Bishop Media Sports Network
Groundhog Day
By: JJ Lanier
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
After four months, what has to be close to a thousand games, and countless hours of my life I’ll never get back listening to people complain about who made the college playoffs and how many teams should be included, we end the season right where most thought we would before it even started; Alabama and Clemson, battling it out for the national title. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
I know there’s some fatigue going into tonight’s national championship game since this is the fourth year in a row both teams will have met in the playoffs, with three of those meetings for the national title. But as much as people like to compare it to the Golden State/Cleveland series, and their four straight matchups, this budding rivalry between the two premier programs in college football is much more compelling.
Throughout the season Alabama and Clemson have been the two best teams. There may have been a couple that could make an argument for a week or two, but nobody has consistently been as dominant as either of them.
It’s hard to see where the advantages are, too. Normally each team has a glaring weakness, if not two, the other team tries to exploit.
However, tonight it’s going to come down to scheme and execution. I know that’s not a very insightful analysis, but neither team really has any major deficiencies.
Both teams’ strength is their defense; they both have a strong running game that enables them to control the time of possession, as well as the ability to milk the clock when needed; and both have quarterbacks that more than lives up to the hype and are able to score points in a hurry.
As great a coach as Nick Saban is, it’s not like Dabo Swinney is the college version of Rich Kotite. Both coaches are great with in game adjustments and have obviously proven they aren’t afraid to make a gutsy decision with their season on the line.
As great as the play on the field promises to be, the mental matchup between these two might be even greater.
I think Alabama is the more talented squad, so if they play up to the level, they’re capable of I believe Saban will walk away with his seventh national championship. The Crimson Tide will have to play that well though, because Clemson isn’t too far behind.
The Tigers are deep and skilled at every position, and are not intimidated.
When it comes to titles games, whether it’s college or professional, all you can hope for is a well-played game that has some semblance of tension at the end.
I understand fans may feel like they’re living their own personal version of “Groundhog Day” and would love to see someone else in the title. It’s hard to root for either team when they’ve already gotten an embarrassment of riches. I mean, even during all those Warriors/Cavs series, there wasn’t much question as to who the superior team was.
With all due respect to teams like Georgia, Ohio State, and Oklahoma, these have been the two best teams all year and deserve to be in this game. As exciting as their first two games were this one has the potential to be just as good.
It may be a story we’ve all seen before, but it’s a hell of a good one.
Alabama 30, Clemson 24.
Catching Dollars
By: TJ Hartnett
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
Julio Jones has two years left (and over $21 million) on the five year, $71.25 million contract extension that he signed with the Atlanta Falcons in August 2015, but that hasn’t stopped his contract situation from being in the headlines across both Atlanta and the National Football League.
That’s because Julio thinks he’s earned himself a raise. This is not news, as prior to the 2018 campaign there, were rumors abound of Julio holding out during the preseason.
It didn’t shake out that way, with the Falcons moving some money around and taking better care of the star wide receiver for the year. A $2.8 million raise will get most anyone to show up for work.
And Jones showed up in 2018, leading the league with 1,677 receiving yards on 113 catches and 8 touchdowns. His 10 100-yard games set a franchise record for most such games in a single season.
So, the question that now faces the Arthur Blank and the Atlanta Falcons is this: how much money should be thrown at Julio Jones? He’ll be 30 when next season starts. So, should they make him the NFL’s highest paid receiver?
There are plenty of indicators that the Falcons are willing to open up the checkbook for their young cornerstone. Blank himself has mentioned that he’d like to “take care” of the players that deserve it, specifically name-dropping Julio.
For the sake of comparison, New York Giants’ star Odell Beckham Jr. is leading the wide receiving charge at a hefty $18 million average per year, nearly $4 million above Julio’s current average, which sits at 11th highest.
There’s a chance that Julio could ask for well over Beckham’s price, even flying past $20 million average per year with $70 million guaranteed, also higher than Beckham’s number.
Jones’ teammate Matt Ryan was briefly the highest-paid quarterback in the league, thanks to a huge five year deal he signed last year that was ultimately surpassed by the contract Aaron Rodgers inked with Green Bay. So, we know that Atlanta will pony up when they think it’s deserved.
Plus, they’ll likely have the salary cap space in 2019 to get Jones past Beckham if they want. Julio, for his part, has said numerous times that being the highest paid isn’t his goal, just to get paid what he’s worth. But that may mean the same thing.
It took Julio just 104 games to accumulate 10,000 yards, the fastest in the history of the NFL. He’s also got “first receiver to have five 1,400-yard seasons” on his resume, to supplement the six Pro Bowl selections he’s already racked up. And he’s shown no indication of slowing down.
