Georgia sports for Monday, October 1st

The Braves on Sunday were 3-0 losers to the Astros in Houston--the final game of the 2007 season for Atlanta. After a surge of 8 wins in 9 games, the Braves within the last week lost 4-of-5 to get knocked out of the playoff race. Atlanta finished with a record of 84-78 for the season. Chipper Jones was hitless at the plate Sunday to finish with a .337 batting average. In his quest for the batting title, he is 2nd to Colorado’s Matt Holiday, who is hitting .340, and has a 1-game playoff game to play today which will count in the statistics. Off-season questions for the Braves to answer include whether to re-sign centerfielder Andruw Jones, who will become a free agent.

From the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons posted their 1st win of the 2007 season, knocking-off the Houston Texans in the Ga Dome, 26-16. Joey Harrington threw a pair of touchdown passes, and Morten Anderson kicked 4 field goals in the victory. The Falcons beat their former backup quarterback, Matt Schaub. The Falcons improve to 1--3 on the season, and its the first win for new head coach Bobby Petrino.

Wrapping up the college football weekend, victories across the board for Georgia, Georgia Tech, Georgia Southern, and Valdosta State. In Athens Saturday, the Bulldogs ran all over Ole Miss 45-17. Georgia running back Thomas Brown rushed for a career-high of 180 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Bulldogs are now 12th in the new Associated Press rankings, a record of 4-1, 2-1 SEC. For Georgia Tech, it was sweet revenge for a blowout loss at Clemson last season. The Yellow Jackets at home Saturday used great defense to turn-back the Tigers 13-3. Tech running back Tashard Choice piled up 145 yards and a touchdown--despite nursing a nagging hamstring injury. The Jackets snapped a 2-game skid, upping their record to 3-2, and 1-2 ACC. In Statesboro Saturday, Georgia Southern scored the 50-21 blowout of Western Carolina. Senior quarterback Jayson Foster threw for 147 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 96 yards and a score. G-Southern is now 3-1, and 1-1 in the Soutnern Conference. For Valdosta State at home, they dismantled Ouachita Baptist 31-3. Running back Michael Terry ran for 181 yards and 2 scores. VSU is now 4-0 for the season.

Georgia sports for Friday, September 28th

The door has closed on the Braves' chances for the postseason. Atlanta was officially eliminated from contention last night, by virtue of their 6-4 loss to the Phillies in Philidelphia Thursday night. The loss means the Braves are missing the playoffs for a 2nd straight season. Pitcher John Smoltz was roughed-up in his final start of the 2007 season. He allowed 6 runs--5 earned--and 7 hits with 8 strikeouts in 4 innings of work. It was the shortest outing for Smoltz since late May. The Braves' offense included home runs from Chipper Jones and Mark Teixeira. Chipper is still very much in contention for the National League batting title. The Braves open a 3-game series in Houston tonight, which will close-out the season.

From college football, big games for Georgia and Georgia Tech on their respective home fields Saturday. The 15th ranked Bulldogs are home in Athens to meet Ole Miss at 1pm. Georgia enters play with the 3-1 record. For Tech's Yellow Jackets, now looking to snap a 2-game losing streak which has dropped their record to 2-2. A tough assignment in meeting 13th ranked Clemson in Atlanta at 3:30 tomorrow. For Georgia Southern, the Eagles are home in Statesboro to face Western Carolina at 3:30. The Eagles are 2-1 on the young season.

High school football is tonight across the state with another full schedule of games.

Georgia sports for Thursday, September 27th

The lights are nearly out for the Braves' postseason hopes, in the wake of their 5-2 loss to the Phillies in Philidelphia last night. Tim Hudson suffered the pitching loss to drop his season record to 16-10. A key Chipper Jones throwing error paved the way for 3 Phillies' un-earned runs off Hudson. With 4 games left in the season, the Braves stand 4 games out of 1st in the NL-East, and 4 off the top for the wild card. Concerning the Phillies, their recent surge combined with the Mets' faltering play has drawn Philidelphia to within 1 game of New York in the division.

