How they really stand, from Braves (1) to Weasels (12)
Hey look, the Braves have new uniforms. So how about a new finish? (AP photo)
Welcome to this year’s edition of “How They Really Stand,” my ranking of all area sports teams, taking into account wins, losses, direction, potential, coaches, general managers, owners, recruiting coordinators and whether anybody provides us with more civic pride than, say, The Big Chicken (the bar is low).
I’m unveiling this a month earlier than usual because it seemed like a natural break in the sports schedule with the Braves getting ready to start spring training and the Hawks taking an off day between personalities. Two tweaks this year: I’m adding Georgia State football and basketball and replacing the Thrashers with a new entry. (Last year’s ranking in parenthesis.)
1. Braves (1): The best team in town lost 20 of its last 30 games. How about a nice embalming smoothie to go with those chicken fingers? But the Braves looked like a potential World Series team on paper last season until the paper caught fire, and they still seem closer to a title run than anybody else. Then again, that assumes everything that went wrong last season goes right this year.
If you're wondering what the faces of a franchise that is 0-3 in the playoffs look like, well, here you go. (Curtis Compton/AJC)
2. Falcons (2): We know the good (three playoff appearances). We know the bad (three playoff losses). Here’s what I don’t want to hear: “But they’re so much better than they used to be!” The Falcons’ measuring stick should be the rest of the NFL, not franchise history. The heat has been turned up on Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith.
3. Dream (8): I still have not been to an Atlanta Dream game. I’ve either had something else to do that day or I didn’t want mess up my perfect nothing-to-do-today day by watching women’s basketball, or stabbing myself with a fork. But I can’t ignore a franchise that has been to the WNBA finals two straight seasons, which I again must note is a long way from getting displaced from Philips Arena because Sesame Street Live was already booked.
4. Hawks (3): Al Horford’s injury should’ve doubled them over, but coach Larry Drew has done a nice job holding things together (save the occasional bizarre out-of-body experience like the Miami game). The biggest problem: duh. Joe Johnson’s contract means little roster flexibility. On a related note: Johnson, the All-Star, scored six points at Phoenix. Josh Smith, the non-All-Star, went for 30 points and 17 rebounds. What’s wrong with this picture?
Mark Richt has been a popular guy on national signing day. Now it's about carrying that through the season. (AP photo)
5. Georgia football (6): Mark Richt will go two straight years without having to face Alabama, LSU or Arkansas in the regular season. Nice lottery hit. Last year’s 10-4 season was a nice bounce-back from 6-7. But losing to Michigan State in the Outback Bowl after getting slammed 42-10 in the SEC title game wasn’t easily digested by BowWow Nation. Celebrations need to extend from signing day to January.
6. Georgia Tech football (7): The Jackets started 7-2 and upset No. 5 Clemson. Then they dropped three of their last four, including blowing a two-touchdown lead to Utah in the last seven minutes of the Sun Bowl. Next season will be an interesting tipping point for Paul Johnson, who went 20-7 in his first two seasons, 14-12 in the next two. And then there’s the matter of trying to win with his recruits.
7. This Space For Lease (5): Our annual dividing line between the general population and ICU.
8. Georgia basketball (4): The Dogs drop four spots from last year. But that’s less about coach Mark Fox as a coach than it is how this season has exposed just how weak the talent base was after the departures of Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie. Fox needs a gravity-defying, 360-slam in recruiting.
9. Georgia Tech basketball (10): The Jackets won in Athens early this season. They probably should’ve stopped the season then. Brian Gregory is ahead of Paul Hewitt in that people like him, but he’s behind Hewitt in that he needs to prove he can recruit in the ACC. It’s not easy selling kids on “potential,” especially when your arena site is a construction zone.
It all seemed so promising back then for the Thrashers-- and then Don Waddell started picking players. (AJC photo)
10. Georgia State basketball (new): The early euphoria of an 11-game winning streak has faded (the Panthers are 7-6 since), but State could make things interesting in the CAA tournament. Worth noting: Rod Barnes did a nice job cleaning up a mess before getting fired, prior to Ron Hunter’s hiring.
11. Georgia State football (new): It’s impossible not to like Bill Curry. But he took on a difficult job, and going from 6-5 to 3-8 in Year 2 with a slight step up in competition speaks volumes. Next season the Panthers start playing conference games. Buckle up.
12. Team Weasel (surrogate): This entry replaces the Thrashers, now of Winnipeg, or some place on the dark side of the moon, and the three people primarily responsible for the franchise’s floundering and eventual move: Gary Bettman, Bruce Levenson and Don Waddell. If you golf and all of your associates consider you spineless, devious and a general tool, the three will be looking to round out their foursome at the Eternal Damnation Country Club.
