Guess Who's Back? Back Again?

Annnnnnnnnd, I'm back!

I apologize for the long absence, but I've been starting a new job, and moving, and all sorts of fun things. But, I'll be getting back into the blogosphere much more often now, hopefully.

WHILE I WAS OUT...
College football season's now in full swing, and I'll be writing plenty about it. For one thing, my Georgia Bulldogs are finally hitting their stride, ranked #3 in the nation (after slipping two spots without losing a game... thanks, national pollsters!). Last night, the 'Dawgs put a hurting on Arizona State out in the desert, and Knowshon Moreno once again proved that he can fly.

I BELIEVE 'SHON CAN FLY...
Atlanta Journal Constitution

The Bulldogs still haven't put together an error free game. They're averaging something like a zillion penalties a game, and they're still allowing too many easy pass plays on defense. But, they're 4-0, 1-0 in the SEC, and this week they'll be entertaining the ESPN College Gameday crew for the Georgia-Bama showdown. More on that coming up this week.

ROCKY FLOP
I'll spare all the jokes about our good buddy Phil Fulmer and the Tennessee Vols. I don't like to kick a man when he's down. And, man, are they ever down. After Florida jumped out to a huge first half lead over the Vols on Saturday, CBS showed a blimb shot of Neyland Stadium's exit ramps, which were crammed full of the orange-clad "faithful". It looked like rats deserting a sinking ship, only rats typically stick around for the second half, just to make sure the thing's really going down. This picture says more than I ever could:

IF ONLY WE DIDN'T HAVE TO PLAY FLORIDA (OR GEORGIA, OR UCLA, OR ALABAMA...)

CBS

MORE FUN TO COME
ESPN College Gameday is coming to Athens this Saturday for the Georgia-Alabama game. Tennessee's taking on Auburn. There's a lot more fun to come... and I can't wait for Saturday!

The softening of Ohio's (and America's?) children

Good news, SEC fans! Ohio State should be even EASIER to humiliate in the BCS National Championship in about... oh, I dunno... 10 more years or so.

That's because Beachwood, Ohio has decided to cancel all of it's Little League All-Star games. Of course, that's baseball and not football, and it's not the entire state of Ohio... but it's a disturbing development nonetheless if you're hoping (like I think we all are) that our children are going to be prepared for the real world someday (the one outside your doors, not the reality show on MTV).

Beachwood's Little Leagues are doing away with postseason All-Star games in order to protect their players' self-esteem. According to FOX 8 Cleveland (and if you can't trust them, who CAN you trust?) the city's mayor cancelled the games back in March based in part on a letter from the founder and CEO of the National Alliance for Youth Sports, Fred Engh. It's a fantastic read, you can check it out by clicking here.

Mr. Engh makes a series of points about All-Star competition, and they seem pretty weak to me. Let's use some simple tools of logic and reason to see if we can't debunk it all.

POINT ONE: IT BRUISES LITTLE JOHNNY'S EGO IF HE'S NOT PICKED Engh writes: There’s nothing like sticking a dagger into a youngster’s self-esteem the first season he plays the sport by letting him know that he’s not good enough or considered worthy to be part of this elite group of teammates. That’s not the message we want to send to children who are already less active and more obese than any previous generation in history.

Um, OK. So, after playing a full season of games, Johnny's had a good experience and gotten along with his teammates and gotten a nice participation trophy. Heck, maybe his team even made a playoff run if they managed to come together as a group. Everything's going fine, and Johnny's got a lifelong love of baseball and physical activity all bubbling up inside his chest. And then... BAM! They pick an All-Star team to compete with other leagues, and suddenly Johnny finds out that he's NOT the best shortstop in the league. Or the second-best. Looks like no more baseball for Johnny, it's a bag of Doritos and juvenile diabetes from here on out!! Nevermind the fact that he had a full season of games and is only missing out on a couple more weeks of play. And the fact is that kids are smart, they know who's the best anyway, so Johnny finding out that he's not the league's best shortstop probably doesn't come as much of a shock. None of that matters... the All-Star Game has ruined Johnny's entire universe.

Engh goes on to write: In kindergarten classrooms across the country, do we take the kids who are learning letters and numbers quicker than their classmates and announce that these kids are special and give them extra attention and cool extracurricular activities to participate in? Of course not! That would destroy the others’ confidence and make them feel insignificant.

