The Atlanta Constitution du lieu suivant : Atlanta, Georgia • E2

Filename: E2-SPORTS-AJCD0728-AJCD created: Jul 27 2005 Username: SPEED7 AJCD0728 Thursday, Jul 28, 2005 SPORTS 2 AJCD 2 2 Thursday, July 28, 2005 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution 4 E2 Cyan Magenta Yellow Black Cyan Magenta Yellow Black AJCD Filename: E2-SPORTS-AJCD0728-AJCD GIMME 5 The daily list Ready for some football Former Falcons linebacking great Tommy Nobis gives us reasons why his favorite team will be better in 2005 than 2004: 1. Winning starts at the top. Arthur Blank, Rich McKay and Jim Mora have been together for a full year. sure if you ask them, tell you making better decisions because of it. 2.

This is the second season the coaching staff has been together. Training camp will go a lot quicker with the players all familiar with the terminology. 3. still a young football team. We have some players right in the prime of their careers offensively and defensively.

Across the board, they should be better this year. That includes No. 7. 4. The team got a taste of winning in a pretty good way last year.

Coming off a playoff season should be a real motivator. 5. Training in Flowery Branch. No player or coach looks forward to packing up, leaving town and going to a different environment. plenty of time the rest of the year for players to get to know each other.

GIVE US FIVE: Got someone like to see us go after? E-mail list ideas to Jeff at Tommy Nobis is the vice president for corporate development. File photo TV TODAY Sport Event Time Station BASEBALL Nationals at Braves 1 p.m. TBS Minors: Clippers at Richmond Braves 7 p.m. CSS Minors: at Rome Braves 7 p.m. FSN GOLF British Open 10 a.m.

TNT U.S. Senior Open 1 p.m. ESPN PGA: Buick Open 4 p.m. USA SOCCER Chelsea at D.C. United 8 p.m.

ESPN2 FLAGSHIP METRO RADIO STATIONS Braves: WGST-AM (640), WKLS-FM (96.1). ON THE AIRCALENDAR Home games shaded vs. Nationals 1:05 p.m. TBS vs. Pirates 7:35 p.m.

Turner South vs. Pirates 7:05 p.m. TBS vs. Pirates 1:05 p.m. TBS vs.

Pirates 1:05 p.m. TBS TodayFridaySaturdaySundayMonday BASEBALL Braves: Single-game tickets: at www.atlantabraves.com or 800-326-4000. FOOTBALL Falcons: Single-game tickets: www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at 404-249-6400 or 800-326-4000. TICKETS Braves WE WANT YOUR OPINION We welcome letters to the editor and will publish the best ones Sunday on Page 2. Please send them to: Sports Soundoff, P.O.

Box 4689, Atlanta 30302 or FOR REPRINT PERMISSION, GO TO AJC.COM/PERMISSIONS Helton assures track is ready By RICK MINTER NASCAR president Mike Helton was back at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Wednesday, surveying the damage from a July 6 tornado and reassuring fans that the track will be ready for the Oct. 30 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500. Some of the worst damage, estimated at $40 million, was to the suites overlooking the Weaver grandstand, buildings that Helton, who once worked as public relations manager and general manager at AMS, helped build or remodel more than 20 years ago. looks like my stuff hold up too Helton said. well, you just have to take it in But after touring the track with its current top executive, Ed Clark, the NASCAR president was the upcoming Nextel Cup race will go on as scheduled.

He said the racing surface, as well as the catch fence and garage areas, are ready to race. things that NASCAR needs to race are he said. a lot of ways it will be like nothing has Another encouraging sign of the progress of the reconstruction was the look on face as he watched Legends drivers turn laps on the quarter-mile track inside the 1.5-mile quad oval. Clark, a Legends driver himself, driven his car since the tornado until Tuesday. The worries and pressures of the rebuilding task had drained his desire to drive.

was the thing done for a mental break since he said. if all goes well race The speedway was forced to modify its Thursday Thunder Legends series. The races will continue, but the grandstands be open and fans wanting to attend must purchase pit passes. Clark said most of the other events been affected. A driving experience company used the 1.5-mile oval last week, and other events will be held in spite of the ongoing repairs to damaged suites and other buildings.

Clark has set a goal of having everything back in place by Oct. 14. AUTO RACING JOHNNY CRAWFORD Staff Mike Helton president, checked out the tornado damage and repairs at AMS. White losing shot to start By STEVE WYCHE and MATT WINKELJOHN Flowery Branch When unsigned Falcons draft pick Roddy White nally arrives at training camp better resemble an All- Pro, because coach Jim Mora said blown any chance of breaking into the starting lineup. already Mora said about White, a wide receiver from Alabama- Birmingham and the only unsigned Falcons draft pick.

missed three practices. going to miss so missed four practices. 300 reps behind already. You never get those back. he comes in here and Randy Moss revisited or Terrell Owens revisited, not starting for us this year.

Not WSB-TV showed footage of White running receiving drills in Birmingham during its newscast Tuesday. Neil Schwartz who represents White, has declined comment. There was no movement in talks between the Falcons and White Wednesday and no indication when a deal could be reached. The taken just behind White have reached contract agreements, seemingly setting the scale for terms. White, selected 27th overall, impressed coaches in minicamp and organized team workouts this offseason, prompting them to retool their initial projections of bringing him along slowly.

