The Monday Heat Check: Braves are warm, Hawks not so hot
Eric Hinske scores the Braves' lone run against San Diego on Sunday. (AP photo)
What you see here is new weekly feature. We call it the Monday Morning Heat Check, and its intent is to measure the warmth, or the absence thereof, of Atlanta’s sports entries. And what qualifies me to determine such things? Well, I buy my eyeglasses at the same posh establishment frequented by Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel. Need I say more?
The Braves: Went 4-2 on the week, sweeping a pretty good opponent in Toronto before losing a series to the last-place Padres. On Saturday the Braves scored 10 runs and you thought, not for the first time, that maybe they’d gotten it going. On Sunday they managed two hits, and you thought, not for the first time, “Nah.” They’re still five games back of Philadelphia in the East, and Jonny Venters just proved he’s human after all. Heat index: Warm, but not nearly sizzling.
The Hawks: For a couple of hours Thursday, the Hawks were the center of the NBA universe. SI.com reported they were about to be sold, and Yahoo! Sports reported they were trying to trade Josh Smith to Minnesota for the No. 2 pick in the draft. But Bruce Levenson, one of the many owners, claimed no sale was imminent, and the trade never happened. The Hawks were left with the 48th pick in the draft and took Keith Benson, a skinny center of some promise from Oakland. This prompted Chad Ford of ESPN Insiders to give their draft class of one a league-low C-minus. Heat index: Tepid.
Georgia Tech basketball: The good news was that Iman Shumpert was selected with the 17th pick of Round 1 — by the Knicks, whose fans booed the selection. This made four first-round draftees for Tech over the past five seasons. The bad news is that those gifted Jackets never did much while they were Jackets, which is why Tech has a new coach. Heat index: Hot in terms of pro potential, chilly in terms of college production.
Georgia basketball: Had Trey Thompkins and Travis Leslie returned for their senior seasons, Georgia would have been ranked in the preseason Top 25. But they left and didn’t even get taken in Round 1 for their trouble. Worse still, both were taken by the Clippers. Heat index: Cold, cold, cold.
The Falcons: They’re locked out. They’re practicing on their own. If they ever get unlocked-out, they’ll be one of the best teams in the NFL. Until then, they’re just a bunch of guys tossing around a football on a high school field. Heat index: In cold storage.
The Dream: Last season they played for the WNBA title. They’ve started this season 2-7. Yep, they’re an Atlanta team. Heat index: Not even room temperature.
The Thrashers: They’re officially gone, and they’re no longer the Thrashers and Craig Ramsay is no longer the coach and … well, it’s as if they never existed. Which prompts the question: Did they? Heat index: As cold as the grave.
I ask you: Were the guys in blue ever really here? (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
By Mark Bradley
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145 comments Add your comment
headley lamar
June 27th, 2011
10:05 am
Excellent Stats Ken.
Pitching wins in the post steroid era.
If you can pitch you at least have a chance. If you cant you have no shot .
Reed
June 27th, 2011
10:07 am
ken a 10 point difference in team batting is a lot. quit being obtuse.
headley lamar
June 27th, 2011
10:09 am
and we wonder why Atlanta fabs are made fun of…4th best record in baseball and our fans dont think we are at least warm
Ive always blamed this on 1991. I think alot of people became Braves fans that year for the first time and alot of them have continued to follow the team. Problem for alot of them is they really dont know baseball.
Hence the very low baseball IQ among Braves fans.
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:09 am
i agree that 9 points(learn math buddy) is a big difference but again prado and uggla make huge differences there!!!
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:09 am
headley lamar…you are very correct sir!! that is why I try to educate them the best I can!!
Skeezix
June 27th, 2011
10:10 am
Thanks Mark. I believe the team BA to date is well below 250. This team (offense) has the potential of playing so much better–that is why fans are so frustrated I think. Also, they got to two games back of the Phillies and have slipped to five.
THRASHERS Season Ticket Holder
June 27th, 2011
10:11 am
The ATLANTA THRASHER should still be alive.
It is the Atlanta Spirit Group that should be now dead and roasting in HELL.
Remarkable
June 27th, 2011
10:12 am
Mark, Who wanted to buy the Hawks? Was it a good fit?
mmixon
June 27th, 2011
10:12 am
Again, Mark … it’s very simple.