Atlanta Falcons defensive back DeAngelo Hall says he's been fined 100-thousand dollars by the team for his outburst during the Falcons' loss at home to Carolina last Sunday. Hall also might be suspended for some length of the team's upcoming game against the Houston Texans. Last Sunday, Hall was whistled for 3 penalties on the same Falcon defensive series. His outburst included 2 personal fouls and a heated exchange with coaches on the sidelines. Hall says he plans to appeal the team sanctions through the NFL Players Association.

From preseason hockey, the Atlanta Thrashers last night beat the Florida Panthers 4-1 in exhibition action. The team is coming down the stretch toward their season opener, a week from Friday.

Georgia sports for Wednesday, September 26th

The Braves keep winning in their last-gasp chance to try and make the postseason. Last night, they won the opener of a 3-game series at Philidelphia 10-6. Home runs from Mark Teixeira and Chipper Jones set the tone for the win.

The Braves have won 8 of their last 9 games. In the playoff races, they now draw to within 4 games of the Mets for 1st in the NL-East, and remain 3 games back of wild card leader San Diego. There are 5 games remaining.

Georgia sports for Tuesday, September 25th

The Braves open the final week of the regular season on the road--their remaining 6 games on the schedule begin tonight with the 1st of 3 against the Phillies in Philidelphia. Alive but barely are the Braves in the playoff race. They stand 5 games out of 1st in the NL-East division, along with a 3-game deficit in the race for the National League wild card ticket. The Braves have been making a push the past week or so, as they've won 7 of their last 8 games.

Suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has more legal problems to deal with. Already awaiting December-sentencing for his guilty plea to federal dogfighting charges, Vick along with his three co-defendants Tuesday was indicted on two state felony charges relating to dogfighting. One of those charges, killing or beating a dog, carries up to five years in prison and a $2,500 fine for each dog.

Georgia sports for Monday, September 24th

The Falcons are off to a winless start through 3 games on their NFL-schedule. Yesterday’s home opener was a 27-20 loss to the Carolina Panthers inside the Georgia Dome. After the Falcons took a 17-10 lead in the 3rd quarter, momentum changed to the visitors, as defensive back DeAngelo Hall was called for 3 straight penalties—the first a hurtful interference call. Falcons' quarterback Joey Harrington had a good day for the offense, throwing for 361 yards and 2 touchdowns, but not enough in the end.

From baseball, the Braves wrapped up their home schedule for 2007 with a 7-4 comeback win over the Brewers, winning 3-of-4 in the series. Down 4-1, the Braves turned the game with 4 runs scored in the 7th inning. In the big picture, the Braves have a very faint heartbeat concerning the chance to reach the postseason, but alive nonetheless. With 6 games remaining, Atlanta is 5-and-a-half games behind the Mets for the top of the NL-East division. They are closer in the wild card race, only 3-and-a-half off the top there. The Braves have won 7 of their last 8 games. They start the final week of the season Tuesday on the road at Philidelphia.

Wrapping up the college football weekend in Georgia: The Georgia Bulldogs posted the exciting 26-23 overtime win at Alabama Saturday night. The winner was QB Matthew Stafford to Mikey Henderson on a 25-yard pass connection. Georgia Tech's Yellow Jackets lost their 2nd-straight game, falling at Virginia 28-23. Georgia Southern's Eagles were losers at home in Statesboro in overtime, 45-38 to Chattanooga. For the Valdosta State Blazers, they've improved their record to 3-0, after winning on the road at Arkansas State, 28-27.

Georgia sports for Friday, September 21st

The Braves beat the Milwaukee Brewers last night 3-1 in Atlanta, in the opener of the Braves' final home series of the season. With the victory, the Braves have a 5-game winning streak for only the third time this season, and first time since June. It was a strong starting pitching effort from Jeff Bennett, just called from the minors. In his first major league start, Bennett struck out 8 and allowed only a run in 5-and-two-thirds innings of work. Chipper Jones at the plate had 3 hits in 4 trips, pushing his season average to .342. That leads the National League, as he looks to chase down the batting title. Teammate Edgar Renteria was hitless in 3 at-bats, dropping his average to .336. The Braves with only 9 games remaining, trail the NL-East division leading Mets by 4-and-a-half games.

