The Human Body is at Least Moderately Complex

UPDATE: Anthony Dasher says apparently Armstrong jumped the gun on this announcement. It isn't a done deal yet. I assume Dash is headed to the airport to find out.

Georgia has apparently hired Sherman Armstrong as the new Speed Coach to support Coach T and the UGA strength program. He's a qualified and proven expert in his field, and the owner of his own training business. He has trained over 40 pro football players and 60+ NCAA athletes including Reggie Bush. Prior to his work as an trainer, he was an All-American track star.

I am THRILLED with this development.

Sidebar:
-- More about Sherman Armstrong
-- About VAST Performance
-- Pro Athletes Trained

For the past year or so, I have loudly complained about the lack of expertise in Human Performance Optimization in our Strength program. My basic beef has centered around UGA's painfully slow recognition that the human body is at least moderately complex, and it requires expertise (as well as dedication and effort) to get maximum return from our investment in our athletes.

Basically, we re-staffed the strength function last year with guys who were committed to bringing accountability, hard work and focus to the S&C program at UGA. The result was a harder working, stronger and more in shape Bulldog squad (Note: Groo used the term "tougher" and I prefer that to my description). Their efforts generated meaningful improvement, and it was good enough to get the proverbial ox out of the ditch. Coach T deserves a tremendous amount of credit for that improvement.

However, leap frogging Bama and LSU requires more than just hard work. It requires working smarter.

Last year, we welcomed our athletic department to the late 1990s by hiring an actual nutritionist to address the fuel for our players' bodies. Last year, we also welcomed the athletic department to the mid-2000s by opening a high end rehab facility for our athletes inside the renovated Butts-Mehre building. The facility now includes submersible running pools and other facilities that most of CUSA had installed years earlier.

Better late than never I guess. Regardless of my bitching about the past, I am glad to see the program rebuilding the infrastructure it needs to go forward. We have come a long, long way in the past 18 months.

Anyway...back to the Speed Coach. Do I think he's going to make our players inherently "run faster." Nah. But he can improve their change of direction, flexibility and endurance. Those are factors that will make them PLAY faster.

See Also:
-- The Future of Georgia's Strength Program - DawgsOnline
-- Team Speed Kills - Blutarsky

PWD

SEC Hoops Power Poll Ballot - Week of February 19th

1. Kentucky - A conference loss might help the Wildcats, or their coach, going into the NCAAs.
2. Florida - Are we to the point of buying Florida's ability to make a tourney run? At least they won't face the Vols there.
3. Vanderbilt - Kevin Stallings re-ups his hair club for men subscription after getting the road monkey off his back this week.
4. Alabama - Not sure why, but I think the suspensions might actually help Grant's team.
5. Mississippi State - I have them too high, but no one below them has me convinced they are better.
6. Mississippi - Did not compete, at all, last week. Seriously, did they send anyone to those games?
7. LSU - Might go 10-6, might go 8-8, might go 6-10. Hard to tell with this group.
8. Tennessee - They might be the best .500 team in the nation.
9. Arkansas - I've got nothing, much like Arkansas does on the road.
10. Auburn - Auburn might actually make the NIT, which is change I can believe in.
11. Georgia - Youth + no inside offense=SEC fail.
12. South Carolina - I know they beat Georgia. I know they beat Georgia. I know they beat Georgia. They are still worse. (See RPI, bad losses, no good wins).

I took all the 6-6 teams and went straight by the RPI. I am sure I saved plenty of brain cells and my reasoning is as sound as any. Also, I know South Carolina beat Georgia. I just couldn't find myself putting Georgia back at the bottom (I did so two weeks ago), considering the body of work between the two. I had Georgia last until I looked at the RPI and the wins vs. losses.

TD

Commings Suspension

There has been some speculation that Sanders would be facing far worse than suspensions, since you know, you DON'T HIT GIRLS. The reports out last week were that he might be facing more from the University for violation of the school's conduct code.  Now with word out that he has been suspended for two games, it is safe to assume there is less to the story than has been made.

Before you go all YOU DON'T HIT GIRLS on me, I am very aware of the delicate situation Coach Richt is in here. However, every story has two sides, especially stories that involve 'he said, she said' that take place downtown after midnight. I am sure a few Pimm's Cup and Zima were ingested by the relevant parties, including the witnesses. That certainly doesn't give anyone the right to go hitting on someone, but it does call into question the validity of the stories of all parties, witnesses included. Likely, the truth lies between a mere push and a roundhouse MMA punch. Coach Richt would not have issued any suspension now unless he was pretty confident that Sanders is facing, at worse, misdemeanor domestic violence charges.

You can also bet part of his stipulation is that Sanders not have contact with that particular lady, or, at the minimum, engage in some sort of counseling to help avoid this happening again.  Hopefully, he'll abide by these terms.

TD

Dawgs Lose to South Carolina

When you lose to a team that is as bad as South Carolina, you would think you could look at the box score and have something just jump off the page at you. Disparity in turnovers or shots taken or free throws. Something.  But...there isn't. Georgia just showed up and didn't play like it mattered if they won or loss.

We can blame poor ball management in the last minute for the loss, but it was an entire game of not being smart. We had two 7 point leads, yet still didn't do anything to stem runs by a team that isn't geared to make runs or score much for that matter. We again switched from an offense that was creating problems for them handle to one that they disrupted easily or we couldn't run (insert your own Bobo joke here). There is a stunning lack of outward care in Georgia basketball. I have no doubt these losses gnaw at the coaches and players, but from the outside, it looks like all anyone is saying is 'one of those basketball deals' [shrugs shoulders and walks away from the mic].

The last week was nothing but fools gold. Fools Gold, y'all. 
TD

PS. I feel for KCP, as he is shouldering the blame with the big turnovers in the last SC run and the cold day shooting, but he was hustling on defense the whole game. He took some ill advised shots, but often he was the only one that wanted to actually take open looks instead of passing the ball.

SEC Hoops Power Poll - Week of February 12th

Georgia gets out of the basement. Kentucky is unanimous number 1. South Carolina is unanimous number 12. Besides that Vandy and Florida are close and 5-9 are close.  Looks like everyone else had the same issues ranking the four of them that I did. Oh, and Tennessee at 6. Interesting.


1. Kentucky Wildcats 96
2. Florida Gators 84
3. Vanderbilt Commodores 82
4. Mississippi St. Bulldogs 73
5. Alabama Crimson Tide 53
6. Tennessee Volunteers 52
7. Arkansas Razorbacks 50
8. Mississippi Rebels 46
9. LSU Tigers 37
10. Georgia Bulldogs 25
11. Auburn Tigers 18
12. South Carolina Gamecocks 8

The full poll and comments are here.

TD

Caldwell-Pope Not Considering NBA Draft

He's very talented, but the NBA can wait for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.  There is some hope for next season.

KCP wants to work on conditioning, defense and some ball handling skills.  Very mature move for a talented young player.
TD

Mustaches Rule

Many thanks to the Anon commentor in the previous post. This was too awesomes to not get its own post.  God, I wish Willie had fantastic hair, too.

TD

9 Game Schedules in the SEC: Baby and the Bathwater?

I realize I am treading into Blutarsky's territory by quoting Michael Elkon, but Elkon hit on something this morning at Braves and Birds that I have been thinking about for nearly a year:

I seriously wonder about Georgia fans who would normally pay thousands of dollars for season tickets looking at their athletic director and saying “you sacrificed the Auburn game, which is often the best game on the home schedule, in order to preserve a glorified scrimmage.  Screw you, I’ll buy tickets to the games that I really want to attend on Stubhub.” 

