Sports Page Atlanta

As long as we’re posting video of SEC Media days, here’s one of UGA wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi.

UGA head football coach Mark Richt talks, yesterday, at SEC Media Days.

Offensive tackle Andrew Gardner was the only Tech offensive player to be named and on the defensive a pair of defensive linemen were honored, Michael Johnson and Vance Walker.

Gardner and Walker were previously named to the 2007 All-ACC team.

The Atlanta Falcons have hired current Georgia Force head coach Doug Plank as an assistant coach.  Plank will be a coach assistant assigned to special projects.  He will be working with all parts of the team.

Plank will remain the Force coach as well.  He currently has a 47-25 record for the Force and his team has won 3 division titles.

Falcons owner Arthur Blank owns both the Falcons and the Force.

Former Atlanta Falcon great Tommy Nobis was honored by the University of Texas and will have his number retired this season.

In the early to mid 1960’s, Nobis won the Knute Rockne Award as well as the Maxwell and Outland Trophies. In 1965 he finished 7th in the Heisman Trophy balloting to Mike Garrett.

“Mr. Falcon” was the first player ever selected in the NFL draft by the Atlanta Falcons and was the first overall pick in the 1966 draft.

His number is already retired by the Falcons.

The media members of the ACC have selected Clemson and Virginia Tech as the divisional champions and the Tigers to become the overall champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Hokies received 58 of the 65 first place votes in the Coastal Division and Georgia Tech received 1 and was picked to finish 4th.

The Tigers took 59 first place votes on the Atlantic side.

The Tigers then to 51 of the votes to win the entire conference.

The ACC Championship will be played on December 6th in Tampa Bay.

For complete predictions click here.

Former Falcons Quarterback Michael Vick has filed for bankruptcy protection. 

He filed a Chapter 11 papers in US Bankruptcy Court yesterday and owes $10-50 million to creditors. 

He is currently serving a 23-month prison sentence in a U.S. Penitentiary in Kansas after pleading guilty last year to bankrolling a dogfighting ring.

The Georgia Force has been eliminated from the Arena Football playoffs after losing to the Cleveland Gladitors 73-70 at home last night. 

It was the first playoff game for the Force at the Gwinnett Arena, but the fans did not leave home happy. 

The Southern Division champs led 42-40 at halftime, but were doomed by a 3rd quarter in which they were outscored 20-7.  The Force were also plagued by 3 lost fumbles and 10 penalties.

Quarterback Chris Greisen did a good job, completing 29 of 39 passes for 8 touchdowns.  Of the 8 touchdowns, 4 went to Troy Bergeron and 4 went to Tiger Jones.

Georgia State Head Coach Bill Curry has started the hiring process early and for some of his choices he didn’t have to go to far to do so.

The Panthers hired John Bond, John Thompson and George Pugh to join the team that begins playing in 2010.

Bond was the offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech last season.  Thompson was a former defensive coordintator at South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida, LSU and Ole Miss.  Pugh has been a head coach and assistant in many places and has ties to area when he was a head coach at Meadowcreek High School in Norcross.

Former Peach County quarterback Antonio Henton has transferred from Ohio State and now will play football for Georgia Southern.  Since he went from Football Bowl Subdivision to Football Championship Subdivision (Division I to Division II) he will not need to sit a season and play right away.

He played in 4 games last season with the Buckeyes and had some off the field issues that led to a suspension.

His coach at Peach County, Rance Gillespie is now the offensive coordinator at Georgia Southern.

The Eagles first game is against in-state foe Georgia on August 30th in Athens.