SCORE MORE 2 | SEPTEMBER 21-27, 2012 | VOL. 8 Iss. 17 CONTENTS CAN’T MISS SHOT OF THE THIS WEEK WEEK... StaRTING The Fletch discusses the latest in Atlanta sports media LINEUP 4 while Ryan Caiafa “rants” about the success of local teams. PUBLISHER/EDITOR I.J. Rosenberg GENERAL MGR./VP SALES Eric Palefsky ART/CREATIVE DIRECTOR DJ Galbiati In our cover story, Fletcher Proctor talks about the Falcons SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR Stephen Black and their fast start to the 2012 season. ASST. MANAGING DIRECTOR Fletcher Proctor 5 BUSINESS MANAGER Marvin Botnick SALES Chris Love Stephen Black interviewed Cecil Flowe and Shane Queen about how they get their players to re-focus after recently BEAT WRITERS 7 Chris Lionetti (UGA), Brian Jones (GSU, KSU), pulling off major upsets. Craig Sager II (Falcons), Robby Kalland (Hawks), Joe Deighton (Dream), Fletcher Proctor (Braves), Ryan Caiafa (Tech) We preview two local high school games and give you a run- 8 down of the latest news in softball, volleyball and cross country. STAFF WRITERS Travis Stigall, Ricky Dimon, Sean Conway TEAM SCOOP INSIDE AT SCORE TO ADVERTISE IN SCORE ATLANTA: AND VOICES Score Atlanta is looking for new sales associates 404.256.1572 COVER DESIGN BY DJ GALBIATI as well as writing and graphic design interns. HANDS-ON: Georgia Tech coach Paul COVER PHOTOS COURTESY OF SONNY KENNEDY For sales positions, e-mail IJ Rosenberg at Copyright 2012 Score Atlanta Publishing, LLC. All rights re- AND JIMMY CRIBB/ATLANTA FALCONS Johnson instructs a player during the Yel- served. Score Atlanta is published every week on Fridays. Views [email protected]. For writing in- low Jackets’ 56-20 drubbing of Virgina on expressed in Score Atlanta are not necessarily the opinion of ON THE ternships, e-mail Stephen Black at sblack@ Score Atlanta, its staff or advertisers. Score Atlanta does not 6 Score List - Numbers Sept. 15. Despite a tough, overtime loss to knowingly accept false or misleading editorial content or adver- scoreatl.com. For graphic design internships, tising nor is Score Atlanta responsible for the content or claims e-mail DJ Galbiati at djgalbiati@scoreatl. Virginia Tech in the season-opener, Tech has of any advertising or editorial in this publication. No content (ar- 12 GSU, KSU, UGA, Tech com. Feel free to call 404-256-1572 to speak rebounded to win its last two games heading ticles, photographs, graphics) in Score Atlanta may be used for with someone about any of these positions. reproduction without written permission from the publisher. 13 Braves, Falcons, Dream, Hawks into an off week. Photo courtesy Jon Barash. WWW.SCOREATL.COM | 3 COLUMNISTS recently during the Red Zone hoping to hear the Falcons “party-crashers” for ruining what from the 2 Live Stews, odds are you have not ESPN was hoping would be a dominating been able to hear from Doug or Ryan. With performance by the former Super Bowl MVP. THE the Stews’ contracts expiring later this year, “ESPN tried to throw a Peyton party the station decided to take them off the air, Monday night,” wrote Bradley. “Some guys Fletch likely for good. Rumors have been circulat- wearing red almost turned it into a pity party. ing that the Stews are interested in heading to The Worldwide Leader sought to show the the new sports talk station which will debut world the greatness that is Peyton Manning; GPB’s football sidelines a launching pad sometime in October on 92.9 FM. However, the Falcons almost made you feel sorry for By Fletcher Proctor according to a story in the AJC, the Zone is the old guy.” exercising the six-month non-compete clause This isn’t the first time a major network eorgia Public Broadcasting has been cov- following her time with GPB. Jackie Brit- that could keep the Stews off the Atlanta air- has come to Atlanta for a primetime night Gering high school football for years now, tain was GPB’s media correspondent before waves until July 2013. The Stews have been game, only to focus on the opposing quarter- first showing the state championship games becoming a host and reporter with the New with 790 The Zone for more than 11 years, back. Last year when the Eagles visited on before moving to weekly webcasts and tele- England Patriots. bouncing from nights to afternoon drive to Sunday Night Football, most of NBC’s lead- casts. While some incredible players have ap- The newest member of the GPB team midday slots. Several years ago, the Stews in was centered around Michael Vick’s return peared on the GPB airwaves, some amazing is Grace Olson, the new social media corre- appeared on the Sporting News Radio lineup talent has also