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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2006
Smoltz steams after Game 1 loss
The steam rising from
John Smoltz’s balding
head wasn’t visible here
Wednesday afternoon, but
the veteran
Braves ace’s
building
frustration
was certainly
evident.
Smoltz
thought his
six innings
and three
runs allowed
should have
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Service
been enough for Atlanta to
take down the New York
Mets in Game 1 of the
teams’ doubleheader.
Instead, journeyman
lefty Dave Williams held
the Braves to a run for six
innings. The Mets’ bullpen
then threw three scoreless
innings in New York’s 4-1
victory.
Smoltz danced out of
some trouble all day. He
thought the only mistake
he made in his quality start
was the two-run homer he
served up to Carlos Delgado
in the sixth.
“I made one bad pitch and
we only scored one run,”
Smoltz said. “That’s as sim
ple and short as you’ll ever
hear me.”
The 39-year-old wasn’t
quite done, though. He
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From page iB
and punt the football.
“We have the capability
and worked on being more
balanced than we have in
the past.”
As big as the shock waves
that victory caused through
out the state, Way said it
was their main goal to play
well in that situation, and
he’s not as glowing in his
own review as his colleague
was.
“We may have caught
(Parkview) at the right
time,” he said. “We are by
no means a real good foot
ball team right now. If we
keep working we have a
chance to be.
“I was pleased with the
execution on both sides of
the ball. The effort was
outstanding. Special teams
were O.K. Kick-off return
needs a lot of work.”
Northside also got off to a
winning note last weekend
in a 26-14 triumph over
Houston County High, yet
another county rival. The
Eagles took advantage of
two first half mistakes by
the Bears to get 10 points,
then held off Houston after
giving the football away
twice in the second half.
“We gave them a few plays,
but overall I thought we
played well (on defense),”
said Nix. “I thought their
defense played well, too. We
didn’t move the ball well
against them. Both of us had
some big plays, but thank
fully we scored enough to
come out on top.”
“They have tremendous
team speed,” said Way
about this year’s Eagles.
“They always do. They may
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went on to hint that the
offense let the club down.
Later, after the Game 2 loss,
the Braves’ position players
said as much.
“If you score one run,
you’re not going to win,”
Smoltz said. “That’s what
happened today.”
After he said that, young
ster Oliver Perez one-upped
Williams, tossing a five
hit shutout in the second
game.
FRINCNY MAKES FRIENDS:
Adding insult to the two
losses, Francoeur was called
out in the fourth inning
after a fan interfered with
Julio Franco’s attempt on
a foul ball down the first
base line.
The pop up neared the
stands, and the fan’s hand
got between the ball and
Franco’s glove.
Francoeur, and manager
Bobby Cox, became incred
ulous about the ruling.
And, further, that the fan
- a middle-aged man eating
an ice cream cone - wasn’t
ejected from Shea Stadium.
Francoeur said he was
trying to explain to first
base ump Kerwin Danley
that Franco might not have
caught the ball even with
out the fan reaching in.
When Francoeur came up
the next time, he was booed
not be as big as they have
been on either side of the
line. But they play great
defense and they are bal
anced on offense. In terms
of what they do, it’s like all
the other Northside teams
I’ve seen the last 10 to 15
years.”
At the quarterback posi
tion, it’s a tale of two play
ers who, for different rea
sons, played sparingly in
2005.
Mark Wright Jr. of Warner
Robins missed about 90
percent of last season with
a knee injury. He had a good
scrimmage outing against
Peach County, but Parkview
provided his first full-game
test.
“He looked awfully good,”
said Nix. “He’s big and fast.
He has a good zip on the
ball, too. He’s a lot more
precise, more productive.”
Northside’s Marques
Ivory, a junior, has taken
over the Eagle’s quarter
back duties while Jacobi
Rodrigues now plays
wide receiver. Ivory cer
tainly relied on last year’s
starter on the 14-1 team
as Rodrigues made seven
catches for 143 yards and
two touchdowns.
