trublue

http://www.terrellepryor.org/ Heard about this site on a sports talk show today.

A "little" background on Howard for interested readers: ________________________________________________________ Dwight Howard, the Magic's teenage rookie, is stepping from a sheltered life of faith, family, hoops and friends to the flashy NBA. By Mike Tierney | Special to the Sentinel Posted July 18, 2004 Editor's note: Mike Tierney, a reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, spent the past year covering Dwight Howard and his senior season at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. He wrote this story about Howard's life especially for the Orlando Sentinel. Team Howard had staged a friendly takeover of the first floor at the ESPN Zone restaurant in Manhattan. A few hours after Dwight Howard completed the Beamon-esque leap from senior at a Lilliputian high school to top pick in the NBA draft at nearby Madison Square Garden, a party had broken out. Non-alcoholic, to be sure. Friends, family and relatives milled about . . . with classmates, faculty and administrators from Howard's Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy . . . with fellow worshippers and officials of Fellowship of Faith International church that owns the academy, a veritable one-room schoolhouse in this era of college-sized campuses for kids. Howard, resplendent in a suit tailored especially for the draft, ambled up to me, his trademark smile revealing braces that affirm his youth. "Are you going to Orlando, for real?" he asked. I had been shadowing him nearly 10 months in Atlanta for a series of articles on a man-child's last year of carefree innocence before he morphed into a multimillionaire, autograph-churning, groupie-dodging, moocher-hounded, paparazzi-ducking celebrity. He was growing weary of my invasion into his privacy -- "Still not dating anyone, Dwight?" -- and I had teased that, if he wound up with the Magic, I might piggyback on his move south. Frankly, I was counting on at least a sniff of scandal when I pitched the story idea in September to Dwight Sr., a state trooper and athletic director at the school that offered two sports. Having followed from afar LeBron James' farewell to academia and amateurism, I expected entourages, expensive vintage jerseys, clinging women, Hummers, pockets stuffed with Benjamins. Some of the above, scaled-down, certainly. Instead, I got a close circle of friends from his church, nerdy school uniforms, girls as pals only, a 1984 Ford Crown Victoria that cost his father $900 and a wallet empty of not only Benjamins but Washingtons. Once, I inquired how much money he was carrying. His thumb and index finger formed the shape of a zero. Dwight Sr. and his wife, Sheryl, a phys-ed teacher at the school, kept their second of three children on a short leash long before he became a magazine cover boy, nor had they loosened it much as his fame mushroomed. He still observed a curfew. Still had household chores. Still attended church several times weekly. Still largely was unspoiled in this material world. For his 18th birthday, his parents got him . . . an alarm clock. With his cousin's cash gift, he rushed out to buy his favorite DVD: Finding Nemo. The Howards' hands-on parenting was doubly motivated. First, Dwight Sr. is a professed born-again Christian who subscribes to the notion of a traditional family structure with a firm authority figure. By today's standards, Dad might be considered strict, even meddling. Young Howard had no cable TV in his room, lest he be tempted to sample salacious fare. Most rap music was off-limits, though Howard did pop in some Pastor Troy in the "Vic." The closest he ever came to cursing in my presence was a cross between "damn" and "dang." He received no allowance and few presents, even on Christmas, just enough cash and clothes to get by. He was equipped with a cell phone, largely so Dad could keep track of his whereabouts. That was never difficult. The borders in Howard's limited universe were defined by his church, school, area gyms and the mall where he took in movies. Late nights out were green-lighted with a simple call home for permission. Also, the Howards considered Dwight something of a miracle child. Sheryl had given birth to a healthy daughter, TaShanda, then lost seven other babies, including two sets of twins, to miscarriage. She was bedridden for the duration of her pregnancy with Dwight. (Their "baby," Jahaziel, is a rising sophomore.) No prototypical man-child Young Howard was a father figure himself -- or, more like big brother -- to the 222 other African-American and Jamaican students, ranging down to preschool level, at the academy, the only school he ever graced. Walking the narrow hallway, he often paused and bowed his 6-foot-11 self to low-five or fist-bump an elementary schooler and inquire about how they were doing in school. The smaller tykes might latch on to Howard's leg for a free ride, which he provided willingly. Teachers adored him, even as his scholastic interests progressively faded. Howard knew before the school bell rang on opening day that he was skipping college. His desire to retake the Scholastic Aptitude Test and improve on his score in the 900s dissipated. In second semester, road trips with the Warriors, all-star games, banquets and NBA draft business kept him out of school for 17 days and daydreaming while there. In the classroom, he charmed instructors with his creativity. During a lesson on a flag-burning amendment, he disguised himself, if not very well, with a wig and accent to present a European's point of view. A spiritual foundation Religion is pervasive at his school, injected into many courses, even into sports. Home games are preceded by prayer, with many spectators reverentially extending their arms, palms-up, and shutting their eyes. Light rap with gospel themes blared over the public-address system. (Coaches spot-check players' personal CDs to weed out unsavory material.) At pep rallies -- at which Howard often served as emcee, seeking laughs by wearing a Buckwheat wig -- students and faculty stomped their feet to lyrics such as, "JEE-sus. He SAVED us. He MADE us. He LOVES us." Howard was at home in this environment. He wears his spirituality on his sleeve as prominently as the ring on his finger signifying an Amateur Athletic Union tournament championship. "I use basketball," he often says in so many words, "to show what God has given me." He prays for specific blessings and is answered so often that it comes as a surprise to him when a wish is not granted. On the night of the NBA draft lottery, Howard was taken aback when the Atlanta Hawks, the team of his choice, did not beat odds of nearly 10-1 and draw first, as he had anticipated. (His audible "Please, no Clippers" plea apparently was heeded when Orlando landed at No. 1.) No easy mark Howard is hardly gentle on the court but is no elbow-throwing, smack-talking Shaq knockoff, either. Bullied often last season by triple-teaming opponents, he displayed little more emotion than a "Can I get a call, puuulllleeeeease?" to the referee. Even then, he felt pangs of guilt. One game, a 5-foot-10 bantamweight whom he had arm-wrestled to the floor stalked toward him, hand-gesturing as a come-on to fight. Howard raised his arms in a pose of peace and retreated. Then he went over to the bleachers and calmed his agitated father. Those traits, plus a stereotype of spiritual athletes reinforced by the supremely gifted but even-keeled David Robinson, widely got Howard branded as "soft" before the draft. While watching the lottery in his living room, he heard the slur from an ESPN analyst, who urged the Magic to select Emeka Okafor. He did not vent with a "damn/dang," his version of an epithet. Rather, Howard burned off his frustration by going out to shoot baskets, at 9 p.m. From that point on, whenever he needed to ratchet up the intensity in workouts, Howard had a Pavlovian response to one word uttered by his father: Emeka. Tacked to his bedroom wall was a list of eight goals that a considerably shorter Howard scribbled around his entry into the ninth grade. One has been publicized widely: To become the first draft pick. But a subsequently stated ambition is more outrageous: Convince the NBA commissioner to add a cross to the league logo, the one with the silhouette of Jerry West. For starters, the commish, David Stern, is Jewish. To which Howard says, "So?" Moreover, pro sports leagues, preferring to convey all-inclusiveness, maintain their distance from overtly religious icons. On a mission, of sorts Still, Howard sees himself on a mission to alter the image of the NBA player from narcissistic party animal to teetotaling churchgoer. He has backed off from any notions of outright proselytizing in the locker room but has no intention of stuffing those beliefs in his zipped gym bag. At the final buzzer of each high-school game, whether a loss to Landmark Christian Academy on national television or a victory against Whitefield Academy for the state championship, Howard deferred his mourning/celebrating and assembled players from both teams into a ringlet at center court for a kneel-down prayer. If time permits, he tacks on "God bless" to each signed autograph. _________________

