Bishop Media Sports Network
New Golf Course
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
A decade ago, professional golf was mostly relegated to the man caves of middle-aged dads as they napped their way through Sunday rounds while winding down their weekends.
Since then, a swarm of young talent has brought the game much closer to the sports mainstream. Not only are the current stars a far cry from the beer-bellied prototypes of pros from previous eras, they’re also personable to crowds, all over social media and – most importantly – better than any generation of golfers that has ever come through the sport.
Players like Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler have started to move the needle, and resurgences from the old guard of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have resulted in plenty of drama.
The changing of guard from one generation to the next is enough of a storyline to hook in the usual golf fans, but the shakeup to this year’s schedule could be the spark that ignites a burst in ratings for the game.
For years, the golf schedule religiously held to the same timing for its biggest events, inadvertently causing lulls of a month or more in viewing for the casual fans. This time around, the season will feature a schedule that features marquee events in six consecutive months.
The big shakeup begins in March as the Players’ Championship jumps forward on the calendar by nearly two months. The Masters will hold its usual spot in early April, with the PGA Championship cutting in front of the other two majors by moving from August to May.
That leaves the U.S. Open for its normal spot in the blistering heat of June, followed by every golf fan’s guilty pleasure of sneaking out of bed early to catch the (very) early morning rounds of the British Open in July. With the PGA already done, the season will bump up it’s big-money Fed-Ex Cup playoff, culminating with the Tour Championship in Atlanta in late August.
It remains to be seen how viewership and attendance will respond to the drastic change, but it seems to be a shrewd move for a sport that has always had a massive casual following while lacking the ticket gate and sponsorship revenue of the traditional major sports.
Golf may have just played its hand perfectly.
In an industry where leagues are struggling to get fans to come to games instead of going to bars or purchasing all-inclusive television packages, golf has spent a decade investing in technology and information beamed right onto the screens of everyone watching the action at home.
And while every other sport is locked into a schedule that lends it to lapses in attention from casual fans, golf has made the decision to condense what had been a very scattered 10 months of tournaments – many of which weren’t featuring top players – into six months of better tournament fields that see the four majors bookended by the next biggest player and viewer draws of the season.
If golf was a sports franchise, this is when all of its fans would be starting to get excited.
Golf had some down years in the early 2010’s, but it took a step back and evaluated its position. It developed a young group of talent that can produce for years to come, it still has the star power of old veterans and – thanks to the new schedule – it’s got some sleek new packaging that will catch the eye of more than just the die-hard fans.
So, for all of the lazy Sunday dads out there, watch out. Your regularly scheduled nap is going to be interrupted by a lot more excitement this year.
AFC South Draft Preview
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL Draft fast approaches. After free agency ends, we will have a clearer picture on the direction teams will go in for the draft.
I’m going to examine the AFC South and who will be selected in the first round. This is one of the weaker divisions in the NFL with only one team ever winning a Super Bowl (Indianapolis).
Houston and Jacksonville have never been to the big game and Tennessee has only been once.
Jacksonville (5-11): The Jaguars looked poised to be one of the best teams in 2018. They had an elite defense in 2017 and relied on the ground game with Leonard Fournette. That formula led them to the AFC Championship game where they led New England in the fourth quarter.
We know how that played out. Quarterback Blake Bortles was the obvious weak link of the team. He was rewarded last offseason with a three year contract extension worth $54 million. It seemed to pay off early after they got off to a 3-1 start. That included a victory over the Patriots. Then they had a seven game losing streak.
Quarterback is the position that must be addressed. If they don’t acquire Nick Foles in free agency they will draft a QB with the 7th pick. Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray will get selected. The Heisman Trophy winner has great talent but lacks ideal height.
Tennessee (9-7): The Titans have had two consecutive winning seasons. They have several needs they can address with this pick like wide receiver, guard, edge rusher or quarterback. Their franchise QB Marcus Mariota cannot stay healthy.
One possible pick is NC State receiver Kelvin Horne. He could be paired with Corey Davis to make a dangerous passing attack.