This is one position where
Way knows the Eagles have
gotten bigger, again in
terms of size. The Demon
coach likes the way Ivory
throws the ball, but sees
the mobility factor different
from what Rodrigues and
others before him had.
“He can move well enough
to evade would-be rushers,”
said Way. “He can scram
ble and make good positive
yards. I don’t think he’s a
treat to break it all the way,
but you have to account for
him.”
heartily by the Shea faith
ful. And the 22-year-old
promptly flied out weakly
to center to the sound of
their chastising cheers.
COOID NAVE REEN WORSE: In
playing their third double
header in five days, the
Braves became the first
team to do so since the
Mets did it in August 1998.
Actually, the Mets played
six games in four days.
The last Braves team to
play three doubleheaders in
a business week was the
1976 club. And that team
actually wound up playing
four doubleheaders in six
days.
COMMUNITY NERO: Tim
Hudson is the Braves’
nominee for the Roberto
Clemente Award, given each
year to the player who is
seen as the team’s leader in
community service. Hudson
and his wife, Kim, are
active in several Atlanta
area charities, including the
Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Smoltz, honored in
Houston during the World
Series, won the MLB-wide
award last season.
Additionally, Smoltz is
the Braves’ nominee for the
Marvin Miller man of the
year award. Fans can vote
for that Smoltz at www.
mlbplayers.com.
The Demon coaches
also won’t get too caught
up in worrying only about
Rodrigues in the passing
game. In fact, the hope may
be that the best defense is
that it won’t be the Eagles’
night.
“They spread it around
so much that it’s hard to
double him,” said Way. “If
you do that you’ll leave
somebody else uncovered.
Or you have to take some
body out of the box, and
they’ll run the football on
you. You have to pick your
poison, but we have some
guys in the secondary who
can match up well with
them.”
“I thought he did a good
job,” said Nix on Ivory’s
game Friday. “Of course he
threw the interception, but
he made a lot of big plays.
He was under distress when
he threw the interception ...
just trying to make some
thing happen. Sometimes
you’re better off not trying
to make something happen.
“I know (Warner Robins)
is going to put a lot of pres
sure on him. Hopefully we
can move the ball in some
areas.”
Nix has other first time
starters or starters try
ing new positions. He said
some did well and others
didn’t. Deonta Jordan did
well as a fullback with 48
yards on the ground and
a touchdown. The pleasant
surprise of the night was
freshman Devon Pike, the
new placekicker. He hit on
field goals of 27 and 30
yards, though there was
one miss of a PAT.
“It was a mis-hold,” said
Nix. “The holder didn’t
field the ball. It was not the
kicker’s fault.”
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Christian
Westfield finishers at die cross country meet at George Walton Tuesday
1 Jacob Parnell (first tor varsity) 19:13
2 Hunter Wojohn 22:31
3 Evan Grantham 23:53
4 Thompson Way 24:59
5 Hank McCord 26:02
6 ' Will Walton 29:14
7 Zack Hamsley 25:01
8 Jared Howard 26:37
9 Jeremy Stubbs 2753
10 Will O’Neal 2828
11 Clave Cleveland 32:32
1 Leigh James-Arttgas 25:34
2 MaDory Eubanks (ninth) 24:12
3 Callie Brown 29:47
4 Kim CampbeH 32:20
BROWN
From page iB
It’s not surprising that he
was doing what he always
does, making a film about
exotic forms of wildlife.
It reminds me in some
ways of Dale Earnhardt and
other auto racers who have
died as a result of on-the
. track accidents.
In both cases, you’re talk
ing about people doing what
they love to do, which also
happens to be what they
happen to do for a living.
Also in both cases, it’s about
professions with a lot of dan
gerous risks.
■ Tiger Woods wins five
golf tournaments in a row.
Good thing or bad thing for
the sport? You decide.
