Jeff Schultz

By james

October 28, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this

I agree with you 100%. The 8 p.m. starting time for World Series is simply outrageous. What is their reasoning behind this wonderful decision? They won’t compete with football at any time? Is it that they get more $$for ads at 8:30 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. or heaven forbid a day game on Saturday afternoon? Is it FOX TV’s idea? Since it makes no sense it must be FOX.

By Smitty

October 28, 2008 12:31 PM | Link to this

I am one of the 3500 hardcore Thrashers fans but I do not know for how long. There needs to be a better product on the ice and that means a new GM. This has gone on far too long. As for baseball, all is not lost. Friend of mine cancelled on the Thrasher game tonite to watch the Phillies.

By Atlanta fan

October 28, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this

I think all Atlanta sports teams need a bailout. Or the fans need a bailout. Get rid of all the GMs & Owners (minus Arthur Blank) who have no passion to win or connection to Atlanta.

By Dr. Warren

October 28, 2008 1:02 PM | Link to this

Curious, Jeff—have you heard the Seahawks have actually gotten wiser about Mora or is that just your advice? I’m wondering with the team not playing so well if they’re really considering reneging on their offer for him to be head coach in ‘09.

By jon

October 28, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this

It’s a shame that all the big sports have sold out to TV. Did anyone see the race at Atlanta on Sunday? The tens of thousands of empty seats were glaringly obvious on TV. I know there are a number of factors, but I’m sure one culprit is the way that the live fans are treated. I think the green flag dropped at about 3PM on a Sunday afternoon. The races used to start at about 12:00 - 12:30. Many NASCAR fans drive long distances to attend the event. There is a big difference between getting home at 10:00 PM and getting home after midnight when you have to be at work the next day. The last race I attended was when it rained and they didn’t call the race off until after 6:00 PM.

By LivininAL

October 28, 2008 1:32 PM | Link to this

Baseball has become too greedy. I would not be suprised to see another stupid round of playoffs added and have the World Series finish on Christmas Eve,of course game time no earlier than 8:00 p m. Might even let Santa throw out the game ball. America’s past time has lasted way past many American’s bedtime, and America slowly gives baseball a big yawn…

By Chris

October 28, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this

I’m with you Atlanta Fan! This town is an absolut joke when it comes to sports.

By Chris

October 28, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

Absolute I suppose I should say…lol

By fatz

October 28, 2008 1:54 PM | Link to this

i noticed wayne huzienga wants to sell his dolphins stake to his partner because he knows capital gains tax rate going higher. politics aside, its a good time to sell. the NFL in better shape then the rest because of the scarcity value of a 16 game season, but these TV deals are going to start trailing off, and ticket prices have no room to give. corporate expense cutting may create a lot of empty boxes at a lot of venues. pro athletes- SAVE your money.

By AthensFOXHater

October 28, 2008 1:59 PM | Link to this

I HATE the FOX network. I DESPISE everything about it and I am serously considering boycotting every show on it… except Family Guy. FOX has ruined sports completely. Everything that is wrong with sports and sports media is wrong with FOX.. awful commentators, over the top graphics, start times for games, and the worst of all… tv show promos within the games. One year, they brought the actors from the new shows to the games and showed them in attendance sitting there probably not enjoying the game at all… and wasting five tickets that real fans could’ve had.
The fact that FOX has rights to the BCS is absurd to say the very least.. no college football coverage all year long, but hey, we get the Sugar Bowl and the BCS National Championship. College football should belong to CBS, ABC, ESPN.. that is it. Major League Baseball, go back with NBC.

By JSS

October 28, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this

What in the heck are you asking that moron Schultz about Mora for? That fool doesn’t even have his ear to the ground in Atlanta, less alone what is going on in the NW!!!

The problem with the S-Hawks is that they let a Pro Bowl guard walk away and they’ve never been the same since…

NASCAR is getting what it deserves as far attendance, the gold is flaking off the gaudy Bass trophy and the Manny, Moe, & Jack award…

Schultz, I made a reservation for you at Marvin Harrison’s establishment for you, just go in and open your stupid big mouth!!! Oh!!! Wait for the click sound, you’ll get a bang out of it…

By michaelgee

October 28, 2008 2:04 PM | Link to this

Atlanta Sports- All Atlanta sports teams need to do what GTech and Arthur Blank have done this season.

