Dunta
comes home: Falcons sign former local prep star to long-term deal
The
Atlanta Falcons are hoping to have an improved secondary after signing
former Houston Texan Dunta Robinson to a six-year, $57 million dollar
contract.
Essentially, Robinson will replace former starter Chris Houston, who was
traded away to Detroit over the weekend for draft choices. Houston was
seen as someone who had potential, but allowed too many big pass plays to
opposing receivers. As for Robinson, he is seen as a Top 10 corner that
can have an immediate impact for the Falcons, starting next season.
The
last time the Atlanta team has had a Pro-Bowl caliber corner was 2006 when
DeAngelo Hall played with the Falcons. Hall’s departure had left a
revolving door in the secondary. Several replacements including Houston
tried to fill that void, but failed.
The
Falcons announced the free agent signing on Saturday.
The
Falcons, as a team, finished 28th in the NFL against the pass last season.
Robinson is seen as an important building block as Falcons’ Head Coach
Mike Smith tries to reconfigure a defense that has struggled at times
against the pass.
Robinson the 10th overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft has been durable and
has stayed relatively injury-free, starting 79 of 84 NFL games.
Bulldogs’ Thompkins
selected as first-team SEC by coaches
UGA
sophomore Trey Thompkins was selected as one of five players who were
selected unanimously to the 2010 Coaches¹ All-Southeastern Conference
first team. The 6’10 forward led the Bulldogs in scoring and rebounding,
averaging 17.7 points and 8.2 rebounds a game.
Thompkins is the first Bulldog to be selected as an All-SEC first team
player since Jarvis Hayes in 2002 and 2003.
The
other four unanimous first-team picks included DeMarcus Cousins and John
Wall of Kentucky, Jermaine Beal of Vanderbilt and Devan Downey of South
Carolina. Three remaining players completed the 8-man All-SEC first team:
Patrick Patterson of Kentucky, Wayne Chism of Tennessee and Jarvis Varnado
of Mississippi State.
Thompkins and the Bulldogs will face Arkansas this Thursday night in the
SEC Tournament first round in Nashville, Tenn. Scheduled tipoff time is at
9:45 p.m. (EST).
Heyward
getting taste of big leagues
Braves excited to see
highly touted outfield prospect in action
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- As he made his way into the clubhouse to prepare for
his first Major League camp, Jason Heyward was greeted by Peter Moylan, who
carried the top prospect's bags to his locker.
While simply a playful gesture, Moylan's actions provided a reminder that
Heyward isn't just your typical prospect. In fact, the 19-year-old outfielder is
arguably the best position-player prospect the Braves have developed in more
than a decade.
"He's a good athlete," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He runs good, plays a
good outfield, has really good hitting mechanics and a good eye. He's really
advanced for a teenager."
Just two years removed from the completion of his stellar baseball career at
Henry County High School in suburban Atlanta, Heyward entered the Braves'
clubhouse on Tuesday excited about the opportunity to spend the next few weeks
getting a taste of the big league lifestyle.
"I couldn't have told you I would be here right now," Heyward said. "It's good
to see the hard work paying off, and I'm just having a good time."
Heyward, who is regarded as the third-best prospect in the game by MiLB.com and
ESPN.com's Keith Law, hit .323 with 11 homers and an .871 OPS (on-base
percentage plus slugging percentage) with Class A Rome in 2008.
After selecting Heyward with the 14th overall selection in the 2007 First-Year
Player Draft, the Braves contractually agreed to invite him to big league camp
this year. But it appears this invitation will prove to be more than simple
contractual obligation.
Cox plans to give Heyward regular opportunities to play during the early weeks
of the Grapefruit League season. The veteran manager will begin to get his first
extended look at the young outfielder when the Braves hold their first
full-squad workout on Wednesday.
"We don't have a lot of outfielders in camp," Cox said. "We'll play him. I can't
wait to watch him."
An imposing 6-foot-4, 230-pound specimen, Heyward's presence in this camp could
prove even more memorable if the Braves are able to reach an agreement with Ken
Griffey Jr., who could certainly provide some guidance to the younger
left-handed power hitter.
"Being up here with all these guys is already a privilege," Heyward said. "If
[Griffey] was here, too, that would just be the icing on the cake. Just to meet
anybody like that, that would be a good feeling."
All indications are that Heyward will begin this season with Class A Myrtle
Beach and have a chance to end it with Double-A Mississippi. But with a humble
tone, the young outfielder says his goal is to simply make it to Atlanta as
quickly as possible.
"My goal is to end the season here [in the Majors]," Heyward said. "But wherever
I have to go to get here, I'm going to do. Whatever they feel the timetable is
for me to get here, I'll just have to go through. But obviously the goal is
always to be here. If you don't play for that, I don't think you're setting
yourself up to be successful."