In this recent victory,
Woods overcame a three
shot deficit - which can be
like being down five runs
in baseball - against Vijay
Singh, who not long ago took
away the world’s No. 1 rank
ing.
One thing you hear about
in the post-tournament com
mentary is how these two
particular golfers don’t care
for each other. The evidence
is that they never said a
word to each other during
their pairing over 18 holes.
On that same note, the
rumors are Woods and
another would-be rival, Phil
Mickelson, aren’t exactly
the best of friends. When
he had to present Lefty with
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From page iB
I don’t know if they neces
sarily do. We haven’t played
them in a couple of years.
“(The Cavaliers) are
spreading it out more than
they normally do. I’m sure
they’ll run the ball more than
they had the opportunity to
against FPD.
“We have to control the
ball on offense. They have a
lot of speed at wideout and
the quarterback position. We
just hope we don’t get behind
them.”
The Hornet loss at John
Milledge was a bit more on
the frustrating side, 31-28.
“Our offensive line per
formed exceptional,” said
Jones. “Anytime you get 300
yards rushing ... Austin’s a
good back, but I don’t think
it matters what back is back
there if the line blocks like
that again. We have people
who can get in those holes.”
The turnover margin also
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the green jacket after this
year’s Masters, some labeled
Woods’ smile and congratu
latory wishes as fake and
insincere.
I say if there is some ani
mosity between these great
players, let’s see some real
demonstrations.
And I don’t mean any
thing subtle like stepping
in a lie. Tiger, if you really
hated it when Phil won at
Augusta, just take the jack
et, throw it into some bushes
and say, “Put it on yourself
(beeeep).”
Those NASCAR racers
sure don’t hold anything
back in showing how they
feel about each other. You’ll
see somebody go up to the
guy who sideswiped him and
try to pull him right out of
the car. Makes great televi
sion for the Speed Channel
and could spice up the Golf
Channel.
(Gee, two NASCAR refer
ences in’one column. Must
not be feeling well.)
■ Not only are the New
York Mets primed to take
over as National League
Eastern Division champi
ons, they may also soon earn
another label once owned by
the Atlanta Braves: Biggest
offseason disappointment.
Not only are some of the
key Mets players less than
100 percent healthy, but also
take a look at that lead they
have. When is the last time
in the last couple of months
they played a significant
game?
worked against Westfield as
the Trojans cashed in two
takeaways for touchdowns to
just one for the visitors.
“Defensively I thought we
would play better than we
did,” said Jones. “They had
over 250 yards rushing. But
they never stopped us all
night. That’s the most disap
pointing. If we don’t get the
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The Braves know that for
mula all too well. Have a
hot streak in the summer,
lead the division by double
figures, coast into the play
offs, then come home early.
Maybe that’s why so many
wild card teams reached the
World Series recently. Those.
contenders are playing mean
ingful games in September,
and the momentum carries
over into October.
In fact, I’ll go out on a
limb and sav we’ll have an;
all wild-ca r d Fall Classic this
time around.
(You know, it’s kind of nice .
out here on this limb. Don’t
usually spend a lot of time
with all the other predictors.
Didn’t do too well last time
with that Georgia Tech-
Notre Dame pick.)
■ Bulldog Talk.
A recent report on gecr
giadogs.com said that Damon
Evans reached a deal with
the University of Oregon for
a home at-home series in
football for the 2015 and»
2016 seasons. '
Another good move by
the new athletic director,
who also got Arizona State,
Louisville and Colorado on
Bulldog schedules (good
thing he missed the call from
Montana State).
Playing the Ducks would
be great ... this year. Might
see them in a bowl. But do
you realize that the players
who will suit up in these
games (2015 and 2016) are
right now playing middle
school ball?
turnovers, I don’t think we
lose.”
Madruga, in fact, had more
than 100 yards on the ground
with a touchdown. The quar
terback slot remains a two
man competition between
Chase Ellis and Casey Young,
Jones said both are still play
ing well and both will see
action against the Cavaliers.
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