Greg McGarity and his colleagues shouldn't be in panic mode yet, but it does beg the point: if the TV money comes in big early, do the ADs really care if the stadiums aren't full for the Noon kickoffs against Troy?

Putting aside the Hartman contributions required to get to the purchase threshold (and assuming the student tickets net the same price as the other tickets), there is around $3.25M in ticket revenue from the regular tickets for a game in Sanford. Will the drop off in ticket sales be enough to matter?

For schools like Georgia, read: any SEC school that collects a substantial amount of money as 'buy in' to be able to purchase tickets, that is where the ADs have to worry. For a number of years, the ebb and flow of Hartman money has been dictated by the quality of the team Georgia has fielded in the immediately preceding years. Signs are pointing to a phase were that the ebb and flow will be based as much on what teams are playing  in Athens as anything. If the home slate is Georgia State, FAU, Kentucky, South Carolina, Missouri, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State, do you get excited enough to bump your contribution to ensure you get tickets? If the TV money is good enough, do the ADs care?

The one thing Elkon isn't figuring in is the intrinsic, and subjective, value of contributing to the Hartman Funds of the conference (belonging to an 'exclusive' group, helping the student athletes at a place you love, tax shelters) and being able to sit in the same place year in and year out.  What he likely figures, though, is the same people I complained about yesterday, the students, are next year's new Hartman Fund donors. If they aren't excited about seeing a noon kickoffs against a slate of Coastal Carolinas now, why would they be when the tickets are more expensive to come by?

I'm not talking about just Georgia/Auburn and Alabama/Tennessee. The LSU/Florida game and the Arkansas/South Carolina games have been very big draws for those fan bases, something I would expect of the Texas A&M/Missouri game. Same could be said for the value of the match up for television.

Paul mentioned it the other day, and I think he's right. Follow the money. What we see as throwing the baby out with the bathwater, Slive and the ADs see as simply cleaning the wash tub out to hold more money. In the end, if the money is right, the stadium is merely a prop for the show happening on the field. The NFL learned that a long time ago (think the 70's when nearly half of all games were blacked out in home markets, but the national product was sold and broadcast to great success). No one really cares that the Steelers/Bengals game is sold out, at least outside of Southern Ohio/Western Pennsylvania, we just want to see Hines Ward and AJ Green play catch, or Ben Roethlisberger prisonshowered sacked.

And to answer Elkon's question, I don't know what it'll mean to ticket sales over the long term, but it probably won't matter either way.

TD

Who Has Two Thumbs and Wears Blue and Orange?

(h/t @bassindawg)

TD

Interesting Things You Learn

Saw a tidbit on Texas A&M's growing pains that caught my eye that also shed some light on the shift of the student section into the corner and end zone at Sanford.  It seems there is a mini-brouhaha in College Station about moving the Texas Aggie Band to another place at Kyle Field. As we will come to find out, you don't screw with anything aTm does, as it is a tradition. Screwing with those things will lead to stern words and such.

Seems like they'll fit in fine. Unlike South Carolina, the folks in Aggieland understand what tradition means.

For the longest time I thought it was some combination of capturing the prime seats for the donors and the increasingly casual attitude about arrival at kickoff we see from students that resulted in the student section at UGA being moved further into the corner.  Now I see it is an SEC rule.

TD

SEC Hoops Power Poll Ballot - Week of February 12th

Honestly, I don't know how to do this anymore. Beside clearly moving Georgia up from the bottom and leaving Kentucky at the top, it is a very jumbled group.

1. Kentucky - It is hard to imagine this team losing a contest in the league now.
2. Vandy - Second by default after the turds Florida and Mississippi State laid this week.
3. Florida - Glad to see the Curse of Pearl lives on, at least for the Gators.
4. Mississippi State - Sidney showed he is the biggest drama queen not on reality TV and lost the Georgia game for State, but luckily Bama lost to LSU, so they are still 4th.
5. Alabama - Really didn't want to put them this high, and I expect them to fall with the suspensions, but the others just keep doing enough to stay below them.
6. Mississippi - Just don't see the Rebels doing anything more to make it into the NCAA tournament.
7. Arkansas - 40 minutes of hell, my ass.
8. LSU - Nice little season the Tigers are putting together. It isn't a stretch to say they are the feel good story of the conference.
9. Tennessee - Vols always seem ready to face the Gators. Too bad they don't play Florida every game.
10. Georgia - First winning streak of the conference slate for the Bulldogs. Can they keep the rebounding up enough to make a post season run?
11. Auburn - Auburn is back to being Auburn after putting up big offensive numbers for a couple of games.
12. South Carolina - The Gamecocks are literally hoping for a first round loss in the SEC tournament so they can get back to Columbia for the Princeton baseball games.\

TD

Dawgs Beat Bizzaro Dawgs

If you say Gerald Robinson only scores five points in 40 minutes, you have to assume Georgia loses any basketball game they are playing in. In the same week he goes off against Arkansas for 27, Mississippi State kept him off balance to the point he only managed five points in 40 minutes.  KCP has something to say about that now, though.

Kentavious goes off on both ends of the court, Georgia out rebounds an opponent again, this time an opponent that is very good at rebounding (3rd in the conference at nearly +4 margin on the season) and Georgia forces Mississippi State into overtime, where the Gerald Robinson show began.  Gerald comes up big with 8 of Georgia's 11 points.  The other three? KCP's long distance dagger to win it.

Importantly, Georgia played another full (or full+5 minutes) of solid basketball. We are hustling and everyone is playing tough and aggressive defense.  Yes, some shots are falling, but yesterday, we took nearly 20 more shots than Mississippi State and had nearly our same % of shots fall. We have to keep out rebounding teams to have a chance at winning these games.

Right now, all Georgia has is playing to ruin other team's post season plans. Keep this up and it could be more than that. As I said the other day, I don't know what Coach Fox told them after the double tech in Knoxville, but he needs to write it down and make posters.

TD

Explain the Franklin/Vandy Love to Me

The non-sense around James Franklin's "men of honor" quotes (or misquote, if you have any reason to believe him) continues.  We all know it was Kiffin level douchebaggery when he said it. Also, he knew exactly what he was saying, when he said it, and that he did so intentionally.  We all thought it interesting on the day he said it, since he had gotten one of those men to leave North Carolina after the kid began orientation.

Yeah, Larry Fedora isn't impressed:

“What does [Franklin] say about the kids that were committed elsewhere and de-committed from their places to go to his place? That’s my comment. What is his comment on those people? He’s got someone in his recruiting class that did that very thing. He’s saying those guys are not men of honor? Basically, he’s saying he has got kids in his own recruiting class that are not men of honor. He said that, and I didn’t.”

Hey, I love me a good pissing contest.  My money is on the guy who is named after a hat, as opposed to an asshat. Blutarsky, as per usual, has a good take on that side of it.

My question is this: What about Franklin's actions suddenly make him some cult hero or actually make Vanderbilt a force to be reckoned with? Just talking to the casual Georgia (or SEC, for that matter) fan, you would think he signed a Top 10 class.  He did...Top 10 in the conference. Yes, they were more competitive than normal, but they beat no team with a winning record.  The closest they came was their game against Georgia.

Someone is going to have to explain to me why Franklin isn't Lane Kiffin, but with a lesser coaching pedigree. Is it because of his 'We aren't going to take it' attitude and the fact he wanted to fight Todd Grantham?

What I saw was a team that was undisciplined to the point of danger and that had the inability to close. Definitely sounds like Kiffin to me.

TD

Who is McGarity Talking to?

The buzz today mostly centers around McGarity's comments last night which alluded to the possibility that Georgia might not play Auburn every year going forward.  My question...who is that message really aimed at?  McGarity doesn't make that comment on the record to the Athletic Board without having a bigger audience in mind.

