AUGUST 7-13, 2009 CHECK US OUT AT SCOREATL.COM VOL 5 NO 15 02 I SCORE ATLANTA Get In The Game! College football quick hits, Hawks schedule released and Vick’s fooling no one y now you are probably well aware of But shouldn’t he be more focused on devising consider the 42-year-old’s 2-4 record and 7.12 BFlorida head football coach Urban ways to compete with Georgia and Florida on ERA or the fact that Atlanta currently has FIVE Meyer’s six-year extension at $4 million per the football field? Will any number of signs starters who have been more productive than the year, which makes him the highest-paid help recruits forget the many losses the Vols future Hall of Famer. coach in the Southeastern Conference. And, are sure to suffer in ’09? like him or not, it’s hard to argue he isn’t FINISHING UP … worth every penny, even in these tough eco- TO THE HARDWOOD AND DIAMOND … According to reports, Michael Vick will be in nomic times. If we assume what we make is The NBA released its regular-season Atlanta over the weekend to take part in a based on our worth, Meyer would still be schedules on Tuesday and there’s a lot to like for special event with the Humane Society. Now, underpaid. … Remaining on the college grid- Hawks fans. Atlanta will not only be home and few people have defended Vick or sympa- iron, ESPN writers Mark Schlabach and Ivan in action on Thanksgiving and New Year’s, but thized with him more than I. But, really? The Maisel simulated a college football mock will also appear in seven nationally televised Humane Society? How naive does the retired draft this week, divvying up the top programs games, the most in the last 12 years. I’ve always dogfighter really think we are? … Monday in America. Southern California and Florida said, no one defines a team’s place in the league (Aug. 3) was the one-year anniversary of were taken one and two, respectively, while like the national television networks. … Isn’t it Skip Caray’s death. It served not only as a the University of Georgia was drafted 10th, interesting how many professional athletes call good opportunity to remember the legend’s ahead of the likes of Michigan, Nebraska, the ATL home? In late 2008, Julius “Dr. J” life, but also as a reminder of the now declin- Florida State and Tennessee. The funny thing Erving purchased a home in our lovely city and ing import of local sports announcers. We is, despite having not won a national champi- fellow former NBA star and current Atlanta res- will always miss you, Skip. … And finally, onship since 1980, I bet most Bulldog fans ident Ralph Sampson doesn’t live far from what’s better than watching little kids play the would be livid over their location on the list. NFLers Jerome Bettis (retired) and Brandon most boring sport of the year? If you’re think- Note: last week, CBSSports.com named Marshall. The AJC’s D. Orlando Ledbetter ing of baseball and answered “nothing,” you UGA the eighth-best team of the decade. … explored the issue deeper in a Monday column will be happy to learn the All-Star team from In other college football news, don’t be sur- and it’s certainly worth a read. … Talk about Warner Robins will be making the trip to prised next week if you stumble upon Lane loyalty and respect all you want, but sports man- West Virginia in the coming weeks, the last Kiffin as you’re driving through downtown agement is about making tough decisions in the stop before Williamsport and the Little ATLANTA PRESENCE: Tennessee head coach Lane Atlanta. The Tennessee lead man has plans to name of winning. So, for all you people who League World Series. Good luck, guys. Kiffin will be featured prominently on two highway erect two 14-feet-by-48-feet digital billboards were outraged when the Braves decided not to Janovitz can be reached at billboards in the metro Atlanta area. Photo courtesy of in the area touting UT and all its greatness. re-sign John Smoltz, perhaps you should now [email protected]. the University of Tennessee. ALW A Y S AT SCOREA TL.COM AUGUST 7-13, 2009 SCORE ATLANTA I 03 ™ STARTING SHOT OF THE CCAANN’’TT LINEUP MMIISSSS THIS WEEK PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg MANAGING EDITOR Alex Ewalt WEEK… Score Atlanta’s Brian Jones was in ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR DJ Galbiati VIDEO MANAGER Scott Janovitz Flowery Branch for opening weekend BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick 8 of training camp and has a full report. SALES MANAGER Mark Mayo BEAT WRITERS Josh Bagriansky (Dream), Stephen Black (Kennesaw State), Jason Boral (Thrashers), James Butler (UGA), Dave Cohen (Georgia State), Ricky Dimon (Tech), Alex We give an update on fall practice for Ewalt (Preps), Scott Janovitz (Hawks/Recruiting), Brian Jones (Falcons), Fletcher Proctor (Braves) both Georgia