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SUPERCROSS ROCKS DOME SEE BACK PAGE
JANUARY 7-13, 2009
ATLANTA’S WEEKLY SPORTS TALK NEWSPAPER
VOL 5 NO 1
Get In The Game!
02 I SCORE ATLANTA
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JANUARY 7-13, 2009
SCORE ATLANTA I 03
WWW.SCOREATL.COM
4
Though the Falcons lost to Arizona in the playoffs, I.J. Rosenberg
praises the team’s storybook season and offers his thoughts on
its bright future.
____________________________________________________________
11
Make sure to check out our center spread: the High School
Sports Report! Check out our feature stories, as well as Players
of the Week and Games of the Week.
___________________________________________________________
21
Corey Mitchell analyzes the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Thanks
to two in-state stars and UGA commit Aaron Murray, the East
emerged victorious.
_____________________________________________________________
22
Scott Janovitz writes on how the economy is affecting pro
sports. Chris Greisen (pictured), the Georgia Force and the
rest of the AFL even have to forego the ’09 season.
A SCORE UPDATE:
Score Atlanta is proud to announce the first Annual Celebrity Charity Bowling
Tournament hosted by U.S. Play to help benefit The Devereux Georgia Treatment
Network located in Kennesaw. The Tournament will be held Friday, Feb. 13 from
11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information on The Devereux Georgia Treatment
Network, please visit them at www.devereux.org. If you are interested in participating, please
call 770-427-7679 and ask for Daniel Winters; if you are interested in sponsoring on any level,
please call Brian Pruett at 678-755-0961.
TEAM PAGES I COLUMNS
COVER DESIGN BY DAVID GAUDIO. COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF JIMMY CRIBB/ATLANTA FALCONS.
6 DUE UP-SCORE LIST 7 SPIN-C.C 8 BAGRIANSKY
9 OWLS-GA STATE 11 HS SPORTS REPORT 16 FALCONS
17 HAWKS-BRAVES 18 THRASHERS-MEMORY LANE
19 DAWGS-JACKETS 20 CALENDAR 22 MEDIA
™
STARTING
LINEUP
IN YOUR
FACE…
PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg
MANAGING EDITOR Tad Arapoglou
ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR David Gaudio
WEBMASTER Alex Ewalt
VIDEO MANAGER/PREP EDITOR Scott Janovitz
BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick
SALES Brian Pruett
BEAT WRITERS Josh Bagriansky (Falcons), Stephen Black
(Kennesaw State), Jason Boral (Thrashers), James Butler
(UGA), Dave Cohen (Georgia State), Johnny Crosskey
(Tech), Alex Ewalt (Preps), Scott Janovitz
(Hawks/Recruiting), Fletcher Proctor (Braves)
STAFF WRITERS Cranston Collier, Joe Deighton, Ricky Dimon,
Rajesh Gupta, Zander Lentz, Andrew McCarron, Corey Mitchell,
Jessica Parker, Leighton Savary, Keafer Triplett, Derek Wiley
DESIGN INTERNS Keith DeGruy, Chris Nunn, Bob Weldon
CONTRIBUTORS Dean Zindler, Kevin Dankosky,
Mitch Evans, Matt Judy, Tony Schiavone, Richard Diamond,
Joe Haines, Brian Katrek, Chris Dimino, Mike Bell, Matt Stewart,
Fred Kalil, Nick Cellini, Phillip Leopold, Dave Marshall, Greg
Smith, Steak Shapiro, Mike Cather, Beau Bock, Hal Lamar, Chris
Cotter, Roy Hickman, Dave Cohen, John Olah, Jeff Woolverton,
Chris Voss, Bob Rathbun, Courtney Capps, Bill Hartman, Chuck
Dowdle, Shannon Alderman, Dan Kamal, Dennis Scott, C.C.,
Hal Lanier, Jeff Batten, Micah Hart, Ben Wright,
Alan Vasquez, Andrew Vedlitz, Brian Jones
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS Mitch Albom, Dave Kindred, Barry Bloom
™
SCHOOL
LISTING
CHEROKEE/FORSYTH: Cherokee, Creekview, Etowah, Forsyth Central,
North Forsyth, Sequoyah, South Forsyth, West Forsyth, Woodstock
COBB: Allatoona, Campbell, Harrison, Kell, Kennesaw Mountain, Lassiter,
Marietta, McEachern, N. Cobb, N. Cobb Christian, Pebblebrook,
Pope, S. Cobb, Sprayberry, Walton, Wheeler
DEKALB: Chamblee, Columbia, Decatur, Druid Hills, Dunwoody,
Lakeside, Marist, Miller Grove, M.L. King, Paideia, Redan, St. Pius
X, Southwest DeKalb, Stephenson, Stone Mountain, Tucker
FULTON: Alpharetta, Blessed Trinity, Centennial, Chattahoochee,
Douglass, Grady, Lovett, Mays, Milton, North Springs, Northview,
Riverwood, Roswell, Tri-Cities, Westminster, Woodward Academy
GWINNETT: Berkmar, Brookwood, Buford, C. Gwinnett, Collins
Hill, Dacula, Grayson, Greater Atlanta Christian, Meadowcreek, Mill
Creek, Norcross, North Gwinnett, Parkview, Peachtree Ridge,
South Gwinnett, Wesleyan
OUT IN FRONT:
Before the Chickfil-A Bowl, most thought the Yellow Jackets would
continue their momentum and come out on top.
LSU’s Charles Scott (front) had other ideas.
Tech’s defense was left chasing Scott all night
long, as he scampered for 65 yards and three
touchdowns in a stunning 38-3 win for the Tigers.
Photo courtesy of David McGregor/Photographic Arts.
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Get In The Game!
04 I SCORE ATLANTA
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JANUARY 7-13, 2009
SCORE ATLANTA I 05
season for the Falcons?
Nope. Nothing.
Let me repeat … nothing.
For the first time in perhaps their 43 seasons, the Falcons have a chance to have one of
the top NFL organizations in football for a
very long time. Think of the Braves and their
run of 14 straight division championships.
Think about where the Braves came from to
do it. They were awful but put a manager
(Bobby Cox) in the dugout who knew how to
motivate the players and an executive in the
front office (John Schuerholz) who knew how
to put a team together.
The Falcons have found their CoxSchuerholz tandem in Mike Smith and
Thomas Dimitroff. Like the Braves found
Chipper Jones back in the 1990s, they found
a franchise player in quarterback Matt Ryan,
who showed in his rookie season that he
quickly can become one of the best in the
league. Can you say Joe Montana?
OK, perhaps I’m getting overly exuberant but the rest of the league is quickly
noticing exactly how incredible their turnaround was, as, despite some other very
strong candidates, Smith was named the
NFL Coach of the Year.
What’s most exciting is that the NFL is
truly the most popular of all professional
sports and Atlanta now has a team it can follow year-round. As the AJC beat writer that
covered the Braves’ great run, I experienced
a meteoric rise in public interest, as immediately after the 1991 season everyone wanted to talk about the Braves and their future.
The same will happen with the Falcons, as
we’ll begin talking about potential draft
picks within a week or so before training
camp in Flowery Branch becomes a huge
attraction in the summer.
And it all has happened because the
Falcons came in with a plan.
“I think we have tried to establish that
we’d be very systematic in how we did things,
that we were going to have a plan,” Smith told
reporters Sunday after winning NFL Coach of
the Year. “We laid that plan out from the very
beginning how we were going to practice,
how we were going to travel, how we were
going to meet, how we were going to communicate, and I think the guys really appreciated
how we presented the plan in the framework
for us to start the season.”
LOOKING AHEAD AT TECH AND
GEORGIA …
Not sure what to think about Tech’s miserable performance in the Chick-fil-A Bowl.
Let’s hope it was just a bad night, as nothing
went right in the 38-3 loss to LSU. The Tigers,
despite their five losses in the SEC, just
looked like a bigger and better team and certainly were able to figure out how to stop
Tech’s triple option. But the Yellow Jackets,
much like the Falcons, should feel good about
their nine-win season and the fact that they
he needs to run the option, though it’s hard to
believe there are backs that could run it any
better than Jonathan Dwyer and Roddy Jones
(both recruited by Chan Gailey). I still feel this
team is going to have to throw the ball to be
successful, which was demonstrated against
LSU when it found itself having to come back
from a big deficit early at the Chick-fil-A
Bowl. The team’s schedule does get tougher
next season, as the Jackets play games at
Vanderbilt and Mississippi State and have to
travel to both Florida State and Miami.
next year that has Tech ranked eighth and the
Bulldogs at No. 9. Let the rumbling begin.
NOW TO THE BRAVES …
It has been a tough offseason for the
team, missing on several free agent opportunities, though I am glad the Rafael Furcal
deal didn’t work out. He’s not worth the
baggage and certainly proved that with how
he handled negotiations with his former
club. I do feel that if the opportunity arises,
the Braves should try to bring back Andruw
ON THE COVER
Falcons bring excitement to city; Andruw should be back in Braves uniform
played in their first meaningful bowl game in
ure, the loss in the playoffs Saturday to
Athens. Georgia’s 2009 season is going to
quite a while. The key now is how quickly
Arizona was disappointing but did it take
depend a lot on how its offensive line matures.
S
coach Paul Johnson can get the type of players
anything away from what was an amazing
By the way, I saw one preseason poll for
Though Mike Smith (pictured) and the
Falcons were favored heading into
Saturday’s matchup at Arizona, the
Cardinals are the ones who will be
moving on to the next round to face
Carolina. One thing is for certain,
however: this team sure was fun to
root for this season. The Falcons surpassed all expectations by finishing
the regular season 11-5, the thirdbest record in the NFC. And in his first
year as head coach, Smith ended up
winning the NFL Coach of the Year
Award. The above photo of Smith and
cover photos are all courtesy of
Jimmy Cribb/Atlanta Falcons.
POINT TO THE SIGNS: Matthew Stafford has not yet announced if he will stick around for his senior season at Georgia, but it was clear at the Capital One Bowl that Bulldog fans are hoping he will. Fans pleaded “STAFFORD PLEASE STAY!” as the junior quarterback threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns in
a victory over Michigan State. Stafford is now 3-0 in bowl games as Georgia’s starting quarterback.
Photo courtesy of Ashley Jackson/Photographic Arts.
CATCH I.J. ON SUNDAYS
‘What’s most exciting is that the NFL is truly the most popular of all professional sports and Atlanta now has a team it can follow year-round.
… And it all has happened because the Falcons came in with a plan.’
Up in Athens, Georgia finished with 10
wins after knocking off Michigan State in the
Capital One Bowl. Still, for a team ranked
No. 1 going into the season, three losses is
hard to swallow and it will likely lose quarterback Matt Stafford and running back
Knowshon Moreno to the NFL draft (they
must decide by Jan. 15). Some feel Stafford
may be the No. 1 pick. Still, there is plenty of
talent coming back and likely a top 10 recruiting class coming in while the 2009 schedule
cools off somewhat, as Georgia does not have
to play Alabama, instead picking up a game at
Arkansas. The Bulldogs do have to travel to
Oklahoma State but play Arizona State in
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Jones. Before turning the page, hear me out.
Jones had a horrible season with the
Dodgers, hitting .158 with 76 strikeouts in
209 at-bats. Unless they can pull off a trade,
Los Angeles will likely cut him and eat the
remainder of his two-year, $32.2 million
deal, which, according to AJC beat writer
Dave O’Brien, is worth around $21 million.
Ouch! That will mean Jones can sign anywhere and the Braves could work out a deal
with a small base salary (perhaps around
$750,000) with incentives based on performance and more or less give him a tryout
during spring training. Jones wants back in
Atlanta and it’s not like the Braves have an
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outfield filled with talent. If the Dodgers
release Jones and I’m Braves general manager Frank Wren, I work out a small deal and
tell Jones if he wants to come back he’ll
have to report to spring training in shape,
with his weight at a respectable level, and
ready to battle for a job. The risk would be
minimal here and if it worked out, it would
allow the team to keep centerfield prospect
Jordan Schafer in the minor leagues for at
least half the season. Schafer is the club’s
centerfielder of the future but he has little
experience above Class A ball. Jones, by the
way, is 31 and, as I said a year ago, made a
major mistake by leaving the Braves, much
like a lot of other players have. Jones is a
very private person, always liked playing for
Bobby Cox and didn’t have to deal with
much criticism here; he was out of his element in L.A. Other players have been able to
make comebacks at his age and he could do
it in Atlanta on the Dodgers’ dime.
Score is looking for interns for sales,
marketing, graphics, writing, editing and the
web. Send your resume to Tad Arapoglou at
[email protected]. Rosenberg can
be heard every Sunday afternoon from 1-4
on 790 The Zone and can be reached at 404256-1572 and [email protected].
Get In The Game!
06 I SCORE ATLANTA
SCORE LIST
DUE UP
BY TAD ARAPOGLOU
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ie quarterback to win a playoff game on the road, however, but the real difference was
the Cards’ ability to contain Michael Turner on offense and John Abraham on defense.
GREAT STORY: While the loss hurts, remember: Matt Ryan was offensive Rookie
of the Year, Turner was MVP runner-up, Mike Smith was Coach of the Year, and the
Falcons went 11-6 after going 4-12 in ’07. And the future only looks brighter.
some great matchups this weekend in the second round. I’m still sticking with my preplayoffs pick of Pittsburgh vs. New York … but watch out for Baltimore as a sleeper.
FRIDAY
TECH TRUMPED: LSU loves the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Three years after crushing No. 9
Miami 40-3, the Tigers beat No. 14 Tech 38-3 in the New Year’s Eve game. When did
Paul Johnson think the turning point occurred? “When we lined up and kicked it off.”
CLOSING TIME: In the Capital One Bowl, Georgia started poorly and turned on the jets
It’s finally here. After more than a month of waiting, the Florida Gators and
Oklahoma Sooners will battle in Miami to see which team is the best in
NCAA football. The BCS Championship will kick off at 8 p.m.
High School Boys Game of the Week.
In a Region 6-AAAAA battle, Julian Royal and the Milton Eagles travel to
Centennial to face Lorenzo Brown and the Knights at 7:30 p.m. Check out
page 11 for more on this game, as well as our girls Game of the Week.
SATURDAY Georgia vs. Tennessee. 750 AM. Raycom.
late. If that doesn’t sum up most of its games in ’08, I don’t know what does. Matthew
Stafford and Knowshon Moreno each looked great – was this their final game at UGA?
THE BIG SHOW: And the football didn’t stop there, as the top high school AllAmericans shined last week. Local products Chris Burnette and Jarvis Jones looked great
at the U.S. Army bowl, and Greg Reid proved he’s for real at the Under Armour game.
SUNDAY
ON A ROLL: The Hawks delivered during a crucial eight-game home stretch, going 7-
1 with the only loss coming by three to Boston. This team is getting more and more fun
to watch, especially if it continues to beat squads like Cleveland, Denver and Houston.
ZACH ATTACK: The Thrashers assigned defenseman Zach Bogosian to Chicago (AHL)
for conditioning in hopes he can return full strength from his fractured fibula. It will be
great when Atlanta gets him back – he is much-needed for any chance at a turnaround.
MONDAY
BIG SURPRISE: You’ll never believe this … Brett Favre is contemplating retirement!
What a different story than the past six offseasons. But hey, if he’s comfortable switching teams, finishing 9-7 and missing the playoffs to end his career, more power to him.
TUESDAY
LOWLY LION: Wait, Matt Millen ruined the Detroit Lions franchise and put together
the team that went 0-16, right? So why did NBC feel he’d be a good studio analyst for
the NFL playoffs? Up next, Isiah Thomas’s thoughts on how to build an NBA champion!
Mike Smith
No, we don’t mean “little” as in “small” –
Thrashers center Bryan Little injured his
ribs last Saturday. His status was unknown
at press time, but head coach John
Anderson said rib injuries usually take
“weeks, not days” to heal.
