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Home > ajcsportstalk > Archives > 2006 > October
October 2006
Dogs play tough but lose tough one
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia lost to Florida 21-14 Saturday. The Bulldogs played the Gators tough and might have had a chance to tie the game late but a face-mask penalty gave Florida a key first down.
What did you think of the Dogs’ effort? How about the play of freshman QB Matthew Stafford? Did he gain valuable experience?
Did you agree with the call on the face-mask penalty?
Permalink | Comments (351) | Categories: UGA
Jackets bounce back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After losing big to Clemson last week, Georgia Tech rebounded for a 30-23 victory over Miami Saturday that keeps the Yellow Jackets alive in their bid to reach the ACC title game.
What did you think of this game? How Tech got the ball to Calvin Johnson? How the defense stiffened in the second half? Or were there still too many missed tackles for your comfort?
Who’s your star of the game?
And should this win give Tech enough momentum to get the job done, especially with remaining conference games against struggling N.C. State, North Carolina and Duke?
Are you ready to make plans for Jacksonville in early December?
Permalink | Comments (74) | Categories: Georgia Tech
Tiger skips Tour Championship
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tiger Woods announced Friday he will not appear in the PGA Tour’s season-ending tournament at East Lake, depriving the event of the game’s biggest star.
He says he needs a break to “recharge my batteries” for the 2007 season after winning the last six tournaments he entered.
What do you think of his withdrawal, and the reasons given for it? If you were interested in going to watch the tournament, will you still do it? Does golf interest you only if Tiger Woods is in the field?
Best wishes for David Pollack
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Here’s a chance to send your best wishes and thoughts for David Pollack as he recovers from a broken neck.
He won’t know for several weeks whether he’ll be able to continue his football career, but he says he’s preparing to move on if it’s not good news. “Football is not that important,” he tells the AJC’s Carroll Rogers.
What do you think of his chances for getting back on the field? And what are your best memories of him during his career?
Permalink | Comments (235) | Categories: UGA
Falcons criticized and taunted
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wednesday was a rough day for the Falcons — off the field.
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger said he was taunted by a Falcons player after a hard hit knocked him out of the game last Sunday. He declined to identify the player who talked about the facial injuries the quarterback received during his June motorcycle crash, but said: “I’ll remember his number.”
Meanwhile, receiver Chad Johnson of the Bengals, who the Falcons play Sunday, sounded off against Atlanta cornerback DeAngelo Hall, calling him “DeAngelo Fall.” Johnson also said if Hall gets the best of him and the Falcons win Sunday’s game in Cincinnati, he would shave off his blonde Mohawk.
“He claims himself to be the greatest defensive back since the old No. 21 [Deion Sanders] retired,” Johnson said of Hall. “So he’s self-proclaiming himself the best defensive back in the game right now. I’m going to self proclaim him out of that position when I’m done with him on Sunday.”
Told of Johnson’s remarks, Hall steadfastly refused to respond.
What do you think about the comments from both players? Should Roethlisberger name the player? Are you disappointed to hear this about the Falcons or do the claims have no merit?
How about Hall and Johnson? Are you glad Hall didn’t get into a war of words? Are you excited about the matchup Sunday? Who will get the upper hand on the field?
Do you have a message for Roethlisberger or Johnson? If so, post it here, but please do keep it clean.
Permalink | Comments (185) | Categories: Falcons
Andruw’s new contract
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Scott Boras, the agent for Braves centerfielder Andruw Jones, told the AJC’s David O’Brien Tuesday that he plans to seek a much more lucrative contract for the All-Star than his current 6-year, $75 million deal, which expires after next season.
Whatever specific numbers Boras has in mind are likely to make Jones off limits for the budget-minded Braves.
What should the Braves do? Pay any price to keep what Boras terms “the only complete player” in baseball? Or let him go and try to get something tangible in return, possibly through a trade, to address other pressing needs for a team that missed the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons?
If you were general manager John Schuerholz, what would you do?
Permalink | Comments (242) | Categories: Braves
John Abraham’s injury
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The injury-riddled Falcons debut season for John Abraham continues, as the defensive end is expected to miss at least 3-4 weeks after having abdominal surgery Tuesday.
Injuries to his groin/abdomen areas have recurred throughout Abraham’s career.
How worried are you about how long Abraham may be out this time? And about how much he may be able to contribute the rest of the season as the Falcons aim for the playoffs?