Atlantan Howard wins NBA dunk contest The Associated Press Published on: 02/16/08 New Orleans — Look, up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's Dwight Howard — super slam dunk champion. A red cape trailing behind him, Orlando's man of steel made like Superman and won perhaps the best dunk contest, definitely the most creative, in NBA history to close a memorable All-Star Saturday. Using a variety of props as well as teammate Jameer Nelson, the former Southwest Atlanta Christian star scored perfect 50s from judges on his first two dunks before the contest was turned over to fan voting for the first time in the final round. Fans, too, picked the 6-foot-11 Howard, who dispelled an old dunking myth: Big men can fly high. In any other year, Minnesota's Gerald Green would have easily walked away with his second straight dunking crown, but he was upstaged by the amazingly athletic Howard, whose performance has to rank up there with anything Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter or even tiny Spud Webb ever did above the basket. The dunk contest, bland for so many years as the game's high risers seemed to run out of ideas, was freshened up by some of the most creative aerial assaults in memory. Howard, Green, Toronto's Jamario Moon and Memphis' Rudy Gay all used tape, ladders, teammates and even a tasty dessert to show their stuff. Howard started things off with a see-through dunk. Standing on the baseline, he tossed the ball off the reverse side of the backboard, caught it with both hands, and after peering through the glass at the rim, dunked left-handed. The crowd roared and a celebrity panel of judges including Magic Johnson, Karl Malone as well as Dominique Wilkins, Julius Erving and Darryl Dawkins — three of the game's most famed dunkers — all gave him perfect 10s. Not to be outdone, Green tried to blow the field away. Literally. After Timberwolves teammate Rashad McCants climbed up and placed a cupcake with a single candle in it on the back of the rim, Green soared in and puffed out the flame before throwing down a nasty left-hander. In the second round, McCants sat on the top step of the ladder and handed the ball off to a rising Green, who crushed another dunk. That's when Howard stripped off his blue Magic jersey to reveal an "S" on his chest. He then donned the cape, and after a running start from near mid-court, took off just inside the free-throw line and fired down the ball. In the final round, Green performed two acrobatic dunks, one in only green socks after removing his sneakers. But neither of those could top Howard's last two efforts. First, Howard bounced the ball off the floor, tapped it left-handed off the backboard and dunked with his right hand. For Howard's finale, Nelson affixed a miniature Orlando backboard next to the rim and balanced a ball on it. Howard flew in from the right side, picked the ball off cleanly and slammed it in. He then only had to wait for fans to text message a result that seemed to be a no-brainer. Howard won in a landslid, receiving 78 percent of the vote. Earlier, Jason Kapono showed nobody's close to him from long distance. The NBA's best 3-point shooter this season, the Toronto forward with the silky touch won his second straight 3-point Shootout, tying a 22-year-old record with a final round of 25. Kapono missed his first two shots in the last round before dropping 10 straight. By the time he approached the last rack of balls, Kapono had already clinched the win and didn't have to fire up another shot. But he knocked down a few more anyway, matching three-time winner Craig Hodges' mark of 25 set in 1986. When his final shot swished through, Kapono, who made all five money balls — worth two points apiece — and went 20-for-25 in the last round, slapped high-fives with other All-Stars and hugged Raptors teammate Chris Bosh. Cleveland's Daniel Gibson, who made 11 3-pointers in Friday night's rookie challenge finished second. He scored 17 points in the final round, finishing three points ahead of Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki, who replaced the injured Bryant. Kapono almost didn't get out of the first round. He was in danger of elimination as he approached the last rack but came through in the clutch by sinking five straight shots to advance. In the Skills Challenge, Utah's Deron Williams was flawless and fast. With a nearly perfect run through an obstacle course of dribbling, passing and shooting, the Jazz point guard defeated New Orleans playmaker Chris Paul in the final round. Williams blazed up, down and around the floor of the New Orleans Arena in 25.5 seconds, a new record for the six-year-old event. Cheered on by his home crowd, Paul, who completed the circuit in 29.9 seconds in the first round, finished in 31.2 seconds for second place. In the night's first event, San Antonio's Becky Hammon, David Robinson and Tim Duncan won the Shooting Stars competition. It featured three-person teams consisting of an NBA player, a WNBA player and a former NBA great from the same city. Contestants had to make six shots with the final one a heave from mid-court.

