Marlins-Braves series thread.

[ATLien]

Huge win tonight.

Something is up with Smoltz, but it didn't matter tonight. Farnsworth was money in the 9th. Braves win.

[MarinersFan87]

I think FSU needs to copyright that war chant thing, I can't take hearing it in a Braves game in between every f*cking at bat. As much as FSU plays it, that was insane tonight.

[ATLien]

I have always associated the chant with the Braves than with the Noles.

[MarinersFan87]

Florida State's "war chant" might have begun with a random occurrence that took place during a 1984 game against Auburn, but most Seminole historians suggest it to be a tradition that has been over 30 years in it's evolution. In the 1960s, the Marching Chiefs band would chant the melody of a popular FSU cheer called "massacre". In a sense, "massacre" was the longversion of FSU's current "war chant". During a thrilling game with Auburn in 1984, the Marching Chiefs began to perform the dormant cheer. Some students behind the band joined in and continued the "war chant" portion after the band had ceased. The result, which was not very melodic at the time, sounded more like chants attributed to American Indians in Western movies. Most agree the chant came from the fraternity section, but many spirited Seminole fans added the "chopping" to symbolize the brandeshing of a tomahawk. The chant continued among the student body during the 1985 season, and by the 1986 season was a stadium-wide phenomenon. Of course, the Marching Chiefs refined the chant, plus put their own special brand of accompaniment to the "war chant", for the sound we here today.

By the time the Atlanta Braves started with it, the chant and the arm motion generally were associated with Florida State's rising football program. The Kansas City Chiefs first heard it when the Northwest Missouri State band, directed by 1969 FSU graduate Al Serge, performed the chant while the players were warming up for a game against San Diego. Such a powerful cheer, FSU's "war chant" can be linked to Atlanta's and Kansas City's resurgence in their own respective leagues.

But it still is FSU's.

[ATLien]

I stand corrected.

[Kingdom]

hang 'em and he'll Lang 'em

[General]

Johnie Thomson going tonight. Git'r done.

[General]

And there is no question that the Braves (Thanks, Deion Sanders) "borrowed" the FSU chant. Hell, the ringtone I have is caled FSUWarChant...but it's the same damn thing.

[General]

ATLANTA (AP) -- Calmed by a pregame telephone conversation with his wife, who was trying to dodge Hurricane Rita, John Thomson earned his first win since May.

Thomson helped the Braves take another step toward their 14th straight division title and moved the Florida Marlins closer to postseason elimination by leading Atlanta to a 6-1 win Saturday night.

Thomson knew his wife, Kelly, had left their home in Sulphur, La., for higher ground in Eunice, La., but he had been frustrated in attempts to talk with her until she called Saturday afternoon.

"I tried to call her last night and tried all day today," Thomson said. "I didn't go to bed until about 2 last night, watching it on TV and trying to figure out where it was going to hit."

Thomson (4-5) allowed one run and four hits in seven innings. He had been 0-3 in seven starts since coming off the disabled list on Aug. 13. Thomson was injured May 16 when he strained a flexor tendon in his right middle finger.

"I knew I was going to get back to how I was last year," he said. "It was just a matter of time. I feel like I should have felt all along if I hadn't got hurt."

Chris Reitsma and Kyle Farnsworth completed the five-hitter.

Andruw Jones hit his major league-leading 51st home run as Atlanta (88-67) lowered its magic number for clinching the NL East to three and eliminated the Marlins from contention in the division.

Jeff Francoeur and Rafael Furcal hit two-run homers for the Braves, and Chipper Jones connected in the third to reach 20 homers for the 11th straight season.

"To their credit, they find a way every year," Marlins manager Jack McKeon said. "I mean, this is every year so it's no fluke. They know what they're doing."

Florida (80-75) has lost eight of 10 in a playoff push that has gone into reverse. The Marlins are five games behind Houston (85-70) in the wild-card race with seven games remaining.

"We're playing terrible," Marlins outfielder Jeff Conine said. "It's disheartening. You're close to being in a race and playing terrible. It's not very fun."

Brian Moehler (6-10) gave up five runs and six hits in three innings.

Florida loaded the bases with no outs in the second but got only one run, on Paul Lo Duca's double-play grounder.

Atlanta went ahead in the bottom half on Francoeur's 13th homer, his first since Sept. 3, and Furcal's 12th homer.

After the rocky second, Thomson allowed only two runners the next five innings, giving up a double to Mike Lowell with two outs in the fourth and a single to Lo Duca with two outs in the seventh.

Andruw Jones homered in the eighth off Randy Messenger. Jones had been in a 3-for-33 slump since hitting his 50th homer on Sept. 14.Game notes
The Braves are 9-5 against Florida this season and 23-10 against the Marlins the last two years. In games played in Atlanta, the Braves are 14-3 against the Marlins the last two years. ... Attendance was 51,775, the third-largest regular-season total in Turner Field history and the fifth sellout of the season.

[Kingdom]

His first decent start in what.. twenty years?