Permalink | Comments (68) | Categories: Falcons
Seeking opinions on presidents’ plea
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Attention, Georgia and Florida fans: What do you think of the school presidents’ requests of television networks to dump the nickname “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party”?
The AJC is working on a story for Tuesday’s editions. E-mail your thoughts to deputy sports editor Jeff D’Alessio at jd’alessio@ajc.com.
Be sure to include your name, hometown and contact information.
Suggest a new name for UGA-Florida game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UGA president Michael Adams wants to drop the longtime nickname for the Georgia-Florida game, “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.”
What name would suggest as a replacement?
Permalink | Comments (486) | Categories: UGA
Falcons prevail; you write the headline
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Falcons outlasted the Steelers 41-38 in overtime Sunday.
There were plenty of moments worthy of headlines in the game — the winning field goal, Michael Vick’s 4 TD passes, a controversial field goal attempt, ex-Georgia star Hines Ward returning to the state, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger getting injured, and more.
What is your headline for Sunday’s game?
Permalink | Comments (78) | Categories: Falcons
Post-game blog: You write the headline
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Clemson ran over Georgia Tech 31-7 Saturday night in an ACC game expected to be much closer.
What went wrong for the Jackets and how does this loss change your outlook for the season?
Give your thoughts on the game, or give us the headline you’d write to sum it all up.
Permalink | Comments (217) | Categories: Georgia Tech
The crackdown on underage drinking
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As Florida and the University of Georgia prepare for their annual football showdown next weekend in Jacksonville, officials from both universities hope new policies designed to curb underage and binge drinking pay off.
This will be the first Georgia-Florida game since the schools enacted tougher policies on alcohol, and since SEC Commissioner Mike Slive and UGA President Michael Adams asked the media to stop referring to the game as The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.
But many students aren’t buying it.
What do you think about the crackdown?
Dawgs survive, but barely
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UGA ended a two-game losing streak by holding off Mississippi State Saturday 27-24.
Are you just glad UGA won, given the gauntlet of Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech coming up? Or are you worried that Mark Richt’s team had a close call against one of the SEC’s worst teams?
In addition to offering your thoughts on the contest, give us the headline you’d write to sum up the game, like many of you did last week.
Permalink | Comments (160) | Categories: UGA
Sympathy for the Devil …. er Mets
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Mets, finally able to beat the Braves for a division title after 14 years of trying, are now in a familiar place — sitting at home, watching the World Series on television. Braves fans, here’s your chance to cheer up our friends in New York by posting a message of sympathy. Be kind.
Mets even series, send it to Game 7
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
New York — The St. Louis Cardinals needed one more win to finish the job, just one more win to upset the New York Mets, the National League superpower all season, and punch their ticket to the World Series.
But a few things got in their way Wednesday night in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series: Jose Reyes’ dynamic talent, rookie pitcher John Maine’s cool under fire, and just maybe Scott Rolen’s pride.
Maine was effectively wild for 5 1/3 innings, and Rolen was ineffective when it counted in a 4-2 Mets win in front of the rowdy Shea Stadium crowd. The win evened the series and set up Game 7 for the NL pennant Thursday night.
“This is awesome,” said catcher Paul Lo Duca, whose two-run, two-out single in the seventh inning put the Mets ahead 4-0. “I can’t imagine what [Thursday’s] going to be like. This has been an unbelievable series.”
The Cardinals will start Jeff Suppan, and the Mets will counter with Oliver Perez on short rest instead of struggling Steve Trachsel or Darren Oliver, who pitched six scoreless relief innings in Game 3 but hasn’t started since 2004.
“I’m not in real good shape to talk about [Game 7],” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said, “because I was convinced we were going to find a way to win and not have to go through this again.”
The teams have alternated wins for four games, and each is 2-1 at home in the series. The Mets won home-field advantage by virtue of their league-best 97 wins, while St. Louis hung on to win the Central with an 83-79 record.
Thursday night, the Mets could enjoy the perk of their season-long superiority.
Reyes, the electric leadoff man, went 3-for-4 with a home run and two stolen bases. He homered on the third pitch delivered by Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter, who settled down and threw six solid innings but received no offensive support.
So Taguchi’s two-out double in the ninth accounted for the Cardinals’ runs.
La Russa pulled Carpenter for a pinch hitter in the seventh because of the 2-0 deficit.