There are really only two possibilities:

1.  ESPN/CBS as the Target -- The SEC wants a major bump in revenues from ESPN/CBS in broadcasting rights.  To get that bump, given that we expanded without a specific monetary promise of greater revenue* from our TV partners, they need some sort of leverage.  The idea that the SEC desperately wants to avoid a 9 game schedule could be little more than a negotiating ploy.  "We're so willing to avoid an 9 game schedule, that we would be willing to give up UGA vs. AU and Bama vs. UT to stay where we are....unless you made us one hell of an offer."  So...you leak our fear that the AU series would be lost due to the emphasis we're placing on the 8 game schedule.

2.  The Fans -- This could be McGarity's way of bracing us for the worst in hopes that whatever solution we ultimately end up with is better than the tradition killing loss of the yearly AU series.

Personally, I think the ADs and Presidents care more about money than:

-- Making fans happy
-- Making coaches happy
-- Making players happy
-- Making faculty happy
-- Making TV partners happy

And there is more money in a 9 game SEC schedule than an 8 game SEC schedule.  A better inventory of TV games means more dollars from TV.  Plus, this is a competitive market. The ACC and Big XII both have a 9 game league schedule going forward while the Big Ten and Pac 14 have scheduled a cross conference competition every year to act as a defacto 9th league game for the Big Ten and potentially the same for the Pac 14.

Therefore, my thought is to follow the money on this one.  If we're not going "all in" with greed vs. the best interest of the fan, coaches or players, then no one is going to be happy and no objective will be met fully.  So...assume we're all in with greed.  Everything else suggests that is the case.

PWD


*I think we can all agree that it was dumb to make such a move without a greater revenue guarantee on the front end.

In Other News

Men's Golf and baseball just got a little less deep:

• Closer Tyler Maloof will be out for at least a month with a muscle strain in his arm. Maloof tied the single season save record last year, but had a big ERA. We were looking to have him get stronger in close situations. Now we might not have him available until well into the SEC schedule. Blake Dieterich and Bryan Benzor are the top candidates to get the ball for now.
• Bryden Macpherson has decided to withdraw from school and take up golf as a profession. Macpherson qualified for The Masters with a win in last year's British Amateur Open. Macpherson was the SEC Freshman of the year and a big part of our National Championship runner up finish last year. I expect to hear some muffled 'Go Dawgs' when he tees it up in Augusta.

TD

Well, That Happened: Georgia Dominates Arkansas

Gerald Robinson doing his thing
(AP Photo/The Athens Banner-Herald, AJ Reynolds)

You know, after getting my hopes up and having them dashed against the rocks of cruel realism, last night was salve for my basketball soul.  Georgia so thoroughly dominated Arkansas that it felt like we were winning by more than 20 the entire second half.

We've been down this road before: play well in the first half, come out flat in the second half.  Didn't happen this time. I'm not sure what Mark Fox said to his team after getting the very quick double technical in Knoxville, but he needs to write it down. Make some posters and sell them to Successories.

The technical details? Robinson played with the confidence he has shown at time, but hasn't captured for a whole game. The front court dominated the boards and didn't play weak when the ball was shot.  Our offense was consistent and well run. We out rebounded Arkansas, we out hustled Arkansas, we out defended Arkansas. Marcus Thornton showed the promise of the strong front court player we signed. Neme showed his defensive performance against Alabama wasn't a mirage (plus he drained two beautiful threes, hello European basketball). It was 40 minutes of hell, but for the wrong reasons for the Hogs.

The Hogs are a middle of the road SEC team. Until last night, they were a tournament bubble team. Last night put them squarely in next four out territory. You don't lose to a team that has played such bad basketball by 20 and make the NCAA tournament.

For one night, one glorious night, Georgia played a full game of good basketball. It might have been fools gold, but it sure glitters right now.
TD

SEC Hoops Power Poll - Week of February 5th

1. Kentucky Wildcats 96
2. Florida Gators 88
3. Mississippi St. Bulldogs 76
4. Vanderbilt Commodores 75
5. Alabama Crimson Tide 62
6. Arkansas Razorbacks 55
7. Mississippi Rebels 49
8. LSU Tigers 37
9. Tennessee Volunteers 37
10. Auburn Tigers 24
11. South Carolina Gamecocks 13
12. Georgia Bulldogs 11

No surprise Georgia is at the bottom (we voted Monday night before last night's pwning of Arkansas).

TD

SEC Hoops Power Poll Ballot - Week of February 5th

Yeah, we have a new bottom team.

1. Kentucky - Game of the season looming with Florida going to Lexington. 'Cats are going to be challenged in this one.
2. Florida - We are about to see just how big the boys from Gainesville are with the trip to Lexington looming.
3. Vandy - Good news, Vandy gets to play two at home this week. Bad news, Kentucky is one of those two games.
4. Alabama - Strong RPI+bad losses+a winning streak=bubble talk.
5. Mississippi State - I probably penalized Mississippi State too much for the loss to Florida and the uninspired win over Auburn. 
6. Arkansas - The Hogs are winless on the road. Much like was for the Spartans, the trip to Athens will cure that.
7. Ole Miss - The best team you've never heard of or the worse team you keep hearing about?
8. LSU - Can the Tigers make the NIT? Their remaining schedule sets up well for them to make a run at the postseason.
9. Tennessee - Still struggling. The Vols get a break with Georgia-South Carolina back to back at home, which is the metaphorical equivalent of having access to a beach house and a morally casual friend in town.
10. Auburn - Auburn is playing its best basketball of the season right now. Of course, that bar isn't set too high.
11. South Carolina - Movin' on up...by default. They still suck, but Georgia sucks more.
12. Georgia - Not a hard choice after the worse game of basketball played by Georgia in four seasons at Auburn. The Dawgs are a team going the wrong direction fast. Just like their offense.

Vandy, Mississippi State, Alabama and Arkansas are very close right now.  I gave Vandy the nod due to RPI being nearly 30 points higher than Mississippi State's, even though the Bulldogs beat them. Honestly, I spent more time on these four than I have all season on any one ballot.  

TD

Lest We Forget Those That Do Well

I know it is the fashionable thing to do, but don't get so caught up in what happened with the three that are now gone that you forget those that are still representing the Dawgs well.

Brandon beat out Arkansas' Joe Adams, Oregon's LaMichael James and Toledo's Eric Page for the award.

Congrats Brandon. You are a DGD.
TD

Georgia and Auburn Set Basketball Back 65 Years

I was wrong. Very, very wrong. Georgia basketball is not far removed from the Felton days right now. We have more talent. Regretfully, the team is playing like it doesn't have more coaching than it did.

Last night, I wanted to do a very long rundown of all that went wrong. Now, suffice it to say that list is depressingly long. If we win any more, beyond South Carolina, it'll be a surprise. Losing to South Carolina won't be a surprise.

TD

Joshua Harvey-Clemons Can Be Commented On

Kipp Adams continuing the great coverage:

Just told Josh Harvey-Clemons has submitted his letter of intent to #UGA.
— Kipp Adams ESPN (@KippLAdams) February 2, 2012

Or maybe wait on commenting:

Per sources in Athens, they are expecting the LOI of Josh Harvey-Clemons to arrive in next few minutes. #dayaftersigningday
— Kipp Adams ESPN (@KippLAdams) February 2, 2012

And it is in.
TD

NSD Review

Nothing really to talk about? Another top 10 class. Big gets on defense. Punter and kicker of the future. Some offensive line help. We could have signed a couple of more, but over all the 2013 class looks deeper, especially in state, than the 2012 class does. As long as we take care of business in 2013, a smaller class this year isn't that big of a deal.

