To SC and Back

This weekend I drove 614 miles on one tank of gas. To Jefferson and back. Could’ve driven a bit further. Almost 42 MPG. Gassed up Friday morning at RaceTrac just south of the office.

003 RaceTrac to work

100 to Fuddruckers in Anderson SC

066 to Clinton SC

045 to Chester SC

026 to Lancaster SC

028 to Jefferson

005 to Angelus

006 to Rusty’s house

037 to McDonalds in Lugoff

097 to Starbucks in Augusta

163 home

004 to the gym

008 to Chickfila

014 to RaceTrac 

Friday: for lunch I got the free “Whopper” at Burger King. Man was it small. Not sure if that’s how big they are these days or what. Sad. Busy at work. Noon conference call. Leo was in an all day meeting, so I had a bunch that needed to be figured out and get done.

Left work at 215 and battled traffic to 85. North to the Anderson exit, where I stopped for an early supper at Fuddruckers. Best burger around. Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Fresh, tasty bun. Plenty of fixings and A1 steak sauce. A great meal.

I think I am at the point where whenever I am near a Fuddruckers, I need to stop for a gordo. Current locations: Anderson, Spartanburg, Mrytle Beach, Greenville, Savannah, Branson, Washington, Austin, Houston, Pigeon Forge, Vegas, Tunica, Miami, Tuskegee AL. The Fuds in Commerce is in a truck stop and the burgers aren’t quite like other Fud burgers, but with such limited options, I guess I can’t be choosy.

Then on to Angelus, taking the route through the country that we used to take when the kids were young and we left for SC from my office. Greenville Fountain Inn Chester Walterboro Clinton Lancaster. Brought back a ton of memories. Arrived just before 8 pm.

Saturday night: ordered takeout from The Golden Nugget. People don’t like to eat in there due to the seafood smell.

Sunday night Noelle and Reid brought us wedding soup with meatballs and basit, Italian bread, salad with feta, chopped apples, pecans, and dressing, and brownies and ice cream.

Monday: after lifting weights I crossed the river to the Sandy Springs Chickfila for a free chicken biscuit. They’re giving something away this week – if you know the right phrase to say.

Braves have won 9 straight. Without Riley and several starting pitchers. I haven’t heard of half the players. 3B Nacho hit two home runs. Drake is still hot, as is the new shortstop.

Elon Musk says that when the robots take over by 2030 we will all have 'best' medical care, food, housing and a universal 'High' income. Sounds like a big pill to swallow.

An expert warns that Earth may be on brink of catastrophic geomagnetic disaster. If 90% of humanity is wiped out, I’m not sure if life would be worth living for the wealthy 10% who hide out in bunkers to survive.

DENISON: would you agree that our divided nation desperately needs healing and reconciliation?

DENISON: Erika Kirk forgave her husband’s killer. She explained: “I forgive him because it was what Christ did, and it’s what Charlie would do.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. proclaimed, “We shall overcome because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” In light of God’s nature, this declaration makes sense: if our Lord is so sovereign over his creation that “his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19), and he is so benevolent that his very nature “is” love (1 John 4:8), good must ultimately triumph over evil.

Kierkegaard: "The tyrant dies and his rule is over; the martyr dies and his rule has just begun.”

NAP LAJOIE [SABR Bio] held the career record of doubles by a right-hander until he was passed by Craig Biggio and Albert Pujols. Lajoie retired in 1916 with 3,242 hits and 657 doubles. His record lasted until Biggio passed him in June 2007. Biggio’s 668 was passed by Pujols in 2021. Lajoie won the first Triple Crown in the modern era. In 1901, the AL’s first season, Lajoie’s 6th season, playing for Connie Mack, Nap led both leagues: 8.3 WAR, 232 hits, 48 doubles, .426 BA, .463 OBP, .643 slugging, 1.106 OPS, 198 OPS+, and 350 total bases. He broke his hand trying to punch a teammate, drawing a 5-week suspension without pay. He took an errant swing at Elmer Flick, who eventually joined him in the Hall of Fame.

