Same Old Falcons

Same old Falcons. Too bad they can't win like the Braves. The Falcons have continued to improve their personnel. They have the best roster in the NFL, a QB putting up hall of fame numbers, the best player in the NFL in Julio Jones, a dynamic rookie receiver, an above average tight end and running back, perhaps the best offensive line in the NFL – and they can't score points. Only way the offensive coordinator shouldn't get fired after the season is if they win the Super Bowl. Holding the World Champs to 18 points should've been enough to win. I watched some of the first half then went to bed.

Philadelphia, a.k.a. Loserville, wins their first NFL title in almost sixty years. They unveil their world championship banner before the game, then when the first half ends the fans boo the team. You'd think they'd give them a little more leeway.

 

Also: Matt Ryan broke his knee brace.

Word of the Day: a noun: Schadenfreude; noun: schadenfreude scha·den·freu·de ˈSHädənˌfroidə/

1. pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.

Used in a sentence: "Angie quite often experiences schadenfreude."

 

 

Aug 30: worked past six. Ceil and I went up to Moxie Burger, for the first time in a long time. She got a salad with lots of stuff on it, including chicken. It also came with a pile of onion rings on the top, not the huge onions rings but the good kind, the small stringy rings. I ordered a chicken sandwich with BBQ sauce, which is actually bigger than their burgers.

 

Got home and watched two more episodes of "Making It." You really need to see this show, on NBC. Last night they decorated doorways for the holiday of their choice. They made scary Halloween costumes. One was a sock-eating dryer, another the huge head of the artist's dog swallowing the artist. Also stadiums with moving parts, made out of food. One was the Roman Coliseum made out of Rice Krispy treats. The season finale is next Tuesday night.

 

ANNOUNCEMENT: Will passed his big certification test! He is an official Physician's Assistant. Now to get a job.

 

Aug 31: jersey day at work. Mike wore a Barry Sanders jersey. Zack a 49ers t-shirt. Shane a Falcons t-shirt. I wore a Vic Beasley #44 jersey tee. Also a UGA polo. May change into my new Braves t-shirt later. Kim wore a FSU jersey, to the delight of our general manager.

 

Might've told you about all the food at work on Friday: hot dogs, beany weinies, breakfast sliders, corn dip, etc. I never ate dinner Friday evening. Had three team members out but since work was slow I didn't feel dad about leaving at three. Drove over to SunTrust and got to visit with Jeff Yearwood a little. Then walked to the park and met up with Will. No reason to get there so early except to beat traffic.

 

We walked around The Battery and visited the SunTrust On Up experience for the first time. Vince Dooley was signing autographs at 5:30. There wasn't much of a line, so I dragged Will into it. Took a little longer than expected, but we had lots of time. As we got close I realized what I could say: that I played football with Mack Guest and Steve Dennis, two of his All-SEC players from Macon. Coach smiled and said in his familiar drawl "I saw Mack yesterday!" We had a quick chat, we took pictures, and he autographed mini-footballs for us.

 

Saw three couple from our Sunday School class on the walk back to the ballpark. Introduced Will to them and to Miss Marian, my usher friend. Went to the outfield for batting practice, then walked around the park. Got Cokes and headed to our seats in the upper deck near third base.  It was Auburn night, so we were surrounded by fans in orange caps. An African American family sat on the other side of Will, and he chatted with the grandfather. The young granddaughter received lots of attention from a bevy of Auburn coeds sitting nearby.

 

We stayed until the end of the game, but not the postgame concert. Walked back to the car. Looked for something to eat, but since it was after 11 pm everything was closed or had long lines at the drive through. I drove Will home, and stopped by the new East Cobb RaceTrac for some Vitamin Water Zero lemonade.

 

Worked upstairs Saturday morning, then watched Clemson/Furman, GT/Alcorn, UGA/Austin Peay, Notre Dame/Michigan, West Virginia/Tennessee, Auburn/Washington, and Bama/Louisville. Did laundry and other chores.

 

Sunday Matthew and Ceil drove down to worship at W&MC's church in the West End: Cornerstone Church. C&M had lunch at W&MC's, then went to Ponce City Market. I made it to JFBC, grilled BBQ chicken sandwiches, took a nap, and watched the Braves. W&MC went to the Braves game. Later we watched Miami/LSU.