So, anything else blog worthy going on about signing day? Oh, Joshua Harvey-Clemons.  My take: Give the kid...and his family...a break. Before you start with the 'you don't want to win' and 'be a Florida fan you f$*@$*g,' understand this: They are making a decision about where their family member will always be associated with.

As a Bulldog fan, I am mad that his grandfather would hold him up from his dream. As a parent, I understand. I believe Josh when he says he is 100% Dawg and is coming to Athens. I believe he is coming to Athens. His family will understand that his desire to succeed at the place of his choosing will, and should, win over any concerns of distance (or whatever it is that the Clemons are concerned about). Plus, his family can't keep him from enrolling at Georgia, so even if the LOI never gets signed, he can show up on time and play on scholarship.

Finally, I am not calling shenanigans, but why would the family want him at Florida with Coach Boom MF over Georgia with Coach Richt? Any ideas, other than the distance thing?

TD

PS. Yes, I know the mystery recruit never materialized. I have thought all along the mystery recruit was someone who hadn't really mentioned UGA, so if he'd have decided to come to Georgia, it would have been beyond a shock.

PSS. Blutarsky has art.

National Signing Day

Over night there were a couple of interesting developments:

1. Josh Harvey-Clemons didn't narrow his choices to two. Does it mean anything? Not sure. Some say it has to do with his cell phone being left on Nevin Shapiro's boat in Miami. If I had to guess, it makes me think Georgia and FSU aren't the slam dunk top two.
2. Eligwe narrows to two. UGA ain't one. Swing and a miss.

Follow Bernie or Hedges to Hardwood's live blogs.  Should be an interesting day.

TD

SEC Hoops Power Poll Ballot - Week of January 29th

1. Kentucky - Nothing to see here. Move along.
2. Florida - Gators are rolling. They might not lose again until the season finale against Kentucky. 
3. Vandy - Teams are figuring out Vandy. Can Stallings get the Commodores back to playing top 15 basketball?
4. Mississippi State - This team really confuses me. I'm starting to think the coaches take long stretches of games off. Still they are in the discussion for the top of the conference.
5. Ole Miss - We'll find out just how good this team is this week with two tough road games.
6. Alabama - Plays down to the level of the competition too much to be a contender for anything more than an NCAA bubble team.
7. Arkansas - Starting to look like the team is wearing out playing the super up tempo game.
8. LSU - The Tigers are competing, but might not win another game until late February with their schedule. Will Johnson still have his team by then?
9. Tennessee - Reverting to pre-conference schedule form. Still a talented team, but seems to play younger than they are.
10. Georgia - Woo hoo! Dawgs didn't lose this weekend. What's that? They were off? Oh.
11. Auburn - At least they have played South Carolina.
12. South Carolina - I wanted to reward them for their win over 'Bama, so I am not ranking them 13th. This week.

This week, you could put teams 4-7 and 9-12 and just shake them up. It is that close.

TD

T minus 23 hours until National Signing Day

Here we find ourselves 23 hours before National Signing Day. NSD is the last shot of methadone given before we are kicked out of our program, at least until Spring football. I don't expound on recruiting much, other than giving a snarky, usually ill informed, opinion about the outcome, but that doesn't mean I don't follow it and want Georgia to win at this as much as I do everything from football to tiddlywinks.

Having said that, the rational Tyler (call him The Narrator, if you like) knows the actual Scout/Rivals/ESPN/randomeblogyouveneverheardofbuteveryoneswearsisthebestatrecruiting rankings are just tools for those sites to talk/write about something to feed the voracious appetites of their readers. Addressing need is much more important to The Narrator than winning recruiting rankings.

That being said, it is important for Georgia to close strong. There are several 4-5 star players out there that would fill needs. Recruiting sites often miss on a 3 star player's upside. They rarely miss on 4 and 5 star players' downsides. If a guy is a 4 or 5 star, they it is likely they are the real deal.

My dream list for Georgia (and how likely the Dawgvent will explode at how they are being underused we are to see them in Athens in the Fall):
Dalvin Tomlinson - 8:45 announcement; 30% likely a Dawg, likely going to Alabama
Jaquay Williams - 8:45 announcement; 60% likely a Dawg, 40% Auburn
Josh Harvey-Clemons - 9am announcement; 90% likely a Dawg
Brandon Greene - 9:00 announcement; 40% likely a Dawg, 60% Alabama
Kenderious Whitehead - 9:00 announcement; 2% likely a Dawg, he's going to NC State
Josh Dawson - 10:00 announcement; 50/50 with Vandy
Cordarrelle Patterson - 11:30 announcement; 90% likely a Dawg
Avery Young - 2:00 announcement; 60% likely a Dawg, Auburn and Florida are even if he doesn't come to Athens.

And....the mystery recruit. The white whale of recruiting. It is hard to say if the rumors are true or if Georgia having an easy two unspoken for spots mean the class is fuller than we know. Honestly, if I had to say, there is a guy out there that has publicly committed to another school, but has told Georgia's coaches they are still very much in the hunt. Like everyone, I think it is a Dback. I'd say someone that is totally unexpected like Deon Bonner (due to his situation during the visit), Chaz Elder (who has a SC hat on for his Rivals picture) or Ronald Dabry (who hasn't really even mentioned Georgia in his many discussions with the media). I'd also throw Eligwe and Dillon Lee (he's already enrolled at 'Bama) in the discussion, as both have been committed to their schools for quite a while and both could see some immediate playing time. If I were forced to guess, I'd say Eligwe or Darby (note that Eligwe has postponed his decision until Feb 6 and made less than positive comments about UGA).

TD

And The Genius Blinked

When Tech threatened to pull the scholly offer from Antonio Crawford if he visited Miami, I thought he would be going to Coral Gables.  Why would a kid want to go to a school that would threaten such a thing? Yes, Coach Johnson, Certified Genius, had pulled offers based on commits visiting other schools, so visiting Miami seemed like the mere prelude to him not having the offer to go to Tech when he got home.

But Tech still wants him. Not that he cares. He's going to Miami. 

I thought it was interesting they didn't threaten the Adams kid when he visited Auburn, which led me to think about the threat to pull Crawford's offer.  Why do that?

And why did the coach that was recruiting the kid from Lanier County who's offer was pulled get fired?

Strange days in the Flats.

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Blutarsky's take on the death of the Johnson Doctrine.

ESPN's Chris Low on UGA's Offseason

I think Low makes a variety of interesting comments as he highlights players to watch this offseason as the Georgia Bulldogs gear up for another run at the SEC Championship.  He lists these players as guys to watch:

Isaiah Crowell
David Andrews
Nick Marshall
Damien Swann
Derrick Lott

My list would be:

1. Isaiah Crowell - Competition and conditioning can solve most of his problems*
2. Will Friend - UGA must be able to establish a running game
3. Kenarious Gates - The only returning upper classman on the OL
4. Damien Swann - Leading candidate to replace Boykin at CB
5. Aaron Murray - Must reduce his turnovers. Particularly when running.

Who are your top players to watch in the Spring?  Who are the guys who most need to step up? 

PWD

*Losing the phone number to Jasper's weed guy wouldn't hurt either. Allegedly. Obviously.

Alabama Fan Charged in BCS Case

I'm not going into the detail of what when down in the Bourbon Street Krystals, but Brian Downing has been charged with sexual battery in the incident.  Good.

His lawyers are a bit incredulous:

"The 18-year-old victim was never physically harmed and, in fact, was so intoxicated that he would have had no recollection of the incident, but for a video posted online," the lawyers wrote. "Any ‘harm' is entirely post hoc and amplified by media."

