2B Wednesday, November 21,2018
The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com
SPORTS
GOLF
Phil Mickelson follows his shot from the second tee of the
Silverado Resort North Course during the final round of the
Safeway Open on Oct. 7 in Napa, California.
■ Continued from 1B
— Woods was the only
rival Mickelson had, not
the other way around —
has been dormant for five
years. This feels old, and
the relentless promotion
at times has made it feel
contrived.
Is it a bad idea? Not at all.
There is no downside
to Woods and Mickelson
squaring off in a pay-per-
view event on a beautiful
golf course at Shadow Creek
that everyone seems to
know but hardly anyone
has seen. But when the big
gest upside is that there’s
no downside, selling it
becomes an uphill battle.
There will be plenty of
talking, and Mickelson is
rarely without words. There
will be side action. That’s
part of what makes this dif
ferent from the “Showdown
at Sherwood,” a Monday
night exhibition between
Woods and David Duval
in 1999 when they were in
their prime and battling for
No. 1 in the world.
The question is whether it
has a future.
That’s about the only
thing that piques the inter
est of Alastair Johnston,
vice chairman of IMG who
knows a little about these
golf exhibitions.
Johnston was deeply
involved with the Skins
Game when it began in 1983
until it had run its course
in 2008. In the midst of
that run were the Monday
night matches that featured
Woods against Duval, Sergio
Garcia and then a team
format that ended — thank
fully — when it had Woods,
Mickelson, John Daly and
Retief Goosen.
“It’s very tough for me
to criticize it, but it’s very
tough to praise it,” Johnston
said.
That covers a lot of ter
ritory for a lot of golf fans.
Those who live to criticize
will be reaching for low-
hanging fruit.
Those who want to
watch Woods and Mickel
son go head-to-head will
have no trouble finding
entertainment.
“I’ll be interested, from a
professional standpoint, in
how many viewers it gets,
how many pay,” Johnston
said. “How many people
actually care to spend
money on that, and does
it lead to other opportuni
ties and different delivery
systems? Golf hasn’t been
tested like that. That’s what
intrigues me.”
The PGA Tour has
approved only one of these
matches, even as there is
talk of a franchise.
History suggests this
won’t have much staying
power. The Skins Game
was ideal for Thanksgiving
weekend, and there was
plenty of star power among
Jack Nicklaus, Arnold
Palmer, Gary Player, Lee
Trevino, Tom Watson, Fred
Couples and others.
Golf has that now with a
strong core of young major
champions, and perhaps
ERIC RISBERG I Associated Press
that’s in the future.
But more episodes of
Woods and Mickelson will
get old, and history suggests
that Woods and any collec
tion of players might not be
enough. In the old Monday
night exhibitions, Woods
went from a 7.6 national
rating with Sergio Garcia to
a 3.0 in the last of the team
events.
So the only outcome on
Black Friday is how many
care, even when it involves
the one player everyone
loves to watch.
Johnston recalls not
so fondly the time he put
together a unique concept
in 1997, the year Woods set
20 records at the Masters
and won by 12.
He was to play against
Michael Jordan, Ken
Griffey Jr. and Kevin Cost
ner. For every hole Woods
won, they could choose
which club to take out of his
bag.
The forecast is for sun
shine and mild weather in
Las Vegas on Friday.
That’s a start.
