Falcons training camp begins with full participation

Camp is in session for the Atlanta Falcons with 2010 traning camp beginning Friday and they got off on the right foot with full particaption during the morning practice. I did not make the morning session, but I was able to attend the one in the afternoon and I had to say the team looks pretty sharp. Here's my recap on Day 1 which you can find on www.scoreatl.com.


The 2010 NFL season officially started for the Falcons on Friday, as training camp opened at their facilities in Flowery Branch. Since head coach Mike Smith took over the helm in 2008, the expectations for the Falcons have been high. But this year is different because they are coming off a 9-7 campaign which made it the first time this team had back-to-back winning seasons. And they were able to accomplish that feat with the majority of their players injured.

The first practice was at 8:30 in the morning on Friday and fans got a treat because all Falcons players that were on the roster participated, including Brian Williams, Harry Douglas and Peria Jerry who are all coming off of knee injuries. So there is no question the No. 1 objective for the Falcons during training camp.

“The biggest thing for us is to stay healthy, especially in the first 10 days of training camp,” said Smith after the first practice. “I think it’s going to be very important that we stay healthy and that’s one of our main objectives.”

Coach Smith also mentioned the other objective is to advance as a team offensively and defensively. Offensively, it starts with Matt Ryan who is coming off a solid second year, but he knows the offense as a whole needs to improve in order to make the next step.

“We need to be more consistent on first and second down, Ryan said after the morning session. “We need to be more consistent on third down. We need to be more consistent in the red zone. And those are all things that I think we’re going to work really hard at.”

Another objective was to have the rookies in camp and ready ago and once again, the Falcons officials did a good job getting all their draft picks signed and ready to go before camp began. So all eyes were one Sean Weatherspoon who signed a less than 24 hours before the Friday morning session.

“My main goal was to make sure I made this practice,” Weatherspoon said. “You don’t want to miss any time on the field. It was a big deal getting there and I was very excited that I’m here.”

The afternoon session started at 3:30 p.m. and it the team did the same drills as the morning practice, but Jerry, Williams, Douglass and Tony Gonzalez all sat out.

One of the highlights during camp was Matt Ryan first pass of the seven-on-seven drills picked off by Mike Peterson and taken back to the house for a touchdown. That would be the only mistake Ryan would make and looked flawless in the rest of the drill as well as the two team sessions.

Another note from the afternoon session is rookies Kerry Meier and Weatherspoon got a lot of work with the first team offense and defense, respectively. And with Gonzalez out, Justin Peele and rookie TE from Clemson Michael Palmer saw a lot of action with the first-team offense and bother came up with clutch catches.

Even though Jerry did not participate, he was excited to get back on the field.
“It was good getting back out with the team and the D-line [defensive line],” said Jerry after the afternoon practice. Just communicating with the guys, and talking with the guys as well as running around was fun.”

The Falcons will have two-a-day practices from Saturday-Tuesday and will have one practice on Wednesday afternoon. They will have two sessions on Thursday and on Friday, they will kick off Allstate All-Access weekend with Friday Night Lights at North Gwinnett High School at 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, the Falcons will host a mock game at Flowery Branch at 12:00 p.m. Their first preseason game will be against the Kansas City Chiefs at the Georgia Dome on August 13.

Recap of Hawks draft night

Here's a blog I wrote for Score Atlanta on the Hawks draft picks. Make sure to pick up your copy of Score Atlanta at any QuickTrip location in the metro Atlanta area and check out scoreatl.com for the latest on Atlanta sports.


Another draft is in the books for the Atlanta Hawks and some would say they really had a solid night. They picked at No. 24 in the first round and selected Damion James ─ a forward from Texas ─ but he was not a Hawk for long, as he was traded to the New Jersey Nets. The Hawks received in the deal the second of their first-round picks (No. 27) and their second-round pick (No. 31). The Nets then selected guard Jordan Crawford from Xavier at No. 27 and at pick No. 31 they selected center Tibor Pleiss from Germany, who the Hawks sold to the Oklahoma City Thunder for $3 million. For the Hawks, they selected Pape Sy a forward from Senegal for their second-round pick.

I have to say I agree with the pundits because the Hawks end up with a one of the best scoring guards that were not in the lottery and he is a guy that is not afraid to make the tough shot. Crawford is also an explosive jumper that can attack the rim (LeBron James can second that notion).

Crawford only spent one year at Xavier, but made an instant impact, leading the team and the Atlantic 10 Conference in scoring with 20.5 points per game. He led Xavier to a NCAA tournament appearance and averaged 29 points in three games. As a result, he was named to the All-West Region team.

