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Is Lane Kiffin the best troll in sports....is Saban done coaching forever? Andy Bunker joins the Ticker from Atlanta for an ASG update, and a few NFL nuggets.
Andy Bunker from 92.9 The Game in Atlanta returns to the show to discuss Big Dumper's big night, the vibe for tonight's All Star Game and the buzz around Michael Pennix, Jr for the upcoming Falcons season.
The guys are back, what a night for the Big Dumper family, the Portland Fire is official, is Saban done coaching? Lane Kiffin is the master of the troll, Andy Bunker from the ATL on the ASG and Pennix year 2, some NFL nuggets, where's Casey Holdahl, the Male Sack and then we found Casey, was he ducking the Chinese Paparazzi?
Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael talk about the city of Atlanta taking baseball center stage, and how hometown hero Matt Olson, and Braves phenom Ronald Acuña Jr. can have impacts all week.
Both Pierce Johnson and Raisel Iglesias are on expiring contracts, and can be expected to be moved to contenders, while there are a couple of other names that may garner some interest. That may make for a challenging second half for Braves fans, as Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss where the Braves go from here.
While a lot of NFL players will not openly admit being hurt out of fear for losing their job, he was playing so bad that SOMEONE should have noticed, which makes the team look very bad. At this point, there is no way to go back to Cousins as the Falcons starting quarterback according to Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael, and the team should be increasing their efforts to trade him before an unfortunate injury situation crops up.
The Atlanta Braves just came home to a very winnable home stand where the team really needed to win both series, versus the sub-.500 likes of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and Baltimore Orioles, and Philadelphia Phillies. They would not win all three series. They would not even win one series. They would win two games in the entire nine-game home stand, that would culminate with them getting swept by the Orioles to finish it out. The worst thing about the Orioles sweep, is that the two remaining starters that can be trusted got beat. The Braves are now 11 games under .500, with a record of 39-50, and with an incomplete rotation plus a still scuffling lineup, it may just get worse before it gets better. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael get in to the Braves, and some positives as we head towards the All-Star Break.
No team can afford what the Braves would be asking for one of the best players in the league, and Ronald Acuña Jr. actually wants to play in Atlanta, so him requesting a trade will not happen. There are questions of a well-deserved contract extension, which will likely happen, and that will only help cement Acuña Jr. in Atlanta for a longer amount of time. Stop it with absurdities like this, and present the people with thought-provoking, but REALISTIC conversation. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael explore the Braves tumultuous season a bit further, and touch on what may be the worst ho-take of 2025.
Every team has analytics and technology at their fingertips, but human beings are all individually unique, and what works for some, may not work for others. Maybe some hitters would respond more to more work in the cage, and less in the classroom. This may not be the solution for all of the Braves offensive woes, but it may be a good idea for a few. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael talk about Snitker's comments in more detail, and how there has to be something in preparation that that can change the outcome of some of these Braves' hitters at-bats.
While there may be a few over-reactions going around, one of the most popular ones is that Braves General Manager Alex Anthopoulos should not have signed a lot of players in this lineup, like Austin Riley and Michael Harris II to long contract extensions on the hope that their career trajectories would excel. This is probably not the case, as teams and players will have bad seasons, but as the offense continues to struggle, the hot takes will continue to fly around. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss the Braves current woes, and what they may do, if anything, to cure them
Braves fans have to hope that Alex Anthopoulos has some tricks up his sleeves (yes, both) to add on before the trade deadline, or the second half may be longer than the first. But, at least Ronald Acuña Jr will be in the Homerun Derby and likely the All-Star game when it comes to Atlanta in July! Andy Bunker and Abe Gordon get in to the Braves, and what they may need to add to improve the team at the deadline.
It has been a great week for Hawks General Manager Onsi Saleh. Early in the week he was involved in a 3-way trade that brought big man Kristaps Porzingis. Then, Wednesday night he made several moves in the NBA Draft that resulted in the Hawks brining Georgia Basketball standout AND Atlanta native Asa Newell home, and having what could end up being a top-10 draft pick in next year's draft. Now it's time to get to work! Andy Bunker and Abe Gordon explore the draft more closely, and evaluate the Hawks next steps.