Clemsoning

In sports the first quarter is important, but just because things don't go great early doesn't mean the outcome is certain. But so many so called fans are so quick to ask "what happened?" instead of critically thinking and figuring it out for themselves. Most games are never decided until deep into the second half. Would you not agree?

Syracuse drives for a TD after receiving the opening kickoff, successfully executes an onside kick, then kicks a field goal to go up 10-0 before Clemson ever runs a play. Clemson scored, but the Orangemen extended the lead to 24-7. 

The Tigers were supposed to have a dominant defense and one of the best QB's in the country, but that doesn't seem to be the case. After dropping to 1-2, Dabo had spent the previous week making excuses and reminding critics of past glories, instead of making it evident that he was focused on the present, focused on turning things around immediately - like I think Brent Key, Nick Saban, or Kirby Smart would do. After the Syracuse loss Dabo could no longer dwell on the past.

Dabo has been too slow to change with the times, to address NIL and the transfer portal. Clemson may have won 8 of the last ten ACC championships, but now Miami, FSU, Georgia Tech, and maybe Syracuse are drawing even if not ahead of the Tigers. SMU almost upset TCU.

Clemson did score again to make it 24-14, and almost a second time before the half. They got the ball to start the second half, but couldn't stage a comeback. Is this the end of an era? 

After the big win over Clemson, I figured the Jackets might have a bit of a letdown. The offense did score 45 points. Would've liked it if QB King had played less. Doesn't look like Tech beating Clemson is as big a deal now.

Auburn lost at Oklahoma by a touchdown. The Sooners scored on a trick play that the referees should have called back as illegal. It appears that Auburn has improved, and could cause some trouble for UGA. Tennessee isn't going away. I'm not impressed by South Carolina, but next week Bama could spoil UGA's season.

Watched the late games at Rusty's house. Sorry but I don't see how people think that SC QB Sellers is a Heisman candidate. Kept taking sacks for huge losses, including when they were down on the one yard line about to score. Haynes King and Gunner Stockton are much better than Sellers.

During the SC @ Mizzou game the Tigers used a dropkick on the kickoff. There was a woman side judge on the crew of referees. They probably needed her at the Auburn / Oklahoma game.

Hope you didn't watch the Falcons. Zero offense. Phenix looks like a QB with only 3 or 4 starts. Got called for delay of game immediately after a timeout. Threw one pick six and almost another. Receiver had fallen down on the second INT. Eventually Phenix was replaced by Kirk Cousins, but receivers dropped two passes.

Panthers were punting from the Atlanta 48 yard line, and booted it into the end zone. Falcons ball on the 20. But Carolina had been offsides. Falcons made them kick over, backed up 5 yards to there Carolina 47. This time Falcon return man RayRay McLoud made a fair catch - on the 10 yard line. A loss of 10 yards.

Then the Falcons used up all their first half timeouts, and mismanaged the clock at the end of the half. It's not just one screwup, but one after another. And the most infuriating thing is that the head coach just stands there, no fire, no emotion, never speaking to anyone. The poor rookie QB comes off the field and sits by himself. No coach encouraging him, or telling him what's next.Falcons release veteran kicker Koo after his replacement booted all 5 of his field goals last week. This week the new guy missed his only two attempts.

Genesis 3: The Fall of Man

1. The serpent was more crafty than the other beasts that God had made.

Note: before being cursed, the snake was supposedly a beautiful creature. Nowhere in this account is the serpent referred to as Satan.

2. He said to the woman: “Did God actually say ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’  The woman said ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden

3. but God said ‘you shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden. Neither shall you touch it, lest you die.

4. The serpent said ‘You will not surely die’.

5. For God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

6. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Note: Eve was deceived, Adam ate knowingly. Their sin was worse than merely eating the forbidden fruit. They were disobeying God. They believed the serpent’s lie. They put their will ahead of God’s.

7. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sawed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

Note: they felt guilty for their sin.

