5-at-10: Braves directional test, Simonsens grand golfing summer, LeBron's chip off the block, Rushmore of most famous Rock-n-Roll lead singers

Atlanta Braves baserunner Ronald Acuna Jr. blows a chewing gum bubble as he heads to first base after a walk during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, July 24, 2018, in Miami. The Marlins beat the Braves 9-3. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Atlanta Braves baserunner Ronald Acuna Jr. blows a chewing gum bubble as he heads to first base after a walk during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Tuesday, July 24, 2018, in Miami. The Marlins beat the Braves 9-3. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Braves big test

There are swirling trade talks because, let's face it, the Braves need pitching, in the rotation and in the bullpen.

There are legit concerns whether the fun will end and Brave-arella will wake up, considering Atlanta has lost 10 of 17 games in July.

Now comes a monster series with the hottest team in the National League - the L.A. Dodgers.

Here are your pitching match-ups:

Thursday: Anibal Sanchez (5-2) vs. Rich Hill (3-4)

Friday: Mike Foltynewicz (7-6) vs. Clayton Kershaw (3-5)

Saturday: Sean Newcomb (9-5) vs. Alex Wood (6-5)

Sunday: Julio Teheran (7-7) vs. Ross Stripling (8-2)

Some important facts of interest include that a) the Phillies, who lead the Braves by 1.5 games in the NL East, just took 2 of 3 from these same Dodgers; and b) in addition to the task ahead, if the Braves make the playoffs, there is a real chance the Dodgers will one one of the other teams invited to the dance.

So giddy-up, and this will be a telling series in a lot of directions.

Yes, it matters to stay in the race. Yes, it matters in terms of competitiveness with the best in the league. Yes, it matters for what will be a huge home series that likely will be sold out each night.

But also consider this: The trading deadline is next Tuesday. If these Braves take 3 of 4 from the Dodgers, easily one of the top two teams in the NL now that they have acquired Manny Machado, that could be a springboard for management to make a move for the postseason.

If the Braves drop 3 of 4, well, it makes it easier for the Braves brass to stay the course and remain pointed to this offseason - and the bevy of big-time free agents - looking to contend and win big in 2019

Now that's a summer of fun

How did you spend your summer?

Some travel, maybe? Sounds nice.

Some family activities potenitally? Awesome.

Some golf or a ball game possibly? Great.

Well, let's all take a step back and tip the ol' tam o'shanter to the summer success of the Simonsens, shall we?

Henrik Simonsen is the director of golf at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, and that means he's completely comfortable playing world-wide respected golf courses.

Still, there's respected and hailed and there's the all-time home of golf. Simonsen was among the first threesome off the tee Thursday morning while we all slept in the British Senior Open at the famed Old Course at St. Andrews.

He qualified earlier this week on the number - he was one of a handful of more than 150 trying to make the field - and got to play with some household names in a Wednesday practice round.

That's cool. Heck, that's lifetime-clip-out-the-photos-and-retell-the-stories cool whether he shot 76 Thursday or makes the cut Friday or not.

And Henrik would be the first to admit it was the second-best golf moment of July for him.

Yes, as a golfer, this a career watermark. But as a daddy, his son Oliver winning the Tennessee Golf Association match play title last week, was Henrik's favorite memory of the summer.

And that's saying something.

photo Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James listens during the trophy presentation with his oldest son, LeBron James Jr., after the Cavaliers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 118-88 in Game 4 of the NBA basketball Eastern Conference finals, Tuesday, May 26, 2015, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Junior making a mark

Chip off the block or sign of the times?

This story made me scratch my watch and wind my head.

Here's the gist:

LeBron James Jr. - a rising eighth grader who goes by the name Bronny, which would make him a target for ridicule if not for a) he's the best middle school basketball player since his father and b) his father, who you may have heard of and is the most famous team-sport athlete in America - had an AAU basketball in Nevada.

Word got out about Bronny and his mates vs. an all-star team from Chicago. People flocked to the event. The gym sold out - at $15 a ticket for a middle school basketball game - well before tip off. The parents of the team from Chicago could not get in the gym. There was an argument between said parents and security. Game was cancelled.

There are lot of talking points here, right?

First, who in a million years charges $15 for a summer middle-school exhibition, and more importantly who is willing to pay that? (A lot of folks in Nevada apparently.)

Second, we know James is the biggest sports star in our country, rivaled only possibly by Tiger, but how can the hype already be this big on his oldest son? His online highlights already have more than half-a-million views.

Finally, can you imagine the recruiting battle on tap between Calipari and Coach K for young Bronny?

As T.O. once said, get your popcorn ready.

This and that

- Julio Jones is going to report to camp after all, and all appears right with the Falcons. Apparently the sides agreed to redo the deal in 2019. Yay harmony. There will be some incentives added to Jones' deal. Here's Weeds' take on Julio down by the schoolyard and how the Falcons need him every bit as much as he needs the money.

- Yes, we know that Carmelo Anthony is about to be bought out by the Hawks. But did you know that Vince Carter has agreed to play with Atlanta. Carter is 41 and was drafted by Toronto in 1998 three months before Trae Young, the Hawks No. 1 pick earlier last month, was born.

- As we mentioned the Phillies just took two of three from the Dodgers. Yay. Or boo. But this stat is staggering: The Phillies will start a rookie pitcher today against Miami. He is left-handed. It's the first left-handed starting pitcher for the Phillies since September 2016, the longest streak in MLB history.

- Here's TFP SEC ace David Paschall's latest installment in his post-media days SEC series. The topic today is Georgia and wide receiver Terry Godwin, who made one of the best catches in UGA history in the Bulldogs' win over Notre Dame.

- The Padres have offered an intriguing ticket plan for fans. It's called a five-win pass. You get tickets for five games. If the Padres do not win those five games, deal. If they lose any game in your plan, you get another ticket for another game. Cool, right? (Although would that make some Padres fans rooting for losses so they could get more tickets?)

- Stanford star and Heisman favorite Bryce Love was a no-show for Pac-12 Media Days. Hmmmmm.

Today's questions

Today is the Tennessee takeover on ESPN. Just finished watching the 1998 Arkansas game. Hard to imagine the Vols' natty was 20 years ago, right?

True or false (on a Thursday), if we wanted a Rushmore of best catches in Georgia football history and offered Lindsey Scott's "run Lindsey run" catch, Michael Johnson's game-winner at Auburn in 2002, Verron Haynes' TD grab in Knoxville and Godwin's grab at Notre Dame, that would be the list.

Albert Pujols hit his 631st home run Wednesday. That's for his career, not the season because that would be a record. Man, think about how big a deal that would have been 10-to-15 years ago. Is that about our indifference to baseball or our indifference to the mounting number of homers? Discuss.

As for today, July 26, well a few good birthdays.

Sandra Bullock is 54. Kevin Spacey is 59. He's had a rough year. Helen Mirren is 73. Joe Jackson, the daddy of the Jackson singing family, would have been 90 today.

Today is national chili dog day. Chili dogs are our friends.

It's national aunts and uncles day. Instead of the cliche of "Some say to-may-toe, some say toe-MAH-toe" (because no one says toe-nah-toe), could we not change that to "Some say aunt, some ant" these days? (We are in the 'ant' category.

Mick Jagger is 75 today. Yes, 75, and here's betting that he's gone way over the Vegas line on his life expectancy.

Who makes the Rushmore of the most famous lead singers in rock-and-roll history? Go, and remember the mailbag.

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