[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] As interesting as this discussion is, it's pretty much academic. John McCain wins in November, mainly because he has the fewest significant negatives. [/ QUOTE ] McCain is far from a shoe in for president, he hasn't even convinced a lot of people within his own party that he's right for the job. He should hope that Clinton wins the Democratic nod because in several polls he is trailing Obama by 5-7% on average, while he holds a similar margin over Clinton in comparative polls. Additionally, Obama has been getting a good number of independents and Republicans in his faction. [/ QUOTE ] The conservatives in the Republican party ARE having a hard time in seeing McCain as the nominee b/c he's been more liberal on issues in the past; however, you can equate that to families having serious disagreements around the dinner table, but, come morning they're still family in spite of differences. I know the less conservative Republicans see McCain as an excellent candidate. I do not see Obama having/getting a good number of Republicans in his faction. I know Obama is not getting the conservative side and I would not think the less conservative Republicans would be voting for Obama as they like McCain just fine.

Following is an article in the Bristol paper about declining enrollment in the Sullivan Co. TN school system and decisions that will have to be reached in the future. It's not just the Tazewell Co. area with declining enrollment. http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/news.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2008-02-15-0009.html

More LIBERAL than Ted Kennedy.....that says it all Article from NY POST BARACKGROUND INFO By IAN BISHOP December 12, 2006 -- WASHINGTON - Barack Hussein Obama is a soaring political superstar right now - but he also sports one of the most liberal voting records in the Senate and has a shady land deal in his recent past. Democratic activists are swooning over Obama as the party's presidential alternative to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, but critics say voters still have a lot to learn about the first-term Illinois Democrat. Largely overlooked in the hubbub over the Democrats' election sweep last month was Obama's backpedaling over a questionable land deal he struck in 2005 with a tainted political fund-raiser, Tony Rezko, who has since been indicted by feds in an alleged pay-to-play scheme. The seeds for the deal were planted in 2004, when Obama got a big-money book contract after winning his Senate seat. With the book cash, he bought a swanky Illinois mansion in June 2005 for $1.65 million. On the same day that Obama closed on the home, Rezko paid $625,000 for the adjacent vacant lot. Six months later, Obama expanded the size of his yard by buying a strip of Rezko's land for only $105,000. Obama insists the transaction was aboveboard, but he has been contrite about the appearance of impropriety. "It was a mistake to have been engaged with him [Rezko] at all in this or any other personal business dealing that would allow him, or anyone else, to believe that he had done me a favor," Obama said in a statement distributed to Chicago reporters. "For that reason, I consider this a mistake on my part, and I regret it." In the Senate, Obama's liberal voting record belies the centrist themes he strikes on the stump. The liberal lobbying group Americans for Democratic Action gives Obama a 100 percent voting rating - 5 points to the left of Sen. Ted Kennedy, who gets a 95 percent grade. Obama backed a withdrawal of troops from Iraq, supported international funding for groups that provide abortion, and opposed reauthorization of the Patriot Act. And a Congressional Quarterly review found Obama has a near-perfect partisan voting record, casting his lot with the Democratic Party line 97 percent of the time - higher than Clinton and dead even with Sen. John Kerry (Mass.). ian.bishop@nypost.com