The college football weekend includes Georgia, Georgia Tech, and Georgia Southern all in action. The Bulldogs have an SEC-clash at Alabama tomorrow night--kickoff set for 7:45. The Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech are on the road Saturday for a noon kickoff at Virginia. For Georgia Southern's Eagles, its a home game in Statesboro facing Chattanooga at 7 o'clock tomorrow.

High school football action revs-up tonight with multitude of games across Georgia.

Georgia sports for Thursday, September 20th

The Braves completed a 3-game sweep of the Florida Marlins, winning 5-1 last night in Atlanta. Edgar Renteria had a home run among 3 hits, while Chipper Jones added 2 hits and an RBI. Both Jones and Renteria are in a battle for the National League batting title, hitting in the high 330’s. Mark Teixeira and Andruw Jones also had home runs last night. In was all more than enough to support the pitching of Chuck James, who got the win with 2 hits and no runs allowed in 7 innings. The Braves have won 4-straight overall, and open a 4-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers tonight.

Georgia sports for Wednesday, September 19th

The Braves have won 4 of their last 5 games in their final gasp attempt to try and make the postseason. For a second straight night, they topped the Florida Marlins--Tuesday's final of 4-3. The Braves got run-scoring singles from four different players. On the mound, rookie starter Jo-Jo Reyes earned his first major league victory. He allowed 3 hits and a run in 5 innings of work. With 11 games to go, Atlanta is 5-and-a-half games back in both the race for the NL-East division crown, and the wild card.

The Falcons continue to re-tool their roster, only 2 games into the season. One day after signing 47-year-old placekicker Morten Anderson, the team has gone for quarterback help. Former Jacksonville Jaguar QB Byron Leftwich was signed to a 2-year/7-million dollar contract. He will be a backup--perhaps only for now--to starter Joey Harrington. The Falcons are 0-2 on the young NFL season, and play their home opener this Sunday.

Georgia sports for Tuesday, September 18th

The Braves opened their final homestand of the season last night by blasting the Marlins 11-6 at Turner Field in Atlanta. Andruw Jones knocked a home run, while Jeff Francouer reached 100 RBI’s for the 2nd straight season. John Smoltz got the pitching win, his 14th of the season—-he worked 6 innings, with 4 hits and a run allowed.

From the NFL, the Falcons have dusted-off an old relic--again. They’ve signed 47-year-old kicker Morten Anderson for a third stint with the team. Anderson replaces a rookie, as Matt Prater was waived. Prater missed 3-of-4 field goal attempts in only 2 games with the Falcons, including 2 misses Sunday at Jacksonville.

Georgia sports for Monday, September 17th

The Falcons are off to an 0-2 start to their NFL season, following their defeat at Jacksonville Sunday afternoon, 13-7. The Jaguars defense sacked Falcons' quarterback Joey Harrington 7 times, while Falcons' kicker Matt Prater missed 2 field goals--including one from only 26 yards.

The college football weekend included wins for Georgia and Georgia Southern, while Georgia Tech lost their showdown with Boston College. Tech's Yellow Jackets were dominated 24-10 in Atlanta Saturday night. Now with a 2-1 record, the loss dropped Tech from the top-25 rankings. Georgia's Bulldogs got back on the winning track with an easy 45-16 win over Western Carolina Saturday in Athens. Georgia's record is now 2-1. For the Eagles of Georgia Southern, they are off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2001, following their win at Coastal Carolina, 42-34.

From baseball, the Braves blanked the Nationals 3-0 Sunday afternoon in action from Washington D-C. Tim Hudson posted the first complete game for a Braves starting pitcher this season. He scattered 7 hits and recorded 6 strikeouts in the 9-inning effort. The Braves-offense included Mark Teixeira's 2-RBI single, and a Kelly Johnson solo home run. The Braves won 2-of-3 games in D-C, and finished the road trip going 3-3. In the race for the National League wild card playoff spot, the Braves remain 5-and-a-half games behind leader San Diego. The final homestand of the season starts tonight--the Braves host Florida.

Georgia sports for Friday, September 14th

Storms played havoc yesterday with the 1st round of The Tour Championship golf tournament from Atlanta’s East Lake course. Only 10 golfers were able to finish their 1st round of action, as play was delayed for 3 hours. Tim Clark tied the course record with an 8-under-par ‘62’ for the early lead. Tiger Woods still has 7 holes to go on his 1st round, 4 off the top.