Launch an all out assault on mediocrity and give this sorts starved city something to watch.

Sadly, the Braves have begun a down spiral that Delta’s best pilots could not pull out of, even the sober ones.

The Bobby Cox era is done, sure Bobby likes the payday but just look at what the good old boy “feel good” network did to us this season.

The Braves need to cut ties with the elder players who simply can’t perform at any acceptable level anymore. Mike Hampton should be gone first. Hire a Coach who is legitimately clever to coach the Braves.

Just shoot in there amongst us, this city needs some relief like what Matt Ryan, Dimitroff and Mike Smith inspire.

ajc, you guys could also pick it up some for the community vs the last decade’s support level shown. I’m not saying support the teams, but do know that you are letting the City of ATL down when you bash local sports franchises.

The youth of Atlanta believe the bunk some writers write in their attacks on owners.

By Ike

October 28, 2008 2:20 PM | Link to this

CHRIS-

Atlanta is NOT a bad sports town— but residents here are much more into COLLEGE sports than PRO sports.

oh, and a newsflash: Philly teams don’t sell out their games when they suck either. neither do boston fans (except for the redsox). but they cheer when opponents break their neck so they are “good” and “die-hard” fans.

By Jeff Schultz

October 28, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this

Dr. Warren: The Seahawks can’t “reneg” on their offer to Mora since they gave him a long-term contract. But I’m sure ownership and GM Tim Ruskell must realize it was a mistake, given the fortunes of not only the team in general but the defense, which Mora coaches. Seriously, if he wants to leave, I can’t believe they would try to keep him. …. TV sold out to sports a long time ago. I remember CBS used to stretch out NBA playoff series as long as possible to get as many Sunday games as possible. But at least those were day games. What’s going on now is ridiculous. ….. Athens: Family Guy, Simpsons and 24. Or to put it another way: Stewie, Bart and Jack. …. Michaelgee: I have found that above all else, people want honesty, whether they agree with the opinion of the columnist or not. And I’m not sure what “bashing” of Atlanta sports in this blog you’re referring to. Thrashers’ attendance problems. The Hawks’ forecast by a sportsbook? … Thanks all. JS

By Brendan

October 28, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this

I see, Jeff, that the WS won’t even be attempted to resume until Wednesday night. Thank goodness. Imagine being a fan in Philly who attended last night’s game. You sit there, freezing in the downpour, but smiling, because you hope you’ll be about to witness the city’s 1st major professional championship since the 1983 76ers. But nooo, the game is called, in the 6th inning, because of rain.

Well, if you’re a Philly fan, you probably hoped for the game to be called in the 5th inning, when the score was 2-1, in favor of the Phillies. Well, in “normal” circumstances, that’s game over, series over, fork over the trophy! Drought … officially expired.

Instead, TB fans ESCAPE Hamels and if they can come up with 2.5 decent innings, or EXTRA Innings, as the case may warrant, then you get this series back to Tampa Bay, where the Rays have a halfway “decent” shot at holding serve to bring home the Championship.

I don’t think they should have even attempted Game 5. But, as the sign out front of the stadium reads, “Sorry, but there’s profit to be had. These hot dogs won’t sell themselves. And we owe the mustard delivery guy, before we even start with the relish and pickle folks. So, “Game On!”

Had they ‘tried’ to get in 2.5 innings tonight, and failed, then they’d be asking Philadelphians to come out to watch Game Five three (3) times. Of course, Rays fans have said, “why not cancel the results of Game 5, and re-play it, and Game Six, if need be, in Tampa Bay? If the Rays win both, Game Seven would be back in Philly? Yeah … no. The Phillies fans want to win this thing in Philly, if there’s a preference to be had. They are, after all, only 9 outs away, potentially.