Though the Hawks have one of the best records in the East, they are still
trailing Atlanta native Dwight Howard and the division-leading Orlando
Magic. They will try to pick up a big win at home at 7 p.m.
THURSDAY BCS National Championship. 750 AM. ABC.
NEW ROAD: Now that the Falcons are out, “the show must go on” and there will be
Little injury
Though Saturday’s loss still stings, there is
no doubt that Smith did an incredible job in
his first season as head coach in Atlanta.
The Associated Press agrees, and on
Sunday he was named the 2008 NFL
Coach of the Year.
The defending SEC champion Bulldogs got off to a good start this season,
but the second leg will start on Saturday as they take on the Tennessee
Volunteers. Athens should be rocking when the game starts at 1 p.m.
NFL Playoffs. 680 The Fan. FOX/CBS.
The second round of the NFL playoffs will conclude on Sunday and it should
be a classic day of football. The Eagles will take on the Giants at 1 p.m. and
the Chargers will be on the road to take on the Steelers at 4:15 p.m.
Tech women at Miami. 91.1 FM. FSN South.
The Yellow Jackets make the trip down to South Beach to face the
Hurricanes in this ACC rivalry game. Watch top scorers Alex Montgomery
and Jacqua Williams catch fire for Georgia Tech, starting at 7 p.m.
Georgia State at Old Dominion. ESPNU.
The Panthers are struggling to get any consistency going and would like
to gain some momentum against a CAA rival. They will face a tough Old
Dominion team in front of a national audience; tip-off is at 9 p.m.
Matthew Stafford
Atlanta Hawks
Against Michigan State, the UGA
quarterback threw for 250 yards and
three scores in a 24-12 win. Some
say if Stafford leaves for the NFL, he
could be the No. 1 draft pick – if so,
the Detroit Lions could surely use
stats like those.
After New Jersey beat the Hawks at
the buzzer on Friday, Atlanta
bounced back when Mike Bibby hit a
3-pointer with 1.5 seconds remaining for a win over Houston on
Saturday. The Hawks have now won
10 of their last 12.
Georgia Tech
Loss to Cardinals
Unfortunately, the magic of 2008
could not carry over to 2009, as the
Falcons fell 30-24 to Arizona.
Michael Turner committed a rare
fumble that was returned for a score,
and Matt Ryan tossed two interceptions in the playoff defeat.
Paul Johnson (pictured) and the football
team didn’t quite finish 2008 with a
bang, falling 38-3 to LSU at the Chick-filA Bowl. Men’s basketball then lost 8877 to Alabama three days later, marking
the team’s third loss in four games.
CRUNCHING THE
NUMBERS THOUGHTS ON TIGER, DALY
220
Rushing yards for
Turner in Week 1 of 2008 against
Detroit (franchise record)
17
Total rushing touchdowns for Turner in 2008 (franchise record)
3
NFC Offensive Player of
the Week honors for Michael
Turner in 2008 (franchise record)
Here we go again. Another PGA
TOUR season is getting underway
this week. Thirty-three players
are in the field at this week’s
Mercedes
winners-only
Benz Championship, and
the question everyone has
is, when is Tiger coming
back? We don’t know yet.
Probably March, and hopefully fully healed.
The suspension of John Daly is
probably the least surprising news
story of the year. This has been
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BY BRIAN JONES
WEDNESDAY Hawks vs. Orlando. 790 The Zone. SportSouth.
SEASON ENDS: Man, I really thought we’d win in Arizona. It’s never easy for a rook-
THUMBS UP TO THE
COACH OF THE YEAR
HOTTEST THINGS TO
SEE AND DO OVER THE
NEXT SEVEN DAYS
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coming for a long time. I have the
same feelings about Daly as I do
Tiger: I really hope he comes
back strong. I don’t think
we have seen the last of
J.D. as a PGA TOUR winner, and I do think he can
pull it all together again.
If he wants to, that is.
Brian Katrek can be heard
on 790 The Zone’s “On The
Green with Brian Katrek” Sundays
from 8-9 a.m. and can be reached at
[email protected].
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THUMBS DOWN TO
A TOUGH STRETCH
SANITY
AT LAST
“I think you have to
remember what we did as
a team this year and we
did some things well. …
But you have to use this
as motivation. You don’t
want to be here.”
- Falcons QB Matt Ryan
after the loss to Arizona
JANUARY 7-13, 2009
SCORE ATLANTA I 07
Braves re-organize minor league coaching staff; Falcons go Green at home
CHECK
THIS OUT!
A FEW THOUGHTS
FOR 2009
Some random thoughts as the New
Year gets underway:
Mike Bibby is an All-Star.
Somewhere they have to find room on
that team for him. There’s going to be a
lot of hype surrounding Rajon Rondo,
but I’m of the thinking that playing
with three future Hall of Famers is
probably not as tough as everyone
makes it out to be. It’s really unbelievable that Bibby has never been an AllStar, but this year there is no excuse for
him not to make the team.
Acie Law needs more minutes – or
maybe he doesn’t. Let’s be honest, no
one outside of the Hawks’ locker room
knows if Law is a capable NBA player.
Perhaps he cannot get any minutes
because he is no good. If that is the
case, then they need to re-sign Bibby as
soon as possible.
Dwyane Wade is the most exciting
player in the NBA. Period.
Words cannot describe how happy
I was this past weekend when Peyton
Manning and the Indianapolis Colts
got eliminated from the playoffs.
Now there’s no possibility of a
Manning vs. Manning Super Bowl. I
don’t think I’d be able to turn on the
television if those two ever wind up
in the Super Bowl in the same season. It would be unbearable and
ESPN executives’ heads might
explode due to giddiness.
The Utah Utes are not the best college football team in the country. I
don’t care how undefeated they are.
Michael Turner should have
received more than four votes for NFL
Most Valuable Player.
I sincerely hope Brett Favre retires.
If he didn’t realize it’s over after this
season, then he may never realize it, in
which case someone needs to realize
it for him.
Major League Baseball needs a
salary cap, not just for competitive
balance, but to save the
Yankees from themselves.
Troy Aikman is by
far the best announcer in
the game today.
Mike Bibby is an AllStar. I just thought that was
worth mentioning again.
C.C. can be reached
at [email protected].
PLAYING THROUGH PAIN: Carver-Columbus standout linebacker Jarvis Jones (pictured) sizes up an opposing running back at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Jones, one of the top-ranked athletes in Georgia and
the second-ranked linebacker in the nation according to Rivals.com, broke his thumb in November, forcing
him out of the Class 3A playoffs; he played with a cast last Saturday to help lead the East to victory. For
more on the game, check out page 21. Photo courtesy of Rob Saye.
HERE’S THE SCOOP ...
wo highly regarded Braves pitching Sakrete, North America’s original bagged
coaches, Derek Botelho and Guy dry cement mix brand, presented a $5,000
T
Hansen, were recently given promotions check in John Abraham’s name to
within the organization. The team
announced its Minor League staffs for the
2009 season last week and revealed that
Botelho will move up to serve as Triple-A
Gwinnett’s pitching coach and will
replace Hansen, who will take the spot of
the late Bruce Dal Canton as Class A
Myrtle Beach’s pitching coach. After
Canton lost his long battle with cancer in
October, the Braves decided that promoting Botelho and Hansen would be best for
the franchise. Marty Reed was hired to
replace
Botelho
as
Double-A
Mississippi’s pitching coach.
The Atlanta Dream are on their way
back and have plans to kick off 2009 with a
series of satellite clinics across the State of
Georgia. The clinics, co-presented by CocaCola, will focus on improving basketball
fundamentals and will be conducted at
seven locations across the state in January
and February. The camps will be open to
boys and girls ages 10-18 and will be
directed by Sue Panek (Dream Assistant
Coach and Director of Basketball
Operations). An Atlanta Dream player will
also be present at each location. Visit
AtlantaDream.net for more information
and to sign up now.
Last week, the Atlanta Falcons and
HomeAid Atlanta, a leading non-profit
provider of housing for the homeless in
Atlanta. The donation was made as part of
the Sakrete Sack Program, which, in its
third year, was created by Sakrete to raise
money to help fight homelessness. The program tracks the number of quarterback
sacks for each participating team and, at the
end of the regular season, the player with
the most sacks from each team had a check
for $5,000 donated in his name to
HomeAid. The overall sack leader,
DeMarcus Ware, had an additional $10,000
donated in his name.
GOING GREEN …
In other Falcons news, the team made
state history in its last game of the regular
season when the St. Louis Rams visited the
Dome. Teaming with Georgia Power, the
Falcons purchased Green Energy for their
final contest, marking the first time that
electricity for a professional football game
in Georgia was generated completely by
renewable sources. By using environmentally friendly Green Energy, the Falcons are
helping to protect the environment, conserve natural resources, promote the use of
renewable energy in Georgia, and support
domestic energy self-reliance.
If you haven’t seen some of the world’s
top motorcycle racers, you’re missing
out. You will have a chance to catch all
of the great action on Feb. 21, when all
the world of Supercross’ best come to
the Georgia Dome for one of the most
action-packed, high-paced events
you’ll ever see! Check out some of the
world’s finest riders such as James
Stewart and Chad Reed when they do
battle in Atlanta. Get your passes today
and book your ticket to a rare opportunity to see these stars race! Tickets are
as low as $10, with the best seats at
The Dome going for just $45 a pop!
And if you want to bring the family,
you can get your tickets for the same
price in one of the special family sections. To get tickets, visit
Ticketmaster.com or call the Georgia
Dome Box Office at 404-223-8427.
Written by Scott Janovitz
Don’t miss a chance to meet Braves
players, coaches and alumni at Turner
Field on Saturday, Jan. 24. With a simple
donation to the Atlanta Braves Foundation,
you will be able to meet your favorite
Braves players and get their autographs at
the same time. All proceeds will benefit
the Atlanta Braves Foundation. Visit
atlantabraves.com for more information
and to buy tickets now.
After starting the 2008 NFL season
with a disappointing 3-4 record, Peyton
Manning led his Indianapolis Colts to nine
straight victories and, as a result, captured
his third-career NFL MVP award. Manning
joins Brett Favre as the league’s only threetime winners of the honor, sharing the
award with Steve McNair in 2003 before
winning it again in 2004. This year,
Manning captured 32 votes in balloting
conducted by a nationwide panel of 50
sportswriters and broadcasters who cover
the NFL. He finished ahead of Miami
quarterback Chad Pennington and the
Falcons’ Michael Turner, who each
received four votes. In his memorable ninegame run, Manning went 209-of-290 for
2,248 yards and 17 touchdowns, with only
three interceptions. He also extended his
NFL record by throwing for 4,000 yards
for a ninth time and finished the season
with 27 touchdown passes, 12 interceptions and a passer rating of 95.
MIKAEL’S AUTO SPA
ATLANTA’S #1 CAR WASH AND DETAILING DESTINATION
LOCATED IN THE HEART OF SANDY SPRINGS ON ROSWELL RD.
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Get In The Game!
08 I SCORE ATLANTA
Despite loss to Cardinals, Falcons have plenty to be proud of this season
awyer Milloy stood in front of his locker
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with tears in his eyes. His Atlanta
Falcons had just been defeated 30-24 by the
Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Wild Card
Round of the NFL playoffs. The season was
over. But after the franchise was in tatters
just one year ago, he was one of many
Falcons who viewed the 2008-09 season as
the beginning of something special.
“I’m really proud of this team,” he
said, “especially with what we went
through last year.”
Milloy wasn’t lying. The Falcons were
reeling after suffering through one of the
worst years imaginable in 2007. The franchise quarterback was in prison, and their
head coach bailed on them before the season
even ended. They finished 4-12 and
appeared to be headed into a major rebuilding process after releasing or trading many
of their veteran players.
The Falcons were counted out by pundits
before the season even began. With a rookie
quarterback in Matt Ryan heading up an
incredibly inexperienced roster, there weren’t
many reasons to believe otherwise.
We were wrong. First-year general manager Thomas Dimitroff assembled a solid
core of players, even though many of them
weren’t exactly well known. But the most crucial addition of all was the hiring of former
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator
Mike Smith as head coach.
Smith and his staff paved the way for a
seemingly undermanned team that played
with confidence from Day 1. Atlanta finished
the season at 11-5 and garnered its first postseason berth since the 2004-05 season.
TOUGH TO SWALLOW …
LOOKING AHEAD …
In the end, the Falcons were the first
team eliminated from the NFL postseason.
Three turnovers and two long Arizona touchdown passes were too much to overcome at
the University of Phoenix Stadium.
“They just played great football,” said Pro
Bowl-bound running back Michael Turner.
Turner rushed for just 42 yards on 14
carries on the afternoon. Roddy White led
the receivers with 11 catches for 84 yards
and a touchdown.
But turnovers sealed Atlanta’s fate.
Among them was a 21-yard fumble return for
a touchdown that gave the Cardinals an early
second-half lead they would never relinquish.
Still, the Falcons fought back all game
long. They trailed 14-3 in the second quarter
before storming back to take a 17-14 halftime
lead. They also pulled back within six late in
the fourth quarter but couldn’t get the ball
back, as the Cards ran the clock out behind
three first-down conversions.
“It’s tough to have a chance there at the end
and we weren’t able to stop them,” Smith said.
While the Falcons mourned their
elimination from the playoffs, many players in the locker room took solace in the
fact that they had battled back in the first
and second halves. Responding from
adversity had become a theme for this
year’s team, as Atlanta had defied the odds
simply to garner a winning season, let
alone a playoff appearance.
“We fought hard all day,” said linebacker Keither Brooking. “Nothing takes the
life out of this team – that happens to losers
and we’re not losers.”
Despite the heartbreak last Saturday,
there was still a feeling of optimism. After all,
an organization that was thought to be at an
all-time low after 2007 now has one of the
league’s brightest futures.
Ryan’s season ranked among the best
ever for a rookie quarterback. Meanwhile,
Turner and White are both headed to the Pro
Bowl, with perhaps their best years still
ahead of them. But they are only a few of the
Falcons who stepped up.
“We had a lot of young players that
were thrown into starting roles this year,”
said veteran wideout Brian Finneran. “They
got a lot of good experience in their first
year. I’m talking about guys like [cornerback] Chevis Jackson, [defensive end] Kroy
Biermann, and [linebacker] Curtis Lofton.”
Even though the season came to a disappointing close, there was no doubt that
this was an extraordinary season, and one
that anyone who was around for last year’s
debacle will never forget.
“We lost the game and it hurts like
hell,” Brooking said. “But I’ll look back
at the relationships I developed here
and the way we came together and we
fought together.”
Now, the Falcons want more.
“We don’t want to be here, losing in
the first round of the playoffs in the future,”
Ryan said. “What we want to do is continue
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to advance in the playoffs and give ourselves a
chance to win. I think everybody will use it as
motivation for next season.”
Next season can’t come soon enough.
See you then.
Bagriansky can be reached at [email protected].
SHUT DOWN: On Saturday, Arizona’s offensive line gave John Abraham fits all day, holding him to just
two tackles and no sacks. Abraham doesn’t have anything to hang his head about, however, as he finished the season with 16.5 sacks, third in the NFL. Photo courtesy of Jimmy Cribb/Atlanta Falcons.
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JANUARY 7-13, 2009
SCORE ATLANTA I 09
Owls lose at UGA; women fall to Clemson
he men’s basketball team played two
“They came out lights out,” Ingle
important games to close out 2008 in
T
explained. “They came out and hit their
clashes with Atlantic Sun rival East
shots, they hit their threes. When we didn’t
Tennessee State and in-state foe Georgia.
First, the Bucs traveled to the Convocation
Center to take on KSU. It would be a contentious game from the opening tip.
“We both don’t like each other, so we
really competed,” said Owl guard Kelvin
McConnell. “It was a battle.”
Elbows flew and trash talk erupted
between the conference foes, as each team
strove to capture any edge it could obtain.
Even the Owl bench got into the act, drawing
a technical foul in the first half. Unfortunately
for the home-standing Owls, ETSU took control of the game with a 29-13 run midway
through the second half to take a 63-45 lead.
