Home > Mark Bradley > Archives > 2008 > August > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USAggravation? No, aggregation!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A word or two of explanation
What you behold is a new endeavor wherein I write less — hooray, I can hear you shouting — and read more. We technical mavens are calling this an “aggregator,” which means it’s a collection of links that the aggregator-in-chief finds cuttingly incisive. Or, failing that, mildly amusing.
I make no promises beyond this: Unlike most sports aggregators you’ll find on the Web, this will not be a serial East Coast offender. Meaning, no Yankees and Red Sox; no Brady and Bundchen. (Speaking of which, here’s ESPN’s forthright ombudswoman Le Anne Schreiber trying, not entirely successfully, to come to terms with the Worldwide Leader’s East Coast bias.)
The idea in this space is to focus on our local sports scene, which I will faithfully do. Unless I can’t find anything worthwhile, in which case I might just drench you with Peter King’s latest musings about coffee. (Last week the SI.com NFL scribe gave passing marks to Panera Bread’s house brand.)
No. 1 in the nation, No. 2 in the SEC East
You’re aware that Associated Press voters followed the lead of the coaches in the USA Today poll — not to mention the Sporting News — and anointed Georgia No. 1 in the land. Matt Hayes of Sporting News begins his Georgia preview with another recap of an on-field Bulldog celebration, but not that celebration. Hayes leads with the Vanderbilt logo-stomping before getting around to you-know-what in you-know-where.
Speaking of you-know-who … Hayes’ look at the hated Gators begins with the memory of the Urban Crier ripping his players after they lost to Michigan in the Gator Bowl, and it closes with a fairly chilling number: Florida ranked 98th in Division I-A in pass defense last season.
I’ve never seen a bad defensive team win this conference. Ergo, I can’t see the Crier’s team finishing ahead of Georgia, which the Gators were picked to do during the SEC media convocation in Birmingham last month. (Me, I’ve never put much stock in anything that comes out of Birmingham.) Don’t be surprised if the Gators finish third — not first, not even second — in their division. Don’t be surprised if Tennessee beats them in Knoxville on Sept. 20.
The next next Herschel? Not!
In a lengthy post that manages to mention both Trinton Sturdivant and Paul Johnson, Dennis Dodd of CBSsports.com also calls Knowshon Moreno “the next Herschel Walker in Cadillac Williams’ body.” And that, I’m sorry to say, is simply wrong. Not the last part. The first.
Moreno is a very good collegiate back. Herschel was the greatest collegian ever. There have been as many Next Herschels as Next Dylans and Next Jordans, and every one has simply reproved the point: The original cannot be matched.
Starting prospect Ryan
Visiting a practice at Flowery Branch last week was enough to prompt Don Banks of SI.com to write that the Falcons are leaning toward starting Matt Ryan in Week 1 of the regular season. I, on the other hand, believe the Falcons are still trying to fight that powerful impulse.
They might well wind up losing the fight, but they don’t want to mess up the next 10 years by rushing Ryan this next month. That, I submit, is the chief reason they didn’t start Ryan in their home exhibition opener Saturday: There’s no need to make this any harder for a rookie quarterback than it already is.
Bankrupting prisoner Vick
At this late date, it’s possible to ask: Did Michael Vick make even one sound decision, money-wise? Lester Munson, ESPN’s legal analyst, takes a long look at Vick’s deteriorating finances and pronounces him “insolvent.” (Not so long ago, the aggregator-in-chief wrote a little something that posed the $130 million question: Where’s the money? And I’d still love to know, although I suspect we’ll never know, where it all went.)
Toward that end, I’d be remiss if I didn’t direct you to the aforementioned Peter King’s post in SI.com regarding the possibility of Vick playing next season in the upcoming United Football League, in which, King writes, quarterbacks will earn between $1 million and $4 million a year.
The UFL will have six teams — Orlando is the only one within 500 miles of Atlanta — and is scheduled to begin play next August. Let’s say Vick indeed lands with Orlando: Will local folks who insist on AJC.com blogs that they’re Vick fans forever make the trek down I-75 to see No. 7 in person?
Hey, big spender! (And I don’t mean you, Michael Vick)
Braves chairman Terry McGuirk — he used to be the president, but now John Schuerholz holds that title, which leads me to ask: What the heck does Schuerholz do, anyway? — has said he looks forward to spending serious money this winter to restock this rapidly disintegrating club. I’ll believe it when I see it.
