Heat Check: UGA’s torrid even with Crowell in cold storage

"Excuse me, young man, but have you seen my offense?" (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)

Our Heat Check begins with the hottest team around — the still-unbeaten-heading-into-December Atlanta Hawks! OK, I’m joshing. (Not to be confused with still-a-Hawk-Josh Smith.)

Georgia Bulldogs: Their basketball team lost by two points at Colorado on Monday, which is actually a good sign. Their football team lost by two points at Colorado last season, and look at it now! Ten wins running, an SEC East title, a comprehensive victory over Georgia Tech, no more hot-seat talk about the coach. Heat Index: Warm, with the chance — should the Bulldogs unhorse LSU — of a truly toasty holiday season.

Isaiah Crowell: The heralded freshman didn’t play a down against Tech due to injury, and it mattered not — except maybe to Crowell’s case for being indispensable. He was, as we know, supposed to be the Missing Man. Now Mark Richt is telling running-back recruits that a great opportunity can be found in Athens. Heat Index: “Keith Marshall of Raleigh, N.C., come on down! You’re the next contestant on ‘Who’s the New Herschel?’ ”

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets: The Jackets had nine offensive touchdowns in 60 minutes against Kansas; they managed eight offensive touchdowns  in the 240 minutes of their four losses. Heat Index: In other news, Kansas just fired its coach.

Atlanta Braves: Frank Wren the GM is doing his speed-dialing exercises this week. Baseball’s winter meetings convene in Dallas on Monday. Heat Index: Red-hot Wren action coming right up!

Alex Gonzalez: The Braves declined to offer him arbitration, which mean Wren is looking for a shortstop. I’m guessing he doesn’t call Toronto to inquire about the availability of Yunel Escobar. Heat Index: Remember when Rafael Furcal spurned the Braves and John Schuerholz threw a presidential fit? He might have to grant a presidential pardon.

Atlanta Hawks: The NBA lockout is over. The Hawks will restart after Christmas. Might the Atlanta Spirit talk you into buying four dozen season tickets to serve as stocking stuffers? Heat Index: See next item.

Jamal Crawford: The Hawks’ fourth-best player is a free agent. He won’t be coming back. But Kirk Hinrich, who arrived at heavy cost in trade, will. Heat Index: Let the record reflect that the Hawks took top-seeded Chicago to six games in the Eastern Conference semis without Hinrich playing a minute.

Atlanta Falcons: They’re 7-4. Given that Houston might have to deploy Dan Pastorini at quarterback Sunday, they’ve got a real shot at being 8-4. Given that the two games after that are against Carolina and Jacksonville, they’ve got a real shot at being 10-4 when they play the Saints on Dec. 26. Heat Index: A month from now, we could be calling this the hottest team going.

Matt Ryan: He didn’t complete a long ball against the Vikings — Julio Jones dropped one and Roddy White stumbled reaching for another — but he did complete just about everything else. And his team did win. Heat Index: The Iceman warmeth.

By Mark Bradley

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