The Bucs eventually held on for a 76-62 win.
McConnell led the Owls with 19 points while
Jon-Michael Nickerson added 13. Head
coach Tony Ingle noted that the Owls are
missing the leadership of guard J.D. Pollock,
who is out for the season with a knee injury.
“It was a big deal, losing J.D.,” Ingle
said. “He’s a senior and you could tell we got
jitters out there. Our composure wasn’t
where it needed to be.”
Following the ETSU loss, the Owls travelled to Athens on Dec. 31 for a tilt with the
Georgia Bulldogs. The Owls played hard, but
obviously missed Pollock and Texas Tech transfer Jay Mitchell. Georgia led the entire way and
was in control following a 16-4 run to start the
game. The Dawgs won 72-52 in Stegeman
Coliseum. Following a devastating loss to Texas
A&M-Corpus Christi, Dennis Felton’s charges
did not seem to want to mess around.
rotate good enough, they got dunks.”
The Owls shot just 31 percent on the
night, while Georgia shot 53 percent from the
field. Freshman guard Spencer Dixon led the
Owls with 16 points.
The Owls faced Campbell on the road
Monday night, but results were unavailable at
press time. The Owls will now travel to North
Florida on Friday for another A-Sun clash.
WOMEN STUMBLE …
The Lady Owls took on their third ACC
foe of the season as they journeyed up I-85 to
Clemson on Dec. 29. Behind Jennifer Baker’s
17 points, the Lady Owls led 52-51 with just
under 11 minutes remaining in the game.
Clemson rallied, however, and defeated the
black-and-gold, 78-65. Results of the team’s
Monday night matchup at Campbell were
unavailable at press time.
Earlier in the month on Dec. 21, KSU
defeated Longwood on the road by a score of
61-41 in Farmville, Va. Baker led the squad
in scoring with 13 while DeAndrea Bullock
hauled in a game-high 12 rebounds. Three
days earlier, the ETSU Lady Bucs came
down to Kennesaw for a showdown between
the preseason No. 1 and 2 teams in the ASun. A pumped-up crowd watched as KSU
took the Lady Bucs to overtime before
falling 79-78. The Lady Owls will now travel to North Florida on Thursday.
Black
can
be
reached
at
[email protected].
Panthers shock Old Dominion; women’s basketball wins State Invitational
had all the makings of a troublesome
Itotway
to start the new year in the CAA, but
everyone’s surprise, the men’s basketball
team hit the floor and played one of its best
games of the season, shocking Old
Dominion last Saturday, 55-54. It was the
first time the Panthers had beaten ODU
since joining the CAA, and they needed a
Trey Goldston 3-point shot with 11 seconds remaining to do it. While snapping
their own four-game losing skid, the
Panthers also brought ODU’s seven-game
winning streak to a crashing halt. Georgia
State built its lead to as many as 17 points
in the second half but had to withstand and
fight off an expected ODU run. The
Monarchs did, in fact, rally, even taking a
54-52 lead late when Darius James nailed a
3-pointer with just 1:27 to play before
Goldston’s 3-point dagger.
HOSTS TAKE INVITATIONAL …
Congratulations to the women’s basketball team on winning the 15th annual
Georgia State Invitational Tournament last
week. The Panthers handled Mississippi
Valley State in the opening game, 70-60,
and then raced past Texas A&M-Corpus
Christi, 69-57, to claim the championship.
In the win over MVSU, Danyiell McKeller
led three Panthers in double-figures with16
points. Crystal Johnson had 15 points and
six assists while Jylisa Williams added 13
points, nine steals, eight rebounds and six
assists. Then, in the title game win over the
Islanders, Brittany Hollins led the way with
14 points and six rebounds, Williams added
13 points, five steals, four rebounds and
three assists and Danyiell McKeller had 13
points. Hollins and Johnson were named to
the All-Tournament team while Williams
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was Tournament MVP with her two-day
total of 26 points, 14 steals, 12 rebounds
and nine assists.
The success did not carry over to last
Sunday, however, as the Lady Panthers fell
61-49 to UNC-Wilmington in their CAA
opener. State shot just 30.7 percent from the
floor, 3-for-17 from 3-point range and 0-for5 from the free throw line. Hollins led State
with 11 points. The Lady Panthers fell to 74 with the loss.
IN OTHER NEWS …
Senior guard Leonard Mendez is one of
30 national candidates for the Lowe’s Senior
CLASS Award, presented annually to an
NCAA Division I student-athlete in nine
sports, based on criteria focusing on the
“Four C’s” of classroom, character, community and competition. Mendez earned Third-
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Team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors last season, becoming the first All-CAA
player in Georgia State history as he averaged 16 points per game. He currently ranks
13th on Georgia State’s career scoring list
and is averaging 8.5 points per game.
Join us every Sunday afternoon (4-5
p.m.) for the Rod Barnes/Georgia State
Basketball coaches show on WGKA-AM 920.
The show is broadcast live from The Panthers
Den restaurant in the Citizens Trust Bank
building, 75 Piedmont Road, on campus. …
Follow the Panthers online at www.georgiastatesports.com. For basketball and football
ticket information call 1-866-GA-STATE.
Dave Cohen is in his 26th season as the
“Voice of Georgia State Basketball and
Baseball” on WRAS-FM (88.5) and works on
the football radio crew at Furman University
in Greenville, S.C.
Get In The Game!
10 I SCORE ATLANTA
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Milton at Centennial; Marist at St. Pius X
asketball season is in full swing, and the
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top two boys teams in Region 6BAAAAA are set to face off this Friday at 7:30
p.m. Centennial is currently first in the
region with Milton trailing closely behind
them, and both teams are ranked in our Power
15 poll. Centennial has the edge in head-tohead matchups, having defeated Milton four
straight times. The last time Milton beat the
Knights was in 2006 by one point.
Although the Eagles struggled last year
and finished sixth in the region, they are currently undefeated at press time and on the
right path to making a championship run this
year. With the help of their powerhouse trio
of Julian Royal, Dai-Jon Parker and Shannon
Scott, the Eagles have beaten their opponents
by an average of 15 points.
On the other hand, the Centennial
Knights have been a consistently solid program for several years now. The Knights have
made it to the state playoffs three years in a
row, and in 2006-07 they made it all the way
to the championship game, only to lose by
one basket to Norcross. The following year
they were again knocked out of the playoffs
by the Blue Devils. This year, the Knights are
hoping for yet another shot at the state championship, and with the talented Lorenzo
Brown, the team has a good chance of finding
itself in such a position.
GIRLS BATTLE TUESDAY …
The game to watch this week in girls basketball is Marist at St. Pius X on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Although the Golden Lions have had a slow start
this season, do not make the mistake of underestimating them just yet. These two teams have a lot
of history behind their rivalry. In the last three
years, the Golden Lions and War Eagles have met
twice in the state championship game. In the
2005-06 season, St. Pius X came away as state
champion after defeating Marist, 56-38. The following year, the Golden Lions repeated their success by upsetting Marist yet again, 45-36. In the
last 11 meetings between the two teams, St. Pius
X has beaten Marist seven times.
St. Pius X girls basketball has always been
a powerhouse in Georgia. The Golden Lions
have made it to the playoffs four years in a row,
and two of those years they made it to the state
championship game and won. Although the team
is right around .500 at press time, the Golden
Lions have won their first two region games.
Even though the Golden Lions have dominated the War Eagles in past years, this year
Marist not only has the talent, but also the drive
to turn the tables on St. Pius X. The War Eagles
are currently 7-0 against in-state opponents, and
have a 2-0 region record. Marist is currently second behind Chamblee in its region, but has a
better overall record. Expect the War Eagles to
give St. Pius X a tough battle this year.
can
be
reached
at
Parker
[email protected].
THE HIGH SCHOOL
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
LORENZO BROWN
POWER
15 POLL
BOYS
1. South Atlanta
2. McEachern
3. Centennial
4. Norcross
5. Walton
6. Miller Grove
7. Columbia
BLANCHE ALVERSON
CENTENNIAL HIGH
BUFORD HIGH
The senior guard/forward has been the
top scorer in all but two games for the
Knights this season. During the winter
break, Brown averaged 21.7 points per
game over a six-game span (all victories)
and scored a season-high 27 points
against Ravenscroft (N.C.) on Dec. 30.
Brown has committed to play at NC State
and will participate in our Game of the
Week against Milton on Friday.
The senior forward scored 18 points
against Gainesville last Saturday, leading
the Wolves (8-1) to a 52-47 victory. The
performance came four days after
Alverson notched nine points, seven
rebounds and four assists in a win over
Peachtree Ridge. Alverson is the No. 45
overall
prospect
according
to
ESPN.com’s Hoop Gurlz, and has committed to play college basketball at Auburn.
8. Milton
9. Wheeler
10. Hillgrove
11. Richmond Acad.
12. Westlake
13. Newton
14. Statesboro
15. Dublin
GIRLS
1. Parkview
2. Stephenson
3. Mill Creek
4. Fayette Co.
5. Redan
6. Mays
7. SW DeKalb
8. Campbell
9. Wesleyan
10. Marist
11. Salem
12. Franklin Co.
13. Vidalia
14. Carrollton
15. Calvary Day
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HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS REPORT
Gwinnett wrestling powerhouse set to defend Class 5A state championships
ifteen years ago, the doors of Collins Hill days with the program, Ramos still empha- his team, which he says gives his wrestlers a in this setting. “We don’t do it like that
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High School first opened and Cliff Ramos sizes that teaching is the most important better shot at catching the eye of college here,” Ramos says. “We have 75 kids on the
had the task of building a wrestling program aspect of training. Along with teaching scouts and recruiters.
team and they know who to look up to. I
from the ground up. Now, what was once a
humble team of only freshmen and sophomores stands as arguably the most highly
regarded program in the state.
After claiming last year’s titles in both
traditional wrestling and duals wrestling, the
Eagles upheld their impressive reputation as
a dynasty in Class 5A. To complement its
current reign, the program also hails 13 consecutive season finishes in the state’s top 10
and finished the last nine seasons in
Georgia’s top three.
Surely there must be a secret to fostering such a perennial powerhouse.
According to Ramos, who was recently
inducted into the National Wrestling Hall
of Fame, it simply takes consistency in
practice, exposure and support.
“Practice is hard. I mean really hard,”
Ramos explains. “Even when it’s not hard,
it’s still pretty tough. I’ve actually had some
football players who wrestled in the offseason tell me that this is the hardest thing
they’ve ever done.”
BUILDING THE PROGRAM …
Even though today’s practices are much
more grueling than they were during his first
comes an extensive conditioning regimen
accompanied by strenuous strength exercises
and live wrestling.
Given these tactics and the presence of
five experienced assistant coaches, the Eagles
have somewhat of an edge on other programs.
Assistant coaches Rich Schumacher, an
NCAA All-American wrestler and the 1970
Division I National Champion, and ’96
Collins Hill graduate Jim Gassman, who
became a National Collegiate Wrestling
Champion with the University of Georgia
Wrestling Club, make the Eagles’ staff one of
the best around.
“All I know is that I have five great
assistant coaches,” Ramos says. “Three or
four of them would easily be head coaches
at any other school.”
Among these great coaching personalities are even better role models. Eagle
wrestlers have the talent and opportunities
to compete at the next level and find the
benefits in taking direction from a Hall of
Famer as well as from two other decorated
college wrestlers.
In addition to building an experienced
coaching staff, the man in charge mentions
that he seeks out challenging opponents for
THE PRESENT …
With an early tournament victory at the
Cleveland Duals in Tennessee, Collins Hill
now ranks first in the Southeast region.
A recent third-place finish at the
Midwest Wrestling Classic in Kansas City
pushed Collins Hill up to No. 26 in the nation
and only trailing the top spot by 13 points.
“We had eight wrestlers place in the topseven [in their weight classes],” says Ramos.
“That’s the best we have done.”
The team competed against its toughest
competition to date at last week’s Clash
National Duals in Minnesota and is now ready
to face some local competition.
It is no surprise that a program like
Ramos’s grooms its wrestlers for the next
level. As proof, members of last season’s
championship team now compete at GardnerWebb and Stanford. In fact, senior Taylor
Knapp, a back-to-back state champion, has
already committed to wrestle collegiately at
Virginia Tech. As a future Division I wrestler,
he now becomes part of a longstanding
Eagles tradition comprised of talented athletes and great leaders.
The title of team captain does not exist
look for them to sense who the leaders are
without me telling them.”
It only seems natural that Knapp, along
with 2008 second-place finishers Joel Smith,
Garry Tiller, Nick Smith and David Coffey,
make up the unnamed leadership.
Strong leadership and great support are
the bread and butter of any successful program. For the Eagles, those attributes are
what make the Eagles a dynasty.
From an incredible booster club and
encouraging parents, some things have
changed over the years, but others will always
remain the same. For Ramos, practice will
always make perfect (or at least really, really
close to perfect) and a ninth grader winning
his first match will always mean just as much
as the varsity team winning a state title.
After starting a program from nothing,
Ramos remembers the spirit that got his program where it is today.
“There was a lot of enthusiasm back then
and there still is today,” he says.
The difference?
“There is just more pressure on us now
because people expect us to be at the top.”
Mann
can
be
reached
at
[email protected].
Norcross boys continue winning tradition, girls improve greatly in ‘09
he more things change for the Norcross
boys basketball program, the more they
stay the same.
Former head coach Eddie Martin led the
Blue Devils to three straight state titles from
2006 to 2008. The first title came after five 2005
graduates went on to play college basketball.
Four more future college players, including
Kentucky’s Jodie Meeks, departed before the
second championship. Still three others, Georgia
Tech’s Gani Lawal among them, took their talents to college prior to last season’s three-peat.
By no means has Norcross already
secured the 2009 Class 5A state title, but
things are looking good once again despite an
offseason even more turbulent than the previous three. This time, not only did the Blue
Devils lose Canisius signee A.J. Hawkins and
Wake Forest’s Al-Farouq Aminu, but Martin
also went out on top. Martin, who led
Norcross to the Elite 8, the Sweet 16 and the
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state championship game in the three seasons
prior to the three titles, headed back to
Greater Atlanta Christian, where his coaching
career began 30 years ago. He left Norcross
with a stunning 170-18 record.
Almost as stunning is the Blue Devils’
start to the 2008-09 season. To say they haven’t
skipped a beat with new head coach Jesse
McMillan at the helm would be an understatement. Norcross is 8-1, 6-0 against in-state competition (all six in Region 7-AAAAA). The
Blue Devils’ only loss came on Dec. 29 at the
Bojangles Shootout in Charlotte to nationallyranked Bishop McNamara of Washington, D.C.
In that game, Norcross had to deal with
Pittsburgh signee Talib Zanna and Rashad
Whack, who has verbally committed to George
Mason, but the final score was a tense 59-56.
Sure it’s just a start, but with 6-foot-6
senior Ariel Jones and 6-7 junior Adrian
Hubbard still on board, a fourth straight state
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championship appears to be well within reach
for McMillan and the Blue Devils.
“I want to continue what has been
established,” McMillan said of the powerhouse program.
McMillan, who was an assistant for all
six of Martin’s seasons at Norcross, credits
Martin with preparing him to step in and carry
on the Blue Devil tradition of dominance.
“Coach Martin valued my opinion and
took my advice,” McMillan explained. “He
might not always went with it, but I felt I was
there as a peer and not subservient. Now we
have to keep it going.”
GIRLS STEPPING UP …
The Norcross girls, meanwhile, are also
going in the right direction. After finishing the
2006-07 season with a 7-19 record, the Blue
Devils improved to 13-11 last year. Now, they
are really taking off. Norcross is 8-4 overall
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and 5-1 in Region 7.
Most impressively, Norcross recently put
a major scare into New York’s St. Michael
Academy, the No. 1 team in the nation according to ESPN. On Dec. 29 at the Bojangles
Shootout, the Blue Devils led almost the
entire way before the Eagles forced overtime
and eventually survived 66-61.