The Braves open a series against the Nationals in Washington DC tonight. Chuck James gets the starting pitching call. The Braves are down to 16 games remaining on their schedule--the playoffs appear to be out of reach for a 2nd straight season.

Georgia sports for Thursday, September 13th

The Braves dropped another game they couldn't afford to lose in order to keep their faint playoff hopes alive, as the Mets won last night 4-3. The Braves lost 2-of-3 in their series at New York.

Down 3-1 in the 8th inning with 2 outs, Jeff Francouer delivered a 2-RBI single to tie the game. But the Mets regained the lead in their half of the 8th, as Shawn Green came up with the tiebreaking RBI-single. It wasted another solid starting pitching effort from John Smoltz.

With the loss, the Braves' record fell to 74-72. Including last night's defeat, the Braves since July 17th are only 8-19 in 1 or 2 run games. In the bigger picture, with only 16 games remaining in the season, it appears Atlanta will miss the postseason for a 2nd straight year. They are 9-and-a-half games behind the Mets for the top spot in the NL-East. The Braves trail the wild card leader by 5 games.

Veteran 3rd baseman Chipper Jones missed all 3 games of the Mets' series, but says he expects to return to action tomorrow night in Washington D-C. He's been battling a sore oblique muscle in his right side.

The stars of professional golf are back in Georgia this week, as the Tour Championship tees-off from Atlanta's East Lake Golf Club this morning. The PGA's top 30 golfers are vying for this weekend's title, as well as the inaugural FedEx Cup. Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, and Phil Mickelson are top in the standings heading into action.

Georgia sports for Wednesday, September 12th

Trying to keep their faint postseason hopes alive, the Braves came up with a big 13-5 win over the Mets in New York last night. Mark Teixeira knocked a 3-run homer, while Yunel Escobar added a 2-run shot. Willie Harris contributed 3 RBI's to the Atlanta offensive effort. With 17 games to go, the Braves are 5 games behind San Diego for the wild card playoff ticket. The Braves and Mets wrap their series tonight--John Smoltz gets the Braves' pitching start.

Georgia sports for Tuesday, September 11th

The Braves took another hit to their playoff hopes, losing the opener in their series against the Mets in New York last night, 3-2. Tim Hudson started and threw well, but was out-pitched by Oliver Perez. David Wright knocked a big 2-run homer off Hudson. The Braves-offense was highlighted by Brian McCann, who delivered a 2-run homer.
The Braves and Mets face-off again tonight.

The new Georgia high school football rankings are out for the week, now two weeks into the season. Class 5A has Roswell on top, followed by Norcross, Tift County, Stephenson and Coffee 1-through-5. From Class 4A, Northside-Warner Robins holds the top spot, followed by Tucker, Thomas County Central, Griffin, and St. Pius X. Class 3A has a new number-1, as Carver-Columbus takes the slot. LaGrange, Carrollton, Hart County, and Cairo round the top-5. From Class 2A, the first 5 goes Charlton County, Buford, Early County, Greater Atlanta Christian, and Cook. In the single-A rankings, number-1 Lincoln County is followed by Athens Academy, Wilcox County, Pacelli Catholic, and Seminole County.

Georgia sports for Monday, September 10th

The Braves fell to the Nationals 7-4 Sunday afternoon from Turner Field in Atlanta. The Braves won 2-of-3 games in their series against Washington, and completed the homestand with 4 wins in 9 games. In the bigger picture, down the stretch to the season, it will be a tall order for Atlanta to get to the postseason as 19 games remain. The Braves are 4-and-a-half games behind the wild card leader, and are 8-and-a-half games off the pace of the Mets in the NL-East. The Braves open a road series tonight in New York against the Mets.

It was the opening weekend of regular season action in the NFL, and for the Atlanta Falcons, life began without Michael Vick: the Falcons lost their opener on the road at Minnesota Sunday, 24-3. Quarterback Joey Harrington was 23-of-32 passing for 199 yards, but threw 2 interceptions--both were returned by the Vikings for touchdowns. Minnesota's defense registered 6 sacks of Harrington.