Writing for SI.com, Jon Heyman breaks down the probable price tags of the top seven free agents, and it’s not at all encouraging if you’re a Braves’ fan. I mean, $17 million a year for Ben Sheets, who could, health-wise, be the next Mike Hampton? And $25 million per annum for CC Sabathia? No way Liberty Media shells out that much. No way, I say.
Then again, I’m sure Albie Lopez would again be happy to sign for a mere $4 million.
Another vote of confidence for your Atlanta Spirit
Someone named Fred “The F-Bomb” Richani, writing on something called LayupDrill.com, has dubbed the Hawks the NBA’s worst franchise. I confess that I’d never heard of the site until I stumbled across this posting, but I pass it along for sheer entertainment value.
Also because it enables me to do something I haven’t done all summer — say something nice about the Hawks. So here goes: The Hawks are not the NBA’s worst franchise. (They did make the playoffs.) The Clippers are still worse. At least the Hawks won’t have to play against Josh Childress next season; the poor Clips figure to see Elton Brand in person twice.
Making friends the Internet way
From my pals at The Hive, the Tech message board, comes this burning discussion: “Do we bury the hatchet with Mark Bradley?” Opinion seems split, which is what a hatchet usually does.
Permalink | Comments (66) | Post your comment | Categories: Bradley's Buzz
Comments
By Hootie Bookems
August 18, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
So you are just going to let others do the work, that’s a country club gig. Screw working for a living, I need to go into aggregation.
By Darrin
August 18, 2008 11:30 AM | Link to this
It’s getting time to ask the question again. What happens if Joey Harrington outplays Redman and Shockley? Excuse me, what if he continues to outplay them? Does he still get cut? I still say he’s the best backup on the roster. What happens when Chris Simms becomes available? Any chance of the Falcons giving him a look?
By Manny
August 18, 2008 11:35 AM | Link to this
A sure fire way of creating a Joey Harrington clone:
Start Matt Ryan game 1. It should be illegal. My problem, though, is that I don’t see a good backup yet. But I also haven’t seen DJ Shockley with the 1st team, either. He has been with the 3rd team, and the players around him are terrible.
By Mike
August 18, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this
Herschel, the greatest ever? Bo had almost 100 less carries than Herschel did when each won the Heisman. And there was only a few yards difference. Bo’s average was 2 yards more than Herschels. Bo knows who is the best.
By Dawgman
August 18, 2008 12:09 PM | Link to this
To Mike
You are right! Bo knows who is the best and it’s Hershel. Bo didn’t singlehandedly win a national title game, it was Herschel. Bo was pretty good though I’ll give him credit. He can be second.
By George
August 18, 2008 12:23 PM | Link to this
May we all assume that you are making more money in this new endeavor? And let’s just skip over this next college football season, anoint GA the champion, and start worrying about ‘09. Things this year just seem so….boring.
By scooter
August 18, 2008 12:33 PM | Link to this
Kudos for linking to the Hive. Thats the 1st time I’ve been to it in a lonnnggg time. I stopped going to it because those guys were always whining about negativity from various AJC columnists. If a program is doing poorly, why should columns about its status be positive? W syndrome, I guess. It just doesn’t make sense to me. They hit you almost as hard as T. Moore too.
Hopefully, PJ can turn the Jackets around. At least there’s hope at this point. I like the new format by the way. Atlanta sports news is hard to come by.
By TROTTINGHOMETUDD
August 18, 2008 12:34 PM | Link to this
DEAR mARK,
I REGRET TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU HAVE SH@TTT YOUR PANTS AGAIN.
THIS IS WORSE THAN GETTING THROUGH SPAGHETTI JUNCTION.
PLEASE GO WIPE!!!
By PreyDawg
August 18, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this
George,
The Dawgs are ranked #1 for the first time in like…forever. The Dirty Birds actually have a glimmer of hope for the future and you are BORED? You gots a problem dude.
Mark, How the heck do you find all this stuff. I always end up at the same two sports web sites.
By Najeh Davenpoop
August 18, 2008 12:42 PM | Link to this
Not that I really care, since I’m no longer a Falcons fan, but for Matt Ryan’s sake I hope they don’t start him in Week 1. There are some teams (like the Steelers in Roethlisberger’s first year) who have the supporting cast to make a rookie QB’s transition easy. The Falcons are not that team, particularly on the offensive line. Maybe Matt Ryan can handle it, but you decrease his chances of success by a lot if you throw him out there before you have a good line and receivers to support him.
