Hey there. They’ve called to the bullpen and are bringin’ in (another) righty. That’s me. I’ll be here for the rest of the week.
And just like the other Sports Daily hosts, I don’t have good Braves news for you. Star right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. will go on the 10-day injured list with tightness in his right Achilles tendon.
Maybe tomorrow’s trade deadline will bring some sort of silver lining? But for now, let’s just switch fields entirely.
Quick links: Braves’ slide continues | Georgia Tech opens preseason
MEET THE NEW GUY
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
“You see this dude running around — I mean, with his length, his speed, his athleticism and his physicality — you see him running around making a lot of plays. A lot of people (didn’t) realize how good of a player he is because he’s a low-key guy.”
That’s Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot. Is he talking about Pro Bowler Jessie Bates III? Or newly signed WR DJ Chark?
Nope, that’s Divine Deablo, who signed a $7.7 million deal with Atlanta after four seasons with Raiders.
Deablo leaped on the Falcons’ radar in the 15-9 win over the Raiders on Dec. 16. He had six tackles, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup.
🔎 Read more about Deablo’s push for a starting spot
After playing safety at Virginia Tech, and running a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, Deablo transitioned to linebacker. He made a career-high 106 tackles in 2023.
He is practicing with the first team, but will have to beat out Troy Andersen after the latter returns from the physically unable to perform list.
He’s made an early impression, and not just for wearing No. 0.
“He's a special player. He's athletic. He's smart. He's strong. He's got great coverage ability. He's fun to play with."
Meanwhile, AJC insider D. Orlando Ledbetter has updates on the two rookies expected to make big impacts alongside Diablo.
- Outside linebacker Jalon Walker, the former Bulldog and 15th overall pick, missed his second practice Tuesday and is falling behind early in training camp. “Obviously, we would love for him to get the reps,” Falcons outside linebackers coach Jacquies Smith said. “As far as anything other than that, I’m not a doctor. I’m not going to say when he goes and when he doesn’t. I’m going to defer that to somebody else (head coach Raheem Morris). But obviously, you know, he needs the reps.”
- James Pearce Jr., the 26th overall pick, was at the center of a couple fights Sunday, which didn’t please Morris. But, in terms of play, Pearce has impressed: “We’ve been seeing everything we wanted to see from him,” Smith said. “It’s just how quickly can he continue to adapt to the speed of the game. … How quickly can he make sure he’s doing his assignment right so that we don’t have a ton of mental errors?”
🏈 There is oh-so much more football on the way. And we have some excellent news: DLed is kicking off a new newsletter to keep you up on all of it. Dirty Bird Dispatch launches Thursday, Aug. 7 — just in time for the Falcons’ preseason kickoff against the Lions. Sign up here!
HAWKS QUARTER-CENTURY TEAMS
Credit: Mikki Harris / AJC
It’s been a topsy-turvy quarter century for the Hawks. There have been 13 playoff appearances, four trips to the Eastern Conference semifinals and two more to the Eastern Conference finals (2015 and ’21).
During that time, the Hawks had eight players earn All-Star nods, and five who have made it to the Hall of Fame.
To commemorate it all, the AJC picked an All-Hawks 25-year team. Take a look at the third and second teams, but as your Sports Daily perk for the day, we bring you the first-team selections.
- Trae Young — Duh. He’s been a lightning rod over seven seasons, but there’s no denying the stats — averaging 25.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.8 assists. Plus, of course, that magical run in 2021.
- Joe Johnson — A walking bucket, Johnson was an All-Star in six of his seven seasons in Atlanta, earning an All-NBA third-team selection during the 2009-10 season.
- Josh Smith — Defensive menace from Powder Springs who helped the Hawks to six straight playoff appearances.
- Paul Millsap — Top 20 in Hawks history in 3-pointers made and ninth in average blocks per game.
- Al Horford — Franchise icon who lived up to being the third overall pick in the 2007 draft. Top 10 in several stats across Hawks history, including total 2-point field goals made, blocks and offensive, defensive and total rebounds.
A TROPHY CHANCE
Atlanta United is unlikely to make the MLS playoffs, sitting 14 points below the playoff line with 10 matches remaining.
But they get a gift anyway: The Leagues Cup, where the Five Stripes could earn their first trophy since 2019.
- Atlanta hosts Necaxa on Wednesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the first of three matches in the group stage.
- Next up is Pumas on Saturday in Orlando, followed by a return home against Atlas, managed by former Atlanta United manager Gonzalo Pineda, on Aug. 6.
The top four teams out of each 18-team group — one composed of MLS teams and the other composed of teams from Mexico’s LIGA MX — advance out of the group stage and into the knockout rounds.
LOVE, LOVE
Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez
Since opening in 2022, a number of projects have passed through the soundstages at Decatur’s Electric Owl Studios. Game shows. Mid-budget independent films. The new reboot of “The Naked Gun.”
For six weeks this summer, Electric Owl is also the home base of a new team-based professional tennis league called Intennse, which is designed to be more, well, intense and engaging than the traditional form of the sport.
- The pace of play is faster — matches are condensed into three 10-minute sprints with 2-minute breaks
- Pulsating music plays behind each match
- It’s team-based, with each composed of three men and three women representing Atlanta, Jacksonville and Tampa
🔎 More about Intennse’s inaugural season from the AJC’s Savannah Sicurella
MORE HEADLINES
Tom Cousins, an original owner of the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Flames, dies
RIP to one of Atlanta’s seminal developers and philanthropists
Brent Key sends well wishes to Deion Sanders
Deion, who said this week he was diagnosed with — and cured of — bladder cancer, is expected to be on the sidelines Aug. 29 when Colorado faces Georgia Tech.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Preston Veal was struck by a cargo van when crossing the street near his Cobb County home on June 23, causing a long list of injuries: a tear to his aorta, broken ribs, a broken left femur, a fractured left knee, a torn right anterior cruciate ligament, a fractured right tibia, a laceration to his liver that caused blood to pool in his abdomen, bruised lungs that led to blood clots and road rash. The 12-year-old football standout, who stands just over 6 feet tall and weighs about 230 pounds, is now on the long road to recovery.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Preston is one of those kids that all you need is just the right support system and the right guidance and it'll be an easy paved road for him to be able to be a (Division I) athlete. There's no question about it."
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at eric.mandel@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
Eric Mandel is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, native and University of Iowa alumnus. The award-winning journalist moved from Seattle in 2017 to Atlanta, working as a writer and editor for American City Business Journals. He joined the AJC in June 2024.