If they go with a pass rusher Jachai Polite of Florida could be the pick. Last season he had 11 sacks and 6 forced fumbles.
Houston (11-5): The Texans won the division but lost in the Wild Card round to the Colts. They finally have a franchise quarterback in Deshaun Watson but they can’t protect him.
He has one of the best receivers in the game (DeAndre Hopkins). They should draft an offensive lineman to help with that problem.
Offensive tackle Jawaan Taylor (Florida) would be a good pick. He would be a day one starter. If he is not available tackle Greg Little from Ole Miss will be picked. He looks like he will be the fifth o-lineman picked in the first round but he still has good value. He’s a good pass blocker but he needs to be more consistent.
Indianapolis (10-6): The Colts have one of the best young quarterbacks in the league in Andrew Luck. He missed the entire 2017 season and came back in 2018 with a vengeance. They have a pretty good offense and they need to get better on defense. The biggest needs are at cornerback, defensive line and wide receiver.
Washington corner back Byron Murphy would be a good pick if available. He had four interceptions and 58 total tackles in 2018. He’s physical enough to help stop the running game and he can cover.
Receiver D.K. Metcalf of Ole Miss is also a possibility if they do not add another WR in free agency.
I’m excited to see if one of these teams can become a serious contender after the draft.
The Madness Begins
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
As the college basketball season winds down and teams on the outside looking in began to focus on what they can do to make the tournament, there are a handful of teams that will begin their preparation for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament.
Below is a list of those teams I believe have a legitimate shot at cutting down the nets on April 8. Most teams will seem obvious, but there may be one or two surprises thrown in.
My Projected #1 Seeds: Duke, Gonzaga, Virginia, Tennessee
Duke- Two of their three losses this year have been accompanied with an injury to one of their freshmen (Syracuse- Tre Jones, UNC- Zion). When healthy, Duke has the most talent in the country and their best will beat everyone else’s best.
Problem is they’re as top heavy in talent as a weightlifter who has never used a leg machine. If any of the four freshmen are injured or in foul trouble, they’re vulnerable.
Gonzaga- Tell me if you’ve heard this before: “They’re an experienced team without any glaring weaknesses, but will their weak conference schedule hinder them come tournament time?” This team may be better than one that played UNC for the title a few years ago.
Virginia- Go ahead and get the UMBC jokes out of your system now, this team isn’t losing in the opening round.
They’re pace is slow and they’re not the most exhilarating team to watch, but they may be the best.
Tennessee- Probably one of the deepest, most complete teams in the country. Unfortunately, their coach is as allergic to winning tournament games as my teenage daughter is to cleaning her room.
In 20 NCAA Tournament appearance with Clemson, Texas, and Tennessee, Rick Barnes has made it past the opening weekend six times- none in the last seven tries. The talent is there to make a run, but is the coaching?
If the Bracket Fits: UNC, Kentucky, Michigan State
UNC- Think of a less talented Tennessee team, but with much better coaching. Obviously, I think there’s enough talent for the Tarheels to win or I wouldn’t list them here, but after their win in Durham I may be suffering more from “prisoner of the moment” syndrome than anything.
Kentucky- One of Calipari’s less talked about teams, in recent years at least. Yet, he always seems to have his players ready come tournament time, and this year’s squad is no different.
A lot is going to be riding on PJ Washington’s shoulders, but if any one of the Keldon Johnson, Tyler Herro, or Reid Travis trio can step up and play consistently, they are as dangerous as anyone.
Michigan State- I’ll be honest, I’m including the Spartans because of Tom Izzo; I just assume his team is going to make tourney run every year. If Izzo doesn’t have to face Duke or North Carolina (I’m pretty sure he’s a combined 1-2387 against them) Michigan State will probably be in the mix.
Visit from the Fairy Godmother: Marquette
Marquette- It’s not always the best team that wins, sometimes it’s the team whose best player has the hot hand. Dwayne Wade came close to pulling it off when he carried the Golden Eagles to the Final Four in 2003; could Markus Howard be that guy in 2019?