By ADL
August 18, 2008 12:52 PM | Link to this
Of course Herschel was better than Bo. There were several more of him. Thank God there is only one Mark Bradley, because he has s**t for brains.
By Diamond Dawg
August 18, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this
MIKE and any other dilusional Auburn fan, go to this site to read what we DO know about the Herschel vs. Bo debate. Just the facts my friends:
http://www.secsportsfan.com/herschel-walker-vs-bo-jackson.html
Season rushing stats. 1. 1,891 yards. Herschel, 1981. 2. 1,786 yards. Bo, 1985. 3. 1,752 yards. Herschel, 1982. 4. 1,616 yards. Herschel, 1980. 5. 1,213 yards. Bo, 1983. 6. 829 yards. Bo, 1982. 7. 475 yards. Bo, 1984.
Career rushing stats. Herschel: 5,259 yards in 3 years Bo: 4,303 yards in 4 years.
Heisman balloting: Herschel: 1980: 3rd (highest ever point total for a freshman) 1981: 2nd 1982: 1st (margin, 695 votes over John Elway)
Herschel beat out such names as John Elway, Eric Dickerson, Anthony Carter, and Dan Marino.
Bo: 1982: not on the ballot 1983: not on the ballot 1984: not on the ballot 1985: 1st (margin, 45 votes over Chuck Long, the closest vote ever)
Bo beat out such names as Chuck Long, Robbie Bosco, Vinny Testaverde, and Allan Pinckett.
Bo Jackson was a great athlete and better at baseball than HW. You’d have a better argument debating whether he was a better 2 sport athlete than Deion Sanders… which he wasn’t.
By Mark Bradley
August 18, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
PreyDawg: I’m sorry to report that I spend a lot of time on the Internet. That’s how I find this stuff. And there are a lot of good other aggregators out there.
Here’s another number, vis-a-vis Herschel versus Bo: Herschel, three seasons, three SEC titles, one national championship. Bo, four seasons, one SEC title. And Bo had other excellent backs alongside him — Lionel James, Tommie Agee, Brent Fullwood. Who’d Herschel have?
Herschel Walker, it says here, was the closest thing to a one-man team in the modern era of football.
By Ryan fan
August 18, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this
Maybe people will make the trek down I-75, because it sure doesn’t seem like too many are interested in making the trek to Northside Drive anytime soon. Thank goodness for the red and black seats, at least it helps to camoflauge what’s not there (a human). Admit it Bradley, if the UFL did put a team in Atlanta, which would sell out a game first? That team or the Falcons?
By gahillbilly
August 18, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this
Suggestion: When you format the links to other sites, make them so each one will open as a new window, so the reader will still have your column open in the original window.
By gdg73
August 18, 2008 2:09 PM | Link to this
You are an idiot. Do you think all of Vick’s fans lived in Atlanta? Coming from a vick fan in Tallahasse, of course not. People all over the country loved the guy because of the way he played the game. Next time you watch a pro football game, look and see how many players are still wearing his shoes. Heck, I just bought a pair of Vick Zooms for my 7 year old son. Like R. Kelly once said, “Haters gonna hate, and ballers gonna ball”. GOOVN
By Joe Horn
August 18, 2008 2:12 PM | Link to this
I’s will travel to see vick play and borrow some money from him.
By Oh my God
August 18, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this
You have a 7-year-old son and you idolize Michael Vick and R. Kelly? Poor kid to have such a knucklehead as a father. I guess it won’t be long before DFACS will have to intervene in your household.
By wde
August 18, 2008 2:22 PM | Link to this
Urban Crier? Aggregation? Mark Bradley, you officially suck.
By wde
August 18, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this
And Herschel the hands down best collegian ever? Just because UGA was able to win a NC under him doesn’t make him any better than any other individual. You know deep down Bo was the better athlete.
And if you in all your journalistic genius want to use the term “collegian” instead of just “halfback”, then its hands down Bo. You should know, despite tearing it up and down the football field with a much higher YPC than Herschel, Bo also happened to be a pretty good baseball player. UGA should be familiar with his 4-for-5, 3HR performance against UGA. He raked in RBI’s and was still a better back than Herschel. Get real.