Hawks:
1) Drafted Sheldon Williams
2) Drafted Marvin Williams #2 (wasn’t even a starter on his college team)
3) Traded youth for Kirk Hinrich when Deron Williams was on the block ..
4) Paid a role player as if he’s a top 5 player
And this is just recent history. No way we can have faith in them until they stop insulting our intelligence.
We can’t have faith in them until they show
headley lamar
June 27th, 2011
10:15 am
ken a 10 point difference in team batting is a lot. quit being obtuse.
Reed. Do you know how many runs the Phillie’s have scored this year.320
Know how many the Braves have scored 308.
They have a whopping 12 more runs over 80 games.
Thats an extra .15 runs per game. Or in other words almost even.
Quit being acute.
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:17 am
headley lamar you are so correct…but these people dont like real numbers they want to live in the clouds!!
Remarkable
June 27th, 2011
10:17 am
Mark, I know that this might get you in to trouble if you answer this, but, do you think the Braves need another Hitting Coach? Who should they look at?
CONservative Johnson
June 27th, 2011
10:18 am
Braves are lukewarm at best . . .
Spend some damn money!
Larry
June 27th, 2011
10:20 am
The sign of a great manager is guiding his team to defeat the teams they should.
That this team–only because of it’s pitching–can compete with anyone on a given day or series, but continues to look lethargic and uninspired against the weaker teams is an indictment of Freddi Gonzalez, hands down the single dumbest manager in MLB.
Think of it this way, if the Falcons were beating the Packers, Steelers and Eagles, but losing to the Bengals, 49ers and Panthers, everyone would be wanting to fire Mike Smith.
What’s the difference?
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:21 am
hitting coach….we have two on staff….how many more do we need? the facts are that they are major leaguers and need to just hit the damn ball!!
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:23 am
now if the Falcons were 13-3!!! I would be glad to know that they could beat the better teams because that is who you face in the playoffs dummy!! I guess Terry francona(holder of 2 world championships) is a dumb manager because he just got beat by the PADRES in boston in a series…
YOU MY SIR ARE A MORON!!!
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:25 am
okay lets get this straight:
The Braves are in trouble in October if the Cubs, Astros, Mets, and Padres make the playoffs and if the Phillies, Brewers, Giants, Cardinals, Reds, and Dbacks make it we will be fine.
Okay Ill tyake my chances!!
Paul H
June 27th, 2011
10:36 am
No UGA and Tech football indexes?
GT BBall
June 27th, 2011
10:36 am
Hey Mark – I’ve read alot of comments from UGA fans blaming the NBA or NBA people for Tompkins and Leslie leaving early. I thought those two and Shumpert where told they were unlikely first round picks, but all 3 decided to try it anyway. The two UGA players made a huge mistake and now have to deal with clipperland. Atleast Shumpert showed up in shape and maxed out his potential for this draft.
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:38 am
both lukewarm i would say….the state of college football in the state is kind of sad right now…both schools aiming for mediocore bowls again it seems:(
Reed
June 27th, 2011
10:38 am
headley use your head
anyone who watches this team knows how inconsistent they are. the sd series was a small sample of this team. 2 runs 10 runs and 1 run. what is the series average? 4.3 runs. not bad, but they went 1-2. just because runs scored are close doesnt mean squat. team batting and team pitching and overall records are whats important. if the braves had a consistent runs runs scored per game and not some skewed number because they score 10,12,14 runs one game a week, then they would be in first place. in other words, give us phillies offense and were 20 games over 500
Alan
June 27th, 2011
10:39 am
WOw the dodgers are still paying marquis grissom or they owe him over 2 mil. Andruw jones is due like 5 mil. no wonder that team is broke.
Alan
June 27th, 2011
10:40 am
Oh and manny is owed something like 20 million. must be nice to retire and have some team owe you 20 million when you’ve already made tens of million in your career.
NoGaGator
June 27th, 2011
10:43 am
We need Bobby out there to get run a few times! Have him come in for a couple games a week as bench coach – kind of like Smoltz and Glavine in the booth. Then let him go out there to argue a play, get run and then back to the clubhouse for a few cold ones.
