NCAA Passes on Adams

Next time you are in Boston, be sure to give Bob Ryan a kick in the balls. Don't get us wrong. It's been slow in the schadenfreude department, so Ryan's and the Boston Globe's withering takedowns of Adams were each a pleasure. But is the enemy of my enemy my friend? Not when it means Adams is staying in Athens.

The NCAA skipped over Mike Adams and named University of Washington president Mark Emmert as its next president. Who knows what the carried the day with the search committee, but I'm sure the bad publicity from the Boston Globe didn't help, particularly taking Adams to task over graduation rates. Or maybe the search committee met him personally.

[Photo: AP/John Amis] Not so fast, my friend. Il Duce needs a new exit strategy.

Non-Revenue Roundup

Georgia is used to a solid spring of athletic victory, but this year has seen mixed to no success.  Spring hasn't been all bad so far, but it hasn't been particularly enjoyable either.  Here's an update:

Baseball:  Ugh.  Where to begin?  The most obvious problem with the baseball team is that the pitchers can't get hitters out.  The team ERA is a titanic 8.52, three runs ahead of the the closest competitor.  When the opposition isn't hitting at the plate, they are walking.  We've issued 207 free passes this year, besting our closest competition in that stat by 40(!) walks.  You can't win with those stats even if you are hitting the ball well, which we aren't.  We're also last in the league in average and runs.  Our pitching coach, Brady Wiederhold, should take a long look at his work this year (and last).  Perno, in turn, should take a long look at Wiederhold. The numbers don't lie. 

Gymnastics:  After five straight national championships, losing one of the greatest college gymnasts ever, and the resignation of one of the greatest coaches in UGA history, a letdown was inevitable.  But this big of a letdown? The GymDogs didn't get out of their first round meet this year, much less to the Super Six.  

Men's Tennis:  The NCAAs are still upcoming, but the season ended with a wobble and thud.  The Dawgs were undefeated in conference before their final two matches against UF and UT, the best two teams in the conference.  Those matches resulted in two Ls.  It didn't help that freshman Bo Seal was suspended for the final leg of the season.  He stayed suspended for the SEC Tournament last weekend and the team fell 4-3 to Auburn in their first match.  It appears Seal won't be playing in the NCAAs either, which greatly limits the team's prospects.  Manny Diaz has signed two really good American prospects for next year, but we continue to get burned overseas by players who either go pro early or can't pass the TOEFL exam.

Women's Tennis: The girls fared only a little worse than the guys.  They lost in their first round match up in Athens at the SEC Tournament.  This isn't a championship squad, but the pieces are in place for an excellent team next year.  Gullickson and Gilchrist will be at the top of the line up, but Coach Wallace will welcome what should be the top recruiting class in the country.  He signed four bluechippers and the top prep player in Japan.  

Soccer:  Their season isn't until the fall, but the soccer program had some big news recently with the resignation of Coach Patrick Baker resigned abruptly to spend more time with his family.  It's a sad commentary when that stated reason leads you to suspect seriously malfeasance or perversion, but I haven't heard anything that would contradict Baker's stated reasons for quitting.  But, I wouldn't know anything about the soccer program other than scores.  Steve Holeman, formerly the HC at Ole Miss, will take over for Baker.  

It hasn't been a total loss, though.  We can all celebrate the equestrian team's national title in a sport that doesn't count in the Sears Cup and isn't recognized by the SEC. Hooray.  Maybe softball can brighten our prospects, but by all accounts, 2009-2010 has been a long year for athletics.

Quinton

Mettenberger dismissed

Per Richt... Mett is gone. Update...Radi at UGASports.com says it was related to the Valdosta / Remerton issue.

Given how good Mettenberger looked throughout Spring, he had to have dropped a real turd in Coach Richt's punch bowl to get the boot. I would imagine the full details will come out in a day or two.

PWD

Yes

I read the complaints about not posting more often. Just because I don't publish the profanity laced tirades doesn't mean I don't read them.

YMCA Mentality out the door?

Jon Fabris' disdain for a meritocracy, his passion for slow walk-ons, and his ignorance of geometry and rudimentary physical science were things that I (and many of you) found truly maddening about our kickoff strategy over the past few seasons.

As I said last year:

It doesn't take a physics major to know that back-up fullbacks, long snappers, and walk-on safeties aren't as fast as Brandon James or Trindon Holliday. And third team QBs, while fast, aren't ideally suited for violent collisions, either.

David Hale pointed out this morning that all of that finally may be coming to an end. (Ht - Blutarsky)

Like I mentioned the other day in the comments section, I haven't been writing about spring this year because I've found it to be staggeringly boring, and mostly a rehash of prior year soundbytes. However, this actually sounds like something more than just lip service. It's very encouraging to me.

PWD

All UGA players cleared

As you know by now...everyone on the football team was cleared of wrong doing in the Taxi Cab Confessions incident last weekend. I only posted this because I wanted to acknowledge that our guys were in the clear.

PWD

Montez Robinson dismissed from football team

Montez Robinson, defensive end, was arrested again last night for simple battery. It's his third arrest, and he's now longer with the team. I'm all for second chances, but not third chances.

What a waste of an expansive God given gift.

PWD