By lakerat
August 18, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
WDE -
The comment did not involve who was the better “athlete” - it was “who was the better COLLEGE football player”? And, there was IS no comparison to Herschel and that question! Though, as Bo knows, Bo was pretty good, too, just not as good as Herschel!
By BO Fan
August 18, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this
I guess Buck Belue and Lindsey Carter sucked in college. I am not saying that Bo was a better college back than Hershel because the stats with the exception of yards per carry point to Hershel. Just remember the first two seasons BO was at AU they ran the wishbone. Also the fact he played with better running backs his carrys were limited as opposed to Hershels. One thing I can promise you though is in terms of passing the footbal GA was much better than AU (Randy Campbell/Pat Washington) at that time which does nothing but help with the run.
In the pros there was no comparison in the short time BO (and I know you can say his carrer was to short) was in the NFL he was much better than Hershel (ask Jimmy Johnson he won 3 Super Bowls by trading an overvalued Hershel away).
As for the guy that said BO was not a better two sport athlete than Deion, come on, the Pro Bowl and MVP of the Baseball All Star game in the same season. Deion was an average MLB player at best.
By Algonquin J. Calhoun
August 18, 2008 2:44 PM | Link to this
Mark, being designated an Internet Troll would seem to presage the ignominy of being shown the door. It may be time to polish up Mr. Resume. I hope not but this is just a little above having a route at 4:30 in the morning. As for Vick, his days of really big money are done. He and Tyson will be unloading trucks at Kroger pretty soon.
By Diamond Dawg
August 18, 2008 2:45 PM | Link to this
wde,
Yes, Bo was much better at baseball than Herschel. What’s your point?
Jim Thorpe was a better all around athlete than Bo.
Deion Sanders was a better all around athlete than Bo.
Herschel Walker was a better football player than Bo.
The first two are subjective, the last one is a fact.
http://www.secsportsfan.com/herschel-walker-vs-bo-jackson.html
By Dean
August 18, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this
Mark,
Do tell why you think UT will beat UF?
Defense? You do know UT’s defense was WORSE than UF’s last season right?
You do know that the SAME offense for UF that beat UT 59-20 last year returns right?
You do know UT has only beaten UF in Knoxville twice in the last 15 years right?
You do know Urban Meyer is 3-0 vs. UT right?
You do know that UT will be in their 3rd game trying to implement an offense unlike UT has ever run right?
You do know that UF’s defense was bad last year but VERY young and as a Whole higher recruited than any other defense in the SEC right?
You do know that UF has one of their weakest schedules in sometime right? With 8 teams that either have a new coach a new QB or both?
Rail on Urban and UF all you want because it’s what your readers crave but good god man look at the facts and realistically make predictions that have some sort of evidence to support them.
UT could beat UF but at this point what on god’s green earth do they have that gives them an advantage?
By Ryan the Interception King!
August 18, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this
Matt Ryan gets no breaks here. Sure put him out there right now. He was a 5th year senior and since he has those “intangibles” (hint: what media heads like Bradley made up to hype him up as if he’s special) he should be light years ahead and there is no reason he can’t put the Falcons on his back and at least get to the second round of the playoffs…this season. Anything less and he’s a bust. He’s a superstar, right? Isn’t he a once in a generation talent? What are you scared to let him get in there and show how he is a game changer, a difference maker, what’s with the fear?? He’s 23 years old. Vick was just 20 when he was drafted. Ryan should at least get the Falcons to a 10-6 record. Anything less and I can’t see how he would have been worth #3. At #3 you have to overcome deficiencies in other areas of the team. Why don’t you have faith in Matty Ice Mark Bradley? Why do you set such LOW expectations on him?? Why would you do that? Why?
By Mark Bradley
August 18, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this
To clear up something I seem to have rendered unclear: I’m writing less only on this particular feature. The regular workload — three columns a week plus an Internet-only Quick Hit on Thursdays — stays the same. I’m sorry if that disappoints you.
By MV7
August 18, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this
Mike vick the gift that keeps giving.
FYI Every NFL game that mike vick played in was a sellout.
Someone has already built a whole football league based on the popularity of mike vick.
Vick will get all his debts discharged before he signs the new contract.