The Atlanta Braves beat the New York Mets Tuesday Night, bringing their season record versus the Mets to 5-0, with seven games left versus them. Coincidentally, the Mets are seven games better than the Braves on the season at this point, and because of a 1-9 record in their last 10 games, the Mets are now in 2nd place in the NL East, with the Phillies surpassing them for the number one spot. With 90 games left on the season, it is way too far out to predict any playoff spots accurately, but we are not far from that point. Let's just hope that the Braves offense continues to get hot, and with that they continue to play good baseball, then we will let the pieces fall where they may. Andy Bunker and Abe Gordon get in to the Braves' resent hot play, and where they go from here.
Ronald “let it fly” around first, then hit the euro-step on his way to third, and the boos from the crowd were the loudest that they were all night. We have no idea how the 2025 Braves will finish, but what we do know is that Ronald Acuña Jr is on another historic pace of a season after missing the first six weeks while rehabbing his second knee surgery, and he absolutely loves playing at Citi Field, as did Braves Hall of Famer Chipper Jones. In fact, Atlanta Hawks superstar Trae Young loves taking it to the New York crowd too, and they hate him for it. Andy Bunker and Abe Gordon talk about Acuña Jr's historic pacing season, and where the Braves head from here.
With the trade deadline only weeks away, it is time (although he probably has been already) for Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos to pick up the phone and start looking for some players to bring in to help this rotation and bullpen. Andy Bunker and Abe Gordon expand on the Braves being buyers before the deadline.
In hour 2 Andy and Randy bring you an NFL No Huddle as mandatory camps are wrapping up, and Tyrese Haliburton is FAR from overrated.
At least there still 100 games left, right? Let's just hope that the last 100 are not as “entertaining” as the first 60. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss the 2025 Braves, and how close they should be to re-thinking the season entirely.
Now, most of the 2025 Braves lineup is under-performing, and Ronald Acuña Jr. just may be the spark that they need to get going. Couple that with the return of spencer Strider, and it is time for the Braves to get on a roll, and take control of their division, the National League East. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael talk more about the Braves getting their entire roster back, and what fans should be able to look forward to for the rest of the 2025 season.
It was great to see Ronald Acuña Jr. back in the dugout, and having fun with his teammates, and it is time for the Braves to get back to their winning ways. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael talk more about the return of the Braves' young superstar, and the impact that he could have moving forward.
The return of Ronald Acuña Jr., plus the offense showing some positive signs, could meant that the Braves are headed out of mediocrity as the team turns the page to June. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael talk more about the Braves getting back even, Acuña Jr.'s return, and what the rest of 2025 may look like for the Atlanta Braves.
It has been a tumultuous start of the season for Iglesias, but he has had elite seasons before, including 2024 that did not get off to the best start either. Iglesias' up and down season reminds me of the season that Will Smith had in 2021, where the up and down appearances drove fans crazy, as the Braves seemed to only win one-run games with runners on in the ninth. Will Smith would end up becoming one of the Braves' World Series heroes, as he pitched lights out on the Braves entire playoff run. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss the Braves recent ups and downs, the late inning situation, and the returns of Ronald Acuña Jr and Spencer Strider.
Iglesias has been touched up a bit this season, in fact, he has already given up more homeruns (6) this season, than all of last year (4). Iglesias has had an elite run for the Braves, and deserves every chance that he gets, but is it time to give him a chance to re-group? Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss the recent struggles of the Braves closer, as well as the Braves' offensive struggles.
Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss what the rest of the Braves season may look like as the calendar turns to May.
After starting the season 0-7, the Atlanta Braves have battled all the way back to within 2 games of .500, with a chance to climb above the .500 mark as the Los Angeles Dodgers come to town this weekend. The Dodgers have proven vulnerable since sweeping the Braves in the second series of the season, and this is a very different Braves team. The Braves will send Holmes, Schwellenbach, and Elder to the mound in what will be the first true test for the Braves, and will be a good indicator of what kind of team that the 2025 Braves are. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss the importance of this series versus the Dodgers, and how the Braves can win it.
