Presenting 5 top storylines for Atlanta sports in 2010
Santa Claus will be comin' to town soon enough. Will the Eastern Conference finals follow? (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
1. Will the Hawks reach the Eastern Conference finals? Step by inexorable step, this team keeps moving. It made the playoffs in 2008 and won a series in 2009. Can it do what the Hawks haven’t done since 1970 — when they were based in the West, not the East, and you needed only one series victory fo reach the conference finals — and play for the right to go to the NBA finals? Bradley’s prediction: Yes, they can. Yes, they will.
2. Will Ilya Kovalchuk re-up with the Thrashers? This isn’t so much about a player as it is a franchise. The Thrashers have made a bright start to the season, but all that goes poof if Kovalchuk won’t agree to stay. It has been a decade-long struggle to sell hockey in this Southern city, but if the franchise player leaves, will the franchise itself be long for the A-T-L? Bradley’s prediction: Kovalchuk stays, simply because Don Waddell has to pay him whatever it takes.
3. Will Georgia Tech qualify for a bowl ever better than the Orange? Here’s another story of progress: The Jackets were 9-4 in Year 1 under Paul Johnson and went 11-2 and won the ACC championship in Year 2. The Ramblin’ Wreck, alas, figures to hit a speed bump. At least two juniors — defensive end Derrick Morgan and B-back Jonathan Dwyer — are apt to leave in the NFL draft, and receiver Demaryius Thomas could join the exodus. And Tech’s defense is at least a year away from anything bigger than a league title. Bradley’s prediction: Tech goes 9-3 and doesn’t win the ACC.
4. Will Georgia ever hire a defensive coordinator, and will he improve on what we’ve just seen? The search now figures to last into the new year, and that’s not necessarily bad news. (No matter how halting the early returns have been.) There’s still a chance Georgia can make a big run at former Bulldog Kirby Smart, who’s coordinating Alabama’s D at the moment, and that would be a significant upgrade. Then again, just about anybody would be. Bradley’s prediction: Georgia hires a big name and sees results immediately.
5. Can Paul Hewitt take Tech on another long NCAA run? It hasn’t happened since 2004, when Hewitt took the Jackets to the NCAA title game, and another big season is long overdue. The deflating loss to Florida State in the ACC opener aside, there’s enough time and resources for something good to happen. And Hewitt, to be frank, needs something good to happen. Bradley’s prediction: The Jackets qualify for the Big Dance as a No. 5 seed and play into the second week, losing in a regional final.
Now what, you’re asking about the Falcons? Well, the biggest story regarding them figures to be decided by Jan. 3, 2010, when we’ll know for sure if the forever-sought consecutive winning seasons have been attained. And the Braves? Well, after the events of today — Javier Vazquez for Melky Cabrera — we might be doomed to another summer of flailing.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
216 comments Add your comment
Braves losing it
December 22nd, 2009
2:29 pm
Frank Wren,
How about making trades that will ALSO help us down the road?
Benjamin
December 22nd, 2009
2:30 pm
As a fellow Dawg fan, I can’t believe the 30-24 thing is still going on. Most UGA fans are idiots.
They’re going to the Orange Bowl. We finished 7-5… simple math, people.
(Today’s trade alternately sucked and blew at the same time.)
EW
December 22nd, 2009
2:33 pm
GT Brill: Here’s why you get the New Orleans Station..can’t say why you don’t get the local. I did copy paste this because it says it way better than I could have..
Medium wave and short wave radio signals act differently during daytime and nighttime. During the day, AM signals travel by groundwave, diffracting around the curve of the earth over a distance up to a few hundred miles (or kilometers) from the signal transmitter. However, after sunset, changes in the ionosphere cause AM signals to travel by skywave, enabling AM radio stations to be heard much farther from their point of origin than is normal during the day. This phenomenon can be easily observed by scanning an AM radio dial at night.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
2:35 pm
Chris,
I see that Tech is the number one provider for THEIR conference and georgia is number 8! Glad you are happy riding Alabama and Florida’s coat tails (like Vandy and Mississippi State).
LOZER!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
2:36 pm
Go Georgia (to Shreveport-LOL). And take Frank Wren with you!
UGADawg
December 22nd, 2009
2:41 pm
That just goes to show you how obsessed teckies are about UGA. That one more spelled out shreveport using UGA player names. I can’t even name two players on teck’s “football” team.
