Yes, I know “wherefore” actually means “why,” and that Juliet isn’t looking for Romeo but asking the universe “why” he has to be a Montague, why he can’t be from a different family, with a different name. Ancient grudge, star-crossed lovers and all that.
But no one uses it like that these days. So let’s focus on the question at hand, folks.
It’s one that comes up a lot.
WHAT’S UP WITH THE FOOTBALL PANTS?
I recently asked North Gwinnett High School football coach Eric Godfree what percentage of players wear their pants above the knee — sans pads — these days.
It was a stupid question.
“I’m gonna say all of them,” Godfree said. “Literally 95%. Easily.”
A new phenomenon this is not. Nor is it specific to the Peach State. Or preps. But it sure feels like things have reached new (t)highs in recent years.
- Hit Google with some version of the question above and, if you can sift through the AI slop, you’ll find links galore from various states trying to crack down on the trend among high schoolers.
- Over the summer, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders said “guys in biker shorts” make him “sick” and called for uniform-related fines on the college level.
- ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, during college’s Week 1: “Football players legit wear shorts now.”
It’s true!
Much to my dismay, Godfree’s players declined formal opportunities to explain why they dig the look. But generally speaking, they said they feel faster and more mobile without over-the-knee encumbrances.
Fair enough. Godfree’s not particularly bothered by it (but put that mouth guard in your mouth, son!). And despite rules on the books and previous attempts to rein things in (this web page appears to date back to at least 2012), the Georgia High School Association seems happy to let things slide as well.
A spokesman said he’d look into it but never got back to me.
There is, of course, another obvious question here: Does it … matter?
Personally, the possibility of a turf-burned knee gives me the shakes. Feels very germy.
In terms of more serious injuries: Knee pads are unlikely to prevent things like the dreaded ACL tear. But Dr. Ashley Brouillette says that doesn’t mean they’re worthless.
Brouillette is a pediatric sports medicine physician at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She works the sidelines at high school football games in Henry County and sees plenty of kids come into her clinic with gnarly bone bruises from helmet-knee collisions, too.
When asked, about 90% confess they were wearing “shorty shorts,” as she calls them.
“Is it a career- or season-ending injury? Usually not,” Brouillette said. “But I’ve seen it take people out of games for several weeks.”
There you have it.
We’re talking about a battle between fashion and the risk of a deeply uncomfortable injury.
And when teens are involved, fashion always wins.
Check out AJC Varsity for more high school sports coverage. (A recent favorite looks at how last season’s playoff brackets would’ve looked using GHSA’s bold new model.)
MORE SARTORIAL DEVELOPMENTS
Speaking of clothes …
🟨 Your 13th-ranked Yellow Jackets host Virginia Tech on Saturday. The entire athletic department, meanwhile, is switching to Under Armour apparel next summer, and apparently stands to net about six times the cash it does under its current deal with Adidas. Tech was actually the first college to buy Under Armour duds, way back in 1996. Click-clack!
🟧 Georgia football takes on Auburn at Jordan-Hare Stadium on Saturday night. The Tigers want fans to wear orange (and are already posting “Prayer at Jordan-Hare” videos, to which I respond with this watershed moment in American television history).
🟥 The Falcons are set to wear throwback black jerseys and those immaculate red helmets when they host the Bills on “Monday Night Football.” Evan Birchfield of the Falcoholic points out that, since 2009, the team is 13-3 in such a get-up.
More Dirty Birds below.
WE’RE NO. 1! WE’RE NO. 1!
It’s true. The Falcons — the Atlanta Falcons — currently rank No. 1 in total defense. In the entire NFL.
- Through five weeks and four games, the Dirty Bird defense has surrendered an average of just 244 yards per contest.
- Just 135 of those yards have come through the air, which is also best in the league.
The young Atlanta defense has no doubt performed well, particularly considering cornerback AJ Terrell’s absence since Week 2. But this is also where I point out that three of Atlanta’s four games featured opposing quarterbacks named J.J. McCarthy, Bryce Young and Marcus Mariota.
📈 Two other big-picture stats paint a slightly different picture, too.
- The Falcons have allowed 109 rushing yards per game, ranking them 16th.
