JUNE
2005
February
Column
Can the
Falcons have a winning season next year? -- by Jeff
Zell
March
Column
Has
baseball lost the
trust of diehard fans?
April
2005
Another
World Series?
May
2005
Pitching
outstanding
•Previous
2004 Articles
•Previous
2003 Articles
•Previous
2002 Articles
We try to provide as
accurate information as possible,
but we do recommend you call to confirm before getting in
your car.
•American
Pie, Roswell
Road (404/255-7571): Saturday - Home of the Ohio State
Buckeyes, Sunday - NFL Sunday Ticket featuring
the Pittsburgh Steelers
•Barnacle's,
Jimmy Carter Boulevard (770/441-9509): Tampa Bay
Buccaneers, Nebraska; Peachtree Industrial
(770/451-6778): Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Wildcats, Texas
A&M, Auburn, Indiana and Syracuse
•Bucket
Shop, Lenox
Road (404/261-9244): Auburn, THE ATANTA WASHINGTON
REDSKINS FAN CLUB
•Buffalo
Wild Wings,
125 Barrett
Parkway, Marietta (678/354-9464): All games on NFL
Sundays
•Buffalo
Wild Wings,
8371 Roswell
Road, Dunwoody (770/643-0074): All games on NFL
Sundays
•Champion's
Sports Bar,
265 Peachtree Center Avenue (404/521-0000): All the games
all the time including beer specials - looking for Alumni
Teams to meet there - give them a call
•Cheetah
Lounge, 887
Spring Street (Adult Entertainment): Some of the best TV
screens in the city. Broadcast All Major Sporting eventss
including HBO Boxing and Pay-Per-View Boxing
•Cheyenne
Grille & Sports Bar,
2391 Peachtree Road (404/842-1010): University of North
Carolina Alumni Association, Rams Club
•Chicago's
Pizza & Sports Arena,
8610 Roswell Road (770/552-1717): Chicago
Bears
•Dantanna's
Surf, Turf & Turf,
3400 Around
Lenox Drive, Suite 304 (404.760.TURF[8873]):
College: UGA, FSU, Ga Tech and then the best
SEC game at the time is the 10' wide jumbo, HiDef screen
priority, also have the ESPN College Game plan
package and have all the games all the time. NFL:
Falcon's, Panthers, Jaguars is the 10' wide jumbo,
HiDef screen priority, also have the NFL package and
have all the games all the time!
•Derby
Bar & Grill, Spalding
Drive (770/448-2833): Carolina Panthers Fan Club, Ga.
Bulldogs; Nesbit Ferry (770/642-7988): Michigan
Wolverines, Detroit Lions, Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta
Falcons; Hammond Drive (770/396-8808) Dallas
Cowboys; Johns Creek (770/476-3119) Georgia Bulldogs,
Atlanta Falcons, N.Y. Jets
•Elbow
Room, 248
Pharr Road (404/231-3308): Showing every
game!
•Frankies,
Roswell Road (404/843-9444): Alabama, GA Tech, S.
Carolina, Boston College, Miami Dolphins
•Henry's
Louisiana Grill, 4835
S. Main Street (770/966-1515): Acworth: All LSU TV
games and Saints
•Jeffrey's
Sports Bar & Grill, 105
Horizon Drive, Suwanee (770/614-8545); 11585 Jones Bridge
Road, Alpharetta (770/867-9027): All the games, all the time
and GA Bulldogs, Tennessee
•Mardi
Gras Sports Bar, Adult
Entertainment, 6300 Powers Ferry Road (770/955-1638) All
College Games
•Mazzy's
Sports Bar & Grill,
10729 Alpharetta Highway (770/645-8576): 3rd football season
with 21 TVs for All the Games, All the Time - looking
for Alumni Teams to meet there - give them a call
•Mellow
Mushroom, 6135
Peachtree Parkway, Norcross (770/729-1555): All Ohio
State football games. Go Bucks!