8. They heard the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, so they hid in the trees from God.

Comment: throughout the chapter God continues to be referred to as “the Lord God”. Adam & Eve’s intimate relationship with God had been broken.

9. The Lord God called to the man ‘Where are you?’

10. Adam said ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.

11. God said ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’

12. The man said ‘The woman whom who gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.’

13. The Lord God said to the woman ‘What is this that you have done?’ The woman said ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’

Q: how is this next section different?

14. The Lord God said to the serpent "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all the beasts of the field, on your belly you should go and dust you shall eat, all the days of your life.

Note: the entire animal kingdom was affected by man’s fall. Jer 12:4 and Romans 8:20 Micah 7:17 Isa 65:25

15. I will put an enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring (Jesus), he (Jesus) shall bruise your (Satan’s) head, and you (Satan) shall bruise his (Jesus) heel.

Comment: this is the first peaching of the Gospel – the promise of redemption…the redemption of Eve. She had sold her soul to the devil, but now her ancestor would redeem the world. John 8:44 and I John 3:13.

16. To the woman God said: I will surely multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire will be contrary to your husband, but he shall rule over you.

Q: what does this mean? Note: 1 Tim 2:15 Eph 5;23

17. To Adam God said "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you ‘You shall not eat of it’. Cursed is the ground because of you, in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life.

18. thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field.

19. by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you were dust, and to dust you shall return.

20. The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Q: if the world was just created, where did all this language come from?

Q: where was it that Eve meant life producer, mother of all the living?

21. The Lod God made for Adam and his wife garments of skins and clothed him.

Q: why did God do this? Did God kill the animals to get the skins? Is this key to the chapter?

The Lord God shows that He does still love them, despite their sin and punishment. How do you think they felt after being punished?

22. The Lord God said ‘Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil…

Q: who is us?

Now, lest he also take of the tree of life and eat, and live forever…

Comment: now we know the purpose of the other tree. Had they ate from the tree of life they would’ve lived forever in their fallen state, in death and alienation. Rev 22:1-5 the river of life flows past the tree of life.

23. That is why God sent Adam out from the garden of Eden, to work the ground from which he was created.

Q: does this say that he was not cast out, but sent out with a purpose?

24. God drove out the man. At the east of the garden of Eden, God placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.

The Emperor's New Clothes

So Tech is 3-0 and could be undefeated when they face UGA. So what do they do? They’re inexplicably wearing new GREY uniforms against Temple. The Jackets virtually eliminate navy as a color, despite wearing navy or black numbers and trim for decades and decades. This will be Tech’s third uniform combination in four games (they’ve worn head to toe white twice). Sure would like to see some consistency.

There are always crazy theories and rumors bouncing around on social media. Heard many rumors recently about how something “big” will be going down on September 23, next Tuesday. Some say it’s the Rapture. I doubt it’s that. Not enough has happened scripture-wise to hasten such an event. But come, Lord Jesus, come.

Kinda glad the Fever won. I see where L has been watching the WNBA playoffs.

Sheldon Simms is in the hospital. Not sure which one. Could be cancer.

R.I.P. Bradsher Hayes. Some call him Brad. A Buckhead real estate agent. Lived in Brookhaven and later off Roswell Road south of 285. Played sports at Westminister in the mid to late 1960’s, including a state championship baseball game against Thomson, led by Ray Guy. He just passed away, at the age of 75. You might’ve seen his obit in the AJC. The past few years Bradsher had ridden with me up to a few Hot Stove meetings in Cumming.

Couple weeks ago my brother in law & sister in law had driven our aunt to the hospital. While sitting there in the hospital room my sister in law, a nurse, realized our aunt had a small handgun in her purse, that security hadn’t detected. Rusty quickly took the gun out to his car.  

I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up about national cheeseburger day. Dairy Queen, Burger King, and McDonalds just aren’t that good. I managed to “feast” on 3 burgers and 2 ice creams for $4.50. But was it a good deal?

