The Win Column: Meaningful revelations

Hey y’all.

I’d planned to lead today’s newsletter with the Braves losing 13 of their last 17 games and Ronald Acuña’s not-so-great timetable for return.

That felt depressing, though … so how about a short anecdote about a soul-sucking terminal illness instead?

THANK YOU, CHRIS JOHNSON

Credit: AP Photo/George Walker IV

Credit: AP Photo/George Walker IV

I’ve never really talked about this. Even now, I’m gonna be quick (and I promise there’s a sports angle).

Here goes:

My aunt died of ALS.

She was one of Planet Earth’s kindest people, and Lou Gehrig’s disease destroyed her. It fried important neurons, then her body, while her brain buzzed right along — unscathed but trapped, while system after system around it failed, flailed, succumbed.

It was 2013 when it ended and, a year later, the whole “ice bucket challenge” thing became … well, a thing.

It made me so angry. So, so angry.

“Hey, I’ve heard of this disease and now I’m very cold. Brrr.”

Cool, man. Thanks. You’ve really helped.

Terrible attitude to have, of course, hindsight being what it is.

That silly little experiment in internet virality made big money — a couple hundred million bucks, it looks like — for ALS research and other nonprofit-y efforts.

Those people helped, man. All of them.

And Chris Johnson will help too.

The electric former Tennessee Titans running back, 39, announced his own battle with ALS on “Good Morning America” this week.

“Honestly, I don’t know if you ever fully process it,” he said, using an eye-controlled speech generator. “At first, you’re in shock. Then you realize you have two choices. You can give up, or you can fight. I chose to fight.”

A rather thorough study published in 2021 involved nearly 19,500 former NFL players and found ALS four times more prevalent than in the U.S.’s wider male population. They’re not sure why, exactly, but head collisions and traumatic brain injuries probably don’t help (my wording).

We don’t know that that’s what led Johnson’s diagnosis. We don’t know what causes any ALS diagnosis, really.

And that’s not the point here.

The point is to thank Johnson for sharing.

When people like him (and Saints hero Steve Gleason, and beloved MLB.com statistician Sarah Langs, among many others) show the world what they’re going through, it makes a difference.

It can raise awareness, which, overused buzzword or not, does raise money. It can lead to better medicines and better treatments and, one day, cures.

It can change lives. Extend them.

And, in an odd sort of way, it can comfort people … even those who didn’t know they needed it.

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YOUR WORLD CUP MINUTE STARTS … NOW

It’s England (whose fans will belt out “Wonderwall” with less bashfulness than a young, drunk bar singer with an acoustic guitar and an audience of potential lovers) versus the Congo (whowhich will have to settle for an impersonator of an impersonator of a Patrice Lumumba statue) at noon today at “Atlanta Stadium.” Winner goes to the Round of 16 (in a different, hopefully less humid city). Loser goes home, just like the others bounced from this bonkers initial knockout round — dreams trounced via penalty kick or last-minute magnificence or just … a big French bully.

Live updates here. And may the U.S. beat the brakes off Bosnia in the Bay Area this evening. Amen.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FALCONS

Credit: File photo

Credit: File photo

It’s been exactly 61 years and one day since the NFL awarded Atlanta and original owner Rankin Smith the franchise that would become the Falcons.

Smith paid a then-record $8.5 million for the privilege.

In 2002, his family sold the team to Arthur Blank for about $545 million. Current valuation? $6.35 billion, with a B.

That’s just $635 million per all-time playoff win. And I guess, like, infinity dollars per non-existent title?

Credit: Rahul Deshpande

Credit: Rahul Deshpande

HOW TO MAKE LEBRON JAMES AN ATLANTA HAWK

Ehhhh, just kidding. That ain’t gonna happen. The whole Jaylen Brown thing remains unlikely too.

But hey, the Hawks and Onsi Saleh are still making moves. Namely cutting Jonathan Kuminga loose; re-signing Jock Landale; extending CJ McCollum; and adding guards Aaron Wiggins and Devin Carter.

Beat writer Lauren Williams went ahead and put together a potential depth chart for things as they currently exist. It’s not bad. (Asterisk = transaction pending.)

Remember, that starting five was incredibly productive at the end of last season. And not for nothing, the playoffs would’ve been at least a smidge less crazy-making with Landale available.

🏀 Anyway … Lauren and senior sports editor Rod Beard are posting regular updates and reactions from the NBA offseason. Bookmark, dear reader.

A MIDSEASON BRAVES AWARDS SPECTACULAR

Credit: AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser

Credit: AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser

Friday is July 3 but it’s also July Fourth observed, so we won’t be sending a Braves Report to our faithful subscribers. I’m off next week too, so you’ll have some lovely fill-ins filling in on the Win Column.

Bright side: All that (and the fact that we’re just over halfway through the 2026 campaign) makes this the perfect place to dish out some Braves midseason awards.

And a demerit or two, too.

🏆 MVB (Most Valuable Brave): Mauricio Dubón

Catcher Drake Baldwin had an argument after the first month-and-a-half of the season … then missed time and has recorded exactly three hits since his return. More complete arguments can also be made for guys like Chris Sale, Matt Olson and the unshakeable Martin Perez.

We’re going with Dubón, though.

Duby the Wonder Sub has arguably been Atlanta’s most consistent hitter — and its clutchest, too.

Another stat I hadn’t seen before: In the 44 Braves wins he’d played in before Tuesday, he had 35 RBIs. The 32 losses? Just eight RBIs.

Atlanta relies on him, for better or worse.

🏆 The “Knew They Had It In ‘Em” Pleasant Surprise Prize: Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies

We’ve seen it before from these guys, but past injuries and down years made them pretty hard to handicap heading into the season.

So far, so good.

They’re hitting for average, on pace for 20-plus homers and rank in the top third of the league in both offensive and defensive wins above replacement.

🏆 MDB (Most Disappointing Brave): Ronald Acuña Jr.

Austin Riley is lost and Ha-Seong Kim … well, he probably just shouldn’t be playing anymore. Can’t quibble if they top your own list of disappointments.

We were expecting so much from Acuña, though.

Fair or not, we entered 2026 ready for another 2023: another year removed from another knee surgery, another MVP-type performance. Instead, we’ve gotten pretty pedestrian numbers (.275, seven homers, lots of failed ABS challenges, inefficient base stealing) and a pair of hamstring injuries.

He’s missed 31 games and counting.

🏆 The Jesse Chavez Citation for Loyalty: Carlos Carrasco

The Cookie Monster originally signed with Atlanta last August … and it’s been quite the ride since. Since May 1, the 39-year-old reliever has been designated for assignment and/or released five times. He’s elected free agency five times. And he’s re-signed with the Braves five times.

All for a grand total of 14⅔ big-league innings pitched. That’s dedication.

🏆 The “Pretty Please Just Trade For Some Guys” Award: Alex Anthopoulos

I’ll take an experienced starter or two, an outfield bat and another reliever. Please and thank you.

PLEASE AND THANK YOU

Please and thank you.

Thanks for reading to the very bottom of the Win Column. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.

Until next time.