THAT was one ballsy gutty performance by John Smoltz last night

I haven't jumped into the Braves/Cubs threads simply because I think it is bad luck but I had to comment on that.

As with many families in the south my wife's household almost always had the Braves game on every night, they leave it on as background noise while they read,cook, whatever, and/or actually watch the game.

I thought he was playing some sort of gamesmanship but wife knew immediately (he's her all time favorite) as soon as he hurt his arm. She called her folks right after the game was over and her dad, he played for the smalltown baseball team every town with at least 9 males in the south used to have-the railrod team too, he knew Smoltz was hurt too. When I saw the grimace the second time I thought it was apparent that he was in some kind of pain.

He never walks around like that nor does he bail out towards first base. Being in position to field has always been a Leo Mazzone staple of his pitching staff. Smoltz basically was throwing on the run-throw the pitch and throw his weight towards first basically making himself into a whip, circle the mound, get the ball at the back of the mound, let the batter get in the box, walk up the back of the mound, set and throw repeating the whole process.

Good game and tonight should be too. BTW I will be surprised and disappointed if Bobby doesn't suspend Fick (who I normally like) tonight, the Braves and their fans expect more class and respect for the opponent than that.

Good luck to everyone, whoever wins tonight is my team the rest of the way.

GO CUBS!!!!!!!!!! I a Southerner born and raised, and I've NEVER understood the fascination with the Braves down here. We're not all from Atlanta. I guess its just that weird regional thing that goes back to the civil war. The idea is "if they're from The South they're one of us".

Famous Bob Costas call in '95.

I used to love the Cubs simply because I watched their games and got to know the team. Same applies for the Braves I think. I love the Braves what can I say?

Just having a team is better than what some of the fair-weather fans our there do.

I've just always been curious about why we Southerners are SO regional when it comes to...well...everything. Anybody know any good books on the subject?

I'm transplanted from Ohio myself and I don't see any great regionalism here. That's just me but to the extent that there is any I would say it is pride in where they live. I don't think that that is exclusive to any region.

If there was a huge amount of regionalism we probably wouldn't have taken to ice hockey as many in the south have.

I am a South Sider, but the White Sox blew it.

pitched. They played a great game, and I felt that if the Braves can't play any better than that, they don't deserve to take it from the Cubs.

and I sat down in April to see what all this Braves fascination is about (too smoggy, hot, or cold to go outside), and now I have the tv on that station every night. Now I live in Florida where I can go outside anytime I want to and pull weeds or work in my garden between innings.

*sigh* seems like the Braves have had the bases loaded with no outs for half of my adult life"

-Skip Carey during the lean years

Yeah you get to know the team and some of us even make up our own nicknames for them.

Blauser was "Snuffy Smith" named after the cartoon character
Lemke (a GOD in Braves fans eyes) was "Posumm"

That combo is still many Braves fans favorites.

McGriff was of course the Crime dog
Pendleton was "Popeye"
Sid Bream was "The stick"

and so on

ON EDIT-MAddox is "Ferris Bueller" early in his career he looked a lot like Mathew Brodderick.
and Glavine was "Dave Mathews"

Why can't folks outside Atlanta root for the Braves? Should they not root at all? It's not like folks in Oregon don't root for the Mariners, or folks in Wyoming and Montana don't root for the Rockies, etc... why is that wrong?

I cannot believe you would use such an outdated SEXIST word - STOP IT.

Ballsy means tough dangerous etc.

:shrug:

BALLS ARE NECESSARY TO BE TOUGH. STOP IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I use that expression with everyone though.

Smoltz is absolutely the man. Fick is a complete ass.