DQ had a free double cheeseburger with purchase. The burger wasn’t small, but it wasn’t that good. The cheapest thing on the DQ menu is a small soft serve cone or small Dilly Bar for three bucks.

Burger King had a free bason cheeseburger with purchase. Their soft serve cone is only a dollar, but they out of cones, so they gave me a cup. The burger was tiny, and you couldn’t even see the meat, cheese, or bacon inside the bun.

McDonalds had a 50 cent double cheeseburger deal. Not great.

Went home and caught up on season 5 of Only Murders in the Building. Good stuff. Did laundry. It was only when I went to bed that I realized I’d forgotten all about the Bluegrass Music Awards in Chattanooga, hosted by Steve Martin and Alison Brown. A missed opportunity. Steve was spotted in a local bagel shop.

Skipped the gym Friday morning to get to work at 715, so I could leave early this afternoon.

HOME RUN BAKER [SABR Bio] tied his teammate for the most consecutive seasons leading the league in home runs. Baker led the AL in HR for the Athletics in 1911 (11), 1912 (10), 1913 (12), and 1914 (9). His A’s infield teammate, Harry Davis had done the same in 1904 (10), 1905 (8), 1906 (12), and 1907 (8). Stealing a major league-record 347 bases to get to the 1911 World Series, the Giants found their strategy trivialized by Baker, whose two critical home runs propelled the A’s to their 2nd straight championship. He discovered Jimmie Foxx for the Philadelphia A's. Both native Marylanders, they met in 1924 when Baker was a new-retired Yankee and player-manager of the Easton Farmers of the Class D Eastern Shore League in Maryland. There that he discovered young Jimmie Foxx and told his old boss Connie Mack.

Denison with the facts, details, and Biblical response to Jimmy’s Kimmel’s suspension.

‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful,’ but not all things build up” (1 Corinthians 10:23). 

Book Review: "After You"

Finishing up the sequel to the novel Me Before You – called "After You", by JoJo Moyes. Lu Clark struggles to move on after the loss of her beloved Will Trainor. Will's previously unknown teenage daughter Lily appears on Lu's doorstep, and wreaks havoc on everything she touches. Lu suffers one setback after another and makes numerous bad decisions. Both Lu and Lily are unlikeable characters. Lu had been great in the first book. Not sure I want to read the third book in the series. Thumbs down.

Braves have won five straight. Olson hit another homer, his 144th as a Brave. Only Eddie Mathews hit more homers in his first 4 seasons as a Brave: 153. The Braves new shortstop is tearing it up. Some say the MLB Network's Mark DeRosa, a former Brave, should replace Brian Snitker as the Braves manager, but not me. Its easy for DeRosa to talk a big game on TV, much different to manage 162 games in the dugout. Would like to see former Braves catchers Travis dArnaud or David Ross get the chance, though bench coach Walt Weiss has managerial experience, and has paid his dues.       

Left work Wednesday at 315. Stopped by Taco Bell on the way home, as I didn't know if I would be able to eat supper. Cleaned up a bunch of odds and ends in preparation for small group. Ceil had made brownies and set out grapes, crackers, cheese, water, and grape juice. We sat around the dining room table but snacked in the kitchen, so it was good the place had been straightened up so much.

Our general manager is a quick thinker who always says the right thing. Expects employees to be productive. Lots of times its hard for me to come up with a good reply. We're two different people, so while we get along well we just don't click. But yesterday we were talking and I'd said "I've done my best". He replied "You're best is pretty good". Nice to receive such a compliment.

Does God only allow a person to go through only as much tribulation as they can handle? For me and Ceil that's not much. We've been so blessed. But we have so many friends that have gone through so much: illness, children going through stuff, etc. Not sure how people make it without Christ in their life.

TY COBB [SABR Bio] stole home more times than any other player in history: 54 times, including 8 times in 1912 alone. Max Carey is a distant 2nd with 33. He led the majors in batting nine times: 1907 (.350), 1909 (.377), 1911 (.419), 1912 (.409), 1913 (.389), 1915 (.369), 1917 (.383), 1918 (.382), and 1919 (.384). Cobb hit .401 in 1922 but still trailed the St. Louis Browns' George Sisler's .422.

