Category: Archive

“Welcome to the Atlanta Falcons season ticket holder family.  This is a letter confirming that you have purchased 4 season tickets for the 2008 Atlanta Falcons season.  By paying your $100 per seat deposit on your credit card today, you have ensured a seat for the upcoming season.”

With that, 4.5+ years on the waiting list is finally over.  In that period of time, I moved, renovated my grandmother’s house, had a third kid, and probably did some other stuff not worth mentioning on this blog.  I am surprised they found me – my email was outdated, my address was wrong, my phone number was old.  Thankfully, my work number was still the same.  I guess that shows that they were desperate to get new season ticket holder blood, and I folded like a lawn chair at the chance to throw down my deposit.

I told the nice lady on the phone that I could only afford the “cheap” seats (something like $250 per ticket), but I am happy that my number finally came up.  Thanks to Vick for running off the faithful and bumping me up on the waiting list.

My time has come.  Color me a Falcon!

OK, throw me on the bandwagon.  I do not really follow college basketball, at least not until it is time for tournament season.  Georgia’s SEC experience should have been one and done.  This year the Bulldogs managed to win four times in SEC play, so I certainly was not expecting much.  Instead, Georgia managed to take out Mississippi 97-95 in OT, followed by back-to-back Saturday wins over Kentucky (64-60) and Mississippi State (64-60).

Georgia was forced to double up on Saturday because a tornado damaged the Georgia Dome, postponing their game, forcing the SEC to move to the bumble bees’ arena (that would be GA Tech for those of you keeping score at home).   Who knew the Bulldogs had it in them to win twice in one day?  Today they followed up Saturday’s minor miracle with a nice with over Arkansas, which propelled the Dawgs to SEC Champs, and surely spoiled the hopes of some poor team sitting on the bubble.

So Georgia makes the NCAA Tournament with a 17-16 record (4-10 SEC), but they equaled their SEC win total in the last four days.  I guess this is why they call it March Madness.

Next up is Xavier, in theory, the top team in the Atlantic 10, but unlike Georgia, they did not win their conference tournament.

Go Dawgs!

It has been kind of a “blah” week or two for blogging and gaming.  I have not played much of anything lately, but plan to get back into Uncharted and purchase MLB 08 The Show (PS3) in the very near future.

Last weekend I did see a couple of great John Wayne movies in HD (I forget the channels).  I was doing some channel surfing and noticed that Charter had added several new HD channels, but still not NFL Network.  The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and Rio Bravo are classics, and even more enjoyable in HD.

Not sure WTF the Falcons are doing picking up Joey Harrington again.  I guess he was cut just to save some salary cap room, but it is not like he is going to compete for the starting job.  I plan to do a Falcons pre-draft off season report fairly soon.  Stay tuned.

ESPN Radio is reporting that the Falcons will trade CB Hall to the Raiders for a 2008 second round pick.  If this is true, it is somewhat disappointing.  I thought Atlanta would be able to pull of a first round pick (this year or next) for Hall, but I guess a second round pick is better than nothing.  That will give the Falcons three second round picks this year.

It’s a good time of year for racing fans.  NASCAR is in full swing, and F1 is starting up.  I fell asleep watching Aussie qualifying last night, not because it was boring, but because I am getting too damn old to stay up late to watch F1.  I guess that means no chance to see the race tonight.

Thankfully SPEED’s coverage of 12 Hours of Sebring is in my sweat spot.  I cannot say that I really understand all the differences between the American Le Mans and other GT endurance racing, but I enjoy watching prototypes and GT classes battling it out on the same track.  The diesel Audi and Peugeot cars look fantastic.  The Ferraris are beautiful and I always pull for Corvette racing (lovely cars).  The Porsches are also nice cars.  I could go on and on.  Watching Sebring while sitting in an oversized chair, drinking a cold one, while getting the baby to sleep is a great way to pass the day.

Next up – more airgun discussion.

With the price of PS3 games being so darn high, I decided not to preorder MLB 08.  In the past I preordered everything I wanted.  This saved me the hassle of driving to a store, plus it was convenient having manna from heaven show up at my door.