Um, actually, we do. There are gifted/talented programs in schools all across the country, and there are advanced curriculums all across America as well. The kids who are advanced in school get advanced instruction so they can continue to develop and not sit around bored in school. The kids who aren't part of these programs don't feel insignificant. They get the same instruction as always, and if they don't sit around feeling sorry for themselves, they get the chance to succeed just the same as kids who may have a head start. Besides, Engh fails to note that "less advanced" players are already separated in youth leagues across the country... if a kid's a better player, he's in "A" ball, even if he's a little younger than the rest of his team. Even if a touch older, a less advanced player may end up in "B" or "C" ball (with respect to age guidelines). I certainly hope those kids don't feel "insignificant" in the regular season, too!

WORLD CHAMPS! BOY, THEIR FRIENDS MUST FEEL AWFUL...AP Photo

POINT TWO: THE ALL-STARS ARE ONLY ALL-STARS THANKS TO THE HORMONES Engh writes: It doesn’t take much to figure out that kids who mature quicker than others are going to be stronger, faster and probably more productive on the field. So, we’re simply recognizing players whose bodies have developed faster in many cases.

Well, first of all, I'm going to have to call BS on that one. In the past few years of my journalism career, I've covered a lot of Little League baseball, both in the regular season District Tournaments and also in the All-Star Tournaments. While there are some "early bloomers" on the field come All-Star time, you're also going to see some little guys and gals out there as well. Off the top of my head, I can think of three or four kids who probably had no business being out there with the bigger kids, but they were the same age and they were filthy good baseball/softball players.

But, let's say that Engh's point is true overall. Well, so what? First off, no kid is going to make the All-Star team if he can't play ball. So what if his skills are helped along by the fact that his body has already been through a growth spurt or two? It's not a bad idea to get used to the fact that in athletics, you may lose out to a bigger kid. I don't know if Mr. Engh has noticed, but our bodies are at different levels of maturity in high school and college, too. Should we stop picking players for high school football teams just because everyone's not big enough to play linebacker? The development of an athlete's body is what makes him or her an athlete. Plus, if a kid misses out on All-Stars this year, they'll be back next year when their bodies catch up.

POINT THREE: IT'S PLAYING FAVORITES! Engh writes: The entire process is twisted. I’d love to know the percentage of kids who are chosen for these All-Star teams who have a parent involved in coaching. Mom or Dad justify choosing their own child--even if he’s clearly not one of the better players--because they’ve surrendered a lot of their free time to volunteer to coach.

Well, again... so what? Your average Little League All-Star team has two coaches, a manager and a coach. Maybe there's one other guy who is there enough to justify having some pull with the process, maybe not. Unless said coaches have twins, they're going to have one kid in any given age group. So, that's... what... two, three kids tops who may be getting a nepotism boost in their All-Star candidacy? Maybe we'll throw in the fact that the League president's kid is in an age group. Three? Four? The rest of the kids are there because they're legit... and, let's face it, coach's kid is probably fairly legit, too, if he's getting all that backyard instruction from dear ol' dad. You know, it's useful to learn early on that you're not always going to get by on your skills alone. After school is over, you're going to occasionally lose out to the well-connected, the sons and daughters of power, those who simply know the right people. Get used to it. Besides, maybe this will help Johnny get over the soul-crushing defeat in Point One... he WAS the best shortstop in the league, his dad just wasn't coaching the team. There... the ol' self-esteem is patched right back up!

POINT FOUR: EXTRA GAMES MEAN EXTRA OWIES Engh writes: Stress fractures, trips to specialists and surgeries come into play when these seasons are extended with extra games and practices. They take a toll on young bodies and lead to an avalanche of overuse injuries.

Let's see some documentation. If you've got a doctor who wants to tell me that All-Star competition causes injuries, I'd be happy to read it. The fact is, unless your All-Star team ends up going to Williamsport for the Little League World Series, we're talking about an average of two or three weeks tops for an All-Star team. Is that REALLY going to cause that many more injuries than we might see in the last week of the regular season? No. What causes stress fractures and the injuries associated with over-use of players is playing in multiple leagues, travel ball, AAU teams, and year-round baseball.

POINT FIVE: IT'S AGAINST THE SPIRIT OF YOUTH SPORTS! Mr. Engh writes: Singling out players for these teams smothers the purpose of recreational youth sports leagues, where the emphasis should be on participation and learning.

Yup. In fact, why are we even keeping score? After all, we're just supposed to be learning here, and participating. Little League's rules state that every player must have at least one at-bat and one turn in the field per game. But, if a team is concerned with winning, most of the starts and playing time will go to the best players, regular season or All-Stars. So, let's just eliminate the scoreboard. And, let's get rid of those three outs in every inning. We're going to stay here until every kid gets a hit! Or until it gets dark. Look, it is ABSOLUTELY true that the main mission of youth sports should be focused on teaching the kids to be responsible, to be good teammates, and how to work together. An 11-year-old's baseball exploits aren't going to matter in ten years when he or she is trying to get a job and be a good citizen. But, what that kid LEARNS on the field is what will be carried forward. So let's be careful what we're teaching them. Maybe we should teach them that, while everyone gets a fair chance to achieve, some will achieve more. But, everyone has their own special set of talents that they'll carry into the world.