Doug Ferguson is golf
columnist for the Associated
Press. He can be reached at
dferguson@ap.org
Football/NFL
AMERICAN CONFERENCE
East
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
New England
7
3
0
.700
280
236
Miami
5
5
0
.500
199
256
Buffalo
3
7
0
.300
137
251
N.Y. Jets
3
7 0
South
.300
208
254
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Houston
7
3
0
.700
239
205
Indianapolis
5
5
0
.500
298
249
Tennessee
5
5
0
.500
178
189
Jacksonville
3
7 0
North
.300
176
219
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Pittsburgh
7
2
1
.750
299
225
Baltimore
5
5
0
.500
237
181
Cincinnati
5
5
0
.500
256
312
Cleveland
3
6 1
West
.350
218
263
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Kansas City
9
2
0
.818
404
294
L.A. Chargers
7
3
0
.700
262
209
Denver
4
6
0
.400
228
235
Oakland
2
8
0
.200
170
293
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
East
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Washington
6
4
0
.600
197
198
Dallas
5
5
0
.500
203
190
Philadelphia
4
6
0
.400
205
231
N.Y. Giants
3
7 0
South
.300
215
263
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
New Orleans
9
1
0
.900
378
239
Carolina
6
4
0
.600
260
252
Atlanta
4
6
0
.400
263
276
Tampa Bay
3
7 0
North
.300
267
329
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
Chicago
7
3
0
.700
294
195
Minnesota
5
4
1
.550
241
229
Green Bay
4
5
1
.450
247
243
Detroit
4
6 0
West
.400
222
263
W
L
T
Pet
PF
PA
L.A. Rams
10
1
0
.909
389
282
Seattle
5
5
0
.500
246
216
Arizona
2
8
0
.200
145
248
San Francisco
2
8
0
.200
230
266
Monday’s Games
L.A. Rams 54, Kansas City 51
Thursday’s games
Chicago at Detroit, 12:30 p.m.
Washington at Dallas, 4:30 p.m.
Atlanta at New Orleans, 8:20 p.m.
Sunday’s games
Seattle at Carolina, 1 p.m.
New England at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.
Jacksonville at Buffalo, 1 p.m.
San Francisco at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Oakland at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia, 1 p.m.
Cleveland at Cincinnati, 1 p.m.
Football/college
Top 25 schedule
Thursday’s game
No. 22 Mississippi State at Mississippi, 7:30
p.m.
Friday’s games
No. 6 Oklahoma at No. 12 West Virginia,
8 p.m.
No. 7 Washington State vs. No. 16
Washington, 8:30 p.m.
No. 8 UCF at South Florida, 4:15 p.m.
No. 11 Texas at Kansas, Noon
Saturday’s games
No. 1 Alabama vs. Auburn, 3:30 p.m.
No. 2 Clemson vs. South Carolina, 7 p.m.
No. 3 Notre Dame at Southern Cal, 8 p.m.
No. 4 Michigan at No. 10 Ohio State, Noon
No. 5 Georgia vs. Georgia Tech, Noon
No. 8 LSU at Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m.
No. 13 Florida at Florida State, Noon
No. 14 Utah State at No. 21 Boise State,
10:15 p.m.
No. 15 Penn State vs. Maryland, 3:30 p.m.
No. 17 Kentucky at Louisville, 7 p.m.
No. 18 Utah vs. BYU, 10 p.m.
No. 19 Syracuse at Boston College, Noon
No. 20 Northwestern vs. Illinois, 3:30 p.m.
No. 24 Pittsburgh at Miami, 3:30 p.m.
No. 25 Iowa State vs. Kansas State, 7 p.m.
Football/college
Thursday’s games
SOUTH
MVSU (1-9) at Alabama St. (3-7), 3 p.m.
Mississippi St. (7-4) at Mississippi St. (7-4),
7:30 p.m.
FAR WEST
Colorado St. (3-8) at Air Force (4-7), 3:30 p.m.
Friday’s games
EAST
Oklahoma (10-1) at West Virginia (8-2), 8 p.m.
SOUTH
Houston (8-3) at Memphis (7-4), Noon
Coastal Carolina (5-6) at South Alabama
(2-9), 3 p.m.
Virginia (7-4) at Virginia Tech (4-6), 3:30 p.m.
UCF (10-0) at South Florida (7-4), 4:15 p.m.
MIDWEST
Buffalo (9-2) at Bowling Green (3-8), Noon
Nebraska (4-7) at Iowa (7-4), Noon
Texas (8-3) at Kansas (3-8), Noon
E. Michigan (6-5) at Kent St. (2-9), Noon
Akron (4-6) at Ohio (7-4), Noon
Cent. Michigan (1-10) at Toledo (6-5), Noon
Arkansas (2-9) at Missouri (7-4), 2:30 p.m.
East Carolina (3-7) at Cincinnati (9-2), 3:30
p.m.
FAR WEST
Oregon (7-4) at Oregon St. (2-9), 4 p.m.