Maybe it’ll shake some things up. If not, at least the games will be more exciting than watching paint dry.
Joey
June 27th, 2011
10:45 am
They are major leaguers, ken, but if a hitting coach isn’t important to the “major leaguers,” why have one or two on the payroll?
THRASHERS Season Ticket Holder
June 27th, 2011
10:47 am
The ATLANTA THRASHERS should still be alive.
It is the Atlanta Spirit Group that should be now dead and roasting in HELL.
(Yes, I am so angry, I said it twice!)
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:48 am
that is the better question my friend:) have you ever heard chipper or brian talk about the great hiiting advice they are getting from their hitting coach…nope they talk about how they called their family!! again great question Joey!!!
Larry
June 27th, 2011
10:51 am
ken,
I see you like to call people idiots and morons. Indeed, it is you that are both!
People like you, who never played the game as I did for 9 years, are the epitome of the bespectacled, pocket protector goobers who can only spout statistics which are available to find by anyone with more than a double-digit IQ. You may be impressing the pork rind goober club on here; you aren’t impressing the others.
The reason the Braves have the 4th best record is simple–pitching. With the same Braves pitching staff several MLB managers and teams would be much further along than what Fredi Cox can do. Further, what is it about watching the other team celebrate last on the pitcher’s mound in the last 14 of 15 playoff opportunities by Fredi’s mentor and clone, Bobby Cox, that statistical goobers like you cannot comprehend?
The answer is simple, as constructed and managed, the likelihood of the Braves winning three straight series over as many as 19 games in the postseason is less than winning the lottery.
And then you site the aberration of Boston losing 2 of 3 to the Padres and trying to use this to rationalize the Braves PATTERN of losing to losing teams, often to mediocre pitchers on the mound.
So, just shut up, please, as you utter, unabashed idiocy and failed attempts to sound baseball savvy using well know stats are insulting to the real men who played and understand fundamental leadership qualities and genuine, authentic, sustainable–and championship caliber–performance.
Walker, Texas Ranger
June 27th, 2011
10:52 am
Welcome to Blueland
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:54 am
okay guys lets break down this batting average thing….we sux against lefties hitting only .212….and guess what everybody is throwing against us…the Padres even threw a bullpen guy against us so they could start a lefty against us and here come the Mariners starting two lefties against us and why shouldnt they….
Schaffer (lefty)
Heyward(lefty)
Jones (switch)
Mccann(lefty)
Freeman(lefty)
Uggla (righty but sux against lefties)
Gonzalez(righty)
Mcclouth(lefty)
see why we are struggling hitting folks!!!
ASG = JERKS
June 27th, 2011
10:55 am
Boycott the Atlanta Hawks and Philips Arena. My Screen Name says it all. Hawks are a bunch of losers anyway. Joe Johnson is way overpaid but you already knew that.
ASG = JERKS
June 27th, 2011
10:55 am
TEST
Larry
June 27th, 2011
10:56 am
And who fills out the lineup, goober?
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:56 am
larry contact me you may be surprised who I am and if you did play 9 years of professional ball then I am sure we arn into each other…
again contact me @ skydogg25@comcast.net would love to talk!!
ASG = JERKS
June 27th, 2011
10:56 am
BRUCE LEVINSON says: DEAL WITH IT.
ken
June 27th, 2011
10:57 am
larry who would you put in ross for mccann? maybe brooks for freeman? we are a left handed hitting team period!!!
404
June 27th, 2011
11:02 am
Well, I guess I’ll have to post this over here on Bradley’s website, because
UGA-homer Chip Tower doesnt like ANYONE writing “unflattring” things
about anything UGA-related.
So, we have the former City of Columbus Parks & Recreation Director Tony Adams and at least 2 others that have been ARRESTED, used MUNICIPAL funds to pay for the personal travel expenses of a UGA-bound recruit, Jarvis Jones.
It’s noteworthy that Mr. Adams did not use PERSONAL funds. He used MUNICIPAL funds.
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Very Very Bad.
On November 18, 2010, the same Columbus newspaper wrote that Mr. Adams
and Herman Porter were dimissed after it was discovered that Mr. Adams
had “mis-appropriated $200,000.
Folks, this isnt about $800 airfare and $200 cell-phone bill.