In fact, his league-leading yard total is all the more impressive given his battles with injuries in 2018.
2019 should shape up to be a success for Julio as well. We don’t know who he’ll be working with on the sidelines after the Falcons fired offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian, but even under Sark – an oft-maligned OC – Julio still produced huge numbers.
Whoever the Falcons find to fill that role shouldn’t affect the massive pay day coming in Julio’s direction.
Whether or not he rises to meet or exceed the record for players at his position, the Falcons seem ready to pay Julio and that’s good. He’s a crucial part of the Falcons’ offense, and even though that unit as a whole hasn’t consistently impressed since the record-setting 2016 season, Julio is a major asset to the team.
There are also negative implications if Atlanta tries to underpay or lowball Jones, who has shown willingness to advocate for himself but that seems like an unlikely outcome.
Julio Jones is going to get the money he deserves before too long. The question is: how much is that?
Jason Bishop Show with Kipp Branch January 5
Sour Sugar Bowl
By: Kipp Branch
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
Georgia got whipped in the Sugar Bowl by a Texas team that had something to prove and the Longhorns came out and took it to Georgia; winning the Sugar Bowl 28-21. The Dawgs ended the season with two straight losses, but great lessons come from a little adversity.
Georgia went into the Sugar Bowl over-confident and it showed throughout the contest. Jake Fromm probably had his worst game in a UGA uniform. D’Andre Swift could not hold on to the football. JJ Holloman had a bad case of the drops. Richard LeCounte tackled like a Pop Warner league defensive back.
The only player that played like he wanted to be in New Orleans was Brian Herrien. UGA only had 69 yards rushing against a Longhorn defense that had leaked all season like a West Texas oil well.
Texas beat UGA at its own game, which was being physical at the point of attack. Texas is on its way back to being a national power. Great job Texas you earned the Sugar Bowl trophy.
What can UGA learn from this effort?
Social Media is not the place to vent your frustrations about not being selected for the college football playoff. Going into this game against the Longhorns’ T should have stood for Texas and not Twitter.
Take care of your business on the field and not put it in the hands of a committee. UGA lost by 20 in Baton Rouge and blew a two-touchdown lead against Alabama in the second half.
Notre Dame looked bad against Clemson, but Georgia players after the way UGA looked against LSU had no business blowing up social media after Clemson beat the Irish 30-3.
I told my wife Saturday night that UGA was in trouble against Texas. Georgia was not a focused football team in New Orleans.
You need to limit your distractions. Deandre Baker you are a DGD, but when you made the decision not to play in the Sugar Bowl then you became a former player getting ready for the NFL draft.
Best of luck to you, I and the rest of Dawgnation will be supporting you in the future. BTW, you didn’t come to UGA as a first round draft pick. Georgia helped prepare you for the NFL. You are an all-time UGA great and a favorite of mine.
Touchy subject matter here I know, but you made the wrong decision and as a leader of the football team your decision spoke volumes about how much the Sugar Bowl really mattered to the younger kids in the program.
All of those years of Outback, Citrus, Liberty, Belk, Taxslayer/Gator, and any other insignificant bowls; then this team wasn’t ready or motivated to play in the damn SUGAR Bowl.
Really? The Rose, Sugar, Orange and Cotton are the historic bowl games guys. Hines Ward, Champ Bailey, current UGA head coach, Kirby Smart, Robert Edwards, Todd Gurley, Rodney Hampton, Garrison Hearst, and the list goes on, would have loved an opportunity to play in the Sugar Bowl.
Deandre you should have followed your heart and played in the game. We still love you though #18 and always will.
Justin Fields. UGA does not hand out starting jobs. You did not beat out Jake Fromm for the QB position.
You played in 11 games as a freshman. If you don’t want to be in Athens then take your talents to another university. There are plenty of kids that are hungry for your spot.
Competition is everywhere in life. Get used to it Justin and best of luck to you. I hope you stay.
Now that my rant is over that Sugar Bowl loss could be a blessing in disguise for UGA.
With 88 players who are freshman or sophomores this team will learn from this, and will be a huge coaching point for Coach Smart and the staff.
Georgia has more talent than anyone in the country and a great head coach and staff are in place.
Georgia is in transition from being a good program and on the cusp of being a great program. The lessons learned from the last month will help define that greatness just on the horizon.
Around The Bend
By: Rich Styles
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
The 2018-19 season starts this month on the PGA Tour. Yes, there were several tournaments last fall with many of the top ranked golfers cherry picking which ones to play.