Washington (8-3) at Washington St. (10-1),
8:30 p.m.
Saturday’s games
EAST
Syracuse (8-3) at Boston College (7-4), Noon
Maryland (5-6) at Penn St. (8-3), 3:30 p.m.
Temple (7-4) at UConn (1-10), 3:30 p.m.
SOUTH
Marshall (7-3) at FIU (8-3), Noon
Florida (8-3) at Florida St. (5-6), Noon
Georgia Tech (7-4) at Georgia (10-1), Noon
W. Kentucky (2-9) at Louisiana Tech (7-4),
Noon
NC State (7-3) at North Carolina (2-8), Noon
Navy (3-8) at Tulane (5-6), Noon
Wake Forest (5-6) at Duke (7-4), 12:30 p.m.
NC Central (4-6) at SC State (5-5), 1:30 p.m.
Georgia Southern (8-3) at Georgia St. (2-9),
2 p.m.
New Mexico St. (3-8) at Liberty (4-6), 2 p.m.
Troy (9-2) at Appalachian St. (8-2), 2:30 p.m.
Louisiana-Lafayette (6-6) at Louisiana-
Monroe (6-5), 3 p.m.
UAB (9-2) at Middle Tennessee (7-4), 3 p.m.
Auburn (7-4) at Alabama (11-0), 3:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh (7-4) at Miami (6-5), 3:30 p.m.
Tennessee (5-6) at Vanderbilt (5-6), 4 p.m.
Grambling St. (6-4) vs. Southern U. (6-3) at
New Orleans, 5 p.m.
Charlotte (4-7) at FAU (5-6), 6 p.m.
South Carolina (6-4) at Clemson (11-0), 7
p.m.
Kentucky (8-3) at Louisville (2-9), 7 p.m.
MIDWEST
Purdue (5-6) at Indiana (5-6), Noon
Michigan (10-1) at Ohio St. (10-1), Noon
Illinois (4-7) at Northwestern (7-4), 3:30 p.m.
Minnesota (5-6) at Wisconsin (7-4), 3:30 p.m.
Rutgers (1-10) at Michigan St. (6-5), 4 p.m.
Kansas St. (5-6) at Iowa St. (6-4), 7 p.m.
SOUTHWEST
Baylor (5-6) vs. Texas Tech (5-6) at Arlington,
Texas, Noon
Old Dominion (4-7) at Rice (1-11), 1 p.m.
Texas Southern (2-8) at Prairie View (4-6),
2 p.m.
Southern Miss. (5-5) at UTEP (1-10), 3 p.m.
SMU (5-6) at Tulsa (2-9), 3:30 p.m.
Arkansas St. (7-4) at Texas St. (3-8), 4 p.m.
North Texas (8-3) at UTSA (3-8), 7 p.m.
LSU (9-2) at Texas A&M (7-4), 7:30 p.m.
Oklahoma St. (6-5) at TCU (5-6), 8 p.m.
FAR WEST
Wyoming (5-6) at New Mexico (3-8), 2:30
p.m.
Arizona St. (6-5) at Arizona (5-6), 3:30 p.m.
Stanford (6-4) at UCLA (3-8), 3:30 p.m.
Colorado (5-6) at California (6-4), 7 p.m.
San Jose St. (1-10) at Fresno St. (9-1), 7 p.m.
Notre Dame (11-0) at Southern Cal (5-6),
8 p.m.
Nevada (7-4) at UNLV (3-8), 9:30 p.m.
BYU (6-5) at Utah (8-3), 10 p.m.
Utah St. (10-1) at Boise St. (8-2), 10:15 p.m.
Hawaii (7-5) at San Diego St. (7-4), 10:30
p.m.
FCS Playoffs
First Round
Duquesne (8-3) atTowson (7-4), 2 p.m.
Elon (6-4) at Wofford (8-3), 2 p.m.
Stony Brook (7-4) at SE Missouri St. (8-3),
2 p.m.
Incarnate Word (6-4) at Montana St. (7-4),
3 p.m.
Delaware (7-4) at James Madison (8-3),
3 p.m.
San Diego (9-2) at Nicholls St. (8-3), 4 p.m.
Lamar (7-4) at N. Iowa (6-5), 5 p.m.
