Atlanta Braves All-Stars...

mlb.com

As the Atlanta Braves (53-39) are finishing up the last homestand before the All-Star break against the Cincinnati Reds (51-41), the Braves got word yesterday just before starting pitch that 1B Freedie Freeman won the final vote for the National League All-Star roster. With over 19 million votes cast, Freeman received over seven million votes. Yesterday between 10am-4pm, Braves Country stepped it up as twitter nation rose to the occasion. Every tweet that had #VoteFreedie was a vote for Freeman. As mentioned in the previous post, ESPN did the wrong thing by promoting LA Dodgers rookie Puig. ESPN needed to give equal due to all the players. Nothing to take away from Puig, but one month of good play doesn't constitute a trip to the mid summer classic. Puig needs to grow up a bit before being elected by his peers and the fans. Word is he has a little childish behavior that needs a little maturing. Freeman is batting .313 with 9 homers and 60 runs batted in. 

Braves Country second All-Star is closer Craig Kimbrel with an era of 1.57 with 25 saves with 51 strikeouts while only surrendering 12 walks.

C Craig Kimbrel: Photo/AP

1B Freedie Freeman: Photo/bleacherreport.com

Congratulations to both of these players. Hopefully both of these guys will be getting a lot of hugs from each other in Queens that night.

Don't forget to follow me on twitter @makirkley.

Mark A. Kirkley: twitter @makirkley

And he did it...

Congratulations to Braves 1B Freedie Freeman for making the National League All-Star roster on the final vote yesterday. Braves Country stepped up as twitter almost shut down with all the votes for Freeman. ESPN should be ashamed of themselves for only promoting LA Dodgers Puig. Due respect should have been given to all players vying for the final vote. Guess Braves Country showed ESPN who the boss was. Nothing to take away from Puig, but the right player was elected. 

Don't forget to follow me on twitter @makirkley.

Mark A. Kirkley: twitter @makirkley

Church rejects state, Falcons offer...

Just a quick update on the new Atlanta Falcons stadium. It was stated yesterday that Friendship Baptist Church, which sits on the proposed site south of the Georgia Dome has rejected the offer of $13.5 million dollars to buy the land where the Atlanta Falcons favored site for the new stadium is to be built in time for the 2017 season. The church came back with a counter offer of $24.54 million in which Atlanta Major Kasim Reed stated was too high of an offer. The reply back to the church was $15.5 million. If this dollar amount cannot be reached by August 1, the state, the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC), and the Falcons will move forward with layout plans to build the new stadium on the north side of the GWCC and Georgia Dome about a mile north of the south site. While negotiations are going on with the second church that sits on the site as well, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, no dollar amount has been released on those talks. But if one church rejects and continues to reject, it's not worth keeping up the fight.

In my opinion, why keep ongoing talks with the churches for the south site? These churches have been there a long time. There has to be a reason for the push for that site, I say, move on with the north site. I wouldn't want the stadium to be built on the south site, and it be a bad omen. Clean slate for the new stadium so the team will continue to Rise Up even better.

Don't forget to follow me on twitter @makirkley.

Mark A. Kirkley: twitter @makirkley

Stadium to Rise Up...

Rendering pictures of what new stadium will look like: Photo/atlantafalcons.com

Yesterday the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) agreed with the architectural firm Architecture 365 on a final design of what the new Atlanta Falcons stadium will look like. The new stadium is projected to be open in time for the Atlanta Falcons 2017 season.

If you point your browser to http://newstadium.atlantafalcons.com/, you can follow the progress of seeing the new stadium Rise Up!!! On the home page are different pictures of different angles of the stadium and the field. A couple of pictures show an open endzone with a beautiful shot of downtown Atlanta. And from the preliminary pictures a few months ago it didn't look like it was going to be really an outdoor stadium, but as plans get closer, you really are going to have the outdoor feel. The picture below shows the new design that has a cork screw appeal to the retractable roof. Of course, there will be tweaks here and there on the final layout of the stadium once it is scheduled to be built, then open in time for Atlanta Falcons 2017 season.

I will post more as new information rises on the new home of your Atlanta Falcons, the NCAA Football Kickoff Classic, the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, and games for NCAA basketball as well.

Don't forget to follow me on twitter @makirkley.

Design of the outside of the new stadium:Photo/atlantafalcons.com

Mark A. Kirkley: twitter @makirkley

Senseless act...

