My natural inclination is to expect the worst. To pooh-pooh. To … be a hater.
But not today, my friends.
Today, for no particular reason, I’m making the extra effort to keep things positive: everything you need to know, like always. Now with more shiny linings and mostly full beverages.
And also in alphabetical order. More or less.
Quick links: Braves get sweeping | Messi wows bigger Benz crowd | Tracking top football recruits
HAPPY BRAVES HIT THE ROAD
Credit: Colin Hubbard/AP
Credit: Colin Hubbard/AP
This one’s easy: The Braves swept the first place Mets.
Thursday’s 7-1 Atlanta win featured Spencer Strider’s shutdown slider (say that five times fast), more timely hitting from Matt Olson and even a few run-producing walks.
😀 Said Strider: “Surely that’s as close as we’ve been to playing, just, a complete series. We know what we’re capable of, just the three different ways that we did it.”
True that.
All told, the Braves outscored the Mets 17-5 in the series. They held New York sluggers Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto and Pete Alonso to just two hits, total, in the final two games.
Atlanta now stands at 34-39 and 5½ games back of a wild-card spot — and looks a whole lot better than it did about 12 days ago.
😀 Up next: The first game of a road series with Miami (7:10 p.m. on FanDuel Sports) — and a barely 20-year-old pitcher named Didier Fuentes making his Major League debut.
More on him in this afternoon’s Braves Report newsletter.
DREAM LOOK TO REBOUND
If you hadn’t noticed, the local WNBA squad is quite good.
New coach Karl Smesko, Allisha Gray — your reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week — and the rest of the crew have already established themselves as legit contenders. They’re a lot of fun to watch, too, throwing up threes and scoring the third-most points per game in the league.
Losing a 17-point lead against the Liberty last time out? Merely a learning experience.
“We’re one of the better teams when we all play together,” Smesko said.
😀 Up next: The Washington Mystics (whom Atlanta beat by 33 last weekend) visit Gateway Center Arena tonight at 7:30 p.m. Watch on Ion if you can’t make it.
THE FALCONS’ FUTURE
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
We’re still about a month away from the start of Falcons training camp. Even further from a new season.
😀 But beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter is already tackling tough questions: Did Atlanta do enough to chase down Tampa Bay in the NFC South?
- Join him on a journey through the eventful offseason (a defensive coordinator switch, pass rushing draft picks, quarterback drama, etc.).
- Then check out his keys to success (underrated angle: the kicking game).
- And let me know where your optimism levels lie.
Can’t believe I’m saying this … but I’m bullish, y’all.
HAWKS HOPE FOR A HAUL
Options are always good. And with the NBA draft coming up next week, beat writer Lauren Williams continues her march through the choices the Hawks have at their disposal.
😀 Up today: Trading picks: Shipping out the No. 13 pick, the No. 22 pick (or both) in order to move up in the draft order is on the table. And doing so could help Atlanta land a center it covets. Whatcha think?
Check out more of Lauren’s reporting here — and circle back later today for coverage from new GM Onsi Saleh’s predraft news conference.
- Also: Pacers-Thunder, NBA Finals Game 7, 8 p.m. Sunday. Should be fun.
TRACKING HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITS
Georgia football recently landed a big-time offensive line recruit. Georgia Tech seems to reel in a new commitment every day.
Which is all lovely, of course. But the real reason I mention it?
😀 I want to show off this list of the state’s top 50 recruits and where they’re planning to play college ball come 2026.
Our pal Todd Holcomb put it together ahead of a scheduled announcement from North Oconee linebacker Khamari Brooks. Who I’m *positive* will choose UGA over Alabama.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Inter Miami beat FC Porto in the second Club World Cup game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium — and the crowd was bigger than the first time.
Slightly fewer than 32,000 people saw Lionel Messi score the go-ahead goal on a perfectly placed free kick.
(The crowd’s bound to be even bigger for Sunday’s 9 p.m. match between Manchester City and Al Ain, right?)
QUOTE OF THE DAY
We are accustomed to these types of things.
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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