ETSU (8-3) at Jacksonville St. (8-3), 7:30 p.m.
Transactions
BASEBALL
American League
CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Selected the
contracts of RHP Dylan Cease and LHP Kodi
Medeiros from Birmingham (SL) and RHP
Jordan Stephens and C Seby Zavala from
Charlotte (IL).
HOUSTON ASTROS — Selected the contracts
of RHP Rogelio Armenteros and C Garrett Stubbs
from Fresno (PCL) and RHP Bryan Abreu from
Quad Cities (MWL).
KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Selected the con
tracts of RHPs Arnaldo Hernandez and Josh
Staumont from Omaha (PCL) and RHP Scott
Blewett from Northwest Arkansas (TL).
MINNESOTA TWINS — Signed 3B Randy
Cesar and RHPs Preston Guilmet and Zack
Weiss to minor league contracts. Selected the
contracts of SS Nick Gordon and OF LaMonte
Wade from Rochester (IL).
SEATTLE MARINERS — Added RHP Erik
Swanson to the 40-man roster. Shifted first
base coach Chris Prieto to third base coach.
Named Perry Hill first base/infield coach.
TEXAS RANGERS — 3B Adrian Beltre
announced his retirement. Claimed INF Jack
Reinheimer off waivers from the Chicago Cubs.
Assigned RHPs Eddie Butler and Ronald Herrera
outright to Nashville (PCL).
National League
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Assigned RHPs
Artie Lewicki and Braden Shipley outright to
Reno (PCL).
ATLANTA BRAVES — Selected the contracts
of C Alex Jackson and RHPs Jacob Webb,
Patrick Weigel and Huascar Ynoa from Gwinnett
(IL).
MIAMI MARLINS — Claimed RHP Julian
Fernandez off waivers from San Francisco.
NEW YORK METS — Released RHP Jenrry
Mejia.
ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Designated RHPs
Conner Greene and Derian Gonzalez for assign
ment. Agreed to terms with LHPs Tommy Layne
and Hunter Cervenka, C Joe Hudson and RHPs
Mike Hauschild, Williams Perez and Harold
Arauz on minor league contracts. Selected the
contracts of LHP Genesis Cabrera, RHP Ryan
Helsley, OF Lane Thomas and INF Ramon Urias
from Memphis (PCL).
WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Agreed to terms
with C Kurt Suzuki on a two-year contract.
FOOTBALL
National Football League
CINCINNATI BENGALS — Signed DE Kasim
Edebali. Placed LB Preston Brown on injured
reserve. Signed WR Hunter Sharp and DE
Aaron Wallace to the practice squad. Placed DT
Andrew Brown on the practice squad/injured
list.
DENVER BRONCOS — Placed G Max Garcia
on injured reserve. Signed OT Cyrus Kouandijo.
Waived CB-KR Adam Jones.
GREEN BAY PACKERS — Signed WR Teo
Redding to the practice squad.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS — Placed CB
D.J. Killings on injured reserve. Waived CB
Arthur Maulet. Signed C Josh Andrews from
Philadelphia’s practice squad.
HOCKEY
National Hockey League
ANAHEIM DUCKS — Reassigned G Kevin
Boyle to San Diego (AHL).
ARIZONA COYOTES — Assigned D Robbie
Russo to Tucson (AHL).
CALGARY FLAMES — Assigned D Dalton
Prout to Stockton (AHL) for conditioning.
NEW JERSEY DEVILS — Assigned D Steven
Santini to Binghamton (AHL) for long-term injury
conditioning.
COLLEGE
NOTRE DAME — Announced senior F Elijah
Burns is leaving the men’s basketball program.