If Duke is completely healthy by the start of the tournament, they’re my pick to win it all in Minneapolis. Of course, if my past predictions are any indication, you’re better off betting the field.
Acuna Matata
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Ronald Acuna just turned 21 years of age this past December and is the current National League Rookie of the Year.
He is a five-tool player who looks to be the face of the Braves franchise and could be for the next decade or so.
Acuna missed all of April because of the business side of baseball and then a sprained knee that hampered him in June.
The young Venezuelan hit .293/.366/.552 over 111 games and 487 plate appearances, scoring 78 runs, driving in 64, and pounding out 26 doubles, 4 triples, and 26 home runs.
Did I already mention that Acuna missed roughly two months of the 2018 season? If not for that I believe this kid would have been named the National League MVP in 2018.
You probably can already tell by reading this article that I’m a huge Ronald Acuna fan. I think he is the most talented player to arrive in Atlanta since Andruw Jones. That is saying a lot.
The projected Braves lineup in 2018 looks like this:
LF: Ronald Acuna Jr. (R)
1B: Freddie Freeman (L)
3B: Josh Donaldson (R)
C: Brian McCann (L)
RF: Nick Markakis (L)
2B: Ozzie Albies (S)
CF: Ender Inciarte (L)
SS: Dansby Swanson (R)
Before the Braves brought back Brian McCann, it was looking like Acuna would move to the clean-up spot in the batting order, but now he is back at the leadoff spot where he can lead the 2019 Braves.
With Acuna, Freeman, Donaldson, McCann, and Albies this batting order has some pop in it. Then you have Tyler Flowers, Charlie Culberson, Pedro Florimon, and John Camargo providing depth that should keep Donaldson and McCann fresh throughout the season.
I think this can be a dangerous, run producing batting order that may allow some of the younger arms in the rotation to flourish.
Back to Ronald Acuna, this kid has superstar written all over him. Acuna moved to the leadoff spot on July 20th last year and he hit .322 with 19 homers and a 1.028 OPS over the last 68 games.
Without that line-up move the Braves do not win the NL East in 2018. Acuna was the Braves MVP in this writer’s opinion in 2018.
With Acuna, Donaldson and Freeman the Braves have three MVP caliber players in the everyday line-up. Acuna could possibly end up batting in the four-hole, but after the excitement you saw in 2018 why would you move him?
Right now, Ronald Acuna projects as the best player in the National League going into the 2019. If you don’t believe me look it up. Barring injury I’m predicting Ronald Acuna Jr. to be the 2019 National League MVP.
Excitement for Braves baseball is off the charts right now. If this rotation can hold up and a closer steps up this offense will lead the Braves back to the playoffs.
Who knows who the Braves can pick up at the trade deadline maybe a quality arm or two for a playoff run?
Ronald Acuna is the new face of the Atlanta Braves, and now the Braves must put the pieces together to ensure Acuna retires as a Brave in about 15-18 years.
Baseball is thriving again in Atlanta, Georgia. Ronald Acuna may be the face of Atlanta sports. The Falcons and Hawks are struggling at the moment.
NFC South Draft Report
By: Kenneth Harrison Jr.
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2019 NFL Draft starts April 25, 2019. For the 31 other teams that didn’t win the Super Bowl they have a chance to add players and improve their franchise. Let’s take a look at the NFC South and see who they might select in the first round.
Tampa Bay (5-11): The Buccaneers have the fifth overall pick. They had a bit of quarterback controversy to begin the season before Jameis Winston came back from his four-game suspension.
It looks like the Bucs will stick with the troubled young QB. Bruce Arians has taken over as head coach and he will try to give Winston protection.
Left tackle Donovan Smith will be a free agent. On the right side, Demar Dotson is entering the last year of his contract and turns 34 in October. That is why Alabama’s Jonah Williams should get picked to protect Winston’s blind side.
Atlanta (7-9): The Falcons are coming off of a disappointing season that had many injuries on the defense. They need to drastically improve on that side of the ball and on the offensive line.
Head coach Dan Quinn is on record saying he is only comfortable at center and left tackle.