Interesting read......and surprising.... Non-playoff schools boast most signees By Todd Holcomb | Wednesday, February 13, 2008, 11:59 PM The Atlanta Journal-Constitution The recruiting rankings are out. Not the college stuff. That’s old news. We’re talking high schools. Who’s No. 1? Based on the number of signees per school, the results will surprise you. It’s a tie between Carver-Columbus, the state champs of AAAA, and Stockbridge, which didn’t make the playoffs in AAAA. Each had 15. That’s according to superfan Steve Slay, who has compiled the totals and shared with us. Keep in mind that there is no official statewide count of signees per school so if there are errors or omissions, let us know. Most surprising is that most of the 11 schools with at least nine signees did not make the playoffs, or they lost in the first round. How did Stockbridge, Southwest DeKalb and Lovejoy have more signees than victories? Was it chemistry? Coaching? Tough region? Or does getting a football scholarship mean you’re a prospect, not necessarily a great high school player? Or do certain coaches work harder than others to place their kids on college teams? Here’s another issue: How can Buford, a Class AA school, have nine signees (six to D-1) and four more preferred walk-ons, while Parkview is sending just three players to college? How can Carver and Stockbridge have 15, and McEachern have two? I know there are magnet schools for science and math, but do we have magnet schools for football, too? Does that explain why Carver and Buford have so much talent? Do the top athletes choose these schools for athletics? (Thanks to superblogger “Slalom!†for some of those questions.) The rankings • Stockbridge (15) — Maryland got QB Tyler Bass off a team that went 6-4 due mainly to injuries and brutal Region 4-AAAA. • Carver-Columbus (15) — The Class AAA champions sent QB DeRon Furr to Auburn and WR Jarmon Fortson to FSU. Most of the rest were Division II or junior college signees, but still an amazing haul. • Lovejoy (13) — DE Tory Allen went to Virginia. Lots of small-school prospects off this 5-6 team. • Southwest DeKalb (12) — No D-1 signees. Coach Buck Godfrey might be the state’s best at working to get his kids on college teams. • Northside-Warner Robins (11) — The AAAA champs had nearly a dozen signees, but none to D-1. QB Marques Ivory signed with Jacksonville State. • Valdosta (11) — The Wildcats had more signees than crosstown Lowndes, although most are headed across town for college to Valdosta State, or to a junior college. RB David Arnold (Georgia Southern) was the top recruit. • Creekside (10) — Florida State nabbed DB Terrance Parks. Most of the rest went JUCO. • Grayson (10) — So Grayson is Gwinnett’s real football factory? Who knew? LB Tristan Strong, who signed with Vandy, is the blue-chipper off an underrated team. • Buford (9) — Six are D-1 — WR Melvin Harris (Mississippi), FB Alex Hunt (Indiana), DL Omar Hunter (Florida), RB Demetris Murray (South Florida), LB T.J. Pridemore (Florida) and LB/TE Jay Tee Swanson (Miami-Ohio). • M.L. King (9) — Ole Miss got OL Aaron Hawkins, and WR Daniel McKayhan is headed to Georgia Tech. • North Cobb (9) — All-state QB Matt Roark will follow his father to Kentucky, where he’ll play receiver. LB Nnandi Ezenwa signed with Purdue. • Schools sending eight to college — Marietta, Walton, Cedar Grove, North Gwinnett, Roswell, Tucker, Kendrick, Grady.

[ QUOTE ] I can't believe he saved syringes. That's just weird to me. The thing that I found most ridiculous about McNamee is that he said he has never heard of vitamin B12. Who, in the world who is involved with health and training has never heard of vitamin B12? [/ QUOTE ] I think when they asked McNamee about B12....he said he had never given the "great one" Clemens a B12 or lidocaine shot, as, Clemens had stated. This was all in response about the mass on the buttocks, (possible) winstrol (sp.) abcess per one expert reviewing the MRI for the Feds. Clemens' expert said the abcess/mass was possibly caused by a B12 shot given by the team doc. Per Clemens "the doc must have given me a bad shot" (B12). I can tell you right now ladies and gentlemen....after all that info spilled out yesterday...the feds were sitting there just waiting for the spinning...they'll now be calling all the trainers, asst. trainers everyone that was alluded to yest. by McNamee when he said some of them did know of the abcess but said they didn't. These agents have heard these spin and deny stories so many times they know deception or the ring of untruth....the hammer is gonna drop. You can lie to your next door neighbor, you can lie to your parents, you can lie to your teacher, you can lie to your boss, but, you can't lie under OATH to the Feds and not expect consequences and someone was lying yesterday.

