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Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Andruw story was much ado about nothing
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH: I’m blushing at all the fuss made over Andruw Jones’ name popping up on the waiver list, which is nothing more than going fishing. Drop a hook in the water, see who bites. It’s done every year this time, and names bigger than Andruw’s have been dangled on the line, but never got a nibble because every other team knew it was a ruse… . And whatever became of John Schuerholz’s magic wand?
• “Who dominates the game today? It’s 100 percent bombers. It doesn’t make any difference where you hit it anymore. They can’t put enough rough out there to make any difference.” — Jack Nicklaus. Then Corey Pavin goes out and wins the Milwaukee Open finishing last in driving yardage.
• With all this emphasis on how many miles per hour a pitcher throws a baseball, where does a knuckleballer go to get a shot these days?
• Well, the official word is in from the source that matters: The Royal & Ancient has said that The British Open won’t have to wait another 39 years to go back to Royal Liverpool. It doesn’t say how long, however.
• Would you consider that the PGA Tour might be stretching it a bit when it wants the Tour Championship to become known as “The Super Bowl of Golf?” That refers to 2007, when the East Lake event is backed up to September, at the end of that FedEx Cup run. Or might it have be said to be the “Daytona 500 of Golf?” No, that’s not right either, for NASCAR is the only show that stages its “Super Bowl” right out of the box.
• When you think of the Oakland Raiders, you think of Al Davis, right? Actually, a lady named Amy Trask is officially listed as chief executive, and recognized as one of Advertising Age’s “26 Women to Watch.” Don’t worry, you can bet Al’s got his eye on her, too.
• The point should have made, in our discussion of sometime relief pitchers in the Baseball Hall of Fame, that Dennis Eckersley had pitched a no-hit game, too, as well as Hoyt Wilhelm. Wilhelm went in as a trailblazer as well, first pitcher who got into over 1,000 games.
• Jeff Francoeur is a fellow who fares well at both kinds of plates. He was the speaker at Furman University’s Ninth Annual Diamond Classic Dinner.
• Remember the time when most college baseball coaches were staff members doing double duty for a little extra cash? If you don’t, so it was, quite often. LSU’s new coach, Paul Mainieri, was lured from Notre Dame, and quite a lure it was — $400,000 a year for five years. OK, so there are utility infielders making that much in the big leagues.
• No football coach ever tried to fill such a pair of shoes as these: Hunk Anderson succeeded Knute Rockne at Notre Dame and later, George Halas of the Chicago Bears. Of course he didn’t have a chance even though he had a winning record in both cases.
• The grim reaper has been taking his toll of the football voices of the South, Jim Fyffe of Auburn last year, Paul Eells of Arkansas just recently and Stan Torgeson, Ole Miss broadcaster for years, a few weeks back. But ol’ gravel-voiced Larry Munson goes on and on, and Georgia salutes his 40 years of Bulldogology on Saturday. Few, if any, have ever had that staying power, and I hereby salute him. Growl on, old boy.
Selah.
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The Tuesday Countdown
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
10: They had a showdown with the division-leading Mets and got swept. They had a showdown with the wildcard-leading Reds and lost two out of three. They started another homestand with a loss, and entering Tuesday had the second-worst home record in the majors (behind only Kansas City). So when does the last Braves’ fan yell, “Uncle!”?
9: Seriously, we’ve seen flawed Braves teams in these past 14 seasons. What we haven’t seen is a team fail miserably so often when its proverbial backs were against the wall. So if you still expect this team to make the playoffs, I’d like to know why. Please blog below, although I’m not sure how strong the wireless signal is on Neptune.
8: Barry Bonds: A despised liar. Mark McGwire: A dumb liar. Floyd Landis: A liar who really, really, wants you to like him. But, still a liar.
7: My daughter: Not a liar (usually) but capable of wonderful rationalizations. She sent out 222 text messages in the first seven days she had her cellphone. Her explanation: “I had to get the word out I had a phone.”
6: Maybe a liar, maybe not, but either way really, really dumb: Paul Lo Duca, whose wife - a former Playboy model! - has filed for divorce. Lo Duca’s infidelity and gambling issues have been cited. Dolt.
5: Viagra is sponsoring the Major League Baseball’s comeback player award. When you think about it, could any product be more associated with great comebacks?
4: I know. Another performance-enhancing drug in baseball. I get it.
3: The Falcons play their first exhibition game Friday: Three lucky fans will be chosen to attempt a field goal.
2: I’ll be shocked if the Falcons don’t eventually pick up Paul Edinger or another free agent kicker. But two questions: 1) Why would a team with playoff aspirations even wait this long? 2) Whose bright idea was it to dump the consistent Todd Peterson without a backup plan?
1: Went to a garage sale last week and saw Billy Knight sitting with Al Harrington.
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