Crawford coming to Atlanta is no doubt a great move, but two questions have to be addressed. The first is with Crawford selected, is Joe Johnson on the way out? I think that still remains to be seen because I think Johnson could end up signing with the Hawks if he likes the direction this team is headed. On the other hand, he may feel with the selection of Crawford could mean the Hawks are moving on, which would give Johnson the opportunity to look at other teams.
The other question is if the Hawks were so high on Crawford, why did they not originally pick him when he was on the board? Well, in this case it’s all about money. By singing the 27th pick instead of the 24th the Hawks will save $90,000 a year in salary. And if the Hawks are going to make any other moves this off season, they need as much money saved as possible.

As far as the Hawks’ second-round choice, Sy, he played professional basketball over in France and the Hawks’ scouts in Europe really like his potential. He came to Atlanta for a workout recently and head coach Larry Drew like his game so much and he was nervous that other teams would catch on to what Drew had seen. But like Crawford, Sy fell into the Hawks laps.

So overall, it was a good night for the Hawks. They grabbed an athletic wingman that can score, a Frenchman with tremendous upside and $3 million. Even if the team doesn’t sign Johnson, they still have plenty of talent and could be one of the top teams one again in the Eastern Conference if the veterans continue to improve and if Crawford plays like he did at Xavier.

MMA expert Alexia Krause previews upcoming Strikeforce event

Now, I'm not a MMA expert, but I am a fan and try to keep up with it as much as I can. It's exciting, violent and intense. In fact, I will make it my duty to watch UFC 116, as the main event will be Brock Lesnar against Shane Carwin for the undisputed heavyweight championship. But before that, Strikeforce will have their event on June 26 and it includes a great main event match between Fedor Emelianenko and Fabricio Werdum in a heavyweight showdown. For more on this match and the rest of the card here's MMA expert Alexia Krause who is making her debut on the Atlanta Sports Guy blog.



The Strikeforce event on June 26th is bound to be one for the books as Strikeforce mixed martial arts joins up with M-1 Global to bring some of the toughest fighters in the world together within one caged ring. This is an extra special event because it combines Strikeforce MMA with M-1 Global, which allows it to be a complete world showcase of some of the world's best fighters. This showcase has a huge title card as Fedor Emelianenko (who is actually a co-owner of M-1 Global) takes on Fabricio Werdum in a heavyweight bout that promises to entertain.

Fedor Emelianenko- also known as "The Last Emperor"- holds a record of 31-1. His only recorded loss comes from the fact that his fight with Tsuyoshi Kohsaka was stopped when Emelianenko suffered a gash in the opening seconds of the fight. Even though he has a loss to tarnish his undefeated streak, "The Last Emperor" understands that numbers don't mean anything when you're inside the cage.

Fedor has been at the top as the best heavyweight in the world for the better part of the last decade. He has taken down Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipović, Mark Coleman, and Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira on his way there. On June 26th, he goes up against Fabricio Werdum (the number 9 heavyweight in the world) for a showdown that's bound to define the two fighters and the event.

Even though Emelianenko is among the top heavyweights in the world, he will have a lot on his hands going up against the jiu-jitsu technician, Fabricio Werdum. Werdum is known as "Vai Cavalo" or "Leading Horse" which speaks to his wild and free nature in the ring. It looks like Emelianenko will be tasked with taming Werdum if he wants that victory.

Despite this exciting main card, the June 26th Strikeforce will feature much more heated action. In fact, many more people are looking forward to the top woman in the world, Cris "Cyborg" Santos taking on Jan Finney. Most feel that Cyborg will take out Finney pretty easily and glide on to an effortless victory (even more so considering that Finney's nickname is "Cuddles"), but Finney has been known to be scrappy making the fight a good one to watch.

Plus, seeing Cris Cyborg in action is always an event in itself:



With some of the best male heavyweight and female featherweight fighters clashing on the same night, the June 26th Strikeforce event is destined to be an exciting evening for MMA fans.

Alexia is a lifelong fan of sports and fitness. Recently, she's been obsessed with MMA. As a result, she has joined forces with MMA Industries- purveyors of widely popular MMA training gloves and shirts. Alexia has been writing about the latest developments in MMA equipment for the past few years, and continues to bring you the latest news in the mixed martial arts world.

The Top 10 UGA Commits

If you don't know already, I'm on a radio show every Sunday from 2-5 (you can listen on 790 am or go on their website). I also contribute on another show every Tuesday which focuses on recruiting. So last night I was on the air as I introduced my list of the top 11 UGA commits for the class of 2011. If you missed the show (which is possible considering the show airs from 7-9 at night), here it is without further ado.

11. David Andrews (C, Wesleyan) – Has great technique and has the intelligence that you need in a center. Is not real big, standing at 6-2 and 276 pounds, but will have time to grow when he gets on campus next year.