Now, after the Tournament of Champions, which will not include Tiger, Phil and Justin Rose, the tour starts in Hawaii, then the west coast swing.
There are many PGA, Web.com, PGA Tour Canada and Latin American players from Georgia or with Georgia ties. Many have won tour events and several majors over the last several years and around 30 or so live and practice in Sea Island/St. Simons Island.
One of the biggest stories was Charles Howell III winning the RSM Classic. Howell III won on the second playoff hole with a birdie, after over 83,693 shots on the tour, 333 starts and over 11 years without a win. A great and popular win for the Augusta native. He will play in the TOC in Hawaii.
He is also ranked in the Top 20 of total winnings on the PGA Tour. Quite an accomplishment with 3 PGA Tour wins and many Top 10s along his journey.
Looking to regain their games in the 2018-19 season are Patton Kizzire, who had a great first half of the season with two wins to lead the FedEx Cup standings and reached Top 30 of the Tour Championship; Chesson Hadley, who has 13 Top 25s and 7 Top 10s.
Also looking to regain form are Kevin Kisner, who did not have the year that he had planned; Brian Harman, started strong but missed the Tour Championship; Zach Johnson will start the new year with a new caddie after parting ways with Damon Green after 15-years together and 2 major wins. And many others.
A strong list of players on various tours include Anders Albertson, Cameron Tringale, Harris English, Heath Slocum, Hudson Swofford, J.T. Poston, Jason Bohn, Joey Garber, Scott Wolfes, Kris Blanks, Luke List, Michael Thompson, Ollie Schniederjans, Patrick Reed, Richy Werenski, Roberto Castro, Russell Henry, Scott Brown, Sepp Straka, Stewart Cink, Trey Mullinax, Troy Matteson, Vaughn Taylor, Wesley Bryan, Dru Love IV and Will Claxton.
The list will grow of tour players who live or have ties in Georgia with the incredibly strong golf programs at UGA, Georgia Southern, College of Coastal Georgia, Georgia Tech and others.
The AJGA, Jones Cup Jr and Jones Cup Invitational are also strong organizations with unbelievable talent that is only going to get stronger.
That means the talent in high schools to colleges to the mini tours to the PGA Tour is strong. You may not know their names now but you will in the next few years.
These players are young, strong and have an incredible will to win. They have no fear and want to play against the best on any of the above-mentioned tours. Georgia’s golf future is bright and very promising.
Flat Out Crime
By: TJ Hartnett
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
I’ve made the case for several years now that Fred McGriff should be in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.
His time on the BBWAA ballot has come to a close with this year’s vote, his tenth shot at immortality the old-fashioned way. As he didn’t surpass 25% last year, it’s a safe bet to assume he won’t be reaching the 75% needed to be inducted into Cooperstown this summer.
That is a shame and has been for a decade now. But something happened earlier in December that makes it all the more shameful: Harold Baines was selected for inclusion in the Hall of Fame.
Now, I don’t mean to knock Harold Baines. He was a force for the White Sox in the 80s, and I’m sure he’s a very nice man but what he was not better than Fred McGriff.
To be clear, Baines was not elected to the Hall via the BBWAA ballot. He was elected by the Eras Committee, which is 16 people who vote in overlooked players from particular eras of the game.
This years’ batch, the Today’s Game Committee, inducted Baines and former all-time saves record holder Lee Smith. This makes the BBWAA’s failure to elect McGriff more palatable. Let’s not rule out the Crime Dog finding himself enshrined through this same process, but Baines is still going to have a plaque on the hallowed walls first.
To the naked eye, it might seem like Baines and McGriff are relatively similar players, or even that Baines is superior. Look closer.
Baines had more hits. He had more RBIs. He had a higher batting average. He also played in 370 more games than McGriff. That’s not insignificant if you’re comparing counting stats. If McGriff had played 370 more games even at his lowest level of production, he’d easily make up the RBI difference and close the hit gap, if not pass him there as well.
There is also the matter of intangibles. If Baines is a Hall of Famer, then surely McGriff is based on their respective significance. Baines was a consistent hitter throughout his long career, but was never a dominant one who could be considered the best. McGriff in the late 80s and early 90s was as feared as any hitter in the game at that time.
Baines was a piece of the puzzle on the teams he played for. McGriff was traded for in 1993 and both literally and figuratively Atlanta caught fire. He was the cleanup hitter for the 1995 championship team, Atlanta’s first ever.
Baines, on the other hand, spent the prime of his career on White Sox teams that were mired, in what would eventually be, an 88-year championship drought.
These “intangibles” are not nothing. Many voters will tell you that they vote as much on whether or not a player “feels” like a Hall of Famer as much as they will vote on their statistics.