Fine. It was the media's fault.  But the media didn't put their 32YEAROLD BALLSACKONACOMPLETESTRANGERSFACEINPUBLICWHILEHEWASPASSEDOUT. Yeah, I have some strong views on that.  My guess is Mr. Downing won't have any problems with keeping the boys inside his pants during his time in Angola.

Tell you what, let the LSU fan put a sack of his choosing on Mr. Downing's face, and his lawyers' faces, in public and on ESPN. They could get Jim Gray and make a whole hour out of it.  Then just for funsies, still charge him with sexual battery because YOUDONTPUTYOURSACKONACOMPLETESTRANGERSFACEASSHOLES.
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On Football Recruiting

I typically don't write about football recruiting. I follow it with interest and need Georgia to do well, but I just don't like to write about it much. Yes, I know how important it is. Yes, it is interesting. I just can't get too worked up (at least until the week of signing day) about it.

There are plenty of very good places to get the information, including Michael Carvell's coverage for the AJC, or to see bloggers' takes on recruiting; I just don't have the inclination to devote my limited brain juice to it.

That being said, I find Coach Richt's approach very interesting. I have to say I haven't been happy over the past two months with the 'Georgia waited to offer' refrain we hear from some players. Now, for the second year in a row, it looks like the last week is setting up to be very interesting. Will Georgia get an in-home with Brandon Greene? If they do, will Saban, who is reportedly pissed at Greene's flirtation with UGA, fire him?

It is interesting that Saban, who cut a kid loose earlier because he was the '26th' guy in the class, would be mad at a kid re-evaluating his decision. That is the duplicity of the system we live in. Ask the Football Genius of North Avenue. That isn't to say Greene will forsake 'Bama for Georgia. That is to say the late push isn't a terrible counter strategy to the very early offer and push approach that other coaches employ. Will we continue to miss on very good players with our wait and see approach? Sure.

The next week will be very interesting, as we have a legit shot at significantly improving this signing class. It will also give an indication if the wait and see approach is worth continuing. Get one more offensive lineman and Josh Harvey-Clemons, that is a win. Get Greene and Young, plus Harvey-Clemons and some combination of either of the two Dawsons on defense, that is a huge win. Get those plus JaQuay Williams? Now I am dreaming.

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Georgia Plays Tough Against Cats

I'll not go into the break down of the game, except to say this: if Georgia plays with the same intensity and focus the rest of the season, we'll win nearly all of our home games and at least three road games.  We held Kentucky to their lowest point total since last season's national semi-final loss to UConn (when they scored two fewer points). We held Kentucky 20 points below their season average. Easily this was the best defensive game we have played all season.

Why did Georgia lose? Because we only have two (maybe three) players that would ever get significant playing time at UK.  At most. On any given night, one team can beat another. If we'd kept up the hot shooting, that would have happened last night. It didn't, and Kentucky's talented, deep, and more physically gifted players took over.  Between Davis' five blocks, his and Kidd-Gilcrist's eleven rebounds each, Georgia just had nothing to match the talent differential.

Now, this is a common refrain from nearly every team playing Kentucky. This isn't a post about Fox's success or lack thereof in recruiting. It does bear pointing out that recruiting has to be significantly improved if Georgia is going to consistently be in the NCAA tournament every year. We don't have to have six McDonald's All-Americans every year. Get a KCP every year and win recruiting battles with Tech, Clemson, FSU, 'Bama, Tennesee, and Vandy more often than not, we'll be a very strong tournament contender. And Auburn and Memphis. Especially Auburn and Memphis! Right now, we lose way more of those than we win.

For now, this team plays like the young team it is. That will improve, but we have to have another big recruiting win this season if we have any hope of being in the tournament discuss this time next year.
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SEC Hoops Power Poll - Week of January 22nd

This week's poll:


1. Kentucky Wildcats 96
2. Florida Gators 80
3. Mississippi St. Bulldogs 78
4. Vanderbilt Commodores 77
5. Alabama Crimson Tide 66
6. Mississippi Rebels 59
7. Arkansas Razorbacks 52
8. Tennessee Volunteers 41
9. LSU Tigers 34
10. Georgia Bulldogs 23
11. Auburn Tigers18
12. South Carolina Gamecocks 8

Unanimous agreement at number one and number 12. Near unanimous at 10 and 8. A jumble elsewhere.
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SEC Hoops Power Poll Ballot - Week of January 22nd

Another week of games, another week of parity in the middle of the conference.

1. Kentucky - Kentucky will lose a conference game this season. It won't happen this week with trips to Georgia and LSU.
2. Vandy - I am not sure how they lost at home to Mississippi State, but I am sure Stallings will figure a way to right the ship until the second game of the NCAA tournament.
3. Florida - With a trip to Oxford this week, we get to see if Florida's success is a product of the schedule to this point.
4. Mississippi State - The win at Vandy is a sign the Bulldogs are still relevant in the best of the rest discussion. Of course, there are four other teams that can say the same thing.
5. Alabama - It is hard to fault the Tide for a down week with three top 40 RPI teams on the schedule. Unfortunately, it does mean the have to be moved down with how closely matched the teams are.
6. Ole Miss - Col. Akbar's Bears better learn to close the deal or they will be a top seed in the NIT.
7. Arkansas - Youth was on display both with the good (a strong statement win over a tough Michigan team) and the bad (losing their will to live in a way worse than 20 point loss at Kentucky) this week.
8. LSU - Seriously, you could flip a coin on 8th. Georgia, Tennessee, and LSU are all that close right now. I went straight with RPI on these three.
9. Georgia - Too bad the Dawgs can't play the intensity they showed in the last 2 minutes against Mississippi for a full game. Since they don't, they find themselves in the bottom of the conference.
10. Tennessee - Dear Cuozno, that Stokes guy is good.
11. Auburn - Could have ranked them 8th, but conventional wisdom says they will revert to the team that only scored 35 points against Vandy.
12. South Carolina - How did they win 8 games? It's a miracle.

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A Simple Request

Beat Ole Miss this afternoon.  Col. Akbar's Bears haven't won on the road since the week after Thanksgiving. They've lost to Auburn...AUBURN...on the road. We need this win.

Play stout defense and do just enough with the offense, we win. Assle around with the ball and play slappnut defense, they win.  Pretty simple, right?

Tip is at 4pm at Stegeman.
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SEC Hoops Power Poll - Week of January 15th

The Power Poll is up.

1. Kentucky Wildcats 132
2. Vanderbilt Commodores 108
3 (t). Florida Gators 104
3 (t). Mississippi St. Bulldogs 104
5. Alabama Crimson Tide 103
6. Arkansas Razorbacks 72
7. Tennessee Volunteers 60
8. LSU Tigers 58
9. Mississippi Rebels 43
10. Georgia Bulldogs 33
11. Auburn Tigers 29
12. South Carolina Gamecocks 13

Overall, we think there are five clear top teams and one clear bottom team.  I wasn't way out of consensus, either, which means either I'm getting better at this, or the other voters are getting worse.  Or both.

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Richt Approves...

Of Georgia's defensive minded win over Tennessee in OT last night.  

During the game, I kept thinking this is ugly basketball.  Then it hit me: As ugly as it was, it was the brand of basketball Georgia has to play to win right now.  Yes, the running game is much more exciting. The problem with the running game is one of depth and defenders for Georgia. We are getting deeper with Marcus' reintroduction, but we still have foul issues (both Neme and Marcus had four in regulation).  We did run some, but only when it was absolutely there (think the Florveus dunk on the half court feed by Ware). 

So, that leaves us with having to play smart offensively, both from shot selection and from a ball protection standpoints. We finally did that a whole game (actually, a game +5minutes).  We also have to play aggressive defense, something we can do a bit more with Marcus back. The up side is we created a season high 20 turnovers, also a season high in turnovers by Tennessee, netting a 17-8 point differential on points off turnovers. Between that and slowing down the game, we got a win. 