The Cardinals wasted a prime opportunity in the first, when they had runners at second and third with one out. Maine struck out Jim Edmonds and, after hitting Juan Encarnacion, got Rolen on a fly to medium right field.
“When we’re good, we’re an execution club,” La Russa said, lamenting that his team let the rookie off the hook. “We’ve got to get at least one [run] there.”
Rolen, playing with a sore shoulder, grounded into a double play to end the sixth inning, and then Lo Duca’s single stretched the lead to 4-0 in the seventh.
Rolen keeps saying his surgically repaired left shoulder is strong enough to play, but his performance says otherwise. He struck out with the bases loaded and none out in the Game 5 win at St. Louis.
He stranded four runners Wednesday and doesn’t have an RBI in the playoffs. Since the 2004 World Series vs. Boston, he’s 5-for-43 with one RBI in 13 postseason games.
His ninth-inning double was the second extra-base hit of this postseason for Rolen, who’s 4-for-25, including 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
Maine walked four but allowed only two hits. He received a thunderous ovation from 56,334 when he was replaced with one out and one on in the sixth inning.
Permalink | | Categories: Baseball
Lineman suspended for steroids
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The struggling Falcons got another piece of bad news Tuesday when the NFL suspended starting offensive guard Matt Lehr four games for steroid use.
What effect will this suspension have on the Falcons, whose pass protection has been breaking down — Michael Vick has been sacked 18 times already. How big of a blow is Lehr’s suspension as Atlanta prepares for a key stretch of games, starting Sunday against the Super Bowl champion Steelers?
Permalink | Comments (64) | Categories: Falcons
Did North Gwinnett get off easy?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you agree with the GHSA’s decision not to penalize North Gwinnett High School for allowing an ineligible player to compete this football season?
North Gwinnett won its appeal to avoid forfeiting any games.
What went wrong vs. New York?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Falcons didn’t fare so well coming off their bye week.
They surrendered too many yards on the ground and gave up plenty of passing yards to New York as well.
To make matters worse, Michael Vick took a pounding.
What would you consider the Falcons’ greatest weakness in the contest?
Rush defense?
Pass defense?
Passing offense?
Give us your opinion.
Talk about the UGA game
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s stunning loss to Vanderbilt — the first time that’s happened since 1994 — handed the Bulldogs’ their second straight loss at home.
What’s wrong with the Bulldogs? What happened out there today?
(Editor’s note: This is NOT where you can submit headlines on the game. Go here to submit a headline.)
Permalink | Comments (308) | Categories: UGA
Write a UGA-Vandy headline
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As readers are probably aware, the AJC’s headline of last week’s Georgia loss to Tennessee came under fire from the governor’s mansion, among other places.
We offered readers the chance to write a headline for Saturday’s Vandy-UGA game. Below are the submissions.
Permalink | Comments (1283) | Categories: UGA
Adams apologizes to Dooley
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia president Michael Adams apologized to former football coach and athletic director Vince Dooley for comments he made in a guest editorial about athletics and academics.
Dooley was particularily upset Adams had written, “For some time, the philosophy at UGA was ‘athletic eligibility,’ not graduation. ” Adams said Thursday he should have chosen different words.
In his own guest editorial before Adams apologized, Dooley said he resented “the finger-pointing in this crisis.”
What’s your take on the dialogue between the school president and the retired legendary coach? Do you admire Dooley for speaking up? How about Adams for apologizing?
Or should Dooley stay out of it and should Adams choose his words more carefully? Is all of this embarrassing to the university ?
Permalink | Comments (151) | Categories: UGA
Is Sonny barking up the wrong tree?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Do you agree with Gov. Sonny Perdue for sending a letter to the editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, decrying the lead headline about the Georgia football team’s loss to Tennessee?
Is there anything he left out of the letter, but should have mentioned?
If you were the copy editor in charge of writing the post-game headline, how would you have worded it differently?
Let us know.
Polls and state divided on Tech, Georgia
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Who has the best college football team in Georgia? It depends whom you ask.
Georgia Tech moved ahead of Georgia in the Associated Press Top 25 on Sunday. The Yellow Jackets are No. 13, three ahead of the Bulldogs. The USA Today coaches poll and the Harris Interactive polls, on the other hand, rank Georgia No. 14 and Tech No. 15.
Both teams are 5-1.
Which team do you think is better and desrves the higher ranking?
