Head of the Snake

It has been said, that the best way to kill a snake, is to cut off it's head. Well, Hawks team captain, Joe Johnson, said that the team quit in game one of their best of 7 series against the Cavs. Is this loser mentality the mindset of the team? Mo Evans went on 680 the fan and refuted the sentiment. (He also stated that they were out watching the new Wolverine movie. Good for them, I guess). But, I'm left to wonder. Why would the leader of this squad make such a ('scuse my language) damning statement? Johnson was quoted, "We have to play with a sense of pride. The second half, we kind of gave up." You kind of gave up? This is the NBA Playoffs!! Do you want it or not? Where's the fire, fight, and refuse to back down attitude this team promised to deliver? "We kind of gave up," sounds very weak to me. You will NEVER hear a member, much less, leader of any great team EVER make such a sad statement. The military has a phrase, referred to as F.I.D.O. It pretty much means MAN UP! That's what the Hawks need to do. Johnson went on to say, "I'm tired," then refused to accept that answer as an excuse for his poor play in game 1. Again, a sad statement from the leader of a playoff team. Joe Johnson and his Hawks need to MAN UP, forget it, and drive on!

Atlanta was blown out of game 1, (99-72) as Johnson finished with just 11 skinny points. Small forward/PF Josh Smith contributed 22 points and PG Mike Bibby added 19. Maybe, the team didn't quit, but it's obvious that Johnson did. Joe said as much. When your leader succumbs to defeat, is it possible to persevere? If the best way to defeat the Hawks is to break the will of Joe Johnson, then Cleveland has already won this series.

Livin' on the DL

Mike Hampton may be gone, but his legacy remains in Atlanta. The 2009 Braves are suffering from a Hampton-esque disease. It's called life on the DL.
Without starting pitcher, Tim Hudson until August or 2010, the Braves have also suffered other debilitating injuries. Future Hall of Fame players, Tom Glavine and Garrett Anderson (maybe that's a stretch for Anderson. But it sounds good, doesn't it?) have been unable to assist their teammates in 09. Yes, the former Angels outfielder did appear in a handful of games, but Anderson has driven in zero runs for Atlanta. Angst also continues to grow over the absence of All-Star catcher, Brian McCann from the Braves' lineup. The native Georgian is struggling to overcome a sudden vision problem. This situation caught Brian and the Braves by surprise. McCann is trying out some new shades and is expected to participate in a minor leauge rehab performance in the up coming days. However, this issue could require another lasik eye surgery. If so, God only knows how long he'll be sidelined for.
Also on the Braves' DL is starting pitcher Jorge' Campillo. Although the 30 year old from Tijuana has posted an ERA of 5.40, Atlanta needs him back in the rotation. The right hander from Mexico has shown flashes of becoming a solid starter for the Braves. Jorge needs to get healthy and get his career on track. At 30 years of age, his athletic clock is ticking down. (Hit the wrong button. Wasn't ready to publish this article. But since it's out there, I'll keep going).
Chipper Jones has also bounced on and off the DL. When Chipper is in the lineup, the Braves' offense actually has a little punch to it. But, how long can he remain active? Jones has missed substantial parts of the last few seasons. When healthy, Jones is as good as any third baseman in the game. Some would say better. I ain't going there. Hopefully, the Braves can overcome the legacy Mike Hampton left behind. He ain't here and he's pitchin'. Maybe Atlanta can rid itself of the residue from his existence in this town, say a few prayers, and get healthy. I'll light a candle for them.

Go Braves.

Bad News Braves

Don't look now, but the Atlanta Braves are on the cusp of losing...again. Down 6-3 when I started writing this article, Chipper Jones didn't like the verbage. After falling behind in the count 0-2, Larry just drilled a solo shot to right field. Braves are now behind 6-4 in the bottom of the 8th. Casey Kotchman has just grounded out and Jeff Francoeur steps into the box. The former Parkview Panther stuck out swinging to record the second out of the inning. JJ Putz now faces Brandon Jones and his dismal .250 batting average. The recent call up ain't exactly sizzlin' at the plate. However, the youngster just reached base with a single down the left field line. Backup catcher, David Ross is up to bat. In the background, there's a very faint tomahawk chop going on. Reminds me of an FSU's getting stomped, but let's cheer them anyway situation. Not that I care about the 'Noles. I don't. Not at all. Unless, of course they're playing another squad from Florida in college football. Ross strikes out and the Braves are rally-less in the 8th.
Former Brave, Gary Sheffield is now batting with one out in the top of the 9th for NY. It's always refreshing to hear this dude draw boos. The fidgety batter is proving to be a tough out. With 3 balls and 2 strikes, Sheffield takes ball 4. Braves pitcher, Bennett (I don't know who he is either) throws to 1st and Gary is picked off en route to second base. Jose' Reyes immediately followed that play with a single. Very bad throw by Braves catcher David Ross, as Reyes steals second. Jose' represents a big run, if he scores. That could be a dagger in the heart of any 9th inning rally Atlanta hopes to impose. But, you can (in a northern accent)forgetaboutit. Next batter grounds out. Here come the Braves, down two. If the final inning gets interesting, I'll post updates in the comments section. Rookie CF Jordan Schafer leads off for Atlanta.

Knowshon Moreno

Brief article regarding Knowshon Moreno posted on www.ajc.com. Click title of this post to read more. There's nothing I can add that would do the story justice. Hope you enjoy the link.