Jack Morris’ entire argument for getting into the Hall of Fame was his postseason dominance and his 1991 National League Championship Series Game 7 performance in particular. Morris, for what it’s worth, also failed to get into the Hall through the traditional ballot but was selected by the Modern Era committee for induction last year.
While Baines’ induction this month and McGriff’s inevitable snub next month will be frustrating to those who believe that the slugger (who is just seven home runs shy of 500) is deserving of the call, all hope is not lost.
In fact, Baines’ induction should comfort those same people. Because once the Era Committees cycle back around to Today’s Game, they won’t have a leg to stand on in keeping the Crime Dog out of the Hall. It will be overdue, but it will be very deserved.
Beasts From The East
By: Mike Anthony
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
From beginning to end, the 2018 Major League Baseball season went mostly as the experts predicted.
High payroll teams that fattened up even more before April got the returns on investment that were expected as the Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers all lit up scoreboards throughout the season, with Boston ultimately topping Los Angeles in the World Series as the Dodgers came up just short for the second consecutive season.
Other teams that entered 2018 with rosters that were mostly the same as their winning counterparts from 2017 also excelled.
The defending world champs from Houston made it to another American League Championship Series, Cleveland once again dominated the AL Central and the Chicago Cubs looked like a World Series contender until hitting a late snag.
The one division that played against type last season was the National League East. The division was supposed to be the Nationals’ for the taking, but Washington spun its wheels for two-thirds of the season and never looked like a playoff team. The Mets once again had all the pitching in the world and once again watched as all of those pitchers went down with injuries.
In the end, it was Atlanta and Philadelphia. They were picked fourth and fifth in most preseason predictions. The Braves ultimately claimed the lone playoff spot out of the division, only to bow out in the divisional series.
That left an interesting question heading into the offseason and the always-exciting winter meetings. Would the Nationals and Mets take advantage of windows to win that were allegedly still open, or was the standings flip-flop a sign of big changes coming?
The NL East seems to have chosen option ‘C’, in which just about everyone is making moves as if they expect to be making noise in October.
Washington had a busy December, picking up former Braves Kurt Suzuki and Matt Adams for bench depth before signing arguably the best left-handed pitcher on the free agent market in Patrick Corbin.
The Mets were involved in one of the biggest trades of the offseason so far, as they shipped veteran Jay Bruce and some prospects to Seattle in return for eight-time All-Star Robinson Cano and ace closer Edwin Diaz.
The Braves signed former American League MVP Josh Donaldson to upgrade at third base. Another former All-Star – and fan favorite – will return to town as Brian McCann returns to the club where he cut his teeth in Major League Baseball.
Philadelphia traded for an All-Star shortstop in Jean Segura, signed former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen and remain as a team constantly linked to free agent crown jewels Manny Machado and Bryce Harper.
And in much less interesting news, the Marlins will still be the Marlins.
Regardless of the myriad moves sure to be made between now and Opening Day, gauging the National League East will be a tough task.
The recent bullies on the block (Washington and New York) have been too inconsistent to believe that the division will be one of the best in the league. Yet, the quick turnarounds and evident investment into continued improvement of Atlanta and Philadelphia will make it tough to write off any team in the division that isn’t playing its home games in Miami.
Injuries, a brutally long season and the notoriously quirky ups and downs of baseball make it impossible to make a call on the division as the final days of 2018 tick away, but anyone paying attention to the offseason hot stove will agree that the NL East should provide plenty of drama next season.
Wide Open Fields
By: JJ Lanier
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
As fans, we always want to believe the teams we root for are in the right. When other teams are caught cheating, we want to think our team would never do that. When a player chooses to sign with the program, we like to tell ourselves he or she made that decision because they bleed the school colors.
So, when a program is caught being less than truthful, or in the case of Justin Fields, there are rumors a player may leave the program, we tend to not handle it very well.
When news broke that Fields was considering a transfer, there may have been a sense of betrayal within the Georgia fan base, but for those of us whose two favorite colors aren’t black and red, it wasn’t that much of a surprise.
It’s nothing against Fields, who has the potential to be a very good college quarterback when given the opportunity, but rather says more about Jake Fromm proving that he deserves to be the starter.
I know there have been a lot of comments regarding Fields lack of intestinal fortitude, to put it nicely, when it comes to battling for the starting job. I’m sorry, but that’s ridiculous.
Yes, he could stay and battle it out against Fromm during the spring, but unless Fromm were to completely lay an egg in the Sugar Bowl, it would be a huge gamble- on the field, as well as on the recruiting trail- to sit him in favor of Fields.