roamed the GPB sidelines be- spondent. Olson debuted at the 2012 Metro to Atlanta as a starting quarterback. I don’t from Atlanta, and the Stews could be seen on fore moving on to bigger platforms. Original PCS Corky Kell Classic and did a phenom- think the Falcons mind, though, as they won sideline reporter Niki Noto grew from talking enal job handling the responsibilities of the ESPN as well. that game and won this past Monday. Perhaps about high school football to working with position. Look for her all year on GPB’s tele- one day the major networks will focus on the Atlanta Falcons and then on to become vision games, breaking down the social me- PEYTON’S PARTY ... Matt Ryan or Julio Jones or the Falcons. All ESPNU Road Trip co-host. Lindsey Thiry dia interaction during the games. The AJC’s Mark Bradley wrote a witty they do is win and perhaps it is time they get parlayed a gig as a GPB sideline reporter into piece following the Falcons’ big win over their due. becoming a Fox Sports beat reporter in Cali- AND THEY’RE GONE ... Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos Proctor can be reached at fornia. She also now works with Scout.com If you have tuned in to 790 The Zone this past Monday on ESPN. Bradley called [email protected]. the defense against the Broncos. While the of- Rockies in Atlanta before sweeping the Mets fense certainly looked solid once again, with in Chipper’s last appearance in the Big Apple. multiple players contributing, the defensive After stumbling against the Brewers, there was CALL OF effort may be what people remember about a hint of pessimism once again as the Nation- the game. William Moore was outstanding als came to town. Atlanta once again shook off with multiple big plays, including his inter- a minor road block and was able to take three CAIAFA ception of Manning that was nearly brought straight from the NL East leaders, giving them into the end zone, along with a sack for a 13- not only another boost of confidence, but also yard loss. The Falcons will once again have a another glimmer of hope that they can catch the Local teams having successful autumns stiff road test when they take on another AFC Nationals in the division race. By Ryan Caiafa West opponent in the San Diego Chargers. Ideally, that’s the goal for the Braves, San Diego has also gotten off to a 2-0 start, even though they do have a strong hold on hese past two weekends in the world of TOAST OF ATLANTA … beating the Raiders and Titans. the NL Wild Card lead. With a few weeks left TAtlanta sports have seen things that we The Falcons and their 2-0 start have been in the regular season, you have to believe that aren’t used to. The Falcons, Georgia Tech the talk of the town. They not only dominated A NEW YEAR … the division title is still the objective, as they and Georgia have won each of their games the Chiefs on the road at the always tough en- With the bad taste of last September’s would avoid a one-game Wild Card play-in the past two weekends and the Braves swept vironment of Arrowhead Stadium, but they historic collapse, the Braves are doing every- game where anything could happen. Several both the Mets in New York and the Nationals were able to stifle Peyton Manning into throw- thing in their power to avoid reliving 2011’s players have hit their strides at the right time, back at home. ing three first quarter interceptions and beat the disastrous end that saw them stumble out of including Kris Medlen, who has been lights Whether or not each of these teams can Broncos on Monday Night Football. the playoff hunt on the last day of the regu- out since joining the rotation; Mike Minor, sustain their impressive runs as of late is an- Matt Ryan is already playing like an lar season. This month didn’t get off to the who has pitched well despite not having other story, but one thing is for sure, there is MVP candidate and the dynamic receiv- best of starts as the Braves were nearly swept much run support in some outings; and even once again reason to be excited about Atlanta ing duo of Roddy White and Julio Jones has by the suddenly-surging Phillies, but it was a Dan Uggla, who has shown signs that he has sports. While the Jackets and Bulldogs took torched secondaries, with each player having Chipper Jones’ walk-off three-run homer that broken out of his miserable slump. As the sea- care of business handily the past two week- a 100-yard receiving game. Tony Gonzalez capped a five-run, ninth inning rally to sink son comes to a close, we’re definitely looking ends, the Bulldogs notched the biggest win, looks to be making the most of his last NFL Philadelphia.