Atlanta Falcons Coach Mike Smith had his game face on at the 31st annual Atlanta Heart Ball, held Saturday at the Buckhead Ritz-Carlton to benefit the American Heart Association. "As the head coach of your Atlanta Falcons, we understand the importance of having a healthy body, a healthy mind and a healthy heart," he said during his keynote remarks. In December, Smith was hospitalized in Charlotte after suffering chest pains following a Falcons-Panthers game. After the episode, he said he would make some lifestyle changes. "Healthy living is simple," he said. It's about healthy eating, getting exercise and getting enough sleep." Chaired by John and Karen Reyhan, the Heart Ball featured a moving video sharing the story of Jake Urowsky, who was born with heart problems so severe that his parents had no choice but to accept hospice care when he was still an infant. But with a pacemaker and the continued support of the American Heart Association, Jake is a happy 9-year-old today. He was joined at the event by his parents, Amy and Todd Urowsky, and his 7-year-old brother Tyler. Both young men gave very brief remarks ("Thank you!") and each happily accepted a Falcons jersey from the coach. Smith concluded his remarks with another charge: "Let's have a whole lot of fun and raise a whole lot of money!" Following the live auction, organizers announced the event had raised more than $1 million.
Overscene
Justin Timberlake, who is in Atlanta filming "Trouble With the Curve" with Clint Eastwood and Amy Adams, has been spotted all over Atlanta with fiancée Jessica Biel. Wednesday morning, a photo purporting to be the two of them strolling in Piedmont Park started making the rounds on Twitter, but it was taken from a good distance away and had the grainy, nebulous quality of the Loch Ness Monster photo. More reliable was a photo a source sent us Wednesday evening from the Buckhead location of Tin Lizzy's Cantina. (It's posted online at blogs.ajc.com/the-buzz). An impeccable source then reported spotting the pair at the Regal Atlantic Station Wednesday night, where they saw "The Hunger Games." "Trouble With the Curve" is a baseball-themed movie in which Eastwood plays an aging baseball scout, Adams plays his estranged daughter and Timberlake plays a rival scout. It was filming at Turner Field on Friday.
Veteran journalist keeps things old-school
"I am happy to tell you I don't know what Facebook looks like," veteran broadcast journalist Cokie Roberts proudly announced during her remarks to the Atlanta Press Club on Thursday. "I don't tweet." Like Delta, though, Twitter is ready when she is. She has an account, and more than 2,700 followers, but someone else set it up for her and she has yet to post a thing. (We pause here to stress that we were taking notes on our wireless notebook -- the kind with paper -- and a fountain pen, no less). The Emmy-winning political commentator and author broke less news with her analysis, lamenting how sharply divided Washington is these days, and her predictions: "If the election was being held today, Obama would win, but the election's not being held today."
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