TODAY ON TV
BASKETBALL
HOCKEY
■ Oklahoma vs. Florida, noon, ESPN ■ Flyers at
■ Wisconsin vs. Stanford, 2:30 p.m., ESPN Buffalo Sabres,
■ Tennessee vs. Louisville, 5 p.m., ESPN2 7:30 p.m., NBCSN
■ Fort Myers Tip-Off third-place match, 5 p.m., FS1
■ Marquette vs. Kansas, 7 p.m., ESPN2
■ Fort Myers Tip-Off championship, 7:30 p.m., FS1
■ NBA: Lakers at Cavaliers, 8 p.m., ESPN
■ NBA: Thunder at Warriors, 10:30 p.m., ESPN
GOLF
■ PGA Tour Golf, Handa Melbourne World Cup of Golf, 8 p.m., GOLF
MEN’S COLLEGE BASKCTBALL
No. 1 Duke wins 78-72
Barrett, Reddish each scored
18 for unbeaten Blue Devils
Associated Press
R. J. Barrett and Cam Red
dish scored 18 points each,
and top-ranked Duke sur
vived its stiffest challenge of
the season, holding off No. 8
Auburn 78-72 Tuesday night
to reach the Maui Invita
tional title game.
The Blue Devils (5-0)
got off to another stellar
start, looking as if they run
another top-10 team out of
the gym.
The Tigers (4-1) clawed
back, trimming a 17-point
deficit to 61-56 in the second
half by fearlessly attacking
Duke at both ends.
But every time Auburn
tried to get closer, the Blue
Devils answered with an
alley-oop dunk or step-back
jumper.
Duke will play No. 3 Gon-
zaga or Arizona Wednesday
night for a chance at an
unprecedented sixth Maui
Invitational title.
Marques Bolden
anchored Duke’s defense,
blocking seven shots while
finishing with 11 points and
nine rebounds.
The Blue Devils blocked
11 shots overall.
No. 16 CLEMSON 64,
GEORGIA 49: Marcquise
Reed scored 24 points and
grabbed nine rebounds, Eli
jah Thomas had his second
straight double-double and
No. 16 Clemson beat Geor
gia on Tuesday to advance to
the championship game of
the Cayman Islands Classic.
Thomas finished with 12
points and 11 rebounds for
Clemson (5-0), which is off to
its best start since the 2013-
14 season.
Shelton Mitchell, who
scored a season-high 22 on
Monday, chipped in with
13 points and David Skara
had three of the Tigers’ nine
steals. Coach Brad Brownell
won his 154th game at Clem
son, three away from pass
ing Bill Foster for second in
program history.
Derek Ogbeide led Geor
gia (3-2) with 11 points.
Nicolas Claxton, who scored
22 points in an 80-68 win on
Monday, was held to three
points on l-of-9 shooting —
but he had nine rebounds
and five blocks.
LIPSCOMB 73, No. 18
TCU 64: Garrison Mathews
had 23 points, Kenny Cooper
scored 17 with a couple of
breakaway layups off steals
and Lipscomb held on to
upset No. 18 TCU on Tues
day night, giving the Bisons
their first win over a Top 25
team.
Lipscomb (4-1), the ASUN
Conference preseason favor
ite, had been 0-13 against
ranked teams since 2006.
All of those losses were by
double digits.
Alex Robinson had 17
points, 10 rebounds and six
assists for TCU (3-1), which
lost a November game for
the first time since 2015.
The Horned Frogs’ 18-game
winning streak during the
month had been the second-
longest among Division I
programs, behind only Vir
ginia’s 21 in a row.
The Bisons built a 12-point
lead before Mathews
rebounded a missed
3-pointer by Kouat Noi that
would have tied the game
with just more than a minute
left. Mathews then made a 3
at the other end.
No. 23 OHIO STATE 68,
Top 25
Men’s Top 25
Tuesday’s results
1. Duke (4-0) vs. No. 8 Auburn. Next: vs. No.
3 Gonzaga or Arizona, Wednesday.
2. Kansas (3-0) did not play. Next: vs.
Marquette, Wednesday.
3. Gonzaga (4-0) vs. Arizona. Next: vs. No. 1
Duke or No. 8 Auburn, Wednesday.
4. Virginia (3-0) did not play. Next: vs. Middle
Tennessee, Wednesday.
5. Tennessee (3-0) did not play. Next: vs.
Louisville, Wednesday.
6. Nevada (4-0) did not play. Next: vs. Tulsa,
Thursday.
7. North Carolina (5-0) did not play. Next: vs.
Texas, Thursday.
8. Auburn (4-0) vs. No. 1 Duke. Next: vs. No. 3
Gonzaga or Arizona, Wednesday.
