First off. I'm decently excited for next season, if we have one.  We still have the best running back in the NFL, a good set of receivers, the best tackle tandem in football... and Rob Bironas.  Yeah, I'm being optimistic.

Everyone knows that left guard and center really hurt last year.  Leroy Harris, Eugene Amano, and possibly Velasco will be in the mix, but with a weak OL class in the draft, if we want new blood, we're looking at free agents.

Enter Robert Gallery.  He was drafted second overall out of Iowa by the Raiders, but didn't realize his potential as a can't miss left tackle.  However, he adjusted to playing guard, and is now an above average player there.  He announced today that he is moving on from Oakland.

I know he was a bust, but that doesn't mean he can't be productive.  We need a guard, and we have two Hall of Fame offensive lineman to help coach him up.  It seems like a terrific fit to me.  Opinions?

I honestly don't understand any of the anti-Fisher sentiment that we see coming from fans.  Fisher is the second-longest tenured coach in all of US Professional sports, only Jerry Sloan's tenure is longer.  Fisher will have a new job before the Titans have a new coach should he be fired.  Two coaches, Jim Washburn and Mike Munchak, who are considered the best or second best in their fields will leave as well. 

Bud Adams is the owner, we all know that, but anyone who has watched professional football knows that an owner that tries to run things ultimately fails.  Robert Kraft sat back and let Scott Pioli and Belichick build his franchise, and the Patriots are arguably the best team in football this year.  Bill Polian runs the Colts, not Jim Irsay.  Teams like the Raiders, 49ers and Cowboys are languishing on the edge of the playoffs because their owners, who made their money doing things other than football, are trying to make the decisions.  Jeff Fisher is one of the five best coaches in this league, and we're calling for his firing because of a spat with a middle-of-the-road QB?  This team lost its offensive and defensive leaders last offseason when we let Mawae and Bulluck go, and we still started 5-2.  Vince Young had another tantrum, and we have a top 10 pick this year.

Fisher has been pretty darn successful for a long time now.  The Titans always have a good defense and a strong running game, which we know wins football games.  We don't need to get rid of him, we need the team and the owner to get behind him.  Draft defense, get VY with the program or get someone to compete with him, and give Chris Johnson his touches.  There's no reason this team can't succeed if everyone is on the same page.

That being said, getting this team on the same page starts with Bud Adams figuring out that his presence in football decisions is what is keeping us out of the top tier in the NFL.  Bud, you did very well in the energy industry, but that in no way qualifies you to make the decisions for a winning football program.  Let the football guys make the football decisions, or rename the team to the Bengals South.

I believe that if you ask anyone who the top three managers in baseball today are, they would say Bobby Cox, Tony LaRussa, and Joe Torre, in some order.  Rockies fans would certainly push Tracy, Manuel would get votes in Philly, and I respect Joe Girardi even though I believe his uniform needs to be burned.  However, most knowledgable baseball fans would concede that Cox, LaRussa and Torre are the three best in the game today.  However, after this season, as we all know, Bobby Cox steps out of the dugout and into the front office, and Frank Wren will have his shot at putting his stamp on the organization.

As I read this blog, I noticed that many of you push for Fredi Gonzalez, Ned Yost, and others, and most fans are horrified by the thought of Terry Pendleton taking the reigns.  However, I noticed a story today that really had me thinking.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/articles/2010/05/16/padres_doing_big_things_in_that_pitchers_ballpark/

"Joe Torre (above) would fit with the Braves, Mets, and Blue Jays next season"

Honestly, I don't know what to make of this.  I have never liked Torre as a manager, since he's always been in pinstripes, until he moved out west to take over the Dodgers.  What would you think if Hell froze over and Joe Torre took over for Bobby Cox?  Thoughts?

This is my first Talking Chop post, although I've been an avid reader for a while now.  I was perusing www.mattwietersfacts.com, and noticed all of them applied to our own wunderkind, Jason Heyward.  Someone on that site even took the time to research the Orioles game played on Wieters' birthday, and noted the stats for the Orioles catcher that day, so I decided to do the same.

Heyward was born on August 9, 1989.  On this day, the Braves  were playing the final game of a three game series with the Dodgers.  Pete Smith was the starter for the Braves, while John Wetteland took the mound for the Dodgers.  The Braves right fielder was Dale Murphy, of course.  In this game, Murphy went 2 for 4 with two homers and 5 RBI, beating the Dodgers almost single-handedly.  Atlanta won 6-3.

This may be a bit of useless information, but 1989 was arguably the worst season of Murphy's career up to that point.  Fitting that one of his best games of the season came on the day that the phenom, Jason Heyward, came into this world.  After watching him today, I have no doubt that JayHey could go down along with Murphy as one of the greatest ever to wear a Braves uniform.