Even when things are going right for the Atlanta Braves, things just seem to keep going wrong. Riding a 3-game winning streak, the Braves arrive at Truist Park Monday to get warmed up… and Spencer Strider injures a hamstring playing catch. Yes, you read that right, playing catch. Strider was placed on the 15-day IL retroactive to April 17, the day after his last start. Best case scenario: Strider misses two starts and is back with the team in early May, worst case? Well, we all know how hamstring injuries like to linger. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael talk more about Spencer Strider's injury, and how the Braves keep up their winning ways as he recovers.
Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael try to make some sense of a game that sees the Braves offense strike out a record 19 times vs the Toronto Blue Jays. In this game, Spencer Strider made his season debut, and only allowed 2 earned runs through 5 innings, and struck out 5, so that's positive. (insert sarcastic thumbs up emoji)
Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss the 2025 first round draft pick for the Atlanta Falcons. Former Georgia players Mykel Williams and Jalon Walker just had the Falcons come visit them in Athens, so the dream of many Falcons fans of the team drafting Georgia Bulldogs just may have taken one step closer to reality.
Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael get in to why Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker is the perfect person to get the Braves out of the current funk that they are in.
If Strider pitches at all to the level he was pitching in his rehab starts with the Braves AAA affiliate Gwinnett Stripers, the Braves could be looking at their first series sweep of 2025, which would be just what the doctor ordered as the Braves return hoe to start a series with the Minnesota Twins. All of this, of course, depends on whether or not the Braves can muster up enough offense to out the team back on the right path. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss the Braves series versus the Blue Jays a bit further, and what a series victory could mean for the team moving forward.
The assumed 2025 debut of Spencer Strider to the Atlanta Braves rotation is looking like it will happen on Wednesday, and it will be an immediate shot in the arm to this Braves team, but even Cy Young level pitchers require run support. The Braves at least have 5 hitters hitting above .200, and Marcell Ozuna is even hitting .306, but the timeliness of the Braves hitting is something less to be desired. The Braves are the 2nd worse team in MLB with runners in scoring position, and even though there are signs of power of late, they will have to start scoring more runs if they want to dig themselves out of the hole that they have created in the early part of the season. The hitting is coming around, and adding Strider will help, let's just hope that this April hole is not an insurmountable one to climb out of. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael talk more about the Braves and the AL East swing that they are on right now.
The Braves are 5 games back from the Philadelphia Phillies for 1st place in the National League East, 5 games. In 2022 the Braves walked down the New York Mets and won the NL East after being down ELEVEN games after the All-Star Break! Not all hope is lost, and while the Braves have a lot of work to do to get out of this hole, the hole is by no means insurmountable. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael talk more about the hole that the Braves have found themselves in to start the season, and what they need to do in this first home-stand of the season to start finding their way out of it.
According to SI.com's Albert Breer, in order to avoid a similar situation that he found himself in after signing with the Falcons, Cousins will elect to not waive the no-trade clause in his contract until after the 2025 NFL Draft. This makes sense from Cousins' perspective, as he wants to be a starting quarterback in 2025, and does not want to be traded to a team that has drafted a rookie quarterback. On the other hand, this could come back to bite Cousins, as teams may decide not to wait, and draft a rookie quarterback instead of signing one. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael further explore the 2025 free agency cycle, and what we may end up seeing before and after the 2025 NFL draft.
Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael sat down with DawgNation's Brandon Adams to talk about what is happening to soring games in college football. Brandon believes that UGA not having a plan to broadcast G-Day on television may signal the end of the game as early as this year, because the school doesn't need the risk of extra football to keep fans' attention because of all of the winning that the school is doing.
After failing to reach a contract extension with Jarrett, the Falcons have to release the 10-year veteran, who will no doubt land on another team, but that does not make that bitter pill any easier to swallow, but that is the business side of the NFL. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael explore the move to release Grady Jarrett further, and why this move was necessary for the Atlanta Falcons
Maybe Drew Dalman is not in the Falcons' plans, or maybe they are just waiting to see if other teams are interested, but regardless of either, Dalman's value just took a significant spike, and he is in for a pretty big payday when free agency starts on March 12. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss Drew Dalman further, and his potential return to the Atlanta Falcons.