I think those days are gone.  $59.99 + next day shipping + tax means that PS3 games run close to $75, which is just too much for me to stomach.  I have not owned very many PS3 games, and have preordered exactly two (last year’s NCAA and Madden).

As much as I want MLB 08, it begs the question if I really need something next day.  In another day and time, there was enough time in a day to fully enjoy the fruits of a new game, rush some quick impressions, post in forums, and call it a day.  No longer.  Well, maybe every once in a while, but not for MLB 08.

I will either pick up MLB 08 later in the week (or this weekend), or use Amazon’s Prime service and save a boatload on shipping.  I won’t get the game on release day, but does that really matter?  I guess it depends on how much time I have to cruise the forums that are gushing over the game.  Then I will have to get me some of that.

Yesterday the Falcons signed Michael Turner.  Turner’s contract is somewhere in the neighborhood of $34.5 million, for six-years, with $15 million guaranteed.  From a value standpoint, this is very comparable to Dunn, whose contract was valued at $28.5 million (I think for six years and I am not sure how much guaranteed money).

Today Warrick Dunn was released by the Falcons.  I have read that this will free up $3 million towards the salary cap.  Signing Turner now, gives the Falcons some more free agency flexibility, but maybe more importantly it gives Atlanta plenty of options on draft day.  For starters, they no longer have to go after McFadden, who may be a once in a generation player or he could be a bust.  Hopefully the Falcons will go after Jake Long (OT, Michigan), and go QB and DE with their two second picks.  Things will look even brighter if Atlanta manages to dump Hall for more picks.

Yesterday Atlanta signed a couple of defensive backs – Erik Coleman (FS; New York Jets) and Von Hutchins (CB; Houston) – presumably to start rebuild a new secondary without the soon to be departed DeAngelo Hall.

To be honest, I do not know much about either guy, but they are both very small. According to the Falcons site, Coleman is all of 5’11, while Hutchins is 5’10. I know Hall was not very tall, but he compensated with speed. At least he tried to compensate with speed as he was getting toasted every over weekend. These new guys just seem awful small to combat today’s taller and faster WRs.

This afternoon was absolutely beautiful, so I decided to take the Sierra Pro out for a few rounds of plinking.  This was the first chance I had to shoot the gun since Crosman returned it from repairs.  The repair order said that they put in new screws with Loctite.  They must have also sighted it in (original front optical and rear sights) because the gun seemed plenty accurate.  More accurate than I remember without the Centerpoint scope.

After growing to love my Beeman R7 it was a strange experience shooting the Sierra Pro.  This gun is certainly heavier, harder to break/cock, and much louder than the R7.  I am sure it has its own merits as a mass market $150 airgun, but I do not think I am going to keep it around much longer.  At one point I had myself convinced that I would use the R7 for most of my plinking, and the Sierra Pro for occasional pest control.  R7 for lower power, and the Sierra Pro for 1000 fps jobs.

The reality is that I want to move on to something else.  Before getting the R7 I struggled trying to decide between an Beeman R1, Beeman R9, and R7.  In the end I made the right decision – the R7 is perfect for my backyard shooting needs.  It was also a nice compliment to the Sierra Pro.

Now I am debating on my next purchase.  Crosman Discover, R1 or R9.  Of course I am also trying to sort out if I want to go with another .177, .20, or .22 caliber. For some reason I have had a major burr in my crawl for a .20, but this does not seem like a practical decision since there is such a limited selection of .20 ammo.  .177 would seem to be a good choice since it could also be used with my R7.  Since I was going to keep the Sierra Pro around for pest control, going .22 may be my best option.

I plan to sell the Sierra Pro to help start a new gun fund.  Stay tuned.

After a long stretch of not getting any time to shoot, last Sunday (and hopefully today) I was able to get out the R7 for some plinking action. This is an incredible gun – light weight, easy to shoot, very quiet, and extremely accurate. I cannot imagine a more perfect backyard gun.