•Oasis,
6363 Peacthree
Industrial Boulevard, ADULT ENTERTAINMENT CLUB
(770/454-8065): Saturday - All Cable College Games,
Sunday - All Cable Pro Games
•Park
Bench, East
Paces Ferry (404/264-1334): Clemson Alumni, New York
Jets, New York Giants
•Poor
Richard's Pub, Peachtree
Corner Circle (770/242-0703): Crimson Tide,
Gators
•Ralph's
Tavern, 4290
Bells Ferry Road, Kennesaw (770.928.6136) Falcons
with sound, GA Bulldogs
•Rendezvous,
4711 Ashford
Dunwoody Road (770/901-9995): Home of the South Carolina
Game Cocks
•Rocco's
Pub, 1355 Roswell Road (770/971-8806): Chicago
Bears
•Sidelines
Sports Grille, Windy
Hill (770/226-0111): University of Tennessee; 1440
Roswell Road (770/509-3320): Nebraska, Buffalo Bills;
Barrett Parkway (770/919-8688): Ohio State, Pittsburgh,
Green Bay, Falcons
•Smith's
Olde Bar,
Piedmont Avenue (404/875-1522): Alabama Crimson Tide,
Cleveland Browns
•Smokey
Bones BBQ & Sports Bar,
1555 Pleasant Hill Road (678/380-9002): 45 TVs with a
speaker box at each table for All the Games, All the
time
•Stooges,
Collier Road (404/355-5445): North Carolina Panthers,
Marshall, FSU, Ole Miss, GA & GA Tech
•T.
J.'s Sports Bar, Holcomb
Bridge Road (770/552-7700): Georgia, FSU, Kentucky, Green
Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers
•The
Lodge/East Village Grille,
248 Buckhead Avenue (404/233-3345): Florida
Gators
•Tony's
Grille & Tap,
Holcomb Bridge Road (770/993-2834): Miami Dolphins, Ohio
State
•Twisted
Taco, 66 12th
Street, Atlanta (404.644.0909): University of Georgia,
Clemson, Packers, Falcons
by jeff zell
As I sit here lamenting the
Atlanta Falcons' elimination from the playoffs by
the
Philadelphia Eagles 27-10, the biggest question in my mind
is "Can the Falcons have a winning season next season?"
People around sports may think any team that makes it to
within one game of the Super Bowl will most assuredly have a
winning record the next year. Nevertheless, remember, in the
nearly 40 years the Falcons have existed, they have NEVER
had two winning season in a row! Not after they made the
Super Bowl after the 1998 season and not after their stellar
12-4 season in 1980 when "Sport" Magazine declared them "the
NFL's next dynasty." If the Falcons follow this season with
a winning one next year, then, and only then, can I say this
organization has truly turned the corner with Arthur
Blank,
Jim Mora, and Michael Vick.
As a native of Atlanta, it always surprises me how few people involved in sports in this city know Atlanta's sports history. The Falcons match-up with the Eagles brought back memories of 1978 to me. As an 8th grader at Lakeside High School, I was thrilled to attend the first Falcons' playoff game ever. Down 13-0 to the Philadelphia Eagles with fewer than 7 minutes to go, Steve Bartkowski rallied the Birds at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium to a rousing 14-13 victory in the first wildcard playoff game ever. As I talked to players and front office personnel in the Falcons' locker room the Thursday before the game I was stunned at how few people knew of this recent history. Star defensive end and all around nice guy Patrick Kerney said, "let's hope it happens again" when I told him of the 1978 battle. Alas, not to be this year.
While the Falcons are becoming a top organization, it is hard for many who appreciate baseball to put into words how amazing the Atlanta Braves 13 straight first place finishes is, even if it has meant only one World Series Title. After all, that is one more title than the Falcons, Hawks, Thrashers and Flames have combined. The next two longest first place streaks in baseball history do not add up to 13 COMBINED! With this track record, I had trouble believing "The Atlanta Journal and Constitution" had such strong doubts that both the Brian Jordan and Raul Mondesi moves would be successful ones by Atlanta Braves Executive Vice President and General Manager John Schuerholz. Two guys who both still have solid talent on one-year contracts hoping to get one last multi-year multi million dollar contract. Great way to bring out the best in someone. As Sparky Anderson once said, "Give me 25 guys on the last year of their contracts and I will win the pennant every year." Giving talented baseball players one last chance to prove they can still play and are worth millions of dollars in the great environment the Braves are is what the brain trust with this organization specialize in.