As of now, according to experts, Bijan Robinson is the 3rd best running back in the NFL, behind Barkley and Henry, and is younger that both of them only entering year 3. The sky is truly the limit for Bijan Robinson, and when the time comes, he will land a contract making him the highest paid running back ever. Thank you Saquon! Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael explore this a little further, as well as the value of a couple of other Falcons that are soon to be paid.
With an injury timetable of 4-6 weeks for Murphy, he may not miss much, if any, of the regular season. But even if he does, Baldwin and Tromp should provide effective fill-in duties until Murphy returns. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss Sean Murphy's injury, as well as how the Braves have looked so far in this young preseason.
All of the stars are aligning for both the Falcons to take their biggest position of need, and for it to be a Georgia Bulldog, which is what a large majority of fans want. This rarely happens, where both teams' needs and fans' wants align. But there is one problem: After next week's combine, none of these guys may be there for the Falcons at pick #15. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael expand on this, and what the Falcons should do with their first round draft pick.
Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael talk about the 2nd half of the season for the Hawks, and how they can both develop Zacharrie Risacher AND make a playoff run.
If these 2 conferences are truly the biggest and baddest conferences in the nation, wouldn't it stand to reason that on some years they may have MORE than 4 teams in the playoff if all of the bids were at-large bids instead of automatic? Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael expand more on the soon to come conference expansion that is currently being discussed.
Andy Bunker and Abe Gordon explore the many ways that the Falcons can improve their odds of winning the Super Bowl in 2025. How close are they right now? The Falcons have better odds right now than the Commanders had before the 2024 season.
North Georgia's own Collin Sexton gave it his all for the Jazz, scoring 24 points, but it proved to not be enough as Trae Young led Hawks' scorers with 24 points of his own, and even traded lead-taking shots as time expired in the fourth. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael discuss this great win, and what the Hawks need to do to stay on the winning track.
The Georgia Bulldogs did not finish the 2024 season with an elite roster, but I can guarantee you that they will start the 2025 season with one, as Head Coach Kirby Smart will not have it any other way. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael dive a little further in to Thursday's game, and where UGA heads from here.
While the 2024 season for Georgia was tumultuous at times, Carson Beck led this team to an 11-2 record, SEC Championship, and a first round bye in the College Football Playoff. It is crazy how fickle that sports fans can be sometimes, and we can all live in a world where both Carson Beck AND Gunnar Stockton can be celebrated for the results of the 2024 season. Andy Bunker get in to UGA's chances vs Notre Dame in what is surely to be a slugfest in New Orleans.
It will not be easy, but also not impossible for the Falcons to make a playoff run. But in order to do so, rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr will have to have to make a rapid ascension up the NFL quarterback ranks to keep up with the high-powered competition that will be in the Falcons' way. Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael dive a little deeper in to the Falcons' Sunday night showdown with Washington, and the Falcons playoff chances.
What can Cousins do to get back in to the good graces of the already jaded from the past Falcons' fan base? Look at what the Falcons fan base has gone through in the last 8 years after all. Since 28-3, they've seen the Mariota, Heinicke, and Ridder experiments all fail, and many have lost faith in the team all together. Andy Bunker and Abe Gordon explore this a little bit deeper, as the cost of emotion for a fan base always tends to be pretty expensive.
Andy Bunker and Abe Gordon discuss the 2024 season for the Georgia Bulldogs, and why if you were told how it would go at the beginning of the season how it would go, there is no way you would believe the result.
What is even more strange about the Falcons current losing streak, and Kirk Cousins' part in it, is that there does not seem to be one thing that can be singled out as a problem, he is simply playing bad. Falcons' Head Coach Raheem Morris is adamant that the team will stand by their QB1, as the Falcons have a pretty favorable schedule to finish the season, but fans are starting to clamor 2024 first round draft Michael Penix. Andy Bunker and Abe Gordon discuss the Falcons inability to win of late, and how they can snap out of it to remain in the playoff hunt.
Ask Me Anything and takeaways of the day featuring Andy, Randy, Beau, and Abe.
Andy Bunker and Randy McMichael talk about why the Hawks are playing so well on their current winning streak, and frankly, are more fun to watch.