Hawks vs Heat Game 7

Live from Philips Arena (I wish)-

Looks like the Atlanta Hawks have just about knocked Miami out of the playoffs. What's their reward? A trip to Cleveland, where they'll play some guy named James. That will be a tremendously difficult challenge for the Hawks. This Jekyll and Hyde team MUST play fearless basketball. If Atlanta wants to compete with the Cavs, they must also defend on the road, improve their rebounding, and play well on a consistent basis. (As I'm typing this, Haslem has been ejected with a flagrant 2 for a hard foul on ZaZa Pachulia. Cool state of Florida tatoo exposed, as he threw his jersey into the crowd). Back to Atlanta...

Loved what I saw in game 7. Joe Johnson and Josh Smith ignited the crowd and inspired their temmates early in this contest. During the 2nd quarter, Johnson launched a 3 from the South Fulton County Civic Center. He made the shot, and the crowd erupted. That was the beginning of the end for Miami.

To be honest, this was the strangest 7 game series in NBA history. Every game was a blowout, and there were zero lead changes after the first quarter in any of the 7 games. I'm thrilled to see the Hawks advance, but now, they've got an even tougher fight on their hands.

P.S. Thanks to Steve Holman, Atlanta's radio guy. His commentary was very entertaining, even if Holman was borderline offensive in his regard for the Heat. After taking some criticism for calling Miami's coach "little Eric Spolestra," Holman exclusively referred to him as "the Miami coach" during the entire game 7 broadcast. I'll never forget his calls during game 5. Especially, his voice proclaiming "The Heat are resorting to thuggery!!" That was classic. Next up for Atlanta...LeBron James and the Cavs. Go Hawks!

Did Hawks Announcer Go Too Far?

In case you missed it, Sekou Smith of www.ajc.com wrote a nice piece on his Hawks blog, titled "Where Ridiculous Happens." It's a must read for fans excited about tonight's Game 6 of the playoff series between Miami and Atlanta. It's pretty lenghthy, however. So, if you're just in the mood for a good laugh, skim down and check out the the link to deadspin.com, by clicking on the words have taken a liking to him. Here, you can listen to some humorous audio replays of Hawks announcer Steve Holman mocking Dwayne Wade and referencing the Heat as thugs. It's definitely worth a listen.

Click on Did Hawks Announcer Go Too Far? (At top of screen), to go to Sekou Smith's Hawks Blog.

I'll post a few game notes/updates in the comments section. As I'm typing this, D Wade just made an awesome dunk, to put Miami up 28-15. Miami has the ball again and Wade gets fouled by Josh Smith.

Say It Ain't So Belue.

As a lifelong Georgia fan, I heard something that startled me today. Not because of the dialogue, but because of the source. On 680 the fan, former Georgia QB Buck Belue, stated that the Florida Gators will win the SEC in 2009. With as much talent as Urban Meyer has returning to Gainesville, I'm not surprised by the prediction. I am, however stunned to hear such blasphamy from the mouth of a national championship winner at UGA. Well, the conversation on www.680thefan.com only got worse. Belue went on to proclaim UF QB Tim Tebow as the winner of next year's Heisman Trophy Award. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Belue's entitled to his opinion and professionalism, but isn't there an unspoken rule of Dawg-isms? Even if you feel this way, Belue, at least humor the Bulldog Nation by lying.

NBA MVP

I am very humbled and honored to win this award. As voted on by the readers of www.robsealersports.blogspot.com, I am the unanimous selection to receieve NBA MVP honors. It's quite an accomplishment, considering I've never played professional basketball. To be honest, my best days were on the courts of Durham Street.
I can't tell you what this means to me. With 2 votes to none, I have surpassed Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, Lebron James, and Dewayne Wade. This is the proudest day of my life. Thank you to the voters. I will always be grateful. God bless you all, even if I "fixed" the results.

A Game Called Basketball

With all of the excitement surrounding the NFL Draft, I nearly forgot about the NBA playoffs. To be honest, I wish I would have. As I'm typing these words, the Atlanta Hawks are being humiliated in game 3 of their series against Miami. After a very dominant performance in game 1, I thought the Hawks were capable of "shocking" some folks. Unfortunately, the Hawks are only shocking me. Never in my lifetime, have I seen such a heartless lack of effort on the basketball court. Although the Hawks are at their best when their defense creates fast break opportunities, this team is inconsistent and undedicated towards this aspect of the game. Atlanta fought through 82 regular season games, just to secure home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Through three playoff games, they've only fought once.
As a lifelong Hawks fan, I feel ashamed, disgusted, and belittled by any association I have with this team. Hopefully, they'll come out swingin' in Game 4. As for now, I guess I'll go back to watching the NFL Draft.

Falcons Acquire Tony Gonzalez

Three days before the NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons brilliantly filled their void at the TE position. GM Thomas Dimitroff worked out a deal to acquire 33 year old Pro Bowler, Tony Gonzalez from the Kansas City Chiefs for just a 2010 2nd round draft pick. Gonzalez may be aging, but his skills are not in decline (TG caught 93 passes last season). This move gives young signal caller, Matt Ryan, a tremendous weapon between the 20's and inside the red zone. The former Chief is not just a playmaker with the ball in his hands. The veteran TE is also an outstanding blocker. His presence on the field will make life easier for runningbacks Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood. The trade appears to be a win-win situation for the Falcons. Although they'll send their 2nd round pick to KC in 2010, Atlanta will still have many options available in the future draft. Due to the losses of veterans Keith Brooking, Michael Boley, Lawyer Milloy, and Dominique Foxworth, the Falcons could receive as many as 4 supplemental draft picks in 2010.

The only negative: Atlanta still needs a defense. Although this move inches the Falcons closer towards becoming an NFC power, there are still many holes on the other side of the ball.