By Jeff Schultz
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250 comments Add your comment
Sid
February 16th, 2012
2:37 pm
thart is a sad bunch of teams.
bill mann
February 16th, 2012
2:37 pm
only reason braves won all those “titles” was because of ted turners deep pockets,won’t be seeing that anymore
Eh
February 16th, 2012
2:45 pm
Bulldogs (football) have won bowl games, even a BCS game a few years ago. Equivalent to reaching the semifinals in any other sport. So they are the closest to a championship.
Najeh Davenpoop
February 16th, 2012
2:47 pm
“the Braves have won plenty in the playoffs. It’s like you expect the Braves to go to the playoffs EVERY year and constantly win it all. Yes, they struggled for a few years before 2011 and 2010 but that happens with any team. Look at the Yankees. They have MLB’s highest payroll and they have one championship over the last 11 years.”
I am pretty sure this article is referring to the state of these teams right now. No question that historically speaking the Braves are by far Atlanta’s most successful franchise. But Greg Maddux ain’t walking through that door. Tom Glavine ain’t walking through that door. John Smoltz ain’t walking through that door. Chipper Jones ain’t walking through that door (he’s limping). This incarnation of the Braves — the Freeman/Heyward/Uggla/Hanson/Prado/Jurrjens/Venters/Kimbrel Braves — have accomplished nothing yet.
Steve
February 16th, 2012
2:51 pm
Again, if the Braves did so well last year (minus September) and have the same team coming back (plus Bourne all year) why do you think they have no chance? The Braves did fine last year even with Uggla having a terrible first half, Heyward having a terrible year, Freeman struggling for the first few months, Jurrjens and Hanson hurting, etc. They just need to stay healthy.
Joey
February 16th, 2012
2:53 pm
“Let’s hope Fredi got things figured out in the off season …”
**********************************************
I know Clusters don’t believe that. Fredi had the best season of his life as manager. I bet he celebrated all winter about his winning record, and near-miss of the “Wild Card Champ” sign in the outfield at The Ted . . .
GTBob
February 16th, 2012
2:53 pm
Equivalent to reaching the semifinals in any other sport. So they are the closest to a championship.
Did you even read the section about the Atlanta Dream?
Kevin From columbus
February 16th, 2012
3:14 pm
The Braves number 1????? LMAO …We are in terrible shape if the Braves are the closet to a championship. Technically the Dream should be number one on the list. Then the dawgs should be number 2 with the team they have coming back. Then the Hawks at full strength in the playoffs should be 3.
Rob
February 16th, 2012
3:16 pm
So, which of these teams do you guys believe will win a championship in the next ten years?
2012 Preseason Fulmer Cup Champs
February 16th, 2012
3:19 pm
“How they really stand, from Braves (1) to Weasels (12)”
The Braves are the only team in the history of all Atlanta sports, to win a championship.
Sad.
UGA hasn’t won anything since Jimmy Carter left office.
2012 Preseason Fulmer Cup Champs
February 16th, 2012
3:20 pm
Najeh Davenpoop is the only realist on this blog. Atlanta is a terrible sports town. Period.
mark
February 16th, 2012
3:24 pm
Jeff are you taking that new drug Molly? The Braves will be lucky to finish 3rd in their own division. Gonzalez is the worst manager ever, ran down the pen quicker than Bobby which in itself is a miracle. Kept Heyward in the lineup hitting under 230. Talent level in the division deepest it has ever been. Plus we can not beat the Nationals so 4th place is real easy to imagine. Order goes like this 1-Falcons everyone else no chance in hell! We need new management and ownership for any of the pro teams to have a chance and the two college teams have the wrong head coach.
cowdogit
February 16th, 2012
3:24 pm
Fredi feel’s obligated to Cox and Aaron so he’s putting his career on the line by supporting Jason Heyward, Chipper Jones,and pitching coach Roger McDowell. John Smoltz has the ball’s,and his brilliant baseball intellect make’s him the perfect choice to be the next brave’s manager.
Joey
February 16th, 2012
3:25 pm
2012 Preseason.., and who’s your team? Tech? Auburn? Both one shot wonders since “Carter left office.”
Both perennial NCAA cheaters . . .
Kirk
February 16th, 2012
3:26 pm
Go Panthers!
Steve
February 16th, 2012
3:27 pm
Mark, thanks for the laugh! “The Braves will be lucky to finish third in their own division.” Is that so? Are you really going to be dumb enough to think the moves Miami and Washington made are going to do a lot? Both will win 75-80 games and that’s it. Braves should be close to 90.