10. Justin Scott-Wesley (WR, Mitchell Co.) – Wesley is a receiver that can make the tough catch in the middle of the field. Has good speed and plays with no fear. The only area where he needs to improve is route running, but he will make a standout receiver on the next level.

9. Zach Witchett (WR, Washington) – Like Justin Scott-Wesley, Zach Witchett is a downfield threat that is lightning fast. He has great body control and knows where to go to get open. Needs to improve route running, but with another year at the position, he should be able to do just that.

8. Devin Bowman (CB, Ridgeland) – Devin Bowman has played the majority of his high school career as a running back, but has the size and agility to be a cornerback at the next level. One more year at the corner position will help his fundamental skills such as jamming ability and back pedaling, but can be an elite corner when he leaves the college ranks.

7. Armarlo Herrera (LB, North Clayton) – This linebacker from North Clayton can hit and hit you hard. He also knows where to be at all times and has exceptional speed. Pass coverage is something he can improve on, but be a major player as an inside linebacker for the 3-4 defense.

6. Sterling Bailey (DE, East Hall) – Sterling Bailey is an end that just gets after the quarterback. He has quick feet and is extremely athletic. He would like to get stronger at the point of attack, but would fit well in the 3-4 scheme.

5. Chirs Conley (WR, North Paulding) – Standing at 6-2, 185, Chris Conley could be the next A.J. Green if he continues to improve. He has great hands and can snatch balls out of the air. He should continue to improve his footwork this season and if that happens he will play for UGA right away.

4. Christian Lemay (QB, Butler (NC)) – There are not many quarterbacks in the country that are better than Christian LeMay. He is a natural leader that has rocket arm. With him along with Hutston Mason and Aaron Murray, the QB position should be a non-issue for UGA for awhile.

3. Corey Moore (S, Griffin) – Corey Moore made a huge impact at the safety position last year. He hit hard and is a tough as they come. He is raw at the position and will look to improve his coverage skills this upcoming season.

2. Chris Sanders (ATH, Tucker) – Chris Sanders can play a variety of positions, but he is at his best safety. He is tough and can cover the entire field because of his speed. He has all the tools to be a free safety at the college level.

1. Nick Marshall (ATH, Wilcox Co.) – If you haven’t seen Nick Marshall play, then you are missing out because he is just a football player. He has blazing speed, and has great size to play quarterback or safety. UGA is recruiting him to play safety, but don’t be surprised to see him play on the other side of the ball like Branden Smith did for the Dawgs last year.


I have done a hand full of these lists over the last few months, so I will post those over the next few weeks as football season gets closer.

Atlanta: A pro football headquarters or a college football mecca?

I know it’s been awhile since I posted my last blog, but now that’s it’s the summertime and I don’t have as much work to do as I did during the high school sports season, I will try to post more blogs that are focused on football.

A couple of weeks ago I read a blog that college football expert Tony Barnhart wrote about Atlanta being a college football city or a pro football city. He asked which event would you rather see – The Atlanta Falcons taking on the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC title game or No. 1 Alabama taking on No. 2 Florida for the SEC Championship.

Now, I know what you are thinking. Most fans would chose to see the Falcons in the NFC Championship because it’s the hometown team one win away from the Super Bowl. But if Georgia was No. 1 or No. 2 in the polls and were playing the SEC title game, then it would be a different story.

Here’s what I would choose. I love Georgia and I would like for them to win a national championship someday. But I can’t go against the Falcons because I have more of a connection with them than with UGA. But that doesn’t mean that it would be a hard decision.

Here’s my point. Most fans would choose the SEC title game because Barnhart got it right when he said that Atlanta is a college football town. Always has been and probably always will be. But what I would ask him is can’t Atlanta be both a college and pro football town? Why should we have to choose one or the other? Why can’t we appreciate both levels of football the same?

Look, I’ll be honest and say I’m more of a pro football fan than college (only by a slim margin). But I love going to college football games in Athens or on the Flats. In fact, I went the Chick-fil-A College Kickoff game, the SEC Championship and the Chick-fil-A Bowl last year and I had a blast. I especially love watching games on Saturday from noon to 1 a.m. But one thing that you have to understand about me is I love the game of football – high school, college or pro.

Atlanta is a melting pot when it comes to college football fans because there are quite a few fans that root for of alums of schools such as Alabama, Tennessee, Clemson, Florida, Florida State and Auburn. But why not support the Falcons the way that you support your college team. Sure, the Falcons have not won a Super Bowl and they have been inconsistent when it comes to winning seasons. But they are a team on the rise and I think they will reach a Super Bowl in the next two years. You can bank on it.

That’s all I have to say about that topic. I will have more topics concerning football in the next few weeks. I will also have a high school, college and pro football preview in the next month and rank some of the top players at each level.