With the 14th pick guard Cody Ford from Oklahoma makes sense. He’s extremely physical and he would help change the identity of the line. He played guard and right tackle so he might also be shifted to that position.
If defensive tackle Ed Oliver (Houston) is still on the board he should get selected. He reminds me of Aaron Donald because he can totally disrupt an offense.
Carolina (7-9): The Panthers started off the season hot before the seven-game losing streak. They are in an interesting position because star quarterback Cam Newton had surgery on his injured shoulder. Some time tables have predicted him to miss the 2019 season.
They also need help on defense. Mario Addison led the team with nine sacks. They need help getting to the quarterback and that is the direction they will go with the 16th pick.
They can draft a local player like Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell. The defensive end registered 50 career tackles for loss and 27 sacks in three seasons. He added 56 total pressures and 30 total stops during his final year. He’s 6’4, 265 pounds with great first-step quickness.
New Orleans (13-3): The Saints had a great season, advancing to the NFC Championship game. They should have won the game but a terrible no call for pass interference against the Rams cost them. They traded their first-round pick in the 2019 draft to move up and select Marcus Davenport.
The biggest needs are tight end, defensive tackle, running back and linebacker. Running back Mark Ingram will be a free agent so that may create a need. Alvin Kamara is great but he works best paired up with a physical runner.
New Orleans will pick 62nd in the second round. I think they will want a pass catching tight end. I’m not sure who will still be on the board by the time they make the pick. The best-case scenario is Irv Smith from Alabama. The best available might be Dawson Knox of Ole Miss.
Prior to last year the NFC South was the toughest division in the league. The Saints were the only playoff team so the other three teams need to get better. It will be exciting to see how everything plays out.
The Right Mistake
By: Rich Styles
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Matt Kuchar has spent his life and his golf career upholding doing the right thing. He holds himself to some pretty high standards. I’ve had several face to face interviews with Matt and he has always been upfront, honest and grateful.
Many of you have heard stories about Matt’s win in Mayakoba, his first win in four years.
His regular caddie, John Wood, was unable to be there. So, Matt got together with a local caddie, “El Tucan”, to carry his bag at the tournament. They made an agreement. Matt would pay his local caddie a certain amount if he missed the cut, another amount if he made the cut, a higher amount if he placed in Top 10 and a flat fee if he won.
“El Tucan” carried the bag, which he does at the course and usually receives a few hundred dollars a week for doing that. Matt figured the yardage on each hole, read his own putts, etc. The caddie carried the bag for four days.
Well, as you know, Matt won. He paid the caddie the previously agreed amount of $4,000 plus another $1,000 for the win as a bonus. That was the deal.
I interviewed Matt’s Dad, Peter, last week, and we discussed the matter. Peter said, “a deal is a deal”. He further said, “if I hired a person to paint my house for a certain amount, that was our deal, our agreement.” Peter said, Matt has always done the right thing all his life in everything he has done.
Well, since the tournament, social media and friends of “El Tucan”, has exploded. It has blown up. The media, “el Tucan”, his friends and family have all said he deserved more money than he was paid.
So, after the negative press from many outlets, Matt through the PGA office, agreed to give his local caddie an additional $45,000 plus an undisclosed amount to the Mayakoba Classic to use for local charities. Matt paid more than he said he originally agreed upon.
John Wood, Matt’s regular caddie, in various publications that “you do not know the real guy”. “Matt has treated me fairly during out whole relationship.”
Did Matt make a mistake? In my opinion, no. Should he have paid the local caddie more than they agreed upon. I think not.
But with the pressure from social media and discussions with the PGA Tour, the additional funds were paid to do more than the right thing. Matt went out of his way to make things right. He said, “I made a mistake, I was stubborn and hard headed.
In my mind, a deal is a deal. After I won, it wasn’t a good deal. In the caddie’s case, he did not feel like he won in that situation, and I needed to make that right. It’s as simple as that.”
This situation with Matt should be over. The media will probably continue to talk about it and attack his character.
I am a Kuchar fan. I met him while he was practicing for the President’s Cup a few years ago. He was pleasant and a nice guy.