2012 Preseason Fulmer Cup Champs
February 16th, 2012
3:31 pm
“Tech? Auburn? Both one shot wonders since “Carter left office.”
Along with Bama, LSU, UF, Ohio State, Miami, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oklahoma, USC, Texas….
Take your pick, sport.
“Both perennial NCAA cheaters”
Diverting attention won’t change the fact that GA sports are terrible.
2012 Preseason Fulmer Cup Champs
February 16th, 2012
3:32 pm
Joey
BTW, Tech and Auburn fans will take that “one shot” over anything UGA has done which is absolutely nothing. Tech has 4 national titles. UGA has 2.
Can you do simple math?
Sonny Clusters
February 16th, 2012
3:33 pm
Let’s say you have a deer and a third baseman and they are on a quiz show together and the deer spots the third baseman two answers and still the deer wins. That means the third baseman has no business with his own diary in the newspaper. We remember when uh, Chipper had a diary in the ajc and we remember how Coach would read it to us before practice to motivate us about a mind being a terrible thing to waste. We believe baseball players are baseball players for a reason. Nobody expects them to be engineers or lawyers or movie stars (wait, Uggla may have been in a movie in the off season, not sure). Our point is this . . . we forgot what our point was but eating more venison should harden our arteries some more and affect our minds so we talk in cliches and spit seeds during interviews. Go Braves!
Joey
February 16th, 2012
3:36 pm
Look dumbass, you’re the one that mentioned “since 80.”
heartofdarkness
February 16th, 2012
3:37 pm
It would be interesting to see an analysis of taxpayer support at the federal, state and local level for each team to see whether expenditures match the general enthusiasm fans have for these enterprises. The fan, as that creature was traditionally understood in American culture, has become nothing more than an object to gouge at the gate and concession stand, and a source of leverageable cash flow to be converted into tax advantaged profits and excessive consumerism.
Joey
February 16th, 2012
3:40 pm
Clusters, would the third baseman have a rifle, when on the game show? If so, the deer should not show off his (her) mental advantage over the third baseman . . .
BigTimeTECHFan
February 16th, 2012
3:42 pm
Georgia Tech Football is no 1.
Best School
Best Coach
Best players
Best uniforms
Best fans
Win/loss records are way overrated
PMC
February 16th, 2012
3:43 pm
If the Braves are truely 1, there is NOTHING to look forward to this year.
We’re hoping for a wild card. Geez.
2012 Preseason Fulmer Cup Champs
February 16th, 2012
3:44 pm
“Look dumbass, you’re the one that mentioned “since 80.”
Way to represent UGA, troll.
2012 Preseason Fulmer Cup Champs
February 16th, 2012
3:48 pm
Joey
Are you just angry because your teams suck or because you’re a little girl?
Joey
February 16th, 2012
3:57 pm
Troll? You mean someone who uses endless, idiotic posting names, and consistantly is full of hate because of a decade+ domination of his/her favorite college team from Atlanta?
No, I’m on the other end of that equation.
Grown man, and not even a little angry. Won the East, albeit a weak one, and, as usual, beat our little sisters of the poor, instate rival, once again.
Atl Flames Fan
February 16th, 2012
3:57 pm
Your weasel list of Gary Bettman, Bruce Levenson and Don Waddell should have included Michael Gearon. And don’t forget Rutherford Seydal.
Scumbags; all of them.
Based on What They Didn't Do.........
February 16th, 2012
4:00 pm
Based on what they didn’t do ~ which is get us some power bats…..the Braves still and will suck!!!! With Disabled Veteran Gimper Jones and Hero to ZERO Sissy Heyward, this time will be sitting in last place at the end of the season – Won’t waste my money to go see a team filled with losers and slackers!!!!
C
February 16th, 2012
4:00 pm
Falcons. They will play with a chip on their shoulder the size of Stone Mtn. this coming fall.
King Peter
February 16th, 2012
4:01 pm
There is no #1,everybodys trying not to finish last.
2012 Preseason Fulmer Cup Champs
February 16th, 2012
4:03 pm
“Troll? You mean someone who uses endless, idiotic posting names”
Joey, you are obviously the saddest individual on this blog. Get help.
Joey
February 16th, 2012
4:10 pm
What was your posting name, say, one month ago, troll?