Georgia still has a long way to go, but this was easily the best total team effort we've seen defensively. With what we saw in the loss to Vandy and this win, I have hope that there is something to look forward to. Tennessee isn't as good as Vandy, but with Maymon and Stokes in, they are much better than the team that lost to Oakland and College of Charleston.  They beat Florida and gave Kentucky all they could handle. Overall, this is a good win for the Dawgs, as they came back from a deficit late and put a decent team away. 

We get to try to make it two SEC wins in a row Saturday afternoon at Stegeman against Ole Miss. 4pm tip on the SECNetwork.

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SEC Hoops Power Poll Ballot - Week of January 15th

New basement dweller. Same folks at the top. Majic 8ball in the middle and bottom. Road wins are kind of like Big 12 footbal defense: a great theory, but not a reality.

1. Kentucky - The 'Cats will lose a game in the conference at some point. They tried really hard to do so Saturday at Tennessee.
2. Vandy - Just win baby. Bet the Georgia game made Stallings hair fall out some more. 
3. Alabama - If this team learns to play consistent offense, they will be a tough out.
4. Mississppi State - I honestly thought they were over rated. A gutsy win over Alabama made me realize I might have been wrong.
5. Florida - Still not sure wins over the dregs of the conference should mean anything. At least they are beating the dregs of the conference.
6. Arkansas - Anderson will have big success at Arkansas. He has a young team that isn't mentally tough enough to both play his punishing style of basketball and focus on playing to win. They will be very dangerous the later it gets in the conference slate.
7. Mississippi - Not sure what to do with the Bears. On one hand, I think they are a talented basketball team. On the other, they sure don't play like it sometimes. They are 7th by default since I don't think they are in the top 6 or the bottom 5.
8. Tennessee - Starting to show signs of life. Martin has them playing to the top of their potential and that isn't a good thing for the teams that had the Volunteers marked as a sure win.
9. LSU - Rumors of Trent Johnson's demise were both exaggerated and premature. Which is what she said.
10. Georgia - I would like to say something positive about the Dawgs: I love their mascot.
11. Auburn - Well, at least I can use basketball instead of basektball for them.
12. South Carolina - Could have had them 8th. Could have had them 13th. The bottom of the conference is just that bad.

It isn't a stretch to say the SEC could have only 3 teams in the NCAA tournament. It isn't a stretch to say the SEC could have 8 teams in the NCAA tournament. 

BR-549

The one nugget about the Justin Taylor having to wait to sign with Alabama story that was interesting had nothing to do with Alabama. Saban deciding someone else is better than a kid that hurt his knee in August of his senior season, then telling him he'll have to wait until next year to sign a scholarship he's been relying on since last February, isn't news. Hell, it isn't even surprising. Effective, in that the kid shut down his recruiting and other schools left him alone. Not surprising.

Also not surprising? Tennessee's approach:  "Tennessee came through and I only talked to them one time. They gave me a number and the number didn’t even work."

Boy, that Dooley guy sure knows how to make folks feel the love.
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Tasty Kool-aid Mix

I'm not sure if this is some sort of photoshoped video or what, but if this is real? Damn.  If Marshall is as fast as Malcolm Mitchell. Damn.

Thank goodness Justified is on tonight or might go into full fledged Kool-aid making mode.
TD

Picture of Paul Westerdawg

Per request. He's in this picture.

Dawgs Play Significantly Better...but Still Lose

Dawgs lose on the road 77-66 to Vandy.  While it was an eleven point loss, it was more like a four or five point game that free throws made into a bigger win. Vandy definitely was rattled by the Dawgs ability to stop the inside game and by Caldwell-Pope's shooting.  It was good to see Coach Fox's substitutions and him playing guys that are hot instead of worrying about guys fouling out.  Free throws are still a concern, both in numbers missed and the numbers the other team are taking. Not counting the 8 attempts during the last minute or so, Vandy still had 15+ more attempts than Georgia. Georgia shot 80% on 20 attempts, so that part of the misery that was the Florida game was much, much better.

Not saying it was a moral victory, but I have to say this game was the best effort from the team from start to finish against a quality opponent we've seen all season.  We play this way during every game, we'll sneak up on someone we have no business beating. We almost did it yesterday. I'll not get into the officiating (but boy, could I), but it was interesting to see Vandy's Taylor push his luck with the officials and get T-ed up at home.

This is partially the team I'd hope we'd see when we hired Mark Fox: Playing hard from whistle to horn, making good decisions with the ball, working the hot hand, and making the other team figure out what to take away.  Right now, we have a lot of growing to do before we will be a legitimate night in and night out threat to the big boys. We need to develop more of an offensive identity, even if it is a three point shooting team. However, if we continue to make the big boys earn their wins, get better every game and figure out a way to overcome some talent differential, and we'd have reason to look forward.  It won't hurt to get Marcus Thornton back soon.

Most importantly, we can't lay anymore steaming turds like we did in Gainesville Tuesday night. That just can't happen again.

Dawgs take on a very hot Tennessee squad at home Wednesday night at 8pm on the SEC network. We need a huge crowd, as this is a nearly must win if we have any hope of doing anything other than finishing the season just under .500.
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Not a Bad Weekend - Tebow, South Carolina and Tennessee

Yesterday was a good day for those searching for proof that God loves others the same way he does Tim Tebow: South Carolina picks up the first points in the Fulmer Cup. Also, the media's Tebowmania came crashing down in a cavalcade of cliches why Tim Tebow might be a super good dude, but he is a left-handed version of Byron Leftwich. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Byron might not be as medically talented as Tebow, but he does have a couple of cool rides.

Tennessee football. I think that is all I have to say about that, right?

There are few things I love more than Schadenfreude, if for no other reason than feeling superior to South Carolina/Tennessee fans and wearing ascots at parties and saying Schadenfreude. Schadenfreude.
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MotoGP, The Premier Class Of

MotoGP, the premier class of

Race For The MotoGP Class Is

Race for the MotoGP class is

As It Ever Gets In MotoGP,

as it ever gets in MotoGP,

Fulmer Cup Season or God, Now I am Depressed b/c it's The Off-season

There is no way around the fact that we are over 230 days until college football is back making our lives full and rich, much the way eating a whole pound of Kobe veal served by Jenn Brown's jeans does.  Now, the Fulmer Cup is active.

The Off-season sucks. I lose weight. I have money. I have whole days on the weekends to do stuff. I don't spend large parts of my week in Sam's Club trying to figure out if it was bourbon or sweet tea vodka we ran out of. I buy both just in case. I eat well. I miss seeing people.

Now, we have the Fulmer Cup to deal with, and Athens' finest haven't gone all Sheriff Justice on the football team in some time. I hate the off-season.

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SEC Hoops Power Poll - Week of January 8th

You can see the full poll here.