Every time I have interviewed him or seen him running on the beach on St. Simons Island early in the morning, he always says hi.
The bottom line is that sometimes you make a mistake, but in the end, he will always do the right thing to make it even righter.
Let’s move on, please
Name Brand
By: JJ Lanier
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
I love Cinnamon Toast Crunch; so much so that for my birthday last year my children gave me a Family Size box of it, with the specific waiver they would not eat any of it.
I am also notoriously cheap, and I only buy “The Crunch”, as it is referred to in my house, whenever it is on sale. During those times it’s not on sale, I’ll opt for the generic store brand. It’s not as cinnamony, or toasty, or crunchy as the real deal, but it gets me through the cravings.
Besides hoping a General Mills employee will read this and bless me with copious amounts of free cereal, there is an actual reason I’m divulging my breakfast eating habits.
Even though the Alliance of American Football (AAF) is in its infancy, I feel like it will be a worthy alternative to the NFL, when the name brand isn’t available.
There have been leagues in the past that were either too gimmicky (XFL), too devoid of talent and coaching names (Arena Football), or foolishly tried to go head to head against NFL (American Football League), that ultimately folded. On the surface it seems as if the AAF is avoiding most of those pitfalls, at least to start with.
Their “gimmicks” are looser rules when it comes to penalties and allowing listeners to listen in on challenges; neither of which are very gimmicky, but rather things the average football fan would enjoy.
There is big name talent throughout the league, from those in advising positions, to the coaches and players on the field.
And while they might benefit more from starting a little later on in the year, they aren’t competing head to head with the NFL.
I also like, and this may be purely coincidental, but in the case of the Atlanta Legends, there is a certain local flavor when it comes to their roster. 14 of the 52 players on the roster, which equates to 27% of the team, played college ball in the state of Georgia.
Most everyone who follows college football, or any major college sport for that matter, has players they enjoyed watching that either never made it to the next level or didn’t last very long. This is just another avenue, a more legit one, to give us the opportunity to continue following those careers.
The ratings have been better than expected and the commentary for those who are tuning in has been positive for the most part, so the league is at least off to a good start.
Obviously, there are some issues that could pop up down the road: how do they keep the NFL from poaching their successful players and seeing that they’re not a niche league will fans tire of the product? (I’m contradicting myself somewhat, but Arena Football has done a great job of marketing their differences to the NFL, while not being over the top.)
Whether the league folds after this year or is around for the next fifty, it’s giving a group of players an opportunity to showcase their talents. And for the fans, it’s given us another outlet to enjoy the game.
Sure, it’s not the name brand product we’re used to seeing, but if you’re within driving distance of Atlanta it may be worth the time and minimal amount of money it will cost you, and give the league a chance by seeing a game. Sometimes those off brands will catch you by surprise.
Jason Bishop Show With Kipp Branch February 16
Beast Of The East
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The teams of the NL East have been busy this off season trying to get better quickly.
The National League East hasn’t been decided by fewer than seven games since 2012 and the division race hasn’t come down to the season’s final weekend since 2008.
The Atlanta Braves won the division in 2018 by 8 games and pulled away from the Phillies down the stretch.
How did the NL East teams get better this off-season?
Let’s take a look:
Atlanta Braves: GM Alex Anthopoulos went out and signed Josh Donaldson and Brian McCann. The Braves also brought back Nick Markakis. They have the youngest talent in the division, but need a number 1 starter, and closer help.
They won 90 games in 2018. It may be tough to match that win total in 2019. I think the Braves haven’t done enough to address starting pitching concerns this off-season. Will that hurt them? Probably and will have to be addressed at the trade deadline.
NY Mets: New general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has come in making moves.
Van Wagenen already has traded for perennial All-Star second baseman Robinson Canó and elite closer Edwin Díaz.
He also brought fellow late-inning reliever Jeurys Familia back to New York. Wilson Ramos was signed for $19M to come in and catch. Great move by Mets. The Mets have the best starting pitching in the division. Don’t be shocked if the Mets win this division. I like the moves they are making.
Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies in their own words want to spend stupid money.
They signed Andrew McCutchen for three years and $50 million during the Winter Meetings and acquired shortstop Jean Segura from Seattle.
They traded for catcher JT Realmuto and think they will sign either Manny Machado or Bryce Harper. That could be scary in that hitter friendly ballpark in Philadelphia. The Phillies have been bold and aggressive during the winter and I think it will pay off this season.
Washington Nationals: The Nats brought in elite starter, Patrick Corbin, catchers Kurt Suzuki and Yan Gomes, and re-signed a big bat in Matt Adams.
The Nats need bullpen help and potentially an outfielder to replace Harper. I don’t think Washington did enough to offset the pending loss of Harper.
Miami Marlins: The Marlins at this point, only develop talent and trade it away. They are no immediate threat in the division. I don’t understand this organization. The Marlins can spot, draft, and develop talent as good as any club in baseball, but will not pay to keep it.
NL East Predictions:
- Phillies
- Braves
- Mets
- Nationals
- Marlins
Don’t be surprised if the NL East produces a Wild Card Team in 2019. This division is on the rise. I love the start of baseball season. Spring, warm weather, sand gnats, shorts, flip flops, and eventually the beach gear gets pulled out of the boxes.
Ronald Acuna Jr. is the best young player in baseball, and will win the NL MVP within the next three years.
Destination Unknown
By: Mike Anthony
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
To say that the Sun Belt men’s basketball race is wide open might not be doing things justice.
If the regular season race were put in terms of a horse race, the pack would be rounding the final turn with mud flying in all directions and no one hitting their finishing kick just yet.
With seven games remaining for most Sun Belt teams, Texas State and UT Arlington are tied for the top spot. But there are six more teams within three games of the top and no listing of the conference standings will be safe until the dust settles on March 9.
Georgia Southern is one of the huge mob of teams sitting just off the pace. The Eagles split a pair of tough road games in Louisiana last week and are currently tied with UL Monroe and Coastal Carolina at 6-5 in conference play.
A strong finish could easily see the Eagles snag a top-2 finish and a free pass all the way to the semifinals of the conference tournament, but a few more losses could force them to win as many as four games in New Orleans if they want to take home the title.
It’s been an up-and-down ride for Georgia Southern this season, but now is the time for it to show the talent and leadership that has been four years in the making.
When this year’s senior class were freshmen, they were thrown right into the fire. Guys like Tookie Brown, Ike Smith and Montae Glenn showed promise, but also had to learn lessons about the college game the hard way as they were immediately inserted into the lineup.
The trio has grown – and has soaked up plenty of help in the classes that have come after them – and knew it would have one more shot for a tournament run this spring.
Unfortunately, Smith will have to watch from the sidelines as he has been ruled out for the year with a back injury. Glenn felt that pain – literally – last season when he injured a knee during conference tournament practice and never saw the floor in New Orleans.
Brown has been the steady hand throughout his career and this is unquestionably his team, but it will take a trip to the NCAA tournament to elevate his status at Georgia Southern from great to legendary.
So, while things haven’t gone to script and the Eagles will be short-handed down the stretch, it’s also fair to say that this should be their time to shine.
The Sun Belt is as deep as it has ever been, but the Eagles have already proven that they can play with anyone in the league. Come conference tournament time, the majority of players in the lineup will have played big roles and meaningful minutes in previous trips to New Orleans.
While the win-loss record isn’t where many hoped it would be at this point in the season, the Eagles have to realize that everything important – including, hopefully, their best basketball – is still ahead of them.
For the upperclassmen on this year’s team, no refresher course is needed on what can go wrong at the end of the season. Bad breaks, fluke injuries and hot-shooting opponents have all spelled disaster for Georgia Southern in previous late-season games and conference tournaments.
They’ve learned all of the tough lessons and no one doubts their ability to be the better team when things are going right for them. But they’re out of time to worry about what obstacles might pop up in the coming weeks.
If the Eagles want to win, they’ll have to put it all together and they’ll have to start right now.