DENISON: Clemson political science professor C. Bradley Thompson writes "the moral culture of Western civilization is unraveling before our eyes." First, he explains the assassination of Charlie Kirk in light of Kirk's debate slogan, "Prove Me Wrong!" Thompson: "he appealed to reason, objectivity, and logic. He encouraged his interlocutors to do the same. Charlie recognized right from wrong, truth and untruth, good and bad. He believed that honest men and women could reason their way to moral and political truths. These are the core values and principles of Western civilization.

Next, Thompson notes the murder of immigrant Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte: three things stand out: the utter savagery of the attack; the sadness of Iryna's face as she realized what had just happened to her; and that the five people sitting within sight of Iryna did nothing to help her. She died alone, surrounded by people. These tragedies typify the nihilism of our day, the abandonment of objective meaning and morality. Kirk's assassin justified killing him by claiming that he "spreads too much hate." The person who murdered Iryna was a Black man who said, "I got that white girl. I got that white girl." When nihilism reigns, everyone can be its next victim.

National Cheeseburger Day

Happy National Cheeseburger Day. If you have the phone app, there are several deals to be had. I know what I’ll be eating for lunch and supper. 

1. Burger King: free burger with a dollar purchase today, tomorrow, Saturday, and Sunday.

2. McDonalds: 50 cent double cheeseburger.

3. Dairy Queen: free double cheeseburger with purchase.

4. Tomorrow I was thinking about eating at Fuddruckers.

As the Braves nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, last night Spencer Strider wore number 21 in honor of Roberto Clemente Day. All the Pirates wear 21 to celebrate.

Rookie catcher Drake Baldwin scooped up a dribbler out in front of the plate, stepped on the dish, then fired to first to complete a rare bases loaded 2-3 double play.

Matt Olson has become the 13th first baseman to compile the following stats: 280 HR, 800 RBI, 700 runs through his age 31 season. Gehrig, Foxx, Cepeda, McCovey, Boog, Eddie Murray, McGriff, Frank Thomas, Carlos Delgado, Pujols, Teixeira, and Prince Fielder did it before him. Not even Freddie Freeman has achieved these numbers.

Olson has a 1.037 OPS for the past 2 weeks, bringing his season average up to 275 with a 370 on base percentage, 475 slugging, and a 845 OPS.

USC used to have a blind long snapper.

Tuesday: Leftover Chipotle from a lunch meeting. Got home from work Monday and saw we were having a tomato sauce for supper, so I took off my nice work shirt and put on an old t-shirt before eating. I always tuck the nice sneakers I’m wearing under my chair so I won’t drop food on them. I usually change into my Crocs or grass cutting sneakers.

Left work shortly after 5 pm. Stopped by Kroger to pick up something for Ceil. Straightened up a bit in preparation of Wednesday night’s small group.

Thought I would be having to cut the grass to get up all the leaves, but Ceil had hired our neighbor to clear out the small ivy covered area in the front yard. He had blown off the entire yard and driveway. Eventually I will have to pull out all the ivy by the roots. Not sure if grass can grow there, as it is usually in the shade.

Wednesday: skipped the gym and drove straight in to work. Went home early to make final preparations for the small group meeting. Ceil baked brownies.

CY YOUNG  [SABR Bio] but was not elected to the Hall of Fame the first time he was eligible, despite being the career leader with 815 GS, 749 CG, 7356 IP, 29565 BF, and 511 wins. Young did not reach HOF induction level in 1936 or he would have been included in the Hall’s first class. In 1937, he received 76.1% of the vote and was inducted with Nap Lajoie (83.6%) & Tris Speaker (82.1%). On the last day of his rookie season (01-Oct-1890), his Cleveland Spiders beat the Pittsburgh Alleghenys 5–1 & 7–3. Young started & completed both games. He once walked the first batter of a game, picked that runner off then proceeded to retire the next 26 batters, on 30-Jun-1908. It was the 41-year-old Young’s record 3rd no-hitter, the first of the 8 suffered by the New York AL team. Young had 3 hits and 4 RBI himself that day.

