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Friday, September 22, 2006
Cox in dugout is your best bet
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Terence Moore
Nothing against Joe Torre, the latest Pride of the Yankees when it comes to managing, but he’s no Bobby Cox. And, yes, I know about that little difference between the two regarding world championships. While Torre has four, Cox has one.
Worse for Cox, with the Yankees streaking toward October courtesy of overwhelming talent, and with the Braves stumbling out of the playoffs for the first time since 1990, that World Series-clinching gap between Cox and Torre is only a Halloween away from becoming five to one.
It’s just that the Pride of the Braves when it comes to managing has the advantage everywhere else.
For instance: Cox would have done as much (you know, win four world championships) as Torre in the past 11 years with Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and George Steinbrenner’s open wallet. Conversely, if Torre had spent the past 11 years in Atlanta with corporate ownership, along with a constantly revolving cast around John Smoltz and the two Joneses (Chipper and Andruw) that included 18 rookies last season, the Braves’ record streak of 14 consecutive division titles would have ended about 876 blown saves ago.
Just guessing. Then again, take it from Brian Jordan, the Braves’ reserve infielder and outfielder, who is an expert on Cox and Torre after playing for both. He compared and contrasted the two managerial heavyweights of 25 seasons each, starting with the differences.
“Well, the biggest difference is, Bobby has had to pick and choose through the years to make up a bullpen in order to keep winning,” Jordan said by phone Friday from Denver before the Braves faced the Colorado Rockies. Added Jordan, who played for Torre’s St. Louis Cardinals in the early 1990s, “Bobby also has had to make a lot more decisions because of a lack of talent, at least by comparison. Whereas I think that Joe has had the benefit with the Yankees of having a lot of MVPs on his team. But, I mean, it’s really hard to say that now, because I look at Joe’s current bullpen and at his [overall] year, and it’s been a tough situation.”
So tough that the Yankees spent the early summer chasing the hated Red Sox after lengthy injuries to sluggers Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield. Other regulars also were hurt for a while, and then there was Randy Johnson throwing like the old pitcher that he is at 43. The A-Rod soap opera didn’t help the Yankees’ cause, either, with Alex Rodriguez forgetting how to hit, field and throw for long stretches. Still, Torre helped the Yankees survive no matter what, and now they are challenging the Mets for the game’s best record.
Ho-hum. Cox has been there and done all of that during the Braves’ wonderful streak that was. Remember the significant aches and pains of Smoltz, Javy Lopez, David Justice, Kevin Millwood, Rafael Furcal, Chipper Jones, Andres Galarraga and Sheffield? Remember the soap opera of full-time reliever and part-time sociologist John Rocker? Once, Cox lacked three-fifths of his starting rotation. Even during this lost season, Cox wouldn’t allow the Braves to dream of an early vacation after falling 13 games below .500 in late June. As a result, they entered Friday’s game needing to finish only 7-2 the rest of the way to sit above .500.
Through the good and the bad, Cox hasn’t changed. “And that’s where Bobby and Joe are exactly alike: They are laid-back, and they are players’ managers in that they let you go out and play,” Jordan said. “They are not ones who will flip over the food table when they get mad. Not yellers or screamers. If you do something bad, they’re going to address it, but they’re going to do it in a professional way and in a one-on-one situation. They both make great decisions when the time is right.”
Here’s another difference, though: Cox turned the lowly Toronto Blue Jays into perennial winners between his two stints with the Braves. Despite also managing for 14 years with the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals and the Braves, Torre won big only with the Yankees.
Advantage, Cox.
Again.
Permalink | Comments (28) | Categories: Braves / MLB, Terence Moore
Jackets live up to role as favorites
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
It’s safe to assume that the degeneration of ACC football this season has been met with some amusement on the Flats. I mean, how often does the coach at Georgia Tech enjoy more job security than the one at Miami? Or N.C. State, or Maryland, or half the conference?
The Yellow Jackets did what they were supposed to do Thursday night. They stomped an opponent, Virginia, that seemed to be begging for more footprints on their foreheads.
Now, it may be a little early to start talking about season-defining victories. But it says something that Tech actually followed a blueprint. There has been this problem in the Chan Gailey regime of inexcusable losses drowning out the occasional upset win. That’s how you end up with a case full of Humanitarian and Emerald bowl trophies, and a fan base that wants to chuck flaming slide rules when it hears the coach got a contract extension.
Thursday, the Jackets looked a cut above their past in their ACC opener, a 24-7 win over the Cavaliers. Now there’s a switch.
“It was paramount we do this — paramount,” defensive tackle Darryl Richard said. “I know there were people out there — no question — that were betting that we were going to let down and lose this game. That’s one of the things we talked about constantly this offseason. We’re tired of those types of things happening to us. We took it to a new level.”
This is what a college program is supposed to do. There was never any hint of an upset Thursday, though it always helps when the opponent doesn’t show any hint of a pulse. The Cavaliers trailed 24-0 four minutes into the third quarter.
As will be the case all season, NFL scouts turned out to watch wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Despite a double-secret leg injury, he seemed to do OK. He had touchdown catches of 58 and 66 yards, and his six catches covered almost as many yards (165) as Virginia’s offense (166).
This was the test game for the Jackets. They gave Notre Dame a run but lost, which figured. They dumped Samford and Troy, which also figured. But what Team Tease did against Virginia would begin to define its season. A win, and the Jackets could at least entertain thoughts of an upset next week in Blacksburg, Va. A loss, and it was back to flaming slide rules.
“I think everybody expected this to happen on our side,” Gailey said when asked about expectations. “But you’ve got to go do it.”
When asked if he had any uncertainty about his team opening conference play, Gailey said: “I was more concerned about the team we were playing. That’s a big, physical football team, and we’ve been playing dink and dunk teams with speed.”
The Cavaliers might be big, but they’re degenerating at a faster rate than the conference. Before the season, school officials gave coach Al Groh a new six-year deal and jumped his annual pay to $1.7 million. So what was the backup investment — 8-track tapes?
Under Groh, the Cavaliers are 21-20 in ACC games, including 2-11 against Miami, Florida State, Virginia Tech and Boston College. Had Groh gone 3-10, Virginia officials might’ve been moved to throw in a small resort in the Bahamas.
The Cavs were booed during a home loss to Western Michigan last week. That followed a narrow win over Wyoming, which followed a 25-point loss to Pittsburgh. Put it this way: Virginia is now so lightly regarded that it was the same level of underdog to Tech as Troy was the week before (17 points).
To the Jackets’ credit, they didn’t play down to that level. For now, it appears Tech is going one way while much of the conference is going the other.
“We’re trying to get to Jacksonville,” Richard said, a reference to the ACC title game.
Next week, Tech goes to Blacksburg. Defeat Virginia Tech and suddenly a trip to Jacksonville loses its ring of absurdity. Defeat Virginia Tech and suddenly the Jackets will feel quite comfortable in the ACC.
Permalink | Comments (72) | Categories: Jeff Schultz, Tech / ACC
