SPORTS

BY RUSS RAGAN
Despite neither team playing, there was news on the Falcons and Bulldogs front. The Dogs have several key returners and the offense should be really good. The Falcons have the fourth overall pick in April’s draft plus they have a fourth place schedule which is nice. There are reports that there is a favorite for the head coaching job and it’s a surprise.
Nothing really to report on the Braves front but I have some ideas.
It was a good week on the Bulldog front. Players have until this Friday the 15th to announce if they are returning for another season by the NCAA. The defense got a boost as Devonte Wyatt and Jordan Davis are coming back. No word yet from Zamir “Zeus” White. I do think he will be back. Scoring points shouldn’t be a problem for the Dogs this fall.
There hasn’t been a whole lot of winning in Falcon land, but their losing has helped things out. We do have good news to report. The 2021 schedules are out and it’s doable for the Birds. They have the home games with the Saints, Bucs and Panthers. After that things get a lot easier. Of the remaining ten teams only two made the 2020 playoffs. Buffalo is very good, no question about it. The other is the Washington football team and they are very beatable.
The second part of good news is they have the fourth pick in April’s draft. The big question is do you draft a quarterback? Zach Wilson from BYU and Justin Fields will possibly be there. Personally, I don’t think the Birds leave Fields there at number four. They could trade down and add picks. We will talk more about that as time goes on.
There is even still more Falcons news and this one is about the next head coach. It looks like the early favorite is Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady. He was also in the same position in 2019 for the college national champion LSU. He is only 31, does that scare anybody out there?
The other big interior went to Kansas City Chief offensive coordinator Eric Bienieiz. He is the hot candidate across the league. Personally, I would take either one and it does excite me that both are offensive guys. The next three plus months should be interesting in Falcons land.
Let’s wrap up with the Braves. In the 2019 off season they picked up Cole Hanels, bad move, and Will Smith, improved as the year went along. In the 2020 off season, they picked up Charlie Morton. A move I liked, add Drew Smyley a move I don’t dislike just like last year things have gotten really quiet.
The Mets did make a real big deal as they got shortstop Francisco Lendor and pitcher Carlos Carrasco.
The Mets give up descent prospects in the deal but they are paying pretty much by contracts.
So, what will the Braves do? Well they could bring back Ozuna and hope the designated hitter comes back at least by 2022. They could trade for Kris Bryant from the Cubs as he will be a free agent at the end of the season, but you can’t overpay in prospects. Don’t rule out Michael Brantley or Joe Peterson for the last outfield spot. The Braves should do something soon for the offense.