Frank Wren: Trick or Treat

As the trade deadline draws ever so close, let's play Major League Baseball general manager. Imagine you're a general manager and Braves GM Frank Wren gives you a call. He has a proposal for you for a three player package deal. He asks the simple question of "what/who will you give me in exchange for Nate McLouth, Derek Lowe and Kenshin Kawakami (above)?" Well, pick your poison and fire away. What kind of a deal would you make for these three hellacious ballplayers? Select a team but don't forget, you have to take all three. Let's make a deal! What/who do you have in exchange?

Glenn "Fireball" Roberts: NASCAR Legend

One of the first real superstars of NASCAR was Glenn "Fireball" Roberts. Great racing name, huh, except for the fact he earned it as a young American Legion baseball pitcher. Although Roberts tragically died at the age of 35 due to burn injuries suffered in a flaming wreck in the 1964 World 600 at Charlotte, he nevertheless accumulated 33 victories and 35 pole positions. He was a colorful, larger-than-life, go for broke racer who performed at a very high level during the "Golden Age" of NASCAR. Characteristically, "if he didn't show for the dough, you'd know he's blow". The restricted, rules-laden sport that we know as today's NASCAR can't hold a candle to the sport as it was known in Robert's day. No teammate crutches, no partners on the track, and no restrictor plate follow-the-leader races. If Fireball had been around for this modern age of stock car racing, he would have stopped competing in today's micro-managed sport a long time ago. And I for one wouldn't blame him. In fact, I would applaud him.

Atlanta Braves: Your Official Wake-Up Call

No need to set your alarm clocks. No need for the hotel desk to give you a wake-up call. You have it right here today from An Opinion on Sports. Wake up Braves. Since the All-Star break, you've played like you did in April again. All season long each game has counted, of course, but now each game REALLY counts. You might want to glance behind you because here come those Fighten' Phils. You had to know they weren't going to fold up and go away. Heck, they're healthier now than they've been all year. The Mets might fade, but those pesky Marlins will always be a pain to you. You have to cut out the sloppy fielding. You have to get back the clutch hitting. The starting pitching has to shut teams down. The margin for error is diminishing daily. The prize is large, but the battle is fierce. You better wake-up Atlanta, or you could find yourselves out of first place when August arrives.

Mark Richt: The Dean of the SEC Coaching Fraternity

As Mark Richt enters his 10th season as Georgia's head football coach, he is the longest tenured Southeastern Conference coach by four years. After completing this 10th year, he will join an elite group of only eight of the 72 coaches hired since 1970 to last more than 10 years at a single institution. Richt won at least ten games in five of his first six seasons, and at least nine in eight of nine seasons. His winning percentage at UGA is .769, which is eighth best in SEC history. He is, however, coming off his most dismal season where his Bulldawgs finished with a sub-standard record of 8-5. His name has been mentioned, rather unjustly I might interject, as being one of several coaches on the "Hot Seat" as we enter the new season. Believe it or not, the 8-5 season doesn't have as much to do with the negativism toward Richt as his 2-7 record against hated rival Florida does. No matter how good a year might be as far as wins are concerned, if Georgia falls to the Gators there will be an asterisk by that season. He has to beat Florida very soon, and then win his 'share' against them from then on. The "Hot Seat" talk is premature, because after the next five months Richt will either be completely out of those talks or dead solid in the midst of them. I don't think it will even be an issue by then. Georgia needs Mark Richt. There aren't too many like him out there.

Nate McLouth Has Got To Go...

Trade Nate McLouth. Release Nate McLouth. Cut Nate McLouth. Put Nate McLouth back on the disabled list. Send Nate McLouth to AAA, AA, or A. Send him to the Varsity to pick up some burgers. Give him a one-way ticket to Alpharetta. Do anything with Nate McLouth, but please don't pencil him back in the Atlanta Braves lineup. Put him on one of those stools where kids are to retrieve foul balls. I think McLouth is the only Braves' player I ever hated to see come off the disabled list. He is a bonafied detriment to the Braves. He is hitting a frigid .168 with three blistering homers. His speed has benefited Atlanta with a whopping four stolen bases, but then again, it is kind of hard to steal bases when you can't reach first base to begin with. The trade deadline is less than a week away now, but I don't think there is a team in the major leagues who would want McLouth. We would have difficulty trading him for a batting practice pitcher. His productivity is so low it's like rushing a sick cow to the sale. Bobby Cox is known for his extreme loyalty to veteran ballplayers. Even though this is a great trait, I hope he won't let blind loyalty get in the way of making the best decision for his ball club. Plain and simply, Nate McLouth must go. Now.

NCAA: It's Time to Take a Look at Yourself...