“I don’t think people expected us to do
what we did,” said head coach Angie
Hembree of the valiant effort. “But our kids
are going to fight.”
Fighting against the odds is exactly what
the boys and girls hoops programs at
Norcross have been doing early in the season.
With the girls emerging from a stretch of
mediocrity and the boys rising from the ashes
of a tumultuous offseason, the basketball
buzz at Norcross is resonating once again.
Dimon
can
be
reached
at
[email protected].
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS REPORT I13
Metro Atlanta teams generate buzz at Hoops In Overdrive Shootout
on Favors, who got called for his third foul miderhaps it’s the desire to break away from McEachern against South Atlanta High
Trae Golden owned six minutes of the
way through the second quarter, forcing fourth quarter and it looked as though the
the standard norms of basketball sched- School. If there is one player in the
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South Atlanta to turn to its bench. Indians were well on their way to victory,
ules that pit high school teams against the shootout who can match Golden’s
same opponents year in and year out.
Constrained by region schedules, it is easy to
understand why most schools don’t go the
extra mile to play in additional shootouts. For
those that do, however, they gain the added
benefit of playing top-tier competition that
they might never face otherwise.
This year, Kennesaw State University
was the site for the inaugural Hoops In
Overdrive Shootout, which provided a weekend of basketball games showcasing some of
the top teams in the southeast.
McEACHERN VS. FAYETTE COUNTY …
On Friday night, the McEachern Indians
played a very formidable opponent in Fayette
County. Midway through the third quarter,
McEachern guard Trae Golden dribbled the
ball up-court. Eyeing the defense from the
top of the key, he took two dribbles, spun
through the lane between two defenders, and
casually finished by dropping in a lay-up. The
fans in attendance wildly cheered the drive,
which marked two of Golden’s 28 points en
route to McEachern’s 81-57 victory over
Fayette County.
Not to downplay the presence of
Kadeem Batts, Collin Reddick or Alioune
Diouf ’s play in the paint on offense and
defense, but it was impossible not to hear the
whispers amongst the crowd anticipating
Saturday night’s marquee matchup of
McEachern was more than eager to take
advantage of Favors’s misfortune and
stormed to a 37-26 lead at the half.
The Hornets came out of the locker room and seemed determined to make a comeback
by consistently feeding the
ball to Favors in the low
post. One characteristic
that separates Favors from
the rest was his soft
shooting touch. Given
space he will dunk the
ball, but if closely
defended he has the ability to make short-range jump
shots at a high percentage.
Despite the Hornets’ best efforts,
however, McEachern was not
going to let South Atlanta take the
game over easily. Golden and
Diouf caught fire for the Indians
and showed they were not afraid
to use their speed to challenge
the Hornets in the lane. After the
third quarter, McEachern was still
clinging to a 60-51 lead.
explosive play on offense, it is South
Atlanta’s 6-foot-9 power forward
Derrick Favors. A one-man wrecking
crew on the boards, Favors scores
points in bunches and turns players
away in the paint with his shotblocking skills. Make no mistake
about it: it was no accident that
this game was the headliner in the
Hoops In Overdrive Shootout.
MARQUEE MATCHUP …
As spectators moved to fill
empty seats, it seemed as though
everyone—even McEachern fans—
could not help but be intrigued by the
gifted Favors. Even in warm-ups, it
was evident that he is a special player.
As the tip went up, the first play
of the game seemed to be an omen for
what the next 32 minutes had in store.
After the ball was tapped to a teammate, McEachern forward Kadeem
Batts sprinted toward the basket and
received a perfect pass, which led to
an authoritative dunk. The first quarter proved to be an up-and-down
affair in which neither team could
establish dominance over the other.
Both teams looked to challenge each
other physically and prevent easy
baskets. The style of play took its toll
but late miscues and timely 3-pointers got
South Atlanta back in the game. Incredibly,
the Hornets were down only one point, 7372, with 37 seconds remaining and had possession of the ball. Running down the clock,
the ball was put in Favors’s hand with the
game on the line. With five seconds left, he
delivered a bucket in the lane to put the
Hornets up one and bring the crowd to its
feet. Despite McEachern’s valiant effort,
they were not able to muster an answer and
lost a heartbreaker, 74-73.
FINAL LOOK …
The McEachern vs. South Atlanta game
was easily the premier matchup of the
shootout and proved to be the best game.
Favors finished the game with 32 points and
Golden added 26 points.
If this game is any indication, all bodes
well for the future of the Hoops in
Overdrive Shootout, which looks to reload
invitees in its attempt to duplicate the same
success next year.
Gupta
can
be
reached
at
[email protected].
ON THE COURT: Forward Noel Johnson, a Southern Cal commit, and the Fayette County
Tigers were upended by the McEachern Indians in the inaugural Hoops In Overdrive
Shootout. South Atlanta went on to beat McEachern in the finals. Photo courtesy of Photographic Arts.
ON THE
SCENE…
Miller Grove’s Hill leading by example
world. In the end, Hill decided to stay
tephen Hill pretty much does it all at
closer to home.
Miller Grove High School. Not only is the
S
“I was committed to Central Florida at
senior a star in three sports, but he is looked
up to away from athletics as well.
“Steve is a positive role model on and
off the court,” explained basketball head
coach Eddie Johnson. “He’s a leader. On the
court, he’s a spark to where if the team is
out of control, he’s the glue that gets the
team back together. Off the court, he’s pretty much the father of the team. He’s a jokester, but at the same time he knows when it
is time to be serious.”
Hill possesses the uncommon gift of
responsibility when it comes to being a
well-known person at his school and in
his community.
“I am kind of a leader off the field
because I don’t get myself into trouble,” he
says. “And I know that people are watching
me, so I don’t want to bring that bad image
to myself.”
The star football/basketball/track athlete
from Lithonia made a name for himself by
being a go-to player of sorts on the football
field. The wide receiver scored 10 touchdowns this past season for the Wolverines,
who finished with a 5-4-1 record, the best
record and first winning season in the
school’s brief four-year history. Eight of the
scores were receptions, but Hill also scored
on a kickoff and punt return.
Hill’s prowess on the gridiron led to
his getting scholarship offers from major
programs throughout the southeast,
including several SEC and ACC schools.
Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech,
Boston College and North Carolina
reportedly made offers to Hill. But recanting an early decision to commit to Central
Florida shocked many in the recruiting
first,” Hill stated. “The reason why I was
committed to them was that I had a good
relationship with their coaches, even though
I didn’t go down there to visit. But some
things came up where I knew I wanted to go
a little bit bigger. So I chose Georgia Tech
because I really like the atmosphere.”
OFF THE GRIDIRON …
Now in the middle of basketball season
where he shines as a combo guard/forward,
Hill will try to lead the Wolverines to the
state championship. The team is currently
atop the rankings in Class 4A.
On the hardwood, Hill is somewhat of a
catalyst for the Wolverines, who also feature
Tech basketball commitment Mfon Udofia.
“(His strengths) are his quickness, his
rebounding, and his defense; he’s our defensive stopper,” Johnson declared. “Also, if it’s a
close (game), he’s known to get the dunk that
hypes the team up to get them over the edge.”
After leading Miller Grove to its best
season ever in football, then stepping onto
the basketball court to star for the state’s
number one team, one might think Hill
would take a rest to admire his accomplishments before graduation. On the contrary,
the versatile athlete will trade his high tops
for running shoes in the Spring. Hill will
compete in the long jump, the 400 and 300
hurdles, and two relays. He also has a goal of
setting a state record.
“My best event is the long jump and I
really want to break Christian Taylor’s record
this year, which is 25 feet, 6 inches,” Hill says.
Black
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at
[email protected].
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TOP DAWGS:
Chris Burnette (left), an offensive guard
from Troup High School, was one of two Georgia athletes to star for the East squad
at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl. Here he is joined by two teammates, quarterback Aaron Murray (Fla.) and offensive tackle Austin Long (Tenn.), all of whom have
committed to UGA. Photo courtesy of Rob Saye.
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14
HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS REPORT
Dawgs land one of state’s finest and Reid stars in Under Armour action
initial commitment. While Florida received interest from Purdue and Syracuse.
On the night, some recruits impressed
he last week or so has been a whirlstill remains the leader for Reid’s
Joining Klemm in the ranks of committed more than others, beginning with Reid, who
wind along the Georgia recruiting
T
services, his decommitment can was another offensive tackle, this time was sensational in practice all week before
trail, as numerous top recruits have
taken their names off the market while
another local prospect opened his
recruitment back up.
At Sunday’s Under Armour
All-America game, which I will
discuss in more detail a little later,
Washington defensive back
Branden Smith—arguably the
state’s top recruit and the nation’s
fourth-best cornerback according to
Rivals.com—announced his intentions
to play his college ball at the University
of Georgia. The 5-foot-11, 171-pound
athlete chose the ‘Dogs over Florida,
Florida State, Tennessee and Alabama,
among others, and has the skill, athleticism and overall explosiveness to play
both ways on the college level.
Another top Georgia recruit used
the Under Armour game to make a
major recruiting announcement, as
Lowndes athlete Greg Reid (pictured),
the state’s player of the year each of the
last two seasons, announced that he
has decommitted from the University
of Florida. After listening to a
speech delivered by guest speaker
and former Auburn head coach
Tommy Tuberville, Reid decided
to give the decision more thought
after feeling he rushed into his
only mean good things for the
hometown Dawgs.
The Yellow Jackets also
received good news over
the last few weeks, receiving a verbal pledge from
Flowery Branch defensive
end Izaan Cross. The 6foot-3, 253-pound lineman
chose Tech over offers from
Maryland, Clemson, North
Carolina, and South Carolina
among others, and cited relative
comfort as the main reason.
“Georgia Tech, they’ve
stuck with me through the whole
recruiting
process,”
Cross
explained in a recent interview
with Jacketsonline.com. “They were
my first offer. It’s close to home. I’m
very familiar with the coaches and
things like that.”
SO LONG …
Over the last two weeks, three local
prospects have decided to take their games
across Georgia lines, starting with Wheeler
offensive tackle Nick Klemm’s decision to suit
up for the Eagles of Boston College over the
coming years. The 6-foot-6, 280-pound Klemm,
a two-star recruit according to Rivals.com, also
Woodstock lineman Duran Christophe. The 6foot-6, 275-pound athlete chose the Wolfpack
of N.C. State over offers from Tulane,
Louisville, Indiana and South Carolina.
According to Rivals.com, Christophe is a
three-star recruit and the 80th-ranked offensive tackle in all the country.
Finally, Georgia Military College cornerback Taikwon Paige used last Saturday to
announce his own college destination, electing to attend Minnesota over offers from
Oklahoma State, Rutgers, East Carolina,
Western Michigan and UAB. Among junior
college recruits, Paige is a four-star prospect
and the 25th-ranked overall player.
PEACHES SHINE …
Under Armour held its second-annual AllAmerica game at Disney’s Wide World of
Sports last Sunday and a whole hoard of
Georgia recruits were in attendance, with many
of them participating at a particularly high
level. Henry County receiver Jamal Patterson
joined Buford guard Dallas Lee, NorthsideWarner Robins defensive tackle Abry Jones
and linebacker Eric Fields, Lowndes’ Reid, and
Norcross defensive back Prince Kent on the
Black squad. On the White team, Emanuel
County running back Washaun Ealey and linebacker Dexter Moody, along with
Washington’s Smith, represented Georgia.
being named his team’s MVP in the game.
Reid recorded two interceptions in somewhat
limited action, returned a kickoff 38 yards,
and was impressive in coverage all game
long. During the week of practices leading up
to Sunday’s action, NFL coaches singled Reid
out as the one player that has “it,” as far as the
professional game is concerned. An underrated recruit due mostly to his lack of size and
position, Reid proved throughout the week
that he has the toughness, speed and ball
skills to hang with the biggest and best
receivers in the nation as well as the rare
explosive ability to change games with interceptions and special-teams returns.
As for the other top performers from
the State of Georgia, Stanford commit Jamal
Patterson showed decent speed, good route
running ability and excellent hands as a
receiver, while Fields displayed impressive
sideline-to-sideline speed and an affinity for
stopping the run. In pass coverage, Smith
looked steady throughout most of the night
(though he was beat by Gator commitment
Andre Debose for a 94-yard touchdown
pass) and showed the speed and athleticism
that has helped him earn the reputation of a
two-way star.
The photo of Greg Reid is courtesy of
Photographic Arts. Janovitz can be reached
at [email protected]
Hoops wraps up tournament season and Parkview wrestling wins County
ast week’s marquee local matchup at
Kennesaw State University featured a
battle between undefeated McEachern and
one-loss South Atlanta, which dropped its
only game of the season to powerhouse
Lawrence North (Ind.). This time, however,
the Hornets would not be denied, as
Derrick Favors and Co. edged Trae Golden
and the Indians, 74-73. Favors’s 34
points—as well as a 17-4 run to close out
the game—helped nationally ranked South
Atlanta hand Class 5A No. 1 McEachern its
first loss (South Atlanta holds the top spot
in Class 3A and in our Power 15 all-class
rankings). Golden scored 25 points for
McEachern in the losing effort.
Norcross fared well at the Bojangles
High School Shootout in North Carolina,
losing the tourney’s first contest to national
L
No. 25 Bishop McNamara (according to
ESPN RISE), 59-56, but recovering to win
its next two contests against Towson Catholic
of Maryland (64-58) and West Mecklenburg
of North Carolina (73-63). The opening loss
of the tourney was the Blue Devils’ first
defeat of the year.
Wheeler also went 2-1 in a prestigious
regional tournament, defeating Boys & Girls
(N.Y.) and Martin Luther King (Cal.) and losing to St. Patrick (N.J). The Wildcats have
lost five games on the year (two more than
they lost all of last season), but only one of
those came to an in-state team (Centennial).
… Miller Grove, Class 4A’s top team thus far,
is another boys team with losses but none to
in-state schools. The 11-2 (as of press time)
Wolverines lost to national powerhouse
Christ School (N.C.) earlier in December and
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dropped a game on New Year’s Eve to Boyd
H. Anderson in the final game of the Arby’s
Classic in Bristol Tennessee. … The undefeated (as of press time) Parkview girls won the
Powerade Tournament at North Gwinnett
High School last week, defeating East Hall,
Westside-Macon and Lowndes. As of
Monday, the Lady Panthers were 11-0 and 30 in Region 8-AAAAA, topping our girls allclass Power 15.
ON THE MAT …
Last weekend, state overall No. 1
Collins Hill sent its No. 1 varsity team to
The Clash in Minnesota, a tournament featuring some of the nation’s top teams (the
Eagles finished 4-2 on the weekend). As a
result, the Gwinnett County tournament was
wide open. Parkview took advantage of
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Collins Hill’s absence, taking first place in
the event to win its 12th county title.
Brookwood and Peachtree Ridge tied for
second place, and Collins Hill’s No. 2 team
took sixth. … Class A Jefferson is one of
the state’s longstanding wrestling powerhouses (the team has won both the dual and
traditional titles every year from 2001), and
the Dragons reasserted themselves as such
last weekend. The team, ranked No. 1 in the
state’s lowest classification, took first place
at the Hooch Invitational (hosted by
Chattahoochee) over a number of stateranked teams. ... Area qualifying tournaments will take place this Friday and
Saturday for the state duals tournament,
held Jan. 15-16 at the Macon Centreplex.
at
can
be
reached
Ewalt
[email protected].
JANUARY 7-13, 2009
SCORE ATLANTA I 15
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Get In The Game!
16 I SCORE ATLANTA
Cinderella season ends in first round and Smith selected as Coach of Year
ALL OVER: Matt Ryan
tossed two touchdowns
against Arizona, but also
threw two costly interceptions. And while
Jason Elam’s field goal
was part of 17 first-half
points, the Birds could
not capitalize on an
early lead, falling 30-24.