I think he's such an egomaniac, he truly believes he can talk his way out of this. I got two words for ya.....Pettitte......CLASS Clemens.....CRASS

...many of us are hoping to see that.....

[ QUOTE ] ... went to a camp there this past weekend. and has been to several combines... [/ QUOTE ] Excerpt of article I posted under General Discussion few days ago: Camps and combines A rising high school prospect can make a name for himself in the summer, when colleges across the country hold football camps on their campuses. "The football coach is nothing more than a door opener for the kids," Sphire said. "I can't show college coaches everything they should see about a kid. That's why the kids and parents have to do their part." Aside from having a high enough GPA and a qualifying SAT or ACT, there are other things students and parents can do to help their college football recruiting. Touring a college campus, whether it's an unofficial visit or an official one, can help an athlete decide if he likes the school. Going to college summer camps and recruiting combines can also help. "Pick out four or five schools that you think you have a legitimate shot of playing at and go to their summer camp and impress them," Brookwood coach Mark Crews said. Often camps held by colleges can spark the interest of a coach and eventually lead to that team recruiting the player. Combines have also become a popular way for players to get noticed. A player can go to a combine and if he runs the 40-yard dash in an impressive time or looks agile, it can get the college scouts' attention.

Congrats young man....great to hear....

[ QUOTE ] We got into that mess to stop Hitler from controlling the world. If the issue of the Sudan holocaust were to involve a dictator set on controlling the planet, we would have already been there. Being a third world country shouldnt matter. [/ QUOTE ] Being a third world country or a fourth, fifth or whatever doesn't matter.... but, the US can't police every atrocitity in the world....that's why we have the "great" (lol).... U.N. Remember we're a very young country compared to most... and you're probably right we've entered into most "conflicts" when world domination has probably been the underlying thread. Now, I realize many don't believe that was the reason for the attack on Iraq but many do....the previous admin.(b4 Bush) believed they possessed these WMD also. Now, ppl can argue that fact "until the cows come home" but it's not gonna change which side ppl come down on. I could post "much" on my thinking of why we did the right thing in going into Iraq but that's not gonna convince any on the other side and frankly, that's not my aim. As, I said, the only reason I responded was I don't think you can compare atrocities and you explained your reason why you did. If we could solve all the evils of the earth....this forum would have a great start. 'Til another day ladies/gentlemen.

[ QUOTE ] The people of Sudan are experiencing things 10 times worse than what Hitler was doing to Jews and others. . [/ QUOTE ] Money, I know you've posted some persuasive arguments on this site....and appear to be well read and informed, however, I don't think you can compare the Sudan horrors to the Holocaust. To me that's like comparing "apples and oranges." How can atrocities be compared......they're both human evil. The Holocaust was carried out by the Nazi regime in Germany, a modern, civilized country that wanted to exterminate an entire human race, the Jews, not just in Germany, but the entire world. That is, also, still a predominate desire in the Middle East today, the annihilation of a whole country, Israel, ask Ahmedinejah of Iran. Sudan is a third world country and the atrocities are just as evil but you can't compare evilness on any level.