I'm not sure I believe a college athlete should have to provide receipts for a trip he/she took to the NCAA. I don't have to provide that kind of evidence unless I'm writing an expense off on my income tax report. I frankly don't want to keep receipts other than to reconcile my credit card statement. Alabama's Mark Ingram recently (May) took a trip to Washington to attend a party of NFL draftees. Crimson Tide compliance officials contacted the NCAA before Ingram attended the party to see if it would be a violation of any of the outlandish rules. 'Bama was told he would have to provide proof that he paid his own way to the extravaganza. Why? If an agent paid for the trip, it doesn't affect his situation at Alabama. Heck, he's already there. Recruiting isn't involved. If another outside party paid for the trip, so what? I would love for someone to pay my son's expenses to an out-of state party. I would thank them and tell my son to have a great time. Look, colleges will never be able to contain the activities of agents. They would have to have a task force set up for that. Neither can they stop alumni and boosters from providing those "hundred dollar handshakes". Nor can they babysit their student athletes 24/7. Everyone needs to get real about this. College football is big business. If you don't think so, just look at the numbers regarding the top 25 NCAA programs. Take a look at coach's salaries. Take a look at television contracts. Take a look at donations and ticket prices. There is money at every turn for the high profile Division I schools. Remember, that money is generated by the success of their programs, and the success is due to the performance of its athletes. Yet athletes receive no monetary stiffen. I realize a fully paid scholarship is a big deal that is worth more than a lot of money. However, a 'regular' college student has the time and opportunity to pursue a part-time job. No so for a 'jock', because intercollegiate athletics are a year round endeavor. Let 'em take a trip. Let 'em go to a party. They deserve to exercise that freedom without an entity like the NCAA looking over their shoulder all the time. The NCAA has everyone all up in arms over an agent's party in Miami. It's the agent they should be targeting, not the kids. Some of the rules of the governing body are legitimate and warranted. Yet many others are ridiculous, outdated , and unnecessary. It is past time for the NCAA to take a look at itself before it continues to look at everyone else.

Don Mattingly: Nobody Knew the Rules Anyway...

Joe Torre (R), was one of three Dodgers ejected from Tuesday night's loss to the San Francisco Giants. In his absence, hitting coach Don Mattingly (L) acted as on-the-field skipper. Mattingly went to the mound for a ninth inning strategy meeting with closer Jonathan Broxton. As he was leaving the dirt area on the mound, he took one step onto the grass infield and turned to answer an infielder's question while stepping on the mound area for a second time. Giants manager Bruce Bochy called for a citizen's arrest (a la Gomer Pile) of Mattingly for making two trips to the mound in the same inning. The umpires concurred with Bochy, sending Broxton to the showers earlier than he expected to go. His relief, George Sherrill, was only allowed eight warm-up pitches and the Dodgers, leading at the time, went on to suffer their sixth consecutive defeat. OK, now that the stage has been set, here's the bottom line. The umpires enforced the rule all wrong. Broxton should have been allowed to pitch to one more batter and Mattingly should have been ejected from the game. Even without that happening, Sherrill should have been given as many warm-up pitches as he needed. The outcome of the game may or may not have ended the same, but at least get it right to begin with. It wasn't a split second judgement call, it was a rules interpretation and execution (or lack there of). Shouldn't a Major League umpire know the rules book completely? At least much better than Congress knows the health care bill. Come on guys, run with the big dogs or stay on the porch.

Matt Diaz: Hard-Nosed As Heck

Matt Diaz is a ballplayer's ballplayer. He's willing to do whatever it takes to win, and he doesn't seem to get all wrapped up into how he looks doing it. He's the kind of player a fan enjoys watching play the game.I believe it's fair to say that "Matty " is somewhat of a streak hitter. Perhaps platoon type guys get that way, and he's that way now. In Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Padres, his two-run homer drove in both the tying and winning runs, and was the third home run he's hit in his last three games. In the thirteen games since coming off the Disabled List, Diaz is hitting a sizzling .400 with six doubles, four homers, and eleven RBIs. He never seems to cheat himself with an at-bat. He'll take some nasty swings at some questionable pitches, but his results speak for themselves. Matty's on fire, and I hope he stays that way.

Farewell St. Andrews: A Favored Son Bids Goodbye..

Tom Watson missed the cut at this year's British Open at St. Andrews by two shots. However, by finishing in the runner-up spot in last year's Open he earned a five year exemption to continue to play in the tournament. The 60 year old Watson is shown above saying goodbye to the throngs at the "Old Course" because he knows 2010 is his last visit here. The Open will not return to the hallowed grounds of St. Andrews until 2015. The five-time British Open Champion stooped to kiss one of the stones of the storied Swilcan Bridge farewell before going on to make birdie at the finishing hole.

Miguel Angel Jimenez: The Shot of the Tournament!

The infamous 17th hole at St. Andrews requires skill, imagination, and just plain out luck. On Saturday of this year's British Open, Miguel Angel Jimenez found himself literally between a rock and a hard place. His ball was stuck close to a stone wall, which virtually left him with no shot. Maybe no shot, but nevertheless an option or two. With his back to the green, Jimenez ricocheted his ball off the wall and miraculously onto the green. The fact that he went on to double bogey the intriguing 17th is of little consequence when the shot he struck was the shot of the tournament.