Sports Daily: Are the Braves ... good again?
Hey y’all. Welcome back.
Lots to get to today, but first a quick programming note.
Starting Tuesday, we’re going to mix in an abbreviated version of this newsletter a few days a week. The Atlanta sports goodness you’re used to, now in 100% link form.
Why? Well … we’re cooking up something new. A more premium-type product aimed at improving our playmaking ability, our completion rate and our slugging percentage.
It’s gonna be good, and it’s gonna be worth it.
Stay tuned.
Quick links: Stetson Bennett shows out | Braves rolling | Dream, too | 5 Falcons takeaways
READY TO RUN IT BACK
Credit: Daniel Varnado for the AJC
What, you thought we were done with high school football after unveiling the Super 11 last week?
Not a chance.
We’re all in this season. Even before it starts with Wednesday’s initial matchup of the Corky Kell + Dave Hunter Kickoff Classic.
👀 Today’s coolest offering: The AJC’s preseason top 10 rankings from all eight classifications.
Six defending champs lead their respective groups — and, just this once, I’ll offer a glimpse of the top-ranked school from each class. (Thought about teasing you with the No. 2 teams, but that just gets confusing.)
- Class 6A: Grayson
- Class 5A: Hughes
- Class 4A: North Oconee
- Class 3A: Calhoun
- Class 2A: Carver-Columbus (where ex-UGA star Jarvis Jones has things rolling)
- Class A, Division I: Toombs County
- Class A, Division II: Bowdon
- Class 3A-A Private: Prince Avenue Christian (where a guy with a familiar last name has the helm).
Do these rankings actually mean anything? Not really. No preseason ranking really does (even the AP’s college football Top 25 that drops around noon today).
But they’re good fun, and good conversation fodder. Let me know if you’ve got any beef.
And check out ajc.com/varsity for lots more coverage — plus another big high school sports announcement later this week.
THE BIG NUMBER: .368
Credit: Colin Hubbard/AP
The Braves just took four of five from the Fish, with Sunday’s 7-1 victory giving them their first three-game winning streak since mid-June (remember that glorious sweep of the Mets?).
Designated hitter Marcell Ozuna hit four home runs, center fielder Michael Harris II continued his resurgence — and the number above was the Braves’ batting average with runners in scoring position during the series.
Previously unfathomable stuff.
🗣️ Said manager Brian Snitker: “Big hits. Just to see the add-on runs late, which we hadn’t been seeing, and just some big innings, which we had a hard time with for a long time. That’s really good to see because we’ve still got a bunch of baseball to play where hopefully, we can get on our run.”
This season is done-done. But don’t be ashamed if remembering what this team can be gave you a touch of the warm fuzzies (even with that whole “earnings up, payroll down” thing looming out there.)
🔗 Bonus link: Castoff Joey Wentz could be a keeper
PLAY OF THE WEEKEND
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ kicker made a 70-yard (!) field goal Saturday, which is cool and all. But did you see this home run thievery the Braves’ Jurickson Profar pulled off?
Jumped up, reached a few feet behind the wall … and grinned for the camera on the way down.
Catch of the weekend, week, month and probably the year.
DREAMING BIG
Jordin Canada left with a leg injury. Rhyne Howard returned from injury, looked rusty and then got ejected.
The Dream won anyway.
Last night’s gritty 74-66 win at Phoenix marked the team’s fifth straight and eighth in their past 10 games. Atlanta’s now 20-11 and tied for the second-best record in the WNBA.
To quote from AJC columnist Michael Cunningham’s weekend reflections: “The Dream can win ugly like that. They can win by making a lot of 3-pointers. They can win with their best players on the injured list. The Dream are legit.”
A Wednesday night visit to Seattle arrives next.
🤔 More scores and such:
- Atlanta United earns a draw. Sounds about right.
- Is Georgia Tech football ready to “take the jump?”
WEEKEND WONDERPERSON
Credit: Arvin Temkar/AJC
As you’ve probably already gathered, today’s honor could’ve gone to a lot of different of folks. But the humanity exhibited by both the Falcons and Lions in the wake of a terrifying injury situation earns them the group award.
To recap: Early in the fourth quarter of Friday’s exhibition game at the Benz, the Falcons offense handed the ball off. Lions defensive back Morice Norris tried to make a low tackle, his head snapped back and he didn’t get up.
An ambulance drove onto the field to take him to the hospital. (Norris later wrote on social media he was “all good.”)
When play resumed, Falcons backup quarterback Emory Jones took a knee — and both teams gathered on the field as the clock ticked on. The somber show of solidarity ultimately ended in the game being called.
And rightfully so.
“They’re so emotional about what we do,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “They’ve all got a lot of respect for the other players in this game, and that was the ultimate show of it by the teams right there. You’ve just got to pray for Morice Norris.”
Lots to take away from actual game action, too, (DeMarcco Hellams? Shoo-wee). Start here:
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Colin Hubbard/AP
Look at that smile.
Jen Pawol made history over the weekend in Atlanta, becoming the first woman to umpire in a regular season MLB game. What did you think of her behind-the-plate performance Sunday? (If you’re wondering: 93% accuracy, per one account.)
QUOTE OF THE DAY
The dream actually came true today. And I'm still living in it.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
Before taking over the AJC's Sports Daily newsletter, Tyler Estep spent two years writing the A.M. ATL newsletter. A Gwinnett County native and University of Georgia graduate, he has been with the AJC since 2015 and previously worked as a reporter on the breaking news, hyperlocal and local government teams.