EW
December 22nd, 2009
2:42 pm
1.4 You are a disgrace to ALL posters.
T-RAZOR
December 22nd, 2009
2:44 pm
HEY! I WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO T.I. BECAUSE HE IS GETTING OUT OF PRISON AND BECAUSE HE KEEP IT REAL!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
2:45 pm
EW,
Whatever
juvenal
December 22nd, 2009
2:46 pm
maybe Schumpert can help get the rock inside..
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
2:50 pm
UGA Dawg,
Do like I did and get the roster off the internet. Google 2008 “preseason” number 1.
NOT “postseason” number 1
StraightJacket
December 22nd, 2009
2:50 pm
Mark, GT will be better next year, especially on defense. The redshirts will be available and the injured starters will be back. Despite young players on the DL, the GT DL will be better … because the players next season will be better. The offense will be equal as the OL will improve to compensate for any potential departures – including Dwyer & Thomas. We won’t exactly have “chumps” replacing those guys either, and with 85 scholarships on board for the first time in ages, DEPTH will begin to emerge.
Special teams will be about the same, or slightly improved.
Does all this mean that GT will be contenders for another ACC Title? Perhaps, but next year will be tough. The road schedule is brutal: Kansas, VPI&SU, Clemson, UNC, UGAG, and Wake.
Even though the team will be better, the record may not be.
10 wins sounds about right; any Championship for GT in 2010 will be a “bonus”, given that schedule.
-SJ
CMR Wins the 2009 George Hamilton Cocoa Butter Open!
December 22nd, 2009
2:51 pm
Is Dawg44 retarded?
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
2:51 pm
EW,
I speak for me. I do not speak for the Tech Nation.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
2:56 pm
It’s the system at Tech, not the individual stars. The new tech program will compete with georgia with half the individual talent. More 45-42’s and nomo 51-7’s. Unfortunately it will take the thick headed dog nation about 5 more years to see this. By then they will be smack talking Tennessee Tech (their Shreveport Bowl opponent) and reliving those 1980 glory years. Hahahahahahahahaha
Dalton Dawg
December 22nd, 2009
2:58 pm
$1.4 million:
I’m about ready for you to STFU and get off our blogs!
Tiger Woods' Wing Man
December 22nd, 2009
3:02 pm
Leave it to a NERD fan to talk smack when the Dawgs just punched the NERD in the nose.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
3:03 pm
Dalton Dawg,
Make no mistake, YOU are the $1.4 million and TECH is the one making $14 million for THEIR conference! Actually I read this morning that the Weedwacker payout was only $950,000. You and that big bad dog nation that travels so well (LOL), should be proud. Hahahahahahahaha.
RS Dawg
December 22nd, 2009
3:05 pm
1.4, You should not be so angry, it’s Christmas
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
3:06 pm
4 tickets
4 corn dogs
4 funnel cakes
AND Texas A & M is still buying half your tickets.
Hahahahahahaha
bet THEY won’t pack up and leave when their team is down by six points in the 4th quarter. Hahahahahahahahahaha. georgia AIN’T what it used to be. get over it and get used to it.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
3:07 pm
I own the georgia dog nation 24-7-365!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
3:08 pm
WE didn’t lose to Kentucky at home. bet it felt a lot like 45-42!
ZamBonE
December 22nd, 2009
3:09 pm
1. The hawks are playing as well as anybody, but they would have to go through boston, cleveland, or orlando to advance to the eastern conference finals. I don’t think they have the bench depth that these other teams have to do so. It is possible to make the run to the championship game, but not likely.
2. If the thrashers don’t keep Kovalchuk, they can kiss their hockey team goodbye and wish them well in canada. The thrashers are having trouble filling the stands with one of the best players in the nhl right now. If he leaves, so does the franchise.
3. As a Tech fan, I would love to see us get to a better bowl. However, because of the ACC tie in with the Orange Bowl, the only bowl that would be better is the MNC. I would love to see us there, but it’s going to be difficult to go undefeated with our defense. I can see us back in the Orange Bowl next year and eventually getting to a MNC, but not next season.
4. Unless cmr is going to run the defense, I would say they sign a dc sometime before spring practice. Who is anybody’s guess.