POINT SIX: THE KIDS DON'T CARE Mr. Engh writes: Many parents nationwide will no doubt cringe at this stance because All-Star games are a great source of pride when a child earns that distinction, but the kids could care less. What 5 year old, who can’t even tie his shoes yet, gains any extra satisfaction from being chosen for these teams?

OK, you know what? I'll concede the point on the 5-year-olds. Or the 7-year olds. Maybe it's not important to have All-Star teams for them. The best 5-year-old player probably isn't THAT much better than the middle-of-the-road kids. But be careful about basing your arguments on broad (and false) generalizations. The 10-year olds, the 11-and-12's (that's the age level where winning All-Star teams end up in Williamsport at the LLWS) absolutely DO care. Very much. If you don't believe it, come out to a game here in Georgia's District 8 and wait until a team loses. Watch the reactions. Yes, there are overbearing Little League parents just like there are overbearing stage moms and overbearing science fair moms. But that doesn't change the fact that the achievement MATTERS to the players. This isn't just for mom and dad. Perhaps not among the kids who don't prize their time on a baseball field. But, ask a Major League Baseball player sometime about his Little League experience. Some, like Orel Hershiser, weren't All-Stars. Many were. But I bet they can each tell you about their experiences and the pride they felt today just as they could many years ago. If you're good at something, you care.

Engh's letter on his organization's website closes by saying: If you’re feeling reluctant to do something, consider all the children who feel hurt, left out and embarrassed by being passed over every season. Fair enough. As a kid who didn't have any natural athletic gifts growing up, I am keenly aware of what being picked last feels like. Yet somehow, I still managed to have a dynamite, fun, and amazing childhood. Perhaps a child passed over for selection this summer will work hard all fall and winter to become a better player. And, perhaps it will pay off in a selection next year. Or, maybe it won't. But, that player will still have learned many, many useful lessons from the experience.

Are you trying to tell me that the kids in Beachwood, Ohio don't know who the talented baseball players are and don't have self-esteem problems based on their development just because the jocks aren't taking the field for an All-Star game?


Deadspin.com: Beachwood, Ohio Cancels Little League All-Star Game to Boost Self-Esteem of Players, Retroactively Surrender to Germans
MyFox Cleveland: Beachwood cancels All-Star game to raise players' self-esteem
Park and Rec Business Magazine: Bench All-Star Games by Fred Engh

A death in the family

On Friday night, Uga VI, the University of Georgia's bulldog mascot died in Savannah of heart failure. When the news broke on Saturday, it was eventually linked on the front page of national sports websites such as ESPN.com, CBSSportsline.com, CNNSI.com, and many others. I'm told it was even mentioned on FOX News Channel (I'm not sure if they blamed the Democrats or not). When the death of a dog makes national news, you know that he was a pretty special creature.

UGA VI: 1998-2008

Uga has always held a special place in the hearts of anybody who has ever attended UGA, or just simply cheered for the Bulldogs in football, baseball, or any other sport. But, in the last fifteen years or so, he's come to be recognized and loved nationwide. Uga V had a cameo in the movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil". He also was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, named the "Nation's Best Mascot" (the only mascot to ever earn that honor).

UGA V, READY FOR HIS CLOSEUPSports Illustrated

Uga VI took that fame to a whole new level. If the Georgia football team played on TV, you could be assured that you'd see him on the sidelines at least ten times. Everyone, from Georgia fans to fans of the opposing team would always make it a point to say hello and pose for a picture on the sidelines. In 2004, I covered the Bulldogs in Knoxville, Tennessee when they took on the Volunteers. During a timeout, the entire Tennessee cheerleading squad came over to the UGA sideline to pose for a photo with Uga.

If the opposition loved him, Georgia fans simply adored him. Before every football season, UGA holds a Photo Day for fans. No matter who the biggest star of the Georgia football team is, he'll never have a longer line of fans waiting for a snapshot than Uga.

WHICH ONE DROOLS MORE?TribuneIndia.com

During my time as a reporter, I had a chance to interview many famous athletes. They're all just regular people, and the novelty wears off pretty quickly after the first "big league" player. The only sports figure that I still get "star-struck" around is Uga. I had the chance to pat him on the head many times when I had sideline credentials to games, and it always gave me a big smile.

