The day before the Atlanta Thrashers made their first pick of 2001, a young Russian player declared his career goal “to be the greatest Russian hockey player ever.”  Ilya Kovalchuk’s remark showed a great deal of confidence in himself. This assertiveness is what got the attention of the Atlanta Thrashers.

Kovy, as he is known to Thrasher fans, is ranked 10th in the entire NHL; so far this season he has scored 15 goals and 10 assists in only 18 games. His average so far this season is 23.1%, meaning he scores nearly one of every four shots.  The Thrashers’ captain is clearly proving himself as a key component to the team’s success.

Not only is he a sensation on the ice, but he is one off the ice as well. In early 2006, Kovy joined in the charity effort focusing on unfortunate children in Atlanta. He enjoys using his free time with these children hanging out, playing video games, and bowling, one of his favorite past-times.

In 2002, Kovy took home the bronze medal in at the Winter Olympics. He was only 18 at the time, making him the youngest pro in the Games. In 2005 and 2007 Kovy won the bronze medal at the World Championships and then in 2008 and 2009 he showed his true talents and came home with the gold, one of his proudest moments. Although, he only won a bronze in his first Olympics and nothing in his second; playing for Team Russia once again, he now has a shot for a gold medal that the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The 26 year old tycoon is living his dream. His favorite player growing up was Valeri Kharlamov; a star player from Moscow.  Kovolchuk wears the number 17 as a tribute to him. Like Kharlamov, Kovy is a master of the game. Between being one of the top players both in the NHL and in international competition; it would be no surprise if he does end up reaching his goal and becoming one of the greatest hockey players ever.

In the off season he splits his time between Atlanta, Moscow, & Florida with his wife, Nicole, thier daughter, Karolina, and his son, Philipp.

If you are looking for a place in Atlanta that is both relaxing and beautiful, check out Piedmont Park. Since 1904 Atlantans have been visiting this serene park located 2 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. It runs down 10^th Street and Piedmont Avenue.

Piedmont Park offers its guests a myriad of things to do. One of the most enjoyable activities is following one of the four walking paths. Along the way you will pass fountains and plush green grass along the Clara Meer Lake.

Along with walking there are many other exercise related activities for you and your family. During the summer there is a swimming pool available at the Aquatic Center. Twelve tennis courts are available to the public if you want to hit some balls. Bicycle and rollerblading paths are separate from pedestrian walking paths so you can move faster. Along with two soccer fields, two sand volleyball courts and two softball fields. At Piedmont Park you can really get into shape!

If you would prefer to do less walking and more relaxing- then you are in luck! Piedmont Park stocks Clara Meer Lake with fish and all are welcome to catch them. They also provide guests with grills and picnic facilities if you want to have an outdoor party. You can also do one of the most relaxing things offered here- bird watching. With more than 175 identified species, there is plenty of watching to do.

Now what about the dog? Piedmont Park allows dogs to walk with the owners when on a leash; but one of the park’s best features is the separate Dog Park. They have enclosures for large dogs (above 30 lbs) and small dogs so everyone can play with dogs of the same size. Inside this gated park your dogs can be off leash, as long as they play well with others. There is also a watering hole right in the middle, so be sure to bring a dog bowl for some fresh water.

Activities and events are always being held at Piedmont Park, including a recent Paul McCartney concert that attracted approximately 40,000 people for a two and a half hour concert to raise money for Piedmont Park’s upcoming expansions.

Check the website for upcoming events and for all the information you need. They are found at www.piedmontpark.org. Go check it out and have some fun!

By Ken McCormick

The Atlanta Hawks were a good team in the 08′-09′ season. The Hawks were swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Cleveland Cavaliers – this would suggest the Hawks are yet to take the leap into one of the better Eastern Conference teams. The Hawks finished with a 47-35 record season and defeated the Miami Heat in the first round in 7 games. The 08′ playoffs against the Boston Celtics proved that the Atlanta Hawks were on the rise and should compete for the Eastern Conference Championship in the near future.

The Hawks did improve on their previous season – many feel the Hawks took a step backwards in 09′. Not being able to win 50 games in the Eastern Conference isn’t very impressive by many accounts. If a team is a serious playoff threat -winning 50 games should be accomplished.

Joe Johnson is – while a very good player – must be put in the same sentence as Dwayne Wade, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Dwight Howard as one of the best players in the game if the Hawks expect to do anything this season. Joe Johnson averaged 22 points per game – Johnson must be more aggressive and average 24-25 points per game because the Hawks go in scoring droughts.

When you can’t score you must prevent the other team from scoring, the Hawks defense must improve because their opponents average for the season was 97 points per game – championship quality teams do not give up that many points.

The Eastern Conference just became stronger again with the acquisition of Shaquille O’Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers – how will the Hawks stop Shaq? That remains to be seen. The Hawks might be a playoff team once again but the chances of them reaching the Eastern Conference Finals with their current team is doubtful.

Get more great Hawks talk at the Atlanta Hawks forum at RootZoo, where you can also play in great fantasy baseball leagues.

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By Jake Emen

Tony Gonzalez Falcons jerseys have been extremely popular over the last few months. When the Atlanta Falcons announced that they traded for the Pro Bowl and future Hall of Fame tight end, the fans could not have been anymore excited. Everyone started rushing out to buy their own Atlanta Falcons Tony Gonzalez jersey, and everybody is pumped to see what the offense is going to look like now.

When Matt Ryan debuted as a rookie, everybody had high expectations but they didn’t necessarily expect anything to happen in the immediate future. They figured that like most rookie quarterbacks, Ryan would need a fairly long adjustment period while he figured out the NFL game and learned to play at the raised level of intensity, speed and complexity.

However, Ryan came out of the gates quickly and he led the Falcons to a great season. This was in part due to the great addition of running back Michael Turner. Now Ryan will have another great weapon to go to, one that could really take the team to the next level. It’s the reason why so many people already own an Atlanta Falcons Tony Gonzalez jersey.

Tony Gonzalez Falcons jerseys are being gobbled up by the fans because everyone knows what he means to Ryan and the offense. With Gonzalez on the field, Ryan will always have a safety valve in any situation. In the Red Zone, on third and long an when he’s under pressure, Ryan will know he will be able to find Gonzalez and that he will be able to make a play to help him out. Adding a player of that caliber to an offense that was already firing on all cylinders is going to make the Falcons a very dangerous team.

Falcons fans have a lot of wounds they still need to have healed. The quick emergence of Matt Ryan went a long way towards doing just that. Purchasing an Atlanta Falcons Tony Gonzalez jersey is another way to put the past behind you. Tony Gonzalez Falcons jerseys are a new favorite in and around Atlanta, and fans are officially looking to the future instead of looking into the past.

The time is here to pick up Tony Gonzalez Falcons jerseys for yourself and your family. In addition to an authentic Atlanta Falcons Tony Gonzalez jersey, you can visit Discount Football Merchandise for all of the NFL team merchandise that you need.

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