and Georgia Tech and offer STAFF WRITERS Cranston Collier, Joe Deighton, Rajesh Gupta, 9 a look ahead to the rest of the preseason. Zander Lentz, Andrew McCarron, Corey Mitchell, Alan Gales, Brian Penter, John Edwards, Derek Wiley CONTRIBUTORS Tad Arapoglou, Dean Zindler, Kevin Dankosky, Mitch Evans, Matt Judy, Tony Schiavone, Richard Diamond, Recruiting reporter Scott Janovitz high- Joe Haines, Brian Katrek, Chris Dimino, Mike Bell, Matt Stewart, Fred Kalil, Nick Cellini, Phillip Leopold, Dave Marshall, Greg Smith, Steak lights a couple of key recent commitment Shapiro, Mike Cather, Beau Bock, Hal Lamar, Chris Cotter, Roy 15 from Peach State athletes. Hickman, Dave Cohen, John Olah, Jeff Woolverton, Chris Voss, Bob Rathbun, Courtney Capps, Bill Hartman, Chuck Dowdle, Shannon Alderman, Dan Kamal, Dennis Scott, C.C., Hal Lanier, Jeff Batten, Micah Hart, Ben Wright, Columnist Fletcher Proctor keeps Atlanta Alan Vasquez, Andrew Vedlitz, Brian Jones sports fans in the loop on recent develop- Georgia Tech QB SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS Mitch Albom, Dave Kindred, Barry Bloom Josh Nesbitt 18 ments in the local sports media. ™ SCHOOL LISTING TEAM SCOOP AND VOICES INSIDE AT SCORE E Score Atlanta has moved to a new, CHEROKEE/FORSYTH: Cherokee, Creekview, Etowah, Forsyth Central, COVER DESIGN BY DJ GALBIATI. North Forsyth, Sequoyah, South Forsyth, West Forsyth, Woodstock COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF JIMMY CRIBB/ATLANTA FALCONS. H football-focused format that will keep COBB: Allatoona, Campbell, Harrison, Kell, Kennesaw Mountain, Lassiter, T local fans up to date on the pro, college Marietta, McEachern, N. Cobb, N. Cobb Christian, Pebblebrook, Pope, S. Cobb, Sprayberry, Walton, Wheeler 2 SPIN 5 CHEAP SEATS 6 SCORE LIST-DUE UP and high school games! From the latest DEKALB: Chamblee, Columbia, Decatur, Druid Hills, Dunwoody, Lakeside, SHOWIN’ OFF THE GUNS: At N recruiting news to features and stories Marist, Miller Grove, M.L. King, Paideia, Redan, St. Pius X, Southwest July’s Countdown to Kickoff, Georgia linebacker FALCONS UGA-TECH SCORE MORE O DeKalb, Stephenson, Stone Mountain, Tucker 7 8 9 on your favorite players from all levels, FULTON: Alpharetta, Blessed Trinity, Centennial, Chattahoochee, Douglass, Rennie Curran gave Bulldog fans a little glimpse turn to Score Atlanta (found in all Grady, Lovett, Mays, Milton, North Springs, Northview, Riverwood, of what they will see all year on the field. Curran 10 HIGH SCHOOL 11 RECRUITING 12 GA STATE Roswell, Tri-Cities, Westminster, Woodward Academy and the team started fall practice on Monday in QuikTrips, Krogers and Blockbusters in GWINNETT: Berkmar, Brookwood, Buford, C. Gwinnett, Collins Hill, Dacula, the metro area) and Scoreatl.com! Grayson, Greater Atlanta Christian, Meadowcreek, Mill Creek, Norcross, preparation for a tough opener at Oklahoma State 13 CALENDAR 14 AD INDEX North Gwinnett, Parkview, Peachtree Ridge, South Gwinnett, Wesleyan on Sept. 5. Photo courtesy of Rob Saye. Petit Le Mans once again set to bring more superstars and blazing action to Braselton ou may know Road Atlanta through (Petit Le Mans held its inaugural event in Mans series so important? It has to do with races in the traditional Le Mans style, Petit Yany number of its great yearly racing 1998 as a part of the Professional what’s at stake. The winner of Petit Le Mans Le Mans is a grueling race, which utilizes events, which in 2009 included the exciting SportsCar Racing series). automatically wins entry into the famed 24 several drivers per car over the course of Suzuki Superbike Showdown and the In Petit Le Mans, as in the rest of the Hours of Le Mans, the oldest example of the 10-hour marathon. For more informa- Ferrari Challenge in April, the Drift Atlanta American Le Mans series, the field is divid- this genre of racing. Petit Le Mans is one of tion on Petit Le Mans, visit race in May, and the WERA Cycle Jam in ed up into two categories: prototypes, which only two races in the world that grants an Roadatlanta.com or see our article on the June. But coming up in September is per- are closed-fender vehicles specifically for automatic berth in the 24 Hours of Le Mans September race on page 9. haps the best known and most prestigious racing; and the Grand Touring class, which race, which is held near the town of Le event on the Road Atlanta schedule, the consists of modified production cars (think Mans, France. annual Petit Le Mans. a souped-up Ferrari made for the race Following the On Sept. 23-26, the world-renowned track). Those two classes are then divided endurance 2.54-mile road course in Braselton (just up into two subcategories each, based on I-85 off exit 129) will host the 12th annual weight of the automobile and Petit Le Mans series race.