 

I had signed up to help at Johnson Ferry's Holy Smoke Festival on Monday morning. They had a 5K road race, and by ten there were just a few people there. But in a just a few minutes there was a line of young kids at our bouncy house: kids had to jump from on big ball to the next, a junior sized American Ninja Warrior course. Of course all the high achiever parents and kids had to try. For my hour the stream of kids was constant. I had as much fun as the kids.

 

At 11 am my shift ended. Saw Lynn Taylor and others. Ate Williamson Brothers BBQ with Buddy, who'd studied architecture with Ceil at Clemson. Hundreds and hundreds of people were there. After lunch I checked out the antique cars, there were several dozen – almost a hundred. Made it home by noon. Ceil had gone to the YMCA, then was cleaning in the living and dining room. I helped, and also washed some clothes, folded laundry, did the dishes, and watched the Braves.

 

Later I drove Ceil to Perimeter Mall. we got off 400 to go to Perimeter Mall. The hotel across the street had three flags flying, but only the American flag in the middle was at half-staff (more like 40%). The Hampton Inn flag was at 100%, and the Georgia state flag at 90%. Kinda sloppy.

 

On the way back we ate at Chuys. Not my favorite. The chicken tasted funny. Watched FSU/Virginia Tech. Went to bed before the game was over.  

 

Tuesday I left work at three. Walked up to the Chop House Gate just after four, there were already a boatload of fans in line. Had a bobblehead sold before the gates opened at 5:30. Walked around and people watched. Saw MC's dad and several bobble buddies.

 

Wednesday: worked from home, so there was lots to do plus several distractions. Ceil is headed to SC – her mom was sent to the hospital yesterday. Wasn't a UTI like they hoped. Cleaned out the fridge and freezer. Had a burrito and hash browns.

 

With Ceil on a health kick and me without a car yesterday, I had to forage for food. The fridge and freezer are always packed, so it wasn't hard. Between breakfast lunch and dinner I ate: a PB&J, hash browns, a frozen bean burrito, and smaller black bean taquitos. Organized the fridge and got rid of two duplicate jars of peanut butter. Plenty more to eat going forward: ravioli, soup, chili, beans, popcorn, yogurt, grilled cheese. Lunch today was leftover pizza and chicken soup.

 

Work was busy. Dialed into two conference calls, and of course Barney was barking during the calls. Turned on the Braves game. Last night I watched several episodes of 30 Rock, plus two movies: At Middleton (Andy Garcia) and Waitress (Andy Griffith).

 

Thursday: worked past six. Drove straight home. M and I ate at Moes. Later a couple of his friends came home. I was sleepy so I hit the sack.

 

Friday: Mrs. Miller is doing better. Ceil may come home tomorrow. Meeting at work catered by Jason's Deli. Not much else. Guess I'll car shop this weekend.

 

Matthew bought Drew Kelly's father's 1996 Buick Park Avenue two years ago. It runs great. Had a few minor problems, but it's been great. Yesterday he rode my bike 4-1/2 miles to his doctor's appointment, and 4-1/2 miles back. He needed the exercise.

College Football Recap

Clemson/Furman: Kelly Bryant may have passed and ran for touchdowns, but several other passes were off the mark. In his first game as a true freshman, Trevor Lawrence was clearly the best QB on the field. But with 15 starts under his belt, Bryant should start next week in College Station.

Dustin Fields impressed in his debut. He wasn't perfect, but of the top four QBs at Georgia and Clemson, he wasn't the worst. Jake Fromm picked up where he left off last year, demonstrating his best in class ability to find the open receiver.

Whereas Clemson has a very talented running back, Georgia has five. Holyfield got his first meaningful playing time in three years, and did not disappoint. Cook looked good as well before committing the most boneheaded play in memory. He will be missed in the first half next week in Colombia. But look for a big second half from a fresh Cook against weary Gamecock defenders.

Georgia's win was perhaps the most dominant of the afternoon (until Alabama rolled Louisville). After posting 38 first half points, Fromm was done for the day. Fields was pulled in the third quarter.

