Sports Daily: Hockey dreams and $225M in taxpayer cash

Hey y’all. Guess what?

The Braves won another game — and a whole series, thanks to Spencer Schwellenbach’s complete game (which he told the TV folks was his first nine-inning effort, ever, at any level).

They get a well-earned day off today before the wretched Rockies come to town for a weekend set.

But Sports Daily never sleeps.

Quick links: United in New York | Who will the Hawks draft? | Georgia-Bama, under the lights

PLANNING AND PRAYING

Credit: Courtesy of The Gathering at South Forsyth

Credit: Courtesy of The Gathering at South Forsyth

Is … is NHL hockey in Forsyth County inching closer to reality?

I’m still not sold.

But they’ve sure got a plan for taxpayer pocketbooks if they can pull it off!

My neighbor Zach Hansen (who’s also an AJC business reporter) writes that government leaders approved a series of agreements Wednesday tied to the massive development project called The Gathering at South Forsyth. Prolific local car dealer Vernon Krause hopes the inclusion of an 18,500-seat arena will help him corral a hockey team.

💵 And Forsyth County is now officially committed to issuing $225 million in taxpayer-backed bonds to make it happen — if the NHL makes a commitment.

That’s a big if, but Krause and Co. seem pretty optimistic.

Officially, the NHL’s comment on the situation is no comment: “We are very wary of prematurely raising or dashing hopes of any market or fan base,” a league spokesperson told the AJC.

Krause, meanwhile, said he spoke with Commissioner Gary Bettman this week and they’ll meet again after the Stanley Cup Finals (Panthers-Oilers Game 4 tonight!). He expects an answer sometime this year.

He also thinks his pitch is way better than the competing one eyeing an arena at failing North Point Mall.

“There’s no question that we have the best project in Atlanta,” Krause said. “We have definitive documents that we can take to the commissioner. No one else has that.”

I reckon he’s right. And stranger things have happened.

With buy-in from the league, competent ownership and a good on-ice product, it could even work (for everyone but taxpayers).

But that’s one heckuva hat trick to pull off.

SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE

You know I love asking for y’all’s input, and this one’s a natural fit: What would you name an NHL hockey team from Forsyth County?

Please submit suggestions to tyler.estep@ajc.com. And make them good — or at least funny.

TEENAGE DREAMS

Credit: Carolyn Kaster/AP

Credit: Carolyn Kaster/AP

How do you make the U.S. Open by age 17?

Just follow these five easy steps and you can be like Mason Howell, who teed off at Oakmont County Club earlier this morning:

1️⃣ Pick up a golf club when you’re 3 years old.

2️⃣ Start playing tournaments at 6.

3️⃣ Go to the Brookwood School, a private school down in Thomasville that’s known for churning out titles and top-notch golfers.

4️⃣ Get really good (and commit to UGA).

5️⃣ Go to the U.S. Open qualifier at Piedmont Driving Club — and post a pair of 63s.

That’s all it takes, folks. Start preparing your toddlers now. (And tune in to USA Network to watch the tourney.)

Then check out these other golf-related stories:

PITCH PERFECT PLAN

I am, admittedly, a deeply casual MLS fan. But did you know NYCFC plays on a slightly smaller pitch than most other teams? Because it’s crammed into Yankee Stadium?

Atlanta United has never won a regular season match there, but they’ll try again tonight (7:30 p.m. on Apple TV).

💪 And this time they have a secret weapon: Manager Ronny Deila, who used to coach there quite successfully. He knows the key to victory (ability to execute TBD).

“You have to be quicker on the ball,” he said. “It’s going to be a more intense game, so reactions (from the) team (are) going to be very important. To be accurate, and dare to play forward is important, and to be very disciplined and organized. That’s the key to the game.”

MOCKIN’ THE HAWKS

We’re now less than two weeks from the NBA draft. The Hawks hold pick No. 13, pick No. 22 and plenty of options. Beat writer Lauren Williams offers us a look at who the so-called experts expect Atlanta to select.

CAMPUS ROUNDUP

🏈 Georgia football’s forthcoming clash with Alabama, the first time the teams have met in Athens in a decade, will be a night game. Lit.

🏀 Georgia Tech men’s basketball signed up for this fall’s Emerald Coast Classic, which is in Niceville, Florida. Tough gig.

⚖️ SEC commissioner Greg Says says to “expect growing pains” with college sports’ new frontier. First up: This lawsuit filed by a group of female athletes.

CAPTION THIS

Credit: Mike Stewart/AP

Credit: Mike Stewart/AP

Another caption contest, another solid bunch of submissions. But reader Cameron’s offering, included above, takes the prize.

Well, there’s not really a prize.

Ken Sugiura’s latest column about Kyle Pitts and the put-up-or-shut-up season that lies ahead will have to suffice. And a story about Jalon Walker, too.

Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.

Until next time.