By M Bradley does not like M Ryan
August 18, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this
“but they don’t want to mess up the next 10 years by rushing Ryan this next month”
So if Ryan starts it could mess up the next decade?? You mean you think Matt Ryan is such a colossal bust waiting to happen that if his #3 picked butt starts it would mean messing up another 10 years?? So basically Mark Bradley AGREES with people that Matt Ryan is not a great talent at all. He is SO bad, that unless he is handled like a delicate flower it will mean a mess for 10 years. Well, I guess that’s why they pay Mark Bradley the big bucks! He confirms what many already knew. Ryan is just not that good. You heard it hear first!
By Mark Bradley
August 18, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this
Who’s Lindsay Carter, by the way?
By Diamond Dawg
August 18, 2008 3:23 PM | Link to this
Bo won the MVP of the All-Star game? Wow. Best player in an exhibition game, that’s great.
This from the Baseball Almanac:
“Deion Sanders could have easily won the Most Valuable Player had the Atlanta Braves won the 1992 World Series. His stats are truly outstanding, but the Braves failed to win their second consecutive attempt at a World Championship.”
Prime Time was helicoptering around from football to baseball CHAMPIONSHIP caliber play on the same DAY! Deion will be in the Hall of Fame of football. I doubt that happens for Bo.
Also, Herschel played for the NJ Generals out of college, so any comparison to his pro stats is a bit skewed. I know it’s not NFL competition, but if you want to say Bo was a better pro, you can’t ignore the fact that Herschel held the USFL rushing title in 1983 and 1985 and in the latter year also gaining over 4,000 yards in total offense. He holds the pro football record for single-season rushing yards with 2,411 yards in 1985, averaging 5.50 yards per attempt in 18 games. In his USFL career, Walker had 5,562 yards rushing.
In my opinion, Bo was just a bigger star during his NFL prime and thus all the Auburn fans think he’s the greatest athlete ever. Stats tend to prove otherwise, but, heck, why pay attention to the facts…
By Chess
August 18, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
What is the pupose of this article….
By Jim
August 18, 2008 3:26 PM | Link to this
Hey Mark - is it too late for you to accept the AJC buyout? If not, please do us all a favor and accept!! I now have a splitting headache after reading this crap you write. I’m sure there are a few high school newspapers around the state that need a sports writer.
By GatorGuy
August 18, 2008 3:31 PM | Link to this
Mark,
You work for a Georgia Newspaper, I get it. You are not a big Gator/Meyer fan, I get it. It does not bother me at all. What bothers me is you referring to Meyer as the “the Crier”. In doing so, you’ve shown no professional integrity. You have stoop to the level of the common message board / blog fool. What is next for a professional journalist like yourself? Are you going to start referring to the Gators as the Gayturds?
By amazing
August 18, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this
I believe the best college athlete won 2 Heisman Trophies back to back.
He also played for Ohio State. Herschel won 1 and bolted to the USFL like a coward.
By Diamond Dawg
August 18, 2008 3:48 PM | Link to this
I guess they don’t teach economics at OSU. Simply amazing.
By TROTTINGHOMETUDD
August 18, 2008 3:56 PM | Link to this
I LIKE QUICKIES ON THURSDAY ALSO.
By Dolemite
August 18, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this
‘And again I say, to all the Vick lapdogs, “Games where #7 rushed for 100+ yards = 7. Falcons record in those games = 0 and 7. He’s my kinda winner. You better take that on to da Sto’.
By Mark Bradley
August 18, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this
I just love getting a dirty Sanchez from Mark Richt.
By Bo Fan
August 18, 2008 4:05 PM | Link to this
Your right the USFL is no NFL and Hershel proved that when he joined the NFL, by the way he was still in his prime.
Maybe Deion will be in the Hall of Fame but you honestly and probably desrving but he would have never made it into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Had BO stayed healthy he would be in both, definitely football and by the time his career ended he would have had 500 HR which would have gotten him in the MLB Hall of Fame. His average HR per at bat are the same as Aaron’s, he stole bases, had the best arm in baseball, and he was a better defensive outfielder than Deion. Deion stole bases, hit about .265 with no power and.
The Hershel argument I can see, Deion, no way!!!
By TROTTINGHOMETUDD
August 18, 2008 4:08 PM | Link to this
DEAR mARK,
I AM NEVER DISAPPOINTED ( AT LEAST NOT SINCE THE FIRST TIME I READ SOME OF THE DRIBBLE FROM YOUR COLUMNS ).
BUT AT LEAST ITS NOT JUST YOU. MAIN STREAM MEDIA IN GENERAL IS BANAL AND QUITE REPETATIVE.
