Good Morning Sports Fans!!!

It’s the morning after and I’m sure Saints’ fans across the nation are either waking up with a massive hangover or they’re still doing the second line down Bourbon Street.

For so long they’ve been known as the ‘Aints, but over the past four years they’ve been slowly but surely putting together a winning program. Coming into this game my heart was still in the Super Dome, I left it there after the NFC Championship. I would have given anything to see Favre & Manning go head to head in this year’s Super Bowl.

However, that didn’t happen.

What did happen was Manning and the Colts got shut down in the 2nd quarter and it was all down hill from there. Indianapolis was on the field for a little over 2 minutes in the 2nd and it just seemed as if the Colts never could shake it off.

Call me a hater or whatever, but I don’t like how the Saints started the 2nd half with an onside kick. It’s just one of those plays where if New Orleans doesn’t recover, everyone would second guess the Saints’ coaching staff but if they recover the coaching staff look like geniuses.

I guess Sean Payton and crew are a group of geniuses…

How about Jim Caldwell???

This dude couldn’t coach his way out of a box with the top opened. The first indicator was weeks ago when he pulled his starters and allowed the New York Jets to slide into the playoffs. Then last night in the 2nd quarter after the defense stopped the Saints on the goal line, Caldwell then called 3 run plays in a row. As always he was played safe and through his conservative play calling the Saints ended up scoring a field goal right before the half.

The bottom line is Jim Caldwell should probably step down as head coach of the Colts, I don’t think he’s ready.

Congrats to the World Champion Saints & the City of New Orleans!!!

This is my very first post of 2010 and man oh’ man do I have lots to SPEAK ON!!!

Since my last post things ended on a high note of sorts with the Birds finishing the season 9-7. This makes the first time in franchise history that the Falcons have consecutive winning seasons.

Now can we please get some quality defensive players???

Good Job Coach Smith!!!

Well I hate to say it but Georgia Tech is who we thought they were!!!

After winning the ACC Championship vs. Clemson, the Yellow Jackets faced the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Orange Bowl and what a disaster… The high-powered triple option offense that made GT one of the most feared teams in college football this year looked more like an offense you would see at your local park. If not for the defense keeping the Jackets in the game it would have been a complete blowout.

Bad News for the Jackets as four of their main guys made the decision to go to the NFL. WR Demaryius Thomas, DE Derrick Thomas, RB Jonathan Dwyer and FS Morgan Burnett have all played in their final game as Yellow Jackets and their absence next year could prove to set the Jacket back a season or two.

How bout them Bulldogs or better yet how bout the SEC!!!

With the UGA Bulldogs under performing this season its nice to see the ‘Dawgs close out the season with a BIG bowl win and so did most of the conference. Kentucky, LSU, South Carolina, and Tennessee were losers; Mississippi State didn’t even make a bowl appearance.

Speaking of losers and Tennessee…

After one season Lane Kiffin has officially left the SEC!!!

All I can say is thank god and good radiance, because he didn’t belong in the most elite football conference in the nation and it just goes to show how desperate USC is. Of course we know the weather better in Southern Cal but is the football? If the program is really all that it’s cracked up to be why did Pete Carroll up and leave?

Just a couple questions that have popped up within the past 24 hours…

At this point Kiffin is a coaching nomad. He left USC as offense coach to become the head coach of the Oakland Raiders and that didn’t work. Al Davis put Kiffin on the first thing smoking out of Oakland after misguiding the Raiders to a 5-15 overall record.

He was then hired by the University of Tennessee, as head football coach and it was pretty much the same as when he was with Oakland, leading the Volunteers to a 7-6 record in his only season at the university.

How many times to you think the alumni and boosters will deal with a Kiffin led USC team that goes 7-6?

This could prove to be a rushed hire that USC will regret for years to come. Trust me on that; remember when Ray Goff replaced Vince Dooley???

You don’t make the playoffs by almost winning.

Bottomline…

As a lifelong resident of Atlanta, I have always made excuses for our professional sports teams but yesterday that all stopped. Every other year the Falcons look as if they are ready to join the NFL’s elite and then the following season they look like the Falcons. This franchise has never been able to put together back to back winning seasons. As a matter of fact they are the only professional team in any sport to hold that honor.