He was the mascot to the Bulldogs. He was a beloved family pet to the Seiler family of Savannah which has owned all of the six Uga mascots. But to me, he was the family pet of the University of Georgia's family. So, just like losing your own family pet, it's a sad day. But, we'll soon get to meet Uga VII, and hopefully he'll get broken in as mascot on a long winning streak.

ALL DOGS GO TO HEAVEN, AND YOU CAN STILL SEE THE GAMES UP THERERedandBlack.com

REST IN PEACE.YouTube.com (Posted by g1gemags)

FOR MORE: Check out the Georgia Sports Blog. They've done a great job putting together tributes to a "Damn Good Dawg" (Scroll down, there's a lot there!)

Atlanta Journal Constitution: Popular mascot Uga VI dies of heart failure

UPDATE: Atlanta Journal Constitution: Georgia officials pay final tribute to Uga VI

Going to the 'ship!

(UPDATED below)
The Georgia Diamond Dawgs will play for the National Championship.

The Bulldogs advanced to the College World Series finals with a 10-8 win Saturday over Stanford.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 4-0 lead over Stanford in the 3rd inning Saturday in Omaha, eventually stretching the lead to a 10-4 advantage before the Cardinal rallied against Georgia's All-American closer Josh Fields in the 9th inning. Stanford's Ben Clowe clubbed a three run homer off of Fields, pulling Stanford within two runs, but Georgia held on from there to eliminate the Cardinal.

TWO WINS AWAY FROM THE TITLEAssociated Press

Now, the Diamond Dawgs wait to find out who they will play in the best two-out-of-three championship series which will start Monday night. North Carolina and Fresno State are still standing in the other bracket, but the Tar Heels must beat Fresno twice to advance. Fresno State only needs to win once to meet Georgia.

Rich Poythress is your hitting hero of the day for UGA, hitting three doubles (tying a CWS record) and driving in four runs. Joey Lewis anchored the bottom half of the Georgia lineup, driving in three runs of his own.

So, it's Championship Time in Omaha, and the Bulldogs are ready to go. History might just be on their side, as well. When Georgia won the 1990 National Championship in Omaha, they beat Stanford twice along the way. Now, that the Dawgs have twice knocked out the Cardinal again in 2008, they're hoping history keeps on repeating itself.

ESPN.com: NCAA Recap: Georgia Bulldogs at Stanford Cardinal
UGASports.com: The DawgChat

UPDATE: The Diamond Dawgs rallied to take the first game of the finals from Fresno State, but lost the next two. Congratulations to Fresno State for winning the National Championship, and congratulations to UGA for an SEC Championship season and a magical run to Omaha.

Tiger Woods is apparently some sort of golf super-robot

At least, that's all I can figure when I hear that not only was he recovering from a knee surgery while winning the US Open, he was actually walking on a torn ACL and a double stress fracture of his left leg.

In other news, I usually grab a bag of ice and elevate my leg when I get a cramp.

Tiger tore the ACL 10 months ago while jogging (a great argument against jogging, if you ask me). All he's done since is win 10 events, including the Open on Monday, and also finish second in The Masters. We didn't have any clue, of course, because he never mentioned any of it. Me? If I managed to make contact with the ball, I would have immediately turned to the gallery and shouted "ya know, I've got the torn ACL... clap louder!"

How much of a beast is Tiger Woods? He played the US Open against the advice of his doctors, who performed surgery after the Masters to clean up cartilage in his damaged knee. While preparing for the US Open, he actually trained so hard that he caused the stress fractures in his leg.

CELEBRATING? OR CRYING OUT IN PAIN?Image found at wisconsinwx.com

I don't know what the future will hold for Tiger, if he'll be able to return in a year's time as the same dominant player that he's been. But, if he can play 91 holes of major championship golf on one leg, I don't think I'll be betting against him when he comes back.

ESPN: Woods set to have season-ending surgery

Tiger Woods Roars Again

So, it's been a while since I've posted anything here. Sorry about that, I've been ducking and dodging while life throws everything it has at me.

But, there's been plenty of fun going on in the wide world of sports. For example, the Atlanta Braves' entire 25-man roster was sent to the disabled list. The good news for the team's corporate owner Liberty Media is that they're getting a nice group rate discount at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. In all seriousness, the Braves are in trouble with John Smoltz out for the year, Tom Glavine out for the month, Chipper Jones working with one leg, and a laundry list of other injuries.

