8:17 pm May 2, 2012, by Carroll Rogers
![571923296[1] Auburn coach Gene Chizik chats with Jeff Porter. Photo by DOB](http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-braves-blog/files/2012/05/5719232961-300x225.jpg)
Auburn coach Gene Chizik chats with Jeff Porter. Photo by DOB
Auburn football coach Gene Chizik and his 11-year-old son Cally paid a visit to Turner Field Wednesday and spent batting practice mingling with Braves, as a guest of assistant trainer Jim Lovell.
He got handshakes from Auburn fans like catcher David Ross, who played baseball at Auburn, and assistant hitting coach Scott Fletcher, whose son Brian played outfield for Auburn before being drafted by the Royals.
One person Chizik spent a bulk of his time talking to behind the batting cage was Braves trainer Jeff Porter. Porter’s wife Kathy was killed in a car accident on New Year’s Eve when they were driving to see Auburn and Virginia play in the Chick-fil-A Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Chizik had sent the family a cloned oak sapling from the famous Toomer’s Corner to plant in their yard in honor of Kathy.
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19 comments Add your comment
bruce
May 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
he knows hitting
Game Changer
May 2nd, 2012
8:25 pm
First
Game Changer
May 2nd, 2012
8:26 pm
second
Chizak has reloaded, 2013 Auburn will be a force
Bill Dozer
May 2nd, 2012
8:31 pm
I guess Joe Simpson is not aware that Brian McClueless is hitting .199 since coming back from his injury 57 games ago. Or he would not have lavished all that praise on him a few minutes ago.
Larry
May 2nd, 2012
8:40 pm
Has there ever before been a coach so propped up by one single player?
richbrave
May 2nd, 2012
8:43 pm
Is there a game on, or is this just another b***h session?
SOS braves
May 2nd, 2012
8:50 pm
Braves can’t beat phillies. Ever.
SOS braves
May 2nd, 2012
8:53 pm
Rally killer McCann will be up soon to stop this!
Wes Mantooth
May 2nd, 2012
9:04 pm
I was going to make a joke about Chizik and Cam Newton but after reading about what he did for Jeff Porter, I think that I’ll pass. Classy move by Gene
Steve
May 2nd, 2012
9:15 pm
Where are the McCann bashers now? Morons! AU sucks as well.
Mark (another one)
May 2nd, 2012
9:55 pm
Wes: I agree.
ernisTbass
May 2nd, 2012
9:57 pm
The Braves need to stop packing a lunch when they play the Phillies, they never get to eat it.
Harpie
May 2nd, 2012
10:07 pm
O’Flaherty stank last year, and he still stinks! If the Braves end up at .500, I’ll be surprised…
Tampa Gator
May 2nd, 2012
10:38 pm
Harpie…..
O’Flaherty’s ERA last year was under 1…..are you nuts.
Ckgator
May 2nd, 2012
11:20 pm
Braves win!
And where the hell did Chizik get that shirt? Guidos R Us?
TNBrave
May 2nd, 2012
11:21 pm
SOS Braves,
Braves just beat the Phillies.
kral
May 2nd, 2012
11:21 pm
for all negative itches out there…rippin CHIPPER….RIPPIN,,,KISS MY …wellyou know…been with the BRAVOS since the 70’s …one of the craziest…funniest games I ever watched
kral
May 2nd, 2012
11:30 pm
Hey, sonny cluster f……. where are you
SweetTater
May 3rd, 2012
12:34 am
Thought that was him on the Jumbo-tron. Recognized that horrible shirt when I saw this. EPIC win for the Braves tonight