By Orlando

October 28, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this

This is what baseball gets for deciding to have off days during the playoffs even on non travel days. Trying to space things out for ratings does not work. It’s like ESPN’s Colin Cowherd said this morning: the longer you go in October, the more people tune out to watch football. That’s why they moved the first day of the series to Wednesday last year.

Day games in the World Series will never happen, and it shouldn’t.

What’s so funny is that I don’t see anyone complaining about NBA Finals games that begin at 9pm. Oh yeah, maybe it’s because the league promotes their players to the point where people don’t care what time it starts as long as they are watchable.

Question Schultz, had this been the Red Sox-Dodgers, would anyone complain about the start time?

The second that MLB stops trying to cater to promote only the Yankees and Red Sox and begins making everyone get some of the spotlight then will they get better ratings. Otherwise, we’ll be watching the World Series on TBS, only to have Game 1 interrupted by the Steve Harvey show!

By Brendan

October 28, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this

I think the hockey fans in the metro area cannot understand why there is no accountability at the GM position. Quite possibly, Ilya Kovalchuk wonders the very same thing? In any other organization, a GM who hasn’t tasted the 2nd round of the playoffs in eight seasons is not so politely asked to step down. Or, the GM’s contract just plain isn’t renewed.

Now, the Atlanta Spirit feels that a GM’s contract and salary are none of your concern. But it has appeared, throughout the web, that Waddell has a 3-year contract that expires in 2011. I wouldn’t doubt that for a moment. And, I further believe Waddell will be here until that contract expires. Or, plainer still, so long as the Atlanta Spirit runs the hockey side of operations.

Don Waddell does everything the AS, LLC asks him to do. He makes the draft picks. He signs the contracts. He makes the trades, when required. He decides who gets picked up off waivers and who doesn’t. He even hired John Anderson to coach. The Atlanta Spirit, LLC wouldn’t have done ANY of these things on their own. Waddell adheres to strictly imposed budgets. He positions the team to rebuild itself in the lottery draft, on something close to an annual basis. Waddell obfuscates well enough to get a certain percentage of people to pay “full price” on season tickets. From the “business perspective,” keeping Waddell makes a ton of sense.

From a sports perspective, Waddell’s retention is indefensible.

By Rusty Priske

October 28, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this

You do realize that not everybody lives in the eastern time zone, right?

An 8pm start means 5pm on the west coast. If you start earlier then west coasters won’t get to see the start of the game (as it is, many can’t, but they don’t miss TOO much)

8pm is a compromise… a reasonable one. Stay up. It is only one a year. (I live in the east, btw… this isn’t me being selfish.)

By Wayne

October 28, 2008 4:29 PM | Link to this

If you have a brain you know that TV enterprises is the enemy of all good athlethic teams. No one can mess up a good game more than TV and their know it all anouncers-even if they have never played the game. The MLB commish is merely an owners lap-dog and a person who is totally incapable of making a decision unless the TV execs tell him what to do and say. “A real mans man” ha ha ha.

By David

October 28, 2008 6:20 PM | Link to this

I think more families might go see the Thrashers if they advertised their prices. Going down to Phillips Arena and finding out you didn’t bring a big enough sack of cash is a little intimidating. Maybe a little special pricing. Come to think of it, they probably could do better job of letting folks know when the next game is without having to go to the web site.

By BravesFan79

October 28, 2008 7:04 PM | Link to this

Jim Mora was actually a decent coach in my mind…. not HIS fault we had a QB in Vick that had a IQ of around 75.

I don’t mind the late start times in baseball….the fathers that took their kids home early from the games would probably awake after midnight to find their kids watching Family Guy on tv anyways!
This isnt leave it to beaver! Normal pple just dont go to bed at 9pm…. SORRY!!

And Author Blank…. PLEASE PLEASE leave the soccer and all other sports alone… and CONCENTRATE ON BUYING THE BRAVES!! were tired of this corporate ownership crap

By Maniac is accurate

October 28, 2008 7:05 PM | Link to this

“We’ll handle it and it’s going to be a big deal.”

What this means is, particularly after the past two games, Meyer thinks he is going to brilliantly scheme and will (through his God-like intellect and super hero powers) the Gators to a monumental Ga. Tech vs. Cumberland-like rout.

