Formerly known as Gamecock’s Ode to Leonard’s Losers
DeVine Law Gamecock’s first rooster crowings from the Stone Mountain of Georgia upon our return to Atlanta last week addressed mostly politics. We will weigh in on legal matters later this week.
But for this first column as Atlanta Law and Politics Examiner, after two years of such examinations from North Carolina’s Queen City, we want to reincarnate our annual sports weekly that runs during College Football season.
Leonard Postosties
This column has always been dedicated to the late Athens, Georgia native, Leonard “Postosties” Postero, pigskin prognosticator extraordinaire, whose “Leonard’s Losers” radio show was a must listen all during our childhood and until his death in 2001.
As we await the opening Kickoff of the College Football season tomorrow, when the USC Fighting Gamecocks will un-pack NC State in Raleigh on their way to an undefeated season and BCS National Championship, we first want to survey America’s Past Time and explain the re-naming of this column.
I am Gamecock. Born one, raised as one and matriculated as one at the Law School.
Braves Nation, America’s Team
But my love for the Atlanta Braves pre-dates my love of the rooster and runs even deeper. I loved them in 1969 when they won the West, only to fall to the Miracle Mets. Loved them in 1974 when Hank passed the Babe. Loved them during the late 70s and early 80s when they regularly threatened to lose 100 games.
Did I mention that unprecedented in all of sports, 14-year division winning streak? How about the 1995 World Series?
Loved them then, and love them now as Brian McCann (NL MVP favorite by far and see biopic here) leads the team to the Wild Card, NL Championship and eventual second Atlanta world championship and fourth overall for the Braves franchise. That is the view from atop The Stone Mountain of Georgia.
Broken Bats
The only possible way the Braves could be denied the crown would be if broken bats impale them. I remember several early 20th Century legal cases we studied in Law School that determined that spectators at baseball games “assumed the risk” of injury from thrown and batted baseballs into the stands and even out on street. Ticket stubs’ fine print document this legal principle.
Impalings akin to those administered by the Huns were not contemplated. Bat handles used to be larger than a pinky finger. We hope MLB will take action soon to prevent a great tragedy. They started the conversation a year ago. Its time to act.
This column will be updated with our official college football losers before the first kickoffs on Saturday. We will be consulting Leonard’s Smart Pill Machine in the meantime…
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte Observer, Examiner.com and Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Originally published @ Examiner.com, where all verification links may be accessed.
Daniel Horowitz
Neil Stevens
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
Jake Walker
I hate the Braves.
NightTwister (Diary) Wednesday, September 2nd at 1:31PM EST (link)Almost as much as I hate the Dodgers. I’ll never forgive the Braves for 1993, although I should really be more mad at the Rockies for rolling over in that 4-game series with the Braves to end the season.
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. – Winston Churchill
I prefer hate to indifference - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Wednesday, September 2nd at 1:59PM EST (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
Why do I always have the urge to recommend your diary?
Rod_Patrick (Diary) Wednesday, September 2nd at 2:01PM EST (link)Oh, I know.
You always manage to bring new stuff in your writing style, making your diary really fun to read.
Eeeeeeeek! Nuff of this pathetic salute to GC. He he he!
gc is humbled rod and thx man - nt
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Wednesday, September 2nd at 2:45PM EST (link)Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
I listened to the first Atlanta Braves game in '64
Achance (Diary) Wednesday, September 2nd at 2:20PM EST (link)on scratchy nighttime AM radio, WSB as I recall. Followed all their misery, sat there with throngs of three or four thousand at the old stadium. The “Glory Years” with Maddox, Glavine, Smoltz et al. were great but it also soured me on MLB. The League and the networks really don’t like 1-0 pitching duels and the home plate umpire has way too much control over the outcome of a game. I can’t say I’ve much enjoyed baseball since Greg Maddox couldn’t buy a strike and whoever that Cuban that was pitching for the Marlins was had a strike zone as big as a truck. The League had written their story and that was that. Say it ain’t so, Joe.
In Vino Veritas
Livan Hernandez was afforded the Glavine strike zone
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Wednesday, September 2nd at 2:47PM EST (link)The Braves needed another Smoltz to win more world series because fireballers get outs on mistakes, whereas Glavine, Maddux type spot pitchers have to be perfect, esp in a short series against the best.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
oh yeah! Go Braves.
Darin_H (Diary) Wednesday, September 2nd at 3:55PM EST (link)I married into the Braves, growing up in Colorado there was no team (Royals were on channel 2 in those days), and the Rockies weren’t around until after I left for college.
I’m just glad their in the hunt this year, but unless we get a hot streak going (like a 8-10 games), I just don’t see us leapfrogging 2 teams for the WC. Imagine where we would be with a whole year of no Francoeur in RF? Fixing that and getting Laroche have been a nice compliment to the pitching staff. Wren did a masterful job revamping our arms in the off season. With Huddy back we have arms to spare!
Can’t wait for the Jay-Hey kid next year, he’s going to be a superstar in the league. Hopefully we can sneak into the playoffs this year and we are stacked for next year and a run at the Phillies.
A visionary coward says that anger can be power, as long as there’s a victim on TV – Flat Top, Goo Goo Dolls
Go Royals!
Flagstaff (Diary) Wednesday, September 2nd at 5:40PM EST (link)A bit of macabre humor, there.
“The press is so powerful in its image-making role that it can make a criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”– Malcolm X, Audubon Ballroom, December 13, 1964
Proper Deference to The Atlanta Braves
Repair_Man_Jack (Diary) Wednesday, September 2nd at 10:00PM EST (link)is condign expiation for your sins of rooting for anything even remotely associated with Steve Spurrier. It could be worse. USC basketball could hire Calipari or Pitino. As for Flagstaff’s Royals, they’ve gone way down hill since they got rid of that announcer. Rusty Limbaugh was his name, I believe.
” I side impenitently with the human race against the modern reformer.” – C.S. Lewis