5. Hewitt needs to go if Tech doesn’t get to at least the Sweet 16. When our Full Court Press is the best thing about Hewitt coached teams, you know something is wrong. The only thing our offense is consistent at, is being inconsistent. We rely way too heavily on outside shooting and more often than not, it doesn’t pan out. When you have two stud big men on your team, Lawal and Favors, you need to feed them the ball as much as possible.
Go Jackets
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
3:12 pm
top 5 storylines in 2010
1. georgia to Shreveport
2. georgia has 5th straight record recruiting year
3. georgia loses to Florida, Georgia Tech and 3 others (again)
4. georgia being considered for Shreveport Bowl again in November 2010
5. ditto 2011, 2012, etc
Ken
December 22nd, 2009
3:18 pm
“$1.4 million vs. our $14 million bowl” I now understand your anger. If I were a Tech fan, following a team who has a good year once every 18 years or so, I would be angry too. Did UGA suck this year? Yup. Did a BAD UGA team beat your Nerds? Yup. That says a lot about Tech. Will be funny to watch Iowa destroy Tech like LSU did last year. Yes, UGA is going to a terrible bowl, but they still beat Tech! UGA was due to finally go to a bad bowl after the elite bowls since 2002. How many good bowls has Tech gone to lately? Are you or is Paul Johnson on top tonight?
rob
December 22nd, 2009
3:20 pm
Techmite:
1. 30-24
2. 59-39-5
3. 7-1
4. 1-1
5. selling tickets to aggies < selling your allotment to hawkeyes
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
3:21 pm
rob,
Shreveport Bowl promotion
4 tickets
4 free fat plates of c0ck
4 free shut the h311 up
misterwax
December 22nd, 2009
3:24 pm
If all the junior GT stars stay for their senior year, it sure will sell a lot of tickets both at home and on the road. They could well go 14-0 and the MNC game. Would be great for our state…Ironically, it would say a lot about the recruiting skills of one CHandler Gailey….go figure.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
3:26 pm
Ken,
Yeah I hear you guys talking about “a bd georgia team” this year but they sure as hell weren’t bad when your seniors were signed out of high school. Pretty sure they were the 7th rated class in the country. Hahahahahahahahaha
Ken
December 22nd, 2009
3:29 pm
What a great “comeback” by “million.” Typical Tech nerd who never gets laid.
Steve
December 22nd, 2009
3:31 pm
“misterwax” please tell me your post is a joke. Really, please? “It sure will sell a lot of tickets both at home and on the road.” You losers only sellout your high school stadium when UGA is in town to beat up on the nerds. The only time there is a sellout on the road is when you play a real college like UGA, FSU, Clemson, etc. What a moron. No way you are a true football fan.
TW3A
December 22nd, 2009
3:32 pm
ATLANTA FALCONS TAKE ANOTHER STEP TOWARD THE SUPER BOWL BY WINNNH THE NFC BY DEALING WITH THE WEAKNESS OF THE TEAM, AND YOUNG PLAYERS GROW UP.
GT Brill
December 22nd, 2009
3:40 pm
EW – thanks for the schoolin’
CMR Cocoa Butter Champ, etc,etc – Brill was a nickname I got stuck with growing up because of my brillo pad of a long hair curly haircut I had in the 80’s. I finally decided to just embrace it. Think Buck Belue back in the day.
dawgy
December 22nd, 2009
3:40 pm
You’d think the ACC champs would have a nicer destination than Shreveport. Oh well – guess we’ll just have to represent the A-She-She and beat the Aggies.
GTBandwagonMaster
December 22nd, 2009
3:42 pm
3. Will Georgia Tech qualify for a bowl ever better than the Orange? Here’s another story of progress: The Jackets were 9-4 in Year 1 under Paul Johnson and went 11-2 and won the ACC championship in Year 2. The Ramblin’ Wreck, alas, figures to hit a speed bump. At least two juniors — defensive end Derrick Morgan and B-back Jonathan Dwyer — are apt to leave in the NFL draft, and receiver Demaryius Thomas could join the exodus. And Tech’s defense is at least a year away from anything bigger than a league title. Bradley’s prediction: Tech goes 9-3 and doesn’t win the ACC.
4. Will Georgia ever hire a defensive coordinator, and will he improve on what we’ve just seen? The search now figures to last into the new year, and that’s not necessarily bad news. (No matter how halting the early returns have been.) There’s still a chance Georgia can make a big run at former Bulldog Kirby Smart, who’s coordinating Alabama’s D at the moment, and that would be a significant upgrade. Then again, just about anybody would be. Bradley’s prediction: Georgia hires a big name and sees results immediately.