Good luck with that, jack@$$. You’re going down, clown.

By Pete

October 28, 2008 7:51 PM | Link to this

I would like to know why every sporting event has to have a mini concert before a game. Every network has someone they are promoting, so these concerts make every game or event start later. One more thing,FOX PLEASE STOP THE CLOSEUP CAMERA SHOT’S!!! I really don’t care to see the sweat forming on someone or the pores of someone’s skin.

By Najeh Davenpoop

October 28, 2008 8:33 PM | Link to this

In perhaps the least surprising news of all time, Jim Mora’s secondary in Seattle this year has plummeted to 30th in the NFL in pass defense, after being near the middle of the pack in pass defense in the years immediately preceding Mora’s hiring. If any GM or athletic director gives that doofus a head coaching job they deserve the subsequent losing seasons.

In related news, not too surprising to see Oakland with one of the most ineffective offenses in the league with Greg Knapp at offensive coordinator.

Also not too surprising to see the University of Washington’s defense, coached by Ed Donatell, dead last in team defense in the Pac-10.

Good to know that some things are still right in the world.

AthensFOXhater, just get your Family Guy fix on Adult Swim and you can boycott FOX completely.

By Scottbravesfan

October 29, 2008 12:20 AM | Link to this

You think we could start a petition to try and get MLB to go back to NBC? Remember how awesome the baseball coverage was on NBC? Bob Costas was an awesome baseball play by play guy. They treated the game right and they were just classy about the whole thing. Same thing when they had the NBA. Now Fox has ruined MLB and ABC and ESPN has done a TERRIBLE job with the NBA.

Also no one makes mention about the NBA’s ratings in the finals. Yet when it’s baseball people go nuts over it. The fact is, is that when there are small market teams, NO ONE CARES!!!! No one cares about the Rays. The Phillies are a big market team with no fan base nationally. Same thing in the NBA when ratings were bad. No one cares about the Spurs, Cavs, or Pistons. They want Lakers, Celtics, and Bulls.

Also Jeff, I got to disagree with you about baseball losing a generation. Baseball is very popular with people my age and I’m in my 20s. Go to the ballpark and you see a lot of adults in their 20s as well as kids there with their families. It’s a shame that the kids can’t stay up but when I was a kid I used to sneak some TV time to watch the Braves on the west coast when they played the Dodgers and Giants all the time.

By greg

October 29, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this

The start times are a joke and baseball has lost a generation because the young kids are fast asleep by the 4th inning. Games ending after midnight is completly insane….and they wonder why ratings are down…baseball is run by idiots.

By Ken Stallings

October 29, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this

Ole Bud keeps making the best decisions with the inept planning that boxes him into brutal corners of his own making!

The foolish part of the game wasn’t that it was suspended tied after six innings. Rather it was that it wasn’t suspended after 4.5 innings when the heavens opened up and turned the game into a plodding and muddy joke of a sporting contest!

The Phillies have every reason to feel jilted by what is rightly perceived as an outcome arrived at by desperate desire. Namely, reach a tie and suspend the game vice upset people by Bud making a true leadership decision to suspend a game despite the rules.

All that would have needed to happen is for a player to suffer injury from those muddy conditions for the whole jig to be given up. Fortunately, it seems no one was injured.

Everything else in your column was true also.

By willdave

October 29, 2008 9:43 AM | Link to this

I didn’t like the one-week layoff between the end of the ALCS and the beginning of the World Series. That was entirely too long. The further back you push the start of the Series, the better chance that you are going to run into ugly weather. That is especially true for northern cities with outdoor stadiums like Philadelphia, New York, Chicago, etc.

By Big Papa

October 29, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this

I wouldn’t spend a dollar to see a pro spots game these days. The money, arrogance, lack of sportsmanship, have completely run me off at age 44. It use to be age 55 for my dad’s generation. The trend does not look good as the ticket prices and salaries climb. If the economy takes the predicted 5-7 years to turn around we will see many empty stadiums. Chipper and Glavine can kiss my arse. Wouldn’t pay 2 bucks to see them. The Hawks, what a joke, Thrashers, joke, Falcons, Ryan is inspiring, but I can’t afford to go on my 75K salary while supporting a family…sad state of affairs.

