Vince Young is Restless

For a few days now, I've been thinking about this story about Vince Young and his thoughts about retirement after his rookie year. I could not decide what to make of it - overly honest? overly dramatic? not a big deal? a huge deal?

Then I read this story about over-the-hill baseball players who cannot come to terms with retirement and still hope to find a team this season (the article leaves out a few names - Barry Bonds and Trot Nixon being glaring omissions).

(An aside - am I the only person who finds the "announced his retirement" headlines about guys like Bret Boone and Julio Franco to be ridiculous? Did they really retire or could they no longer find a job? Isn't that different?)

Back to my original point, the baseball articles convinced me that Vince Young's retirement confession is, in fact, a big deal for the Tennessee Titans. If he seriously thought about walking away from the game after one season, what does it say about his love of the game? What does it say about his desire to succeed?

If Vince Young was Tony Soprano and I was Dr. Melfi, here is what I would say about my patient: Vince is a charismatic guy who loves the spotlight that being a football quarterback provides, but does not actually care much about football itself.

Deep, huh?

We found out from Vince's Texas days and his Wunderlic test scores that he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. Some have speculated that being an NFL quarterback is just too mentally tough for him. I don't buy that. Playing football is not rocket science - Vince is given a play that is practiced over and over again throughout the week. He makes a few reads and then either runs it, throws it or hands it off. Peyton Manning makes the position look like a professorship, but dumb guys can play quarterback in the NFL.

I think it has less to do with his intellect and more to do with his passion. Rather than loving football, Vince loves attention. He loves the admiration. He had it at Madison High School where he was highly recruited and easily BMOC. He had it at UT after a rocky start where he was a highly touted and BMOC. In the NFL, he is a run-of-the-mill quarterback on a run-of-the-mill team. The spotlight is on guys like Brady, Manning (take your pick) and Favre.

So Vince realized that his athleticism, size and skill sets were not enough to make him BMOC in the NFL; he was going to have to work hard to achieve it. His first instinct was to quit. I wonder if that feeling will return again. What happens if the Titans struggle to a 5-11 season this year with Young getting the brunt of the blame? Will his instinct be to improve or pack it in and hang with his boys?

Baseball has a starting line-up of guys who are dying to get back on the field, but Vince Young pondered quitting after one year. The question for the Titans is: Can they can win with a quarterback who does not really like football?

If that question was on the Wunderlic test, even Vince would get it right.

Braves Fall to 0-11 in One Run Games on Road

Exasperating.

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Chipper was 1 for 2 on Wednesday night.

Current Average - .418

The Milwaukee/Atlanta Connection

While my students take their final exams in American history, I have been doing a little history myself about the history of the Braves franchise. The Braves moved from Boston to Milwaukee to Atlanta, forever linking the three cities in baseball history. The Braves battle the Red Sox each year in interleague play for this very reason, and it makes a series like the one in Milwaukee this week more special because of the lineage.

The central connection between the two cities in many minds is Hammerin' Hank Aaron. The former homerun king started slugging in Milwaukee, moved with the Braves to Atlanta to hit #715, then returned to Milwaukee as a Brewer to finish his Hall of Fame career. Aaron's story links the two cities just like the Braves franchise, but what exactly is the history of that franchise?

The Braves started in Boston alongside the more popular Red Sox. Despite a pennant in 1948 (the famous "Spahn and Sain and two days of rain" team), the Braves followed several other teams, like the Giants, Dodgers and Athletics, to the growing populations of western cities. Milwaukee earned the Braves in 1953 after years of support for minor league baseball. The city also promised a state of the art stadium for the Braves.

The 1950s featured some of the best teams in Braves' history with superstars like Spahn, Aaron and Eddie Mathews. They won back-to-back pennants in 1957 and 1958, winning the World Series over the New York Yankees in 1957 for their only championship (they lost to the Yanks, despite a 3-1 series lead, in 1958). In fact, the Milwaukee Braves never had a losing record during their stay in Wisconsin.

Despite a championship and consistent winning product, attendance dropped after the '57 championship. There do not seem to be good explanations for what happened to baseball in Milwaukee. Some suggest the city was always partial to the teams in Chicago over their own Braves, while others suggest the city simply lost its fascination with baseball over time.

Either way, the Braves' ownership saw an opportunity to move the team to a growing population in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves would be the only MLB team in the South and play in a new stadium. There were concerns about moving to Atlanta among players who worried about the humidity as well as racial segregation in the South, but the paltry game attendance in Milwaukee made it difficult for anyone to fight to save the franchise.

Anyone besides used car salesman Bud Selig. The future commish successfully sued to keep the Braves in Milwaukee through its lease in 1965. It only delayed the inevitable as the Braves were heading for Atlanta despite hopes to keep the team in Wisconsin. The final year of the Braves' stay in Milwaukee was a miserable one as there were often less than a thousand fans at the games. Only 812 people paid to watch the final game of the franchise's existence in Milwaukee.

Bud Selig fought to bring baseball back to Milwaukee despite the city's pathetic record with the Braves and succeeded in 1970 when the Seattle Pilots became the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers franchise has failed to achieve the same success as the Braves, making its lone appearance in the World Series in 1982 (a seven-game loss to St. Louis) and switching from the American to the National League in 1998.

The Braves franchise, of course, has had tremendous success in Atlanta because of its geographic monopoly on baseball, the superstation TBS and the development of young players in the farm system.

The Braves and Brewers - forever linked in Milwaukee baseball history.

Braves Blow It Against Brewers

I was excited about watching last night's game in Milwaukee. Not for the sausage races or to see Billy Brewer slide into the beer, but because the Braves were heading away from Turner Field after an excellent homestand to hopefully bash their road bugaboos.

It started well with a run in the first and another shortly thereafter on the Gregor Blanco homerun (his 1st career dinger), but fell apart late in the game. Tim Hudson was brilliant, but could not hold his lead late and the bullpen gave up the go-ahead run in the 9th for a deflating 3-2 loss to Milwaukee.

You just knew it would be Bill Hall in the end, didn't you? After being benched and making public comments about it, the demoted infielder got a less-than-impressive broken bat hit, moved to second base on a fielder's choice, stole third when Jeff Bennett inexplicably forgot about him and then scored on a sacrifice fly to end it.

There is an old adage in baseball that you win 60, you lose 60, and whatever you do in-between determines your season. Last night was a game that should have been a W, but became another road loss (the Braves are now 6-17 away from Turner Field).

What is especially frustrating are the multiple mental and strategic mistakes that led to the loss. For example:

* Bennett forgetting about Bill Hall on 2nd base - he stole 3rd and scored on a sac fly because of the uncontested swipe.

* Swinging at first and bad pitches - the announcers, who are almost always spot on with their commentary these days, pointed out that Yunel Escobar made three outs on first pitches...from the leadoff spot! He had never faced Dave Bush before - take a pitch or two! Mark Teixeira grounded into a double play when he reached for a bad first pitch in the 8th. The Braves too often show no plate patience.

* Not understanding situations - after Tim Hudson gutted his way through a tough 6th inning, Jeff Francoeur led off the 7th with an out on the first pitch. Matt Diaz followed that with an inexplicable bunt (after hurting his knee in the outfield the previous inning) on the first pitch to make the second out. Two pitches, two outs. Gregor Blanco did his job and battled a few pitches to give Hudson a rest, but Frenchy and Diaz ought to know better than to hack after a long defensive inning.

* The Diaz bunt - huh? Even with good wheels, he shouldn't be bunting. Like many Atlanta fans, I've soured on Diaz as of late. I cannot remember the last time I saw him hit the ball hard. Joe Simpson alluded to Diaz's poor play when he called for Omar Infante to get ready to play some left field which now looks like a reality because Diaz is heading to the D.L. with a posterior cruciate ligament strain.