9. Michigan (5-0) did not play. Next: vs.
Chattanooga, Friday.
10. Kentucky (3-1) did not play. Next: vs.
Winthrop, Wednesday.
11. Michigan State (3-1) did not play. Next:
vs. No. 17 UCLA, Thursday.
12. Kansas State (5-0) did not play. Next: vs.
Lehigh, Saturday.
13. Virginia Tech (4-0) did not play. Next: vs.
Saint Francis (Pa.), Saturday.
14. Florida State (3-0) did not play. Next: vs.
UAB, Thursday.
15. Mississippi State (3-1) did not play. Next:
vs. Utah State, Wednesday.
16. Clemson (5-0) beat Georgia 64-49. Next:
vs. Creighton or Georgia State, Wednesday.
17. UCLA (4-0) did not play. Next: vs. No. 11
Michigan State, Thursday.
18. TCU (3-0) vs. Lipscomb. Next: vs. Eastern
Michigan, Monday.
19. LSU (4-0) did not play. Next: vs. College of
Charleston, Thursday.
20. Iowa (4-0) did not play. Next: vs. Alabama
State, Wednesday.
21. Oregon (3-1) vs. Green Bay. Next: vs.
Texas Southern, Monday.
22. Buffalo (3-0) did not play. Next: vs.
Dartmouth, Wednesday.
23. Ohio State (5-0) beat Samford 68-50.
Next: vs. Cleveland State, Friday.
24. Purdue (4-1) did not play. Next: vs. Robert
Morris, Friday.
25. Wisconsin (3-0) vs. Stanford. Next: vs.
Florida or Oklahoma, Thursday.
Associated Press
SAMFORD 50: Kaleb Wes
son scored 17 points, Key-
shawn Woods added 14 and
No. 23 Ohio State shook off
a sluggish first half to beat
scrappy Samford 68-50 on
Tuesday night for its fifth
straight victory to begin the
season.
Ohio State seemed out of
sync from the opening tip,
as coach Chris Holtmann
benched four starters for
being late to “game-day
preparation,” according to
the school. The Buckeyes
shot just 37.5 percent from
the field in the first half
while Samford shot 50 per
cent and led 32-29.
SCORES
■ Continued from 1B
Joelle Snyder scored 10
points and Jasmine How
ard finished with nine for
the Lady Lions (2-2) in the
Keller Williams Raider Clas
sic on Tuesday at North For
syth High in Cumming.
Maddy Towles added
eight points and four steals
for Lakeview Academy,
while Eliza Snyder scored
eight and picked up five
assists. Savannah Kinsey had
six points and six rebounds,
while Sadie Thrailkill added
five points and five boards.
Next up, Lakeview Acad
emy faces Athens Academy
on Nov. 28 in Athens.
LAKEVIEW ACADEMY
BOYS 57, NORTH FOR
SYTH 54: Blake McIntyre
scored a game-high 33 points
(nine 3-pointers) in the third-
place game of the Keller
Williams Raider Classic on
Tuesday in Cumming. Adam
Cottrell racked up a double
double with 12 points and 10
rebounds. Lakeview Acad
emy hosts St. Francis at 6
p.m. on Tuesday.
BANKS COUNTY BOYS
85, NORTH OCONEE 73:
Pierce Martin scored a
game-high 31 points and
hit nine of the Leopards’ 18
3-pointers on Tuesday.
Carl Cleveland scored 20
points with 10 rebounds for
Banks County.
Also for the Leopards,
Clay Gosnell added 11
points. On Saturday, Banks
County faces Stephens
County in Toccoa.
DAWSON COUNTY
GIRLS 48, SOUTH FOR
SYTH 33: Clemson Univer
sity signee Kaylee Sticker
had a game-high 24 points
for the Lady Tigers in the
championship game of the
Tiger Tipoff Classic on Tues
day. The Lady Tigers (3-0)
outscored the War Eagles
22-2 in the second quarter
to take a 17 point lead at the
half. Maddie Anglin added
eight points for the Tigers.
Dawson County will visit
Flowery Branch on Nov. 29.
