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Former NFL safety Easterling dies at 62

Submitted by Associated Press
Monday, April 23rd, 2012, 7:23am
Former NFL safety Easterling dies at 62

ATLANTA (AP) - Former Atlanta Falcons safety Ray Easterling has died. He was 62.

Mary Ann Easterling said her husband died on Thursday. He was one of seven former players who filed a federal lawsuit in Philadelphia in August over the league's handling of concussion-related injuries, the first potential class-action lawsuit of its kind.

PHOTOS | Notable deaths in 2012

Easterling played for the Falcons from 1972 to 1979 and was the centerpiece of the team's "Gritz Blitz" defense in 1977 that set an NFL record for fewest points allowed in a season.

Easterling's wife said he went on to start a successful financial services company in Richmond, Va. But she said he suffered from insomnia, depression and other mental issues from the repeated hits.

Richmond Police have ruled the death a suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound. 

 

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Upcoming races, from 5Ks to triathlons

Submitted by Beth Sawicki, Where U Live Producer
Monday, March 26th, 2012, 3:15pm
Upcoming races, from 5Ks to triathlons

ATLANTA -- The winners of the 2012 AJC Peachtree Road Race participant lottery were announced Monday.

If you weren't chosen, you still have plenty of other opportunities to run, jog, walk and enjoy a race day in the next few months.

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Spring baseball season for Hall County children ready to start

Submitted by HallCounty on Tuesday, March 20th, 12:39 pm

Flowery Branch --  The Field of Dreams Spring Baseball Season starts on Tuesday, March 27. This group will meet on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. for six weeks. Please note that we will not meet on April 3.

The league is open to school aged children with all levels of physical and developmental abilities. Cost is $5 per player.

League play takes place at the Phil Niekro Field of Dreams, located in Alberta Banks Park.

Please call 770-965-7140 for more information. 

Field of Dreams Spring Season
Alberta Banks Park
5575 Jim Crow Road
Flowery Branch, GA 30542

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Falcons cheerleader named NFL's 'hottest'

Submitted by Chris Sweigart, Manager of Digital Content | 11Alive News
Friday, February 3rd, 2012, 5:57pm
Image provided by AtlantaFalconsCheerleaders.com

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Falcons may not be in the Super Bowl this year, but a member of their team is a champion in her own right.

Atlanta Falcons cheerleader Sabrina C. (she prefers to keep her last name private) was named the hottest cheerleader in the NFL by BleacherReport.com. The website also named her the seventh hottest single in all of the sports world – ahead of Tiger Woods’ ex-wife Elin Nordegren and Kim Kardashian.

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FLOWERY BRANCH | Ryan, Falcons feeling confident

Submitted by Associated Press
Monday, December 19th, 2011, 3:57pm
FLOWERY BRANCH | Ryan, Falcons feeling confident

ATLANTA (AP) - Matt Ryan likes how the Atlanta Falcons are playing with two games left in the regular season, particularly now that his team can rest this weekend while other NFC playoff contenders compete.

PHOTOS | Roddy White and the Atlanta Falcons defeat the Jaguars

Atlanta (9-5) has won four of five and closes the regular season with games at New Orleans on Dec. 26 and at home against Tampa Bay on Jan. 1. The Falcons seem poised to make consecutive postseason appearances for the first time in their 46-year history.

Following Thursday's 41-14 rout of Jacksonville, the Falcons are brimming with confidence even though they're coming off consecutive wins over teams with a combined 8-19 record. Atlanta ripped off 65 consecutive points from the start of Sunday's third quarter at Carolina to the 2:12 mark of Thursday's third quarter.

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FLOWERY BRANCH: Championship hopeful Falcons are down to the wire

Submitted by Associated Press
Monday, December 5th, 2011, 6:18pm
FLOWERY BRANCH: Championship hopeful Falcons are down to the wire

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) - After squandering another chance to take control of their playoff fate, the Atlanta Falcons are beginning to realize this is the way it's going to be.

In all likelihood, the postseason race will come down to the final week.

PHOTO GALLERY: Falcons fall to Texans, 17-10

The Falcons (7-5) are right in the thick of the wild-card race, tied with Detroit and Chicago, but their hopes of repeating as NFC South champions are beginning to fade. The first-place New Orleans Saints are now two games in front with only four weeks remaining, extending their lead with a win Sunday while Atlanta was taking a bitter loss in Houston.

The Texans knocked off the Falcons 17-10 with third-string quarterback T.J. Yates.

Atlanta takes on Cam Newton and the Panthers at Carolina on Sunday.

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FLOWERY BRANCH: Atlanta CBs Franks, Owens ready for big challenge

Submitted by Associated Press
Friday, December 2nd, 2011, 10:26am
FLOWERY BRANCH: Atlanta CBs Franks, Owens ready for big challenge

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) - Brent Grimes' right knee injury is giving Dominique Franks and Christopher Owens their next big chance at cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons.

Grimes, an alternate Pro Bowl pick in 2010, had minor surgery Thursday that will sideline him for two to four weeks, but Franks and Owens say they're ready to handle a bigger role in his absence.

The Falcons (7-4) have yet to decide if they will start Franks or Owens on the left side Sunday at Houston (8-3), but either way, both players will take plenty of snaps.

Atlanta uses a nickel scheme about 55 percent of the time, so a lot will be asked of Franks, a 2010 fifth-round draft pick with no career starts, and Owens, a third-year Atlanta veteran with 10 career starts.

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