It’s about a $200,000+ “slush fund” operated by now-former employees of the
City of Columbus Parks & Recreation Department.
So, where did $200,000 go ??
The better better question is: To WHOM did $200,000 get paid to ??
So, whats the REALLY INTERESTING link in all this ??
Here it is: Money was used to pay airfare for UGA-bound recruit, Jarvis Jones.
Anyone want to guess WHERE Jarvis Jones played high school football ??
Thats right: Jarvis Jones played for Dell McGee at Carver-Columbus HIgh School.
Yes, that UGA-designated hot-bad of un-eductated football talent, Carver-Columbus.
Folks, this story has been building for the past 12 months.
The R-E-A-L-L-Y dangerous question that will be asked is this:
Have there been ANY OTHER recruits from Carver-Columbus
that have ALSO received illegal benefits from this “slush fund” ??
Folks, this Columbus-Slush Fund story has M-A-S-S-I-V-E implications for UGA as it unfolds.
Stay tuned.
bass
June 27th, 2011
11:03 am
You are spot on Larry. The braves have not won 3 series in a row all year. But they have lost 3 in a row. They are not consistent at all and that is NOT what you need to win in the playoffs.
ken
June 27th, 2011
11:05 am
by the way Larry the Red Sox are 14-16 against teams .500 or worse no abberation there just facts buddy!!
headley lamar
June 27th, 2011
11:05 am
in other words, give us phillies offense and were 20 games over 500
Umm no we arent. We would have about the same record we have now.
2 runs 10 runs and 1 run. what is the series average? 4.3 runs. not bad, but they went 1-2
Sure. THATS WHY I USED A MUCH LARGER SAMPLE THAN JUST THREE GAMES. I USED 80 GAMES. OVER 80 GAMES THE BRAVES AND PHILLIES HAVE SCORED BASICALLY THE SAME AMOUNT OF RUNS. SURE ONE GAME CAN SKEW THE STATS. IM SURE THE PHILLIES HAVE HAD A FEW GAMES WHERE THEY SCORED A BIG NUMBER AND THEN STRUGGLED AFTER THAT.
Again Braves Fans baseball IQ has to be the lowest in the majors.
Larry
June 27th, 2011
11:07 am
Uh, no thanks, Ken!
For the protection of my family and business I value both my anonymity and secrecy of my email address. Email addresses are easily traceable to individuals and, from a man of such vast and profound knowledge, I find it odd that you would make your’s public.
Bizarre!
headley lamar
June 27th, 2011
11:08 am
Folks, this Columbus-Slush Fund story has M-A-S-S-I-V-E implications for UGA as it unfolds.
None of that has anything to do with UGA but hey keep trying pal.
Even if it did Jarvis could jut use to Cam loophole and say he didnt know anything about it. Besides he was being recruited by USC at the time. Not UGA.
But dont let facts get in the way ok.
ken
June 27th, 2011
11:09 am
thats what I thought then shut the hell up!! dont question my knowledge unless you want to compare:)
ken
June 27th, 2011
11:10 am
by the way Larry you didnt answer me…what would you do to fix the lineup oh graet manager you are sir!!!!LOL
Larry
June 27th, 2011
11:11 am
headley,
You can’t even spell “were” correctly and you type in ALL CAPS like a 9 year old and you have the nerve to question the IQ of others? Most amusing.
You and ken should play doctor and nurse together!
ken
June 27th, 2011
11:12 am
LOL I guess the Yankees with the 2nd best record should just tear up their team because they are 3 1/2 games back of the Phillies….too funny Larry!!!
ken
June 27th, 2011
11:13 am
Larry I have got o go but you have made my day my friend…you are truly an ignorant fan or excuse me former player!!!!
LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All I'm Saying Is....
June 27th, 2011
11:14 am
Tepid is an apt description of this column and its contents. That’s five minutes of my life I’ll not regain so thanks for that Bradley.
Bettman the Moron
June 27th, 2011
11:14 am
NHL? What’s the NHL?
Larry
June 27th, 2011
11:15 am
My lineup against the lefy tonight:
Schafer (LH)
Jones (RH)
McCann (LH)
Uggla (RH)
Freeman (LH and hits lefties well)
Gonzolez (RH)
Heyward (LH)
McLouth (LH)