RIVERSIDE MILI
TARY ACADEMY BOYS
54, OCONEE COUNTY 51:
Led by tournament MVP
Isaac Teasley’s 27 points, the
Eagles finished first in the
East Jackson Tipoff Tour
nament Tuesday in Com
merce. Also for the Eagles
(3-1), Shad Dabney scored
11 points, while Orlando
Stevens had seven for the
Eagles in the win.
High school scores can
be reported each night by
10:30 p.m. by calling 770-
718-3409 or email sports@
gainesvilletimes.com.
FALCONS
■ Continued from 1B
In the first meeting
against mighty New
Orleans, safety Ricardo
Allen went out with a sea-
son-ending Achillies injury,
just three weeks into the
2018 campaign
In each of the first three
games, Atlanta had a key
cog to its lineup being
helped off the field, then
handed a diagnosis that
would take them out of play
the rest of the season.
In Week 1, fellow safety
Keanu Neal was lost when
he went down with a season
ending knee injury against
the defending Super Bowl
champion Eagles. That
same night, the anchor to
the linebacking corp, Pro
Bowler Deion Jones, went
down with a foot injury.
As injuries started to com
pound, Atlanta found itself
in the tenuous position of
having to try to score every
time it marched down the
field. While the Falcons
have made strides under
second-year offensive coor
dinator Steve Sarkisian,
they haven’t been able to
make up for a short-handed
patchwork defense Atlanta
has had to march out on the
field.
The injuries on the offen
sive side have been nearly
as problematic, starting
with starting guard Andy
Levitre going out against
the Panthers in Week 2. His
injury was diagnosed as a
season-ending tricep injury.
Atlanta’s other starting
guard, Brandon Fusco, was
lost in the win against the
New York Giants on Mon
day Night Football.
The running backs group
has been thin since often-
injured Devonta Freeman
went down with a groin
injury against the Steelers.
He was placed on injured
reserve but could still
return before season’s end.
It feels like everyone for
Atlanta has been injured for
Atlanta this season, except
for Ryan and prime-play-
maker Julio Jones at wide
receiver.
Despite all the injuries,
it’s also the constant repeat
this season with the Falcons
failing to convert on offense
in the final minute of the
game. Four of Atlanta’s six
losses came on the final pos
session of the game.
Against Philly, the season
started with Ryan’s pass to
Jones short of the end zone
on the final play, which
made the Falcons 0-1.
Atlanta also had a chance
against New Orleans in
Week 3, but a promising
drive late in the fourth
quarter that started with
Ryan throwing the ball well
stalled abruptly around
midfield in the final min
ute, sending the game to
overtime.
New Orleans made
Atlanta pay on the next
drive as quarterback Drew
Brees ran it in for the game
winning 1-yard score. At
that point, the Falcons were
1-2 and looking at an aggra
vating trend in the making.
Despite the rocky start,
the Falcons season didn’t go
completely off the rails with
the pitiful performance
against the Cleveland
Browns, losing 28-16.
Atlanta couldn’t stop the
running of Browns running
back Nick Chubb, who we
all remember from his days
with the Georgia Bulldogs.
Falcons fans were left
tired and defeated, but still
clinging to hope after that
one on Nov. 11.
Then Sunday, Atlanta was
crushed by Dallas’ last-sec
ond field goal to escape with
a 22-19 win at the Mercedes-
Benz Stadium.
At that point, the Falcons
went from the playoff bub
ble to longshot, at best.
Now, Atlanta can still
make the playoffs. Six
straight wins to end the
season is possible, just not
probable, given the injury
bug that has loomed like a
dark cloud over the Falcons
all season.
Certainly, if the Birds
can get over the first
hurdle against the Saints on
Thanksgiving, if would give
them a glimmer of hope
down the stretch.
However, this ugly sea
son with one player after
another leaving the field
on a cart or under the assis
tance of trainers doesn’t
feel promising to finish with
a playoff berth.
For that, no one is to
blame.
Just chalk it up to Atlanta
always coming out exces
sively bruised and battered
in what is a violent sport.
Bill Murphy is sports
editor of The Times.
He can be reached at
bmurphy@gainesvilletimes.
com or email sports@
gainesvilletimes.com.