THE LEAST YOU COULD DO IS BRING FRESH NEWS FROM YOUR HOME TEAMS TWICE A WEEK.
TELL ME, WHAT COMMUNITY PROJECTS ARE ALL OUR STARS INVOLVED IN?
OR IS THERE JUST TO MUCH SOCIAL POVERTY TO OVERCOME THAT YOU SHY FROM THE HUMANITY OF WHAT’S REALLY ON OUR MINDS.
MICHAEL LEWIS MOWLES
By Herschel The Psycho
August 18, 2008 4:15 PM | Link to this
I wonder which personality told Herschel the USFL was a great move. They teach economics at Ohio State, but who could teach Herschel about class?
By Algonquin J. Calhoun
August 18, 2008 4:19 PM | Link to this
Mark, I was only kidding. I’m glad you’re sticking around but I wish some of these “haters” would get gone.
By Tree Rollins
August 18, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this
The Hawks ARE the league’s worst franchise because they are the dumbest from the top (owners) to the middle (Rick Sund - in the owners’ hip pocket which is why Billy Knight is gone) to the bottom (Woodson coach - has already been here 1 year too long). Now we are starting to lose our revered #1 draft choices and get nothing in return (read here Childress) whereas Phoenix got 2 #1’s from us when we signed Joe Johnson. Easy to slip one over on this moribund management crew at the Hawks HQ. Sorry you had to sign on for more years J. Smith - I know your heart wasn’t in it.
By Mark Bradley
August 18, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this
I don’t think Matt Ryan will be a bust. I think Matt Ryan will be an outstanding NFL quarterback. But how many quarterbacks start Game 1 of their rookie seasons, and how many of those are instant successes?
Elway had a terrible opener in Pittsburgh in 1983. Vick didn’t start Game 1 of the 2001 season. Favre spent his rookie season on the Falcons’ bench. The only great rookie quarterback of the last 35 years was Dan Marino, and he joined a team that had played in the Super Bowl only the year before.
By TROTTINGHOMETUDD
August 18, 2008 4:26 PM | Link to this
ALGONQUIN YOU ARE A PUSS
By TROTTINGHOMETUDD
August 18, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this
I do agree about Matt Ryan, Mark
By Tree Rollins
August 18, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this
Saw Matt Ryan Saturday night for the first time and he looked GREAT. He has the pocket presence M. Vick never had - Vick always ran into the rush (and occasionally ran away from it when he wasn’t sacked immediately). I also saw a beautiful 5 yard dump off pass to the RB over the middle with linemen closing in on Ryan. And, unlike Vick, it was a completed pass, accurate and not thrown 5 yards at 90mph. I can’t wait to watch this guy grow and mature and give us a true quarterback as opposed to the circus novelty act brought on by Vick!
By Diamond Dawg
August 18, 2008 4:37 PM | Link to this
If Bo would have been healthy, he would have…
I’m sick of what ifs and would have’s. …
Sanders played a nine-year, part-time baseball career, playing 641 games with 4 teams. During his most productive year, 1992, he hit .304 for the Braves, stole 26 bases, and led the NL with 14 triples in 97 games. During the 1989 season, he hit a home run and scored a touchdown in the NFL in the same week, the first (and only) player to do so. Sanders is the only man to play in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.
In four games of the 1992 World Series, Sanders batted .533 with 4 runs, 8 hits, 2 doubles, and 1 RBI while playing with a broken bone in his foot. Despite Sanders’s performance, he and his Braves ultimately lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in six games.
In 1997, Sanders finished 2nd in the NL with 56 stolen bases in 115 games.
As a pro athlete,I believe Bo’s image was bigger than his reality. His greatness wasn’t achieved through consistent heroics on the field - it was created by Nike.
By TROTTINGHOMETUDD
August 18, 2008 4:37 PM | Link to this
Lindsay Carter is a little of everything.
GOOGLE IT SEE FOR YOUR SELF SINCE YOU SURF THE NET
By Tree Rollins
August 18, 2008 4:39 PM | Link to this
Mark, is this your way of saying that Jay Cutler sucked as a rookie QB last year for Denver with a 63% completion rate and 20 TD’s vs. 14 interceptions. Did Vick ever have that good of a year passing the ball??
By Manny
August 18, 2008 4:40 PM | Link to this
Matt Ryan will not be a bust IF they don’t put him out there too soon. That’s that!
