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Happy new year to all. Hopefully 2010 will be a better year for us all. I don't make new year's resolutions, but I do have a list of hopes for
the year. Of course, the first thing on this year's list is a job. Nine months of unemployment is no fun, as I'm sure many others know first hand,
and a quick end this year would be an answered prayer. The new year brings the first back-to-back winning seasons in Atlanta Falcons' history.
The win over Tampa Bay on Sunday leaves the Falcons at 9-7 to follow last year's 11-5 record and finally ends over 40 years of frustration. While
a return to the playoffs didn't happen, the team overcame tons of injuries and won the last three to secure the winning season. I think the franchise
is on the right path to more constant success, and a good offseason including getting help at cornerback will go a long way to getting back to the
playoffs next season. Hopefully Matt Ryan will learn from some of this year's mistakes and he and Michael Turner can remain healthy next year
along with the defensive backfield. We can also use another pass rusher, and the return of Peria Jerry will further elevate the run defense which
really played well at the end of the season. I doubt the Falcons will be a big player in free agency, but a few key signings and a good draft to
shore up a few weaknesses can get the Falcons back to being Super Bowl contenders next season. A stable front office and coaching staff
will lead to continued success on the field; a feeling that we Falcons' fans aren't used to. My review of the entire NFL season and my playoff
predictions are coming later this week.
Lane Kiffin's short tenure in Knoxville left a big wake behind. Kiffin's brashness and big mouth struck many Vol fans the wrong way from
the start. He came in and shook up a program that had done things in a certain way for a long time. Many of us fans cringed slightly when he
tweaked Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier early on, but we were willing to go along as long as he brought the program back to its winning ways.
Kiffin's one season produced a winning record (barely), and I was excited about what Monty Kiffin brought to the defense. But defense wasn't
the problem in Phil Fulmer's final seasons; the offense was. I had hoped that Kiffin would bring a more wide-open style of offense, but I was
disappointed by the results. I realize that Kiffin thought that he didn't have the players to play a more daring offense, but the conservative play
calling against teams like Florida still didn't sit well with me. I would rather lose by a big margin than play ultra conservatively to stay close. His
off field brashness never showed up on the field. The program will probably struggle some in the near term, but I think that Kiffin's short stay may
make the program better in the long run. Tennessee fans who were tired of the old ways of doing things may now realize that those ways weren't
so bad after all. I don't know much about Derek Dooley, but he could well be the middle ground that's needed to bring in new ideas without
sacrificing the traditions that worked for so long. I know Dooley's record at Louisiana Tech wasn't too good, but that doesn't mean he won't be
successful in Knoxville. The differences in the two programs as far as talent and other factors can make comparison hard. I, for one, am willing
to give him some time to get things on the right track.
The election of a Republican in Massachusetts has pretty well doomed the Obama Administration's health care overhaul. The same forces
that brought victory for Obama were at work in this election, and caused the loss of what was certainly considered a "safe" Democrat seat. The
mess that is Washington has left most Americans ready to sweep those in power out of office to try and let someone new give it a try. This
election certainly bodes poorly for the Democrats in November, and that is probably a very good thing. It seems we need a balance between the
two parties for Washington to work at all. The worst thing that happened during the Bush Administration was Republican control of the White
House and the Congress. The result was a lack of constraint that a balance of power brings... It certainly would be ironic if the New York Jets were
to defeat the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game since the Colts pulling their starters againt the Jets in week 16 allowed the Jets
to get into the playoffs. While I appreciate the honesty of the Jets and their coach, they should scale back the public rhetoric and just play the game...
The NFC Championship game puts me in a really tough situation. I can't stand the Saints, but I'm so tired of the Brett Favre hype I surely can't root
for the Vikings to win. The Football Gods will surely punish the Vikings for running up the score on the Cowboys last week. If the Jets were to beat
the Colts, I would have to pull for them since the Falcons beat them in the regular season... Air America, the liberal talk radio network, has filed for
bankruptcy and will cease to exist next week. I'm really not surprised since the economy has really affected the radio business, and since their
programming didn't offer much star power. Their biggest names when they launched had already left the network long ago, and they had to file for
bankruptcy even before they left. The decision by Bahakal Broadcasting to put it on WDOD-am may have been the most ridiculous decision in
Chattanooga radio ever, and that's really saying something. The thought that liberal radio could do well in this area was delusional... NBC has
become the biggest laughing stock in network broadcasting with its crappy lineup and the attention to the bottom line over quality TV. The only
shows on the network that are interesting at all are the Law & Order franchise, and they have become so political I can hardly stand to watch them.
