Falcons Don't Falcon

Did you watch the Falcons? C went to bed at halftime but I was still doing stuff. Falcons were driving so I saw them tie the score at 27 all before going to bed. To me just the fact they hung in there that long was enough for me. The first 3 quarters Atlanta just couldn’t stop the Bucs offense, especially their All Pro WR Mike Evans. But ATL QB Cousins kept answering each Tampa score. Koo tied the game at the end of regulation then Cousins threw a 45 yard catch and run TD in sudden death for the game winner.

That last pass put Cousins over 500 yards passing for the game. There have only been 27 games in NFL history with a QB passing for 500 yards. Cousins was the first since Joe Burrow in 2021. Matt Ryan threw for 503 in 2016, so Cousins’ 509 is the most in Falcon history. LA QB Norm Van Brocklin was the first to throw for 500 yards, and his 554 yards on Sept 28, 1951 remains the most in history. Seemed like last night was when Captain Kirk finally won the hearts of the Falcon fanbase.

Both Cousins and Tampa QB Baker Mayfield donated $50K each to hurricane relief efforts. Falcons owner Arthur Blank donated $500K. Cousins went on today’s Dan Patrick Show, while in his car after taking his son to Waffle House.

Matt Ryan was inducted into the Falcons Ring of Honor at halftime, and he delivered a heartfelt speech.

The field was painted up with the 1967 diamond end zones and throwback midfield logo.

FUN FACT: starting last night (Oct 3) there will be 56 straight days with at least one college or pro football game on TV. Not sure who will be playing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Might be a college or pro basketball game just about every night of the year.

TUESDAY: up early to lift weights at the gym. Worked past 6 pm catching up on odds and ends. Ate leftovers: baked chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes – plus salad.

One of the young guys at work complimented me on my white Hoka sneakers, which are set off nicely by my new pants. The new shirt I brought to wear to work didn’t fit, so I wore a t-shirt to work.

WEDNESDAY: up early to go to the gym. Left work around 515. Stopped at two thrift stores. Bought a nice white dress shirt. Got a free milkshake at Steak & Shake. Topped off the air in my tires. Was still early to small group. Four in attendance. A good conversation on Luke chapters 2 and 3.

Listened to the Braves on the way home. Six straight hits – including 4 little infield hits. Plus Max got hit by a line drive. Nice that Atlanta made a comeback, coming within a run of tying the game. Still a remarkable season considering all the lost time to injuries.

THURSDAY: up early to play golf with GT. We teed off in the dark using glow in the dark balls. Played the first four holes terribly.

1. No good shots. Lost one ball.

2. Made one good chip. Found a ball.

3. Found one ball, but lost one.

4. Couldn’t find my tee shot in the high grass. Made a good chip and lag putt.

5. Lost one ball but found another. Decent approach. One of three chips was good.

6. Good tee shot, then a flub, then a good long 8 iron to the fringe (zoom in below to see my ball on the front left). Then a great lag putt. Bogey. Found a ball.

7. Good tee shot, then a flub, then a great long 7 iron onto the green. Shot of the day. Two putt for bogey. Lost a ball.

8. Decent drive off tee. Approach fell short of green. Decent chip. Sank the tester for par.

9. Two cruddy tee shots, but made two decent approach shots. Three putted from off the green. Double. Lost one ball.

Had to give a tour at work, which took up a good chunk of the day. Customer still shut down due to the hurricane. Jason’s Deli leftovers for lunch both yesterday and today. Worked until after 545. Spaghetti for supper.

FRIDAY: I didn’t set my alarm, and slept past the time to go to the gym. Wore my “new” Braves shirt to work. The guys loved it - because of all the Coors Light blue mountain logos it had.

Article: an alarming rise of 'super-fit' slim young people suffering heart attacks.

GIL HODGES [SABR Bio] His sub-par performance in the 1952 World Series loss to the Yankees may have delayed his election to the Hall of Fame. Hodges, by then considered one of the team’s leaders, went 0 for 21. It seemed to overshadow his otherwise stellar career. Turned back 20 times by HOF voters (15 by BWAA and 5 by the Veterans Committee), Hodges was voted in in 2022 by the Golden Days Era Committee. Hodges was born in Princeton, Indiana. In the Mets’ first ever game on 11-Apr-1962, Hodges hit their first HR off STL’s Larry Jackson in the 4th inning. Gil hit both the last grand slam for the Brooklyn Dodgers and the first Grand Slam for the Los Angeles Dodgers, on 01-Aug-1957 & 23-Aug-1958. The 1958 slam was the 14th of his career, the NL record.