By Jim Wyatt – TennesseeTitans.com

TRAINING CAMP PREVIEW: QUARTERBACKS

In camp (3): Ryan Tannehill, Logan Woodside, Cole McDonald.

Offseason developments: The Titans re-signed Tannehill to a lucrative multi-year deal back in March, making it known to everyone he was the team’s quarterback of the future all along after rumor mill speculation erroneously focused on former Patriots QB Tom Brady, who eventually signed with the Buccaneers. Marcus Mariota, the No.2 pick of the 2015 NFL Draft who went from starter to back-up last season in Tennessee, signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. The Titans drafted former Hawaii quarterback Cole McDonald in the seventh-round of the 2020 NFL Draft. McDonald signed his rookie deal last month. With the team’s facility closed to players, Tannehill spent most the offseason working in South Florida with tight end Jonnu Smith, although he traveled to Nashville for some work with teammates as well. Woodside was a regular at throwing sessions with teammates on fields in Nashville, building chemistry with many of the team’s receivers and tight ends.

In the spotlight: Tannehill. Acquired last March in a trade with the Dolphins, Tannehill was named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year after leading the NFL with a 117.5 rating in 2019. During the regular season, Tannehill threw for 2,742 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions, and he guided the Titans to a 9-4 mark after replacing Mariota as the starter in Week 7. In 2020, Tannehill will be counted on to pick up where he left off last season. With plenty of weapons around him, and a year under his belt working with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Tannehill seems poised to keep the momentum going.

Battle to watch: Logan Woodside vs. Cole McDonald. Woodside, who joined the Titans in 2018, is the favorite to win the No.2 job behind Tannehill. Over the past two years he’s impressed those around him with his work ethic, and when he got a chance to play in last year’s preseason, he showed something, completing 46-of-76 passes for 539 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions with a passer rating of 99.6. Woodside completed 17-of-29 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns (with a 104.4) while starting the preseason finale at Chicago. But the Titans didn’t draft McDonald to keep the Hawaii connection going after Mariota’s departure. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound McDonald finished his career at Hawaii fourth on the school’s passing yards (8,032) and passing touchdowns (70) lists, and he’s an impressive athlete as well. McDonald will try to topple Woodside in camp.

Keep an eye on: The possibility of adding a veteran QB. Neither Woodside nor McDonald want to see this happen, of course, and it won’t if either of them plays well enough to convince coaches and the front office the team is in good hands at QB2. Woodside has paid his dues, and he needs to prove he’s capable when the training wheels come off and he goes for a ride. The lack of an offseason program, OTAs and minicamp hurt McDonald’s chances of developing in Year 1, and it didn’t help Woodside either. Both QBs would have benefitted from the extra work. But no one wants to hear any excuses. Veteran QBs will be available in August, and there’s a chance the Titans could add one then if they aren’t comfortable with what they have behind Tannehill. Will they need to pick up the phone? Again, this will be up to Woodside, and McDonald.

Jim Wyatt is the Senior Writer and Editor for TennesseeTitans.com

The Manchester Youth Baseball Association opened up the final week of the regular season on Monday night with a full slate of games at Fred Deadman Park. 

In the 8U division, Dr. Jay’s edged KK’s 13 to 12 and Freedom Automotive dropped Interstate Auto 16 to 9.  In the opener, Dr. Jay’s had to rally for 3 runs in the bottom of the 5^th inning and then hold off a 6^th inning rally from KK’s to get the win.  Jackson and Abe each had 3 hits and scored 3 runs to lead Dr. Jay’s.  Lhane had 4 hits and scored 4 times for KK’s.  In the nightcap, Interstate took a 1 to 0 lead into the 3^rd inning before Freedom’s bats finally woke up.  Aiden, Jaden and Deacon all ended up with 3 hits and 3 runs for Freedom.  Lawson, Keyton and Gauge all had 2 hits and 2 runs for Interstate. 