The college football weekend in the state included wins for Georgia Tech and Georgia Southern, and defeat for Georgia. The Bulldogs at home in Athens fell to South Carolina 16-12. With that defeat, Georgia tumbled 12 spots in the Associated Press rankings to #23. Tech's Yellow Jackets were big winners on Saturday, beating up on Samford 69-14. Tech improved their record to 2-0, and jumped to a #15 national ranking. Georgia Southern's Eagles opened their season in Statesboro, and made a winner of head coach Chris Hatcher in his debut, 45-21 over West Georgia.

Georgia sports for Thursday, Sept. 6th

The Braves came back from a 6-run deficit after 7 innings yesterday, stunning the Phillies at Turner Field 9-8. The Braves scored 4 times in the 8th inning, then a final 3 runs for the victory in their half of the 9th. With 2 outs, Matt Diaz delivered a bases-clearing double to right field. The Braves are hoping somehow this might spur a big comeback in the playoff race, where they are 5-and-a-half games back of a wild card spot. They remain 7-and-a-half back of the Mets for the NL-East division lead.

The football weekend approaching adds Georgia Southern, and the NFL's Atlanta Falcons to the schedule. On the college gridiron, both Georgia and Georgia Tech look to go 2-0 to open their seasons. The Bulldogs are in Athens hosting neighbor South Carolina on Saturday for a 5:45 kickoff. Tech's Yellow Jackets stage their home-opener in Atlanta Saturday afternoon, a 1:30 start facing Samford. Georgia Southern's Eagles open their schedule at home in Statesboro against West Georgia--a 6pm kickoff for Saturday evening. On the pro level, its the opening of the NFL season this weekend: the Falcons begin life without Michael Vick, on the road at Minnesota Sunday.

Georgia sports for Wednesday, September 5th

The Braves' modest 1-game winning streak--is over. Last night, the Phillies bounced back to end their 3-game skid in the 5-2 final from Turner Field in Atlanta. Ryan Howard hit his 37th home run of the season for the visitors. The Braves offensively were handcuffed by Philidelphia-starter Kyle Lohse, but Chipper Jones did connect for his 23rd homer of the season. The Braves and Phillies wrap the series this afternoon, as Tim Hudson gets the starting pitching assignment for Atlanta.

Georgia sports for Tuesday, September 4th

The Braves snapped a 3-game losing skid with a 5-1 win over the Phillies Monday afternoon, opening a series at Turner Field in Atlanta. The Braves' offense included a 2-RBI double from Brian McCann, one of 11 Atlanta hits in the game. On the pitching side, stater Lance Cormier threw 5-and-two-thirds innings, allowing only 4 hits and a run to go along with 5 strikeouts. 4 relievers followed out of the bullpen to wrap things up--Atlanta pitching allowed only 4 hits for the contest. With under a month of action to go, the Braves still face an uphill climb if they are to return to the postseason: they trail the NL-East leading Mets by 7-and-a-half games. In the wild-card chase, the Braves stand 5-and-a-half back. Game 2 of 3 against the Phillies goes tonight with Buddy Carlyle getting the pitching start.

From the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons are getting ready for their season opener, Sunday on the road at Minnesota. The Falcons fine-tuned their roster with a few moves, including the release of two players. Linebacker Jordan Beck and running back Jason Snelling were cut from the roster.

Georgia sports for Monday, September 3rd

It was a bad time for the Braves to suffer an offensive power outage—-they scored only 4 runs in 3 weekend games against the Mets, losing all 3, including the final of 3-2 on Sunday from Turner Field. In a fourth matchup this season of former teammates, pitcher Tom Glavine beat John Smoltz for the 1st time this year. Into the final month of the season, the Braves have now lost 9 of their last 12 games, and have fallen 7-and-a-half games back in the NL-East race, as well as 6-and-a-half back in the wild card. The Braves open a home series against Phillies this afternoon.

Weekend college football action saw Georgia and Ga Tech score victories to open their seasons. The Bulldogs beat Oklahoma State 35-14, while the Yellow Jackets won on the road at Notre Dame 33-3. There is some bad news for the Bulldogs however. They’ve lost running back Kregg Lumpkin for this weekend’s game and possibly longer. He suffered a broken thumb in the opening win Saturday.