A Left-Wing streamer says Conservatives need to be afraid of being killed more often so they will be afraid to attend events or speak out. Not sure of how large a following she has, but does she typify the thinking of so many these days – especially Gen Z?

Week 4 Games

This coming weekend’s slate of games. Bama and UGA have bye weeks.

730 Friday Marist @ Druid Hills

1200 Syracuse @ Clemson

1200 Arkansas @ Memphis

330 Purdue @ #24 Notre Dame

430 Temple @ #19 Georgia Tech

730 Florida @ #4 Miami

730 Georgia State @ Vanderbilt

800 Sam Houston State @ Texas

100 Sunday Falcons @ Panthers

Third straight “patsy” for Texas, who needs another easy game to give Arch more seasoning. Interesting schedule: after opening at #1 Ohio State then hosting three patsies, the Longhorns finish the season playing 8 straight SEC games. Despite his struggles and facing expectations the national media has finally realized are unrealistic, you gotta give Arch credit for not leaving the team to take a menta health leave of absence.

Dabo thinks granting all players a 5th year of eligibility would clean up college football. I think it would make things worse.

At the end of the year the AJC will stop printing and delivering newspapers. They are switching to on line only. The end of an era. I have a few classic newspapers saved. I also have some 1976 bicentennial quarters saved. Fifty years old. A few buffalo head nickels. Also a pile of pennies, including several wheat pennies. Sounds like the government is talking about doing away with the penny, so perhaps they’ll become valuable. Maybe worth up to TWO cents.

CY YOUNG  [SABR Bio] but was not elected to the Hall of Fame the first time he was eligible, despite being the career leader with 815 GS, 749 CG, 7356 IP, 29565 BF, and 511 wins. Young did not reach HOF induction level in 1936 or he would have been included in the Hall’s first class. In 1937, he received 76.1% of the vote and was inducted with Nap Lajoie (83.6%) & Tris Speaker (82.1%). On the last day of his rookie season (01-Oct-1890), his Cleveland Spiders beat the Pittsburgh Alleghenys 5–1 & 7–3. Young started & completed both games. He once walked the first batter of a game, picked that runner off then proceeded to retire the next 26 batters, on 30-Jun-1908. It was the 41-year-old Young’s record 3rd no-hitter, the first of the 8 suffered by the New York AL team. Young had 3 hits and 4 RBI himself that day.

Dearborn Muslim mayor unleashes on Christian resident at city meeting: ‘You are not welcome here’.

The discovery of an ancient papyrus confirms the Bible story of the ten plagues.

Paul Kingsnorth is an Oxford graduate, novelist, poet, and cultural commentator who has been called “England’s greatest living writer.” He explains “how the West lost its soul: we’ve abandoned the founding religious story that sustained us for 1,500 years. The result is a complete lack of meaning.”

“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you” —C. S. Lewis

Total QB Rating: Week 3

Week three ESPN Total QBR. TJ Finley of Georgia State is not listed.

1. 94.3 Jayden Maiava USC

4. 89.9 Carson Beck Miami senior transfer

6. 89.1 Gunner Stockton UGA junior

15. 82.4 Dylan Raiola Nebraska sophomore

16. 82.4 Deigo Pavia Vanderbilt senior

17. 81.2 Ty Simpson Alabama

21. 79.5 Haynes King GT senior

22. 78.6 Joey Aguilar Tennessee transfer

35. 75.7 Bryce Underwood Michigan freshman

37. 75.3 Garrett Nussmeier LSU Heisman frontrunner

41. 72.9 CJ Carr Notre Dame

48. 69.4 Brendon Lane Memphis

56. 64.6 Kaidon Salter Colorado transfer

70. 55.6 JC French Georgia Southern

81. 51.6 Nico Iamaleava UCLA (taking mental health leave of absence)