In the 10U division, Chico’s Bail Bonds locked up Viam 13 to 12 and First National Bank bested Coffee County Bank 16 to 14.  In the first game, it took extra innings, but Chico’s held off a furious rally from Viam to get the win.  Chico’s built a 9 to 3 lead only to see Viam rally for 2 runs in the home half of the 3^rd inning and 6 more in the 4^th inning to take their first lead.  The teams reached the time limit tied at 11 and Chico’s plated 2 runs in the extra inning.  Viam got 1 run in and stranded the tying run at 3^rd base in the loss.  Kaden Brewer had a home run, a single and 2 walks to lead Chico’s.  Bryce Spencer and Caleb Leonard had triples for Viam.  In the second game, Coffee County got off to a red hot start scoring 7 runs in the first inning to take a 2 run lead in the of the Battle of the Banks.  First National scored 6 more runs in the 2^nd, but Coffee County knotted the score with a 4 run rally to send the game to the 3^rd tied.  In the 3^rd inning, First National outscored Coffee County 5 to 3 to grab the win.  Gavin Smith had 3 singles for First National while Kolton Strickland scored 3 runs after walking twice and being hit by a pitch.  For Coffee County Bank, Levi Dotson had a double and a single and Blaine Bonner also scored 3 runs after walking twice and getting on via getting hit by a pitch.

In the 12U division, Powers Storage beat Shelter Insurance 9 to 6 and First Vision Bank shaded Bush Insurance 11 to 10.  In the early game, it was a painful start for Powers as Shelter jumped out to a 3 to 0 lead in the top of the 1^st inning powered by a pair of home runs.  In the bottom of the 1^st inning, Powers’ pitcher Keaton Rowe fractured his wrist after getting hit by a pitch.  From there, Powers settled down and rallied to grab their 9^th win of the year.  Trevor Jesse and Austin Gibson each had a pair of singles and scored twice for Powers.  Ian Smith and Trace Stevens had the home runs for Shelter.  In the late game, First Vision jumped out to an early lead and held on in the final inning to get the one run lead.  Bryceton Bunch went the distance on the mound for First Vision to get the win.  Boone Floyd had a home run, a double and a walk and scored 3 times for First Vision.  Kasen Morrison had a double, 2 walks and scored twice for Bush Insurance. 

In the 18U division, the Mets bounced the Manchester Braves 7 to 6 and the Christiana Braves chopped down the Manchester Braves 7 to 6.  In game 1, the Mets sent 10 batters to the plate in the 1^st inning as they scored 5 runs to take a commanding lead.  The Mets added 2 more runs in the 2^nd before the Braves late inning rally came up short.  For the Mets, Trent Thompson had 2 hits and scored twice while Griffin Meeker walked twice, singled and scored 2 runs as well.  Gauge Marcrom had 2 singles for the Braves.   In game 2, the Christiana Braves got a late rally to spoil the Manchester Braves upset bid.  With Manchester leading 6 to 2 entering the 5^th inning, the Christiana tribe tied the game with a 4 run 5^th inning.  The Rutherford County Braves notched the winning run in the 6^th to complete the comeback.  Christiana was led by Kameron Smusz who had a double, a single, a walk, 2 runs scored and the game winning RBI.  Wyatt Lowe rapped a triple and a single and scored a run for Manchester. 

Tuesday MYBA Schedule

6U Division at T-Ball Field

5:00 PM – Cooper Sports vs. Star Physical Therapy

7:30 PM – Manchester Tire & Brake vs. Lovelady Auto Parts

8U Division at Fast Pitch Field

5:00 PM – Dr. Jay vs. KK’s

7:30 PM – KK’s vs. Freedom Automotive

10U Division at National League Field

5:00 PM – Coffee County Bank vs. State Farm

7:30 PM – Chico’s Bail Bonds vs. First National Bank

12U Division at Aaron Miller Field

5:00 PM – Shelter Insurance vs. Bush Insurance

7:30 PM – Powers Storage vs. First Vision Bank

18U Division at Looney Riddle(Babe Ruth) Field

6:00 PM – Mets vs. Christiana Braves

8:00 PM – Expos vs. Yankees

The pictures, material and information contained in this story may not be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, or redistributed, for commercial gain, without the express written consent of Coffee County Broadcasting.

