Manic Monday

By Jason Chatraw
Sunday Paper Sports Editor

The Atlanta sports world was buzzing Monday as a flurry of activity with a number of different teams has our heads spinning. Here's all you need to know:

... Mike Hampton is done for the season, the club reported Monday afternoon. Hampton, who has a career record of 138-101 with a 3.97 ERA, tore a flexor tendon in his left elbow, requiring surgery that will shut him down for the a second straight season. ... Now he has told me before of his deep love for NASCAR, but if he wants to follow racing that bad, he can retire. At his age, I don't ever see him returning with the impact that he once had. Usually pitchers recovering from injuries like he sustained don't really return to form until their second year back, which means Braves fans won't have any production to look forward to until 2009. Sadly enough, baseball may have seen the last of him.

...Joey Harrington became the latest lousy signing by the Falcons on Monday. Once a highly-regarded quarterback, the former Oregon product has watched his stock drop faster than Ernon. He bumbled his way through Miami last season and frankly isn't going to help the Falcons' chances of winning in 2007. Look for some great spin doctoring to be put on this one by the Falcons--and don't expect this to be a memorable move during the '07 offseason.

... Josh Smith was suspended by the Hawks for two games for his alleged profanity-laced tirade against head coach Mike Woodson. Hmmm. Let's see. Joe Johnson is shut down for the season, as is Josh Childress. And now Smith's two-game suspension with two to play. The Hawks are 2.5 games ahead of Milwaukee in the race for the No. 3 draft pick--a must for the Hawks or else they forfeit the pick to Phoenix in the trade for Johnson. If the Hawks get one of the top three spots, they get to keep the draft pick. So, is this a ploy to look like you're not trying to win the last five games of the season without looking like you're not trying to win the last five games of the season? Chat with me, "Let's go, Bucks! Let's go, Bucks!"

... The Braves took a well-deserved day off after cooling down the New York Mets and seizing first with the best record in the Major Leagues. And it was the bullpen that shined the most. Braves GM John Schuerholz is looking like a genius just one week into the season. But there are 156 games left to be played, so let's reserve judgment until we've played at least two months of baseball. However, at this stage, Schuerholz at least deserves to be smiling on the inside.

This week looks to be another juicy one as well for Atlanta sports fans as NHL Playoff hockey makes its first appearance in the ATL and the Braves welcome the Florida Marlins and Washington Nationals to town. The Hawks even have a crucial showdown with the Bucks ... "Let's go, Bucks! Let's go, Bucks!" ... Wouldn't it be sweet to see Greg Oden dominating the post complemented by Johnson, Smith, and Childress. Ah, we can dream, can't we?