Good morning. This is LEADOFF, today’s early buzz in Atlanta sports.
USA Today is out with its annual compilation of the pay of the nation's college football coaches, and this is where our state's FBS coaches rank:
Georgia’s Kirby Smart is the nation’s 23rd highest paid college football coach this year at $3,753,600, which ranks 10th among SEC schools.
Georgia Tech’s Paul Johnson is the nation’s 40th highest paid at $2,886,361, which ranks sixth among ACC coaches whose salaries are reported (three private ACC schools aren’t included).
Georgia State’s Trent Miles ranks 101st nationally at $539,405.
And Georgia Southern’s Tyson Summers ranks 107th at $500,000.
Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh tops the pay list at $9 million for this year, surpassing Alabama coach Nick Saban’s reported $6.94 million. In all, 36 college football coaches are making more than $3 million this year, including 20 who make more than $4 million.
The above figures don’t include potential performance bonuses.
Click here for USA Today's full database of coaches' compensation and here for the methodology behind the numbers.
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Speaking of big paydays, Hawks point guard Dennis Schroder broke the news of his four-year, $70-million extension Wednesday afternoon by posting a photo on Twitter and Instagram of the contract signing.
A couple of hours later, Hawks CEO Steve Koonin tweeted: “It’s election season so the @ATLHawks are voting for #4more years of @DennisMike93. Congrats to Dennis on his extension! #TrueToAtlanta”
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Good to hear that Braves broadcaster Chip Caray, the grandson of the late legendary Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray, is on the air in Chicago for the Cubs' first World Series in 71 years.
Chip Caray, himself a Cubs play-by-play announcer from 1998-2004, is part of the pregame and postgame coverage on Chicago’s WFLD-Fox 32, which is carrying Fox’s World Series telecasts.
Caray worked the first two games in Cleveland, and the gig will become even more sentimental for him when the series shifts to Wrigley Field on Friday.
"From a personal standpoint, it will be emotional," Caray told The Chicago Tribune. "I grew up there as a broadcaster, tried to do the impossible, which was replace my grandfather."
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The Braves' new minor-league affiliate in Kissimmee, Fla., now has a name: the Florida Fire Frogs.
The Florida State League team unveiled its name Wednesday evening.
“Fire Frogs” beat out five other finalists — Dragonflies, Mud Kickers, Rodeo Clowns, Sorcerers and Toucans — in a name-the-team contest.
The Braves are moving their advanced Single-A team from North Carolina to Kissimmee, where it will play beginning next season in the Houston Astros’ former spring-training home of Osceola County Stadium.
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ICYMI …
A new study ranks Atlanta the fourth best city in the nation to be a baseball fan — ahead of Chicago and Boston, among others. Surprised? Read more here.
The Indians and Cubs are the 17th and 18th different franchises to reach the World Series since the Braves were last there in 1999. The full list.
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