HOUSE OF PAINAtlanta's Turner Field/M*A*S*H unit (Photo: Bruce Frazier)

In other news, the Georgia Bulldog baseball team is on a serious roll. At the Athens NCAA Regional the Dawgs went down in their first game, losing to Lipscomb before rallying past Louisville and beating Georgia Tech twice to advance. The back-to-back wins give UGA the season series victory over the Yellow Jackets. From there, the Diamond Dawgs won the Athens Super Regional two games to one over NC State. On Saturday night, the Dawgs rallied past top-ranked Miami to win their first game at the College World Series. They face Stanford tonight in the winners' bracket.

BENDING IT LIKE (GORDON) BECKHAMESPN.com

But, the biggest news I can think of today has nothing to do with our little corner of the world here in the (dirty) south. Today, I got caught up watching the 18-hole US Open playoff between Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate. The battle went back and forth, with Mediate missing on a birdie putt on the 18th that would have given him the champioship. Tiger roared back on the suddden-death hole, sinking a par putt for the title.

Tiger's 14th major championship was perhaps his most stirring, because he had to play through excruciating physical pain to get it. Woods had surgery on his left knee the day after the Masters, and the Open was his first tournament back. On Saturday and Sunday, the pain was at times easily visible on Woods' face. After hitting his driver or iron, his legs even came close to buckling under the pain. Sunday, he had to sink a birdie on 18 just to force the extra day's work. But an extra 18 holes meant walking 6 more miles on his surgically repaired knee. Then, when 18 more holes weren't enough, Tiger soldiered on to the 19th of the day, the 91st of the weekend.

We've seen Tiger dominate major tournaments in Augusta and elsewhere. We've seen him weather deep emotional pain, winning after the death of his father and mentor. And now, we've seen him overcome the shortcomings of his body. Golf may not be the most athletic of sports. But, Tiger Woods is the most impressive and compelling athlete I've seen. For my money, this latest chapter in his book was also most compelling.

ONE KNEE'S ALL YOU NEEDAssociated Press

Foul is fair?

So I was watching the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Final Four this afternoon... seriously. The Syracuse-Virginia game turned out to be very exciting, with the Orange(men) winning in double overtime after rallying from a large 4th quarter deficit just to force extra time. This was only the third or fourth time I've ever sat down to really closely watch a lacrosse game (it's something that just isn't played many places around the south). I found it entertaining, but the game also got me thinking about one of those "unwritten rules" deals in sports.

As time ran down in a tied game, a Virginia player was trying to haul in a pass after a turnover. He got leveled by a Syracuse player instead. I'm not really familiar with the rules of lacrosse, so I can't tell you if it was a foul or not. But, it wascalled a foul. While showing the replay, in which the Syracuse defender did body check UVA's man (but not viciously), the ESPN announcer said something like, "Is it a foul? Maybe, but not this late in a tied game for a trip to the National Championship."

Excuse me?

This is something you always hear, whether it's football, or basketball, or hockey. If it's late in the game, especially a big game, and a whistle blows then someone always calls out the official. "You can't make that call at this stage of a game this big," a player, coach, or announcer will invariably say.

Don't get me wrong, I hate ticky-tack foul calls in any sport. I'm a huge fan of officials who "let 'em play." BUT, there are fouls that need to be called. If there's pass interference in football, or a push-off in basketball, call it. The rules don't change in the final minute of the game. If a play is a foul at the 11:00 mark, it's a foul at the 1:00 mark. I don't want an official deciding the outcome of a game, but I also don't want a guy pushing off on my defender to hit the game-winner just because he knows nobody's got the guts to call it.

A scoring play means just as much at the start of a game as the end of it. I say, call the ticky-tack stuff the same for the entire game (as in, don't call it at all) and maybe we won't have this problem. Just don't tell me that an official can't enforce the rules of the game just because the game's on the line.

Memorial Day Weekend

It's Memorial Day weekend, but several high-profile college football coaches will be barbecuing a lot further away from home than normal. Georgia's Mark Richt, Auburn's Tommy Tuberville, Miami's Randy Shannon, Notre Dame's Charlie Weis, and Yale's Jack Seidleicki (?!) are all touring American bases in the Middle East, visiting American troops.

Obviously, this is one of the few times of year that football coaches can kick up their heels and relax... if you call pouring over game film and already coming up with fall practice schedules relaxing, that is. Coaches, particularly head coaches, get precious little time to themselves, even in the summer. So, it's commendable that these coaches take the time to travel to the other side of the globe to visit with troops and try to bring a little bit of home to the Iraqi desert.

MEETING THE TROOPSImage found at AJC.com/Todd J. Van Emst

Personally, I'd love to be a fly on the wall while these guys are on a plane heading to their next destination. I imagine Richt and Tuberville waiting for the other to fall asleep so they can rummage through duffle bags to find playbooks. Weis probably tries to convince any large soldier he comes across to head back to South Bend with him to block for Jimmy Clausen. And, Jack Seidleicki probably just hopes that somebody at one of the bases has actually seen his team play.