I kept looking for Georgia's backup kicker, but Ricardo made all his placements and boomed every kickoff deep into the end zone. Little was said of the new punter, who boomed two 50 yarders.

Tech did well, keeping Alcorn State off the scoreboard. Unfortunately QB Taquon Marshall didn't magically become a passer in the off-season. The new unis looked ok, except the bland pants and jerseys with the number four.

Best uni matchup? Norte Dame / Michigan. Except the Irish's white shoes. Loved the Wolverines' plain black Air Jordan's. As usual many experts are placing the Irish into the playoff. Not sure what their schedule looks like, but I don't see Wimbush excelling against a defense from Bama, Clemson, or Georgia.

Tennessee lost, but competed well against West Virginia. The Mountaineers have a Heisman contending QB in ex-Gator Will Grier, but exactly how good the Vols will be is still to be determined. One thing is known: a good passer can beat Tennessee.

As usual you can count on Louisville for two things: bad uniforms and cheap shots. The latter just added fuel to the Bama fire, who put up fifty against the Cards at a neutral site. Not sure Clemson will be able to beat Louisville that bad in Death Valley. Even in victory Saban was on edge, exploding in response to Maria Taylor's innocent question. He later called her to apologize.

Auburn/Washington: good win for the Ware Eagles. But at the end...intentional grounding? Could've been pass interference on Auburn. First down Washington. Could've been an entirely different ending.

ESPN media darling Penn State had to fight for their life against Appalachian State, coming back to force overtime. ESPN and ABC can quit talking talking about Heisman trophies and national championships, but they won't. Such joy in Happy Valley for edging App State in overtime. We'll get to see the Nittany Lions next week in prime time against rival Pitt, who in recent years has given Penn State all they can handle.

LSU/Miami: the Canes new environmentally friendly uniforms showed up, but the players did not. LSU looked better than expected, and will make opponents' life hard the rest of the season. Mark Richt took some abuse for his team's performance, but it has to be remembered than he exceeded expectations last year taking over a program with its cupboards bare. Give him time to get a better QB, and the Canes will be more competitive.

Virginia Tech/FSU: another non-shocker. Willie Taggart already knew he had a lot of work to do. I was amazed to discover he has a losing record at every stop in his career, except last year's 7-5 record at Oregon. But the Noles looked bad, tripping over themselves, getting a punt blocked, lots of penalties, etc. The Hokies could be a force to be reckoned with.

8/31 Braves/Pirates

Used my two free GasSouth tickets to take Will to last Friday night's ball game. It was a perfect evening for baseball. Didn't mind the upper level seats, as they gave a wonderful view of much of Atlanta.

Before the game we got to meet Vince Dooley. 

Will shared his interest of gardening with Vince.

Still made it for the end of the Pirates batting practice.

The son of one of the Pirates had free roam of the outfield.

Mercedes Benz Stadium peeks out between buildings.

Friday was Auburn night at SunTrust Park.

Thousands of orange caps were scattered all around us.

Players watch the replay after a close play at second.

Then Braves pitcher Sanchez hugged the Pirates baserunner. 

How nice to be in the section where two young dudes unsuccessfully tried to start the wave, in the middle of an inning.

Will looks on as the smoke from fireworks blows past.

On Sunday Will returned to the ballpark,

and posed for a picture with Miss Marian.

Predictions: Bulldogs

Can Georgia repeat last year’s success? Even after losing Chubb, Michel, and now freshman sensation Zeus, Georgia’s running core is in the more than able hands of Swift, Holyfield, Perrien, and Cook. Now a sophomore, quarterback Jake Fromm ranks among the best in the nation at auditing to the correct play, finding the open receiver, and all around leadership. Freshman Justin Fields will be an able backup and provide a good change of pace.   

 

This year before making my picks I conferred with another Bulldog legend.

 

September 1 vs. Austin Peay. Justin Fields coming out party. 1-0.

 

September 8 at South Carolina. A tough game two, but the Dawgs will be up to the challenge. 2-0.

 

September 15 vs. Middle Tennessee. A 7:15 start on ESPN2. More playing time for young Mr. Fields. 3-0.

 

September 22 at Missouri. Another tough road game. The defense will be tested, but the Dawgs come back with the W. 4-0.