Hawks are grounded: Elimianiton is on the brink after loss to Bucks

I was at the Hawks game last night and had to say that it was the most disappointing loss that I have ever seen up close and personal. This was the blog that I did for Score Atlanta, but it was never posted. Don't know why, but here it is anyway.


In order for the Hawks to take a 3-2 lead in the series against Milwaukee Bucks several things had to happen. They had to play with defensive intensity, have players such as Marvin Williams step up their game and play smart for 48 minutes.

The defense was strong, holding the Bucks to 40 percent from the floor. Williams played one of his best games of the year, scoring 22 points, four rebounds and two block shots. But the one thing that the Hawks did not do is play smart for 48 minutes, especially in the fourth quarter and that is what cause the Hawks to lose 91-87 and are now down 3-2 in the series.

“It’s a tough loss, but it’s still a seven game series,” said Hawks head coach Mike Woodson. “We got to see what we’re made of. Our backs are against the wall."

The Hawks were up as much as 10 at the start of the fourth quarter, but that is when the fallout began. Joe Johnson, who only scored 13 points, committed four personal fouls in four minutes and fouls out of the game with more than two minutes left in the game.

“We depend on him coming down the stretch,” Woodson added. “He wasn’t there tonight and that’s no excuse. Other guys on this team can make plays and we just did not get it done tonight.”

As a result of Johnson out, the Bucks took advantage as Erasn Ilyasova hit a turnaround jump shot to give the Bucks the 83-82 lead. And after a Al Horford missed jump shot, the Bucks sealed the deal with a Mike Delfino three-point shot to give the Bucks the 86-82 lead with 1:16 left.

“These guys have been through a lot,” Bucks head coach Scott Skiles said. “They just keep going on.”

This loss is disappointing just for the fact that the Hawks came out strong in the third quarter, outscoring the Bucks 23-18. But throughout the game the Hawks made bad shooting decisions and just like in Games 3 and 4, there was no offensive slow.

“We really weren’t getting any good looks,” Horford said who led all scorers with 25 points and 11 rebounds. “We kind of got exposed on the offensive end.”
They were also exposed on the defensive end at the beginning of the game as Bucks rookie Brandon Jennings went off with 14 points in the first quarter. He ended the night with 25 points.

“We executed well at the end of the game and hit some big free throws,” Jennings said. “You have to just have to keep fighting.

So now the Hawks backs are against are against the wall and they now have to go back the Bradley Center in Milwaukee on Friday to play Game 6. And everyone knows, including the Hawks, that they have only won one playoff game on the road since
2008.

What do they need to do? For one thing Josh Smith has to get his offensive game going as he scored only seven points. Also, the new Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford has to be more effective from the floor, as he scored 11 points on 4 of 18 shooting. There was no doubt that the Hawks players were more than disappointed after the contest but Horford and the rest of the crew are confident that they can force a Game 7.

“We’re going to go win,” said Horford. “No question about it. That’s the bottom line. We have to bring it back to Atlanta.

NFL Draft 2010 Day 1 Thoughts

I wanted to take this time to talk about the first day of the 2010 NFL Draft because it was interesting one to say the least. The beginning had no surprise with Sam Bradford, Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy being picked first. In fact, there were no real surprises coming out of the first day with the exception of Tim Tebow being picked but I’ll get to that soon enough. But just like any event, there is the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good has to go to the Detroit Lions as they got their quarterback of the future with Sam Bradford and they traded up to the 30th pick to nab Jahvid Best. They are not going to make the playoffs this year but they are headedin the right direction.

The bad has to Jacksonville Jaguars for their draft pick Tyson Alualu, defensive tackle out of Cal. I don’t have a problem with Alualu because I think he will be a fine player. It’s that Jacksonville is on the verge of losing the franchise and they could have got fans in the seats if they drafted Tim Tebow. I know that Tebow is not worthy of a first-round pick let alone a top 10 pick, but this team needs a spark and Tebow would have brought that to his hometown.

And speaking of quarterbacks, the ugly has to go to Colt McCoy and Jimmy Clausen who did not get picked on Day 1. It doesn’t seem like a big deal but when you a team passes on you and picks Tebow instead, that hurts just a little.

Other things I took from Day 1 is that this one of the deeper draft picks in recent memory, so teams that have multiple second and third round draft picks can really make some noise.... I can’t believe Jonathan Dwyer is still on the board because I think there is only one running back better than him and that’s C.J. Spiller. ... I like Sean Witherspoon and I think he will be a great addition to a growing Falcons defense. I talk about him more in my next blog when I analyze all the Falcons picks. ... And finally, having the Round 1 of the draft on prime time was a good idea and I think the NFL should stick to it.