There's a great running blog about the trip on ESPN.com, with updates posted by Ivan Meisel who is traveling with the coaches. It's linked below, along with an article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about some of Richt's experiences on the trip. This isn't the first year that coaches have taken a trip like this one, but I thank them for going. Here's to hoping that the troops will stay safe, and that someday soon they can come back home.

ESPN.com: Tour offers lessons in leadership, true heroics
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Richt finds fans in Middle East

Only 2262 short...

Breathe easy, Cal Ripken, Jr. It seems that your Iron Man record for playing in 2,632 consecutive games is safe after all.

Tonight, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is reporting that Jeff Francoeur is not in the lineup for tonight's game against the New York Mets. Unless Francoeur can get into the game as a pinch-hitter or runner (heck, he could even serve as a relief pitcher if we want to get all crazy and such) then his streak of 370 consecutive games played will come to an end. It's the longest active streak in the big leagues.

It's the second game of a double-header, and Frenchy's been bothered a bit with some nagging injuries. He was 0-3 in the first game of the double-dip, which Atlanta won 6-1. Francoeur is hitting .258 so far this season, but he's been in a bit of a slump lately, only averaging .200 in the last seven days. Perhaps a day off will help.

IT'S "NATURAL" TO WANT A DAY OFF EVERY NOW AND AGAINSports Illustrated

So, enjoy the night off, Jeff. Somebody in the dugout will direct you to the sunflower seeds and bubble gum. And, if you get into the game tonight we'll keep right on adding to your total.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Francoeur's consecutive start streak to end

Attention, Congress: There is still a war on.

A quick glance at CNN.com this afternoon turns up all sorts of unrest and unhappiness in the world: the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan, the earthquake in China, the cyclone in Myanmar, rising gas prices, and the health care crisis just to name a few.

Certainly, it's a time when you expect the most influential and powerful people in America to be busy, and Senator Arlen Specter is just that.

He's busy trying to get harsher penalties levied against the New England Patriots.

That's right, a ranking member of Congress and a senior member of the Senate Judiciary Committee thinks an investigation of cheating in the NFL is important enough to gobble up some of his time.

Earlier this spring, Specter met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to express his concerns about the league's investigation of "Spygate", the cheating scandal surrounding the Patriots' videotaping of opposing coaches' hand signals during games (which is against the rules). Last September, the Pats were busted for taping New York Jets' coaches in the first game of the 2007 season. Then, rumors swirled that the Patriots' cheating habits went even further back, and had even videotaped a St. Louis Rams pre-game walkthrough before Super Bowl 36.

Earlier this week, the NFL met with Matt Walsh (the former Patriots staffer who had more incriminating tapes) and apparently put the issue to bed. Goodell told the media that Walsh did NOT have a walk-through tape from the Super Bowl, but that he did SEE the walk-through and reported some details to his coaching staff. Apparently, the videos broke no new ground and the NFL considers the matter closed.

But, not Specter.

Perhaps Specter, a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles (another of New England's Super Bowl victims), was concerned that the scandal was even more far-reaching, maybe even robbing his Pennsylvania constituents of their own Super Bowl title. Whatever the reason, he's keeping up the attack on the Patriots.

Today, he held a press conference to call for an independent investigation into the Patriots' video-taping practices. This comes a day after his OWN meeting with Walsh.

Look, if the Patriots cheated further than what's already been reported, then let's drum them out of the league or something. If it really is over, then let's just move on. Either way, let's keep Congress out of it.

Some good DID come from the first round of Congressional hearings on steroids. Baseball and other leagues did re-evaluate their policies and clean up their acts. But, as near as I can tell, NO good came out from the subsequent grandstanding on the issue. And, as expected, those hearings appear to have opened the door for further meddling.

Attention, Senator Specter: Balance the budget. Do something about Social Security and health care. Work on keeping our troops in the Middle East safe, and maybe bringing them home someday. Work to help other nations in need.

When you get ALL of that accomplished, then you can use your position of power to right the heinous wrong of your favorite football team's defeat at the hands (lens?) of Bill Belicheck and the Patriots.

Wikipedia: Spygate
Newsday.com: What's all the fuss about Spygate tapes?
ESPN.com: Specter criticizes NFL, wants independent Spygate investigation

Los Angeles isn't kind to Andruw Jones

As a Braves fan, I was sad to see Andruw Jones leave Atlanta to sign with the Dodgers. He'd been a fixture in Atlanta's lineup since my junior year in high school. Even when he wasn't hitting, he still had "RBI's in his glove" as Bobby Cox liked to say of his defense in center field. Plus, I've had a chance to interview him several times and he's always been very friendly, even to reporters from out of town whom he'd never met.