- Points wise, they’ve surrendered 21.5 per game, ranking them 15th.
As friend and beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter points out, it’ll be a tall task to improve those numbers with Josh Allen, James Cook and Buffalo on deck. (And the 49ers after that.)
That, however, is not the moral of this story.
📈 The moral is that Atlanta is not actually a top-tier defense. But it may well be a pretty good one — and that’s OK!
For darn near a decade now, Falcons fans would’ve gladly accepted a middle-of-the-road, mostly-functional unit. A unit that, at a minimum, doesn’t routinely put games out of reach for the offense.
They’re young, and there will be hiccups (see: Carolina game). But the current squad certainly seems headed that direction.
So don’t freak out when the numbers even out a bit.
And while you’re at it, sign up for the weekly Dirty Birds Dispatch newsletter to keep tabs on everything.
ASK A BEAT WRITER, BRAVES MANAGER SEARCH EDITION
Chipper Jones is out; still not interested.
Former Braves catcher and Cubs manager David Ross is in, if he’s asked. We’ll assume the same goes for Walt Weiss (Atlanta’s current bench coach), but no clue on fellow theoretical target Mark DeRosa.
In fact, the only things we really know about the Braves’ search for a new skipper are 1) general manager Alex Anthopoulos prizes integrity and 2) we’re unlikely to get an ounce of confirmation until a hire is announced.
🤔 But what about Fredi Gonzalez? Is he a candidate?
I’ve gotten quite a few inquiries (both anxious and optimistic) about Gonzalez, the former Braves manager brought as third base coach back in June. Here’s some of what reporter Gabe Burns and columnist Ken Sugiura had to say about his potential candidacy.
🗣️ Gabe: “I don’t anticipate Gonzalez as a serious candidate. He hasn’t managed since his last Braves stint, and while he wanted another opportunity, no other teams gave him that chance. It’s good that Gonzalez has a healthy relationship with the organization but just given who’s available, I’d be very surprised if it went that direction (never say never, of course). If Weiss gets the job, perhaps he’ll retain Gonzalez (I’ve speculated Weiss could want Ron Washington back in some capacity as well).”
🗣️ Ken: “Given how open-minded Anthopoulos appears to be about the search — he was non-committal about prioritizing experience or a tie to the Braves, for instance — you’d have to say Gonzalez could at least be a candidate. … But if you’re asking if Gonzalez was hired as some kind of ‘manager in waiting’ or that he has a benefit from already being on the inside, I would disagree with either notion.”
There you have it. You can relax. Or get upset. Either way, put your waiting pants on.
Have an Atlanta sports question? Send it my way and I’ll get it answered.
HALLOWEEN COSTUMES
OK, one more clothes-related thing — because it’s October and Halloween’s just around the corner, so it makes sense to go ahead and game out your costume.
A few Atlanta sports-inspired possibilities:
🎃 Throw on a jersey and an arm sling, and voilà — you’re pretty much any Braves starting pitcher.
🎃 Hawks jersey + “Crocodile Dundee” hat + burglar mask = Dyson “The Great Barrier Thief” Daniels.
🎃 Couples idea: Eric Gregg and Livan Hernandez (if you know, you know).
🎃 Wanna be Michael Penix Jr.? Wear shoulder pads and a durag and carry that candy sack in your left hand.
🎃 Don a headset, a Falcons polo and some capri-style joggers, then stare silently into the sky. You’re Falcons coach Raheem Morris on game day!
Frankly, I’m on a lot of DayQuil this week, and these ideas could be better. Please submit your own and maybe you’ll win a prize (a mention in a future edition of the Win Column).
WE’RE DOOMED
A recent survey conducted by Pew Research Center found that the number of Americans who view legal sports betting as “a bad thing for society” is growing. And considering I recently received a press release touting betting lines for high school football, they may be on to something.
But, uh … don’t miss my articles on Falcons-related prop bets every Thursday!
PHOTO OF THE WEEK
The college kids are wearing shorty shorts, too. Check out Jaden Harris (No. 12, far right).
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of the Win Column. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
About the Author
Tyler Estep hosts the AJC Win Column, Atlanta's new weekly destination for all things sports. He also shepherds the Sports Daily and Braves Report newsletters to your inbox.
