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.
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216 comments Add your comment
GTBandwagonMaster
December 22nd, 2009
4:13 pm
Atlanta Jacket dream on. All a QB has to do to beat GT is keep handing the ball to a running back. GT is screwed next year. You will fall ever farther behind the FSUs and UGA of the world talent wise. Your vaunted TO could only get a little over 200 yds against a Willie D. That TO will hit the wall sooner than later. You know it…the whole Tech pup tent knows it. You saw your future on 28 November. 30 -24. It always goes back to same old shi$ when you’re a nat.
1.4 million is Yellow Fuzz
December 22nd, 2009
4:14 pm
What Yellow Fuzz aka 1.4 million wants for Christmas…
1. Intestinal fortitude… He hates being a coward
2. Another patsy schedule for tech
3. A job
4. Excuses for losing to Uga..
5. A girlfriend
6. Some clearasil for his pimples
7. A new D&D game
8 Tickets to Dragon Con
9. A hug from CPJ
10. Some Balls.. so he can take his losses like a man
Tiger Woods' Wing Man
December 22nd, 2009
4:15 pm
CK4 is still running…ran down to the Orange Bowl..Slapped a NERD up side the head and came back.
1.4 million is Yellow Fuzz
December 22nd, 2009
4:18 pm
Dude 30 to 24 is GEORGIA… Are we talking football or finances.. You can’t talk football because you got nothing to say. Get ready for bowl loss # 5 in a row.
The Orange Bowl is wasting their money on Tech… who can’t seel their tickets to see their best team in 20 years.. pathetic
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:19 pm
What “hurts” is your days of steam rolling Tech in football are over and you are having trouble spinning it because you know it’s true. Congrats on beating us this year as we didn’t handle our first off weak in 3 months very well and we over looked you because WE wanted to win OUR conference championship to go to a BCS, non-Shreveport, bowl. Nevertheless, you beat us fair and square and didn’t even have to blame the refs or trash our campus tailgating. Merry Christmas and a happy December 28th bowl game!
TUCK FECH
December 22nd, 2009
4:21 pm
DAWGS done been to 3 BCS Bowls before Tech could smell ONE! DAWGS also sell out all thier HOME games in Georgia’s biggest stadium. Tech still way behind the DAWGS in money, fans, and class!
30-24
WE RUN THIS STATE!
GTBandwagonMaster
December 22nd, 2009
4:21 pm
Excuses excuses excuses. GT wins the excuse NC every season.
Marianela
December 22nd, 2009
4:23 pm
I miss L-Dawg so much, even though he was a moron. Maybe he got a job and can’t spend all day surfing now.
Or maybe he’s hitchhiking to Shreveport.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:24 pm
GT won the excuse bowl this year!
Dave
December 22nd, 2009
4:25 pm
Bobby Dodd Stadium capacity: 55,000. No sellouts.
Sanford Stadium capacity: 92,746. Sold out every year.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:30 pm
DAWGS done been beat by Alabama, Florida, The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Oklahoma State, Tennessee, LSU, Florida, Kentucky and Texas A & M. Don’t done matter if your stadium is full if half of them walk out in the 4th qtr with your school losing by 6 points. Congrats on beating up on the Hawaii high school team. Other than that, whats your big money done for you and how much of that big mnoney has the schooled shared with season ticket buyers? SUCKER!
Ramsey
December 22nd, 2009
4:32 pm
Answers:
#1 – No, the Hawks will die in the second half of the season. Losers.
#2 – No, Kovalchuk is gone from Atlanta, and hockey die again. This just isn’t a big hockey city.
#3 – Maybe., but Tech has to get serious about recruiting and coaching defensive players before anything good is going to happen.
#4 – UGA will not be able to get any big-name defensive coordinator. Who in their right mind would pick up and move to Athens to coach goons and thugs?
#5 – No, no, no. Hewitt is a lousy excuse for a coach. He had one big year, and he’s been milking it ever since. The man has more excuses than Barack Obama. Get this guy out the door now before he runs Tech basketball completely into the ground.
One more appropriate comment: S-H-R-E-V-E-P-O-R-T. Thet actually have a bowl game there? Oh, that’s too funny.
Ramsey
December 22nd, 2009
4:35 pm
Texas A&M 35, UGA 24.
The Beeg Boy w/ The Beeg Bat and the Beeg Smile
December 22nd, 2009
4:38 pm
For the love of pete, when is UGA going to announce that it’s signed Tom Spangler as its new defensive coordinator? Bulldog Nation demands that it be so!