Of course, Andruw's last season in Atlanta wasn't spectacular. He slumped his way to a .222 average, while still driving in nearly 100 runs and hitting 26 homers. Whispers were spreading that years of diving to the outfield grass were taking a toll on his body. ESPN's Jayson Stark said as much publicly when he listed Jones as the third most overrated player in baseball last May. While outlining some of Jones' recent struggles, he had this to add:

For the record, I like Andruw. He could play for my team any time. And he's one of the best center fielders I've ever laid eyeballs on. But the idea behind this project is to point out the difference between how we perceive a player and how he's actually playing. And Andruw is not the same player he used to be. - Jayson Stark

At the time, several other members of the media rushed to Andruw's defense, and I figured that in time he'd regain his old form. And, while I realized that Atlanta couldn't afford his salary, I figured I'd miss him just the same.

Not exactly. Mark Kotsay has been a decent replacement in center field, making his share of defensive highlights while batting .302 at the plate. Jones, meanwhile, is having his worst season in the big leagues, hitting .107 as we speak with just one lousy home run (which he hit against the Braves at Turner Field, oddly enough).

HE DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT IN A DODGER UNIFORMAP Photo - Kevork Djansezian/mlb.com

The people of Los Angeles have taken note. They've been booing him at Dodger Stadium, while being urged on a bit by LA Times columnist T.J. Simers. Apparently, Simers has taken to referring to Jones as "The Tubbo", in reference to Jones showing up for the season overweight. In fact, Simers apparently offered to go on a diet with Jones, an offer Andruw refused. Not surprisingly, Andruw isn't really responding well to Simers these days, mostly just saying "I don't care" over and over as Simers questioned him again on his weight and his batting average and the boos from the Dodger Stadium faithful.

Really? He wasn't excited to give you an interview after you called him "Tubbo" in print? Stop the presses. Unfortunately, Andruw apparently also hit Simers back with a comment about the columnist's own tubby tummy, thus surrendering the high ground.

Well, Andruw clearly does care. T.J. Simers notwithstanding, the fans who watched Jones in Atlanta for 11 years got a distinct impression that he cares about his teammates and playing well. He says as much in an Associated Press article that was re-printed in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

"People think I'm relaxed and laid back. It's eating me up inside," Jones said, the sadness evident in his eyes. "I'm upset. I'm embarrassed."

Here's hoping that Andruw Jones can become his old self again at the plate. He's on the short list of the most exciting athletes I've ever been privileged enough to see in person. Even if he doesn't rise to the challenge of a sports columnist diet-off, I still have to think he'll give Los Angeles a few reasons to smile before it's over.

Los Angeles Times: Dodgers didn't get a care package with Andruw Jones
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Andruw Jones 'embarrassed' by poor play
ESPN.com: Most overrated - from Zito to Suppan

Georgia wins SEC Baseball Championship

The Braves didn't lose this afternoon... thanks to heavy rains in Pittsburgh, they didn't have to. Instead, they'll have the opportunity to lose twice Monday. (In case you haven't heard, the Braves didn't do much on Friday or Saturday night to end their run of futility in road games)

But, there is cause for celebration in Georgia tonight. The University of Georgia's baseball team locked up the SEC's regular season baseball championship Sunday afternoon with a 12-10 win over Vanderbilt. The Bulldogs took two out of the three games against Vandy this weekend, which was all they needed to lock up the conference crown.

The Bulldogs opened the scoring with a six-run second inning. Vanderbilt countered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning, but Georgia starter Nathan Moreau settled down to keep the Commodores off of the scoreboard for the rest of his six innings of work. Trailing 12-5 in the eighth inning, however, Vandy staged a four-run outburst and followed up with another run in the ninth. Then, Bulldog closer Josh Fields slammed the door, striking out Brad French.

Vanderbilt won the SEC regular season and tournament titles last season.

Braves play it safe, wrap pitchers in bubblewrap

The Atlanta Braves are no longer taking any chances with their pitching staff. From now on, every Atlanta hurler will be wrapped in a protective layer of bubble wrap in between mound appearances.

Braves general manager Frank Wren has even been in contact with Major League Baseball to find out if he can leave the pitchers in their "poppable" plastic shells during game action.

OK, I made all that up. But, seriously, it's starting to get a little ridiculous with the Atlanta pitchers. In yesterday's game, the Braves had not one, but TWO pitchers leave early. Starter Jo-Jo Reyes had to leave as a blister was developing on his pitching hand. His replacement, Buddy Carlyle, almost got his head taken off while attempting to field a ground ball. Both players are apparently OK. Carlyle says he'll be ready to go tonight, and Reyes expects to make his next start.