Benching a two-year starter, who has put up good numbers while leading his team to two of the most successful back to back seasons in program history, is just a bad look.
Saban was able to navigate through it this year because one, he’s Nick Saban, but also because it was a bit of a different situation. Jalen Hurts was always considered to be limited and once Tagovailoa performed the way he did in last year’s championship game, it was obvious who the starter should be.
This has nothing to do with Fields being “scared” to battle for the position, but instead being realistic on the probable outcome.
And because players with the talent that Fields has don’t pick a college with their heart- no matter how much we wish they did- it makes perfect business sense for him to look elsewhere.
Playing for your dream school only matters when you’re getting the playing time you think you deserve. If you think you can further your career at another school, your childhood dream school goes out the window. As a Duke fan, I feel like this way of thinking has become an annual conversation I have with myself.
Like most things in college athletics, this whole situation is fluid. As I mentioned above, if Fromm and Fields have a Hurts/Tagovailoa moment in the Sugar Bowl, this could all change. I have to believe part of Fields hesitation to announce his intentions, whatever they may be, is because he wants to see how the bowl game plays out.
Regardless of whatever Fields decides, it has nothing to do with his competitive drive or his feelings for Georgia; it has everything with showcasing his talent and getting to the NFL.
So, if he decides to stay, forget his inclination to leave and enjoy his time in Athens.
If he chooses to go though, wish him luck and hope everything turns out for the best; it’s what you would do if this were happening to any other program.
Just Another Jones
By: TJ Hartnett
GeorgiaSportsEdition.com news services
The available options to fill the Braves’ need in the outfield are starting to shrink.
The Houston Astros inked Michael Brantley to a deal last week, taking a player that had been linked to Atlanta off the table.
There are four remaining outfielders that the Braves could seek to reasonably replace Nick Markakis in 2019: Bryce Harper, AJ Pollock, Adam Jones, and Markakis himself.
Assuming that Harper won’t be joining the home team at Suntrust Park (and you should be assuming that), that leaves three. Pollock is an interesting option, though he’s also a bad combination of being oft-injured but talented enough to be expensive. Let’s set him aside for now.
That leaves two long-time Orioles and former teammates in Markakis and Jones. Braves fans have spent the last four years seeing and appreciated what Markakis has done both on the field and in the clubhouse. He’s a known quality and a perfectly fine option if the length of contract is agreeable.
Let’s take a look at the unknown for a moment and advocate for Adam Jones joining Atlanta.
The first thing that jumps out about Jones is the seeming notion that he will cost less than the last two free agent outfielders to sign (Brantley and Andrew McCutchen), both of whom will be making roughly $16 million per year over the course of their respective contracts.
What’s fascinating about that is how quickly the world seems to have written off Adam Jones after one down season.
At 33, Jones is on the down slope of his career, but retirement is still very far off. He’s not as quick as he once was when he was winning his four Gold Gloves, but the Braves don’t need him to play center field.
Jones would slide into a corner spot while Ender Inciarte patrols center and Ronald Acuna, Jr. backs him up. He could roam left or right field with at least the kind of skill that Markakis did for nearly half a decade.
Offensively, the criticism of having a “down year” for Jones is mostly levied at his power numbers. After seven straight seasons of 25 or more home runs (and nine straight of 19+), Jones knocked out only 15 round trippers in 2018.
However, it doesn’t seem to have been a sign of his overall season at the dish, as his batting average was .281, which is above his career average and his on-base percentage was only five points lower than his career OBP.
Interestingly, while he did not play substantially fewer games than normal at 145, he struck out fewer than 100 times for the first time since 2009.
Additionally, he would replace Markakis as the veteran leader in a young clubhouse (albeit with some assistance now from Josh Donaldson and Brian McCann). He’s a different flavor of personality that the ever-reserved Markakis, but he has the same track record of consistency, which was Kake’s calling card.
It all boils down to what I find to be a rather puzzling circumstance: Adam Jones might cost around $10 million annually for a two-to-three-year contract, despite his consistent health and production and his positive reputation in the clubhouse.
I enjoyed and admired Markakis over the past four years, but I am somewhat baffled at the notion that he may command more annual money than Adam Jones, who frankly has been a better and more dynamic plater over the course of his career.
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I would also point out that signing Jones for $8-10 million for two years also gives the Braves breathing room to pursue the free agent relief pitching that they so desperately crave.
Is he the best free agent outfielder on the market? He isn’t. But he does make some sense. So, for your consideration: Adam Jones.
Jason Bishop Show with Kipp Branch December 22