 

September 29 vs. Tennessee. The Vols like to play the spoiler. Not this year. A relatively close game. 5-0.

 

October 6 vs. Vanderbilt. Homecoming. Gone are the days the Commodores can pull off an upset. 6-0.

 

October 13 at LSU. Tough tough game. LSU’s defense will test the Bulldog offense. But the junkyard Dawg defense will throttle the Tigers offense. 7-0.

 

October 27 vs. Florida in Jacksonville. The 3:30 CBS game. After an off week, Kirby will have the Dawgs ready. As usual, the game will be close. 8-0.

 

November 3 at Kentucky. After two tough games, the Dawgs hope for a breather. They won’t get it. After beating a series of weaker teams, the Wildcats will come into the game primed for an upset. The game will be close – for a quarter. 9-0.

 

November 10 vs. Auburn. The War Eagles will survive their tough early schedule. Auburn fans will relive last year’s win. But Kirby will have the Dawgs ready. 10-0.

 

November 17 vs. UMass. A breather. 11-0.

 

November 24 vs. Georgia Tech. Another breather. 12-0.

 

December 1st: SEC Championship Game in Atlanta vs. Alabama. Close game. As usual, Saban finds a way. 12-1. This time the Dawgs are shut out of the playoff.

 

Bowl game: Despite being down emotionally, they’re able to win the bowl game. 13-1.

Predictions: Clemson

Many experts expect Clemson to make the playoff this year. There are few teams on their schedule who can put up a challenge, and they’re loaded with talent, particularly on the defensive line and quarterback, and have one of the most talented running backs in the country.

Last year’s starting quarterback Kelly Bryant suffered a few injuries along the way. Some say he was the reason Clemson lost the semifinal last year. Those close to the program say Bryant is the man. Bryant is a stronger runner than passer. He has a strong arm, but if his first option is covered, Bryant has trouble finding secondary receivers while under pressure. He’s quick to tuck the ball and run. That may work against Wake Forest, but it won’t against Alabama or Georgia.

 

Others expect freshman sensation Trevor Lawrence to ride in on a white horse and save the day. He may well be the Tigers’ Tua Tagovailoa. Lawrence should see plenty of playing time in early season blowouts against Furman, Georgia Southern, Georgia Tech, and Wake Forest. Should he shine, or should Bryant stumble, don’t be surprised to see Dabo make Lawrence the starter.

I’ll make it easy: Clemson will march into the national championship game undefeated. They face NC State, Louisville, Syracuse, and South Carolina at home. FSU is rebuilding. Boston College will be tough on their home turf, but even Miami won’t be able to put up much of a fight in the ACC Championship Game.  

 

September 1 vs. Furman. Coming out party for Trevor Lawrence. Tigers win big, say 44-7 (I was close, it was 48-7).

 

September 8 at Texas A&M. Tough, but Clemson comes out on top. 35-20.

 

September 15 vs. Georgia Southern. The Eagles run the option, perhaps even better than Georgia Tech. A good tune up. 44-7 Tigers.

 

September 22 at Georgia Tech. Another lopsided victory. 44-20.

 

September 29 vs Syracuse. Tigers will take revenge for last year’s upset. 35-20.

 

October 6 at Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons will come out primed for the upset. They’ll make Clemson think twice, but the Deacs won’t be able to pull out a win. 24-17 Tigers.

 

October 20 vs. NC State. Another tough game. 31-17 Clemson.

 

October 27 at Florida State. National TV. Who will make the statement? Trevor Lawrence might be the difference in this game. 31-27.

 

November 3 vs Louisville. After three tough games, Louisville could be facing a wounded Clemson team. The Tigers will still be superior. 35-17.

 

November 10 at Boston College. If Clemson is to lose, it will be in Beantown. It’s hard to get up for four straight games. Watch this one until the end. Could be another chapter in the Trevor Lawrence highlight reel. 24-21.

 

November 17 vs. Duke. Finally a breather, though Clemson could still be weary. I just don’t see the Blue Devils scoring much. 31-10.

 

November 24 vs. South Carolina. Tigers will be up for this game, wearing orange from head to toe for the state championship. The Cocks will be sky high as well. They may be completing their best season in recement memory, perhaps in second place in the division, hoping for a New Year’s Day bowl game. But the Clemson defense will hit hard, and the Cocks offense will be in for a long day – or lots of three and outs. Tigers roll 40-17.