OFF THE
FIELD
Mike Smith came into his first head
coaching job in Atlanta preaching
patience. He ended up orchestrating one
of the greatest turnarounds of the year.
Smith was rewarded for his work on
Sunday when he was named the 2008
Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year.
“I’m honored individually, but
more so for our coaching staff and our
players,” Smith said.
After enduring a miserable 4-12
season in 2007, Atlanta welcomed
Smith with what many considered to be
a huge mess on its hands. That wasn’t
the case. The Falcons went 11-5 this
year, winning their final three regularseason games, as well as five of their
last six. Smith also played a big part in
the development of rookie quarterback
Matt Ryan, who flourished under Smith
and enjoyed one of the greatest performances from a rookie quarterback
in NFL history.
The Falcons are now in the offseason, but the work is just beginning in
Flowery Branch. They must submit
offers to their restricted free agents by
Feb. 28, and free agency begins the
following day. The signing period ends
on April 18. Preparations for the NFL
Draft are already underway as well.
The draft will be held Apr. 26-27 in New
York City. Preseason training camp will
begin in late July.
QUOTE OF
THE WEEK
“It has been an honor and a
privilege to be on this team
and play with the guys in
this locker room. It’s truly a
great group of guys and
coaches that you enjoy playing with. It brings fun back
into this game.”
- LB Coy Wire
THE SCHEDULE
• Season has ended. The Falcons
finished with a final record of 11-6.
• NFL Draft, April 26-27
All games are broadcast on 92.9 Dave FM. Tickets can
be purchased at www.atlantafalcons.com
Photos courtesy of Jimmy
Cribb/Atlanta Falcons.
PLAYER OF
THE WEEK
11 REC
84 YDS
1 TD
RODDY
WHITE WR
THE TWO-MINUTE WARNING ...
The Falcons wouldn’t go away, howevhe Falcons shocked everyone by simply deflected Kurt Warner pass soon after, givreaching the playoffs, but their ing Atlanta the ball at the Arizona 23-yard er. Ryan found Roddy White (pictured) for a
T
Cinderella season came to a close last week- line with 2:03 left. Matt Ryan hooked up 5-yard touchdown pass with 4:19 to go in
end in Glendale, Ariz., where they were
defeated 30-24 by the Arizona Cardinals.
“We just didn’t get it done,” said head
coach Mike Smith. “They [Arizona] made
plays when they had to.”
The Falcons fell behind early in
front of a deafening crowd, finding
themselves trailing 14-3 midway
through the second quarter.
Arizona’s Kurt Warner hooked up
with Larry Fitzgerald for a 42yard score off of a flea-flicker
to open up the scoring. Then,
after a Jason Elam field goal,
Anquan Boldin caught a pass
across the middle of the field
and raced down the sideline for
a 71-yard score.
Atlanta closed the second quarter strong and went into halftime
with the lead. First came a
methodical 77-yard touchdown
drive, which Michael Turner finished off with a 7-yard touchdown run, getting outside the
left tackle and waltzing into the
end zone with 2:55 to go.
Rookie
Chevis
Jackson picked off a
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with Justin Peele for a 2-yard touchdown
with 23 seconds remaining, and Atlanta
took a 17-14 lead and plenty of momentum
into the break.
The Birds started off the second half
with the ball and a chance to take control
of the game, but on their second play
from scrimmage, Darnell Dockett
exploded into the offensive backfield to disrupt a handoff
between Ryan and
Turner, forcing a
fumble. Antrel Rolle
picked up the ball and
rumbled 21 yards to paydirt to grab
the lead back for Arizona.
The Cards controlled the
rest of the quarter, as Atlanta’s
offense failed to pick up a single
first down during that time. A 4yard touchdown run by Tim
Hightower stretched the lead
to 28-17, and a
safety
from
Antonio Smith
early in the
fourth quarter
increased the
deficit to 13.
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the game, closing the gap to 30-24.
Unfortunately, Atlanta never got the ball
back for a chance at the win. Arizona
notched three first downs—all of them
through the air—to run out the clock. The
final came off of a play-action pass on thirdand-16 that caught linebacker Keith
Brooking out of position, leaving backup
tight end Stephen Spach wide open over the
middle of the field.
“That was on me,” Brooking said. “It
was my guy in coverage. I just bit up on the
run. I never should have done that.”
A SPECIAL YEAR …
Even though the Falcons were eliminated
quickly from the NFL playoffs, many players
couldn’t help but feel good about what the
team had accomplished.
“I’ll remember the group of guys that
were here,” Brooking said, “the way we came
together and the way we worked.”
With the success and experience they
have gained, the Falcons are already looking
towards next year with great anticipation.
“I think this season was a blessing for
us,” White said. “Our team can’t do anything but get better and I look forward to
the years after this.”
JANUARY 7-13, 2009
SCORE ATLANTA I 17
Hawks experience two buzzer-beating moments in back-to-back matchups
aving won six in a row after a 110-104
Tuesday night shootout with the Indiana
H
Pacers, Atlanta started last week in exciting
but disappointing fashion, falling 93-91 at the
buzzer to the New Jersey Nets thanks to a big
3-pointer from Vince Carter.
The Hawks began their Friday night
contest with New Jersey hitting on all cylinders, scoring 49 points while using stingy
defense to hold the Nets to just 29 first-half
points on 31 percent shooting. Thanks to a
22-5 opening third-quarter run, however, the
Nets battled back and cut the Hawks’ lead to
54-51 on a Bobby Simmons 3-pointer.
Despite leading 69-61 to start the fourth
quarter, the Hawks had to claw and scratch
late, finding themselves down 85-80 with
just 2:30 to play in regulation. Al Horford
tied the game with 47 seconds to play and
Carter missed an ensuing game-winning
attempt, sending the game into overtime.
In overtime, the Nets regained the lead
before two free throws from Mike Bibby
pulled Atlanta to within one. On the next possession, Nets point guard Devin Harris was
stripped of the ball by Maurice Evans, who
passed immediately to a wide-open Josh Smith
for the go-ahead dunk. With 5.3 seconds left to
play, it was Carter time, as the veteran forward
corralled a tipped pass at half court, took three
dribbles, and from about 10 feet behind the
arc, drilled the game-winning jumper.
“It was good shot, there was nothing you
could do about that, it was almost halfcourt,”
said a dejected Bibby after the game.
Bibby led the Hawks in scoring on the
night, but needed 18 shots and five free throws
to get his 22 points. Smith was far more efficient in the Atlanta cause, going 9-of-18 for 20
points and six rebounds. Surprisingly, Joe
Johnson struggled to score for once, though he
made up for his disappointing 13-point output
by dishing out nine assists.
For the Nets, Carter managed just 18 in
the overtime-lengthened game, but scored
when it mattered most. Point guard Devin
Harris was the best Net, recording 26 points
to go along with an impressive 11 assists.
REDEMPTION …
The Hawks were excited for their chance
Saturday to erase Friday’s last-second heartbreak, and did just that with late-game heroics of their own. Thanks to a last-second
Bibby 3-pointer, the Hawks defeated a depleted Houston Rocket squad, 103-100.
After a fast start, shooting 50 percent in
the first half, the Hawks found themselves up
by just three, 83-80, with nine minutes to
play. Houston, playing without Tracy
McGrady, Ron Artest and Shane Battier for
the evening, played stellar defense down the
stretch, battling back and grabbing a 96-93
lead with five minutes remaining. The
Hawks were not finished, though, as a Flip
Murray 3 tied the score at 96 before back-toback Josh Smith dunks gave Atlanta a 100-96
lead with 3:30 to play.
Still, the Rockets battled back once
more, coming up with five consecutive defensive stands and tying the score at 100-100.
Houston got a chance to go ahead with 38 seconds remaining, but Von Wafer was blocked
by Smith on his way to the hole and Bibby
was found wide open at the top of the 3point line on the ensuing play, calmly
drilling the game-winning bucket with
1.5 seconds left.
Smith’s 29 points led the
Hawks and marked a new season
high for the forward. Murray had a
solid game for the Hawks off the
bench, recording 17 points and
four rebounds. For the Rockets,
Yao Ming was the man, scoring 16 points in addition to
grabbing 15 rebounds.
With the win, Atlanta
moved to 22-11 on the
year and became the first
team in 15 games to
defeat the Rockets when
they scored 100 or more
points in the contest.
This week the Hawks
have four dates, two at home
and two on the road, beginning
with a Wednesday showdown
at Philips against the divisionleading Orlando Magic. The
Hawks will then visit Orlando
on Friday before returning home
Braves look to ’09; new coaches in minors
ith the turning of the calendar, the
new Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett. There, he
Braves organization is now looking
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would see a familiar face in Derek Bothelo,
fully ahead to the 2009 season and leaving
Gwinnett’s new pitching coach and former
the disappointment of 2008 behind. Despite
failing in recent attempts to acquire pitching aces such as Jake Peavy and A.J.
Burnett, and missing out on shortstop
Rafael Furcal, general manager Frank Wren
is still attempting to fill needs through free
agency. So far, Greg Norton has been resigned for another season and Will Ohman
has been offered a contract. The team has
also decided to non-tender Chuck James,
making him a free agent, and the team let
Mike Hampton sign with Houston.
According to reports, John Smoltz’s
recent pitching outing for team officials went
well and manager Bobby Cox was
impressed. The workout perhaps went too
well for Braves team brass and fans, however, as now the Boston Red Sox, New York
Mets and Detroit Tigers have all shown interest in the only pitcher in major league history with 200-plus wins, 150-plus saves and
3,000-plus strikeouts. The status of the other
former Cy Young award winner on the team’s
roster last season, Tom Glavine, is not
known, but reports indicate that he is leaning
towards re-signing with the club if he can
pitch this season. As the rotation currently
stands, Jair Jurrjens would be the No. 1
starter, followed by Javier Vazquez and Jorge
Campillo, with Charlie Morton, Jo-Jo Reyes
and perhaps minor leaguer Tommy Hanson
competing for the fourth and fifth spots.
MINOR MOVES …
Should the team decide to give
Hanson—recently named the Arizona Fall
League MVP—more seasoning in the
minors, the big righty would likely go to the
pitching coach of Double-A Mississippi. The
minor league affiliates retained most of the
same staffs, with a few tweaks. Dave
Brundage and Mike Graus will return to the
Triple-A team as manager and trainer,
respectively. Jamie Dismuke will also join
the Gwinnett team as hitting coach after
spending the last nine seasons with the
Cincinnati organization. Hanson’s old manager at Double-A Mississippi Phillip
Wellman will return to coach the defending
Southern League champions and he will
have new pitching and hitting coaches in
Marty Reed and Roosevelt Brown. The two
Class A coaches also return; Rocket Wheeler
for Myrtle Beach and Randy Ingle for Rome.
UPCOMING EVENTS …
The Atlanta Braves Foundation has
announced the date for its first-ever Diamond
Gala, an event which will benefit the ABF
and will help fund the Foundation’s community grants program. The Diamond Gala is set
for Friday, Jan. 23, and will feature casino
games, entertainment and a silent auction, all
held at the InterContinental Hotel in
Buckhead. Current and former Braves players and coaches will attend the event. For
ticket information, visit the Braves website or
call 404-614-1512. Certain ticket packages
also include access to a pre-event cocktail
party with VIP player access. The fun doesn’t
stop with Friday night’s activities, though: on
Saturday, Jan. 24, the Atlanta Braves
Foundation will hold “AutographFest” at
Turner Field’s 755 Club.
Proctor
can
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at
[email protected]
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on Sunday to take on the Philadelphia 76ers.
Atlanta will finish the week Tuesday on the
road against the Phoenix Suns.
OFF THE COURT …
The Atlanta Hawks Foundation has
set its plans to host Full Court Fest,
an exciting fundraiser opportunity,
on Feb. 8 from 6-10 p.m. at the
Foundry at Puritan Mill. The
Foundation’s largest fundraiser
will allow fans the chance to go
head-to-head
with
their
favorite coaches and players in
blackjack, poker and Guitar
Hero. Food and dancing will
also be among the festivities
and a live auction will be held
as well. For more information,
visit Hawks.com.
Janovitz can be reached
at [email protected].
LOOKING ON: Marvin Williams
missed Saturday’s action with
a minor shoulder sprain, but he
watched as the Hawks beat
Houston, 103-100. Williams scored
nine points the night before in a loss to
New Jersey. Photo courtesy of David
McGregor/Photographic Arts.
Get In The Game!
18 I SCORE ATLANTA
Thrashers win exciting shootout over Canucks before falling to Lightning
F
riday night’s victory over the Vancouver
Canucks was exciting from beginning to
end, and could be looked at as the team’s most
complete victory of the season. It began with
Eric Boulton dropping the gloves in the opening seconds of the first, and ended with an
Erik Christensen shootout goal, giving
Atlanta a 4-3 shootout victory.
“We [were] against a pretty big hockey
team, and they play pretty gritty,” said Anderson
about the Canucks. “We matched them with grit
and that hopefully was the telling tale.”
Along with “grit,” the Thrashers played
most of the game with a lead, something they
hadn’t done recently. Atlanta picked up its
first goal of the game halfway through the
first when Joey Crabb got free on a breakaway during a Vancouver power play. With no
one in front of him, Crabb ripped a slapshot
past the outstretched legs of Jason LaBarbera.
Vancouver responded with two unanswered
goals from Henrik Sedin, with assists on each
from his brother Daniel. The Sedins finished
the night with points on all three Vancouver
goals, and six points total.
Then it was Atlanta’s turn to go on a scoring spree, as both Ilya Kovalchuk and Slava
Kozlov scored to give the Thrashers their onegoal lead back. Kovalchuk scored at 12:24 of
the second period when Jason Williams
played a puck from behind the net, passing it
to a streaking Kovalchuk for the goal.
Kozlov scored his 16th goal of the season on a power play early in the third period.
He backhanded a rebound off a Todd White
shot into the empty net. The lead wouldn’t
last, however, as Daniel Sedin tied the game
midway through the third with a redirection
of his brother’s shot.
“If you can believe that the shot was
going wide, hits the guy and comes back and
goes underneath his arm,” Anderson said of
the game-tying goal. “Who has that kind of
luck except us this year?”
In the end, Atlanta had one more chance
to change its luck in the shootout. After the
first three shooters finished with a 1-1 tie, the
oft-injured Christensen had the chance to put
Atlanta on top. He pulled the “double deke”
and pushed the puck past the sprawled
LaBarera. Kari Lehtonen was able to stop the
final Vancouver shot, preserving Atlanta’s 43 shootout victory.
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING …
After an impressive victory over a physical Vancouver team, most of the talk in the
Atlanta locker room focused on how a win
like that could propel the team to a hot
streak. On Sunday, however, Atlanta rarely
looked competitive against the last-place
Tampa Bay Lightning. The Lightning won 41, getting two goals from Thrasher killer
Martin St. Louis.
Award winners, top teams of NFL football
he votes are in and the NFL’s top individual awards have been announced. In case
you’re in the market to help round out your
football collection, this is what you can
expect to spend on this year’s winners:
NFL MVP Peyton Manning (Colts):
Autographed Football $350
NFL Comeback Player of the Year
Award Chad Pennington (Dolphins):
Autographed Football $200
NFL Rookie of the Year Matt Ryan
(Falcons): Autographed Football Helmet $250
NFL Coach of the Year Mike Smith
(Falcons): Autographed Photo $20
Coming in a close second was the
Pittsburgh Steelers autographed football,
knocking down $400. Last year’s champion, the New York Giants, grabbed $375.
The Philadelphia Eagles football brought in
$350. Rounding out this week’s top five
was the Tennessee Titans team signed football with $300.
Topps is coming out with a unique card
issue this year called Topps American
Heritage. The card set will feature famous
citizens throughout United States history.
Included in the set will be a special dual
autographed insert card with signatures of
Barack Obama and Jackie Robinson.
IN THE NEWS …
FROM THE MAILBAG …
The NFL playoffs are underway and
even with the Falcons’ season coming to an
end in Phoenix, there are still quite a few
teams vying for the Lombardi Trophy. Which
team is most popular with the fans? Check
out this week’s online auction report.