These types of mistakes get you beat on the road. Last night was one for the taking as Tim Hudson was working the Brewers' hitters, but a series of mistakes cost Atlanta.

Lots of news:

Rafael Soriano will be activated today off the D.L. The already-solid bullpen just got its closer back.

Matt Diaz is on the D.L. I like Gregor Blanco, but I really like Omar Infante because he can bat leadoff.

Mark Kotsay was scratched again yesterday and will likely head to the D.L. if things don't improve. This is bad news as this injury kept him out much of last year as well.

Jo-Jo works tonight against the right-handed hitting Brew Crew. Bad news...

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Chipper went 2-4 yesterday.

Current Average - .418

Ball Four - Today's Tiny Strike Zone

Unable to locate the remote control at the conclusion of yesterday's victory over the Diamondbacks, I was treated to a quick interview session with Bobby Cox after the game. I was quickly struck with how exhausted he seemed after the game. He seems so calm throughout, just sitting there taking it all in. It is easy to forget how much the manager lives and dies with each sequence during the game.

The main topic of Cox's post-game thoughts was the game's strike zone. This is the elephant in the room right now for Major League Baseball. The games are too long, pitchers are throwing too many pitches and ruining their arms, and the hitters are allowed to take strikes with the knowledge that even behind in the count they will get something to hit.

The source of Cox's anger yesterday was a borderline strike to Eric Byrnes that would have ended the inning and given Jair Jurrjens a victory. Byrnes, who looks lost at the plate right now despite a couple of homers in the series, was clearly fooled by the inside pitch and should have been rung up. Instead, the Braves' rookie had to throw a better pitch that was laced for a hit. His day was over after 97 squeezed pitches.

Why has the strike zone gotten so small? On paper, the zone is supposed to be from the letters to the knees, but in actuality it is called from the waist to the top of the knees. You never see a high strike called anymore.

The problems with such a tight zone are many. The New York Yankees began a strategy that has been mirrored throughout the league of taking pitches to get into an opponent's bullpen. With strike zones so small, this strategy works well against any pitcher, even ones with good control. It forces the pitcher to sweeten up his pitches just to get ahead in the count which leads to big offensive innings. The alternative is to keep after the corners and run up a big pitch count while falling behind hitters.

The tight zone also lengthens the game. If every batter is getting 2-2, 3-2 counts, the time of the game quickly balloons to three, maybe four hours long. I love watching baseball, but not four hours of it.

What about the pitchers' arms? The list of arm and elbow problems among elite pitchers is so long I don't know where to start. It is known that the overhand pitch in an unnatural motion that tears up a man's shoulder and elbow, but don't you think there is also a connection between the sheer number of pitches thrown and the damage done? It takes 15-20 pitches to get out of an inning these days - and that is a good inning! Complete games are as rare as triple plays not because of the new closer strategy, but because the human arm cannot throw as many pitches as today's tight zone demands.

Why not expand the zone? The quick answer is that it would favor the pitcher too much and produce a bunch of 1-0 games. Ladies love the longball, right? People want to see homeruns and power at the plate. The game would be less exciting.

Here is why that is lousy logic: the current zone leads to bat-on-the-shoulder patience that is not exciting at all. The MLB once had wider strike zones that meant batters went to the plate ready to swing the bat. Isn't that better than today's game where batters go to the plate ready to take until the first strike?

Bobby Cox was right on the money yesterday with his critique of game right now in regards to the calling of balls and strikes. Widen that zone and we get a much better brand of baseball.

Braves Spin Webb, Split With D-Backs

Atlanta finished its homestand 8-3 with a split of the Arizona Diamondbacks by knocking off Brandon Webb 7-3 on Memorial Day. The game looked like a solid pitching match-up between Atlanta's upstart rookie Jair Jurrjens and Arizona's Cy Young winner Brandon Webb, but a tight strikezone and hot bats knocked both pitchers out early.

The big play in the game was Brian McCann's solo homer to lead off the bottom of the 5th inning. The Diamondbacks had scored two runs in the top of the inning and knocked Jurrjens from the game, but with one swing McCann halted any Arizona momentum as he crushed a Webb offering into the right-center stands.

The Atlanta bullpen continues to be the most pleasant surprise of the year thus far. It did not give up a single run yesterday in protecting the early lead. Unfortunately, it did not protect a win for Jair Jurrjens who did not complete the minimum five innings for the W.

Mark Kotsay was a late scratch with back soreness. Seriously, can we get the Phoenix Suns' training staff down in Atlanta? It is easier to name Braves who AREN'T hurt than ones who are.

Atlanta visits Milwaukee to face the scary Brewers. It seems like those guys could get hot at any time, so hopefully it won't be this weekend. Speaking of scary, I'm a fan of the Diamondbacks. With that starting staff and young line-up, they will be a pain for somebody in the playoffs (in the pathetic N.L. West, I think their magic number is already 12). Fingers crossed it won't be Atlanta.

The Braves need to start winning on the road and have a host of right-handed pitchers waiting for them in Milwaukee and then Cincinnati. Time to win a few away from Turner Field.

Chipper Tracker - Larry Waynes Goes For .400

Chipper went 1 for 3 with a couple of walks.

Current Average - .417

My Manu Crush

It's true - I've got a Manu Crush.

Manu Ginobili that is. The San Antonio Spurs' sensation from Argentina used to drive me nuts with his flopping and whining, but I've come around on him over the last few weeks.

Why the change of heart? The Manu of Old annoyed my manly sensibilities with his flailing and faking every time he drew the slightest bit of contact. The New Manu charms me with his fearless drives into the lane and ability to finish among the trees.

The Manu of Old traveled every time he took it to the basket. The New Manu's European crossover is the most innovative finisher in the game (I would love to teach it to my players, but no middle/high school referee in America is going to believe it isn't a walk).

The Manu of Old was overly efficient and boring with the ball. The New Manu is dribbling between legs - other player's legs! - to get to the basket.

The Manu of Old struck me as a constant victim and complainer. The New Manu manned up after the Game 2 loss to shoulder the blame for the defeat (were you listening, Tracy McGrady?).

I have a love/hate relationship with most international players and their brand of basketball. There is a beauty to their game in that they are multi-dimensional, cerebral and ultra-competitive. This cannot be said about many, if not most, American players who specialize a skill (shooter, rebounder, defender) and compete during contract years only.

There is also an ugliness to their game. They tend to be the worst floppers and whiners in the league (Varajao, Ginobili, Nocioni). They make an effort to get under the skin of their defensive assignment in the hopes of drawing a retaliation - a prevalent strategy in soccer and hockey, but not American basketball.

The love/hate relationship I have with internationals is mirrored in my Manu feelings. Last night, I was won over with affection. Manu was the Man against L.A. with outside shooting and fearless drives to the bucket. A flop here and there is no worse than a prima donna American player's tendency to occasionally mail one in. I'm learning to forgive and forget the foreigners' flaws.

We live in a global society. The World Is Flat, you know? I'm expanding my mind like John Davis as I find the goodness in the NBA's international superstars.

Quite the Memorial Day lesson, huh?

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all. The Braves split a pair over the weekend with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Jeff Francoeur launched a walk-off (David Bowie - "It's a walk-off...) homerun on Saturday for a 3-1 win, but Eric Byrnes went deep off Tom Glavine for a grand slam today that led to a 9-3 drubbing.

Chipper went 2 for 4 on Saturday, but sat out today with back spasms. The guy is like Mike Hampton with all his injuries, except he actually plays.

Current Average - .417

Lots of good blogging planned for next week - see you then.

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

What do you say about last night's game? The D-Backs were fired up for Doug Davis, making his first start since cancer, and jumped all over Jo-Jo Reyes. 11-1 final score.

Off the diamond, Bobby Cox signed an extension through 2009. I guess that means he wants to coach another year? These things always change. According to the guys on television last night, Cox wants to sign one year deals for the rest of his career as he continues to evaluate his health and desire to stay in the game. After watching the Mets under Willie Randolph, I'm more and more happy to have Cox as the skipper.