88. 49.6 Arch Manning Texas first year starter

100 43.8 Cade Klubnik Clemson senior

104 41.5 LaNorris Sellers SC Heisman candidate

123 26.4 Dexter Williams Kennesaw State

126 20.4 Gio Lopez UNC transfer

Ever eat at CAVA? Not my favorite. Not excited about UGA QB Gunner Stockton and TE Oscar Delp inking NIL deals with the chain. They seem more like Zaxbys or Raisin Canes guys. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier signed with Nike, which should help his Heisman candidacy.

Remember when Brandi Chastain made the penalty kick to win the World Cup, and she ripped off her jersey in celebration? That’s what Will and the girlies did after UGA beat Tennessee in overtime.

Lauren Graham and Alexis Bendel reunited at the Emmys to reminisce about their low budget Gilmore Girls days. A fair amount of criticism about Emmys host Nate Bargatze, a Hollywood outsider and Christian.

Sunday when we decided at the last minute to eat at Little Rey, I wasn’t exactly dressed to eat at a fancy Buckhead restaurant. My camo Braves cap really didn’t go with my turquoise shirt, olive shorts, and blue Vans. Left the cap in the car. Outfit would’ve looked better had I been wearing white sneakers.

Speaking of sneakers, Anna talked Ceil into buying a pair of nice white VEJA sneakers. I’d been on the lookout for a pair of VEJAs for me, but hadn’t found the right pair at the right price. Could get a pair of white leather Vans basketball type sneakers instead, or a pair of white Vans. Could just wear any of my other white pairs of sneakers: Stan Smiths, Hokas, Pumas, Nikes, or Cole Haans. Sad that hours later I still remember what sneakers the three people in line ahead of me at RaceTrac were wearing this morning: blue Pumas, navy Brooks, and Nike Air Max.

Monday: Ceil cooked a grilled chicken with pasta and a tomato sauce dish. Watched Eli’s Places and some of the Bucs @ Texans. Oft-injured former UGA RB Nick Chubb has landed with Houston.

Tuesday: the Braves play two games today. First game at 1:05 pm.

WALTER JOHNSON [SABR Bio] was the first pitcher to win more than one MVP, in 1913 (which many still consider the greatest season ever pitched) and again in 1924. These were different MVPs, organized and awarded under different rules that the present MVP (since 1932). The eleven years between his MVPs was the record until tied by Willie Mays (1954~1965). The current record holder for time between first & last MVPs is Barry Bonds (1990~2004). On July 19, 1913 in St. Louis, the Browns got 15 hits but no one scored. Johnson walked none, had 6 strikeouts, and stranded all 15 baserunners. It remains the major league record for most hits allowed in a shutout.

DENISON: House Speaker Mike Johnson told “Face the Nation” urged leaders to “turn down the rhetoric”, saying lawmakers should stop treating policy disputes as an “existential threat to democracy or the Republic.” “Calling people Nazis and fascists is not helpful. There are some deranged people in society, and when they see leaders using that kind of language, it spurs them on to action. A commentator who knew Charlie Kirk personally wrote: “If I had to use a single word to capture him, it would be gracious. We could disagree about anything, but he would engage civilly.

Falcons Win in Prime Time

I went to bed at halftime of the Falcons game. Hated for the Younghoe Koo era to end, but this new kid from Peachtree City seems to be pretty accurate. Five field goals, including a 53 yarder. Played for three colleges, an XFL team, as the Lions, Vikings, and Patriots.

Vikings looked good in their throwback uniforms. Falcons wore white jerseys, pants, and socks. So did the Eagles. So did Tech. Pretty sure the Packers did as well. Soon every football game will be one team in head to tow white against an opponent in head to toe white. Sad.