MORE READING MATERIAL... 10 keys to success for the Braves in 2008 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 02/10/08 The Braves used to head to spring training as favorites to win their division. It didn't matter what personnel changes Atlanta — or its opponents — had made. Times have changed. It's been two years (and two third-place finishes) for the Braves since their streak of 14 division titles. Now they are NL East underdogs. They are picked by many to finish behind both Johan Santana-infused New York and Philadelphia, respective winners of the past two division titles. If the Braves hope to end a two-year postseason drought, it would help to have a strong spring training. Pitchers and catchers report Thursday to Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The first full-squad workout is Feb. 20. The AJC's David O'Brien takes a look at 10 keys to the season: 1. The Big Three starters stay healthy The Braves hope to get 600 innings from the trio of John Smoltz, Tim Hudson and Tom Glavine. Getting them through camp healthy is the first step. The Braves have several options for their last two rotation spots, but they don't have others who could be expected to fill in and do what the three top veterans could do. Injuries and lack of rotation depth undermined the Braves from the outset in 2007. New GM Frank Wren set out to avoid a repeat of that debacle. He brought back former Atlanta ace Glavine from the Mets and traded for promising Detroit rookie Jair Jurrjens. There's depth, including a handful of options for the last two spots. But the Braves need those first three starters to lead them. 2. Chipper avoids strains, pulls, etc. It's a far better team with Chipper Jones in the lineup, so the Braves will hope and pray for another spring without problems from his chronic foot or abdominal strains. Hoss played 134 games last season and hit .337 with 42 doubles, 29 homers, 102 RBIs and a league-high 1.029 OPS. He's drooling over the prospect of hitting in front of Mark Teixeira for an entire season. Since June 24, 2006, Jones has put up astounding numbers: .350 average, 58 doubles, 48 homers, 153 RBIs, .434 OBP and .655 slugging percentage in 185 games. The knock on him is the 185 games, since the Braves have played 250 games in that same period — posting a 103-82 record with Chipper, and a 29-36 record without him. 3. Rafael Soriano owns the closer role For the fourth consecutive year, the Braves enter spring training with a new closer. They trust Soriano will handle the role better and longer than Dan Kolb, Chris Reitsma or Bob Wickman, hence the two-year, $9 million contract given Soriano. There's no question the Dominican has the scowl, disposition and nasty repertoire (72 strikeouts in 70 innings in '07) to thrive in the role he craved. But now he needs to avoid another homer binge like he endured last summer, and avoid arm problems he had in the past. After allowing nine homers in 24 innings from mid-June to mid-August, Soriano made adjustments and allowed one run in his last 17 appearances while piling up 24 strikeouts with three walks. 4. Tex has a year to break the bank A big season from first baseman Mark Teixeira could drive his free-agent price through the stratosphere and perhaps out of Atlanta's range. But the Braves would surely welcome that dilemma if it meant their cleanup hitter put up gaudy numbers while providing important lineup protection behind Chipper Jones and helped carry the Braves back to the postseason. After a July 31 trade, Teixeira racked up 17 homers, 56 RBIs and a 1.019 OPS in 55 games for Atlanta. The former Gold Glove winner teams with Jones to form baseball's top switch-hitting combo. As much as the Braves will miss Andruw Jones' defense, Teixeira is a far better, more disciplined hitter, and pitchers won't work around Chipper to get to him. 5. Bullpen roles are established early Best-laid plans were quashed last year when Atlanta's three-headed bullpen monster was gutted by Mike Gonzalez's early elbow injury and Wickman's inconsistency and griping. But the emergence of Aussie sidearmer Peter Moylan (.208 opponents' average), rookie Manny Acosta (4-for-43 by right-handed hitters) and Tyler Yates, coupled with the offseason addition of lefty Will Ohman and anticipated midseason return of Gonzalez, could make the '08 bullpen quite formidable. The first step is getting everyone comfortable in their roles, including a long man (Jeff Bennett could be the man) to replace traded Oscar Villarreal and provide a spot start when Smoltz or another needs a break. 6. Frenchy and B-Mac take the next step They were the only players featured on the 2007 media guide. Now it's time for Gwinnett sons Jeff Francoeur and Brian McCann to take another step toward becoming franchise cornerstones. In the second full season for each of them, Francoeur raised his average 33 points to .293 and his on-base percentage 45 points to .338, while his homers dropped from 29 to 19. McCann, after hitting .333 with 24 HRs and a .388 OBP in a splendid '06 season, was slowed by injuries in a .270-18-.320 followup. Both players are married now, both are stronger after offseason workout regimens, and both say they're determined to help the hometown team get back to October baseball. Francoeur going .290-30-110 and McCann .300-22-100 would help put a lot of pressure on opposing pitchers. 7. Hampton's ready to contribute The Braves aren't reprising last year's mistake of counting on Mike Hampton to fill a top-three rotation spot. Actually, they aren't counting on him at all. But they are crossing fingers and hoping the former 22-game winner can defy the skeptics and compete again after missing two seasons for elbow surgeries. He's 35, in the final season of his much-maligned $121 million contract, and insists he wants to continue pitching beyond '08. Keep in mind, he's 1-2 with a 13.06 ERA in three starts since June 1, 2005 — and none of them were in 2006-07. But he's always been a fiery competitor and has kept himself in great condition. 8. J.J., Jo-Jo push Chuck to improve Hungry rookies Jair Jurrjens and Jo-Jo Reyes could inspire Chuck James, perhaps lead him to study scouting reports and make an adjustment against hitters who've figured him out. Though he's won 11 games both seasons in the majors, James struggled in '07, allowing 32 homers in 161 1/3 innings and getting bailed out by hefty run support in some outings. In his last nine games he had a 6.02 ERA, two quality starts and a DL stint (tired arm). Jurrjens jumped from Class AA to Detroit and went 3-1 in seven starts, including 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA and .136 opponents' average in a four-game stretch in a playoff race. The Braves lost the first eight times that Reyes pitched, but the lefty showed glimpses of big potential in those games and went 2-0 with a 3.18 ERA in his last three. 9. Escobar, K.J. thrive in the middle The Braves have a young and potent middle-infield combo with shortstop Yunel Escobar, who hit .326 with a .385 on-base percentage as a rookie, and second baseman Kelly Johnson, who hit .276 with 10 triples and 16 homers in his first season at a new position after missing the '06 season for elbow surgery. The Braves lost an All-Star and team leader when they traded Edgar Renteria, but wouldn't have pulled the trigger if they didn't believe the strong-armed Escobar is ready to shine as his replacement. He's special, period. Unlike many rookies, the Cuban got even better after teams scouted him, batting .350 with a .441 OBP in his final 34 games. Both thrived in the leadoff role, Escobar batting .351 with a .400 OBP and Johnson totaling 29 extra-base hits and a .372 OBP in 306 at-bats. 10. Kotsay is a catalyst in center Mark Kotsay won't make Braves Nation forget Andruw Jones, but if healthy he should be a solid defensive center fielder, disciplined hitter and clubhouse leader. Back problems diminished his performance the past two years in Oakland, but the Braves traded for him because they believe Kotsay when he says his surgically repaired back feels sound for the first time in three years. He's driven to have a good season to restore his free-agent value. Solid defense and perhaps .275-12-.350 in 130-140 games would more than satisfy the Braves as Kotsay bridges the transition from 'Druw to prospect Jordan Schafer.