Chipper went 1-1 with a walk before getting pulled in the blowout.

Current Average - .415

Chipper Tracker - Larry Waynes Goes For .400

SWEEP!!!

The Braves came from behind against Johan Santana to sweep a four game set from the nose-diving New York Mets. Tim Hudson was brilliant with the exception of two pitches to Carlos Beltran and Carlos Delgado, going eight innings for Atlanta. The big hit of the game belonged to Omar Infante who punched a game-tying single to centerfield against Santana. I like Infante more and more all the time.

No beanball war last night as the game was too close. Tim Hudson took exception to a Santana high and tight pitch when he squared to bunt, but that was the extent of the drama. I still think the Mets will get one in the back from an Atlanta pitcher before the end of the season.

The four game sweep means the Braves are 6-1 on the homestand so far - all without John Smoltz, Mike Gonzalez, Rafael Soriano and even Yunel Escobar for a stretch.

Yesterday I mentioned the fan who fell from the bleachers at Turner Field. He passed away from those injuries. He was 25 years old and initial reports indicate alcohol was involved. Sad.

The Diamondbacks come to town tonight with Doug Davis pitching for Arizona. Davis is making his first start since being diagnosed with cancer, so I'll be pulling for him and against him.

Chipper finished the series with a 2 for 4 night including the go-ahead RBI.

Current Average - .412

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

The Bravos are rolling right now as they blew out the Mets for the third straight game. It started with Jair Jurrjens, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite Braves, throwing strikes and challenging Mets hitters and finished with an offensive onslaught led by Jeff Francoeur, Brian McCann, Mark Teixeira and, of course, Chipper Jones.

It was a nice birthday for the Braves skipper. Happy 104th Birthday, Bobby Cox!

Beanball Alert! - Don't be surprised if the Braves buzz a Met at some point tonight. Bobby Cox was not happy with Ryan Church's late slide into Yunel Escobar on Tuesday that has the stud shortstop on the bench. Last night, Chipper Jones took a pitch to the shin that sent him off the field. As George W. Bush said, "Fool me once..."

If tonight's game gets lopsided near the end, I'm predicting the Braves will put Carlos Delgado or David Wright on their back.

In a terrible segue way, there was an accident at Turner Field last night that has a fan seriously hurt. It looks like the guy might have been sliding along the guardrail and fell down to the level below. Any doubt there was alcohol involved? Here is hoping the guy is alright.

Joe Simpson, in a painfully slow and overly careful explanation, pointed out that the Mets are basically a lesson in the problems of diversity. Basically the Mets are a Latin team that lets the white players take the brunt of the New York media pressure while playing for a black manager. See, Joe, was that so hard?

(You'd have seriously thought Joe was on the witness stand for murder with his delicate choice of words. He had visions of Al Campanis dancing in his head the whole time.)

The Mets are clearly a team that does not like each other. They don't like their manager, don't like their team leader (Delgado) and don't like their closer (Billy Wagner who ripped his teammates last week). It is a talented, World Series-contending mess.

I love it.

As for Chipper, homerun #12 was blasted to centerfield (is there anything prettier than a homerun to straightaway center?) as he went 1-2 with a pair of walks.

Current Average - .410

The Ballad of Mike Hampton

"Here is the ball, Mike
It's time to throw."

I'm sorry, Skip,
But I just can't go.

While I was getting loose
I tweaked my left elbow,
And there is a throbbing sensation
In my right big toe.

I got a stomachache from eating
Too much cookie dough,
And a papercut from a book
About President James Monroe.

I pulled a hamstring while carrying
My daughter's cello,
And tweaked my back
Practicing my taekwondo.

I've got inflammation from my head
All the way to my toe,
And my ear is burning
Like I'm Vincent Van Gogh.

Coach, I begged the trainer
To please just let me throw.
But he looked me over
And told me no.

The doctors are concerned
About my blood circulation flow,
And the fact that on Thursdays
My fingernails won't grow.

Doc said, "You've got an open wound
In your chest, you know.
It reminds me of what happened
To Tony Soprano."

When he saw the swelling of my shoulder
He shouted, "Whoa!"
And told me the chances
Of pitching today were low.

(As a kid, I had a dream of becoming a pro,
And making it all the way to the show,
Signing a big contract to get paid lots of dough,
Then cashing my checks without actually having to throw.
Today that dream is coming true, you know...)

So I'm sorry, Skip, but I just can't go!

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

The Braves took two from the Mets yesterday behind excellent starting pitching from Tom Glavine and Jorge Campillo. The bullpen keeps getting guys out despite the absense of Soriano, Moylan, Gonzalez and Smoltz. The bats seem to be coming alive as well, most notably Mark Teixeira (which ruins my "Messin' With Tex" article about how he is the problem with Atlanta's offense...) who had an excellent day yesterday.

Jorge Campillo was the star of the day for Atlanta, throwing six shutout innings against the Mets. "This is the biggest thing that's ever happened to me since I've been playing baseball," said Campillo. It is nice to hear a major leaguer sound like a little leaguer.

From the "needed to happen" category, Jeff Francoeur sat out the nightcap which ended his consecutive games streak at 370. I love Frenchy, but his slumping bat was becoming a black hole in the line-up that needed a day off.

Chipper went 1 for 4 in the first game, 2 for 4 in the second. I know I jumped on the bandwagon with Monday's posting, but why is Lance Berkman getting all the love right now instead of Chipper? Where is the Larry Wayne love?

Current Average - .409

Spurs Make Shots, Hornets Don't

Let's not complicate the simple. Basketball can often be boiled down to one thing - which team made shots. Last night, the defending champion Spurs made shots while the upstart Hornets did not.

Ball game.

Sure, there are a million different factors that lead to good shooting or bad shooting. Did the Spurs have more open looks through offensive efficiency and patience? Did the Hornets settle for bad shots or go too deep into the shot clock to get clean looks? Did the Hornets play lousy defense or did the Spurs play lockdown defense?

In the end, however, it comes down to converting opportunities. Here are the numbers you need to know to understand why the Spurs are advancing:

San Antonio - FG (39.5%), 3's (43%), FT (90.5%)
New Orleans - FG (40%), 3's (23.5), FT (70.6%)

Threes and free throws killed the Hornets' buzz. While San Antonio got clutch shooting from Manu, Parker and Robert Horry, New Orleans could not convert open looks at critical times.

The key moment was a wide open three-pointer for Jannero Pargo in the final minutes that would have tied the game. There was not a Spur within 10 feet and Pargo stepped into the pass ready to shoot.

It fell short.

The Spurs made shots and the Hornets missed them. Perhaps the moment of a Game 7 to advance to the conference finals was too much for the young Hornets. Perhaps the experienced Spurs used the confidence that comes with multiple championships.

Regardless, it was little more than making shots that decided the weird (this was the only close game of the seven game set) series.

We're down to the Final Four - Celtics, Pistons, Lakers, Spurs. There is a dream match-up in the Finals (Boston vs. L.A.), a decent match-up (Detroit vs. L.A.), a boring match-up (Boston vs. San Antonio) and a miserable one (Detroit vs. S.A.).

Which team is going to win a championship? The answer is the team that makes shots.

Weekend of Sports

What a weekend of sporting action, huh? It begs for an entry of thoughts on all the happenings.

Celtics Advance Over Cavs - I caught the entire 4th quarter of yesterday's Game 7 between Boston and Cleveland and what a treat it was. It was two teams fighting for their seasons in a nip and tuck battle that Cleveland could never quite find a way to get over the hump. It was everything right with the NBA as guys were diving, fighting and clawing to avoid going home for the summer.