Hockey is set to return.  The Nashville Predators are scheduled to participate in the NHL’s first-ever Stanley Cup Qualifying Round, and the dates of their matchups against the Arizona Coyotes have been confirmed.

As the NHL and NHLPA ratified a four-year extension to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (through 2025-26) and a Return to Play Plan on Friday evening, the League also announced the schedule for the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers.

After traveling to the Western Conference hub city of Edmonton on July 26, the Preds and Yotes will meet in Game 1 of the best-of-5 series on August 2 at Rogers Place.

Here is the full schedule for Nashville’s Qualifying Round:

Game 1: August 2

Game 2: August 4

Game 3: August 5

Game 4: August 7*

Game 5: August 9*

*If Necessary

As far as timing is concerned, the NHL released this information:

“Games have been scheduled on a staggered basis, providing hours of continuous action. The start times for the 10 days of Stanley Cup Qualifiers in Toronto (Eastern Conference games) will be: Noon, 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET. In order to maximize the viewing experience for fans across North America, the start times for the three game windows in Edmonton (Western Conference games) – 2 p.m. ET, 6:30 p.m. ET and 10:30 p.m. ET – may fluctuate by up to 30 minutes during the qualifying round.”

Official timing and broadcast information will be announced at a later date.

Stay tuned to Thunder Radio in the days and weeks to come for more information on the official schedule and broadcast information.

By Mark Bowman – MLB.com

Ron Washington’s decision to quit smoking four months ago has not removed him from the high-risk category for COVID-19. But the willingness to break this longtime addiction is proof the 68-year-old Braves third-base coach is committed to doing whatever he needs to remain healthy and on a baseball field over the next few months.

“It’s mind over matter,” Washington said. “I’ve been a strong-willed and a strong-minded person my whole life. You have to do what you have to do. Life changes. You just have to go with it. Hopefully, the day will come when we get back to normal.”

Whether guiding the Rangers to consecutive World Series appearances or serving as a beloved and significantly valuable coach for the A’s and Braves, Washington has spent the past couple decades proving to be a tireless worker who puffed at cigarettes between early-morning Spring Training drills or whenever he felt the urge to take a few drags away from a television camera.

But to the surprise and delight of many around the baseball world, Washington can proudly say he hasn’t smoked a cigarette since Spring Training was shut down in March. The respiratory realities of COVID-19 were enough for the coach to finally quit a couple years shy of his 70th birthday.

The earliest studies of this coronavirus showed how damaging it could be to lungs that had been weakened by years of smoking. At the same time, Washington knew if baseball was going to be played this year, the players and coaches would be prohibited from smoking, dipping, spitting sunflower seeds or similar activities, which involved the voluntary release of saliva.

“I feel good,” Washington said. “I know I’m one of the high-risk guys. But I trust the protocols MLB has in place, and I trust Ron Washington even more than the protocols of MLB. Sixty games? I can hide out for 60 games. If there’s another 20 or 25 or whatever it is for the playoffs, I’ll hide out for that also and then head home.”

As Washington thinks back on the shutdown of the past few months, he says it was the first time in at least 40 years he spent the spring and early weeks of summer in his native New Orleans. Much of his time was spent catching up on some of the household tasks assigned by his wife Gerry, who has been with the Braves coach for a little more than five decades.

When it came time to travel to Atlanta two weeks ago to begin preparations for the upcoming season, Washington did not have to lobby with family members.

“I’m going to make certain I do everything I have to do to get through this 60-game season and the playoffs, if all that is possible, and to get home safely,” Washington said.

“My wife allowed me to make that decision. As with most wives, with this COVID-19 out here, they would like to have their loved ones at home. She knows this is what I do for a living and she knows how much I love it. She trusts me to do whatever I have to do to stay safe.”

Washington has continued to have fun with the energetic spirit that has made him a popular and well-liked figure within a few organizations. With hugging, high-fives and handshakes prohibited this year, the third-base coach has developed a “foot shake” he plans to use by extending his right foot to a player who has just homered and is rounding third.

“It’s going to be different,” Washington said. “But in the end, it’s baseball. I personally feel the safest place is at the ballpark.”

Mark Bowman has covered the Braves for MLB.com since 2001.