Braves fans chat with Chipper The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 02/07/08 Chipper Jones went from third base to cyberspace Wednesday night. The veteran Braves player logged on to David O'Brien's blog on ajc.com as "U Kno Who". His original intent was to shoot down rumors that he was going to retire after next season. Well, that and to chide the AJC's O'Brien and bloggers for giving him the nickname "Hoss." What followed was an unscheduled Q&A with O'Brien and fans. But first Jones had to convince the bloggers of his authenticity (this was cyberspace, where "George W. Bush" posts can be found on virtually all political blogs. Jones proved his authenticity by answering several personal questions posed by O'Brien that only the 13-year veteran would know. "It was pretty surprising to see him not just stop by, but stick around and blog with folks the way he did," said O'Brien, who has been writing his popular (and often quirky) blog on ajc.com for three years. "It says a lot about what kind of guy he is, that he'd come on there without being asked and have a dialogue with fans for several hours." In addition to baseball, Jones, who said he is a frequent reader of the blog, also answered questions on topics that ranged from retirement life to Valentine's Day.

Watch for Gators on road: Fla. fans get vanity plates By DAVID A. MARKIEWICZ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 02/07/08 Bulldog Nation, get ready to feel some serious road rage. Gator plates are coming to a street near you. The toothy, green menace known as the University of Florida mascot soon will be mugging on vanity license tags across Georgia. A thousand of the school's Atlanta alumni are about to receive their token bit of bravado from the Department of Motor Vehicles. So, this is what you get for dancing in their end zone: You have to read 'em and weep. Florida alumnus Jeff Hester, a lawyer for Atlanta firm Alston & Bird, said Gators fans are verily chomping to get their tags, which, according to DMV letters, should soon be available at county tag offices. "We have a bunch of fans on pins and needles," said Hester, perhaps unaware that many University of Georgia boosters would like to see a Gator in just that position. Count Claude McBride, UGA Class of '53, among them. "I think we should be finding ways to beautify our highways instead," he offered. "We don't usually put roadkill on our tags." Group vanity plates are growing in popularity, and thanks to changes in the application process, it's easier to get them, Hester said. Florida backers tried a decade ago to get vanity tags, but the effort stalled. Two years ago, feeling the warm glow of national championships in basketball and football, the Atlanta Gator Club revived the push. The requisite number of Gator fans, 1,000, agreed to pay the additional cost of the plate, $25, and here we are. Initial opposition from state Sen. Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) was not enough to thwart the drive. Johnson had contested the plan for reasons of safety, noting that, "A car up on blocks cannot move." Florida joins Auburn and Clemson as the only out-of-state colleges with vanity plates in Georgia, said Charles Willey, spokesman for the state Department of Revenue. If it's any consolation, Florida alumni didn't get exactly the plates desired. Hester said they hoped to have "National Champions" wrapped around the gator's head. The Georgians in charge didn't go for that. "They probably wanted to keep it less inflammatory," Hester reasoned. "But we're happy with what we got. You wouldn't want people to get their cars keyed." No, not really.

.......can you imagine what he'll be like on his high school team....

[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Unfortunatly man did irreversable damage to the environment when Adam and Eve failed to understand the concept of "DO NOT EAT OF THAT TREE" we've paid the price ever-since, and the environment of just part of that price. [/ QUOTE ] With that logic then why worry about anything? Why worry about the economy or national security...isnt it all "just part of the price"? [/ QUOTE ] It is said never argue/discuss politics or religion....but, it is never said you can't state your thoughts. Mavs is lead by his faith in the Bible foretelling of many of these things we are now experiencing in the world. The Christian faith is the common thread coursing through a believer's soul and mind in how we view daily events on this earth. He's just stating as most Christians do that we believe these things will happen. Now, does that mean we shouldn't be good stewards of the earth .....absolutely not. I recycle, I try to conserve water, esp. here in ATL and do my part. I respect your right to state your thoughts and you're a "pretty smart cookie" evident by your postings. It affords we less intellects (speaking strictly for myself) some good reads w/o us having to do the lookups.