See, you are the sad one . . .
mark
February 16th, 2012
4:10 pm
Steve are you forgetting that we wasted an 8 1/2 game lead and got run down by St. Louis? Chipper will be lucky to play in 100 games this year if that. Our right fielder is coming off a year in which he hit 230, and our left fielder hit 260. We are starting a rookie at short and in terms of our pitching well remind me again who is managing this club? Plus we have ownership who look at this team as another entry on their balance sheet. Overall we are no closer to sniffing a championship than the Marlins or Nationals. Plus when we were on top of the division we won one world championship in 14 years. I love the Braves and want them to do well but facts are facts. Laugh away buddy!
PureEvil
February 16th, 2012
4:18 pm
Jeff I think Brian is proving he can recruit. He’s never going to get Duke and UNC type players, but 5 star C Robert Carter, 4 star SF Marcus Hunt and 3 star SG Chris Bolden is a nice first year of recruiting.
Steve
February 16th, 2012
4:19 pm
See my post at 2:51 Mark.
PureEvil
February 16th, 2012
4:20 pm
Jeff you should consider changing the whole list to include High School Football #1. Thats the best sport in Georgia!!!
PMC
February 16th, 2012
4:22 pm
We seriously may need to go to Tennis or Golf.
Isner just beat Federer. We also have a British Open champ here locally.
It’s really not looking good for team sports in this state
PureEvil
February 16th, 2012
4:23 pm
Also, I’d rather go to a Gwinnett Braves game any day over any pro team in ATL, but I live 5 min from the park so I know I’m in the minority since they can’t sell tickets to the games.
Steve
February 16th, 2012
4:27 pm
I think all of the complainers should move to Cleveland. Great sports teams there! Or maybe New Jersey? Miami? Charlotte?
2012 Preseason Fulmer Cup Champs
February 16th, 2012
4:30 pm
“What was your posting name, say, one month ago, troll?”
See above, simpleton.
ASHCAN!!!!!!
February 16th, 2012
4:32 pm
@Najeh poop,No team in Ga with the acception of the dream is capable of winning a championship.Certainly not matt ryan and the falcons.They will have to get by the packers,saints,giants,49ers,eagles,ect…too long of a list.
2012 Preseason Fulmer Cup Champs
February 16th, 2012
4:36 pm
“Or maybe New Jersey? Miami? Charlotte?”
Miami has multiple championships with baseball and basketball.
Steve
February 16th, 2012
4:38 pm
Miami – Overrated basketball team who can’t win it all with the dream team. A baseball team who get 3,000 a game and when they do win (it has been a while) they blow up the team. A football team who has done nothing in forever.
Smoove Criminal
February 16th, 2012
4:40 pm
@ASCHAN
I think UGA football has a very good chanc to win a championship this year. They have by far the weakest conference schedule of any SEC team and their non conference schedule (minus GT at the end of the year) is an absolute joke with 3 creampuffs in Buffalo, FL Atlantic, and GA Southern. I think with that schedule they’ll go 11-1 pre SEC Championship game so they have a shot.
Unless you intended to just include only pro franchises…..in that case I think you are correct with the Dream, Hawks a long shot but still possible. Falcons and Braves have way too many question marks to be in “Championship” talks for the next year or 2.
Steve
February 16th, 2012
4:43 pm
Smoove Criminal, true post but Tech is also an absolute joke. Easy win almost every year.
Smoove Criminal
February 16th, 2012
4:48 pm
Steve, while its still a win, GT is their best non conference competetion they usually play every year by far. Even though it usually is a win, however, most UGA people have admitted since they started running the option there its not a cake walk like it was in the past. Most fans I know say they don’t look past Tech anymore like they used to and that game actually scares some of them now.
Steve
February 16th, 2012
4:57 pm
GT scares UGA fans? Really? Until Tech actually beats UGA a few years in a row, I doubt that is the case. I personally look at Tech like I look at Kentucky. Plus the game is in Athens this year. UGA has actually done a good job of scheduling harder teams, minus 2012. Boise St. twice, at Arizona State, Oklahoma State twice, etc.
Hillbilly D
February 16th, 2012
4:57 pm
Can’t say that I’ve ever had a deer dog. And I’m afraid I’d have visions of Bambi while puttin’ on the mustard.
I’ve never had a deer dog, either, but hamburgers and sausage from venison are excellent. Better tasting than beef and less fat, so they don’t shrink so much when you cook them.
As for Bambi, that’s the way it goes when you’re not at the top of the food chain.
Sage of Bluesland
February 16th, 2012
4:58 pm
Thanks Jeff for working in Don Waddell as a painful reminder of his legacy as an incompetent buffoon. Blustered and “promised” and never delivered…or resigned in shame.
He was the face of the Atlanta Thrashers.
I hope the boycott of all things ASG will continue. I know I refuse to step inside their arena. I’ll never buy a Hawks ticket while they are stewards of the team, I can assure you.