The Jay Leno/Conan O'Brien debacle is just the latest mistep for the network that dominated in the 80's with its "must-see-tv" lineup. The selling
of NBC to Comcast will probably mean that things won't get better anytime soon. I must disclose that I hate Comcast with a passion. Network TV
as we know it may disappear anyway, and with Comcast involved it will probably happen sooner rather than later... The decision by the
Supreme Court on advertising will lead to even more annoying ads at election time. Now that "outside groups" can advertise freely, the number
of attack ads that have very little to do with what really matters will be all over TV and radio. These ads are rarely weighed down by truth and
reality on both sides of the aisle. Groups like Moveon.org and unions have plenty of money to spend to distort issues that they care about and
sway some of the less aware of the masses... Vince Young will play in his second Pro Bowl in his first four years. If Chris Johnson stays around
Nashville long enough to set career rushing records, Young could end up in the Hall of Fame. I realize that the Titans went 8-2 with Young as the
starter, but you have to look at who they beat. They beat only two teams with winning records and teams with a combined record of 53-75.
Young's stats were a very pedestrian 10 TDs, 7 INTs, and a rating of 82.8. Kyle Orton and David Garrard had better numbers and played
the entire season. Young getting into the Pro Bowl, even due to a couple of guys pulling out, shows what a dearth of talent at the QB position in
the AFC. Don't tell me that Rush Limbaugh had it wrong when he said that the NFL is so desperate for black QBs to succeed that they will go
out of their way to oversell them.
It is looking more and more likely that Ilya Kovalchuk will not be a member of the Atlanta Thrashers after the March 3rd trade deadline.
I was very hopeful early in the season that they would get a new deal done, but that optimism seems to have been misplaced. I know there is
plenty of blame to go around in this situation. Reports are that the Thrashers have offered Kovy a 10 year contract at over 8 million a year, and
that he has rejected it. Maybe Kovalchuk can get more in the open market, but if he really wants to stay in Atlanta then he should be willing to take
a little less than he would get elsewhere. Reports also say that it isn't the per year amount but the number of years that are the sticking point.
Supposedly he wants 12 years instead, and I can't see letting your franchise player walk over two additional years so far in the future. The real
question is whether the ownership is committed to fielding a team capable of becoming a consistent winner, and whether the franchise will
remain in Atlanta or move to somewhere in Canada. Not signing Kovy is not going to send the right message to Thrasher's fans about the
stability of the franchise, and fan support that is already waning will hit new lows. I remember the excitement of the only playoff season. The arena
was full and rocking, and things were looking good for the future of hockey in Atlanta, but the sweep by the Rangers and the two poor seasons that
followed have led to a declining fan base and little optimism. The signing of Antropov, Afinogenov, and the trade for Kubina raised the hopes going
into the season, and the good start that followed raised my hopes further. But the inability to resign Kovalchuk and the struggles of December have
diminished that optimism. The Thrashers are only one point out of 6th place in the East as of today, and any sort of winning streak would vault them
up in the standings. Look at what the Ottawa Senators have been able to do lately. A seven game winning streak has vaulted the Senators into
5th place with a seven point lead over the teams sharing 6th. The Thrashers have eight games remaining before the Olympic break, and getting
12 or more points out of those games would probably put them solidly in playoff position when the season resumes. But all that would probably
be lost if Kovalchuk is gone after the only post-Olympic game before the trade deadline. Until the Atlanta Spirit resolves their ownership problems
and shows the level of commitment needed, hockey in Atlanta is on life support, and letting the franchise's career leader in all offensive categories
walk away will just add to the perception that hockey is doomed in Georgia. I have become much less of a Braves fan since their ownership has
declined to spend the money to make them legitimate contenders every year, and the Thrashers are in position to get the same way. I love hockey
and over the last few years I have devoted a lot of time watching Thrashers games on TV, going to games when I could afford to, and keeping up
with the team even in the off season. I am certainly no fair weather fan, but the team needs to reward my devotion by putting a competitive team
on the ice. One reason I have remained a long-suffering Falcons fan is that I have always thought that they were at least trying their best to compete,
and there has been the occasional good season where they at least make the playoffs and win playoff games. Sadly, my patience with the Thrashers
could be worn thin if I lose that feeling, and there are always the Nashville Predators nearby that could win my affection if I lose hope.
