Well folks: The Super Bowl matchup is set, and it includes 10 former high schoolers from Georgia … plus two head coaches the Falcons interviewed before hiring Raheem Morris.
We’ll discuss the Dirty Birds’ latest choice of leader, who met the media Tuesday, in a moment.
But first: Check out the big brain on Chad.
OLD FRIEND, NEW BEAT
OK, not sure what the above “Pulp Fiction” reference has to do with Chad Bishop — most recently known for his Georgia Tech beat-writing brilliance — moving over to lead our Braves coverage.
But we’re very excited about it. You should be, too.
And with pitchers and catchers reporting in less than two weeks, I thought it’d be good to hear from the man himself.
⚾ He’s got a nice little story to tell:
The date: Oct. 26, 1991.
It’s a date many of you may recognize. It’s a date any Braves fan should.
And it’s a day my mother (hey, mom) informed me that my youth league football teammate Corly (Corley? Hey man, if you’re out there, hit me up) and his mother had two extra tickets to Game 6 of the World Series. In Minnesota.
What?
Now, I don’t recall much of that day, seeing as how I was just a wee 8-year-old lad. But somehow we were now headed to the airport to board a charter flight to Minneapolis to watch the Braves play the Twins in what would widely be considered one of the greatest World Series games, as part one of the greatest World Series, to ever be played.
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The gentleman on the seat in front of me on that plane was smoking (yes, kids, cigarettes were once permissible on airplanes) not one, but two, cigarettes that were nestled twixt three fingers on his left hand. Tensions were high.
I don’t remember hardly anything from the game itself. Our seats were in the upper deck of the right field corner in the Metrodome. Probably could have reached up and touched the ceiling.
I can picture Kirby Puckett running away from me into left center field and leaping at the wall to rob Ron Gant of an extra-base hit, and I can hear the deafening roar of the crowd afterward. I can also hear the crack of Puckett’s bat from his game-winning homer in the bottom of the 11th inning.
What else do I remember? Riding home in the car later that night (or morning) on empty streets through Gwinnett County. I didn’t know, as a young boy, the roads of metro Atlanta could be that desolate.
Why am I telling you all this? Well, as your new beat writer covering the Atlanta Braves, you now have some context of my own personal history with the organization. I grew up watching the team (on TBS of course), attending games (at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Turner Field and Truist Park) and understanding how much their success — or failures — affect not just a city, but an entire region.
Now I take great pride and responsibility in being the conduit between you, the reader, the fan, the hater (what up Mets fans!) and the club, to ask the questions, to tell the stories and to, ultimately, be ever-present around your favorite team.
Thanks for having me, reach out any time, and let’s play ball.
⚾ Yes, let’s. You can reach Chad at @MrChadBishop or chad.bishop@ajc.com, but make sure to bookmark (and use!) our new Braves mailbox too.
You’ll generally find answers to questions submitted via the latter in the Braves Report newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.
We’ll be ramping up the schedule soon.
MAKE ME FEEL BETTER, MATTHEW
Kevin Stefanski’s meet-the-press moment wasn’t particularly eventful.
The new Falcons head coach repeatedly said he wants to build a “tough” and “smart” football team. He said he’ll leave play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Tommy Rees (curious). He praised Michael Penix Jr. but didn’t commit to anything.
A radio host correctly suggested he eat at The Busy Bee Cafe.
🙏 As a long-suffering season ticket holder, it was an even smaller moment that stood out most.
Matt Ryan, franchise quarterback turned president of football, was essentially asked if he had an “aha” moment while interviewing Stefanski.
Part of his response:
- “As impressive as Kevin did, as much as I enjoyed the conversations that we had, talking to former players, former coaches, different people around the league, it all started to line up.
- “And I really think that was the biggest thing. The feeling that I was getting was matching up with the reference work that we were getting.”
Not sure why such a statement — the mere confirmation that a coach wasn’t selected solely on one man’s vibe detector — struck me as soothing.
Perhaps I’ve already fallen into the Fan Appeasement Plan (I should trademark that) that was at least part of the idea behind putting Ryan in charge, and it’s really his involvement that’s doing the comforting. He also used thorough-sounding words like “metrics.”
Whatever the case, it’s an admittedly low hurdle to clear.
The Falcons have had eight head coaches since 2002, a number that ESPN recently reported ties for third-most in the NFL over that period. Only the Raiders (12) and the Dolphins and Browns (nine apiece) have had more.
Suppose I’m just searching for reasons this one will stick.
🔗 More Falcons linkage:
- 5 quick takeaways from Stefanski’s introduction
- Matt Ryan updates GM search
- Sugiura: Will a former Jacket get the gig?
HAWKS AND PELICANS AND BUCKS (OH MY)
Forty-eight games in, the Hawks remain tucked into the Eastern Conference’s No. 10 seed. But all is not lost.
They’re just three games back of the all important, play-in-avoiding sixth seed. And as you’ll see below, the winning percentage of their remaining opponents is among the lowest in the league.
Of course, this roster hasn’t exactly shown it’s equipped to make a meaningful playoff run (whether Kristaps Porzingis eventually comes back healthy or not).
👀 So may I respectfully suggest turning at least one eye toward New Orleans and Milwaukee?
At season’s end, Atlanta gets the rights to the draft pick of whichever of those teams finishes with a worse record. They’re both struggling (12-37 and 18-27, respectively.)
And, as our amigo Michael Cunningham wrote earlier this week, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s latest injury only increases the odds the Hawks land a very early pick (ping-pong balls pending).
That’s very good news for the upcoming draft.
👀 More Cunningham: “The group of draft prospects appears to be deep, with potential franchise players at the top. The Hawks have a real shot at drafting one of the three players analysts consider to be worthy of the No. 1 pick: Kansas combo guard Darryn Peterson, BYU wing AJ Dybantsa and Duke power forward Cameron Boozer.”
AND THE ACADEMY AWARD GOES TO …
The Oscars recently announced their newest nominees, a list that includes several folks with Georgia ties. That got me thinking: What if they were all from Georgia … sports teams?
Accordingly, please enjoy the Win Column’s inaugural nominees for (ahem) Best Original Score.
🏆 Bijan Robinson, for “Franchise-Record 93-Yard Touchdown.”
🏆 Ronald Acuña Jr., for “That Homer On the First Pitch of His 2025 Return.”
🏆 Aidan Birr, for “Making Dabo Swinney Sad With a Last-Second Fire Drill Field Goal.”
🏆 Gunner Stockton, for “Holy Crap, What A Fourth-Quarter, Fourth-Down Touchdown Toss.”
🏆 Random Hawks Fan, for “Hitting a Half-Court Shot to Win 10 Grand And Then Twerking Just A Little.”
Who’d I miss? Give me a shout.
RANDOM EXCUSES TO GET SOME JOKES OFF
😬 Did you know Georgia has girls high school wrestling? And that coaches are out here absolutely crushing the “Grimace as a groomsman” look?
😬 Bill Belichick reportedly did not get enough votes to be a first-ballot inductee to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Those responsible for this (genuinely absurd) development can expect a strongly worded email from his girlfriend.
😬 Oscar Mayer once again plans to race its regionally themed Wienermobiles against each other before May’s Indy 500. Slaw Dog, the Southeast’s representative, proved un-beef-able last year. Passed mustard. Relished the victory. The others couldn’t ... catch up.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Careful now. That man’s from a land where pretty much everything can kill you.
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.