Mora said he still has big hopes for White, but the clock on his immediate impact is ticking. White needs to be in training camp before the team leaves Tuesday for a preseason game in Tokyo against Indianapolis, Mora said. terms of a guy making an impact in practice or catching your eye in practice, not going to happen in Mora said. needs to happen between now and Monday afternoon, which is our last practice before we leave. Then kind of in games.

critical gets to Unsafe safeties? Free safety Bryan Scott and strong safety Keion Carpenter are getting the most work as starters, but not locked in just yet as they come back from shoulder and knee injuries, respectively. that he will be OK, just knowing Keion, but until I see him actually playing a game, hard for me to say the Mora said. Bryan, I have seen him play for a year, so he can get on the and play, but there is still the unknown with the shoulder. Ronnie Heard Ronnie is a guy who has started in this league that can play. Rich Coady Kevin Mc- Cadam and Etric Pruitt we just have to pick the best two to start, and the best four to make the team.

I just think real uncertain right now, and sure that Keion want to hear that, and Bryan want to hear that, but the fact right Whacking it around Most NFL golf clubs are put away until 2006, and players see the links anytime soon. But never far from the mind of backup fullback Fred McCrary who said in the offseason, it rain, going to McCrary, who said he has a 16 or 17 handicap, played a bit in the offseason with Michael Jenkins and Warrick Dunn among others, and trying to turn Michael Vick on to the sport. Vick a golfer before; he sort of is now. not good; pretty McCrary said. get real frustrated.

He just keeps trying, keeps trying to hit it. probably take some lessons in the offseason so he can represent himself Back in the Two of the coaching interns are familiar faces. Former Falcons running special teams standout Gary Downs (1997-2000), the offensive coordinator at nearby Riverside Military Academy, as well as NFL Europe coach and former Redskins linebacker Kurt Gouveia and Georgia Force defensive coordinator Bob Kronenberg are spending a few weeks with the coaching staff. PRO FOOTBALL BRANT SANDERLIN Staff Defensive end Khaleed Vaughn is currently second on the depth chart after Brady Smith, who is recovering from neck surgery. FALCONS REPORT Panthers acquire receiver Gardner ASSOCIATED PRESS The Carolina Panthers may have found a replacement for Muhsin Muhammad on Wednesday, acquiring wide receiver Rod Gardner from the Washington Redskins.

The deal is contingent upon Gardner passing a physical today in Charlotte, Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. Carolina did not say what it traded for Gardner. Gardner, 27, started all 16 games in each of his four seasons in Washington, making 227 receptions for 2,997 yards. His best season came in 2002 with 71 receptions for 1,006 yards and eight touchdowns. Earlier this offseason the Panthers lost Muhammad, the leader in yards receiving and touchdown catches in 2004, to the Chicago Bears as a free agent.

Ex-Dog Brown signs The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to terms with second-round draft pick Reggie Brown of Georgia, expected to challenge for the No. 4 wide receiver role. The 6-foot-1, 197-pound Brown earned all-SEC honors his senior year, leading the Bulldogs with 53 catches for 860 yards and six TDs. Seattle running back Shaun Alexander who fell a yard short of the NFL rushing title last season, signed a one-year deal worth $6.32 million as the franchise player. In return, the Seahawks agreed not to slap the restrictive franchise tag on him next season.

Hours after Green Bay shareholders told Packers executives not to give in to another potential holdout, Javon Walker the wide receiver showed up at training camp. At their annual meeting, at least a dozen shareholders told general manager Ted Thompson to hold the line on the wide receiver; the Packers are refusing to renegotiate his contract. Two-time NFL rushing champ Edger rin James reported on time to Colts camp Wednesday. The Steelers signed their round pick, tight end Heath Miller Falcons: Team looks for players to emerge behind slot Continued from E1 Brady Smith concern, a big concern, and not even depth but starter at right end. It would be untruthful to say that we are unconcerned about that position right now.

We Smith most likely play in the preseason and could be out for the few weeks of the regular season, based on projections. However, a neck procedure on a player who gets pounded by 300-plus linemen on every play never leaves room for comfort, especially for someone who plays with ferocity. His loss and a back injury sustained Tuesday by eight- year veteran Brandon Mitchell, a defensive tackle the team planned to cross-train at end, exposed arguably the thinnest position on the roster and not just on the right side. Vaughn is entering his second season. So is Nyenhuis.

Junior Glymph too. All were undrafted free agents. Chauncey Davis, who is backing up Glymph on the right side, is a rookie. Flowers, who has six career starts in years in the NFL, was signed late last week. Mitchell, who has played in 92 games and recorded 211 tack les and 11 career sacks, had an epidural treatment, is walking with a crutch and will be out for at least a few days, Mora said.

when Brady does get back, and I think going to get back sooner than a lot of people expect, one of those young guys has to step up and say, going to be the third end. going to be the guy to play 25 snaps and be Pro Bowl left end Patrick Kearney said. interested in the competition to see going to take on that Vaughn, who attended North Atlanta High School and registered three tackles last season all against New Orleans Dec. 26, said playing as if the job is his to lose. want this Vaughn said.

from Atlanta, I grew up here, went to high school, middle school, everything here. Playing for the Falcons is a dream come true, and as long as I have this opportunity, anybody behind me or in front of me is going to have to take Coaches want to see that type of resolve. In terms of effort in this opening week of practice, they have. Coaches also said they will give players some time to settle in before applying real pressure to see if anyone separates themselves. All the while, Mora said the personnel department will scour of free agents and the waiver wire to see if good help becomes available.

got some good guys to work with to see who can get that defensive line coach Bill Johnson said. of that group, it could be a toss-up. They know the stakes, so at this time of year you coach everybody. You know going to happen. You know about injury.

Until pressed for time, you work them like heck to get them to a level, and a few weeks from now have to make a.