AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2007 > August > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USNo ‘Sopranos’, no historic theft for Franco
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
FOR WHAT IT’S WORTH: Not bragging, but ours may be the only household in America that never watched one episode of “The Sopranos.” … Julio Franco, 49, stole a base in his first game at Class A, but he’s not the oldest player to steal a base in a professional game. Jim Poole, then 51, did it when he played first base at Moultrie in the Class D Georgia-Florida League in 1946. Of course he had an edge. He owned the team. … Whatever became of Doug Johnson? You know, the Falcons QB who beat Dallas, then faded from view? Last I heard, he was on the Cincinnati Bengals roster.
Remember Bob Kurtz? Now pastor of a church in Cullman, Ala., he put on an endurance show for charity, all the golf he could play in one day, and he got in 220 holes by sundown, matching his age four times, and was 22 under par. In case the name strikes a bell, he was a sportscaster at Turner Broadcasting before turning to the ministry. … What the Braves have done is follow a drafting course that varies from the Falcons, and with exciting success. They’ve delivered such homegrown produce as Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann, Chuck James and several young prospects developing in the farm system. The Falcons, on the other hand, have drafted only seven Georgia alumni, and even fewer from Georgia Tech. … Sometimes gambles pay off, sometimes they don’t. Pitcher Tanyon Sturtze was one that didn’t, a loss of $750,000. You’d have better luck at the roulette table,
Micah Owings, Arizona’s pitcher who put on “The Natural” show against the Braves last week, isn’t the only athlete in the family. His father, Jim, was a split end at Georgia Tech in the early ’70s. … Yes, the Southland is due its pride in Dr. James Andrews, whose surgery has revived many a pitching arm. But, let us not forget that the surgeon who pioneered this procedure is Dr. Frank Jobe, of Southern vintage himself. Grew up in Greensboro, N.C., before settling in Los Angeles. … You know, watching Arena Football to me would be like watching Wimbledon transferred to table tennis.
How the PGA Tour intends to make its payout in the FedEx Cup championships is still a muddle to most. Some say deferred payments may be claimed at age 45, others think it’s 60, but one of the major concerns is what about the caddies? When do they get their cut? They’d like to have their checks presented on the 18th green at East Lake. … The next Bob Hope tournament is being advertised as “hosted by George Lopez.” Beg pardon? Who’s going to introduce George?
Joe Garagiola in his new book, “Just Play Ball”: “These young players think we’re antiques. I tell them we had pitchers who threw 90 mph. We just didn’t make a big fuss about it. They did it for nine innings.” … Ever notice how similar are the facial features of Ryan Howard and Babe Ruth? Or maybe you don’t have an old sepia of Ruth lying around. As a pitcher, say this for the Babe, he did his own closing. … First time I saw Craig Biggio, he was a catcher in Asheville, leading his league in stolen bases, just a few weeks out of Seton Hall University. From an Asheville Tourist to 3,000 hits as a Houston Astro.
I don’t know that this is anything official, but I’d have to agree with a recently released list of the five most underrated college football coaches: Paul Johnson at Navy, Ralph Friedgen at Maryland, Chris Peterson at Boise State, Bret Bielema at Wisconsin and Bobby Johnson at Vanderbilt. … Peterson, by the way, may become one of the first to coach a game in China. Boise State and Oregon are planning to schedule a game in China in 2009, which would be the first. NCAA approval awaits. … Market experts rate the five most difficult college game tickets to come by, and Notre Dame is in four of them. … Most inane interview question put to an athlete after he has just won the big one: “What does this mean to you?” … Selah.
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By Me
August 23, 2007 11:11 PM | Link to this
I’ve never seen the Sopranos either.
By One
August 24, 2007 7:27 AM | Link to this
We’ve never seen the Sopranos either!!
By Oneiron
August 24, 2007 8:54 AM | Link to this
Neither have I seen the Sopranos. Now a question: Since when did the Falcons make GT or UGA their farm team?
By bobby
August 24, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this
I never saw the Sopranos either, also never watch the Desperate Housewives, American Idol or any of the idiotic survival shows. I think I get along just fine without them.
By Bill Campbell
August 24, 2007 11:16 AM | Link to this
Add my family to the list. We have never watched, not ever cared to watch, a ‘Sopranos’ episode. There is enough filth going around on the regular networks. Maybe this will end up showing that the ratings for this show were overly inflated. I’ve been reading Bisher though for over 50 years.
By DavefromChattanooga
August 24, 2007 11:29 AM | Link to this
If you like “Idol” and the like … You should try A & E, History Channel and Discovery. You’ll LOVE the shows on these channels and you just might LEARN something! I DETEST “reality” shows. They show the bottom feeders of society, generally.
By Ssgreeno
August 24, 2007 12:12 PM | Link to this
Doug Johnson is still playing backup for the Bengals; saw him the other night on a replay of a preseason game, on the NFL channel. Didn’t see any improvement over when he was a Falcon. We probably should stop whining about Joey Harrison; it could be worse!
By sandra holcomb
August 24, 2007 12:22 PM | Link to this
There is no good shows on tv anymore.
I have enjoyed reading Bisher for 60 years.
By DavefromChattanooga
August 24, 2007 12:36 PM | Link to this
Who is Mrs. “Harrison’s” little boy Joey?
By Rev. Zoldars
August 24, 2007 1:32 PM | Link to this
Yeah reality shows are not necessarily informative or educational. But people who watch those probably watch discovery and all those “educational” shows too…because its TV. So if your watching TV to learn something, your probably not educated anyway. And since the media and marketing spawns reality shows and “filth” - as one reader so eloquently stated - they are also responsible for the crap you read in the AJC each day. PLease, reading these articles about shows people dont agree with, is just gossip anyway. Hell, you dont like it, dont watch it. But, weather you like it or not, the public is as much responsible for the choice of programming we receive as the people who actually put it on the air. You’re all pots calling the kettle black. and everyone commenting on how they dont like those shows, and we dont watch those shows, they are all bad for you, etc, etc, etc…well you must be better than everyone else.
However, Furmans article was tolerable today. possibly a first
Oh, and it’s “Harrington” not “Harrison”. If you were indeed talking about the falcons.
Maybe you guys should watch more tv. you might know what the hell is going on, or at least know our starting quarterback.
Pathetic. everyone. Thhhhbt!
By Jim Staudt
August 24, 2007 1:34 PM | Link to this
Couldn’t agree more on the candy-a* pitchers of today who think their day is over when they hit the 100-pitch “wall”. Somebody should tell them about the 18 inning game in which Warren Spahn and Juan Marichal both went the distance. (That’s called a “complete game” for those of you under 30.) I think Spahn won 1-0 if my memory serves me right. And don’t forget the “ultimate perfect game”, a 12-inning masterpiece pitched by Pirates lefty Harvey Haddix. In that game, both starting pitchers, Haddix and the Braves’ Lew Burdette, were still going strong in the 13th inning when it ended on a walk-off homer off Haddix that turned into a single. Long story; you could look it up.
By DavefromChattanooga
August 24, 2007 6:24 PM | Link to this
Hey Rev! Since YOU brought up other’s educations …It’s “WHETHER” not “WEATHER.” And you sure use Hell alot. Are you really “Reverend” Al Sharpton or the “Rev.” with the out-of-wedlock kids, Jesse Jackson?
By Bill in Mentone
August 24, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this
Where is Franco playing? Who was the oldest major league ball player, and at what age?