Whitey Ford: This Day in Time...

Whitey Ford Day was held in Yankee Stadium on August 20, 2000. The venerable southpaw still holds Yankee team records for victories (236), innings pitched (3,170), strikeouts (1956), and shutouts (45). The "Chairman of the Board", as Ford was known as , was elected into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1974, along with his longtime friend and teammate Mickey Mantle. The Yankees retired his #16 jersey and dedicated a plaque in his honor in Monument Park at the Stadium. His plaque calls him "one of the greatest pitchers to ever step on a mound".

Gerogia Tech Has New Uniforms...

If it looks like a Jacket, acts like a Jacket, and plays like a Jacket, then it must be a Jacket. New uniforms or not. What's all this racket with the Jackets anyway? New Head Coach. Brand new offensive system. Now new uni's. And you didn't even have to sign with Under Armour after they courted you. I guess it took that kick in the butt for Russell Athletic to come off that stale look they've had for years. Speaking of butt kickings, that consecutive losing streak you've got mounting up against the Dawgs wouldn't have anything to do with this face lift would it? You wouldn't be trying to top those new black jerseys over in Athens would you? Of course not! How silly of me! You know you'll always be the 'stepchild of the state'. But I will give you credit for trying. Next time try changing the school's colors. That vomit gold just ain't gittin' it done!

Shawn Johnson: What A Kid!

Shawn Johnson got her Gold Medal. And she got it in the last event of the women's gymnastic competition, the balance beam. And she did it with a bad headache, but she also did it with that ever-present enduring smile. The 16 year old finally got to the top step of the medal podium after occupying the second step while earning three silver medals in Beijing. She has trained for this since she was a little girl. Her family has sacrificed too, and they have been by her side for the entire journey. Now she is a very deserving Olympic Gold Medalist. Gold and Silver medals are nice, but her smile, personality, and attitude are the attributes that Shawn Johnson will be remembered and rewarded for.

Usain Bolt: Or "Insane Usain"?

Usain Bolt has no competition at the Beijing Olympics. Except for maybe the timing devices. He sprints with a smoothness and ease and gracefulness that not every sprinter possesses. He has already won the glamour event of Track and Field, the men's 100 meter dash. He set a new world record in the process, even though the did not go 'all out' the entire 100 meters. I was thinking: how fast could you have gone in the final? I also wondered why anyone would 'coast' in any Olympic final? That's the insane part. The Olympics only come around every four years, so put every ounce you have into them. You can celebrate after its over. Haven't you trained your fanny off to reach the pinnacle of your sport? What better place to showcase that talent than in an Olympic setting. Don't waste this opportunity. Sure you won easily, but your time wasn't the best it could have been, and you don't get to do it over. You might not even be in the next Games four years from now. You will of course be in the 200 meter final. You will be the favorite again. You will have a shot at Michael Johnson's 19.32 record set 12 years ago. I'll venture to say you won't get that one if you ease up at the end. And if you do cheat everyone, including yourself, by not busting your tail, I hope you miss the record as well as the Gold.

Mark Spitz: A Ton of Class!

I didn't know what the reaction of Mark Spitz would be to Michael Phelps tying his seven gold Olympic medals and ultimately passing him with eight. What I found out was that Spitz has been just as impressed by and mesmerized by Phelps as the rest of us have. He stated he was happy to be in the same company as Michael Phelps. He termed the accomplishments of Michael as "epic". Spitz called him the greatest swimmer of all time, the greatest Olympian of all time, and perhaps the greatest athlete of all time. Who can put up much of an argument with those accolades at this point? And I have to tell you, I'm almost as impressed with the graciousness of Mark Spitz as I am the fantastic accomplishments of Michael Phelps. Spitz told Phelps he and all of America were tremendously proud of him. Hey Mark Spitz, we're all proud of you too! Again.

Atlanta Braves: A Cycle Won't Prevent a Sweep, Even From Row 10!

I spent last evening at Turner Field, or perhaps I should say 'Wrigley Field South', because there were probably more Cubs fans in attendance than Braves fans. If not outnumbered, we were certainly out vocalized. But then again, they have a product to be vocal about. We just want football season to begin. And quickly. The Braves are just a 'lame-duck' team right now. They are ready for football season also. They want to put an end to all the misery. They are not a very good team at this point. The caliber of baseball being played by the home team at "The Ted" is strangely inadequate. We aren't accustomed to this after all those consecutive years of division titles. The Cubbies not only swept us, they obliterated us. The Richmond Braves would not have fared much worse. But my excursion to the A-T-L was not all in vain. My seats were fantastic, row 10 behind the right-hand batters box! Awesome! It was like having those court side seats at a hoops game when you can actually hear the 'squeaking' of the Nikes (or Adidas, or Reebok, or PF Flyers) on the court. And I got to see Mark Kotsay hit for the cycle. He's the first Brave to accomplish this feat since 1987. You just don't see a guy hit a single, double, triple, and homer at the ballpark every day. That was pretty special. I also was witness to one of those 'bench clearing brawls' that MLB stages every so often. You know, where some guys hold back the two initiators and all the other guys run on to the field and inquire about each others families. Not quite the WWE, but just as harmless. Not to mention the fact that it gave all of the fans a reason to stand up for a few minutes. I got to see Tom Glavine pitch. He didn't pitch very well (and that's being very kind), but it was a treat to see a future Hall of Fame pitcher live from those row 10 seats. I saw Chipper Jones make a fantastic bare handed play at third base. Right in front of us from, you got it, those great row 10 seats! The Cubs fans were even impressed with that one! I just can't believe it did not make Sports Center's Top 10 Plays this morning. It was certainly worthy of that status. Nevertheless, on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate by trip to the game a 10. Having to pay $6.50 for a beer almost kept it from being a 10, but getting to do all this as a father-son combo was a 10 in itself! Now I'm really ready for some football...