Last year’s addition of Mike Smith, Michael Turner, & Matt Ryan made fans believers once again, returning to the playoffs for the first time since January 23, 2005 only to go out in the 1st round to the Arizona Cardinals. This season had even more potential with future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez and linebacker Mike Peterson joining the Falcons. The team got off to a strong start going 4-1 before injuries and errors sent the team into a downward spiral.

Yesterday’s 26-23 loss to the Saints is just that a loss. I don’t care if they almost won.

You don’t make the playoffs by almost winning.

Bottomline…

This will be the fight of the decade…

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather get in the squared circle on March 13^th and every fight fan has the date circled on their calendars.

Floyd Mayweather has been accused of dodging fights and on the flipside you’ve got Manny Pacquiao a boxer that fights anybody that wants to go 12 rounds. Both of these boxers are lightning fast and powerful however neither of these attributes will be the determining factor.

So now you’re thinking WTF???

It’s not that hard…

The boxer with the most heart will be the winner of this epic fight.

Let’s look at both boxers last 5 fights:

Mayweather

Marquez 12^th Round Decision

Hatton 10^th Round TKO

De La Hoya 12^th Round Decision

Baldomir 12^th Round Decision

Judah 12^th Round Decision

Pacquiao

Cotto 12^th Round TKO

Hatton 2^nd Round KO

De La Hoya 8^th Round TKO

Diaz 9^th Round TKO

Marquez 12^th Round Decision

If I had to pick which boxer had the most heart I would have to choose Pac-Man, he’s been in the ring 5 times since March 15, 2008. As for Mayweather, his last five fights date back to April 8, 2006 partly because of an early retirement.

A retirement that wasn’t warranted but rather an easy way out of fighting a certain boxer named Sugar Shane Mosley. But you didn’t hear that from me because I ain’t one to gossip.

One thing is for sure… No matter who you like it’s gonna be one for the ages!!!

So many stories have come up since the last time I posted that I’m honestly not sure where to start…

You’ve got UGA… I said at the beginning of the season that this would be a terrible season for the Bulldog Nation if Coach Richt stayed true to QB Joe Cox. Once again I hate to say I told you so but uhh… I told you so!!! This was a complete waste of a season for a team that finished #2 in the nation in 2007 & started the season ranked #1 in 2008.

Don’t get me wrong I’ll be the first to complain about loyalty in sports but…

In college football it’s all about the best available players. If you have a freshman that is better than a senior you’ve gotta let’em play and in UGA’s case they have two highly touted freshman on the bench, that are much better than Mr. Cox. Yeah, sure the defense sucked this season but so did the offense mainly because the pass game was so wack, it made the run game ineffective. I was left scratching my head after watching the UGA/ GT game a couple weeks back because the run game was CRAZY and as usual the pass game, well lets just say Cox did what Cox does. Green, Easley, and King give all that dwell in the NATION a reason look forward to next season.

Up next the Texas A&M Aggies in the AdvoCare V100 Bowl in Shreveport on December 28th, this will be the official farewell to the (Anti-Tebow)…

Farewell and Good riddance!!!

They are who we thought they are…

Teams that shouldn’t be ranked as high as they are or were…

Again I ask the question… Where they do that at???

Thank you Bobby Cox!!!

Thank you for all that you have done for Major League Baseball and of course the City of Atlanta. You made all of us believe in the team that historically was the league’s worst. You accomplished more than any other coach, manager, or player has done in the city, you taught us how to win.

Sure you were here from 1978-1981 but that’s not what you will be remembered for.

It was your return to the team in 1990 that will forever be your calling card.

In a city where we had nothing to cheer except the Hawks and the fact that home run king Hank Aaron was a member of the Braves, you did something different, something that probably will never accomplished again.

You took the lowly Braves from worst to first on the way to one World Series Championship, five NL pennants, and a record 14 straight division titles from 1991-2005.

I have to say yesterday was one of mixed emotions for me to hear about the retirement for several reasons.

1. As a lifetime Atlanta resident the city has always craved a World Championship and you delivered it. Sure it would have been nice to win more but beggars can’t be choosey.
2. My Paw Paw a lifelong Braves only ever wanted to see the team make it to the World Series, not only did he get to see that he got to see a them win it all.
3. There is no other person that has been apart of this organization as long as Bobby with the exception of the late Skip Caray.
4. The hiring of Terry Pendleton as manager could be the one thing the team needs to get back on track.