Beyond all that, it was Paul Pierce vs. LeBron James in an epic duel that brought back distant memories of Bird vs. Dominique. The play of the game, beautifully broken down by Jeff Van Gundy (who continues to be my favorite color guy), was a jump ball that Paul Pierce simply wanted more than LeBron James. He boxed out the stronger LeBron and got to a ball that was tipped between two Cavaliers. It was a veteran who has played on some miserable Celtic teams out-smarting the superstar youngster and giving up his body to get on the floor after a loose ball. That play and Pierce's Dikembe-esque celebration of it that will be the lasting image of the Celtics' win.

The East looks awfully interesting now as the Celtics/Pistons series promises to be a tight one. Meanwhile, there is another Game 7 tonight between the Hornets and Spurs.

Penguins Over Flyers - I flipped over to see the score was 6-0 Penguins as they finished the Flyers in five games. The win sets up a possible Red Wings/Penguins final that is, outside of the Rangers, the perfect climax for the Stanley Cup. Sid the Kid vs. the best franchise in hockey. It isn't easy to get into hockey these days, but this series has me excited.

Big Brown Wins - I don't care about horses, but I've never seen a Triple Crown winner in my life (technically, I was about 6 months old when Affirmed won it) so I'm pulling for it. Any other thoughts on horses and I'm just B.S.ing you.

Lance Berkman - We love Chipper here at the SCSB, but he might be the second best hitter in the N.L. right now. The Big Puma is pounding the baseball right now.

After three years in Houston, I love Berkman. He is an everyday kind of guy who puts up numbers and goes about his business in a professional way. The guy used to hit tires in his backyard as a kid and you can see it in his swing. I'm working on a Clean Team of guys who clearly never took the juice and yet continued to put up numbers in the Steriod Era. Lance Berkman is my right fielder.

NFL Draft - coming in April of 2009. Mel is working on his Big Board as we speak.

Tony Joiner Is Going to Be Jealous

Tim Tebow helps circumcise impoverished children.

Too easy.

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

The family and I scouted the Mississippi Braves yesterday afternoon before the rains came (they can swing the bats, but the pitching was suspect), so I saw very little of the Braves 5-2 win over Oakland yesterday. The bullpen continues to be a pleasant surprise for the Braves as they threw four innings of shutout baseball. Manny Acosta looks like a legitimate closer when he throws strikes. Yunel Escobar hopefully pulled out of his slump with a 3-4, 2 RBI game.

Chipper went 1 for 3 on the day.

Current Average - .410

An Open Letter to George W. Bush

Dear President Bush,

Last week, you revealed to the world that you had put away your golf clubs out of respect for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. You've been taking quite a bit of heat for those statements. People have called them insensitive, hypocritical, pathetic, and disgraceful.

I imagine these characterizations have caused you quite a bit of stress. They may have even hurt your feelings. You know what I've found helps me when I'm stressed out and feeling blue?

A nice round of golf.

President Bush - this is an invitation to join me for a round of golf at your earliest convenience. As a school teacher, I have a little time off coming soon so we can play any time that is good for you. I prefer to play during the week as to avoid the weekend rates and crowds, but I'll splurge if you come into town.

With low approval ratings and what some people are calling a failed presidency, I cannot help but notice that things have soured for you ever since you gave up the great game of golf. You were golfing throughout your dramatic run to the White House in 2000. You were golfing at the beginning of the Afghanistan and Iraq invasions when the military successfully ousted the Taliban and captured Saddam Hussein.

At some point during this time, you quit golfing. Look at what's happened since: Mission Accomplished, heck of a job, Brownie, Harriet Myers, rising gas prices, Alberto Gonzalez, a failing economy, Dick Cheney shooting people in the face, etc. I don't mean to open old wounds, but you've made some bogeys over the last few years. Let's be honest - some double and triple bogeys. I'm not a scientific or political genius, but I see a clear connection here:

Lack of golf = disastrous presidency

If you had continued golfing instead of this silly boycott, you might have avoided the pratfalls of your presidency. I know it seems silly, so let me explain - your golfing habits and knowledge never left you even though you quit playing. They just transferred from the links to the White House. It explains so many of your mistakes.

For example:

Keep your head down: You did this, but instead of it resulting in solid contact with the golf ball, it resulted in your failure to see the horrible situation developing in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Your head must have been down while FEMA and Brownie bungled the relief effort in Louisiana. Your head was down while gas prices shot up. Heck, you had no idea gasoline was going to be $4/gallon this summer. Even I knew that! The problem - your head was down. If only you had still been playing golf...

Drive for show, putt for dough: Classic golfing mistake that you should have gotten out of your system on the links. Golfers know that a good tee shot is important, but it means nothing if you cannot put the ball into the hole. You have to finish the hole. President Bush, your war in Iraq started well, but it has not finished that way. You shanked your approach, duffed your chip and are three-putting your way out of the office. "Mission Accomplished" was great show, but what about the dough? If only you had still been playing golf...

Old people are stubborn: Nowhere is this truism more evident than on a golf course. Have you tried to play through the old folks' lowball? They won't budge, no matter how many holes are in front of them or how slowly they are playing their round. You thought you could convince them to let you tweak their Social Security? Mr. President, you should have known better - old folks don't budge. If only you had still been playing golf...

There are other problems that developed solely because you quit golfing, but I'll save those for when we play together. The key is that the golfer inside you never left; he just manifested himself in President Bush instead of Hacker Bush.

Here is the good news: you still have several months left in the White House to fix things. It all starts when you dust off the clubs and hit the links. I'm going to make a tee time at a lovely course called Moccasin Bend for next week under the last name "Carpenter." It is a public course that gives me a discount for being a teacher and is flat enough to walk. I know you are used to riding when you play, but with gas prices so high I can't afford to splurge on a cart. We'll talk about that one at the turn.

Mark Twain once called golf, "a good walk spoiled," but it is wiser to spoil a walk than an entire presidency. Tee it up, Mr. President. Tee it up.

Sincerely,
The Scenic City Sportsblog

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

I didn't watch any of the game last night, but you can read all about it here.

Chipper had a tough afternoon going 0 for 4 with a couple of strikeouts.

Current Average - .412

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Mark Kotsay came up big against his old team to earn the Braves a 3-2 win over the Oakland A's. Hey - a one run win! Do the Braves lead the universe in grounding into double plays? I'm glad they won last night, but the Braves are frustrating the heck out of me.

Not frustrating anything out of me is Chipper Jones. He went 2-3, though he was still hurting from the groin problems.

Current Average - .423

Cheap Shot Bob Strikes Again

The New Orleans Hornets have been one of the most pleasant, fun-to-watch surprises of the NBA Playoffs this year (which, by the way, have been miserable - how can the playoffs be this uninteresting after such a great regular season?), but their run is in jeopardy after last night's Game 6 blowout to the San Antonio Spurs.

It is not the prospect of Game 7 against the defending champs that is so daunting. The Hornets have dominated the Spurs at home all series. The prospect darkened late in last night's game when Robert Horry set an illegal, dirty back screen on New Orleans' David West that sent the big man to the locker room in considerable pain.

If you have forgotten, it was Horry who checked Steve Nash into the boards during last year's playoffs that ruined the best series of the playoffs and potentially cost the Suns their best chance at a championship.

Coincidence?

At this point, the 37-year old Horry moves like a grandpa and shoots like me. He is good for six fouls and the occasional cheap shot when Bruce Bowen isn't on the floor. These goons are rightfully loathed across the country and shamefully beloved in San Antonio. In fact, the idiots in the Alamo City chanted "Horry" after he knocked West out of the game.

Classy.

As for the specific play, don't let anyone fool you into thinking that was a legitimate play. Horry had West in his sights after West left to double the ball. It was a back pick, which is a great way to clean a player's clock in basketball. Not only did Horry set the pick, he moved himself into it with the force of his shoulder. He was blindsiding an unexpecting player - one who just happened to light the Spurs up for 38 points in Game 5.