Dear Dean: I have a regular basketball
puzzle unopened as well as a larger one (2X3
feet) from the 1992 Summer Olympics in
Barcelona. Are they worth anything?
Dear Puzzler: The 1992 Olympic basketball puzzles were issued by Skybox.
Puzzles are not highly collectible with most
of the sports world, but they do have some
value, especially with Michael Jordan collectors as he was part of the 1992 team. Both
puzzles are worth $20.
Want to know what your item is worth or
have a question about a particular sports
item? Email me, Dean Zindler, at
[email protected]
T
• 2008 Giants Autographed Football
• 2008 Steelers Autographed Football
• 2008 Eagles Autographed Football
• 2008 Panthers Autographed Football
• 2008 Titans Autographed Football
What a difference one year makes. The
Carolina Panthers topped the list with $450.
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St. Louis put the game away with his two
goals in the second and third periods. With a 10 lead in the second, St. Louis, Vincent
Lecavalier and Vaclav Prospal combined to
cycle the puck into the Thrasher zone.
Lecavalier got a cross-ice pass from Prospal,
which he in turn sent through two Thrasher
defenders and right to St. Louis. With
Lehtonen skating over, St. Louis had an
open net and didn’t miss, scoring
his 14th of the season and giving
Tampa a 2-0 lead.
St. Louis’s second goal
came just as the third period
started, with Tampa on the power
play. Again Prospal started the
play, playing the puck from
behind the net to St. Louis, who
then sent a quick wrist shot past
Lehtonen for his second goal.
The lone bright spot of the
night came when Erik
Christensen scored with 22 seconds left in the game to avoid the
shutout. That wasn’t enough to subdue Anderson’s anger, however.
“Our give-a-crap level
was
like
at
zero,”
Anderson said. “I’ve got
to question whether anybody cares in that locker
room. That’s a joke.”
Atlanta now will head away from Philips
for its next two games against New Jersey on
Thursday and Florida on Saturday.
NEWS AND NOTES …
Zach Bogosian, the team’s 2008 firstround draft pick, was sent to AHL-affiliate
Chicago for conditioning. Bogosian recently
returned from a broken leg and has only
appeared in one game since returning from his
injury. … Brian Little left Sunday’s game
with a rib contusion and only briefly returned
to the ice before leaving permanently. His status for any upcoming games was uncertain
at press time.
Boral can be reached at
[email protected].
BACK AND FORTH:
Tobias Enstrom and
the Thrashers picked
up what should have
been a momentum-building win over Vancouver on
Friday. Unfortunately, the team
fell to last-place Tampa Bay just
two days later. Photo courtesy of Scott
Cunningham/Atlanta Thrashers.
Panthers welcome first-ever football player
following release is courtesy of BACKGROUND …
State Sports Communications …
TheGeorgia
Tabbed to the Super 26 Massachusetts AllKickoff is still 18 months away, but the State team, Hogan was the Offensive Most
Georgia State football program officially
has its first scholarship student-athlete in
Mark Hogan, Jr., who enrolled Monday for
the spring semester. The 5-foot-11, 190pound wide receiver/running back graduated
last spring from Lincoln-Sudbury High
School in Sudbury, Mass.
Hogan (pictured) is the son of Mark
Hogan, Sr., who played football at Georgia
Tech under the Panthers’ new head coach,
Bill Curry. The elder Hogan was a starting
safety on Tech’s 1985 “Black Watch”
defense that helped the Yellow Jackets
to a 9-2-1 record and a victory in the
1985 All-American Bowl.
Georgia State football begins
play in the 2010 season, but the
Panthers will practice next fall. Curry
and his staff will sign a full class in
February, and the remainder of Georgia
State’s first class will join Hogan
and begin practicing next fall.
“This is a unique situation, being the first
and only football
player at Georgia
State,” Hogan said.
“I am excited to get
in the weight room
and get stronger so
I can be ready for
next fall.”
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Valuable Player of the Dual County League as
well as a three-time All-County selection. He
participated in the Shriners Bowl all-star game.
As a senior, Hogan accounted for 1,500
yards of offense with 12 touchdowns, along
with three interceptions on defense. For his
career, he totaled 2,622 yards rushing and 57
receptions for 931 yards while scoring 41
touchdowns and grabbing eight interceptions.
“I had never met Coach Curry before this
fall, but I had heard a lot of stories from my
father about what a great coach and great
person he is,” Hogan said. “My father
was fortunate to be part of a special
team at Georgia Tech, and now I have
a chance to do that at Georgia State.”
Also a baseball standout at LincolnSudbury, Hogan was named to the
Boston Globe’s All-Scholastic team. He
was a five-time Lincoln-Sudbury
Scholar, a member of the school’s
Athletic Council and recipient of
the Outstanding Senior Award.
Hogan plans to major in
Business at Georgia State.
The photo of
Hogan Jr. is courtesy of
Georgia State Sports
Communications. For
more on Georgia State
sports, visit www.georgiastatesports.com.
JANUARY 7-13, 2009
SCORE ATLANTA I 19
Football team ends season with Capital One win; basketball teams struggle
he football team closed out the 2008 sea- enough pads on Javon to try to force [quar- HARD LUCK ON HARDWOOD …
results of that game were not available at
son on New Year’s Day with a 24-12 win terback Brian] Hoyer to win the game,”
T
A six-game home stand came to an end press time. The Bulldogs begin their SEC
over Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl Richt said. “I thought we would have enough for the men’s basketball team last Saturday, as schedule on Saturday when they host
in Orlando, Fla. Quarterback Matthew
Stafford was named the game’s MVP after
completing 20 of 31 passes for 250 yards and
three touchdowns, and the Bulldogs’ defense
denied the Spartans from getting in the end
zone until late in the game.
“To be sitting there only down 6-3 at
halftime was just a great tribute to our
defense,” said head coach Mark Richt.
“They kept us in it until the offense started
finding their way.”
The offense began to find its way in
the third quarter when Stafford found
receiver Michael Moore for a 35-yard
touchdown pass. Moore finished as
Georgia’s leading receiver on the day with
six catches for 97 yards and the touchdown.
“I knew the ball was coming my way on
that play,” Moore said. “Stafford made a
great throw and I made the catch and ran in
for the score.”
“He’s one of those guys that has been
getting better and better every week,”
Stafford said of Moore.
Stafford later added touchdown passes
to tight end Aron White and tailback
Knowshon Moreno. Moreno finished with
six catches for 63 yards, but was held to 62
rushing yards on 23 carries. Likewise,
Michigan State’s (9-4) star running back
Javon Ringer was held in check, rushing for
47 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.
“I really felt like our defense was going
to step up to the challenge and at least put
balance to give Knowshon a little bit more
space running the ball than we did, but they
did a nice job.”
Georgia (10-3) attributed its standout
defensive effort to physical practices.
“We were very physical in practice
and it made a difference in this game,”
said linebacker Rennie Curran.
“We tackled more in bowl practice than
we did just about all season long,” Richt said.
“I just said we must get better.”
A PERFECT 10 …
The victory gave the program its sixth
10-win season in seven years and was its 40th
victory in four years. “I’m glad we got 10
wins, for our program, for our seniors,” Richt
said. “I’m glad our seniors got that 40th victory during their four-year span.”
“To win 10 ball games in the SEC is
pretty special,” said defensive coordinator
Willie Martinez. “We’ve got high expectations. We know we didn’t reach our goal to
win the SEC Championship […] but that’s
not going to take away from winning 10 ball
games in if not the toughest, one of the toughest conferences in the country.”
In the aftermath of the Capital One
Bowl, neither Stafford nor Moreno
announced their plans to stay at Georgia or
make themselves eligible for the NFL Draft.
“It’s been an awesome time and it’s something
I’m contemplating continuing,” Stafford said
about his time at Georgia.
the Bulldogs fell to the up-tempo Missouri
Tigers, 83-76. Missouri forced the Bulldogs
into 23 turnovers.
“You’re playing against a team that is
very athletic and very risk-oriented,” Felton
said. “It’s hard not to make some mistakes
at some point.”
“Forty minutes of Hell, that’s what they
preach,” said point guard Zac Swansey. “The
few times we rushed and had turnovers, it led to
easy baskets for them.”
Georgia, which
dropped to 9-5, welcomed back Terrance
Woodbury for the
first time in four
games. He returned
from an ankle sprain
to score a game-high
27
points.
The
Bulldogs went 4-2 on
the home stand, with
the other loss coming to Texas A&MCorpus
Christi.
Georgia played at
Georgia Tech this
past Tuesday, but
Tennessee at 1 p.m.
After beating Clemson 67-50 back on
Dec. 22, the women’s basketball team lost
its last two games. The Lady Bulldogs’ (9-5)
lost to Xavier, 56-44, and to Virginia, 62-60.
Georgia opens its SEC schedule on
Thursday when the team plays at
Mississippi at 8 p.m.
Butler
can
be
reached
at
[email protected].
TIME TO CELEBRATE: Knowshon Moreno was one of three Bulldogs to catch a touchdown pass from
Matthew Stafford, as Georgia beat Michigan State in the Capital One Bowl. Will Moreno take his
game to the NFL in ’09? Photo courtesy of Rob Saye.
Tech falls hard at Chick-fil-A Bowl and men’s hoops loses ACC opener
utscored, outplayed, outlasted … the
LSU Tigers didn’t just win last week’s
O
Chick-fil-A Bowl, they dominated it. In
BOWLED OVER: Shortly after receiving a contract
extension, Paul Johnson was left frustrated as his
Yellow Jackets fell 38-3 to LSU in the Chick-fil-A
Bowl. Tech finished the season with a final record
of 9-4, still with more wins than most predicted.
Photo courtesy of David McGregor/Photographic Arts.
almost every way imaginable, Tech’s 38-3
humbling at the hands of the Tigers demonstrated that for all the young Jackets have
accomplished, they are still quite young.
When asked when the turning point of the
game took place, head coach Paul Johnson
said, “When we lined it up and kicked it off.”
Actually, it was in the second quarter when
LSU head coach Les Miles decided it was
time to keep Tech’s triple option attack off the
field. First, LSU successfully executed an
onside kick, and while the Tigers didn’t generate the drive into points, they did when
Andrew Smith muffed a punt. Later, Tech was
unsuccessful in executing a fake punt on its
own 22-yard line. The Smith fumble led to a
Charles Scott touchdown, his third of the
game, and the failed fake punt led to a 25yard touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Jordan Jefferson to Richard Dickson. By
the time the Jackets lined up for their fifth
play of the quarter, they were already down
28-3. Jefferson, the Chick-fil-A Bowl’s
Offensive MVP, went 16-for-25 for 142 yards
and a touchdown.
Going into the second half with a 35-3
lead, many would expect LSU to simply
attempt to maintain its advantage. Instead,
the Tigers continued to push Tech’s defense
back. On the first drive of the second half,
the Tigers drove to Tech’s 1-yard line. The
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defense rose up, however, and had its lone
bright spot of the game, stopping LSU on
four straight downs.
“We weren’t looking at stats, we didn’t
look at the score; it was more like a gut
check,” said safety Morgan Burnett.
Tech’s rushing offense, the nation’s thirdbest, could only muster 164 yards. The only
sustained drives ended in a field goal and a
Josh Nesbitt fumble. Jonathan Dwyer ended
with 67 yards, 39 of which came on a long run
in the second half.
MEN DROP TWO …
The men’s basketball team dropped a
heartbreaker to Virginia in the ACC opener
last week, losing 88-84. After battling back
and forth towards the end of regulation and in
overtime, UVA’s Calvin Baker scored a lay-up
with 10 seconds remaining to break an 84-84
tie. When Tech couldn’t score on the other
end, the Jackets were forced to foul Mike
Scott, who added two free throws for the final
margin. Lewis Clinch had hit a 3-pointer with
50 seconds remaining in regulation for the
lead, but after two free throws by Clinch,
Jamil Tucker hit a 3-pointer to send the game
to overtime. Gani Lawal recorded a steal with
14 seconds left in overtime, but Baker’s lay-up
took the lead back for good.
The men came back with a 63-58 victory
over Tennessee State. Tech was plagued by 21
turnovers but received 22 points from Zach
Peacock. Tennessee State gave the Jackets all
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they could handle, using an 8-0 run to take a
39-37 lead five minutes into the second half,
but the Yellow Jackets went on a 17-5 run of
their own to go ahead 54-44.
On Saturday, Alabama used its fast break
to jump out to a 19-point halftime lead and
led by as many as 30 in an 88-77 victory over
the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech was burned
by Alabama’s hot shooting and the play of
point guard Ronald Steele, who had 23 points
and 10 assists. Steele was 5-of-8 from the 3point line and used his speed to overwhelm
the Tech backcourt. Alabama also got contributions from Senario Hillman with 18 points
and Alonzo Gee with 15 points and 18
rebounds. Lawal had 23 points to lead Tech.
Tuesday’s results against Georgia were
unavailable at press time. The men’s team will
travel to Maryland on Saturday to face the
Terrapins at noon on Raycom.
WOMEN CONTINUE STREAK …
The women’s team had better luck last
week, topping Tulane on Sunday by a score
of 69-52. Jacqua Williams scored a careerhigh 23 points, while Iasia Hemingway
added 15. The Jackets also stepped up defensively, forcing the Green Wave to go 0-for14 from 3-point range. The win was Tech’s
eighth straight. The women will open ACC
play on Thursday when they host Boston
College at 7 p.m.
Crosskey can be reached at
[email protected].
Get In The Game!
20 I SCORE ATLANTA
BASKETBALL
Hawks. January 7 vs. Orlando 7 PM. January 9 at
Orlando 7 PM. January 11 vs. Philadelphia 2 PM.
January 13 at Phoenix 9 PM. January 14 at Los
Angeles Clippers 10:30 PM. January 16 at Golden
State 10:30 PM. January 19 vs. Toronto 2 PM.
January 20 at Chicago 8:30 PM.
Georgia Men.January 10 vs. Tennessee 1 PM. January
14 at Vanderbilt 8 PM. January 18 vs. Kentucky 12 PM.
Georgia Women. January 8 at Ole Miss 8 PM. January
11 vs. South Carolina 2:30 PM. January 15 vs.
Savannah State 7 PM. January 18 at Florida 2 PM.
Georgia Tech Men. January 10 at Maryland 12 PM.
January 14 vs. Duke 7 PM. January 17 at NC State
12 PM. January 20 vs. Boston College 7 PM.
Georgia Tech Women. January 8 vs. Boston College 7
PM. January 12 at Miami 7 PM. January 18 at
Florida State 6 PM.
Georgia State Men.January 7 vs. Northeastern 7 PM.
January 10 vs. Drexel 4 PM. January 13 at Old
Dominion 9 PM. January 17 vs. Towson 4 PM.
Valley State 2 PM. January 4 at UNC
Wilmington 2 PM.
Georgia State Women. January 8 vs. Northeastern 6
PM. January 11 vs. Delaware 2 PM. January 15 at
Drexel 7:30 PM. January 18 at Old Dominion 12 PM.
Kennesaw State Men. January 9 at North Florida 7
PM. January 11 at Jacksonville TBA. January 16
vs. Stetson 7 PM. January 18 vs. Florida Gulf
Coast 3 PM.
Kennesaw State Women. January 8 at North Florida
7 PM. January 10 at Jacksonville 1 PM. January
15 vs. Stetson 7 PM. January 17 vs. Florida Gulf
Coast 2 PM. January 22 at Lipscomb 7 PM.
Top of the Key. Ongoing. Personal basketball lessons
with Olympian Debbie Miller-Palmore, boys and
girls ages 8-18. For information call 770-4651502. Southern Xposure - Ongoing. Cobb County
Christian School - Marietta. AAU and YBOA tryouts
for 9-and-under and 8-and-under teams. For infor
mation call 404-447-3992 or email
[email protected].