GTBandwagonmaster
December 22nd, 2009
4:40 pm
Every nat on this board knows that a top DC hire at UGA pretty much sticks a fork in any chance they had to beat UGA.
GTBandwagonmaster
December 22nd, 2009
4:42 pm
#3 – Maybe., but Tech has to get serious about recruiting and coaching defensive players before anything good is going to happen.
All those #49, 52, and 37 classes should help. LMAO!!!
1.4 million is Yellow Fuzz
December 22nd, 2009
4:48 pm
1.4 million it is pretty clear that you self esteem is closley tied to Georgia Tech’s football program.. particularly when it come to how they do vs UGA.. I’d say 1. You’ll probably grow out of it… 2. Get used to losing to UGA or 3. You should see a good psychologist or get a girlfriend… I can tell you are really hurting..
Tiger Woods' Wing Man
December 22nd, 2009
4:50 pm
We kicked their (NERDS) arse again this year. It never gets old. I don’t care who you are.
GTBandwagonmaster
December 22nd, 2009
4:50 pm
You nats might need to call FSU and see if they can give Giff Smith a clue. They have an incredible 2010 class on the defensive side of the ball coming in. More bad news for the nats. 2010 is not going to be warm and fuzzy for the nat pup tent at all.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:51 pm
Bandwagon
“All those #49, 52, and 37 classes should help. LMAO!!!”
More than YOUR last # 4, #7, #5 classes did. ROFLMFAO!!
1.4 million is Yellow Fuzz
December 22nd, 2009
4:53 pm
ESPN rated UGA the 3rd best program in the SEC this decade. Look it up. 9 top 25 finishes, 6 top 10 finishes including a #2 and #3 finish. Winning records over all SEC opponents except Florida and 8 wins over Tech and 7 bowl wins. What has the big money and top recruits got us? Could always be better but certainly in a different league than GT.
Mike Jones
December 22nd, 2009
4:53 pm
“More than YOUR last # 4, #7, #5 classes did. ROFLMFAO!!”
Now that’s funny no matter who you root for!
GTBandwagonmaster
December 22nd, 2009
4:55 pm
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:51 pm
Bandwagon
“All those #49, 52, and 37 classes should help. LMAO!!!”
More than YOUR last # 4, #7, #5 classes did. ROFLMFAO!!
Did I miss something? Was it GT 30, UGA 24? I could have sworn it was just the opposite.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:55 pm
“ESPN rated UGA the 3rd best program in the SEC this decade”.
Where did they rank that Shreveport Bowl?
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
4:56 pm
“What has the big money and top recruits got us?”
S–R–E–V–E–P–O–R–T
GTBandwagonmaster
December 22nd, 2009
4:58 pm
Is it GT that is 8-1 vs UGA this decade? I could have sworn it was the other way around. Oh wait…GT recruiting classes are worth at least 1 win a decade against UGA….in a good decade.
GTBandwagonmaster
December 22nd, 2009
5:01 pm
No Dwyer, no Morgan, no Thomas, no Burnett = no talent left at GT. Maybe Nesbit can play all of those positions at the same time he’s learning to throw short and medium passes.
1.4 million is Yellow Fuzz
December 22nd, 2009
5:01 pm
Read it and weep baby… we beat the best Tech team in the last 20 years. That’s what we are talking about. Have any comment on that? I thought so. 30 to 24 baby.. 8 of 9 60/39/5..=total donmination.
1.4 million is Yellow Fuzz
December 22nd, 2009
5:02 pm
I hide from the truth because I can’t handle the truth.. I can’t take the losing.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
5:02 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyVd4dqfT-8
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
5:05 pm
This says it all for me. Talk to you macho dog nation guys later. Hahahahahahahaha.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyVd4dqfT-8
GTBandwagonmaster
December 22nd, 2009
5:06 pm
All those pygmy O and D lineman in your 2010 class will really fix that lack of physicality thing you have going at GT. LMAO!
GTBandwagonmaster
December 22nd, 2009
5:07 pm
Iowa will have a field day pushing around your soft football team.