Oh yeah Bobby, I haven’t forgotten the record you own that I’m the most proud of….

Your major league record of 150 ejections including seven this season.

So this past weekend was the start of Big Time college football and it didn’t disappoint.

Most ranked schools started their seasons off with some fluff, while others faced true competition. One of those schools was UGA, who kicked off the season with a loss to #9 OSU and off the top I’ve got to say Joe Cox isn’t that guy and neither is Carlton Thomas.

I’m sorry but they aren’t!

The Dawgs host the Cocks this weekend and I promise if we don’t see different results Mr. Joe Cox will not be the QB for UGA, I expect to see true freshman Aaron Murray take over this team within a week or so.

I could be wrong but I know Coach Richt and it’s all about reloading versus rebuilding for him as with most successful college programs.

We will see RB Calib King this week versus S.C.

On the Flats of Ga. Tech no surprise here…

The #15 ranked Jackets hosted a Jacksonville State team that didn’t even put up a fight.

Paul Johnson’s triple option offense looked unstoppable as Jonathan Dwyer ran for a 74 yard TD on the Jackets opening possession.

Overall they racked up 497 yards on offense in there 37-17 win.

Meanwhile Jacksonville State could only put up 106 yards and a touchdown.

The Jackets host the Clemson Tigers Saturday @ 7:30pm

As a UGA fan it really hurts me to say GT will have the better season out of the two.

The Braves were 8-3 losers to the FLA Marlins in the finale of a four-game set at Land Shark Stadium. 

The Braves kickoff a series with the Reds tonight at Turner Field. 

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The Falcons suffered a 20-3 loss to the Ravens in their preseason finale last night at the Georgia Dome. 

The Falcons open up the regular season on Sunday, September 13th at home against the Dolphins.

Yesterday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell ruled that Vick will be fully eligible to play in Week Three of the regular season when the Eagles host the Kansas City Chiefs

WNBA

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Tonight 10:00 p.m. - Atlanta Dream at Sacramento Monarchs

In College Football on Saturday

UGA takes on Oklahoma State

Ga. Tech visits Jacksonville St

CAU travels to Stillman

and Morehouse hosts Fort Valley

Mad Sports Fan Key High School Matchups:

Peachtree Ridge @ Lowndes

Lakeside DeKalb @ Tucker

Brookwood @ North Gwinnett

Warner Robins @ Grayson

Columbia @ Stephenson

GAC @ St Pius

Miller Grove @ SWD

Parkview @ Chattahoochee

Salem @ Rockdale

Stone Mountain @ Marist

Therrell @ Maynard Jackson

*Douglas @ Mays- Greg Street Game of the Week

Soooo, Let me get this straight Mike Vick missed almost 2 years of football while in prison, he was conditionally reinstated and could only participate in two preseason games, and now there is a chance my dude could be out again.

WTF…

Here’s the situation, Saturday is the deadline for NFL teams to cutdown to the 53 man roster and if Vick is going miss 3-6 weeks the Eagles have some decisions to make because you can’t go into the season with 2 QBs which means Vick would more than likely go on the roster exempt list keeping him off the practice and game field until he was added to the 53 man roster.

The Eagles believe the commissioner will allow Vick back by week 3 and if that’s the case all is well but, if not you’re talking 30 days of Vick being out of action.

That will hamper Vick’s progress as well as the Eagles.

This guy has paid his debt on so many levels and if he now has to sit out 30 extra days this will be a complete travesty, on so many levels.

The NFL is so funny.

How does Michael Crabtree have the #1 selling jersey for the S.F. 49ers and hasn’t even signed a contract?

Not only that but he is threatening to go back into next years draft.

How is this possible?

Based on the number of jerseys he’s selling, it just looks they would give him the money he’s asking for. I know the money rookies get paid is based on where they drafted but ask yourself this question: Who’s the more productive WR between Heyward-Bey and Crabtree?

Here are the Top 5 selling NFL Jerseys so far in this young season

1.Brett Favre, Vikings
2.Jay Cutler, Bears
3.Troy Polamalu, Steelers
4.Michael Vick, Eagles
5.Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers