OK, let's move quickly. From the "7-Up Stinks Studios," here we go...
Atlanta Braves' Dan Uggla hits a two-run single off of New York Mets' Ryota Igarashi in the eighth inning of a baseball game on Friday, Aug. 5, 2011, at Citi Field in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)Uggla keeps rolling
Dan Uggla keeps it going. His infield single in Monday's 8-5 win over Florida pushed his hitting streak to 29 games. He has a hit in every game since July 5, when the 5-at-10 decided to restart his season.??
In truth, Uggla's torrid month could not have come at a better time considering Brian McCann's and Chipper Jones' injuries and the struggles of Jason Heyward. Uggla finished 1-for-3 Monday, and stayed at .220 for the season - two points below his high-water mark of the season.??
That said, the Braves (67-49) remained 8.5 back of the red-hot Phillies. But catching the Phillies is not the ultimate goal - making the playoffs is. And as any longtime Braves fan can tell you, as good as the Phillies' starting rotation and lineup look during an impressive regular season, a sketchy bullpen can spell disaster in the playoffs.
Sidenote: To be fair, Derek Lowe was solid Monday, going six innings and allowing two runs. It was Lowe's first quality start since June, and we felt it was only fair to mention it after his last outing - when the 5-at-10 suggested that Lowe head to the bullpen. That said, we still believe if the Braves get into the playoffs and all of their starters are healthy the following two things should happen: Lowe should be in the bullpen, and Scott Proctor is not allowed to throw a baseball once batting practice is concluded. Done and done.
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Adam Scott from Australia, right, and his caddie Steve Williams share a laugh on the 17th tee during third round play in the Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio on Saturday, Aug. 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)More on Stevie
Is it too much to ask to have Adam Scott and Tiger Woods play together this weekend?
Please let this happen so we can see two things: 1) How mentally strong Tiger Woods' game is, because as we discussed yesterday, it was not that long ago that is kind of negativity would mean Tiger would have shot 62 on Thursday and 65 on Friday; 2) This thing put to bed.??
Did anyone hear Curtis Strange's three simple steps to being a good caddie? Show up, keep up and shut up. Any guesses which one Stevie violated?
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Preseason greatness
There are some great perks about being a sports writer. Among them is watching football coaches - high school, college and even professional - lose their minds during preseason practice. ??
As a player, it was less than thrilling. As an adult it can be quite humorous.??
Here's the kicker: More times than not these outbursts are calculated and predetermined.
And even the ones that aren't, you have to remember that during preseason practice, there is always going to be good and bad on every play. And in the preseason, the good and the bad are on the same team and it's been our experience that football coaches on all levels focus on the bad.??
Our favorite coach's rant included a spittle-flying tirade with the phrase, "75... You play like that and either it's going to kill me... Or I'm going to kill you."?
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This and that
- Speaking of football coaches and preseason traditions, Oregon coach Chip Kelly was quoted by Rob Moseley of the Eugene Register-Guard as saying ""A quarterback is like a teabag - you don't know what you've got until you put it in hot water." There was no confirmation whether that clever saying was part of the $25,000 package supplied by Willie Lyles. Oh, sorry coach, Will Lyles.
- There will be actual football this weekend. Granted, it's preseason games in the NFL and jamborees on the high school level. One NFL name to watch this weekend is Andy Dalton, who will get the start for the Cincinnati Bengals. After he was so, So, SO impressive in his QB sessions with Jon Gruden, it will be interesting to see if being sharp in front of a chalkboard translates to being sharp in front of a blitz package. Seems like a wise man once said, "A quarterback is like a teabag - you don't know what you've got until you put it in hot water," but we could have been imagining it.
- Did you see Real Madrid soccer team sign a 7-year-old kid? Wow. OK, two points: 1) Imagine the hand-wringing if that had happened in the U.S.A Heck, then-UT coach Lane Kiffin created a huge stir when he made "offers" to Eric Berry's little brothers when they were in middle school. This tyke is in second grade and will start training in September. 2) Dude is going to be so money in the lunch room. Imagine the questions, "What did you do this summer?" Thomas: "I finger-painted with my mom." Joe: "I learned to ride a bike." Leo: "I signed a professional soccer contract." Money.
- We get it, everyone thinks Tim Tebow's throwing motion is broken, and because Merrill Hoge thinks Tebow's inaccurate, well we may as well cut his hand off. Here's a couple of things about the over-dissected debate about the "psuedo-quarterback" controversy for the Denver Broncos, who rank with the Titans, Seahawks and Panthers as the worst teams in the NFL: 1) Tebow's competing against Kyle Orton for crying out-loud. Yes, Orton had a good season last year, but he's KYLE ORTON. He was 3-10 as a starter. It's not like we're debating Tebow-vs.-Tom Brady here; 2) Say what you want, but when the lights come on Tebow is a gamer. He won state titles in high school. He won national titles at Florida. And a wise man once said, "A quarterback is like a teabag - you don't know what you've got until you put it in hot water," and Tebow has delivered the Lipton in hot water. And Willie Lyles approves this message.
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Today's question
??In honor of EC's statement about the MMA dude that wore the Banana Hammock - never an acceptable play - we are making an appeal for the worst uniforms in sports.??
What are the worst uniforms in sports today? (We're looking at you Cleveland - brown is a UPS trademark or a business suit, not a uni color.) What are the worst of all-time? (May have to start with the White Sox and the year they wore shorts. Seriously.) What are your favorite awful uniforms? (Maybe the old 1970s Braves' unis with the lower case 'a')