On Sunday January 31, 2010, my oldest cousin Brian Alan Hill passed away after a long, difficult battle with cancer. Cancer once again
strikes our family and another one is taken from us way too soon. Brian was born on March 13, 1963 in Birmingham Alabama, and he lived in
the Birmingham area all his life. He worked as a crane operator in a steel mill for a long time and then joined is father in running Hilltop Properties.
Soccer was his life-long passion, and he played and coached until he became too sick to continue. He also was an avid Fantasy Football
enthusiast; starting and acting as commissioner for several leagues for a number of years. Although he had to play from afar, he won our league
several years. He also loved horses and raised both full size and miniature horses and donkeys. He had a wonderful sense of humor, and a wry
smile on his face most of the time. We will miss him greatly, and he will always live on in our hearts. Brian is survived by his parents K V and
Peggy, his wife Tina, daughter Mychal, son Chad, sisters Kim and Neena, and numerous cousins, aunts, in-laws, and friends.
The Atlanta Thrashers have traded two of their most high profile players in their history in the last two weeks. The season-longt Ilya Kovalcuk
drama finally ended when he turned down so very large contracts and forced the Thrashers hand. The trade to New Jersey brings back defenseman
Johnny Oduya and winger Nicklas Bergfors, a first round draft pick, and a prospect who is currently suspended for the season. Oduya and Bergfors
have both played well so far. One of the worst aspects to me is that defenseman Anssi Salmela, who was playing pretty well lately, was sent to the
Devils with Kovalchuk. The trade was a necessity since it became obvious that Kovalchuk was going to walk in free agency at the end of the season
and the Thrashers would have gotten nothing back. Soon after trading away the franchise's career leader in all offensive categories, the Thrashers
also traded their career leader in all goalie categories. I've always believed Kari Lehtonen could be an elite goalie in the NHL, if he could ever stay
healthy. Moose Hedberg and Ondrej Pavelec have played pretty well in goal this season, and Pavelec is still very young, but I really believe that Lehtonen
would have been our best option in trying to get to the playoffs this season. The Thrashers really need to make the playoffs this season to keep hockey
relevant in Atlanta, and hopefully GM Don Waddell isn't just blowing smoke about being buyers at the trade deadline. The Thrashers are still just a
few points out of 6th place in the East, but they have to win games like the one on Wednesday when they had a two goal lead in the third period and
lost in overtime. The defensive breakdown at the start of overtime is indicative of the major problem with this year's Thrashers. Those kinds of mistakes
are keeping the team from putting together a needed winning streak that could put them in solid playoff position with a favorable schedule after the
Olympic break.
Well, I finally found a job and I'm headed back to work. I will be working maintenance at the Sheraton Read House hotel downtown. It's the same job
I had 20 years ago when it was a Radisson. It isn't exactly my dream job, but I'm extremely grateful to finally get back to work and I'm looking forward to
working again. It has been a long time, and I'm really tired of being around the house all day and not having much human contact. The benefit of cheap
hotel rooms is something that can really come in handy. The hotel has changed a lot since I was there before both physically and especially in how it is
run.
The Olympics are over including the hockey. The USA had a terrific tournament, but come up just short in the Gold Medal Game. Ryan Miller was
great in goal and deserves the MVP Award. The Canadians were a huge favorite coming into the tourney, and the US was given little hope of winning
it all. The US team beat the Canadians once and took them to overtime Sunday to prove they belong in the discussion for hockey talent. The Canadians
have a big superiority complex that looks down on American hockey and American hockey fans. The endless stories out of the Canadian press about
teams moving to Canada always suggest that the Canadian fans are more deserving of a team than non-traditional markets in the US. Maybe this will
result in more respect out of the Canadians, but I won't count on it. Now we can return to the NHL season and hopefully the Thrashers can take advantage
of a March schedule with a lot of home games.
Click here for the opinion page with a link to the Redstrom case page.
Click here for the 2009 opinion page.