Southern Xposure. Ongoing. Cobb County Christian
School - Marietta. AAU and YBOA tryouts for 9and-under and 8-and-under teams. For information
call 404-447-3992 or email
[email protected].
Peach State Basketball. Ongoing. Basketball skill
development training for college caliber high school
players throughout the off-season. Players can use
these sessions to continue improving all year long.
Contact Brandon Clay at 404-422-3946 or visit
www.peachstatehoops.com for more information.
Suwanee Sports Academy. Ongoing. Basketball train
ing and development for boy and girls grades K-12.
Rising Stars, Future Stars, Suwanee Basketball
League, On Court Player Development, nationallyrecognized year-round comprehensive player devel
opment program. For more information contact
Mike Brown at 678-541-0176 or visit
www.ssaspor ts.com.
Mark Price Shooting Lab. Ongoing: Personalized pro
fessional shooting instruction through one-on-one
coaching and state-of-the-art technology at
Suwanee Sports Academy. For more information,
contact Mike Brown at 678-541-0176 or visit
www.ssasports.com.
SSA’s On Court. Check out Suwanee Sports
Academy’s On Court, the nation’s premier off-sea
son development program at the nation’s premier
basketball training facility right here in Gwinnett
County! For more information, contact Michael
Brown at 678-541-0176 or visit
www.ssasports.com.
Open Recreational Basketball. GSL -- Georgia Sports
Leagues. Georgia’s Best Sports Leagues.
Registration ongoing. We offer “Top Gun,” “B,”
“C”and Co-Ed styles of play around Atlanta. We
play ALL year round. For more information please
contact (678)799-0159 or email mark@georgias
portsleagues.org. Visit
www.georgiasportsleagues.org.
Just Skills Of Atlanta. 8-week basketball fundamentals
program for boys and girls ages 5 to 17 at Bogan
Park in Buford and Lenora Park in Snellville. Spring
programs start the week of March 24th, Summer
programs start the week of June 3rd, Fall programs
start the week of August 11th. Please visit
www.justskillsofatlanta.com for more information
or call 770-296-2580. Sessions are filling up now
for spring, summer and fall. Ask about our free
introduction day to see what Just Skills Of Atlanta
is all about.
Open Basketball League – Teams Only. November 8 February 22, 2009. Age groups 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th &
8th Grade Boys and Girls. Deadline November 2.
Mandatory Coach's Meeting November 2 at 3 PM.
All Tournament Players Park, 3910 Canton Hwy
Marietta, GA 30066. Register at www.alltourna
mentplayerspark.com or (678) 384-6500.
BASEBALL
Prospect Watch. Ongoing - Buckhead. Baseball pitch
ing and hitting lessons by a former college and
mino league coach. For information call 404-8697966 or visit www.eteamz.com/tryouts.
Adult Baseball League Metro Atlanta. Ongoing. MSBL
18+, 28+, 38+, and 48+. Sunday League con
tact info is 770.785.2588, e-mail
[email protected]. MSBL 18+ Saturday
League contact info is 770-436-8114, e-mail
[email protected]. MSBL 18+
Midweek Wood bat league contact info is 770-4368114, e-mail [email protected]. MSBL 18+
Fall League contact info is 770-436-8114, e-mail
[email protected]. For more information
about our Atlanta Adult Baseball League, please
visit our website at www.AtlantaMSBL.com.
TNT Sports. Ongoing. Baseball pitching and hitting les
sons by Rob Blair, former college coach, Snellville.
To set up a free pitching or hitting analysis call
678-344-5876.
Jack City Baseball. Ongoing. Baseball pitching and hit
ting. Instruction with former pro Keith Whitner. 18-y
looking for high school players. The new location is
inside Velocity Sports in North Gwinnett. For more
information call 770-633-0948 or visit jackcity.net.
Gwinnett County camps this year. Please visit our
website (www.harlemlegends.com) or call 404837-6719 for additional camps.
FOOTBALL
Collins Hill Athletic Association.
December 31 vs. LSU 7:30 PM.
Grayson Athletic Association. Ongoing. Football
coaches needed for eighth grade and all age
groups. For information call Duane Davis at 678300-0282 or visit www.gaasports.org.
Flag Football. GSL -- Georgia Sports Leagues.
Georgia’s Largest Flag League. Registration ongo
ing. We offer 7-Man, 8-man, Youth and Co-Ed
styles of play around Atlanta. We play ALL year
round. For information please contact (678)7990159 or email [email protected].
Visit www.georgiasportsleagues.org.
Georgia Force Home School High School Football
Program. If you are a home school student or a
student that attends a Christian school in the
Gwinnett or Hall county region and would like to
participate in high school football, please contact
Scott Willis at 770-531-1499 ext 401 or email at
[email protected] The Georgia Force High School
football program participates in the GFL (Georgia
Football League) and is accepting players from the
ages of 13-18 years old. We currently offer a JV
and Varsity program. For more information, please
go to our web site at
www.forcehighschoolfooball.com.
Arena Indoor Football. Ongoing. Youth and Adult
Leagues. Youth 7 vs. 7; Adult 6 vs. 6. For informa
tion, call 678-714-7454 or e-mail
[email protected].
www.atlantasilverbacks.com/indoor.
Capitol City Officials Association. CCOA is accepting
ongoing registration for the upcoming GHSA High
School season in football. We hold weekly training
meetings. For more information, contact Irvin
Seabrook at 404-957-3331 or e-mail
[email protected].
VOLLEYBALL
Gwinnett Sports Center. Registration ongoing. For
information call Jerry Robison at 678-491-0203
or visit www.gscfun.com.
Suwanee Sports Academy. Ongoing. Volleyball training
and development for boys and girls grades 3-12.
VolleySkills, VolleyStars, VolleyTraining, and On
Court Player Development, a year-round compre
hensive player development program. For more
information, contact Mary Carnell at 770-614-6686
x108 or visit www.ssasports.com.
VolleyStars. Beginning February 7 @ Suwanee Sports
Academy for girls & boys grades 6-8 teaches
individual skill development and team concepts
through instruction and game play. For more
information, contact Christy Howard at 770-6146686 x106 or visit www.ssasports.com.
High School Volleyball League. Beginning February 7
@ Suwanee Sports Academy for girls grades 912. This league is designed for athletes who want t
o get in the gym but don’t want to commit to club
volleyball. For more information, contact Christy
Howard at 770-614-6686 x106 or visit
SWIMMING & DIVING
HOCKEY
Thrashers. January 8 at New Jersey 7 PM. January 10
at Florida 1 PM. January 14 vs. Ottawa 7:30 PM.
January 16 vs. Toronto 7:30 PM. January 17 at
Nashville 8 PM. January 20 vs. Montreal 7 PM.
Gladiators. January 8 vs. Charlotte 7:05 PM. January 9
at Charlotte 7:05 PM. January 14 vs. Florida 7:05
PM. January 17 vs. Florida 7:05 PM. January 19
vs. South Carolina 12:30 PM.
Peachtree Booster Club. Ongoing - Pickneyville Roller
Hockey Rink. Fees: $95 for 12-game season, $30
out-of-county fee. For information visit
www.pbsports.org.
SOCCER
Challenged Soccer. Ongoing. For mentally and physi
cally disabled youngsters. For information call Ken
Higgins at 770-985-0434.
Fair Play Sports Center. Ongoing on Saturdays. Indoor
soccer for ages 4-7. 30- to 60-minute classes. For
information call 770-831-3210.
Hall of Fame soccer clinics. Ongoing on Fridays Clarkston Community Center. For under-6 through
under-12 players. Fees: Free. For information call
404-508-1050 or visit
www.clarkstoncommunitycenter.org. 5:30-7 PM.
Competitive Amateur Soccer in Atlanta For more
information, visit www.majesticsoccer.com.
TENNIS
Technique Clinics. Ongoing - Bitsy Grant Tennis Center.
Tuesdays (serve/volley) and Saturdays
(forehand/backhand). Fees: $18. For information
call 404-790-4772 or email
[email protected]. 2 PM on Saturdays,
6:30PM on Tuesdays.
Tennis camps for kids. Ongoing weekly. Lost Mountain
Tennis Center. For information call 770-528-8525.
LACROSSE
Lacrosse. Ongoing. Registration for 1st-8th grades. For
information call 404-216-5870, email
[email protected] or visit
www.bagatawaylacrosse.com.
PlayLaxGwinnett. Ongoing. Players, coaches, referees
needed for play at Gwinnett Sports Center. For infor
mation call Chris Chico at or 678-429-0094 or
email [email protected].
Double Stixx Lacrosse. Ongoing - Leagues, Travel
Teams and Tournaments for youth, high school and
adult’s boys and girls. More information about the
best lacrosse programs in Georgia can
be found at www.doublestixxlacrosse.com or by
contacting Chris Smith at chris@dou
blestixxlacrosse.com or 404-550-5322.
RUNNING
CAMPS
Nike Basketball Camps. Camps located in Snellville,
Roswell, Kennesaw, Oxford and Jonesboro. For
more information or a free brochure, call 1-800645-3226 or visit www.ussportscamps.com.
Georgia Tech MaChelle Joseph Basketball Camp.
Ages range from 7-17. Day camps, overnight
camps and team camps available. Visit www.ram
blinwreck.com or call 404-894-4297 to find out
which dates suit your campers best.
Harlem Legends. The Harlem Legends have scheduled
their 2008 Shoot for the Stars Basketball &
Physical Fitness Camps. The "Shoot for the Stars
Youth Basketball Camps and Clinics" are a unique
form of learning experiences geared towards young
basket ball players of all skill levels. There are two
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YOUTH REGISTRATION
Soccer - Soccer Alley. Ongoing - 3265 Roswell RoadAtlanta. For information call 404-266-0762 or visit
www.starsoccerclub.com.
Tucker Youth Soccer. Ongoing - 2803 Henderson Road
Tucker, Ga. For information call 770-414-0538 or
visit www.tysa.com.
Track and Field - Peachtree City Flash Youth Track
Team registration. Ongoing - Riley Field -Peachtree
City, Ga. For ages 6-14. For information call
770-631-3552 or email [email protected].
Gymnastics - Georgia Gymnastics Academy. Ongoing.
For registration in Lawrenceville call 770-9625867; in Suwanee call 770-945-3424.
Gym Elite. Ongoing. Registration for ages 2 and older.
Cheerleading for ages 6 and older. For information
call 770-242-0678.
Youth Soccer Training. Ongoing. Start age 3 and up.
For information, call 678-714-7454 or e-mail
[email protected].
www.atlantasilverbacks.com/indoor.
Flag Footall. GSL -- Georgia Sports Leagues.
Georgia's Best Sports Leagues. Registration
ongoing. We offer Youth Flag Football for ages (68) and (9-12) year olds for both Boys & Girls.
Games are played in the Chamblee, Doraville,
Dunwoody area. Next season starts in February.
For more information please contact (678)7990159 or email [email protected].
Visit www.georgiasportsleagues.org
Atlanta Junior Golf. Boys and girls, ages 7-18, can
enjoy summer and fall tournaments throughout
Metro Atlanta and Middle and North Georgia (from
Dalton to Macon and from Carrollton to Athens) in
one the nation’s premier junior golf associations.
All skill levels are welcome, from beginner to expe
rienced players, with more than 8,000 rounds of
golf available during the summer program alone.
For more information, log on 770.850.9040.
Corpus Christi Youth Basketball League. Registration
is now underway for our 29th season! Boys and
girl sages 5 through 14, any skill level, are wel
come. Cost: $90 per child/$85 for siblings. Fee
includes uniforms, field trips, skills clinics, 9
games and more! Register while space is still avail
able Saturdays October 11 & 18, 2008, 10 AM to
12 PM. Location: Corpus Christi Church Sports
Arena, 600 Mountain View Drive, Stone
Mountain, GA 30083. For info, call 770-469-0395,
email [email protected], or visit the league’s
website(www.ccybl.net).
SOFTBALL
Frostbite 5K/Mile. Jan. 10. Peachtree City, 3 PM.
770-486-3545 or web site.
2nd Annual Cool Shark 5K/Fin Dash. Jan. 10.
Brunswick, 8:30 AM. email.
Gray Ribbon Run 5K/Mile. Jan. 10 Blackshear, 8:30
AM. 912-338-0150.
Berrien County Rec Dept Fun Run 5K/Mile. Jan. 10.
Nashville, GA, 8:30 AM. 229-686-5757.
30th Annual Pinch Gut Puffer 7.5K. Jan. 10.
Augusta, 9 AM. 706-854-9397.
Red Nose Marathon & Half Marathon.
Jan. 10. Columbus, 9 PM.
11th Annual Winter in Winterville 5 Miler. Jan. 10.
Winterville, 9 PM. 706-769-6593.
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Georgia. January 10 vs. Texas 1 PM.
Georgia Tech. January 17 at NC State 11 AM.
Swimming lessons. Ongoing - Alpharetta City Pool Alpharetta, Ga. - 1825 Old Milton Parkway. For infor
mation call 678-297-6107.
Gwinnett Aquatics. 2800 Quinberry Drive and Bethany
Church Road. For ages 5-18. Swim team and les
sons available. For information call 770-972-4055.
Senior Water-Exercise class. Ongoing - Mountain Park
pool - Lilburn, Ga. Fees: $1 per class. For informa
tion call 770-546-4650. 10-10:50 AM.
SwimAtlanta Sugarloaf at Kid’s Village. Ongoing.
Swim team, lessons, lap swimming, master’s pro
gram, water aerobics and scuba available. For
information call 678-442-7946.
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AYSA Spring Season. Ongoing - North Park - Cogburn
and Bethany - Alpharetta. Fees: If Alpharetta
Residential Property Tax IS NOT PAID at the pri
mary residence of the player, then the Non-City
Resident Fee must be paid. After Jan. 13, $10 late
fee is charged.
Senior Softball League. Ongoing - Best Friend Park,
Jimmy Carter Blvd., Norcross, GA. All Skill levels
welcomed. Men age 45+ and women age 40+.
Open practice on Saturdays and games on
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays. For infor
mation call Gary Mastrodonato at 770-266-7042
or visit www.atlantaseniorsoftball.com.
Open Recreational Softball. GSL -- Georgia Sports
Leagues. Georgia’s Best
SportsLeagues.Registration ongoing. We offer
"Men's" and "Co-Ed" styles of play in
Doraville/Dunwoody area. Monday, Wednesday &
Sunday league play available. Next season stars in
February. We play ALL year round. For more infor
mation please contact (678)799-0159 or email
[email protected]. Visit www.geor
giasport sleagues.org.
Capitol City Officials Association. CCOA is accepting
ongoing registration for the upcoming GHSA High
School season in fast-pitchsoftball. We hold week
ly training meetings. For more information, contact
Irvin Seabrook at 404-957-3331 or e-mail
[email protected].
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GYMNASTICS
Gymnastics Classes at Gymnastics Academy of
Atlanta. Ongoing - 3126 Cobb Parkway Kennesaw,
Ga. For information call 770-975-8337 or visit
www.gymnasticsacademyofatlanta.com.
Gymnastics Classes at Gwinnett Gymnastics Center.
Ongoing - 927 Killian Hill Road Lilburn, Ga. For
information call 770-921-5630.
Atlanta School of Gymnastics in Lawrenceville.
Ongoing. Classes for tots through teens.
Cheerleading classes for ages 5 and older. For
information call 770-277-9434.
The Little Gym of Snellville. Ongoing. Noncompetitive
gymnastics and motor-skills development classes
and camps. For ages 10 months-12 years. For
information call 770-982-0901 or visit
www.tlgsnellvillega.com.
OFFICIATING
Basketball - Duluth basketball association.
Ongoing. Looking for youth officials with training
provided. For information call Barry Sullivan at
770-623-1750.
Football - Lanier Football Officials Association.
Ongoing. GHSA member accepting applications
with weekly training meetings. For information call
Tom Tipton at 770-967-3197, ext. 239 or visit
www.lanierofficials.org.
