Hello, friends.
It’s Thursday again, and you know what that means: Our pal Ken Sugiura is here to share a few thoughts.
This week he’s riffing on the Dream’s big home opener, updating us on Ronald Acuña Jr.’s progress and reminiscing about a two-sport star of yesteryear.
Take it away, Ken! (And y’all stay tuned for Falcons and United coverage afterward.)
Quick links: Time for Penix to take charge | Deila not going anywhere | The Ray Lewis trial, 25 years later
KEN WEIGHS IN
Credit: Michael Conroy/AP
Credit: Michael Conroy/AP
The Dream could not have asked for a better lead-up to their home opener tonight.
Not only will they play Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever in what is sure to be a packed house at State Farm Arena, but they’re playing them two days after defeating the Fever in Indianapolis.
In their efforts to gain a foothold in the Atlanta market, beating Indiana again in front of the largest home crowd they’ll enjoy this season (their home games are played at Gateway Center Arena, which has a capacity of 3,500) would gain the attention of Atlanta sports fans who otherwise don’t pay attention to the Dream or are at tonight’s game specifically to see Clark.
The Dream don’t have trouble selling tickets at Gateway Center, but it’s far smaller than other teams’ arenas in the WNBA. A next step is a larger arena in the Atlanta market, which is a franchise goal — albeit one that my colleague Lauren Williams reported this week is “a little further off.”
Scoring attention-getting wins, to say nothing of becoming a factor in the league (which the Dream have not been) is one way to get closer.
More Dream coverage:
ACUÑA’S ENDURANCE
A good sign for the Braves regarding the return of star Ronald Acuña Jr. — the right fielder played all nine innings for Triple-A Gwinnett at Louisville on Wednesday.
Acuña, in a rehab stint with the Stripers for his torn ACL, had played in the field for six innings in his first two games last Thursday and Friday before being pulled. He was DH Saturday and sat out Sunday.
After an off day on Monday, he was DH again on Tuesday before his nine-inning foray in right on Wednesday. The ramp-up in time in the field marks a progression in getting Acuña ready to play at the major-league level.
I have a strong suspicion that the test of his health — how he feels playing a full game and how he responds — is a much more important determinant for the Braves than what he does at the plate. Acuña has yet to attempt to steal a base, which would be an indicator that he has confidence in his knee.
The Stripers play again this evening at Louisville.
APPRECIATING CHARLIE WARD
Credit: AP file photo
Credit: AP file photo
This is apropos of nothing but consider this a reminder of how remarkable Charlie Ward, a two-sport star from Thomasville, was.
It was brought up to me Sunday when I had the chance to speak with N.C. State and Rams wide receiver great Torry Holt, who was in town for a fundraising event for inductees at the College Football Hall of Fame. Atlanta people may remember Holt lining up against Georgia Tech or later demolishing the Falcons in his 11-year NFL career (1999-2009).
“Charlie, not only was he outstanding as a football player — I’m talking about outstanding as a football player — he was just as incredible playing basketball,” Holt said.
I was interested to learn from Holt that being an inductee has enabled him to meet other past inductees at events like this one (the hall makes a point of creating those connections) and asked him if there was another inductee that he’d met that was particularly meaningful.
Holt named Ward. You may recall Ward starred at Thomas County Central High before he became a two-sport star at Florida State, where he won a national championship and the Heisman Trophy in football (in 1993) and led the basketball team to three NCAA appearances.
After going undrafted in the NFL, he was a first-round pick in the NBA, where he had an 11-year career. (It’s easy to wonder how Ward’s dual-threat ability might have been received in today’s NFL.)
Holt, who is six years younger than Ward, said he was a huge Ward fan.
“And not only that, what I think I love about him and his former roommate Warrick Dunn is his humility,” Holt said. “As good as Charlie was, and he was, like, the best for a long time, he always carried himself with a level of humility and poise and peace and it even showed in how he played.
“So, to see that from afar and to actually meet with him for the first time — I was like, ‘Yeahhh.’ You know what I mean?”
Ward and Dunn were freshman roommates at FSU, which I didn’t know and is bananas. Dunn is also an inductee and part of the Falcons’ ring of honor. That’s like Tommy Lee Jones and Al Gore being roommates at Harvard.
In April, Ward was named the men’s basketball coach at Florida A&M.
Shohei Ohtani and Travis Hunter have won acclaim as rare two-way athletes in their own sports. It’s worth remembering that Ward remains the only Heisman winner to play in the NBA. And while that’s a small group, there really isn’t a comparison to Ward that I’m aware of. (Pat Riley played football at Kentucky before choosing the NBA as a player and later coach and executive but was not nearly as accomplished in football as Ward.)
Further, Ward’s excelling at the college level has only become more magnified over time as young athletes commit to one sport at increasingly earlier points in their careers.
On the list of greatest athletes from the state of Georgia, you’d have to think he would be close to the top.
Thanks Ken! Y’all follow him on social media, and keep tabs on his latest work here.
FALCONS, REAL AND IMAGINARY
Hey. Tyler again, from here on out.
Lots of y’all responded with your own thoughts on the all-Falcons Olympic flag football team I threw together yesterday.
🤔 Notable suggestions: Jesse Tuggle, Brian Jordan and Mr. Falcon himself, Tommy Nobis, on the defensive side. Offensively, receiver Alfred Jenkins — a speedy standout of the ’70s and ’80s — could make a worthy addition.
I’ll take it all under advisement.
In the meantime, enjoy some actual Falcons news:
FIVE STRIPES FREAK OUT
In an exclusive interview with the AJC’s Doug Roberson, Atlanta United president Garth Lagerwey blamed bad data, bad scouting, bad tactics and bad luck for the club’s historically miserable start to the season.
But first-year manager Ronny Deila isn’t going anywhere.
“We brought Ronny in for the long term,” Lagerwey said. “He’s our third coach in three years. The solution to our issues is not to have four coaches in four years.”
He’s probably right. But how are you feeling about that, United faithful?
QUICK HITS
🐝 Georgia Tech baseball opens ACC Tournament play against Cal at 3 p.m. today. Watch on ACC Network.
🏆 The latest state baseball champs include include Troup, Lanier County and Rockmart.
⚖️ The Ray Lewis trial was 25 years ago this month. AJC metro columnist Bill Torpy takes a fresh look at the case that helped shutter Buckhead’s party scene.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Courtesy photo/Atlanta Dream
Credit: Courtesy photo/Atlanta Dream
A sneak peek at the custom floor that’ll be on display at State Farm Arena for tonight’s Dream game against the Fever. The team will later donate the court to a youth organization.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
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