Let’s roll back a few weeks. In early January I placed an order with Straight Shooters to pick up Beeman’s R7 Rear Sight Plate and Universal Muzzlebrake (I also got some filler screws for good measure). The gun looks rather silly with a Leapers 6×32 Bug Buster 2 scope and front and rear sights. I removed the front sight, and put on the Universal Muzzlebrake; much better looking. I still had the rear sight on the R7 because Beeman recommends the use of Loctite when screwing in the Rear Sight Plate. I figured I would leave well enough alone, and placed an order with Amazon – Henkel Loctite 6-ml Threadlocker 242 #01-24200 $7.90.

Much to my dismay, my perfectly accurate R7 now shot way off center. Something to do with barrel harmonics. Good stuff, but this gem of a gun was easy enough to get back on target in short order.

A couple of weeks ago I removed the rear sight, installed the Rear Sight Plate, and took her (I guess the R7 needs a name) shooting. Perfect. No issues with harmonics. Just plain old fashion plinking goodness. My typical shots are at around 18 yards. From that distance I can easily hit the gold medal on a Miller Lite can. When squirrel season opens again, the varmints better say the hell out of my yard because I think I can easily make head shots. Yes, the R7 is a lovely backyard shooter.

Atlanta’s biggest splash in day one of free agency was resigning Chris Redman to a two year deal. I think this is good news. Not that Chris is the end-all-be-all QB for the Falcons, but Redman could be a decent – serviceable – QB, allowing the Falcons to pursue a QB in the later rounds of this year’s draft. I do not think the Falcons should bust their 2008 draft by taking a QB with the number three pick.

What does this mean for Joey Harrington? I am surprised that the Falcons have not already cut Joey, but I assume it has something to do with waiting unit the right time for salary cap reduction. I am not sure what will happen with D.J. Shockley. I hope Shockley has a chance to move into the backup slot (assuming he is healthy this year).

So while the Falcons sat tight on day one of free agency, big news may be coming. According to ajc.com, the Falcons are hot and heavy after Michael Turner (San Diego):

That the Falcons are trying to sign Turner (228 carries, 1,257 yards, 6 TDs in his career) points to the expected release of Warrick Dunn, the team’s main ball carrier and goodwill ambassador for the past six seasons. If a deal is completed, Dunn likely will be cut immediately to clear nearly $3 million in cap space and to allow him to catch on with another team.

This would be a great move. Dunn has done a great job for the Falcons, and seems to be a terrific guy off the field – an all around good guy. The problem is that Dunn is getting old, and is not worth $3 million per year.

Hopefully Falcons fans will have something to cheer about before the weekend is over. Lord knows suffering Falcons fans need some good news.

The Matt Ryan trashing continues. Interesting FanNation blog entry on why a rebuilding team should not gamble on Matt Ryan:

Let’s not kid ourselves; this is a very weak quarterback class that will be lucky to produce a couple quality starters in the league, let alone a franchise quarterback. Matt Ryan exhibits good size, above average arm strength and accuracy, an over-rated report of his leadership abilities, inconsistent play, and an average ability for a quarterback to not fumble the football (6 fumbles over 68 rushing attempts and 21 sacks). If any team uses a 1st round pick on this guy, they will be making an expensive gamble; which I believe, will be an expensive bust that will ultimately destroy a rebuilding franchise and cost a GM and coach their jobs.

This post outlines some good reasons why Ryan would be a mistake as a top pick. Unless the Falcons know they are getting a future Hall of Fame QB, I think they should stay away from Ryan with the third pick.

ajc.com is speculating that the Falcons may trade down. At least GM Dimitroff is trying to hold everything close to see what he may be able to get in return.

This team suddenly is in the best of situations. If Dimitroff acquires a first-round pick for Hall as expected, the Falcons will have four selections in the first two rounds, pending other deals. With their first pick, there is a pretty good chance they will be staring at defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey, running back Darren McFadden or both. (Forget quarterback Matt Ryan. Remember where Dimitroff came from: New England, which took a future Hall of Fame QB with the 199th pick.)

Dimitroff also knows there are advantages to trading down to accumulate more picks. “If you look at my past in New England, I’m preconditioned to certain things, and I realize that trading down for added commodities is an effective way to build a roster,” he said. “If there’s not a player there at three we really like, I would definitely consider it.”

