March 24, 2014

     An ongoing feature on the TBBL web site will include monthly interviews with some of our league members.  Catching up with Joe of the Stone Mountain.

TBBL: Hello and thanks for taking the time to be interviewed. How are you doing today?

I’m doing great. I just finished teaching 122 8^th graders about WWII.

TBBL: Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Married? Kids? Where did you grow up, what college did you attend (if you did), and where do you see yourself in 10 years from now?

I was born and raised in Stone Mountain, Georgia. I attended and graduated from Georgia State University in Atlanta with a Criminal Justice degree. I worked as probation officer for six years, at which time I met my wife. She was probably the toughest, most stubborn woman I had on my caseload. But, I helped her straighten things out and she is a model citizen now. I got tired of the probation officer gig, so I turned to another government job and became a school teacher. I have taught 8^th grade at the same middle school in Georgia for 14 years. I have two stellar boys, ages 10 and 12. My oldest attends the school where I teach. I’m looking forward to being in the same building as my sons as they venture through the Middle School experience. I also attended North Georgia College and University, where I gained a master’s degree in Mathematics. Oh, I’m kidding about my wife, she was not on my caseload, she was a co-worker. And, that stuff about her being tough and stubborn, bogus also. Mama didn’t raise no fool.

All I know is 10 years of time goes by really fast. I’d rather think about today, partly because my boys will be full grown men in 10 years.  I really want to soak up this time the best I can.

TBBL: Do you have any players on the trading block currently or are you looking to acquire any specific position?

I could turn all 40 players over.

TBBL: Can you tell us a little about your home town?

I grew up in Stone Mountain, Georgia. Stone Mountain’s greatest claim to fame is that it’s named after the largest piece of exposed granite monolith in the world. Also, it has the largest carving in the world.  The carving depicts three Confederate leaders riding horses, Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson and Jefferson Davis. Hence, my team name. It’s a neat place to visit. There is a trail that allows for walking to the top of the mountain. Being that it’s the highest point in metro Atlanta, one can see for miles in all directions from its summit. The Atlanta skyline is easily noticeable. It is much more commercialized now then when I grew up. It is a state park that is privately operated, so it is starting to take on the traits of an amusement park.

Stone Mountain is also the hometown of several former and current big leaguers: Wally Joyner, Milt Hill, Brandon Phillips, Chris Nelson, and Dominic Brown. Also, the greatest college kicker and Georgia Bulldog and Chicago Bear Kevin Butler hails from Stone Mountain

TBBL: Shifting to the MLB now, who's your favorite team and why?

Atlanta Braves, without question. Since Stone Mountain is about 20 miles east of Atlanta, I have followed the Braves since the early 70’s.  My friends use to give me a hard time as a teenager when I would pull for the Braves during their lean years. They are all on the bandwagon now. The Braves, of course, are the only professional sports team to bring a championship to Atlanta. I thought the Falcons were on the brink of a championship team, but they were humbled a bit in 2013.


TBBL: Which baseball stadiums have you visited and which is your favorite?

I have seen games at Atlanta-Fulton County, Turner Field and several minor league parks. I’m not exactly well traveled.

TBBL: Who is your favorite baseball player, both current and all time?

Dale Murphy (all-time)- Childhood baseball hero. Currently, Craig Kimbrel is my favorite.  It was Martin Prado before the Braves shipped him to the Diamondbacks. A non-brave cannot reign at the top of my list.


TBBL: Are there any trades in the TBBL you wished you made or any you regret?
 

Plenty that I regret- I Traded Johan Santana in his prime to Greg W. for Mark Mulder, Jose Guillen and a couple of top prospects that fizzled. I also traded Adam Wainwright to Rob before the beginning of 2012 season as he was coming back from TJ for a 2^nd and 3^rd round pick.  I later in 2012 traded away, to Rob again, one of the guys I took with those picks, Taijuan Walker, for Bobby Parnell and Mike Dunn. What can I say, I needed arms in the pen! Horrific moves!!! These were moves that would get a real GM the boot, although Jose Guillen was a terrific player for me. He always drastically outperformed his MLB stats.

Best moves- I traded for Chipper Jones several years ago for Stephen Drew and Ian Stewart. Yunel Escobar for Matt Capps helped my team the last few years.


TBBL: What is your favorite movie of all time?
 

I have 4 favorite movies. Jaws as a thriller had the most impact on me as a kid. Hoosiers, I believe is the greatest sports movie of all-time, Smokey and the Bandit as a comedy, and It’s a Wonderful Life as “I feel good movie” take their place at the top of my list.

TBBL: Tell us something about yourself that may surprise us.

I’m a city councilman and mayor pro-tem in the town where I live.

TBBL: Who do you have the biggest rivalry with in the TBBL and why?

I would say it’s probably with the Eagles now that the Saints are gone, only because I’m always chasing Eagles.