When a kid already has achieved this level of maturity at his age.....responsibility, accountability and dependability ....it's just refreshing to read this article. I do not doubt he will achieve all of his goals in life.

[ QUOTE ] I wasn't a fan of Romney either, but I think he could have done wonders with the economy. He has been in Fortune-500 businesses all his life and would have been a good leader. [/ QUOTE ] Not being disrespectful....so, has Bob Nardelli, former Home Depot, CEO,(with Chrysler now) and he made a mess of that whole operation . He came out of that situation with his pockets lined for life. Being the leader of a large corporation is no guarantee of success. I will agree with this, Romney, was/is smart enough to know he was throwing good money (his own) down the drain and saw the futility of that....at least he's a good gambler and knew when to fold 'em. Also, had to be disheartening to see that Huckabee was managing to win states on a shoestring budget.

[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] its a verbal. nothing official. the kid is still on the market if all he has given is a verbal commitment. When you havent signed, you havent taken your name off of anyone else's list. [/ QUOTE ] For most kids that make a verbal committment, they stand by their word and stick with that school. Some don't...and honestly, would you want that kid playing for your team??? [/ QUOTE ] Coach ‘very disappointed’ in Allen’s decision By Carter Strickland | Wednesday, February 6, 2008, 12:15 PM The Atlanta Journal-Constitution The signing day drama was supposed to be over weeks ago for Georgia. Tight end Dwayne Allen made sure that was not the case. The tight end from Terry Sanford High in Fayetteville, N.C., changed his commitment twice in the last three days. The last of those was Wednesday morning. “I didn’t know until 10 minutes to 10 this morning,†said Wayne Inman, Allen’s coach. “His problem was he liked everybody. He didn’t see a coach or a team that he didn’t like.†That led to confusion. Allen held news conference Monday and said he was going to Georgia. After that news conference, Allen said he did not decide he was going to Georgia until the very last minute. But he still was thinking about Clemson. “There were a lot of wonderful people at Clemson,†he said Monday. Still, Georgia was his team until Wednesday. “I think Mark felt something could happen,†Inman said of Richt. “I think he knew something could change.†But what upset Inman was the way it was handled by Allen. “I was very disappointed,†Inman said. “It bothers me the way he it was all handled. I understand people are going to change their minds.†But, Inman said, the timing of the entire situation basically held Georgia hostage and did not allow the Bulldogs to go out and find another player. “He told me he woke up with Clemson on his mind and that is what he decided to do,†Inman said. Allen has not returned repeated phone calls or responded to text messages. Allen said Monday he quickly regretted committing to Georgia so early. “I talked to some players and they said you have to look around,†Allen said. “They told me you have to take your visits. If you go with the first one, it is like marrying your own girlfriend.†The 6-3, 220-pound tight end is a top 100 signee, according to ESPN.com. During his career at Terry Sanford, Allen had 68 receptions for 1,257 yards. As a senior, he had 27 catches for 291 yards and five touchdowns.

[ QUOTE ] none of us will ever all agree on a candidate... but the good thing is that we can discuss it and become more informed... unfortunately 50% of the voting population will vote not because of issues but because of skin color, looks, or peer pressure... and then there is always P. diddy and oprah as well lol... [/ QUOTE ] ajc.com > Metro Georgia voter turnout breaks record Voters cast more than 1.9 million ballots, reach historic numbers By JIM GALLOWAY The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 02/06/08 Tuesday's turnout for the Georgia presidential primary was a record-breaking 44 percent of active registered voters, Secretary of State Karen Handel confirmed. With 94 percent of precincts reporting voters cast more than 1.9 million ballots, Handel said Wednesday. Of those, 52 percent were cast in the Democratic primary, according to the totals on the secretary of state's web site. "Georgians voted in historic numbers yesterday. Turnout in our state has been very low in past years, so it's a very positive sign that so many Georgians made the time to exercise one of our most important rights," Handel said in a press release. Previously, the record turnout for a presidential primary in Georgia dated back to 1988, when the Rev. Jesse Jackson was on the Democratic ballot, and won with nearly 40 percent of the vote. Turnout was 40 percent, with 1 million voters participating. Handel reported that Georgians are getting more accustomed to early voting. Nearly 248,000 mailed in their absentee ballots or cast early ballots at designated locations —five times as many as in the 2004 presidential primary.

[ QUOTE ] Congratulations to all 31 official VT Hokies and especially to our own Austin Fuller who became a Hokie at 8:18 a.m.!! [/ QUOTE ] I second that....great character this young man possesses.

....well said.....