Around the Hive

FOOTBALL
Nice story on the Tony Hollings Camp in Twiggs, after we mentioned it last week. Tony's giving back to the community and he's made it a Jacket reunion with guys like Joe Hamilton, Dez White, James Butler and Reggie Ball.......... Thanks to the goof-ups in the registrar's office, Chan Gailey will now have to spend the day before the UConn football game in a hearing. NCAA action... it's fantastic....... Good news, now the UConn game has been picked up "nationally", if you call ESPNU "national". That guarantee's an audience of at least 5 people, probably all ESPN execs. That means 4 of the first 5 Jacket games will be nationally televised, with the VaTech game likely to get picked up also (one would think). So we have Auburn in primetime on ESPN, then UNC on ABC, UConn on ESPNU, VaTech not on yet, then the............. The USAToday picks up late on the Nick Ferguson story of bypassing a fat bonus in order to get his degree from Georgia Tech. Heck, he's already started his own business:

He and a partner have already started a business — Pulse Event Marketing Group — that counts several Broncos and Big Boi of the band Outkast as clients.

Here's one of many QB's the Jackets have offered a scholarship to - Nick Stephens........ Here's a FL LB prospect interested in the Jackets - Colin McCarthy........


BEESBALL
Here's more on Danny Hall's new contract, which amounts to about a 40% raise, a base salary of $200,000 (up from $140,000), and a total package amounting to $400,000. This includes $30,000 for a minimum of 6 appearances on his TV show, which will be great for Jacket fans. It includes use of 2 courtesy cars, a minimum of $50,000 in summer camp revenues, family membership into the Country Club of Roswell, deals with Mizuno and Worth, and I'm sure some more. Here's more.............. Tyler Greene is named a BaseballAmerica 1st Team-All-American...... Looks like the Yankees are flying Austin Jackson out to their Tampa HQ so he can sign his contract:

The Yankees are flying their two most ballyhooed picks from this year's amateur draft - first-rounder C.J. Henry and eighth-round pick Austin Jackson - to their Tampa headquarters today to sign their contracts, a person familiar with the situation said.


The Yankees gave Henry, a 19-year-old shortstop from Putnam City, Okla., a signing bonus similar to the $1.575 million that last year's 17th overall pick got.


Jackson dropped to the eighth round because he signed to play basketball at Georgia Tech next year, but the Yankees got his attention by offering a signing bonus in the neighborhood of $1 million, a number more in line with a second-round pick. Jackson is an 18-year-old centerfielder from Denton, Texas.

Looks like yet another coach has gotten a fat raise by being shown love by Texas A&M. This time it is Rice head coach Wayne Graham, who gets his 2nd raise in a month........... Jay Payton has asked the RedSox for a trade, unhappy with playing time.......

Unhappy with his playing time and with the full knowledge that the Sox don't intend to pick up his $4 million option, Jay Payton has requested a trade.


The Sox aren't actively shopping the outfielder, but have told the former Georgia Tech star and his agent that they will move him if an opportunity to improve the club presents itself.


Payton made his demand public in a story in the Boston Herald yesterday, but it was nothing that the Sox weren't aware of. To date, Payton's wish to play elsewhere hasn't proved a distraction, according to several club sources.

The St.Louis Cardinals have a history of drafting Georgia Tech players:

The Cardinals always get top talent from Georgia Tech, going back to Nomar Garciaparra, and this year the big Tech recruit is third baseman Wes Hodges, who hit over .400 with nine homers and 43 RBI. They also have pitcher Lee Hyde, who was 3-2 with Y-D last year.

They're about to sign Tyler Greene as well......... Meanwhile, Mark Teixeira's career continues to rise out in Tehas. He finally committed his first error at 1st base the other night after 87 games without one........ Wes Hodges gets mention as one of the top 3rd basemen in the country by BaseballAmerica........


Danny Hall comments in the USAToday on the direction of the game of college baseball:

"Our game has shifted to where you're seeing less of those pure power hitters at our level. Top teams are winning with pitching, defense and manufacturing runs," Georgia Tech coach Danny Hall says. "In my mind, this direction is going to continue, and that's good baseball."

The ACC had a poor showing in the NCAA Tourney - here's a story about it..... SI.com lists the city of ATLANTA as "not hot":

Atlanta
The Braves are sinking in the NL East (seven losses in 10 games); Georgia Tech got swept out of the college baseball playoffs (by Tennessee) on its home field; and the AFL team, the Georgia Force, lost the title game. Even drearier news: With heavy road construction under way, officials say to expect a brutal summer of traffic.

HOOPS
Will Bynum will work out for the Hawks, along with Andrew Bogut next Friday........ The New Orleans Hornets worked out BJ Elder........ If you get Comcast Cable, you can get ON DEMAND (fo' a fee), which will cover the NBA Draft, including some type of profile on the top 27 players, including Jarrett Jack........ Evidently the Miami Heat are intrigued by Jarrett Jack, and interestinly enough - Randoph Morris......... Here's a SG from the class of 2007 interested in the Jackets - Keegan Bell.........


TRACK & FIELD
Chaunte Howard is going pro, giving up her senior season of eligibility with the Jackets to join the elite Nike Team...... Hwoever, she will continue with her degree and graduate on time. Here's more........ Hey, remember the story I posted about Steve Marcelle, a shot-putter who broke the 39-year old state record last month, with a throw of 67'6"? Well, the future Yellow Jacket just won a national title, throwing the shot even further - 68'0.25"... WOW!!!!........... A note on an LSU record-setting performance in the men's 1600 relay:

In addition to breaking the 17-year-old collegiate record, Reginald Dardar, Kelly Willie, Bennie Brazell and Xavier Carter became just the third team in collegiate history to go under three minutes. UCLA and Georgia Tech are the only teams to surpass that barrier. Georgia Tech ran a 2:59.95 in 1992.

GOLF
Here's an interesting story on recruiting and the work involved, focusing on golf.......... "Duval is in a different place". Ok whatever, don't ask me WHERE that place is. Here's Puggy Blackmon, as the last-minute desperation to fix his swing:

"It was desperation," Blackmon said, smiling. "It's 45 minutes before his tee time Thursday, and he wants me to revamp his swing. I told him later, 'You're not Helen Keller, and I'm not the Miracle Worker.' "

Meanwhile, Stewark Cink "staggered home"......


OFF THE WALL
Did you know that "Vern Yip" from the H&G Network TV Show "Trading Spaces" is a graduate of Georgia Tech? Well he is.... For some reason I'm thinking this site needs some Fung Shway........ Look, I'm not an English grad, ok....