Metro Atlanta Wrestling Officials Association.
Ongoing. Needs officials. For information call Bud
Hennebaul at 770-338-0705 or email
[email protected].
9RCorp Sports Officials. Ongoing. Provider of sports
officials for multiple sports including basketball,
flag football, & softball. Looking for additional offi
cials.For information call Dennis Reagan at 404213-0588 or email [email protected].
Georgia Lacrosse Officials Association. Needs youth
and High School officials for 2007-2008 season.
Training and mentoring provided for free. Great
way to earn some extra money and get some fun
aerobic exercise. For more information, visit
www.GALAXREF.com or call Jim Westbrook at
770-753-9059.
ATLANTA SPORTS COUNCIL
Chick-Fil-A Bowl. Dec. 31, 2008. Georgia Dome. For
tickets, call 404-444-4444.
To reach the Atlanta Sports Council call 404-586-8510
or visit www.atlantasportscouncil.com.
MISC
Senior Horseshoe Pitching League. Ongoing Gwinnett Senior Center - Bethesda Park. Includes
instructional coaching. Games will be played under
NHPA rules. For men and women seniors. Meets
Tuesdays. For information call 770-972-2434.10AM.
Pool Tournament. Every Monday - Ongoing Motorheads Bar ‘n’ Grill - Henry County. Cost: No
cover. For information call 770-898-0008 or visit
www.motorheadsbarandgrill.com. 7 p.m.
Pool Tournament. Nightly - Ongoing - Sean Patrick’s
Bar & Grill - Buckhead. Fees: No cover. For information call 770-650-5723. 8 PM.
East Cobb Bass Club. Ongoing - Ryan's Family
Steakhouse - Canton Road - Marietta, Ga. Boaters
and nonboaters welcome. Meets the first
Tuesdayof each month. For information call 770364-3036 or email [email protected]. 7 PM.
Cohutta chapter of Trout Unlimited. Ongoing Delkwood Bar and Grill. Meets the fourth Thursday
of each month. For information call 770-425-5364
or email [email protected]. 6:30 PM.
GEORGIA BIKES! Membership. Ongoing. The effectiveness of GEORGIA BIKES! is dependent on volunteers, supporters, and members, like you, who
are willing to make a and Club/Small Business: $100.
Condor Handball Organization. The Condors feature
current Men’s National Team members and past
National Team members and Olympians as well as
the greatest American to ever play the sport,
Darrick Heath. We have weekly leagues and train
ing opportunities for men, women, and youth. For
more information, contact Jeb Bell at
[email protected].
Performance Training Inc. at Suwanee Sport
Academy. Ongoing. Offers speed, agility, and quick
ness training for athletes across multiple sports.
For moreinformation, contact Dustin Wolf at 770614-6686 x121 or visit www.ssasports.com.
Suwanee Sports Academy. Pre-K Athletics for 2, 3
and 4 year-olds introduces the basic skills needed
to play basketball, soccer, and t-ball. Also, there is
a unique after school program that provides stu
dents with a weekly sports curriculum along with
the after school classroom setting. For more infor
mation, call 770-614-6686 or visit
--www.ssaports.com.
Club Sport. Club Sport opens registration for summer
leagues on May 1st with league play beginning in
June. Club Sport is Atlanta's recreational sports
and social group with over 10,000 participants
each year on 1200 teams in 120 leagues. Each
season Club Sport offers leagues in flag football,
softball, soccer, sand and indoor volleyball, basket
ball and more. Club Sport is where Atlanta comes
to play! For more information about Club Sport,
upcoming events, photos or interviews with the
owner, please contact Rich Alvarez at 678-9940793 ext. 818 or visit www.usclubsport.com.
Stout Irish Sports Pub Events and Specials. Monday:
Dart League and Free Pool from 11 p.m.-close;
Tuesday: Texas Hold 'em; Wednesday: Trivia Night
and Free Pool from 11pm-close; Thursday:
College Night with DJ All Night; Friday: Happy
Hour Food Specials; Saturday: Game Day all day
long on Stout's big screen plasma TVs; Sunday:
Game Day all day long on Stout's big screen plas
ma TVs. Miller High Life Beers are always $1.
Beer Club:Guests join for $120 and receive a
prestigious Stout Club Mug engraved with their
name on it.Each visit over the course of the year,
members enjoy their first beer of choice on the
house. For more, call 404.869.1151 or email
www.stoutirish pub.com.
JANUARY 7-13, 2009
SCORE ATLANTA I 21
Murray, two local standouts played for East at Army’s football showcase
The U.S. Army also recognized the best
he U.S. Army All-American Bowl isn’t Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno. prospect lists, but remains uncommarching bands throughout the country.
just an all-star high school football con- Quarterback Aaron Murray, a UGA commit, mitted. Scouts salivate over the
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Humphreys explained, “We’re not just
test. There are many facets that make this was named both team captain and starter and speed and sideline-to-sideline
game a special event. There’s the camaraderie
enjoyed by players, coaches, servicemen and
their families. There’s the hunger for excellence that has powered these young men to
this point in their budding careers. There’s
also the special relationship between the U.S.
Army and high school football that is highlighted during game week.
Army veteran and football buff James
Humphreys, the Chief of Advertising and
Public Affairs at the Atlanta Recruiting
Battalion, described what the game’s focus
has been since 2001: “The All-American
Bowl is an avenue for the U.S. Army to show
its commitment to high school athletics. It
also is an opportunity to celebrate the success
of these young men.”
The game itself was entertaining as a
whole, as the East All-Americans prevailed
over the West All-Americans, 30-17, with
MVP honors being split between uncommitted
Tajh Boyd and Miami-bound Bryce Brown.
The crowd was a sea of camouflage, made
up of mostly local servicemen and women.
“Fort Sam Houston is there in Texas and
where most of our medical training takes
place,” Humphreys said. “Most of the soldiers in the crowd are from that instillation.
The game serves as a welcome break for
some of our future military doctors.”
BULLDOG COMMITS …
University of Georgia supporters had a
few players to watch as they deal with all the
“going pro” speculation circulating around
showed no ill effects from the broken leg he
suffered in October. Murray looks great on
film, showing a strong arm and accuracy on the
run – two important assets when you consider
the pressure he’ll face in the SEC. His 84 passing scores for Plant High School in Tampa, Fla.
are a product of a perfectionist’s dedication to a
craft. Murray and his receivers often played 7on-7 during the season, working on routes and
timing. Thought to be out for the season after
his leg injury, Murray returned to lead his team
to Florida’s Class 4A state championship last
month. The East’s roster carried four quarterbacks opposed to the West’s three, cutting into
the time Murray was on the field for the AllAmerican game, but he’ll get plenty of reps
under Mike Bobo in Athens.
Murray will more than likely be throwing his darts behind fellow future Bulldog
Chris Burnette. The 6-foot-2, 300-pounder
out of Georgia’s Troup High School was at
the top of the depth chart at right guard and
played very well during the contest. Burnette
will be familiar with the facilities in Athens
since he attended football camps during his
sophomore and junior years in high school;
this most likely helped him play both tackle
and guard for Troup. With the Bulldogs currently sporting a young offensive line,
Burnette will have a chance to prove himself
soon after stepping on campus.
MORE IN-STATE STARS …
Jarvis Jones from Carver-Columbus
High School has been high on numerous
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ability Jones has displayed all
season, as well as in spots during
the All-American game. Mark
Richt was hoping for one of
the many live commitments that took place
throughout the course
of the game, but Jones
will instead make his
decision on Feb. 4.
Jones has narrowed
his choices to Georgia,
USC, Texas, Florida
and LSU. That list of
schools shows how
highly Jones is thought
of in coaching and
recruiting circles.
Cartersville High
School’s all-everything
athlete Donavan Tate was
invited to play but did not
participate due to an
emergency family illness.
Tate, at 6-foot-2 and 205
pounds, was selected as the
recipient of the 2009 Doc
Blanchard award, given to
the country’s best football
player both on and off the
field. Tate’s stock has risen
tremendously towards the end of the
season, and he will be continuing his
football education under Butch
Davis at resurgent North Carolina.
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recognizing football players. We have
young men and woman participating in
the All-American marching band. It’s
a way to recognize their accomplishments and support young
people in whatever endeavor
they want to pursue.”
The U.S. Army AllAmerican Bowl, showcasing
some of the best athletes the
State of Georgia as well as
the rest of the nation has to
offer, was a huge success once
again and should continue to
enhance America’s youngsters for years to come.
Mitchell can be reached at
[email protected].
ON THE LINE: Troup
High School’s Chris
Burnette anchored
the offensive line for
the East squad at the
U.S. Army All-American
Bowl. Burnette, a Georgia
commit, was one of two instate athletes to play, along
with Carver-Columbus’ Jarvis
Jones. Photo courtesy of Rob Saye.
Get In The Game!
22 I SCORE ATLANTA
Sports can’t hide from economic struggles
losing five title sponsors for the new year.
enerally, when one considers the econoAdditionally, the Atlanta Silverbacks men’s
my (especially a struggling one), notions
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soccer team has been forced to cancel its
of taxes, banks, the stock market and inflation come to mind. Certainly, arenas of entertainment, especially those related to sports,
are furthest from our minds. Simply put, the
entertainment industry has always seemed
impervious to economic downturn, a market
saturated as naturally as one could possibly
be; after all, at some point, everyone needs a
little break. In fact, some have argued that
times of economic depression can actually
benefit the entertainment industry, as people
move to find enjoyable escapes from their
financial frustrations. And history only confirms this principle; it is no coincidence that
both Hollywood and the sports industry prospered during the Great Depression.
The recession of 2009 and beyond, however, is one of a kind and has already impacted sports, both locally and on a national level,
more than any other economic crisis has
before. While there is no doubt that fans will
feel the effects sooner rather than later, the
franchises and organizations themselves have
displayed the early negative results most.
The Atlanta sports community has certainly felt the impact, as the local Tour de
Georgia, one of the marquee road cycling
races in the United States, recently
announced that the event has been cancelled
for 2009, largely as a response to lack of
sponsorship. In the past two years, the race
has relied on the Sate of Georgia for
$400,000 of its $3.2 million budget. The
state, however, is facing a budget shortfall
likely to exceed $1.5 billion, making the road
race less than a secondary consideration. The
Atlanta Falcons have also felt the economic
burn, as the team recently closed its Atlanta
Falcons 365 store locations at both the
Perimeter and Lenox malls.
“While the economy is certainly affecting all retailers, we are making this decision
mainly based on our desire to focus our
efforts on our online and Georgia Dome
sales,” said Falcons president Rich McKay in
a recent interview.
THE LITTLE GUY …
The national sporting scene has been hit
just as hard, especially second-tier leagues
such the Arena Football League, the WNBA
and the LPGA. With the reeling economy in
mind, the AFL announced late last month
that it will suspend all play for the 2009 season. What will eventually come of the struggling WNBA we cannot be sure, but we do
know the league will be without one of its
traditional powers in the future, as the fourtime champion Houston Comet franchise has
decided to close its doors for good. Similarly,
the LPGA has taken a “wait-and-see attitude,” though it has also already made significant concessions, reducing its 2009 tournament schedule by at least five events after
2009 season in the USL (though the women’s
team will continue playing).
Less of a niche sport than the aforementioned, even NASCAR is looking for cover.
The association has lost a number of corporate sponsors and some of its most successful teams have been laying off workers. To
ensure its survival, Petty Enterprises, one of
NASCAR’s most prestigious teams, is seeking a merger with another team, while Honda
recently announced it would no longer compete on the Formula 1 circuit. NASCAR has
also suspended testing at its sanctioned
tracks for next year, believing the move will
save tens of millions of dollars.
And while NASCAR will certainly live
to see another day, one has to wonder what
kind of impact a long-term recession will
have on the future of smaller sports, those
that lack and, therefore, cannot rely on significant broadcast revenue or major corporate sponsorships.
SAID ON THE AIR
“The SEC will be the country’s second-best conference … Georgia
will take a step back, too, after
quarterback Matthew Stafford and
tailback Knowshon Moreno enter
the NFL draft.”
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach looking ahead to
the 2009 SEC football season
ADVERTISING INDEX
KEEPIN’ AN EYE ON
790 The Zone ................................1, 4
On Sunday, Jeff Schultz lamented what
he considered a disappointing Falcon loss
on Saturday, asking, “Feeling a little unsatisfied? You should. This isn’t the time for
polite exit applause.” We, however, couldn’t disagree with Schultz more. If you told
any Falcons fan in the world before the
season that they would make the playoffs,
have the NFL’s Coach of the Year and
Rookie of the Year in addition to the
league’s fourth-leading receiver and second-leading rusher, they would not only
have been shocked but more than ecstatic.
On Friday, Chip Towers and Larry
Hartstein took a look at the young football
players from both Georgia and Tech that
will likely have an impact in 2009. Among
their choices, we love Georgia’s Tavarres
King at wideout as well as defensive tackle
DeAngelo Tyson. On Tech’s side of things,
running back Richard Watson seems like a
good bet to contribute.
THE BIG BOYS …
America’s major sports have also
proved vulnerable in the poor economic
times. The NBA recently laid off 80 employees, nine percent of its domestic work force.
As commissioner David Stern sees it, “The
economy will impact everyone, every place.”
And, if the National Football League is any
indication, Stern is right on: long regarded as
the most popular and successful sports entity in the world, the NFL has also been forced
to cut back, recently laying off nearly 10 percent of its staff.
Yet, even in such a harsh economic setting, over the long haul, the major sports will
certainly subsist. The NFL, MLB and NBA
are all protected by multi-year TV and sponsorship deals with 60 to 70 percent of their
revenues already contractually committed.
Still, their economic struggles are significant
and will have a dramatic impact on fans.
With teams in each league looking to offset
declining revenues, an increase in the price
of attending their events will no doubt
become a source of compensation. The
Chicago Cubs recently increased the average
price of their 2009 tickets by six to seven
percent and, with the Yankees spending an
absolute fortune on their new confines, the
price of seeing a game in New York is sure to
eliminate most consumers from contention.
And, as the future of small-market
leagues is perilous at best while the big-time
sports find themselves searching for temporary salvation, only one thing is for sure: the
American phenomenon that has become live
sports entertainment will be dramatically
impaired for some time to come.
Janovitz can be reached at
[email protected].
SCORE ATLANTA
AMA Supercross ............1, Back page
Atlanta Boat Show ..........................23
Atlanta Hawks ..................................2
Atlanta Thrashers..............................2
Blue Cross Blue Shield......................1
Cigar Merchants..............................22
Complete Game Broadcasting ..........9
Georgia State ....................................9
Instant Imprints ..............................22
Joseph & Friends ............................12
Man’s Best Friend ............................5
Mikael’s Auto Spa ............................7
Mudcatz ............................................8
MEDIA
HALL OF FAME
Last week, ESPN’s John Hollinger
featured the Atlanta Hawks in his Daily
Dime article, specifically praising the
team for its recent 7-1 homestand. With
the big picture in mind, Hollinger wrote,
“With some good health and a few more
defensive efforts like Monday night’s
[home victory over Denver], the Hawks
just might find themselves in that rarified
50-win air.” We applaud Hollinger for
acknowledging the Hawks’ impressive
play of late and believe if the team can
gain some consistency on the road, 50
wins will be more than attainable.
CATCH THE THRASHERS AND HAWKS
North River Tavern ..........................16
PigNChik..........................................14
Rhodes Bakery ................................17
Ringling Brothers Circus ..................3
Ron Veal QB Instruction ..................22
Sammy’s DJ ....................................17
TGS Media ......................................17
U.S. Army ........................................10
WellStar ..........................................15
Worthmore Jewelers ......................21
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Copyright 2009 Score Atlanta Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.
Score Atlanta is published every week on Wednesdays. Views
expressed in Score Atlanta are not necessarily the opinion of Score
Atlanta, its staff or advertisers. Score Atlanta does not knowingly
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JANUARY 7-13, 2008
SCORE ATLANTA I 23
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