Now as for that guy who said that there’s something wrong with a child liking Mike Vick’s game, or being a Mike Vick fan, I sincerely beg to differ. My son is a HUGE Mike Vick fan! He has autographed footballs and posters of the guy. And he misses watching him play. He thinks Mike Vick was the best player in football. And he can’t wait for him to get back on the field, NFL, UFL, XFL, it doesn’t matter.
And he gave me some insight as to his thinking when Vick went to jail. My son just shrugged his shoulders and said that “He did a stupid thing. But at least his stupid action didn’t kill anyone like (Former Thrasher player).”
Then he told me that “He likes the way Vick plays, but he doesn’t know him personally. I don’t know any of the Falcons personally.”
My son was 9 when he told that to me.
By Tebow
August 18, 2008 4:42 PM | Link to this
You’re so dumb Mark Bradley, you’re just talking bad about the Gators because you know they are better than the Bulldogs. Urban Crier? How do people get that name when you never seem him complaining about stuff and crying about stuff?(except for the endzone celebration, but Georgia should have gotten players thrown out of the game for that) Florida isn’t ranked 1 in the country because their defense hasn’t proved themselves….at all. But it will be great this season, and they’re going to bring another championship to Gainesville!
By IVSPORT
August 18, 2008 4:44 PM | Link to this
I agree the Clippers are the NBA’s worst franchise. I’d even argue that the Hawks aren’t even second worse, as I’d give that honor to the Memphis Grizzlies post-Gasol trade. The Hawks actually made the playoffs, which is impressive no matter how weak the Eastern Conference was. Meanwhile, the Clippers lured a high-profile free agent in Baron Davis and looked to be contenders with B-Diddy and Elton Brand teaming up with a great point-to-post combo only to see negotiations with Brand simmer down and Brand sign with the 76ers. Baron, whether he’s healthy or not, will have a miserable season in LA playing for the NBA’s worst franchise.
By Tebow
August 18, 2008 4:47 PM | Link to this
Also, why in the world would we want to know anything about Michael Vick? I usually think your collumns are ok, but this one seems pretty pointless.
By gdg73
August 18, 2008 4:59 PM | Link to this
Manny, kids can be so honest. Your son like mine, enjoys Michael Vick, the football player. As far as knowing him personally, none of us do. The people that are fans, are fans of what he did on the field. That’s what we saw every Sunday. Conversely, I don’t like Joey Harrington, the football player, because he sucks as a QB. I don’t know him as a person to condemn him. These idiots on this board act like they know the Vick personally, and therefore judge him based on what they perceive him to be.
By ARE U BLIND TREE ROLLINS
August 18, 2008 5:16 PM | Link to this
Yeah, in all of that beautiful play by Matty Ryan, did you miss that pick 6??
Nope, Bradley….YOU SAID if Ryan starts now it will mess up the Falcons for 10 years. Which means you DON’T think he is anywhere NEAR the talent he SHOULD be at #3. He is 23 years old! 5 years at Boston College - and 19 interceptions his 5th year but YOU said he had intangibles, but apparently those intangibles are not that terrific or else starting his rookie season would not lead you to speculate a decade of gloom because of it. You said it, now own it. Ryan is not a game-changing, once in a generation talent. He does not have extraordinary ability otherwise he could and SHOULD start this season. If you think he needs to wait, he must not be as phenomenal as you want to believe.
By billy
August 18, 2008 5:36 PM | Link to this
Mark, I enjoy your columns tremendously. Out of courisity, have any major publications tried to lure you away from the AJC?
By Mark Bradley
August 18, 2008 5:55 PM | Link to this
I appreciate the question, Billy, but you should know that I’ve always considered the AJC a major publication. I did when I came here in 1984, and I do still.
By diamond dawg
August 18, 2008 11:08 PM | Link to this
One last thing and then I’ll shut up about this - Bo fans like to think that Bo was a better pro than Herschel. I think these stats prove that Herschel was a better and more DURABLE pro football player than Bo.