1. Kentucky Wildcats 60
2. Alabama Crimson Tide 51
3. Vanderbilt Commodores 45
4t. Florida Gators 43
4t. Mississippi St. Bulldogs 43
6. Arkansas Razorbacks 37
7. LSU Tigers 33
8. Tennessee Volunteers 23
9. Mississippi Rebels 19
10. Georgia Bulldogs 17
11. South Carolina Gamecocks 12
12. Auburn Tigers 7

I was dead on the top three and bottom three. The middle six, not so much as I had the number four team ranked 9th.
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Final Thoughts on the BCS Championship Game

Random stuff that went through my mind during and following the BCS National Championship Game:

• Alabama is the better coached team. No wonder LSU fans are still mad at Saban leaving Baton Rouge.
• I thought using the height difference between the Alabama receivers and the one LSU corner back that got thrown at a bunch was genius. It takes a lot of 'want to' to over come a seven inch height difference regardless of your moniker.
• I am convinced Alabama's defense is the best in the country in 40 years. Give props to Smart/Saban for coaching them up, but even Ted Roof could have coached that bunch up. There are no less than seven likely future NFL starters in that group. 
• There is some poetic justice to the number of FGs attempted (and made!) in the game, considering the number missed in the first match-up.
• Also, if Oklahoma State fans want to be mad, be mad at Alabama's kickers for missing all those kicks in the first game. They hit one of them in regulation and the Cowboys play Alabama in New Orleans Monday night.
• Any chance Bobby Hebert is East Bank BJ on the Tigger Droppings Board?
• You think this win might get Saban a bigger statue?

Finally, is it April yet? I already miss football.

TD

In MotoGP From The Motor

in MotoGP from the motor

Something They are Getting Right

House Resolution 1104 honoring the life of Larry Munson passed yesterday.

If any Sting Talk commie in the House speaks out against this, I might run for the Legislature to personally get on Higher Education and work to pull all funding from Tech. Yes, I am just that spiteful.
TD

.111

1 for 9

That is Georgia's free throw line for the 22 point loss at Florida last night. A full 100 points lower than Michael Jordan's batting average. 15 points below the Rams and Colts' records this season. They nearly missed more free throws than they had assists.

Those eight points won't make up for the 22 points, but it is illustrative of how far this team has to go before they are a legitimate threat to do more than fill another team's 40 minutes of play time twice a week.

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JacksonDawg Wins RichtFlair Open in a Rout

Spectacular performance, going 28-7 and pacing the field by 35 points.

Rank	Selection	Edit Points		W-L	Pts	Tie Breaker AL-LSU 21-0
1	JacksonDawg			28-7	545	21-13
2	papadoc19's picks			27-8	510
3	SimpleMan98's picks1			25-10	509	14-10
4	contrarian's picks			26-9	508	21-28
4	Bromig's picks			26-9	508	17-24
6	ChiliDawg's picks			25-10	506	28-24
7	prdawg01's picks			25-10	498	22-26
8	blaked04			23-12	495	20-17
8	mcaison's picks			25-10	495	14-24
10	BlueBowls			24-11	489	17-20

Thanks to all that participated this bowl season.
TD

MotoGP History The World Sport

MotoGP History The World Sport

Fox's Hounds are on ESPN Tonight

As part of their SEC Super Tuesday schedule. 7pm tip off from the O'dome in Gainesville. The 19th ranked Gators are coming off a loss to Tennessee on the road.
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2007 Moto GP Catalunya

2007 Moto GP Catalunya

SEC!SEC!SEC!

Send me some of that cas$ Nicholas. (Image: Hipple)

I'll leave discussion of parallels between the SECCG and the BCSCG and how things could have gone differently for Georgia to Blutarsky (and believe me, Nick Saban should send the number to his hair guy and part of his bonus check to Mark Richt for Georgia's first half game plan against LSU), but I have to question the LSU fan's thinking that putting Jarrett Lee in would have made things different. I'll buy the argument that he couldn't have done worse, but honestly does putting him in and having him do the same make it acceptable to do so?

I point this out to ask this question: If Lee hasn't supplanted Jefferson before the 3rd quarter of the national championship game, is merely standing on the sideline not facing Alabama's defense the thing that convinces you that he is ready to supplant the guy that has gotten you to that point? If he didn't win the job while he has had the chance to do so, I don't see how merely being available makes him suddenly The Answer.

To put it another way, is there anything about Hutson Mason standing on the sideline not facing SEC defenses that makes you think he should take Aaron Murray's place on the field in Georgia games?

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SEC Hoops Power Poll

I'll be participating this season, along with several more worthy bloggers, in the SEC Hoops Power Poll. Since I didn't vote last week, I get the benefit of one SEC match up per team to make some semi-informed decisions. After pondering my ballot, I don't think it helped.

By my view, there is one very, very good team in the conference.  There are two more that offer a strong combination of talent and coaching. Beyond that, at least for now, it is a hot mess. In other words, I'll probably just throw this ballot away and start over next week.

My SEC Hoops Power Poll Ballot for the week ending January 8th:

1. Kentucky - Kentucky's RPI will drop for the next two weeks as they feast upon the bones of the have nots in the conference.
2. Alabama - I'm a believer. Only Kentucky is more athletic. Only Kentucky has more talent. Only Kentucky is better, right now.
3. Vandy - We know Vandy is good, but when will they have that inexplicable loss that just leaves us wondering when Kevin Stallings is going to change hair jells?
4. Arkansas - The loss to Houston seems like it was so long ago. The win over Mississippi State begs the question: Are the Hogs good or the Dogs bad?
5. Mississippi State - It was nice while it lasted, but this looks more like a Stansbury coached team.
6. LSU - OMG, the Tigers won a conference game.
7. Ole Miss - We've been looking for the next team to challenge Auburn for the West's basement. Andy Kenedy's team is on the clock.
8. Florida - Dude, really? Tennessee?
9. Tennessee - Yes, I know they beat Florida. They've got a long, long way to go before I'll believe that was anything more than a fluke.
10. Georgia - Someone has to be king of the dip shits, right?
11. South Carolina - Hello, we are dip shits.
12. Auburn - Bad basektball team. Yeah, I misspelled it intentionally because it isn't fair to the other teams to use the term 'basketball team' when talking about Auburn besektball. 

I'll link it when it is released. Feel free to use big words to explain how badly I messed up.

TD

Http://motogp-f1-races.

http://motogp-f1-races.

I Guess I have to Root for the SEC in the BCS Championship

I have a confession. I am not an SEC homer. Yeah, I'll root for the random SEC team during an early season OOC game, save for Tennessee, Auburn or Florida. I'd root for the Soviet Union against Florida. Just the way I was raised.

However, during this run of national champions, I have been generally agnostic about SEC teams winning. I'll admit to a bit of pride at being a fan of an SEC team during this time, but nothing good comes from another Alabama or LSU national championship. Right now, the only real thing I am rooting for tonight is a good game. That and the under.

That feels good to get off my chest.
TD

Watch MotoGP Channel Online Tv

Watch MotoGP Channel Online Tv

View MotoGP U.S. Grand Prix

View MotoGP U.S. Grand Prix

Dawgs Drop Conference Opener to Alabama

Georgia's basketball program has a long way to go to be a major player in SEC basketball. The loss last night to Alabama is a good example of why. Last night also showed that we can compete in the conference, as we closed a 12 point halftime deficit to within 4 points by the mid point of the second half.  We did it with strong defense, particularly with Djurisic's play on JaMychal Green, and smart offensive sets.

Regretfully, we continue to go through long stretches of games where the offense looks stagnant and we end up taking a very low percentage shot as the shot clock expires. I am not sure if the issue is chemistry on the rotations or the play sets, but we seem to just fall apart during at least one 4-6 minute stretch every second half. We also have a tendency to pull out a player when he gets hot, something that is confounding to me. I know we have depth issues, but sometimes you just have to ride the bee, and trust your hot guy to stay out of foul trouble. Not like you can roll those fouls over.

Strangely, though, we were still in the game. The difference was Alabama's 3pt shooting. They had a season high...by halftime. The also hit over 15% more of their shots, although we got off more shots than they did. That and they out rebounded us 35-20. We played well with a team that will undoubtedly make the NCAA tournament and could make some noise in the SEC. Figure out a way to stop the five minute dead time in the second half, and we are on to something.