This type of play could happen at any point in a basketball game. If you want to head hunt star players with back picks, you can. It is dirty basketball. It is Spurs basketball. Whether it is Bruce Bowen moving into a jump shooter's landing space (ask Vince Carter) or Robert Horry clobbering star players, the Spurs are hated as much around the NBA for their dirty play as much as their boring style of basketball.

Forget the big shots and the seven rings (it is nice to play with Hakeem Olajuwon, Kobe & Shaq, and Tim Duncan), Robert Horry is a remorseless thug who plays for a franchise and before fans who lack class and basic sportsmanship. We are likely to be stuck with another round of the Spurs if David West cannot play in Monday's Game 7.

Kobe - watch your back.

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Chipper sat out last night's game with groin problems. Fill in your own middle school joke here.

...

The Braves' bats also took the game off as Atlanta got blanked 5-0. The road struggles continue. It didn't help that Chuck James was awful, missing his spots badly and keeping the ball up in the zone. Chuck - you throw it too slow to miss up in the big leagues.

The Chipper Tracker will return when Chipper returns.

Manny Makes Catch, High Fives Fan, Throws Out Runner

Manny Being Manny

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

It was a slugfest in Philadelphia last night as the Braves led 8-0 before holding on to an 8-6 win. Thank goodness the Phillies have no pitching because those boys can rake it. Apparently George W. Bush likes Chase Utley as much as any player in the game; that might be the best judgment the man has shown in his entire presidency.

Chipper went 2-4 with a 1st inning homerun. The average keeps climbing and his OBS is nearing .500. Insane.

Current Average - .420

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

The Braves are the worst road team in baseball, but outplayed Philadelphia in Philly last night for a frustrating 5-4 loss. Jo-Jo Reyes was pretty solid on the mound, but had some bad luck and lousy defense that hurt his cause. The Braves bats came out hot, but cooled off throughout the game as the Phillies overcame a 3-0 first inning deficit.

Bobby Cox switched up the line-up (I knew he read the Scenic City Sportsblog - I called for this last week) by moving Escobar to the leadoff spot, Kotsay into the two hole and Kelly Johnson down to 7th. It seemed to work early and I definitely like the switch.

Mark Teixeria sat out again with back spasms.

Chipper was 3-4 with his only out being a warning track drive off Brad Lidge in the 9th that would have given the Braves the lead. The guy is carrying Atlanta right now in every conceivable way.

Current Average - .415

Calling All Lawyers - Sue the College Athlete

Another O.J. problem in L.A.

Reports surfaced earlier this week about O.J. Mayo's lucrative year at USC, including cash, clothing, etc. Raise your hand if you are surprised.

I didn't think so.

There are a million aspects to the story - USC's inability to police its athletics program (Reggie Bush, Jeff Trapagnier, Mayo), the continued exploitation of young athletes, the look-the-other-way mentality of overpaid coaches, the NCAA's one-year rule, etc.

What is the solution?

There is no policing the agents. There will always be agents out there trying to land the next big thing before he becomes a millionaire. These are clearly slimeballs of the slimiest order, but they are doing nothing wrong in a legal sense. They are giving gifts and money in the hopes of landing future agent contracts. Sleazy - yes. Illegal - no.

The athletes are tough to blame too. Many of these athletes come from broken homes and terrible poverty. Why wouldn't they take some new clothes and some spending cash?

Here is my solution - sue the athlete. Why can't USC sue O.J. Mayo for damages for the up-coming, inevitable NCAA sanctions. Why can't a university have its prospective athletes sign a binding contract that forbids taking outside gifts, cash, etc. lest they be sued for future earnings?

If USC is put on probation because of O.J. Mayo, it will lose scholarships, possibly television coverage, post-season possibilities and millions of dollars in lost revenues. Sure, USC is somewhat at fault, but so is O.J. Mayo.

Sue him.

Mayo is about to be a multi-millionaire. Sue him. Garnish his future wages. Mayo faces no punishment for his actions when the Trojans are put on probation. The agent who bought him clothes and cars faces no punishment. USC gets punished - why can't it seek compensation for their actions. The agent you can't get, but why not Mayo?

So far as I can tell, this is the only way to stop the problem. David Stern does not want straight-from-high-school kids ruining his league with terrible play and immature behavior, so all the crying about the age limit is pointless. The NCAA cannot, and should not, fix that. For every O.J. Mayo who uses and abuses his university, there are going to be dozens of kids who stick around and get a diploma because their games are exposed an not-ready-for-the NBA just yet. The rule, despite being blamed by reactionaries for Mayo's discretions, is not the problem.

Neither are the universities. Boosters and fans demand winning teams. To build winning team, these schools must recruit the best athletes - the same ones being preyed upon by sports agents. The environment is already set. What can universities do? Ask for receipts every time a kid wears a new pair of pants?

Coaches are now paid millions of dollars to win games. Can you blame them for looking the other way when their superstar meal-ticket drives up in an Escalade? Ask Tubby Smith what thanks you get for running a good, clean program.

If people really have a problem with this situation, holding the player financially accountable is the best and only way to stop it. When a player signs his letter of intent, he also signs a binding legal document that outlines his culpability if he breaks NCAA rules that put the school on probation. If a player like Mayo does not want to sign it, he can play in the NBDL or overseas instead of college ball. If he wants to play in the NCAA, he has to follow the rules or risks giving up future earnings.

You want to fix this problem, listen the wisdom of AC/DC. Money talks.

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Atlanta split a pair with the Pirates today. They lost the first game while leaving 15 men on base. 15! No help for Jair Jurrjens who was pulled early to go on three days rest this Friday. Tim Hudson came up big in the last game of the series to prevent the sweep.

More injuries...Mark Teixeira left the first game with back spasms. Oh, and Mike Hampton is still hurt.

Chipper hit well during today's double-header, going 4-8 on the day. By the way, good seats are still available in Pittsburgh. There might have been 1,000 people in the stands for the second game.

Current Average - .406

Sports and Marriage

It has been a long time since I have cared anything about the NHL. From what I can tell, I'm in the majority. The sport has suffered from inexplicable expansion and an awful television deal with Vs. As a southern boy, hockey is not an important sport locally and rarely mentioned unless someone has been brutally bloodied in a brawl.

For the last week, however, I have returned to being a hockey fan for one reason: my favorite team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, are in the conference finals with a chance to play for the Stanley Cup. When some Penguin I have never heard of scored a goal past some Flyers goalie I have never heard of, I jumped off the sofa with excitement and pumped my fist with a fan's satisfaction.

As much as I am currently excited about the NHL, this article is not about hockey. It is about the fact that I consider myself a Pittsburgh Penguins fan. Why is a Chattanooga kid a fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins? And how can I go from caring nothing about the team to setting up my week around Games 3 and 4 in such a flash?

The simple, and sad, answer is the same one that explains my loyalty to the Dallas Cowboys and Boris Becker. In fact, let's take a second to look at several of my loyalties as we psycho-analyze my peculiar preferences and what they mean:

Tennessee Vols - Easy one. My dad is a UT graduate and rabid Vols fan. We had season tickets to football games when I was a kid, would occasionally drive up to see good basketball games (the word "occasional" describes the frequency of our trips and the freaquency of good Vols basketball games) and attended all types of local Vols functions like spring football and women's SEC tournament games. Some of my earliest memories are the Sugar Bowl against Miami and going to a UT/Vanderbilt basketball game at Memorial Coliseum when I was probably six years old. I'm a Vol because of my dad.

Atlanta Braves - Pretty much the same story as my dad is a big Braves fan. The difference here is TBS. The Braves were always on TV, so like many Braves fans I got attached to the team by familiarity. Back in the 1980s, the Cubs and Braves were always on. Some people got attached to the Cubs; I got attached to Dale Murphy and the Braves. The 90-minute drive from Chattanooga to Atlanta helped too.