How can Georgia give up 51 points in a 51-33 loss to Tennessee and still be ranked ahead of Tech in the coaches’ and Harris polls?
Permalink | Comments (328) | Categories: Georgia Tech, UGA
Diagnosing a disaster
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s first loss of the season contained numerous weaknesses and breakdowns. Joe Tershinski III struggled in his first game since South Carolina and the defense couldn’t shut down the potent Volunteer attack, led by quarterback Erik Ainge. the special teams had its problems, including a blocked punt return in the end zone for a Tennessee touchdown in the fourth quarter that was the crushing blow.
Where do you think it all went wrong for UGA on Saturday? Did the Bulldogs hurt themselves with mistakes and turnovers, or was Tennessee simply the better team?
How good do you think the Bulldogs are? Did their early schedule leave them unprepared? What must they do to prepare for Saturday’s game with Vanderbilt?
And who would you start at quarterback?
Permalink | Comments (505) | Categories: UGA
Jackets escape an upset
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After falling behind for most of the game, Georgia Tech recovered in the fourth quarter Saturday to defeat Maryland and stay unbeaten in the ACC.
Tech’s defense came up big with two turnovers to enable the Jackets to take the lead. And with Maryland in a goal-line situation and the clock running out, the Jackets preserved the win on a Michael Johnson sack on fourth down.
After barely escaping an upset, the Jackets now have a week off before a pivotal stretch starting with Clemson and Miami.
Were they fortunate to win this one? How do you feel about the state of the Yellow Jackets overall? What concerns need to be addressed during the off-week?
Do you think Tech could lose some ground in the polls? Or did the Jackets just do what good teams have to do, survive against a tough, but underrated opponent?
Permalink | Comments (66) | Categories: Georgia Tech
Braves, Sutton part ways
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Turner Sports announced Thursday that Don Sutton is out of the Braves broadcast booth after 17 years.
Breaking up the veteran crew of Sutton, Skip Caray, Pete Van Wieren and Joe Simpson was expected when TV games on TBS were reduced in favor of Turner South (soon to be relaunched as Sport South) and Fox Sports Net and its announcing team, led by Bob Rathbun.
What do you think of Sutton’s departure? What other changes do you think will be made? Which announcer could you not listen to or watch a Braves game without hearing? Will this move, and any others in the future, alter your plans to follow the team on TV or radio?
Permalink | Comments (383) | Categories: Braves
UGA athletics admissions
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
UGA president Michael Adams said Wednesday that while he takes some responsibility for paltry graduation rates for some athletes, the university will continue to admit athletes who don’t meet its regular admissions requirements.
“We still have to compete in the SEC,” said Adams, a former member of the Knight Commission, which has pressed for higher academic standards and practices in intercollegiate athletics.
Is Adams trying to have it both ways? Or does he face a common dilemma of presidents at universities with major, multimillion-dollar revenue producing athletics programs: Trying to find a balance between ball games and books?
Do you agree with him, or not?
Permalink | Comments (107) | Categories: UGA
Is this Joe T’s team?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Fans and teammates are excited about the return of senior QB Joe Tereshinski for Saturday’s game against Tennessee after missing the last three weeks with an ankle injury.
Not everybody agrees, despite the inexperience shown by Matthew Stafford and Joe Cox. Steve Spurrier’s unsolicited opinion is that UGA should play them all to see which one finally wins out.
But Mark Richt said Tuesday that Tereshinski will start, making this the third different starting QB in as many games for the Bulldogs.
Do you agree with Richt’s decision? Is this Joe T III’s team? Or do you think UGA should break in its younger QBs now, even in such a big game? Do you think he should stick with one QB, or follow the Ol’ Ball Coach’s advice?
If you were Richt, what would you do?
Permalink | Comments (204) | Categories: UGA
Braves’ end-of-season forum
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Braves beat the Astros Sunday and finished the season with a 79-83 record. Its the first time since 1990 that the team won’t be headed to the playoffs.
But does next season look brighter? John Smoltz finished with 16 wins, youngster Chuck James won 11, Adam LaRoche had a breakout season with the bat and closer Bob Wickman will be back next season.
How disappointed are you in 2006? Are you optimistic about 2007? Will the Braves be a playoff team next season? What needs to happen in the offseason? What must the Braves add? Who needs to go?
Permalink | Comments (86) | Categories: Braves
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