 

December 1: ACC Championship Game in Charlotte NC. Miami will be improved, but they will still be not match for Clemson, who’ll be wearing the orange championship pants. Number one ranked Clemson goes to 13-0.

 

December 31: Playoff Semifinal. With Lawrence at the helm and the defense recovered from nagging injuries, the Tigers will be a formatible force. They’ll squeak by and advance to the championship game.

 

January 7, 2019. National Championship Game vs. Alabama. Trevor Lawrence will be the talk of town, facing off against Tagovailoa. As usual, Nick Saban will be ready. But the Clemson defense will contain Bama’s offense, and Lawrence will have one play up his sleeve. Clemson has what it takes, besting the Tide in a low scoring thriller to win the Tigers’ third national championship. 21-17.

Predictions: Georgia Tech

Some years teams have favorable schedules. This year’s Georgia Tech schedule is very unfavorable. Tech plays poorly on the road. Teams the Jackets beat easily at home often dominate Tech at their place. This year the Jackets travel to South Florida, Pitt, Louisville, Virginia Tech, UNC, and Georgia. Three or four of those six games are winnable, but Tech could lose them all.

Tech plays their two toughest games at home: Clemson and Miami. Duke and Virginia will come to town hungry. Gaining bowl eligibility will be a formatible task this year, even if the team is markedly improved.

Paul Johnson has a few good recruits coming in who should contribute immediately. Incumbent quarterback Taquon Marshall returns for his second season as a starter (#16 below). He may be the fastest QB in Tech’s long history, if not the fastest Jacket ever. Once he breaks free he is gone. Marshall is skinny, but he’s not afraid to lower his helmet and initiate contact. Unfortunately he is rarely able to move and carry defenders with him. A passer Taquon is not. He makes Justin Thomas look like Johnny Unitas. Now that he has options, I would not be surprised if Johnson replaces Marshall sometime this season.

This may be the season Paul Johnson finally starts to feel some heat. New athletic director Todd Stansbury will have seen enough to understand that too many things have to come together perfectly for the Jackets to win the ACC, much less contend for a berth in the national playoff. Most Tech fans are complacent, uncaring that the football team continues to at best fall in the middle of the pack. These oblivious fans go into big games against the likes of Clemson and Georgia thinking Tech is the equal of these elite teams, and when they lose shake their heads and think it just wasn’t Tech’s year. They just don’t know much about football, or are not willing to accept that the Jackets waddle in mediocrity – even after season after season of bordering on the cusp of bowl eligibility.

September 1 vs. Alcorn State. WIN. We’ll get to see some of the backup QB’s, which is always educational. 1–0.

September 8 at South Florida in Tampa. Triple whammy: on the road in an unfamiliar environment, playing in a NFL stadium, on ABC/ESPN2. Does not bode well for Tech.  Maybe a hurricane will blow through, and the game gets cancelled. LOSE 1-1.

September 15 at Pittsburgh in Heinz Field. Two straight weeks in a NFL stadium. Tech struggles at Pitt, whose non-nonsense defenders stay home to defend their lanes. LOSE 1-2.

September 22 vs. Clemson. Fans from the state of Georgia will get to see Cartersville’s Trevor Lawrence riddle the Tech defense with passes. LOSE 1-3.

September 29 vs. Bowling Green. Finally a breather. Tech wins a relatively close game. Nothing to write home about. WIN 2-3.

October 5 at Louisville on Friday night. ESPN. After the big win over Bowling Green, Jacket fans hold their heads up, and tell Louisville they better watch out. Then reality hits. Fans turn on ESPN. The Cardinals come out in all black. The Jackets ditch their traditional gold britches and wear all white. The uniforms don’t help. This isn’t the best Louisville team, but their speed and athletisism is superior to Tech’s. LOSE 2-4.

October 13 vs. Duke. Tech wins a close game. Maybe. Jacket fans start talking about winning out the rest of the season. After beating Duke. WIN 3-4.