As I said in my post earlier today, I agree that the Falcons should pass on Ryan or any other QB with the number three pick. If there is a great QB for the taking with their second pick (regardless of the round the selection occurs) then taking a QB there may make sense. I think the Falcons should concentrate on everything but QB this year. It is not like they are going to be good this year, so why bother? With two picks in the second round, and hopefully more to come with a trade of Hall, the Falcons should be able to fill some gaps and get a QB of the future. The extra second round pick is almost like a freebie. Of course the book is still out on how smart a move it was to land that extra second round pick.

A bright future for the Falcons? For the first time in a while, that seems possible.

Last Friday the Falcons won some convoluted coin toss with the Chiefs and Raiders, in turn winning the prize to select third overall in the draft.

So what does this mean? Atlanta’s hopes and dreams of rebuilding are somewhat depend on what the Dolphins and Rams do with the first two picks. Jake Long (OT Michigan) has to be my pick. There is really no point in burning a first round selection on a QB such as Matt Ryan (Boston College) because the Falcons have so many other holes to fill.

For a while I was on the Darren McFadden (RB Arkansas) bandwagon, but I keep reading more and more that this guy’s stock is falling.

“Mike Mayock and Todd McShay (or Todd McFraud, as Matt McGuire has dubbed him), have expressed their disdain for McFadden. Mayock went as far to say that he wouldn’t touch McFadden with a top-20 selection. I respect Mayock’s opinions, but the dude needs to lay off the crack pipe on this one. McFadden is the top runner in this class. Unfortunately, the statements Mayock and McShay have made over the past few days may drop his stock just a bit.”

Long term durability may be an issue; I have also heard some pundits say that McFadden is not very elusive and seeks to make contact. I guess this is how rumors get started. Much like taking a QB, a RB may not help much if there is no offensive line to run behind.

Chris Long (DE Virginia) and Glenn Dorsey (DT LSU) also seem to be top picks in most mock drafts. I have no problems going with a stud defensive lineman because a solid defense can take some pressure off of what is likely to be a shaky offense.

There are also plenty of rumors circulating that DeAngelo Hall is being shopped. This is great news if the Falcons can parlay Hall into another first round pick. Or maybe multiple picks; say a second and fourth pick.

It is nice to have options, and the Falcons have nine picks including two second round selections. I would love to see the Falcons go with Long in the first round and a QB in the second. The other second could fill many gaps – running back, defensive line – they need help all over the board. If the Falcons can hang onto their picks and pull in another first round selection for Hall, their rebuilding process will be starting off on solid footing.

Today’s Sunday ad section for Best Buy has an amazingly good deal if you are in the market for an HDTV and PS3 (or Blu-ray player). For $1899.99 you get:

• 40″ Sony Bravia 1080p HDTV (KDL-40V3000; newer version of my great Bravia KDL-40V2500)
• Uncharted or Rachet & Clank
• Super Bad or Surf’s Up (Blu-ray versions of course)
• PS3 40GB
• Geek Squad Installation (not how useful this really is to most folks)

That is one heck of a deal. Great strategy by Sony. Sell some TVs and increase the PS3 user base. License royalties roll in for all the new Blu-ray movie purchases.

Regardless of Sony’s (and Best Buy’s) motives, this is a great deal.  Sorry … guess I already said that a few times.

I was debating if I should throw up a prediction, but what the heck.  Why not?  I do not see any surprises today.  It will be the Hendrick cars vs. the Joe Gibbs Racing boys.  I really do not see any outsiders breaking into the party.

I am going to pull for my usual three Gordon, Junior, and Stewart.  I would really like to see Earnhardt or Stewart take the flag this year.  Earnhardt because he is finally in a great car and has a shitload of pressure on him to win.  Stewart because he is a tremendous talent that is just begging for a Daytona 500 win.

If podcast of a PSP nature are your thing, you may want to check out The PSP Show. I was looking for some info on Atari Classics Evolved and came across my first run-in with this podcast. Let me just call it “interesting” and move on to something else.