In 12 NFL seasons, Walker gained 8,225 rushing yards, 4,859 receiving yards, and 5,084 kickoff-return yards. This gave him 18,168 total combined net yards, ranking him second among the NFL’s all-time leaders in that category at the time of his retirement; as of the start of the 2007 NFL season, 10 years after his retirement, he still ranks 8th. He also scored 84 touchdowns: 61 rushing, 21 receiving and 2 kick off returns for touchdowns. Walker is the only player to have 10,000+ yards from scrimage and 5,000+ return yards (all of which were on kickoff returns). He is the only player to gain 4,000 yards three different ways: rushing, receiving, and kickoff returns. He is one of six players (Jim Brown, Lenny Moore, Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk, and Thurman Thomas) to exceed 60 TDs rushing and 20 TDs receiving(none of those players have any kick returns for touchdowns). Another NFL record he possesses is that he is the only player with a 90+ yard reception, 90+ yard run, and a 90+ yard kickoff return all in the same season (1994). He is also the only player to record an 84+ yard touchdown run and an 84+ yard touchdown reception, in the same game (Dec. 14, 1986). That same day, he had 100 yards rushing and 100 yards receiving. Walker is currently ranked 8th all time in all-purpose yards with 18,168, despite spending his first 3 seasons in the USFL.
In his four seasons in the NFL, Bo Jackson rushed for 2,782 yards and 16 touchdowns with an average yards per carry of 5.4. He also caught 40 passes for 352 yards and two touchdowns.
The most telling thing to me is this: if you go to Jackson’s wikipedia page you’ll find that HALF of it is about his popularity. In contrast, Herschel’s is about stats and accomplishments.
Go Dawgs!
By Mark Bradley
August 19, 2008 1:53 AM | Link to this
Herschel Walker was the best collegiate back ever. I’ll listen to arguments on just about any subject, but not on this one.
And since when did someone’s pro career have anything to do with what they accomplished in college? That’s like saying Shaquille O’Neal was the greatest collegiate center of all time because he won four NBA championships and was really popular doing so.
By Frank
August 19, 2008 9:08 AM | Link to this
I had gotten use to your writing, I think I like it better,plus T.Moore took over your spot some many years ago as most irritating. Frankie
By rtr
August 19, 2008 9:49 AM | Link to this
you dawg fans keep looking toward your showdown with Tebow. in doing so, you will look right past your 5th game on your slate. if i remember correctly, you barely beat a weaker version of this team last year. it would be very arrogant to think that you would be annointed undefeated going into this weekend.
keep worrying about the gators.
By charles
August 19, 2008 10:41 AM | Link to this
Hey Dean,
I asked the same type question when the SEC sportswiters picked UF to win the east.
I don’t know why Gator Fan gets upset when Meyer is referred to as Urban Crier. He did cry at a press conference, didn’t he?
Dogs roll in 2008!!
By Kno Doubt
August 19, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this
Sports is a microcosm of society. We all compete in our everyday-day lives (work, school, etc.), we are compensated/rewarded accordingly for extra effort (high salary, good grades), some are more gifted than others, and at the end of the day, we all want to “win” at whatever we do.
Regarding our local sports scene, the Michael Vick issue is alive and well and won’t go away for some time. The cognizant, non-racist anti-Vick people write comments like “Are you a Falcons fan or a Vick fan? If you’re a Falcons fan, then you need to get behind and support Matt Ryan”. The pro-Vick people may respond “I like the Falcons, but Vick’s my guy and will always be my guy”.
What does this have to do with society as a whole? I’m glad you asked… I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that a large number of the anti-Vick contingent are also anti-Obama. Now, let’s just say that Obama wins the presidency. Are you people going to whole-heartedly align yourselves with Obama in the name of a unified America? Are you going to throw all of your support behind Obama? I mean, after all, he’d be the leader of our team, er, the United States. Could you really just “turn off” your affection for the guy that you really wanted, or would you be just a little perturbed that “your” guy didn’t win?
For better or for worse, Vick was a beloved figure to a large amount of people in our fair city. You may not understand that… just like I don’t understand people’s fascination with George Bush.
It goes both ways.
By Bo Fan
August 20, 2008 4:36 PM | Link to this
If I remember correctly and I know I do he played a part-time football schedule as well.
Look the last four years in KC before Bo’s football injury he averaged about .250 with 28 HRS and 80 RBI’s a year playing two sports. You can have the one .300 average of Deion’s but total production there is no comparison to Bo and Deion in baseball. Deion couldn’t hit with power, had a weak arm and was an above average at best defensive outfielder. By the way in those 4 years he averaged about 26 steal a year plus hit home runs and more doubles than Deion.
Again no comparison!!!