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Moto Gp

Moto Gp

SEC Hoops Opener

In case you haven't noticed (and judging by the numbers at Stegeman, you haven't...badabing!), Fox's Hounds have finished the pre-SEC schedule at 9-5. Breaking down the schedule, there is little rhyme or reason to the wins or the losses.

On the plus side, we have wins over RPI #64(?!?) South Dakota State, as well as Notre Dame, which is currently RPI#128 and USC, currently RPI#126. Both ND and USC will rise once they get into their conference schedules. On the negative side, we've lost games to #109 Cincinatti and #161 Georgia Tech (both RPIs there will move up, too). More damning, we've played very inconsistent basketball. We imploded against Tech, nearly did so against Deleware State and Winthrop, and haven't had any consistent full game offensive efforts yet. Our maddening propensity to go on 5-7 minute scoring droughts in the second half continues. In short, we've got a long way to go or the NIT is a mere pipe dream.

The upside is there are pieces that can come together. Caldwell-Pope is getting stronger, is becoming more of an explosive scoring threat, and is leading the team in scoring. Gerald Robinson is showing improvement in pass/shot selection. Marcus Thornton and Donte Williams are both getting better at going after the ball in rebound situations and showing more awareness when they get offensive rebounds.

Right now, Coach Fox's team is raw. We foul too much, take too many bad shots, rotate to cover the low post too slowly and lose our composure at times. I had hoped the non-conference schedule would work out some of the rawness and only time will tell if it has. Either way, the SEC schedule is here. Looking forward, I think the Dawgs have to have 9+ SEC wins, at a minimum, to have a legit NCAA shot, unless a couple of the non-conf wins or losses become substantially better.

Can we do that? Sure, if we play much better and smarter basketball. Fox's offensive is predicated on ball control and good shot selection. We have the ability to make any game a 63-59 type deal. I like our chances in those games.

Dawgs get their first shot at the SEC against a very good Alabama (11-3) team tomorrow night at 7pm. Coverage is on FSN.
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ACC: On the Clock for Relegation

Wow. I didn't think we'd ever see a more complete pantsing of an ACC team in the Orange Bowl than we did last season. I mean 70-33? Damn.

Bet Pitt and Syracuse wishes they had been a bit more patient.

As Mr. Sanchez at SnG put it: Clemson pulled a Clemson.

It was beautiful.
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McGarity on the Football Program

As fans, we spend a lot of time trying to get into the minds of those that are in charge of the football program. We agonize over why Richt did this or why Bobo called that play or why we are playing a soft zone and only rushing four.

One thing I am not wondering about this morning? Greg McGarity's thoughts on what we need to fix in the off season. I agree with Blutarsky's point that no amount of fretting over philosophy will change who Mark Richt is, nor will the person making the decisions about Richt's future and use of that philosophy make a change directly because of it. McGarity doesn't think the problem is philosophy. He knows the problem is approach and preparation.

From McGarity:

McGarity also urged fans upset over the Bulldogs’ 33-30, triple-overtime loss to the Spartans in triple overtime to keep the defeat in perspective. 

“Blair Walsh kicks a 42-yard field goal and we’re sitting here feeling great about ourselves,” McGarity said. “But would we have solved our running game problem? No. Would that have solved them being able to go on an 85-yard drive with no timeouts? No. So, I mean, the dynamics haven’t changed. It’s not going to matter diddly-squat when we start lifting weights in three weeks. If anything it’ll add more incentive for next year.”

I don't believe he thinks the issue is philosophy. I don't believe he thinks the issues are the individual running backs or individual blockers. I believe he thinks the issue is the ability of the coaches to put the players we have in a position to succeed, either by preparation, play calling or scheme (yes, I realize philosophy is reflected in at least two of those things; but I am talking about doing so successfully within the philosophy). At least two of those were suspect in three of the four losses. We saw the defense have issues with those things for first time in several games during the last two minutes of the game on Monday.

Greg McGarity said the right things to Coach Richt when he was hired. I believe he'll keep doing and saying the right things in the future. McGarity isn't telling Richt to be a different coach, to take more chances and be more Lesticles like. He is telling him that his program has to be able to do the things it takes to win games using the conservative game management approach, such as run the ball successfully and stop an opponent who has 85 yards to go with under two minutes to play.

We as fans might find that to be maddening, but it is what it is.

TD

At Least We Don't Live in Texas

I swear a friend who doesn't watch football thought this was a 30 Rock spoof.

He's got the career management skills of George Costanza. #firecraigjames

TD

Moto GP Galleries Ducati

Moto GP Galleries Ducati

Michigan State Review

At various times in the game, the Spartans' strength were on display, especially in the final quarter. Part of that was Michigan State's realization that one side of the field was open season for passing and one wasn't. The other part of that was Georgia's decision to simply keep running the ball into the strength of the Spartans' defense. Give credit where it is due, the Spartans' played the game to win. Georgia played to not lose, especially in the second half.
The Good:

• Boykin. Gonna miss you playa'. 
• Murray to King. Twice. 
• Good to see King's emergence after a season of all most. Great reason to look forward to next season.
• Jarvis, Smith and Ogletree's defensive performances.
• Stopping Michigan State's inside run game.
• Butler's punting.
• Continuing to go to the well with down field passes...in the first half.

The Bad:

• Halftime adjustments. What the hell? Surely they discussed the possibility of what would happen if Murray kept getting pressured. Which he did the whole game. It looked like our half time was spent watching a Designing Women marathon, again.
• Speaking of Murray getting pressured, in what world do we have a premier offensive line? I know depth was/is an issue, but half the running game issues yesterday (and most of the season, for that matter) can be laid at the feet of the line. All of the tackles for losses and sacks, save one, are on the line. Individually, they are all good players. As a unit? Meh.
• Second half play calling. Specifically, thinking we can't possibly keep throwing down field successfully.
• Under utilizing the quick pass plays to TEs and RBs.
• Dropping into a protection scheme with under two minutes to play when State had not moved quickly  against our regular defensive scheme all day.

The Ugly:

• 3 Overtime possessions. 11 plays. -9 yards. 3 points. I get Blutarsky's point about Richt and who he is, but the safe play is to go to what is working, not what hasn't. That isn't conservative, that is stupid. I'm not laying blame at Blair's feet, either. Kid has the yips. That is just the way it is. Also, he isn't responsible for blocking the middle of the line on a place kick. 

More than any game this season, this game was lost on the side lines. Yes, we had plenty of poor plays/decisions, but if we hadn't nutted up and decided to be super safe after Michigan State made their comeback, we win. 

TD

3 Questions Answered: Michigan State

First things first, congrats to Michigan State. They took advantage of Georgia's mistakes and turned them into points.  They are the best bowl opponent we've faced in the Richt era and probably since Ohio State in '92.  They played extremely well in the second half and their last TD drive was a thing of precision. 

1. Do we bring the 1st half team from the SEC Championship Game?  Well, we did for a while.  
2. Which team will approach the Outback Bowl with the proper attitude? Both teams showed up to play. There was nothing to make me think either approached the game with the wrong attitude. 
3. Will the drama at running back matter? Oh, God yes. I was wrong to think Georgia would do anything different. Hey, we saw Boykin and Smith run the ball some. We didn't do anything unique regarding scheme, play calling or philosophy, especially in the 4th Q. Clearly we weren't getting a push against their very strong defensive front, yet we kept running the ball when Michigan State dared us to pass. We never took that gamble late to ice the game. Very disappointing.

I'll get to the knee at the end of regulation and other things later. We played a tough opponent and lost a game that could have gone either way. Much like the South Carolina game, it was game we should have won. Unlike the South Carolina game, this loss happened on the sidelines and in the coaching box.

TD