how scrawny Maddux was...



















1986 Pro Cards Minor League Double A Card. Maybe the most valuable rookie out there.

So, kids... If you eat your veggies, do your homework and lay off my scotch, you can grow up to be a ball player like Greg Maddux, too. It might help to grow a mustache early on.

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1st Amusement Rights

As always, the Dan Patrick show digs up another gem. See this die hard Cowboys fan making his point to ESPN's Ed Werder, the reporter who broke the story about behind-the-scenes friction with Terrell Owens and Tony Romo. It's worth checking out, but keep the volume down, because there's some obscenity.

Today's lesson: Don't like what some reporter is saying about your team? Tell them. Just make sure you stand on public property. Bahng!
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Special Report - Endangered Species

The current recession and global economic crisis has filtered into every aspect of society and culture. Sluggish retail sales have triggered further sales to consumers who are cutting all unnecessary fat in their family budgets. Sports are not immune from downswings in the economy. While the pro franchises have yet to feel the effects, many smaller sports organizations are dependant on strong, stable economic growth. Let’s face it, sports is a big time business.

Take the Atlanta Silverbacks, for example. In November, the Silverbacks Men announced they will sit out of the 2009 season “due to the state of the economy and the potential of an MLS team coming to [Atlanta]” according to their web site.

The implications of an MLS team coming to Atlanta could fare to be both beneficial and detrimental. An MLS team benefits the fans and the harvesting of young soccer talent. Soccer has long been a third-tier sport among Southerners already consumed with the basic food groups of football, baseball, and [God love them] NASCAR.

The harm a MLS team could bring includes the fazing out of the Silverback organization which as been a positive soccer force in the greater Atlanta community since 1995. One has to wonder in a region where soccer is not king, can Atlanta market support both a major league and minor league soccer club? The Silverbacks do not seem to think so. Expect an announcement from MLS in early 2009 to the future of the soccer team in Atlanta. Arthur Blank with newfound Falcons’ success can only keep his fingers crossed.

The Silverbacks’ may see a similar fate of the Seattle Sounders who disbanded with the 2007 announcement of the new MLS club, the Seattle Sounders FC (Note: Soccer superfan Drew Carey is part owner of the Sounders). With the expected MLS announcement and the dismissal of the Silverbacks, one can only add together that MLS will select Atlanta for expansion.

And who’s to stop Arthur Blank? He has capital, a large market, and political clout. If he can build a stadium, there will be no stopping him. (I, for one, welcome MLS with open arms as someone who so desperately wants a soccer team to cheer on). The burden rests on the Silverbacks who are already battling hard times. An MLS club means a recession will not be the only thing on the minds of minor league soccer clubs. Minor league clubs are important for an economy and the livelihood of a sport so remember to support them just as your would any small business.

After all, Sports is big business and the big fish usually swallows the small one.
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WTF Auburn?

In a surprise move, Auburn has decided to tap Gene Chizik as the next head coach of the Auburn football team. I think this is just plain silly. Chizik had a superb record as an assistant coach both at Auburn in 2004 and Texas in 2005, but as head coach, his resume is quite suspect. At Iowa State (without playing Texas, Texas Tech, or Oklahoma this year) Chizik is 5-19 in his two seasons and ended this season with a 10-game losing streak.

I knew once Tuberville left, the head coaching job at Auburn would be a tough sell, but this is ridiculous. Auburn needs to remember where they came from and they should have found a more qualified coach. The Auburn athletic powers have forgotten their good football tradition. How can anyone expect Chizik to perform against Alabama or the SEC for that matter? He will not unite the fan base, he will not succeed, and he will not outperform Tuberville. Read Full Article!

The Great NL vs AL Debate

[also authored by Jonesin']


THE GREAT SENIOR CIRCUIT, by adam
I and most of the other posters here at Dirty South Sports are not big fans of the designated hitter. For one, we live in a National League market (even me up here in Philly), and secondly, we, with the Braves, have always had great hitting pitchers ("chicks dig the long ball"). But that doesn't stop the annoying nags that continue to crap on the NL for being weaker, and saying things like, "we aren't paying pitchers to hit, but to pitch."

To start with, the AL is not simply stronger, but AL teams are built differently. It may seem like a surprise, but you cannot consider just the interleague record. For the Braves, we have been better then most with a .526 (103-93) winning percentage in interleague play. The highest in the NL. There was a time when it was highest in the majors. In the AL, the three highest teams are the Yankees at .586, the Oakland A's at .580 and finally the Minnesota Twins at .571. Those differences seem to suggest something is up. And something is. There is a built-in bias towards the AL in interleague play. That bias is simply the fact that they have an additional hitter on their roster, even without the DH in a NL park. That's right, the DH comes off the bench as a pinch hitter with better numbers then most teams would carry for that role (mainly because if they hit like that they would start every game). NL teams are built differently, they are not designed to keep a 10th position player, so their 10th man is often weaker then the AL's and also cheaper (one of the main reason overall salaries in the AL seem to blow the NL out of the water). This bias takes place in both directions. When an NL team visits an AL team, then their top 10 players are often under-matched by the AL team's top 10. (I'd say the AL also has an advantage in home stadiums since two teams Tampa and Minnesota still play on synthetic grass while no one in the NL does).

