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