7/3: What a Day.

Greetings everyone! Before we get started, let me apologize for the spotty posting... It's time to be more diligent, and I'll get more content up in this space. Please stay tuned! Let's get it....

• The Atlanta Hawks have overhauled the roster and the entire future... in about 90 minutes on Monday afternoon. Joe Johnson was dealt to the Nets for 5 expiring contracts and a conditional 1st-round pick, while Marvin Williams was traded to Utah in exchange for the expiring contract of Devin Harris. On the court? The Hawks are substantially worse for the Johnson deal and marginally better for the Williams deal. For future roster building and cap management? These moves are complete god-sends, and actually open the door to building a roster that could (gasp) compete for a title down the road with the right management. I absolutely love what happened on Monday, and Danny Ferry is the man as far as I'm concerned. I've given you the short version here, but if you'd like to take a look at the long-winded explanation, head over to see my post at SDS here: http://soaringdownsouth.com/2012/07/03/2012-atlanta-hawks-the-danny-ferry-show/
• Staying with hoops, the US Hoops team has caught the injury bug with regards to the London olympics. Anthony Davis has sustained an ankle injury that will keep him off the team, and while he wasn't necessarily a lock anyway, the US has already lost Dwight Howard, Chris Bosh, Lamarcus Aldridge, and even Andrew Bynum from the list due to injury, and the frontcourt is in ugly shape. On the bright side? We have guys like Lebron, Durant, and Carmelo that can easily play the power forward spot in International competition, but let's please make sure we surround Tyson Chandler with a bubble until the games begin.
• The Braves dropped the series-opener to the Cubs by a score of 4-1. For the first time in a month and a half, the Braves played a team with a below .500 record, but the Cubs got 11 K's and 7 innings from Jeff Samardzija and that was enough to get the win. Tommy Hanson allowed a 3-run double in the 7th that proved to be the difference, and after pretty much cruising through 6, he hit the starters wall that has plagued the entire rotation this season. This is a series that the Braves need to at least split, if not take 3 of 4, so this is an inauspicious start. 
• MLB Round-up - Allen Craig blasted 2 home runs to lead the Cardinals to a 9-3 win over Colorado in St. Louis. Garrett Jones had a 4-5 day with a home run to push the Pirates to an 11-2 win over Houston. Jared Weaver threw 7 shut-out innings for the Angels as they blanked the Indians 3-0, and finally, former Michigan quarterback Clayton Richard nearly missed a complete by going 8.2 innings of 2-run ball against the Diamondbacks, and that effort combined with a majestic blast by Cameron Maybin dismissed Arizona.

What to watch for on Tuesday...

• MLB - Cubs @ Braves - 7:10 SportSouth - Volstad vs. Jurrjens - Chris Volstad always seems to be a pest to the Braves, but he's pretty brutal and should be a guy the Braves can take advantage of. Jurrjens is coming off back-to-back solid performances, and this could be another.
• MLB - Yankees @ Rays - 7:10 MLB - Nova vs. Shields - James Shields was one of the best pitchers in the league last year, but he's been pretty average this year (trust me on this one as a fantasy owner), and the Yankees lineup doesn't provide any relief. 
• Wimbledon - ESPN Family of Networks - Starting 7:00 am, all day - If there was ever a tennis tournament I'd watch, this would be it.

Enjoy it...