Transplants in this city like to take potshots at this city's fans. While some of the arrows are fair, it is hard to ridicule a fans base that now sells out every Atlanta Falcons game (over 70,000 per game), every Georgia Bulldogs football game (over 90,000 per game), every Georgia Tech basketball game (even ones against teams like Charleston Southern), and has drawn over 35 million fans to Braves games in the last 12 years. At an average of almost 3 million fans a year since 1993, the Braves rank 4th in attendance in all of baseball over the last decade plus, ahead of the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, and St. Louis Cardinals. Only the Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers have outdrawn Atlanta over this time.
People always like to say that things were better and more honest in the "Good Old Days." When it comes to college athletics pundits cannot stop shouting this mantra. However, I had a nice talk with the former Philadelphia Eagles halfback Mel Siegel the other day at the Corner Deli, which he owns in Alpharetta. Mel was a top high school star in St. Louis and played at Alabama from 1950-52 (before Bear Bryant) before transferring to Washington University in his home city. Mel showed me some articles published in well read newspapers that openly mentioned that a West Coast school wanted to move his entire family to the left coast and jump start his dad in a business. One article said the offer was worth about $25,000. Yet, it drew no outrage about amateur athletics, no calls for NCAA investigations and no probation talk. Now if a guy lost his shirt in freezing weather and an assistant coach gave him a $2 T-shirt so he would not freeze to death, the NCAA would open an investigation. Neither way is right. However, it just shows the extremes people can take on an issue when a little logical moderation would suffice.
Has baseball lost the trust of diehard fans?
by jeff zell
After baseball players returned from their 1994-95 strike, many fans and media complained that the game sold its tradition in an attempt to win fans back and keep television revenues high when it instituted interleague play. Looking back over the last decade, baseball may have committed one crime worse than the selling of its valuable tradition. With the steroid scandal growing faster than the size of Barry Bonds' head, the greater question becomes, "Did baseball sell its integrity and beloved records to get fans back and television ratings?"
Did baseball turn its head as not one, but two players broke Roger Maris' single season home run record in the same season by cheating? Was baseball willing to allow a player to get within striking distance of the most coveted record in all of sports-Hank Aaron's all time home run record-to keep its place as America's pastime?
One thing is certain. Baseball has lost the trust of many of its most diehard fans and perhaps the credibility of its beloved stats, which drive this game, more than any other.
And now the biggest question facing baseball is what to do if it is found out that certain players cheated by taking illegal steroids as Jose Canseco and others allege? Do you strip players of awards? Canseco admits he won the 1988 MVP award while ingesting steroids at a greater pace than Kirsti Alley eats potato chips. After all, the Olympic hierarchy strip athletes of gold medals won after the fact if it finds out conclusively that that athlete has cheated with steroids and I have yet to hear a person disagree with that policy. Nobody objects by saying, "but they won the race." The accomplishments do not remain in the record books with an asterisk by their side denoting the athlete accomplished the feat with the help of steroids.
In a recent poll taken by the arbiter of sports opinion, ESPN, barely half believe Barry Bonds should be in the Hall of Fame. Less than one quarter of the fans polled believe that Barry Bonds has not taken steroids. If only 53% of fans believe Bonds should be in the Hall of Fame despite seven MVP's and over 700 home runs the logical conclusion to draw is that almost 50% of the fans think Bonds is a cheater and his records are false. Not good -- even if Bonds has never taken steroids.
Perhaps the most telling comment made at Bonds' spring training press conference was his assertion that steroids do not help someone play baseball better, concluding that the illegal drug does nothing to help eye-hand coordination. One has to wonder if Bonds is laying the groundwork for a defense that goes something like this:
"I took steroids for health reasons and not to help my baseball career. Furthermore, steroids do not help a baseball player perform so my records are legitimate."
It is hard for me to believe someone who has never taken steroids would even find reason to go down that path. Additionally, steroids do make a person stronger and quicker. That includes quicker reflexes to hit a baseball and greater strength to drive that baseball further. It would make someone who already has quick and athletic reflexes that much quicker and stronger. Why do you think so many runners and swimmers have tested positive for the drug?