This dichotomy has played out more prominent over the last decade for another reason. Players are playing longer. There are simply more good older players moving to the AL to DH for the simple reason of prolonging their career. It is getting to the point where certain players simply can not play in the NL at all. Take Big Papi. His skills at first base are so weak, I doubt a team in the NL could start him for a whole season at first and come out with a winning record. There would be so many errors and missed throws to counter-act those huge bombs. Also, I would be unsure of his stamina to play 162 games on the field rather then ride the bench and swing every inning or so. It makes me wonder about players like Chipper, who beat the hell out themselves diving and stooping grounders all season, that if they played in the AL and got to DH would they be as injury prone?

The same can be said about the pitching side. How often, late in the game, does a pitcher get removed to put in a hitter in a key situation? All the time. Now in the AL, there is no strategy for that. There is no worry. So pitchers can pitch later into the ballgame, which also means that you don't need to carry as many middle relief pitchers. The exposure is less. In the NL, that middle relief is often the difference between a winning season and a losing one.

Finally there is a completely different managerial strategy. In the NL you have the double switch. Mangers maneuver their lineup so that the pitcher won't have to hit in the next inning. They must constantly be aware of who's up next, and if I replace this pitcher now, will i have to use two next inning? Or, if I replace him now, I have to double switch, but who am I taking out? These kinda questions never get asked in the AL. It is more like algorithmic hitting. Start at one, add 1 until reached 9, and repeat. That is all, a monkey can manage an AL line up.

When you add all this up, it is no surprise that the AL seems on paper to be better then the NL. It is not a power thing, or a better pitching thing, but it is a design thing. Simply, AL teams are designed differently for a different kind of competition, a simpler one. It is almost like two different sports, or two different species of related animals, cousins. I do not want the NL to adopt the DH. I would love it if the AL dropped theirs, but I understand that there is a fundamental difference between the way baseball is played in both leagues. If you think they can be compared directly, you are wrong. I prefer the NL because it is baseball at its purist, and in my opinion, if the AL fans got to see more baseball without the filthy DH, I think they would agree.


REAL MEN PLAY IN THE AL, by jonesin'
Why not use the DH? You could use the argument that by not hitting, AL pitchers have higher stamina across a full season. But they are taken out for pinch hitters less often, so they throw more innings in the AL right? Lets use Santana as an example: in 2008 he threw 234.3 innings for the Mets - most in his career. For hitters the DH does allow for players to extend their careers by moving to DH. It allows younger players to make the jump to the majors earlier because they can hit (and maybe can't field worth a damn). Its good to see players like Mike Piazza and Jim Thome given a chance to continue playing at a high level after they've lost their ability to make a sizable contribution in the field. And sure we can use names like Thome and Ortiz to make the case that all AL teams have 9-10 startable hitters on their club, but lets look across the league:

• Five DH's drove in more than 70 runs: Aubrey Huff (who played 70 games in the infield), Jim Thome, David Ortiz, Jason Kubel (50 games in OF) and Milton Bradley.
• The same five were the only ones to hit 20+ home runs.
• Only two DH's hit over .300 (Huff, Bradley) while the average DH hit .263 last season
• Of these five DHs at the top, only Thome and Ortiz went to the playoffs.

Sure having the DH slot available allows for AL teams to bring in more starter-caliber talent to rotate between the DH and fielding positions. Sure that leads to higher payrolls. But its all relative. As long as you manage your roster within the style of your league, you will be successful. No team, no matter if its the Yankees, Red Sox, Mets or Phillies, can put nine all-stars in a lineup. Talent is spread out too much across the league. What these teams have in common is a strong, powerful middle of the order, with table-setters before and after. Jeter and Damon set up A-Rod, Abreu and Giambi. Reyes sets up Wright, Beltran and Delgado. Rollins and Victorino ahead of Utley, Howard and Burrell. Its the same for every team in both leagues.

The American League does not have an advantage in this sense. Most DHs are players who have lost their ability to field the ball well. These are players past their prime, who can still hit the ball, sure, but not as well as they used to. Not as well as the guy who replaced them at their position (see Philadelphia trading Thome to make room for Howard, or the fading abilities of Giambi and Frank Thomas). This levels the playing field. Its not an advtange or a disadvantage to have the DH, but its there to keep these players in the league. If you can hit, you can play. In the NL if you can hit, but can't field.. then you can play maybe twice a week when the pitcher is getting rocked. What help is it when, say, the Braves they have a Frank Thomas riding the bench waiting for Hudson to get pulled? When at the same time Tampa is struggling to score runs because their DH can't hit the long ball. Swapping Thomas for their slap-hitting DH improves both clubs, keeps things competitive, and lets a star like Thomas continue playing with the dignity he deserves.

Besides, since 2001 the National League has won the World Series four times. And so has the AL.

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