TGIFFF

AP Photo

Twitter has a hashtag for every time our #5 does something awesome - #FFF. Can you guess what that stands for? ;) As for this picture, I love how white his arms are. Good boy -- skin cancer's no joke. Cover up. :D


Here's some more randomness for your weekend...


JJ talks gaming. "Even my girl get mad at me because sometimes I get locked in..." Too cute. :)




Marteen postgame after the 10,000th win:




And I still don't know how some people think I'm media -- I'm just a fan! -- but here are some press releases that came into my inbox that might interest you.


The Rally Foundation has announced this year's dates for BMac's celebrity softball game (in November) and the Benefit Bash the evening before.



Info on the 2011 National Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony:

Secaucus, N.J. and Cooperstown, N.Y., July 20, 2011 – Twelve-time All-Star Roberto Alomar, 287-game winner Bert Blyleven and former Toronto Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies general manager Pat Gillick will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York on Sunday, July 24 in a ceremony airing live exclusively on MLB Network.

Coverage will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET with a pre-ceremony show live from MLB Network’s studios, hosted by Greg Amsinger and Baseball Writers’ Association of America members and Hall of Fame voters Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci. The pre-ceremony show will include interviews by Bob Costas with Alomar, Blyleven and Gillick, live interviews with guests on-site, and highlights from the Hall of Fame Parade of Legends.

Live coverage of the ceremony will begin at 1:30 p.m. ET, including each inductee’s acceptance speech, an appearance by Baseball Commissioner Allan H. (Bud) Selig, and introductions of an expected 49 returning Hall of Famers, including Hank Aaron, George Brett and Sandy Koufax. MLB Network will make footage of the ceremony available live via satellite on July 24. Additional details on the satellite feed will be sent to media from MLB Network.

Leading into its live coverage on July 24, MLB Network will air the 2011 Hall of Fame Awards Presentation at 11:30 a.m. ET. The presentation, which will be held on Saturday, June 23 in Cooperstown, will honor longtime Montreal Expos and Florida Marlins announcer Dave Van Horne, who will receive the Ford C. Frick Award for major contributions to baseball broadcasting; Philadelphia Daily News national baseball columnist Bill Conlin, who will receive the J.G. Taylor Spink Award; and veteran baseball executive Roland Hemond, who will receive the Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award.

MLB Network’s live coverage of the Induction Ceremony will be simulcast online on MLB.com and BaseballHall.org. The ceremony will also be available on MLB Network in Puerto Rico, as well as simulcast throughout Canada on Rogers Sportsnet.

Autograph opportunity with Phil Niekro. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Niekro at an event a few years ago and when I asked him to sign a ball for my dad, he asked what my dad's name is... then signed the ball, "Hey Billy!" Hilarious. :)

Local Sam’s Club® Hosts Atlanta Braves Legend Phil Niekro
MLB Hall of Famer to sign free autographs on July 27 at the McDonough Sam’s Club Member Appreciation event

McDonough, GA (July 05, 2011) – Sam’s Club and General Mills have announced that they will host a Member Appreciation event at the McDonough Sam’s Club on Wednesday, July 27, from 6-8 p.m. Atlanta Braves legend and MLB Hall of Famer Phil Niekro will meet with fans and sign free autographs.

The McDonough Sam’s Club associates serve the community with top of the line service all year long. As part of the day’s customer celebration, fans can meet Niekro at the 1765 Jonesboro Road location.

Niekro pitched for the Braves franchise during 20 seasons of his 24-year career. He was nicknamed “Kuncksie” because his unique ability to master the knuckleball pitch. In the Atlanta area, he is well known for his loyalty to the team and his charitable contributions to many Atlanta charities.

“We encourage fans to join us for a fun and exciting day,” said Brandon Smith, Sam’s Club manager of the McDonough location. “This event is our way of thanking the community for their continued patronage of our club. We are excited and look forward to seeing all the smiling faces of McDonough and surrounding communities, as we welcome MLB Hall of Famer Phil Niekro to our community.”

Sam’s Club members and guests are welcomed and encouraged to visit the McDonough location at anytime throughout the day.

WHO: Phil Niekro, Atlanta Braves Hall of Famer

WHAT: Autograph Appearance with Phil Niekro

WHEN: Wednesday, July 27, 6-8 p.m.

WHERE: Sam’s Club –McDonough, 1765 Jonesboro Road, McDonough, GA 30253

Braves Alumni Weekend set for August 12-15 to benefit the Atlanta Braves Foundation

Braves Alumni Weekend is set for Friday, August 12 - Monday, August 15, and alumni including Steve Avery, Sid Bream, Tom Glavine, Marquis Grissom, David Justice, Fred McGriff, Dale Murphy, Phil Niekro, Otis Nixon, Greg Olson, John Smoltz and many more will take part in the weekend of festivities that will begin with Bobby Cox's induction into the Braves Hall of Fame and # Retirement Ceremony on Friday, August 12th. On Saturday, the Braves will celebrate the 20th Anniversary Reunion of the 1991 "World to First" Team and host a Braves Legends Baseball Game. On Friday and Sunday, Braves alumni will greet fans and sign autographs at stations around the ballpark, and on Monday, Braves alumni will tee up in the sixth annual Atlanta Braves Foundation Golf Classic at East Lake Golf Club.

Confirmed Alumni Weekend Participants (as of 7/12/11)

Steve Avery, Mike Bell, Mike Bielecki, Sid Bream, Rick Camp, Brad Clontz, Johnny Estrada, Marvin Freeman, Ron Gant, Tom Glavine, Marquis Grissom, Chris Hammond, Jay Howell, Brian Hunter, Brian Jordan, David Justice, Mark Lemke, Charlie Liebrandt, Greg McMichael, Fred McGriff, Dale Murphy, Jim Nash, Phil Niekro, CJ Nitkowski, Otis Nixon, Greg Olson, Marty Perez, Craig Skok, Pete Smith, John Smoltz, and Jeff Treadway

Mid-season follow-up from Gas South...

(Atlanta – July 18, 2011) – At the All-Star break, a donation pledge from Gas South to two local community service agencies stands at $36,800 based on the 736 strikeouts recorded by the Braves’ pitching staff during the first half of the 2011 season.

Last month the local natural gas marketer announced it would again ‘Bring the Heat’ – pledging to make a donation of $50 for every strikeout recorded by an Atlanta Braves pitcher during the season, with proceeds to be divided between the Salvation Army’s Project SHARE and the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta at the season’s end. Braves pitching ace Tommy Hanson was leading the rotation with 109 strikeouts on the season going into the break.

“The Atlanta Braves pitching rotation is one of the best and has recorded the second highest number of strikeouts in major league baseball so far this season,” said Kevin Greiner, CEO of Gas South, the official natural gas provider of the Atlanta Braves. “Gas South is not only thrilled to see our hometown team doing so well, but that their success will mean so much to thousands of local families who are helped by Project SHARE and the United Way each year.”

Happy Friday, everyone! ❤