October 25 at Virginia Tech. Thursday night ESPN. More reality. Hokie fans make the Louisville fans look like church mice. The Hokie players make the Cardinals (and the Yellow Jackets) look like high school players. LOSE 3-5.November 3 at North Carolina. The Jackets come out flat, as they usually do on the road against average ACC opponents. Heels win a close one. LOSE 3-6.

November 10 vs. Miami. Tech still hopes for a bowl bid. Officials from several low level bowls committed to taking an ACC team are wined and dined in the luxury suites. They like what they see – Miami. Tech loses again. LOSE 3-7. 

November 17 vs. Virginia. Mark Bradley and Jeff Schultz call this a must win game for Paul Johnson. The Cavaliers continue to improve under head coach Bronco Mendenhall. When Taquon continues to struggle, Johnson finally replaces him in the second quarter. It’s too little too late. Tech drops to 3-8.

November 24 at Georgia. Tech fans are undeterred. UGA may be undefeated, but they point to the years Tech has won in Athens. But it won’t happen this year. Dawgs win big. Stansbury has a decision to make. Jackets finish 3-9.

September Bobbles

As the calendar turns to September, another great year of bobblehead giveaways come to a close. Will next year be even better? Or are major and minor league teams discovering bobbleheads aren’t worth the cost?

 

Will more teams make bobbleheads a special ticket only? Would that be a good or bad thing? This year the Braves moved Star Wars from special ticket to SGA, then added a Sandlot bobble as a special ticket.

 

Will it be a long winter without bobbles? The good news is more NBA, NHL, and even some colleges have joined the bobblehead sensation. Both the Charlotte Hornets and San Jose Sharks have joined the fun.

 

Any ideas for 2019? What will be the newest craze? In October I promise to publish the definitive list of bobbles the Braves and Stripers need to give away. 

 

And as always, what did I miss? 

 

9.01 SAT JAX Hank Aaron 2000

9.01 SAT Astros Alex Bregman walk-off BH

9.01 SAT Binghamton mascot Rowdy Hula dashboard figurine

9.01 SAT SUN MON Gwinnett 1/2 price clearance sale

9.01 SAT Augusta mystery BH

9.01 SAT SYR mystery BH

9.01 SAT San Jose Tim Lincecum BH

9.01 SAT Scranton Wilkes-Barre The Office trophy. Hey my dad won a couple of those!
9.02 SUN Reds Hall of Fame Johnny Bench BH

9.03 MON Rochester Bob Gibson BH 500

9.03 MON Salem mystery BH

9.04 TUE ATL Babe Ruth Boston Braves BH 20000
9.07 FRI Lancaster Barnstormers Brad Lidge BH 

9.08 SAT ARIZ BH TBA

9.08 SAT PITT Felipe Rivero BH

9.08 SAT Reds Joe Morgan statue (pigeons not included)

9.08 SAT DET 1968 road jersey

9.08 SAT Toronto R2D-2oque

9.09 SAT Toronto Buck Martinez alarm clock

9.09 SUN OAK Sugar Skull BH

9.12 WED Boston Devers gnome

9.14 FRI Boston Mookie Betts splash BH

9.14 FRI SD Dia de los Muertos BH (also SAT & SUN)

9.15 SAT ATL Folty designed BH with his puppy 

9.15 SAT MIL Ed Sedar mini BH

9.15 SAT Astros Carlos Correa orange jersey

9.15 SAT STL 2013 championship rings

9.16 SUN STL Mark McGwire BH

9.16 SUN Cubs BH TBD

9.18 TUE LAD BH TBA

9.21 FRI STL Fredbird & Louie double BH

9.22 SAT Dodgers Manny Machado BH

9.23 SUN Dodgers Orel Hershiser BH

9.25 TUE STL Ryan Ludwick mini BH

9.25 TUE Boston Pedro Martinez BH

9.27 THU SEA Safeco Field soil day giveaway

9.29 SAT SEA Ken Griffey Jr funko pop BH

Thanks for checking out my humble blog. Stay tuned – for the next week every day will bring an extra special post: my season predictions for UGA, Clemson, and Georgia Tech, and photos and jerseys from last night’s and next Tuesday’s Braves games. Then analysis of college football, the NL East pennant race, and the NL rookie of the year race. And more!