So what’s it gonna be, folks?
On one side of the Super Bowl matchup, you’ve got the Chiefs: the Evil Empire, the refs and Taylor Swift.
On the other, the Eagles: a bunch of former Bulldogs … but a team from Philadelphia.
It’d be foolish to bet against the former (which opened as a 1.5-point favorite), and I could never root for the latter.
So I guess I’m picking Kansas City to win on Feb. 9 in New Orleans. But I don’t feel great about it!
Which is a bit of a running theme around here today.
Quick links: Super Bowl-bound local products | Almiron close to return | Trae Young out | WBB: Duke 55, Tech 50
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LOSING POSSESSION
Credit: Alan Youngblood/AP
Credit: Alan Youngblood/AP
I’ve already written way more about Georgia men’s basketball than I thought I would in this job. So that’s somewhat of a win for coach Mike White and Co.
But just two weeks after entering the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2011, the Bulldog bandwagon ain’t looking so inviting anymore.
The first half of Saturday’s 30-point loss to fifth-ranked Florida was hard to watch all around.
And as the Gators streaked down the court for fast break bucket after fast break bucket, I remembered a text my dad sent a week or so prior: “UGA has a good basketball team, just too many turnovers.”
Which … yeah. That’s not exactly a secret. Even a Tennessee fan like my father (gross) can pick up on it.
But I crunched some numbers anyway — and they’re even worse than you’d expect.
📈 During their current four-game losing streak, Georgia is averaging a whopping 15.5 turnovers per game.
📈 Overall, the Bulldogs are averaging 13.8 per game this season.
📈 As of Sunday afternoon, the latter ranked 309th out of 355 teams in Division I basketball.
Gracious.
“It’s been a big factor in all of our losses this year, and it’s not a strength of ours,” White said following Saturday’s 18-turnover affair in Gainesville.
You can certainly blame some of it on the schedule: Three of the recent losses came to teams ranked in the top six. But this team’s stars are young. And in this year’s SEC, there aren’t any breaks.
The Bulldogs’ 11 remaining games include five straight against ranked teams (and six overall).
All that, of course, also means there’s ample opportunity to get things back on track. The overall record still stands at 14-6.
But Georgia’s NCAA Tournament odds are suddenly feeling a little shaky. And with Tech and the other local teams muddling through their own middling seasons, our fine state is flirting with another year without March Madness representation.
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HURTING HAWKS
Credit: Jason Allen for the AJC
Credit: Jason Allen for the AJC
If the Bulldogs are riding the struggle bus, the Hawks might be driving it.
They’ve dropped four straight (including two to the lowly Raptors). Young star Jalen Johnson it’s out indefinitely. And Trae Young’s tight hamstring has him sitting for tonight’s tilt in Minnesota (8 p.m. on FanDuel Sports South).
🗣 Center Onyeka Okongwu: “We have physicality in us. We just got to bring it every night.”
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ALLOW ME TO REINTRODUCE MYSELF
New Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich (who also coached in Atlanta from 2015-20) just held his introductory news conference. And he’s clearly heard the gripes about head coach Raheem Morris hiring an old friend.
“It wasn’t just Rah and myself chopping it up like buddies,” he said of the interview process. “I thought they were thorough and asked great questions.”
Columnist Michael Cunningham is working on a full report, so stay tuned to AJC.com/sports for that.
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SAINTS SCHADENFREUDE
Elsewhere in the NFL coaching world, everyone’s wondering why the Cowboys hired Brian Schottenheimer — and the Saints can’t seem to get anyone to take their open position.
After Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady took his name off the board over the weekend, the team Atlanta loves to hate is reportedly set to interview Eagles OC Kellen Moore a second time.
Mike McCarthy may also be in the mix, among others.
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EYEING THE FUTURE
Meanwhile: It’s Senior Bowl week over in Mobile, and several Falcons scouts are expected to attend Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday’s practices (which you, the fan, can watch on NFL Network).
Atlanta has the 15th pick in April’s draft and “will heavily scout the safeties, cornerbacks and the pass rushers,” our D. Orlando Ledbetter reports.
The local contingent of participating players is strong too.
🏈 From Georgia: Running back Trevor Etienne, wide receiver Arian Smith, offensive linemen Tate Ratledge and Jared Wilson, linebacker Smael Mondon and defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins.
🏈 From Georgia Tech: Tight end Jackson Hawes.
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RE-UNITED?
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Credit: Hyosub Shin/AJC
Midfielder Miguel Almiron — a big and beloved part of Atlanta United’s early success as a franchise — is all but officially leaving Newcastle and headed back to the Five Stripes.
Our Doug Roberson reports the transfer price is about $12 million. Almiron, 30, would slide into one of United’s Designated Player spots.
⚽ Get caught up: Check out Doug’s breakdown of Atlanta’s preseason opener in Chattanooga.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
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PHOTO OF THE DAY
Credit: Ashley Landis/AP
Credit: Ashley Landis/AP
Former Georgia running back James Cook turned in one heckuva second-half touchdown for the Buffalo Bills in their AFC Championship game loss to the Chiefs.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
Some of these games are gut-wrenching. And I've got a lot of gut to wrench.
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Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.
Until next time.
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