ATLANTA — The first quarter of their season was basically a disaster, but the Braves have made significant progress these past two weeks including a win Monday against baseball’s hottest team.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — If you spend billions of dollars to build it, they will come.

So much for trying to be inclusive, NASCAR.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — New coach Kirby Smart never doubted Georgia's fans would fill Sanford Stadium for his first spring scrimmage.A crowd of 93,000-plus showed up to cheer the Bulldogs and get an early glimpse of freshman quarterback Jacob Eason.Hundreds of fans were turned away at the gate fo…

The NCAA is prohibiting the creation of new bowl games for the next three years after three teams with 5-7 records were needed to fill the record number of bowls last season.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Even if the Atlanta Braves are 0-6 for the first time in nearly 30 years, manager Fredi Gonzalez decided he didn't want his players moping around in a silent clubhouse.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Atlanta Braves outfielder Mallex Smith had an eventful major league debut Monday night after being recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett, getting his first hit but leaving after getting cut on the face while being thrown out trying to steal second base.

ATLANTA (AP) — Pinch-hitter Matt den Dekker, recalled from the minors earlier in the day, had a tiebreaking, two-run double in a three-run seventh inning that led the Washington Nationals over the Atlanta Braves 3-1 Wednesday night for an opening two-game sweep.

ATLANTA — On Opening Day, the Braves looked ready to walk away with a win against their arch rival, the Nationals, after Jeff Francoeur scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning of his homecoming.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — New coach Kirby Smart liked what he saw from his quarterbacks in Georgia's first full scrimmage.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Strong-armed quarterback Jacob Eason is expected to bring more firepower to Georgia's passing game.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — As an Alabama assistant, Kirby Smart faced no second-guessing for his high-energy, animated sideline style.

The bottom? Las Vegas. Easter Sunday, 2014. Jeff Francoeur was looking and feeling like a career minor-leaguer, a miserable Crash Davis playing outfield for the El Paso Chihuahuas, which wasn’t on his bucket list, nor even his, “It can’t possibly get so bad that I resort to this” list.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — In the tunnel leading to the dugout at the Atlanta Braves spring training stadium, there's a picture of John Smoltz being inducted into the Hall of Fame, right above a photo showing Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine holding their Cooperstown plaques.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Four drivers went into the Daytona 500 determined to end Joe Gibbs' 23-year losing skid in NASCAR's biggest race of the year.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Dansby Swanson will share a locker with fellow shortstop prospect Ozzie Albies at spring training, the projected future of the Braves’ up-the-middle defense getting acquainted in close quarters for at least the opening weeks of camp.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — It's been 23 years since Joe Gibbs celebrated a Daytona 500 victory. Standing in his way now is a lineup as formidable as Howie Long, Marcus Allen and the 1983 Raiders.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. (AP) — Bud Norris is a lot like his new team, the Atlanta Braves. For several years, they were always respectable, competitive, in contention.

ATLANTA (AP) — Many of the spring training stars for the Braves may be players not expected to open the season in Atlanta.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The subject of testing had just been broached at a recent Hendrick Motorsports team meeting. A test at a distant NASCAR track was scheduled for an upcoming “off” week, when the organization’s four drivers otherwise had no official responsibilities.

ATLANTA (AP) — Even with the eternal promise of spring training, it's hard to get excited about the Atlanta Braves.

The first thing Mark Richt did with recruiting in December, the very first thing in his new job, was to watch video of quarterback Jack Allison. Richt is a quarterback coach, after all, and Allison had committed to Miami’s old staff.

ATHENS, Ga. — Kirby Smart didn’t make a grand entrance. The man that so many Georgia fans had come to see just walked out of the stairwell, briefly acknowledged the huge cheer, then put on a microphone and commenced with the interview.

Florida State landed what some recruiting services called the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation.

ATLANTA (AP) — Braves right-hander Mike Foltynewicz said Monday he hopes to be cleared this week to throw off a mound as he continues his recovery from life-threatening blood clots in his right shoulder.

It has been 46 years since the Cardinals fired Harry Caray, and it was 18 years ago this month that he died. But Caray’s legacy lives on, and MLB Network looks back on the remarkable career of the one-of-a-kind baseball broadcaster in a fine one-hour documentary that is set to debut at 8 p.m…

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (AP) — In his first public comments since keeping his job, Atlanta Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff had coach Dan Quinn by his side.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — When architects set out to design a new stadium for the San Francisco 49ers, they wanted a building that fit the Silicon Valley region where it is located.

This early-bird special bears a different look. For two years running, the reigning national champ — Florida State coming off 2013, Ohio State after last season — has been the easy choice as next season’s No. 1. Well, there’s an easy choice for 2016, and it’s not crowned-again Alabama.

ATLANTA (AP) — The hair has been conquered by gray. He uses a cane to get around, always moving at a very measured pace.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Michael Phelps never knew he could be this happy.

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas State football coach Blake Anderson has announced the hiring of Buster Faulkner as the Red Wolves' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.Faulkner spent the past five seasons as an assistant at Middle Tennessee, the past four seasons as offensive coordin…

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — No wonder the normally stone-faced Nick Saban was smiling.

GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Get ready, Heisman. Deshaun Watson's coming for you.

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Kirby Smart has added a key member to his new Georgia staff, hiring Alabama defensive backs coach and assistant head coach Mel Tucker as the Bulldogs defensive coordinator.

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Rich Rodriguez hears it all the time. He could be at the grocery store, gas station, a restaurant and inevitably someone will come up to him with a suggestion for a play or a new scheme.

Big Ben vs. Peyton Manning. Andy Reid vs. Bill Belichick.

Kicker Blair Walsh faced the music a little bit ago after missing what could have been a game-winning field goal from 27 yards out with 26 seconds left in today’s stunning 10-9 loss to the Seahawks at TCF Bank Stadium.

Welcome back from those bye weeks, Carolina and Arizona.