Tiger Woods' Wing Man
December 22nd, 2009
5:11 pm
Twas the UGA / GA tech game: CK4 just slapped a nerd in the face. He’s still running up I – 95. There he goes TOUCHDOWN DAWGS. CK4 just hit Paul Johnson’s fat face with an open hand and shoved an Orange in his fat mouth. Run CK4 for another TOUCHDOWN. DAWGS win as usual. You all nerds try to win a couple times a decade without having to VACATE your wins because of your cheating ways. Fat head Paul Johnson is seen choking on an orange running around like a yard bird. Tech fans = idiots who cannot find their way out of a paper bag – No common sense. Merry Christmas all and to all a good night. Moral of the story: Don’t be a GA Tech Nerd Idiot.
dawgy
December 22nd, 2009
5:17 pm
Coach Wille Martinez pantsed your fat ass coach this year at Historic Mark Richt stadium. Face it, we DO run this state.
Dan
December 22nd, 2009
5:26 pm
“$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl” you really need help, and a life. It looks like you have posted on here all day. I know you are a little boy without a girlfriend using your mommy’s computer but go outside and play or something. All you have is talking about UGA’s bowl game. Nothing else because you know who dominates the state of GA. GET A LIFE homo.
Mr. Breeze
December 22nd, 2009
5:28 pm
Mark or whomever
How could you possibly have deleted my comment with all of this other childish rubbish being posted here??
Bradley: Five leading storylines for 2010
December 22nd, 2009
6:15 pm
[...] the story on Topix Posted in [...]
--I-,
December 22nd, 2009
7:16 pm
Where is that punk azz pudding pop sqigglywiggly? Why the writing seems almost identical to “$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl”….Same zit face, 22 year still living in the dorm, jealous little loser. Sorry you LOST BIG TIME to the Dogs
Dude! You ARE a chump! POd that your weak ACC chode producing team got punked hard by UGA. The game wasn’t even close. O W N E D.
FYI loser….UGA Athletics (mainly football)brought in roughly 82MM. How much did GT bring in? Yeah! that is what I thought….go look up some facts Lil’ fella.
TML
December 22nd, 2009
7:37 pm
Looking for “the perfect option” for the Tech fan on your Christmas list? StinGTees’ “Toe Meets Leather” is now available at your local The Fan’s Wear store (Cumberland, Peachtree Center, Northlake, & Stonecrest) as well as at http://www.stinGTees.com!
JACK IT
December 22nd, 2009
8:08 pm
30 24 we win! #1 in the Almost Competitive Conference and #2 in the state!!!!!! Paul Johnson=Reggie Ball! Thanks for calling three long pass plays on the final drive. choker!!!!!!!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
8:25 pm
JACK OFF,
Enjoy the 30-24 as much as we enjoyed the 45-42 dude. Paul Johnson was able to red shirt A LOT of talent on both sides of the ball and he is able to get more out of his recruits than your guys. As for you, ANYBODY can coach after a game like, dude. I’m putting my money on PJ and his staff “During” games and you azz after them, Mr. ESPN, or should I say Mr Peachtree TV III. LOL. Tech consistently makes superior half time adjustments and will consistently compete against georgia even with less talent. Like that idiotic dawg always says on here “bank it”. Hahahaha. You can’t fix stupid. Hahahahaha.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
8:27 pm
Hey dog nation-YFOY!!
TMLoser
December 22nd, 2009
8:28 pm
Hey TML – only low rent malls will carry your stupid, duh-de-duh “toe meets leather” retard t-shirt? Go look at the StinGTess’ web site and laugh you rear end off at the stupid t-shirt. dumb idea=dumb t-shirt. no wonder they are sold in the malls you mentioned….those malls tell alot about he product!
bawa ha ha ha L O S E R
..I.,
December 22nd, 2009
8:39 pm
“$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl” Just get back from the dining hall, chump? All alone in the dorms for winter break,pudding pop. Just you and your two hands and ten fingers left all alone. Poor, poor little squigglywiggly had to change names because he is ashamed his little tech team got SLAMMED by the DOGS. Fact is funnier then fiction…..Man! You really thought you were going to beat the Dogs didn’t you…feeling all bad, feeling all strong before T-giving, huh? Well your puny little 22 year old ego got CRUSHED by the Dogs. Is THIS the reason you are lashing out? Weak little goober’s world was POUNDED by the Dogs, P O U N D E D.
God! This is waaaaay too much fun!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
8:48 pm
..I.,
Pretty sure I date your sister I.
Rod
December 22nd, 2009
8:48 pm
30-24 The End.
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
8:49 pm
And I noticeyou didn’t have the nads to tailgate with us on the 28th. Big talker!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
8:49 pm
Rod
45-42 The begining!
$1.4 million Shreveport vs. our $14 million BCS Orange bowl
December 22nd, 2009
8:51 pm
YF was right about 80% and YOU know it!