But, they join the ranks of other injured pitchers, including John Smoltz (serving his second stint on the Disabled List), Tom Glavine (back from DL), Pete Moylan (done for the season), Rafael Soriano (still on the DL), Mike Gonzalez (still on the DL), and Mike Hampton (STILL on the DL for the third year in a row). Pitching for the Braves is becoming one of the most dangerous jobs in America.

Fortunately for Atlanta, the Braves' bats came alive late in yesterday's game, powering Atlanta to a (gasp) come-from-behind win in a (GASP!) one-run game. It's Atlanta's first one-run victory this year after losing the first nine one-run affairs. Matt Diaz did the heavy lifting in the ninth inning with a bases-loaded single.

A CLUTCH HIT IN THE NINTH!AP Photo/John Bazemore

In other news, this is the spot where I would give an official blog pat-on-the-back to newly aquired hitter Greg Norton. He's come through with HUGE RBI-pinch hits in the last two games. Unfortunately, reliever Jorge Campillo still hasn't recovered from the jinx that came with the last official blog-pat-on-the-back I gave out. So, I'll hold off on that for now.

Atlanta opens a road-trip tonight against Pittsburgh on a six-game winning streak, their first since July 2006. Yup, that's right... Atlanta didn't win six games in a row all of last season. Things are looking up if you're a Braves fan... or if you've got a piece of the Bubble Wrap concession in Georgia.

AtlantaBraves.com: Braves wrap up perfect homestand
AtlantaBraves.com: Reyes, Carlyle leave early

An ugly rite of succession at UNC Chapel Hill

Apparently, the desire to be North Carolina's mascot is even stronger than the bond between father and son.

Rameses XVII, the Tar Heels' goat mascot, died on April 24th of complications from injuries suffered after being headbutted by his son, Pablo.

Apparently, Rameses got into a bit of a head-butting fight with his son (he probably caught him hanging out with some nannies from Duke... nanny is the term for a female goat, I looked it up). Anyhoo, as conflicts between father and son so often do, this one got a little out of hand:

"Rameses and Pablo shared a field at Hogan's farm outside Carrboro. On April 13, they butted heads, as rams are occasionally wont. This particular collision was so jarring that it snapped off one of the older ram's horns." - The News and Observer

According to the article, Rameses developed an infection and died April 24th.

Of course, the Tar Heels need a ram to follow onto the field of battle this season, so who gets the nod? Why, Pablo, of course. He's been installed as the new Rameses, Rameses XVIII.

WANT A PIECE OF ME, DAD?ViewImages.com

The best part of the article is the conclusion: "The mascot is dead. Long live the mascot!!!" You don't get a lot of references in sports to the British monarchy. Then again, you don't get a lot of patricide in the ACC, either.


The News and Observer: UNC mascot dies of blow from son, Rameses XVIII
AOL Fanhouse: North Carolina mascot killed by heir

Sweep!

Tom Glavine still hasn't won a game in a Braves uniform since the 2002 season. But, the Braves still managed to pick up a win in his Sunday afternoon start, capping off a sweep of the Cincinatti Reds. A quick recap on my thoughts of the weekend's action:

The Good: Jo-Jo Reyes! Last year, we read and heard a lot about Reyes' potential, but he had a tough season after being thrust into a starting job by injuries. Reyes ironed out some problems in Class AAA this season, posting an ERA under 0.50 with Richmond before returning to the big leagues Saturday. He was brilliant through five innings, scattering four hits and allowing just one run in the sixth inning before leaving. He was pitching in place of John Smoltz, who expects to return from the disabled list as a reliever. If Reyes can keep this up, it should be a great arrangement.

YOU GO, JO-JOAP Photo/John Bazemore

The Bad: Tom Glavine was given a 7-0 lead in the second inning this afternoon, but he couldn't manage to get out of the fifth inning and qualify for a win. Instead, he left after 4 2/3 innings after giving up six runs. Glavine is still pitching fairly well, but some tough luck leaves him still 0-1 for the season.

The Ugly: Royce Ring got the win, after throwing just one pitch. Ring's now 1-0 on the season, getting the last out in the fifth inning. Baseball statistics are just weird.

Chipper Jones watch: Chipper went 3-6 with a homer and five RBI. It boosts his Major League leading batting average to .425. For a great read on Chipper's career, check out Thomas Stinson's article on the Atlanta Journal Constitution's website.

Atlanta Journal Constitution: Sharp Reyes earns another look
Atlanta Journal Constitution: Jones ranks among Braves' greats