Most of the football teams in the state of Georgia won this weekend – but not all of them. The Falcons, GT, UGA, Georgia State, Georgia Southern, and Kennesaw did win. So did Clark Atlanta, who beat another state school: Ft Valley State. West Georgia won. Can’t believe Drew Kelly didn’t mention the Mercer vs Wofford game: the Bears won by a point. But Shorter and Morehouse both lost.

Ravens RB Derrick Henry is a beast. Unstoppable. Makes for a great one two punch with QB Lamar Jackson, who has been working on his game to become even better. Henry is racking up the yards. His amazing 14000+ yards gained in high school combined with his college and pro yards places him in elite company. He’s closing in on 30000 total yards. Will he be able to pass Herschel, who gained over 36000 yards?

Tech social media tried to stir things up by taking some of Clemson QB Cade Klubnik’s comments out of context. Klubnik was praising the game day atmosphere at Grant Field, comparing the downtown backdrop to the NFL stadium in Charlotte as well as to the large high school stadium where he played in Texas. Tech edited down the clip to only compare Grant Field to his high school stadium.

Snuck in another round of golf early Sunday morning, and was able to hit a lot of balls. Teed off around 650 am.

1. Hit two good 7 irons off the tee. Both went straight. Then two good long 7 irons from the fairway, both just short of the green. Both straight. Then two okay chips. A couple of good lag putts. Bogey.

2. Hit two good 6 irons. Both straight. The first was longer than the mulligan. Chips not great. Two putt for bogey.

3. Hit an 8 iron off the tee down to the front fringe. It had a good roll. Mulligan sailed right. Two putt for par.

4. Six iron off tee sailed left, but the mulligan rolled up just short of the green. I am trying out a slightly heavier Odyssey putter, and I rolled a couple close to the hole. Par.  

5. Hit four 6 irons off the tee. First sailed left. Crushed a low line drive, slightly left. Then a great shot onto the green. Last tee shot was good, to the front right fringe. Hit a couple of good long lag putts. Third straight “par”.  

6. Tried out one of the two drivers I’d brought back from Angelus. One of the four was pretty good, slightly further than usual. But then I flubbed four straight 5 irons. Hit three wedge shots: left, right, and a decent chip that rolled off the back of the green. Double bogey.

7. Tried out the other driver. Need to take them to the range. Hit one most of the way up the hill, but right. Then I flubbed two more 5 irons. Decent chip to the fringe. Good lag putt. Put me down for another “double”.

8. Hit a pretty good drive from the new elevated tee box. Rolled further down the hill than ever. Chipped one just short of the green, then one that rolled of the back. Two putt for another “par”.

9. Hit two 3 woods off the tee. Both stayed right. Mulligan better than the first. Hit three okay chips, one onto the green. Two putt for “bogey”. Finished up at 8:15 am. Made it home just after 9 am.

Picked up C at the airport. Stopped by Bellwood Coffee and ate lunch at El Felix on Northside Drive.

WNBA: on both Friday and yesterday I was down there hanging around the arena where the Atlanta Dream plays, dropping off and picking up Ceil at the airport.

Catching up from being out on Friday. Got my emails back down to 10. For a while, anyway.

Scientists Can't Explain the Signal They Detected From Beyond Our Galaxy.

In this age of the internet and social media, it’s hard to distinguish truth from lies. The Assassination of Charlie Kirk prompts a flood of false and misleading claims online. Some media outlets refuse to publish certain details, leaving their readers in the dark.

DENISON: commentators are responding on the assumption that the assassin was motivated by political animus and opposition to Kirk’s beliefs: (1) political philosopher R. R. Reno writes, “In our history, assassinations are symptoms. They are the dark fruit of passionate conflict over the future of our nation.” (2) George Packer calls Kirk’s death “a disaster for the country” and warns, “In an atmosphere of national paranoia and hatred, each act of political violence makes the next one more likely.” (3) CNN headlines, “Kirk assassination is a national tragedy in a polarized America.” (4) Matthew Continetti agrees, writing in the Free Press that Kirk’s death is “the most stunning evidence yet that America is becoming two nations.”