Dallas Cowboys - I liked the star on the helmet. Seriously. That is it. When I was a kid, the Cowboys were good, not great. Danny White. Tony Dorsett. Randy White. Too Tall Jones. Tom Landry. Good, not great. Then, the Cowboys were just awful. Gary Hogeboom awful. I stuck with them for the simple reason that I like the helmet. They are still my team today for that reason.

Pittsburgh Penguins - Same story. I liked the Penguins logo and the black/yellow color combination. I used to watch highlights on SportsCenter and liked the skating penguin. From there, I became a fan of Super Mario, Jaromir Jagr, Ron Francis, Sergei Zubov and the rest. I was an excited little kid when the Penguins swept the Blackhawks for the Cup, probably the only Chattanoogan who cared a thing about it.

Tennessee Titans - I was not a Houston Oilers fan, but when the Titans moved to Nashville and became a contender, I jumped on-board. This is an interesting one because I did not follow them during their one year in Memphis or through the Chris Chandler years. They were close in proximity, but not as close as the Falcons. They were on television here every Sunday, but so were the Falcons. The only difference is that they were a winning franchise and Atlanta was not. Proximity + victories = fan loyalty.

Phoenix Suns - Steve Nash. I did not like them before Nash (never cared when Jason Kidd or Stephon Marbury ran the team) and expect I won't like them when he is gone. I like the entire team because I like Steve Nash.

Muhammad Ali - I read a book about him and fell in love. I always pulled for Joe Frazier when I watched replays of the Thrilla in Manila, but after reading Thomas Hauser's biography on Ali, I became a passionate fan of the man and boxer.

Greg Norman - Norman was probably the best golfer of his time, but rubbed lots of people wrong and, of course, choked away a few major championships. I loved Norman's look, especially the cheesy hats he wore (my dad even sported one for a while, though I don't remember him being a Norman fan). I tried the Norman follow-through for years, slamming irons against my back after contact. With Norman, the appeal was pretty much the same as the Cowboys and Penguins - purely visual.

Boris Becker - He was left-handed. I am left-handed. There you go.

(My memory failed me here - Becker was not left-handed. Now I have no idea why I liked him).

Rather than simply being a self-indulgent sports biography, I think my odd collection of athletic loyalties basically boils down to three things - proximity, personal affection and appearance. The first explains my loyalty to the Vols (my dad went to Tennessee because he grew up in Chattanooga), Braves and Titans. Personal affection explains my support for the Suns and Muhammad Ali. These are both predictable and understandable reasons for fandom.

Appearance, however, as a reason to support a team or person is superficial, silly and stupid. I pulled for Jimmy Johnson, Jerry Jones and Barry Switzer because I liked the helmets? I copied The Shark's swing because of his hat? Appearance in sports, beit uniforms, batting stance or facial hair, is a vital part of any fan's make-up. It is embarrassing to admit, but sometimes years of heartbreak and elation comes down to the right color combination or mascot.

In many ways, choosing a sports team is like choosing a wife. This has been on my mind since my wedding anniversary last week. Four years in the books; hopefully many more in the future.

It all boils down to three things - proximity, personal affection and appearance. I fell in love with my wife because a) she lived in the same town as me, so I met her b) she had personal qualities like kindness, intelligence and honesty that appealed to me and c) I found her physically attractive.

In fact, choosing my sports' marriages were some of the first times in my life when I made any real choice of preferences. With hundreds of teams to choose from, I narrowed it down to these few. Over the years, I stuck with them through thick and thin, good times and bad, injuries and salary cap limitations and will be with them until I'm gone. My sports loyalities prepared me for marriage better than anything else. Before Martha came along, I had years of practice with this marriage thing even if I didn't realize it until I found myself cheering like crazy last night after seeing my first Penguins goal of the season. Sports fandom, like marriage, is forever.

Unless, of course, I neglect Martha like I neglected the Pens from around 1998 until last week in which case she will leave me faster than Sidney Crosby skating up the ice on a breakaway...

Happy Mother's Day

Travis Henry sends out a special Happy Mother's Day wish to all 29 of his babies' mommas.

Braves were rained out today - play two tomorrow.

Happy Mother's Day to all the Moms out there.

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Those pesky Pirates...they have the Braves number this year. The Braves try to split the series starting this afternoon. First suggestion - stop hitting into double plays. Easier said than done, I know.

Actually, my first suggestion would be to stop bunting. Last night, Omar Infante led the game off with a double. Why was Yunel Escobar asked to bunt in the 1st inning with a runner at second and no outs? I don't understand...

Chipper is coming back down to earth this series. He is 0 for 6 so far with some walks.

Current Average - .400

MAILBAG! Braves Edition

I get mail - you get answers!

(The mail is fake, but the answers are real)

I'm 36, hitting .419, my OBS is .471 and I'm leading the team in homeruns, RBIs, total bases, etc. Am I the leading candidate for MVP? - Chipper

If Brandon Webb wasn't dominating the league (8-0 so far), I would say yes. Right now, Webb is the MVP front-runner with Chase Utley and you following close behind. It will be a fascinating story if Webb continues to dominate, Utley continues to crush the ball and Chipper continues to challenge .400. Does a starting pitcher get the MVP over an everyday player? I tend to think no, but what Webb is doing right now is other-worldly.

WEBB? Are you crazy? Are you blind? Haven't you seen what Chipper is doing this year? He is carrying our team! We have no starting pitching, no bullpen, no clutch-hitting! You are an idiot! - Bobby

Alright, Cox. That is enough. YOU ARE OUT OF HERE!

Why is everybody hating on my bat flip? - Yunel

Because it is ridiculous! You are going to kill a catcher, umpire or on-deck hitter with that thing. What is going on there? It hits your back on the follow-through and then - WHOOSH - it caroms end over end terrifying everyone within 50 feet. I cannot believe you have not been called out or had a fastball under the chin for that thing.

Here is what I really don't understand - how did you get out of little league with that bat toss? At East Brainerd fields, if you didn't softly lay down your aluminum weapon, you were out. The umps in my league were Nazis about throwing the bat. Yunel, you would not have this problem if you had played for John Keene.

How much longer am I going to bat leadoff? - Kelly

Not much longer. Here are the sad facts - .325 OBS, 11 walks (18 K's), 3 SBs. For a leadoff man, I want you on base more than 1/3 of the time, I want you to put the ball in play and I want you to be a threat on the bases. Kelly - you are not. You are a #8 hitter right now. We all know who ought to be batting leadoff:

Brent Lillibridge.

Maybe not. My two picks are Yunel Escobar and Mark Kotsay, but I'm leaning towards Kotsay. His bat is red hot right now, he is a veteran who can take pitches and work the starter and he can steal a base now and then. Escobar has better numbers in all the major categories, but he is doing great in the #2 spot (getting great pitches with Chipper behind him) so I wouldn't fix something not broken.

Johnson as leadoff man? That is broken.

How long until Braves fans figure out that there is no way I'm resigning with Atlanta next year and turn on me? - Tex

First, Atlanta fans are not Yankees/Sox fans. We love our team, but most of us are pretty easy going. We lived with Andruw Jones for years without many boos. We aren't going to turn on you as long as you hit. Frankly, you could do a little more of that for my liking, but you do seem to be coming around.

As far as your future in Atlanta, it ain't going to happen. We aren't going to invest major money in one player, let alone a 1st baseman with really good, not great numbers. I like ya, Tex, but you aren't Pujols. You aren't David Wright. You are a really good player who is going to make a ton of money...from some other team. The Braves are no longer a big market team. They are on a fixed budget that won't be broken by you. I hope we get to the playoffs with you to justify dealing Saltamachia.

I've got some tenderness in my third toe - do you have a remedy or ointment of some sort for that? - Mike H.

Next.

