Gang, remember the mailbag. You, mailbag.
From the "Talks too much" studios, we believe Atlanta may trade the Varsity for two middle relievers and a High-A slugger from the Dominican.
Gattis trade
Wonder if the Atlanta Braves will cut ticket prices since they have slashed the roster?
Yeah, probably not.
Heck, AJC columnist Jeff Schultz tweeted that this is all part of the plan to alleviate traffic in Atlanta's crowded roads. No fans, mean no traffic, right?
OK, the Braves have completed their latest deal and duck move by sending slugger Evan Gattis to Houston for three prospects. There names are of little important right now since the meaning of this deal is to restock and rebuild.
Evan GattisAnd you know what? We're OK with that.
What was last year's Braves team ever going to win? Exactly. Atlanta, in recent years at least, was constructed to compete in a very average division and take its chances in the postseason. Those chances fell flat mostly, and that was that.
So, after banging their collective heads on the sports course that is known as "pretty good" the Braves are burning it down and starting over.
They are also avoiding the river of dead-money contracts that hamstrung this bunch under the umbrella of usury that was the IO-Us of Upton, Upton and Uggla. Only B.J. Upton remains, and if there's not improvement this summer, Atlanta likely will part ways with his eight-figure anchor of a contract too.
Only four starters from the 2014 opening day lineup will be back, and only two of those - first baseman Freddie Freeman and shortstop Andrelton Simmons - will be long-term names to know.
So we bid farewell to Gattis, a defensive liability and an offensive slugger who could very well put up big numbers next year in the American League. Gattis had the hands of brick mason behind the plate and was already being groomed to be the league's worst left fielder before the deal was finalized.
Certainly this will be a summer of frustration for a Braves fan base that has been annually entertained if only to be disappointed in our summer fling as football comes into focus.
But if the Braves are ever going to return to the glory runs of the 1990s that carried into the 2000s and altered the narrative and our expectations of what Braves baseball is, well, they have to destroy the now and reconstruct the future.
This is another mighty swing of the wrecking ball, dealing a pretty good blow to pretty good in a great effort to be great again.
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Draft declaration day
Today is the deadline for third-year college football players to declare for the NFL draft. We have several talking points about this.
First, the date needs to be moved back. Period.
Ohio State's Cardale Jones reacts to a question during a news conference after the NCAA college football playoff championship game Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2015, in Dallas. Ohio State defeated Oregon 42-20 on Monday. Jones was names the offensive player of the game. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) Now that bowl games and title games have moved into the second week of January, the fact that Cardale Jones had all of 60 hours to make this decision is not fair. And yes, he is the exception and possibly an outlier unlike any we have seen, but that bowl season star-power could create similar scenarios going forward. Plus, what does it hurt to move it back another week so guys like Jones could get a grade from the NFL draft board if they want one?
Second, some of the best recruiting a college coach can do has happened this week. Seriously, you can talk about star-studded recruiting classes, but when it comes to filling needs in the here and now, getting guys to return for their redshirt junior years or their senior season is huge.
Here are the four teams that did the best in recruiting key pieces to stay for one more run:
Auburn - The Tigers will welcome back linebackers Kris Frost and Cassanova McKinzy, much to the enjoyment of new defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. But the real surprise was Auburn coaches convincing wide receiver Duke Williams to stay for his senior season. Somewhere Jeremy Johnson is smiling.
Michigan State - Quarterback Connor Cook and defensive end Shilique Calhoun, who was projected as a first-round talent in a talented first round filled with defensive ends, have said they are coming back for their senior season. Those two dudes likely are the captain of each side of the ball and they are back.
Georgia Bulldogs UGA logoGeorgia - Leonard Floyd would have tested off the charts, but he's coming back to Athens and could be an absolute beast as a junior next fall. Also, getting Jordan Jenkins back is a nice bonus.
Mississippi State - The Bulldogs did lose running back Josh Robinson and linebacker Benardrick McKinney, but getting Dak Prescott to return for his senior run at quarterback is a huge bonus.
Finally, we are getting closer and closer to the rubber meeting the road on players and curtailing their draft eligibility.
Let's take Ohio State sophomore running back Ezekiel Elliott, who just crushed Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon to the tune of 696 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. Elliott can't declare for the draft, which is the rule in place.
It could be argued that it would be in his best interest to skip next fall in Columbus and not risk injury. (Side note: Where Dorial Green-Beckham gets drafted this spring will be quite telling in that regard considering DGB, the former No. 1 prospect in the country missed last season while sitting out because of a transfer from Missouri to Oklahoma. DGB has declared for the draft, and if he goes in the first round, well, that would severely devalue that final year of Saturdays on the field.)