SEC Top 10 Players

Dannell Ellerbe joins Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno as three selections of the Top 10 players in the SEC, as compiled by SI Galleries. Georgia was the only team with three players, followed by Florida with two. I wanted to post Dannell's photo above to give the defense some 'love', since it seems the offense is garnering all the headlines. Ellerbe is a 6-1, 232 pound Senior middle linebacker full of agility and hostility! He and his defensive mates will end up with just as many headlines, if not highlights, as their offensive counterparts.

Richt and Dawgs Cool Down (Just for Now)

Georgia coach Mark Richt gave his Bulldogs the morning off from their regular practice schedule and allowed them to enjoy themselves in the pools at the Ramsey Center on campus. Coach Richt got the morning underway with a dive off of the 10 meter platform. The Dawgs were treated to this occasion last year, so it might become an annual rite of summer camp. I don't think Michael Phelps has anyone to worry about from this group!

Mickey Mantle: This Date in Time

This date in time: August 13, 1995, Mickey Mantle dies at the age of 63 from cancer of the liver. Flags were flown half-mast at Yankee Stadium in honor of the Yankee great. I've posted this here before, but I'll always imagine what he could have been without all the significant injuries and the self-inflected abuse to his body. As great as he was, his full potential was never utilized. He was certainly one of the greatest athletes the game has ever known.

Trinton Sturdivant: We Will Miss You Greatly "Big Guy"

Georgia Bulldog left offensive tackle Trinton Sturdivant suffered a season ending knee injury in the Bulldogs first preseason scrimmage Monday. Sturdivant was our best and most experienced lineman who operated out of our most crucial OL position. This is a huge, huge loss. I didn't say it was one we couldn't overcome, but it is close to being termed devastating. I'm not trying to cry about this loss or blow it out of proportion, but I am trying to relate the significance of this injury at this position. As most fans are aware, we have been lacking in experience and depth on our OL for the last few years. The situation is much better now, so we do have some options in regards to replacing Trinton. But now we are forced to move everyone around to cover for this shortage and then you wonder about the depth situation again. But hey, injuries are as much a part of football as the bounce of the ball. Every team suffers them, and every team has to adjust. You just really hate it when it's season ending for a young man who has worked so hard and expectations are so high. But he will recover and rehabilitate from his reconstructive knee surgery and be back for three more solid years. I hate to remind all of us Dawg fans, but this will not be the only hurdle we will face between now and December. We will get a chance to see just how good we are in many aspects. By that I mean character will play as big or bigger a part than talent. The really great teams have a combination of both.

Ole Miss: The "Spoiler" in the West?

I look at Ole Miss in the SEC West in the same way that I look at South Carolina in the SEC East. I don't see either one of them getting to Atlanta for the conference Championship any time soon, but I can see both of them having a 'say-so' on who does go from their respective divisions. Incidentally, these two teams meet each other on October 4 at Ole Miss. When Houston Nutt arrived in Oxford to take over the reigns of the Rebels, he inherited a team that returns 47 lettermen and 17 starters. So he does have a veteran squad and some talent with which to build around. The cupboard is not bare in the land of the Rebs. In 2007, Mississippi lost to Florida, Alabama, and cross-state rival Mississippi State by a combined total of 12 points. They have to learn how to come through in the clutch. They have to win the close games, and they aren't quite there yet. But they are at the point that if you take them too lightly, they will give you all you can handle on a given Saturday. That could possibly translate into an upset that could cost a contender a shot at the conference crown (just as the Gamecocks cost the Bulldogs last year). There's always a festive atmosphere at the Grove for pregame, but this year Nutt's seasoned Rebels might make the post game festive for a change.

Jon Richt: The Color Orange

Jon Richt is a freshman quarterback at Clemson University. Not really that big of a deal except for the fact that his father, Mark, is the head coach at Georgia. So orange has replaced red as Jon's primary school color. In case you were wondering, Georgia and Clemson don't play each other again until 2013. Assuming Jon redshirts this year, he and his dad will escape facing each other by one year. Here's hoping Jon gets a little bit more collegiate playing time than his dad got! Here's also hoping he turns out to be the man his dad is!