MB you are in touch with reality after all. Pass along some of it to all the delusional, terrified nats.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
3:51 pm
ken,
You obviously have me confused with some of the Nerds at georgia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyVd4dqfT-8
Dude, my girlfriend goes to georgia and I guarantee you that you have twice as many Nerds as Georgia Tech. Get a life. Get a Shreveport life!
BravesFan79
December 22nd, 2009
3:51 pm
Im a college football fan, but i just don’t get the people that are OBSESSED with it, and have it as their #1 sport. NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, MMA, College Basketball…… ALL rank higher in “sports” because they all have a REAL CHAMPION!
You kids really need to move on to the BIG BOY sports and let the college presidents have their little “pagent” that they call a sport. (maybe things would change if you fools boycotted going to the meaningless bowls!)
Any team where your team can go undefeated, and still have NO shot at a national title… Is NOT A SPORT! Its closer to a dog pagent ud see on animal planet! Watch as all the pretty little teams prance infront of the judges… meanwhile.. in the REAL sports… we fight it out like MEN to declare a Champion!
Go Braves, Hawks, Falcons, GT Hoops, Fedor…….. meanwhile all the kids bicker like little girls about a sport that dosent care near as much about them… as they care about it!
Your bickering is really getting old on these blogs. If only yall put that much effort into boycotting the sport and demanding change.. .maybe your sport could again become relevant!
GTBandwagonMaster
December 22nd, 2009
3:54 pm
What you’ll have Straightjacket is the chum associated with #49 and #52 recruiting classes. You still have a lack of talent, depth, coaching and size on your defense. Your offensive line will always be overmatched size wise against good defenses and from the looks of your last 2 classes and this years commits that won’t change. GT is at the apex of the Johnson era right now.
When Chan’s talent is gone Tech has huge problems. Paul Johnson hasn’t proven he can even beat 5 loss SEC teams with with regularity even with Chan’s top 10 class. It’s downhill next year for GT and it will get progressively worse. By year 5 Pau Johnson will be about as popular as Chan Gailey. If you wanted a coach for the long haul you should have hired June Jones. When PJ leaves or is fired some poor guy is going to have to try to win with Johnson’s chum. It’ll take 10 years to undue the ultimate damage that Paul Johnson will do.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
3:56 pm
Hope this dude gets col-cokked by an Aggie at the Shreveport Bowl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyVd4dqfT-8
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:00 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyVd4dqfT-8
Hahaha. bet this dude acts the same way at georgia games when he’s in his 40’s and 50’s.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:02 pm
Hey, where did all the dogs go? Post one video of the might dog nation and every one of you scatters? Sounds like “MB needs to pass along something to all the delusional, terrified flea bags”.
Atlanta Jacket
December 22nd, 2009
4:02 pm
You still have faith in Hewitt – we’ll see. I thought your last column on his team was spot-on and has been pretty much the same since the 2004 run.
Agree that GT will finish 9-3 or better, but if we do lose one of those will not be in Athens.
Ugag will return for a victory lap in Shreveport – hard to have a great year breaking in a new quarterback. That qb race will be interesting. Also I think Kirby Smart will return to Athens.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:03 pm
Hahahahaha. VIDEO DON’T LIE DOES IT DOG-the real Nerd-NATION? Hahahahahahaha
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:05 pm
ken & rob,
which one was you in the video?
KJ
December 22nd, 2009
4:06 pm
There really, REALLY needs to be an “ignore user” feature on these blogs
1.4 million is Yellow Fuzz
December 22nd, 2009
4:07 pm
If you have noticed that Yellow Fuzz has disappeared from these blogs it is because he is too embarrassed to show his face. He can’t talk about wins and losses on the field so he has changed his name and his angle.. He is a coward with a capital C.
30 to 24 baby, 8 of 9 and 60/39/5… total domination… come and get the strap as Yellow Fuzz used to say..
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:07 pm
Truth hurts don’t it there KJ
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:08 pm
Dude,
$1.4 Million IS GEORGIA!
KJ
December 22nd, 2009
4:09 pm
Yeah, it definitely hurts that mongoloids like yourself are allowed to use their dad’s computers.
TUCK FECH
December 22nd, 2009
4:11 pm
ACC Champ 24 GEORGIA 30
ACC= All Coast Clear!