Thoughts?
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NFL coaching hires
There have been moves and there has been silence.
Some NFL teams have acted quickly in naming head coaches; others have slowed the process, waiting presumably on a few guys who are still working the sidelines for one of the four teams still chasing the Lombardi Trophy.
One of the main reasons there was not an avalanche of quick strike hires is there was no clear-cut name out there that everyone knew was going to get a job. It was Lovie Smith last year, and the Tampa Bay Bucs moved quickly and set off a rapid-fire sequence of hires.
Jon GrudenAlso, for the first time since dinosaurs roamed the Earth, there has been very little noise about Jon Gruden, although we are pretty certain his wife may have been a cheerleader at one of the various NFL clubs where there is an opening.
So with almost half the jobs filled, let's grade the hires and project who gets the remaining openings. Deal? Deal.
Buffalo. We love Rex Ryan. We believe he is a defensive genius and could assuredly become a successful head coach. Know this, if you are truly great at one task in sports, you will earn a check. And Rex is great as defensive leader. That said, and while we would have loved for Ryan to be in Atlanta or San Francisco considering the pieces and needs, it's puzzling why the Bills pulled the trigger on Rex. Defense is not the issue in Buffalo, offense is, and Ryan's ability to turn a mediocre offense into a winner is highly questionable. Grade: C.
San Francisco. The 49ers have the most talent on the roster of any team looking for a head coach. They also likely have the most baggage, considering the front office forced out Jim Harbaugh, a guy who is widely considered one of the 10 best football coaches on the planet. So, the 49ers stayed in house and promoted defensive line coach Jim Tomsula. Yes, we are as puzzled by that choice as you are. Wow, OK. Apparently Jim's really popular around the clubhouse. Swell. Good luck Jim, and here's hoping GMs around the league heed the lesson Trent Baalke has re-authored: Be careful what you wish for. Grade: D
Oakland. The Raiders finally are showing signs of progress. Derek Carr had moments and could be a franchise guy. The defense is faster. There could be help in a guy like Amari Cooper in the draft. And we like the Raiders decision to hire Jack Del Rio, the former Denver defensive coordinator. Del Rio has proven chops as a coach, and unlike the uneven fit in Buffalo with the Bills tabbing a defensive genius in a situation begging for offensive help, Del Rio's time crafting a young Jacksonville team into a competitive bunch will serve him well with a rebuilding Raiders club. Grade: B+
New York Jets: The Jets replaced a defensive guy with a defensive guy, but they got younger and fresher and arguably the guy with the must buzz in the hiring process in former Arizona defensive coordinator Todd Bowles. The situation is a little different than the Bills-Ryan marriage, but we still have to wonder if a guy can be the answer if he does not have a speciality in the area of need. That said, the OC hire will be paramount for Bowles, who needs to find someone a) he trusts and b) he can turn loose and do his thing. Grade: C+
As for the other openings, let's try these names:
Chicago: The Bears need stability and John Fox is the face of stability.
Atlanta: Here's hoping the Falcons wait it out on Dan Quinn, the Seattle defensive coordinator. Dude knows what he's doing and helped construct that defense with some elite-level draft picks that included getting All-Pro level talent such as linebacker Bobby Wagner, cornerback Richard Sherman and safety Kam Chancellor in rounds two, five and five, respectively.
Denver: Could Mike Shanahan come back? We think it's possible but unlikely. There's also whispers that Gary Kubiak could be in the mix, but that would make things a little awkward with Peyton Manning. If Denver president John Elway is to be believed and Manning will have a say, here's thinking the Broncos will promote offensive coordinator Adam Gase.
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This and that
Merle Haggard- Your Atlanta Hawks have won 10 in a row and have the best record in the Eastern Conference at 31-8. Egad.
- Big game for the UTC hipsters tonight. Here's Mean Gene Henley's preview.
- TFP ace columnist Mark Wiedmer breaks down the two newest QB faces in Knoxville.
- As for the national stuff, well, today feels a little like a holiday since... Mel Kiper Jr. has released his first mock draft. Sweet buckets of time wasters. We love the draft. You know this.
- And consider us generally excited that Merle Haggard is coming to Riverbend. We've seen the Hag a few times. Good times.
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Today's question
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears Monday, Dec. 15, 2014, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Happy 36th birthday to Drew Brees.
That said, on this day in 1889, the Coca-Cola Company was incorporated in Atlanta.
What's the Rushmore of soft drinks (and yes, Coke is far left)?