Hey, it’s AJ Willingham in again for Tyler, who’s out with a quad strain. I’m joined by Boss Man Eric, and we’re going to newsletter by committee today since it’s also Thursdays with Ken. He has some outtakes from cute conversations with Braves pitcher Grant Holmes, and Falcons Thoughts™.
KEN WEIGHS IN
By AJC sports reporter Ken Sugiura
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Credit: Miguel Martinez/AJC
Baseball card collectors rise up!
In spring training, I wrote a column about pitcher Grant Holmes centered on his bid to make the starting rotation and how he had not lost his appreciation for making the majors.
Despite his major league status, he still buys baseball cards by the pack and said he was trying to collect the cards of all the pitchers on the staff.
That meant, I suggested to him, that at some point he might open up a pack and find his own card staring back at him.
“That’d be pretty cool,” he said.
I spoke with Holmes before the series finale in Pittsburgh last weekend and asked him if he had found his card yet.
He had.
He said he had recently done a signing event at Duck’s Dugout, a sports memorabilia show in Cobb County, and afterward opened some packs.
“It was, like, the fourth pack,” he said. “It was ‘Whoa, there I am.’ It was pretty cool.”
(I love that, being at a sports memorabilia store, he presumably could well have just bought his own individual card, but instead preferred to find it in a pack.) (As he ought.)
Let’s feel superior about our dugout
I also learned in Pittsburgh that not all dugouts are created equal.
The dugout at PNC Park, for instance, is at the lower end in the opinion of some. There’s no spot where it’s possible to see the entire field clearly. The padding along the railing also leaves less space to see the field clearly from the bench along the back wall.
Also, while benches along the railing span the length of the Truist Park dugouts, the PNC Park visiting dugout’s bench goes only about halfway, leaving less room.
Who knew?
Finally, Falcons schedule thoughts
Three observations about the Falcons schedule, which was announced Wednesday night:
- They have a fair shot to get off to a strong start. Their first three games are home against a team they swept last season (Tampa Bay), on the road against a team that will likely have quarterback J.J. McCarthy making his second career start (Minnesota) and a road game against a team that won five games last season, albeit one of them at the Falcons’ expense (Carolina).
- The Falcons could have as many as three cold-weather games (relatively speaking) — at New England on Nov. 2, vs. Indianapolis in Berlin on Nov. 9 and at the New York Jets on Nov. 30.
- The Falcons will play six of their nine road games in an eight-game stretch between Week 9 and Week 16. While that could be a decisive stretch, those six teams — the Patriots, the Colts (in Berlin), Saints, Jets, Buccaneers and Cardinals had a combined record of 40-62 last season.
Thanks, Ken! You’re the best.
JOHN MADDEN, IS THAT YOU?!
Credit: AP FILE
Credit: AP FILE
Nic Cage is playing John Madden in a new biopic. The first photo of him in full Madden getup is out and … I don’t know, gang! I don’t think it’s too bad. Whoever styled the 1970s Madden wig is a true master.
Amazon’s “Madden” is currently shooting here in metro Atlanta and will cover the icon’s time from 1969 to 1978 as an NFL coach for the Oakland Raiders.
What actor or actress nailed a sports figure portrayal in film or TV? I have face blindness and no appreciation for movies, so I don’t know. You tell me.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT …
Credit: Noah Goldber/Atlanta United
Credit: Noah Goldber/Atlanta United
Atlanta United FC … didn’t lose Wednesday night. But the team also didn’t break its nonwinning streak. Jamal Thiare’s goal in the second minute of stoppage time salvaged a 1-1 draw against Austin.
The No. 10-ranked Georgia baseball team is surely headed back to the College World Series, but this weekend’s matchup with Texas A&M will decide how easy its road will be.
The Hawks have two first round picks in the June’s NBA Draft. The AJC’s Lauren Williams looks at some players who could be available at No.s 13 and 22.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Jeremy Bales/AJC
Credit: Jeremy Bales/AJC
Player portraits are a genre all their own, made even more magnificent when replaced with a sports reporter. Here, Tony Barnhart demonstrates a basketball classic, the “Ohh, am I gonna shoot it? Am I?”
My personal favorites are “Here’s a baseball!” (baseball) and “Gee, this collar is too tight” (football). You know what I’m talking about.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
I've always just felt such a strong sense of pride of being a member of this organization. I want to be here my whole career. So, just seeing the team and my teammates go through that, and not being able to help and not being able to be with them, is where the frustration is coming from.
⚾ Read more about the non-beef here.
Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Don’t bother Tyler. Contact me at aj.willingham@ajc.com.
Until next time.
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