Just five years ago, Baseball's All
Century Team was presented here in Atlanta at the 1999 World
Series. Barry Bonds did not make the team, finishing 18th in
fan voting for outfielders. Hardly a soul complained! Five
baseball seasons later, he is now perhaps the greatest and
most dominant player of all-time? No one doubts he, and many
other players, work harder and more diligently than fans
could imagine. However, that does not mean he did not take
steroids.
I was at the ceremony when most of the living players who were of sound health attended a wonderful event at a downtown Atlanta hotel the morning before the Sunday World Series game. The only players not there were Pete Rose (attending a Casino event) and Mark McGwire. No reason was given for McGwire's absence, but I hope the man who claims to respect the game so greatly had a very good one. The event was spectacular and baseball did a tremendous job of running it, which included a team picture with all the living greats together.
Pete Rose, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa were not in that team picture.
(Jeff Zell has covered the Atlanta Sports Scene since 1987 and is currently a reporter for Sporting News Radio. zxyxvx@earthlink.net for comments.)
How old it too old
for the NBA?
by jeff zell
The public debate on an age requirement for those wanting to play in the NBA is understandable. Nonetheless, it is my inherent belief that those who can legally make money in their profession should be allowed to do so. This is an important debate so it is unfortunate when narrow-minded, paranoid people want to bring race into this public discourse. While race often figures into life situations, it is absent here. The only color that is truly motivating this debate is green!
No 35-year-old white guys will take the place of qualified 18-year-old African-American males. The 18-year-old African American player would be replaced with a 35-year-old African American player.
Two issues should not be ignored in this debate. First and foremost is the interested third party-college football and college basketball. Believe me, these corporations have exerted influence on the pro sports leagues on this issue.
No such profitable entities exist in "amateur" baseball, golf or tennis. In individual sports like golf and tennis, the governing body and individual benefit from a young phenom entering competition. In baseball, the minor leagues have always overshadowed college baseball so if a player goes straight from high school to the pros and is not good enough he can go hone his skills in the minors.
That brings us to the second salient point in this debate. If an individual tries to go to the big leagues too soon in golf, tennis or baseball, and is not strong enough to compete, not all is lost for him/her. That athlete can still play on such a competitive level in lesser leagues (like the Minor Leagues in Baseball) that it is possible to become good enough to play in the big leagues later. However, in basketball or football, once an athlete goes pro too soon, and is not good enough for the NFL or NBA, his career, and often his life, is forever changed for the worse.
Some athletes have gone to the Arena Football League or CBA and become solid NFL and NBA stars or contributors. However, those athletes have always been players who were overlooked by the big boys. Those athletes then caught somebody's attention with their performance in these secondary leagues. I have yet to see a Leon Smith (a talented high school star who went pro too soon, played in 15 games and attempted suicide) right himself in one of these leagues. Many sports executives are honestly concerned with the welfare of teenagers who listen to greedy agents and try to make big money in the big leagues at too young an age.
When women's tennis had repeated problems with their ultra young white players a few years ago, fair-minded people talked about an age requirement for that sport too.
How is Dan Kolb just like Charlie Sheen?
When Sheen's fictional character came in to pitch in the movie "Major League," the song "Wild Thing" played on the public address system, as it should when Kolb comes into a game. Sheen's "Wild Thing" played because his fictional character lived a wild personal life. Kolb's "Wild Thing" should play because the former closer has such poor control he often walks the leadoff batter.
Last year Kolb walked 15 batters in 57 1/3 innings and 64 games. Amazing considering that Kolb has already walked 16 in 16 2/3 innings this year. Kolb has offered one more free pass this year in less than a third of the innings he pitched last year. Since Bobby Cox has announced that Kolb will no longer close games for Atlanta, it is interesting to pontificate on who will take this pressurized role. Just the way Greg McMichael came out of nowhere and did a super job as a closer in 1993, Adam Bernero has come out of nowhere and been superb this year-only two walks in 22 1/3 innings. In Kolb-speak, that is 14 less walks in almost six more innings. Will it be Bernero, Jorge Sosa, Chris Reitsma or will the Braves make a trade? That is the decision that will decide the fate of this team in 2005!
Everyone wanted to see where the University of Georgia's David Pollack and David Greene would go in the NFL draft. Though Thomas Davis became the first Bulldog selected, I think Reggie Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles will be the "Surprise Dog" of the draft. Since Philadelphia dumped Freddie Mitchell and Terrell Owens thinks he is the Messiah, look for Reggie to come out of nowhere and become a star. I think all four Dogs are in great situations to prosper in the NFL.