Are you as bummed out as me that your recent Hall of Fame Foursome entry failed to start a good comment conversation? - John S.

Yes. Hall of Fame arguments are usually gold here. I'm afraid the nice weather outside and lack of Vols news is hurting SCSB readership. Your favorite blogger, however, remains undaunted!

Should I worry about my job security? - Jeff P.

Jeff Porter? Head Athletic Trainer? You think? What exactly are you doing? I have ZERO medical training, but I think I could keep the Braves healthier than you. Hampton, Smoltz, Glavine, Prado, Reyes, Carlyle, Moylan, Gonzalez, Soriano, HAMPTON!

(I actually have no idea if Jeff Porter is doing anything wrong. It is frustrating, however, to see injury after injury hurt the Braves. Sorry to blame you, Jeff. It is just...ouch, I just smashed my ring finger between the S and D keys. JEFF!!!)

Vols Land New Point Guard

Thanks to G!lenn for the link: JUCO point guard Bobby Maze signs with Vols

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

San Diego is not a good team right now. They couldn't field the ball, throw the ball or catch the ball, allowing Atlanta to rally for a 5-4 win to complete the sweep of the Padres. Greg Norton just might be the next Fred McGriff as he had another RBI hit. Matt Diaz drove in the game-winner with a line drive single in the 9th. Jo-Jo Reyes started the game and got hurt, Buddy Carlyle relieved him and got hurt and Mike Hampton stayed hurt.

Don't look now, but the Braves are winning one run games.

Chipper went 1-5 on the day.

Current Average - .419

Mike Hampton Tracker - Money For Nothing

The SCSB Tracker craze continues as we monitor Mike "Hurtin" Hampton's progress from elbow, oblique, hamstring and pectoral injuries and his inspiring ability to find the inner strength to still sign his paychecks ($14.5 million this year).

Days Since Mike Hampton Last Pitched For Atlanta - 993 Days (August 19, 2005)

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Five in a row for the Bravos! The Braves...wait, they just hit into another double-play...pushed three runs across the plate in the bottom of the 7th behind a Greg Norton pinch-hit single (why didn't Joe Thatcher make any effort to catch it?) for a 5-2 victory over San Diego. Bobby Cox was not around to see it, getting tossed in the 2nd inning for arguing an odd balk call against Tim Hudson.

Chipper kept on hitting, going 2-4 on the night.

Current Average - .429

Welcome back, Joe Simpson!

Jo-Jo Reyes on the mound this afternoon to go for the sweep.

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Atlanta won its fourth straight (I'm on the ledge, off the ledge, on the ledge, off the ledge) with an impressive 5-3 win over San Diego. Jair Jurrjens continues to impress as a 22-year old, poised pitcher. He has great command and a deceptive fastball that gets onto the hitters quickly. Mark Kotsay is swinging a hot bat right as well as playing a terrific centerfield. His catch in deep center last night was tremendous.

Chipper went 1-2 with a homerun to center and two more walks, one intentional. I imagine teams are going to make Tex beat them, especially from the right side where he continues to struggle.

Current Average - .426

Other Braves notes:

Atlanta picked up some veteran bench help with the acquisition of Greg Norton from the Seattle Mariners. Norton is a switch-hitting pinch-hitter who can play 1st, 3rd or the outfield corners. With Martin Prado going down for six weeks because of the thumb injury he suffered diving into first base, the Norton pick-up is a timely one. Not exactly a Fred McGriff-type acquisition, but hopefully not a Craig Wilson one either.

The bullpen continues to be a mess. Last night, Manny Acosta put two runners on base before Cox went to the pen to get the final two batters of the night. It is clear that Acosta does not yet have Cox's trust, mostly because he continues to walk batters. Royce Ring (weird name, huh?) keeps getting lefties out, though he nearly gave up a disastrous dinger to Adrian Gonzalez last night that just went foul. Jeff Bennett got the final out for his first save.

The news from the bullpen is all bad. Peter Moylan is done for the year - surgery on Thursday. Rafael Soriano cut short his bullpen session yesterday because of discomfort. Mike Gonzalez had tightness the other day, but is still supposed to return to the pen sometime later in the week. With these three guys healthy (not even including Smoltz's return to relief pitching), Atlanta has a great bullpen. Without them, it is patchwork at best.

The injuries are not just on the field. Color commentator Joe Simpson had an appendectomy last week, so we are stuck with the ultra-bland Ron Gant for the time being. BRING BACK SKIP CARAY! I miss Pete and Skip, though they are still calling the games on the radio. Actually, I don't mind the guy from Knocked Up who does the play-by-play. He looks like he would know nothing about baseball simply from his hairdo, but is always on top of it and easy to listen to.

FYI - Mike Hampton is still hurt. And still earning $15 million this season.

Tonight - Tim Hudson on the mound as the Braves go for five straight.

Hall of Fame Foursome?

Greg Maddux and the San Diego Padres visit Atlanta Tuesday night for the first time this season, reuniting the dominant three starting pitchers from the Braves 1990s National League dynasty. Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Maddux were the core of baseball's finest rotation for the better part of a decade.

The three are also winding down their respective careers. Glavine and Smoltz have each spent time on the disabled list this year as their 40+ bodies wear down. Maddux has struggled on the mound with 2-3 record and an ERA over four. It is conceivable that all three will hang up their cleats at the end of the 2008 season which begs the question:

Will Glavine, Smoltz and Maddux enter the Hall of Fame together in five years?

To take it one step further, what if Bobby Cox walked away from the Braves after this year as well? Could it be an Atlanta Braves ceremony in Cooperstown?

What an event that would be! It seems only right that all three pitchers would enter side by side. They are great friends off the diamond and forever linked on it. Cox was the architect of the Braves dynasty, believing in young pitchers Glavine and Smoltz through their early struggles. The four Atlanta Braves won a championship together in 1995 and made an indelible mark on the game individually and collectively.

Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and Bobby Cox are all first ballot Hall of Famers. No doubt. Glavine is a two-time Cy Young Award winner and World Series MVP. He is one of only five left-handers to win 300 games in a career. Maddux has won 349 games in his career and won more than any other pitcher in the 1990s, including Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson. Maddux won four straight Cy Young awards from 1992-95 (sandwiched by Glavine in 1991 and Smoltz in 1996) and seventeen, yes seventeen, straight Gold Gloves. Bobby Cox is the 4th winningest manager in baseball history, four-time Manager of the Year and, of course, has been ejected more than any other person in MLB history.

The question mark is John Smoltz. In fact, there are actually two questions: 1) Is he a Hall of Famer? 2) Is he a first ballot Hall of Famer?

Smoltz owns a Cy Young Award, has over 3,000 career strikeouts and is the only pitcher in baseball history with over 200 wins and over 150 saves. He has aged better than Glavine or Maddux and remains the most dominant of the three.

According to Bill James' Hall of Fame Monitor, Smoltz is a Hall of Fame cinch. His career statistics are more impressive than those of Don Sutton, Phil Neikro, Juan Marichal, Don Drysdale, Fergie Jenkins and Catfish Hunter - all Hall of Famers.

The question of Smoltz's first ballot status is trickier. There is no aspect of his career that screams first ballot. He lacks 300 wins. He lacks multiple Cy Youngs. He lacks league or World Series MVPs.

He can boast 3,000 strikeouts - only 16 pitchers can do that. He is only the 2nd player to win 20 games in a season and have 50 saves in a season. How the voters look at Smoltz's bullpen career (and perhaps the injuries that sent him there) will determine whether or not he is a first ballot Hall of Famer. Smoltz was as dominant a closer as the game has seen, a role that is getting more credibility by the year. He was better than Sutter, Gossage or Rollie Fingers during the time he spent in the bullpen.

The X Factor is whether the voters will be influenced by the inclusion of Glavine, Maddux and Cox. Will they be more likely to vote for Smoltz as well or hesitate to honor him with first ballot status just to create a special occasion at the induction?