The Manchester Youth Baseball Association wrapped up their 5^th week of competition on Friday night with 5 games at Fred Deadman Park. 

In the 8U division, Interstate Auto took on Lions Club in a doubleheader. The two teams split the 2 contests as Interstate won the opener 18 to 3.  Lions Club bounced back to get their first win of the year in the nightcap 25 to 20.   In the first game, Interstate built a big lead and kept Lions Club off the scoreboard until the final inning.  Keyton Childress had 2 home runs for Interstate while Eli Baker and Lawson Maychrzak added a home run apiece for the Green Machine.  For Lions Club, Mia and Brodie each hammers triples.  In the nightcap, Lions Club plated 5 runs in the first inning, but saw Interstate rally for 9 runs in the bottom half of the inning to take the lead.  Not to be deterred, Lions Club closed the gap with 6 runs in the 2^nd inning and 9 runs in the 5^th to grab their first win of the year.  For Lions Club, Jace had a home run, a triple and 2 singles while Bentley and Draper each finished with a triple, a double and 2 singles for Lions Club.  Lawson Maychrzak finished with 2 home runs for Interstate while Gabe Elrod and Branden Gammons each had a homer. 

In the 10U division, First National Bank stopped Chico’s Bail Bonds 15 to 11 and State Farm bested Coffee County Bank 18 to 3.  In the first game, First National scored 6 runs in the 1^st inning and added 7 more in the 2^nd to build a 13 to 5 lead.  Chico’s was able to score in every inning, including 4 runs in the 4^th inning but it was not enough to rally for the win.  Davion Dycus had a home run and a single and scored twice for First National.  Steven Lombardo had 2 doubles and a single for the winners.  Aiden Spry had 2 singles and a home run for Chico’s.  In the nightcap, Coffee County Bank got off to a good start scoring 2 runs on 3 hits in the top of the first inning.  Division leading State Farm sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first scoring 6 runs which was all the offense they would need.  State Farm got home runs from Trey Sullivan and Cooper Hinson to lead their offense.  Levi Dotson had a pair of singles and scored twice for Coffee County Bank. 

In the 12U division, Shelter Insurance took down Peoples Bank 18 to 5.  Shelter jumped on top early with 7 runs in the first inning and 8 more in the 2^nd to build an insurmountable 15 to 2 lead.  Pressley Rooker and Kerry Norris each had a double and a single for Shelter.  Matt Moore added 2 singles, a walk and 3 runs scored for Shelter.  Kaysen Lowery had 2 walks and scored two runs for Peoples.  Josh Harris and Isaiah Deadman added singles for Peoples. 

Monday MYBA Schedule

8U Division at Fast Pitch Field

5:00 PM – Freedom Automotive vs. Interstate Auto

7:30 PM – KK’s vs. Dr. Jay

10U Division at National League Field

5:00 PM – Chico’s Bail Bonds vs. Viam

7:30 PM – First National Bank vs. Coffee County Bank

12U Division at Aaron Miller Field

5:00 PM – Shelter Insurance vs. Powers Storage

7:30 PM – First Vision Bank vs. Bush Insurance

18U Division at Looney Riddle(Babe Ruth) Field

6:00 PM – Manchester Braves vs. Mets

8:00 PM – Christiana Braves vs. Manchester Braves

UNOFFICIAL MYBA Standings

Head coach Joe Pat Cope and the staff and players of the Coffee County CHS Lady Raider basketball team are inviting everyone to participate in their benefit golf tournament. The tournament is scheduled for Saturday, August 1st at Willowbrook Golf Club. Registration for 4 person teams is open and will be capped at 20 teams.

Cost for the tournament is $300 per team and includes greens fees, cart, a swag bag and dinner at Prater’s BBQ. The shotgun start will be at 1 PM at Willowbrook with dinner, a live auction and the Awards Ceremony at Prater’s beginning at 7 PM.

The tournament will be divided into 2 flights with cash prizes awarded for 1st and 2nd place in each flight. If you need more information, or wish to register, contact Willowbrook at 931-728-8989 or Joe Pat Cope at 931-247-6300.