Look for another Dog -- Dominique Wilkins -- to finally gain some recognition when he is inducted into the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame June 10th. Also going in are Hank Aaron, Tommy Nobis, Bobby Dodd, Bobby Jones and Bobby Cox. Aaron, Wilkins and Nobis have already committed to attending. In fact, Nobis has purchased three 10 person tables for the event. Many Georgia Tech players who Dodd coached have committed to the event, as have direct descendants of Jones. Unfortunately, Cox has a Braves game to attend that night. Officials at the Hall are hoping to make a presentation to him at Turner Field sometime that weekend. If you would like to attend this historic event, tickets are still available ($90). Visit the Hall's Web Site at http://www.atlantasportshalloffame.com or you can contact Bev Bennett at 770.394.3359 to place an order.
(Jeff Zell has covered the Atlanta Sports Scene since 1987 and is currently a reporter for Sporting News Radio. zxyxvx@earthlink.net for comments.)
by jeff zell
As of this writing, the Atlanta Braves are about 10% of the way through their season and two things are clear: The Braves' pitching is back to the standard of the old days when you could usually count on the top three starters to pitch outstanding games and the 4th and 5th starters to pitch well enough to win. Unfortunately, the hitting is back to the form of yesteryear when nobody hits in the clutch and runs are so inexplicably hard to come by.
During the team's 13 consecutive first place finishes, the Braves have had three different hitting coaches and numerous different key every day players. Yet the result is always the same -- Atlanta seems to lack the clutch hitting a team needs to go far in the playoffs. I believe by trade or individual player turnaround, this will change.
Much has been made of the "old days" when the Braves had an all-star at every position. However, the Braves actually do have an all-star at every position when Julio Franco starts at first base. You can include pitcher and make it an uneven nine on days when any of the top three starters pitch and Franco starts. On the other hand, eight of nine one time all-stars make up the lineup when Adam LaRoche is at first and John Smoltz, Tim Hudson or Mike Hampton start. In fact, of the Braves 13 core players (nine starters with the first base platoon, three top starting pitchers, and closer), 12 have been an all-star, seven in the last two years alone, nine if you go back to 2001. Only Brian Jordan (1999 all-star), Raul Mondesi (1995) and Julio Franco (1991) have not been all-stars since 2001.
You might not know Smoltz has been an all-star five times (pitched in four games) by looking at the Atlanta Braves 2005 Media Guide. Smoltz's all-star statistics were completely left out of his player profile in the 2005 guide. Somewhat amazing is this glaring omission as Smoltz is arguably the marquee player on the team and his all-star record is listed in the 2004 guide.
Dominique 'Dangerfield'
"I just don't get no respect," should be Dominique Wilkins' tag line now that Rodney Dangerfield is gone. Somehow someway, the superstar did not make the top 50 NBA players of all-time. Now he has also been passed up for election into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Nique was 7th in scoring in NBA history when he retired and is still 9th all-time. For those who say he could only dunk and not shoot, I hate to confuse you with the facts. Wilkins could shoot from the outside, and, in fact, set an NBA record when he sank 23 of 23 foul shots in one game in 1992. He is one of only nine players ever to make more than 9,950 field goals. Moreover, his field goal percentage of .461 is better than forwards Elgin Baylor (.431), Elvin Hayes (.452) and John Havlicek (.439). All three are Hall of Famers and make up nearly half of the eight greatest forwards of all-time. Sure Dominique's play could be infuriating at times, but overall he was excellent. He was All NBA seven times and an all-star for nine consecutive years until Lenny Wilkens demanded Pete Babcock trade him.
Only in a one-paper town could a letter writer berate the hometown 6-8 star for "only" pulling down 6.7 rebounds a game (over 7,000 in his career), and go unchallenged. I think that is a good number for a slender small forward who was also the team's scoring machine.
While Larry Bird made the all-stars around him into all-time greats, Wilkins made decent players into solid NBA starters with all-star capability. Both Doc Rivers and Kevin Willis made their only all-star teams playing alongside Dominique.