My gut tells me that Smoltz is not a first ballot guy. My gut also tells me that Smoltz is not going to retire unless his arm troubles continue throughout the year. I'm inclined to think Cox is still not quite ready to give up the game either, though his appeal in the process is not as great as the three pitchers. Regardless, the four of them (along with Chipper Jones and John Schuerholz) will all represent the great Atlanta teams of the past 17 years.

Hawks Blown Out in Boston

It was fun while it lasted.

The Atlanta Hawks reminded the Southeast that a) they were still a franchise and b) NBA basketball can be tons of fun when they took the heavily-favored Boston Celtics to seven games before getting blown out 99-65 on Sunday afternoon.

Coach Mike Woodson kept burning timeouts early to stem the tide, but there was no stopping the Celtics in Boston. The Hawks looked intimidated and nervous in their first Game 7, especially Al Horford and Josh Smith. Joe Johnson, as usual, came to play, but the young Hawks got whipped on the boards and bottled up by the Boston defense.

So what does this mean for Atlanta? Obviously, it was big step forward just to make the post-season. Winning a single game against Boston would have been an accomplishment, but forcing a Game 7? The Hawks 2007/8 season was a rousing success.

The future looks even brighter. The Hawks have no unrestricted free agents and will surely match any offers for Josh Smith or Josh Childress. With a mid-1st round pick in the up-coming draft (one that is loaded), Atlanta ought to be able to add some depth that was sorely lacking in the Boston series. Atlanta is a few years away from seriously contending in the East, but the nucleus of Johnson, Smith and Horward looks promising.

What about Coach Woodson? Rumors of his season-end dismissal have been rampant, but can he be fired after such a terrific playoff run? I doubt Woodson will be let go at this point, but imagine his leash will be short in the 2008/9 season. There will likely be a long line of coaches foaming at the mouth to be a part of the surging Hawks (hard to imagine, isn't it?), including Avery Johnson, Jeff Van Gundy and possibly Mike D'Antoni.

It would be great to have an interesting NBA team in the Southeast again. The Atlanta crowd was terrific in the series despite its reputation for being a miserable sports town.

Here is hoping they have more to cheer about in the future...

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Chipper went 3-6 with 5 RBIs and even kicked an extra point in Atlanta's 14-7 win over the Reds. The Braves got the sweep in the series, despite Tom Glavine's struggles, because of a 7-run 2nd inning.

Current Average - .425

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Chipper pounded out two more hits last night in the Braves big 9-1 win over the Reds. Can we play them as often as the Nationals? Chipper went 2-4 on the night.

Current Average - .421

Duke & Ramar Kicked Off Team

Wow. Again.

The basketball Vols' off-season keeps producing headlines like Tyler's return, Lofton's cancer and now the dismissal of Duke Crews and Ramar Smith. Thus far, there seem to be no details about why both were kicked off other than that it was for two different reasons. The assumption with Crews is that it must be drug-related.

First, I hate it for these guys. Crews came back from the long, frustrating layoff after the heart scare and was never quite the same last year. I hoped another year with Pearl might result in a Wayne Chism-like growth in Crews' game. He seems like a fun, likable kid, but also has a history of enjoying marijuana (he was suspended from the team after weed was found in his dorm room last year).

Ramar took the benching and criticism of his point guard play well last year despite an obvious regression in his game from his freshmen year. With a highly recruited point guard coming to Knoxville out of Michigan, my hope was that Ramar would elevate his game and be the true floor leader of the team.

From a basketball sense, the losses of two would-be juniors is tough. Games are won with seniors and juniors who have the experience to execute down the stretch of tight games. Look at what the Florida Gators did with experienced players as compared to this past season.

The loss severely hurts Tennessee's depth which has always been a trademark of Bruce Pearl's coaching style. He likes to go 9-10 deep in order to keep fresh bodies on the floor, so either guys like Ryan Childress must step up their games or the Vols will struggle with their second unit.

I'm ready for the basketball Vols to stay out of the headlines for a few months.

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Chipper went 2-3 with a walk in the Braves 2-0 win over the Reds. Tim Hudson was dominant throwing a much-needed complete game shutout.

Current Average - .417

Chris Lofton

Wow.

I don't really know how to react to yesterday's news that Chris Lofton spent last off-season overcoming testicular cancer. It explains a lot, like why he could no longer take the ball to the basket successfully, started the season shooting so poorly, spent no time in the off-season becoming a point guard (which is what I expected he would do in order to have a shot at the NBA), etc. The guy was going through chemo. He was puking his brains out. He was shedding pounds and strength.

What an off-season for the Vols - two of their superstars (Duke Crews being the other) had major, life-threatening health issues. It makes the season seem much more successful, doesn't it?

You can look in the archives of my season-long postings to see the frustration and bewilderment towards Lofton's lack of progression last year. He was good, but not great anymore. There was a feeling that once he got going...but also a feeling of something just isn't right here.

Think of all the theories for his senior season - no Dane Bradshaw anymore, more distribution to other scorers, shooting it too flat, too much pressure as an All-American, etc. I don't remember ever guessing cancer.

What kind of guy goes through the season Lofton went through and keeps the whole thing a secret? You know he wanted to yell, "I had cancer!" at some point when people questioned his shooting slump. What type of person has such a valid excuse for failure and decides not to use it?

I'll tell you what kind of guy - a special one. Not to get overly cheesy, but it really does make you proud to associate with a kid like that, even if the association is simply cheering him on twice a week from the sofa. You don't come across Chris Lofton's very often on the court with his skill set, but it is even more rare to come across one off it. I love the guy.

To any NBA team out there reading the Scenic City Sportsblog, this is the type of guy you want on your team. This is the type of guy you want in the foxhole with you. Instead of wasting your 2nd round pick on a prima donna thug with a posse and Escalade, grab Chris Lofton and go into battle with this kid.

Stay healthy, #5.

Braves and Hawks Come Up Empty

Not a good night for Atlanta sports teams. I failed to stay awake for the entire Hawks game, but it does not look like I missed much. Atlanta got next to nothing from Mike Bibby in a blowout loss. Here is hoping the Atlanta crowd comes back full force for Game 6 to send the series back to Boston one more time.

I did watch the Braves fiasco in the afternoon/evening. Why did the game start at 4:30 p.m.? Weird. That must be what it is like to watch sporting events on the West Coast.

Bobby Cox is a Hall of Fame manager, but he pushed all the wrong buttons yesterday.

The Braves wasted another good start from Jair Jurrjens with zero clutch hitting and fell in 12 innings 3-2. The 12th inning has just pathetic. After taking the lead, Bobby Cox allowed Manny Acosta to hit for himself so he could finish the game. Big mistake. Acosta allowed a leadoff walk to start the 12th. He then gave up a lined drive that should have been caught to double off the runner at first, but Martin Prado was in the field instead of Mark Teixeira after Prado came into the game as a pinch-runner. Big mistake. Prado failed to catch the ball that hit squarely in his glove, meaning the Nats now had two on with nobody out instead of nobody on with two outs.

It kept getting worse. Acosta then failed to field an come-backer bunt that should have been a double-play. The ball Bucknered through his legs to load the bases with no outs.

Worse still? How about walking pitch-hitter Ronnie Belliard (hitting .214) with the bases loaded on four pitches to tie the game?

The Braves are now 0-9 in one run games this season. Let's hope May is kinder to Atlanta than April was - injuries, runners left on base and heart-breaking losses made for a frustrating opening month.

Pitching news - John Smoltz announced he will be coming out of the bullpen when he comes off the D.L. and, SHOCKER, Mike Hampton got hurt in his rehab start in Richmond.

Chipper Tracker - Larry Wayne Goes For .400

Ouch. 0 for 5 for Chipper in a devastating loss for the Braves.

Current Average - .410