By Alacazar

October 29, 2008 1:38 PM | Link to this

You’re right about the Thrashers. I would have renewed my season tickets if Waddell had been fired and the owners acted like they cared a little bit. I bet Kovy can’t wait until his contract is over.

By Bob

October 29, 2008 2:21 PM | Link to this

They’re still playing baseball? I lost interest in that joke of a sport years ago, but it’s ludicrous to be playing games in Philly at this time of year, it’s almost November, WTF?

From the “business perspective,” keeping Waddell makes a ton of sense

Not anymore, Brendan. Those empty seats are costing the owners a ton of cash. Hockey’s revenue comes from the fans, there’s no TV revenue. If they had fired Waddell and hired a competent GM, I, and thousands of others, would still be season ticket holders. They dug their own grave though, but I would hazard to guess they did not expect this season ticket holder revolt and are mighty p** at Waddell. He probably told them eh, these hockey fans are hooked to us like we’re crack dealers, they’ll never leave Wrong again, Donnie.

By Joe

October 29, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this

8:00pm starts are bad enough. Tonight they are waing til 8:30 to let Obama give a speech. Won’t watch either.

By bali

October 29, 2008 3:35 PM | Link to this

thanks for complaning about baseball and tv. Can u believe the potential series ender has been delayed for 2 days and possibly longer. Tv is ruining a sport I love. When i was a kid most world series games started after noon and were over around 5 or 6.Plus the series did not last till November. Kids today r missing out on not feeling good in the morning so u could stay home and watch the tigers and cardinals play game seven of the world series or having a teacher who liked the pirates and being able to watch acouple of innings of the pirates and th family play ball.ohh well maybe one day things will be better, but i doubt it.

By Paddy

October 29, 2008 3:42 PM | Link to this

Baseball has been doing this to the fans a long time. You say they have lost a whole gereration, heck, they have lost two whole generations.

By Coach (Skip and Pete will be missed)

October 29, 2008 6:10 PM | Link to this

I agree and I disagree.

Money rules baseball and the same can be said for television. But, who pays the cable bill?

That’s right dear friends, WE DO. The fans. We pay cable, cable pays the networks and they dole out the dollars to MLB. It all goes round and round.

love it or hate it, that’s reality. There’s a sucker born every minute. I look at him in the mirror every morning and so do you.

By Daniel Thomas

October 29, 2008 8:02 PM | Link to this

I have been a Braves fan my whole life and always will be. I remember when they were in the NL West, now how ef’d up was that. It sucked having to miss most of the games because I had to go to bed. Then they switched to the east and things got better, but now I have to get up at 3:30AM so I’m missing games all over again. One last thing. About these so called play by play guys they all suck. The home teams announcers should get to make the calls in the post season. I don’t give a sh*t about any of the FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, or ESPN jock sniffers. Costas, Al Michaels, and Madden are the only ones I have the least bit of respect for. But damnit why did NBC have to put Olbermienfurher on my TV. I just can’t believe he hasn’t started lashing out at the known conservatives Collinsworth and Tiki Barber. When Obama loses he just may lose his grip on reality and we’ll get to see some fireworks.

By Hillbilly Deluxe

October 29, 2008 10:00 PM | Link to this

Bud Selig: The man who made us forget how inept Bowie Kuhn was.

By Slapshot

November 2, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this

A freind in Tampa told me that the cheapest tickets available to the general public for game 1 of the World Series were $200 each. How are you supposed to take your kids at that price? Baseball is committing suicide one young fan lost at a time.

By Brian

November 5, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this

David O’ Brien is a BIASED LIBERAL!! He is a LOSER that needs to write for a LIBERAL city like LA or NY!! He would NOT smart off to me if he saw me in person and that’s a fact!!

By BrittishAnger

November 13, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this

Why do they even include your commentary on the Hawks side? Write something or get the AJC Webstaff to clear out your commentary page…worthless loon….