Falcons network
Finally, congratulations to the Atlanta Falcons for being unofficially named "America's Team" by the TV networks. Not only will be the Birds play three home games on Monday Night Football, but a road Sunday Night and Thanksgiving Day game as well.
What some people missed in all this is that two of the Falcons home games will also be later 4 p.m. starts. Thus, the Fox Network will feature the team in more households when the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings come to town. Only three of eight home games will begin at the normal 1 p.m. time on Sundays. That is very Dallas Cowboy-esque!
This is the year for another World Series win
by jeff zell
It is hard to believe that it has been a decade since the Atlanta Braves won the 1995 World Series. It is even harder to believe that eight full seasons have passed since the Braves have even won a World Series game. Not since the team went up 2 games to 0 on the New York Yankees in the 1996 World Series, have the Braves won a Series game-never having won one since starting play at Turner Field. Having said all this, I still think the team's run of first place finishes has been extraordinary, unprecedented and completely under-appreciated. That will all change this year when Atlanta wins the 2005 World Series. Winning that second World Series will insure the franchise receives the accolades it so richly deserves. The starting pitching is strong and has the aces at the top a true contender needs. Dan Kolb is a dependable closer but the hope here is that Atlanta adds an experienced arm or two in the pen. At first base, Adam LaRoche will continue to improve, at second Marcus Giles is clutch, and Chipper Jones is an all-star at third, but an MVP if his defense is as good as it was last year. Rafael Furcal will need to improve his defense if he wants to be a Brave in 2006, while Johnny Estrada's all around play makes him invaluable. In the outfield, Brian Jordan and Raul Mondesi will produce, while I expect Andruw Jones to have that break out year.
One last word on the Braves, it is simply ignorant to say that Chipper Jones is not a leader. When a guy plays every day no matter the injuries and produces 100 RBI and 100 runs scored almost every year, he is a leader by example.
While we are on baseball, one more thought on the Three Amigos of the sport-Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds. It was simply laughable when Mark McGwire said he did not want to talk about the past. Every single trial or investigation in the history of humankind has been about the past. I wonder if McGwire had been asked if he had ever murdered anybody or injected heroine if he would have simply answered "no" or would he still have refused to discuss the past?
As for Sosa, his denials are meaningless. He is the type of guy who could get caught in bed with another woman and tell his wife "honey it's not what you think." This is the same Sosa who denied he corked his bat despite cork popping right out of his bat on national television.
As for Bonds, his directing cameras to pan out so that his son could be on television while he was questioned was nothing short of a poor attempt at manipulation. Here is the problem Barry. When you finish 8th, 9th or 10th in the Olympics, nobody cares if you used steroids. Perhaps they should, but they do not. If some guy hits 172 home runs and later admits he cheated by taking steroids, most people find the story somewhat irrelevant. However, if a great athlete takes steroids and becomes the all-time home run hitter, people care. The world wants its record holders to be legitimate. The Olympics only test medal winners after an Olympic event, not the competitors who finish eighth. That may not be right in a perfect world, but that is the way it is in sports.
The poor incompetent Atlanta Hawks. They trade a top player, Antoine Walker, to the Boston Celtics for a first round pick. Though the Celtics really needed Walker, and as of this writing, he has truly made them a contender, the Hawks agreed to lottery protect the Celtics pick. Problem is, that pick is from the Los Angeles Lakers, who will not make the playoffs this year. Thus, the Hawks will not receive that pick they so sorely need this year. No way to blame Pete Babcock for this one. I'm sure the Hawks could have held out and demanded the pick only be protected if it was in the top five, but alas they did not despite the fact that 14 teams are now in the lottery. Sad when people in the Atlanta organization root for a Lakers win more than a Hawks win.
Mark you calendars for Friday, June 10. That is the night that the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame has its Inaugural Induction Banquet at the Cobb Galleria Center with a cocktail reception and silent auction beginning at 6 p.m. Hank Aaron, Bobby Cox, Bobby Dodd, Bobby Jones, Tommy Nobis, and Dominique Wilkins will be inducted. For more information, you can call Larry Winter at 404-531-3216. Tickets are $75 per person.
(Jeff Zell has covered the Atlanta Sports Scene since 1987 and is currently a reporter for Sporting News Radio. zxyxvx@earthlink.net for comments.)