Steve Gleason: Photo/ espn.com

The name Steve Gleason runs through the halls at the New Orleans Saints facility and the Superdome with pride. Steve Gleason helped the New Orleans Saints resurgence back into the football world on that faithful opening Monday Night football game back in 2006 with a blocked punt of Atlanta Falcons punter Michael Koenen that was returned for a touchdown by the Saints.

But yesterday the name of Steve Gleason ran through Atlanta airways in a very mockery and senseless way. Gleason has Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Atlanta sports radio 790 The Zone "Mayem in the AM" morning show crew made a mockery with knock, knock jokes about Gleason and the disease.As a consequence, all three radio personalities were fired for their on-air remarks. Nick Cellini, Chris Dimino, and Steak Shapiro all have released apologies that Gleason has accepted, but the firing stands.

So to me, I don't even listen to these guys because they talk about things other than Atlanta sports half of the time. Also, I look at it this way, if you didn't mean it, you wouldn't have said anything in the first place. This joke is not something that is impromptu, this is played out in advance of going on the air. Why are these guys hating on someone that didn't ask to have ALS. To me, Gleason has been nothing but a good steward to the game of football and kids look up to him because of his courage.

Yes, Gleason did block the punt from my beloved Atlanta Falcons that gave the New Orleans Saints rebirth back to the NFL and their beloved city after Hurricane Katrina. But in my eyes, you do not dislike the player, you dislike the uniform. This is constant in all sports. In this age of free agency, players move from team to team. One year you are rooting for a player and the next year your not. It's all because of the uniform.

Both 790 The Zone radio station and the Atlanta Falcons organization made written statements about this, and both were saddened that the commented were made. Both made clear that these comments were not the views that the radio station or the Falcons organization take.

I am not posting these three radio personalities faces on my blog because I do not want their faces on my blog. Their comments do not represent what I feel either.

Don't forget to follow me on twitter @makirkley.

Mark A. Kirkley: twitter @makirkley

Good to be back home...

Photo: yankeeswallpaper.net

After beginning the road trip out west with a split to the Los Angeles Dodgers (28-37), the Atlanta Braves (39-27) dropped the last three games at Petco Park to the San Diego Padres (32-34). This was the second time all season that the Braves have been swept in a series, the first coming earlier in the season up in Detroit. It was tough hearing after yesterday's loss, the fans in San Diego were chanting the tomahawk chop in mockery of the Braves losing three to them. But that also is what makes the game fun. That is how fans are suppose to react, in good sport to their home team. 

Though winning every game and every series would be ideal, it is unrealistic. Teams are going to drop games, lose series and also get swept. Even the best of teams have this happen. The Braves have good breathing room in the NL East as they hold a six game lead for first over the Washington National (32-32).

It's a long season and we are not even at the mid season point. The Braves have many good surprises on this 2013 squad from Evan Gattis (14) second on the team in homers behind J Upton (15), and Gattis doesn't even play everyday. When Gattis is at the plate and makes contact, out or not, he hits the ball really hard. Even Georgia grad Alex Wood called up from the minors
and has pitched five games with a 1.35 ERA is a great surprise with Eric O'Flaherty and Jonny Venters both being shelved due to injuries.

This Braves team is a tough team and they will bounce back. The Braves get a rest today back in Braves Country as they get ready to play the next eight games at home beginning tomorrow night versus the San Francisco Giants (33-31). The Braves close out the homestand with five games against the rival New York Mets (24-36), including a make up game on Tuesday with a day/night game doubleheader. Here's hoping the Braves get back on track with a winning home stand. This is Braves Country!!!

Don't forget to follow me on twitter @makirkley.

Mark A. Kirkley: twitter @makirkley

Milestone...

C Brian McCann notches 1,000th hit to left: Photo/John Bazemore

Congratulations to catcher Brian McCann for collecting 1,000 hits in his career, all with the Atlanta Braves. The 1,000th hit came last night off of Pittsburgh Pirates left-hander reliever Mike Zagurski. McCann's milestone was a single down the left field line. The Braves (35-22) beat the Pirates (35-23) 7-2 as McCann went 2 for 3 including a line drive 2-run homer to right for his seventh of the season. McCann is the 25th player in Braves history to surpass 1,000 hits, and all with the Braves. With the win the Braves cushioned their lead in the NL East over the Washington Nationals to seven games as the Nats were idle last night. The Braves rally back up tonight as they host the Pirates, first pitch 7:10 pm est.

Don't forget to follow me on twitter @makirkley.

Mark A. Kirkley: twitter @makirkley