lucid idiocy

More and more, Jim Donnan looks like garbage

2012-01-27T13:22:00.004-05:00

The Ponzi case against former UGA Coach Jim Donnan just keeps getting uglier. From The Banner-Herald:

The Donnans were among the first investors, putting about $5.4 million in GLC, then getting $14.6 million back, according to documents filed by Bell’s lawyers.

Donnan got a commission of 15 percent to 20 percent when he solicited other investors to invest in or loan money to GLC, according to court documents filed by lawyers for Bell and for GLC.

The Donnans themselves filed for bankruptcy protection in July, proposing a plan in which the Donnans would repay some of the money they received from GLC. But some of those who lost money have objected, including the widow of Athens physician Stephen Fennell.

Lawyers for Valerie Fennell say Donnan persuaded her husband to invest $450,000 in GLC to buy inventory at a time when Fennell was dying of leukemia and unable to make sound financial decisions, the lawyers said. He only got a fraction of his money back.

So, either you were cheating people out of their money and knew it, or you thought the discount furniture business enabled you to turn a 170 percent profit over the course of a few years. Either way, you gotta go down.

More background on the case here, from ESPN. There are more details of Donnan's bankruptcy case here, also from ESPN, including a link to legal documents.

The second link confirms the profit estimate for the Donnan's:

"There is no dispute that the Donnans [including their immediate family members] were the largest net winners of all investors in GLC as they received from GLC approximately $9,157,000 more than they invested," the settlement agreement states.

UGA great Conrad Fink, dead at 80

2012-01-14T16:50:00.010-05:00

Conrad Fink, who in his life was a U.S. Marine, foreign correspondent, vice president of the Associated Press, newspaperman, University of Georgia professor, husband and father, died Sunday, according to numerous media outlets and the Grady College of Journalism.

He was something else, as his Facebook page today makes clear.

Just to give you an idea: Go to the 1:02 mark.

Update: A much longer version of his obituary.

I'd like to know our plan in the secondary

2012-01-09T13:27:00.004-05:00

With Jordan Love leaving, and word on the street that we're "full" at corner next year, I'm curious about what I don't know with our secondary.

Shawn Williams, Bacarri Rambo and Branden Smith are all said to be weighing their NFL draft options, though my money says only Rambo bolts. Brandon Boykin is a senior, Paul Hornung award winner and NFL bound. Sanders Commings is back, giving us a solid man at one corner.

After that, there are a few high-profile recruits (Nick Marshall, come on down, at pretty much any position), but it's not a roster position that stikes me as fully taken care of.

Luckily, what I don't know can fill a warehouse.

Where are you, Bulldog friend Anthony Logan?

2012-01-08T21:08:00.006-05:00

I'm not sure what made me think of this tonight, but did anyone ever find this guy? I'm assuming Herschel didn't. I have a feeling I would have heard about that.

"At the end of my eighth-grade year, I got beat up by this kid named Anthony Logan," Herschel said.

Laughing, he added, "Believe me, I'm still Googling him."

"But that was the last straw. I started doing 5,000 push-ups every day. I started doing 5,000 sit-ups every day. I would get up at 4:30 in the morning and run four miles. In the afternoon, I would run another three miles. I would find tree limbs and do pull-ups. I started going to the library, checking out books, reading in front of the mirror, and my speech impediment went away."

That's good work, Mr. Logan. Hide, before Herschel thanks you.

Even I don't wish that on you, Clemson

2012-01-06T23:33:00.006-05:00

Clemson fans, you've never been anything but nice to me. Sure, I disdain you on principle. But what I saw Wednesday night, on national television, was enough beat-down for the lifetime of any man, team or university athletic program.

You let me know where to send those flowers.

Images: The Orange Bowl Committee.

Love for Shawn Williams

2011-12-20T09:30:00.002-05:00

Glad to see Shawn getting some of his due. It's no secret how legitimately worried I was about the safety position when the season started. I know Rambo had a good year, but Shawn was the dependable cog that kept the crushing machine running.

“He put fear in a lot of receiver’s hearts,” senior cornerback Brandon Boykin said. “He was known as a big hitter and somebody who was gonna bring the wood, I guess you could say. Him not making a (postseason) team, I guess you could say that would motivate him for next year to try to be better and try to correct things that he needs to get better at. But he knows that he’s a good player, and everybody else does too.”

I heart Jarvis Jones

2011-12-16T15:43:00.001-05:00

Seriously, Jarvis, you are fast becoming one of my all time favorite Bulldogs.

From The Banner-Herald:

Outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, a consensus All-American, said “there’s no reason” for him to send in paperwork. He’s maintained for weeks that he’s returning for his redshirt junior season.
“I love being here,” Jones said. “I love the guys I play with. I love my coaches. I don’t think I’m ready to let that go yet.”

Higgs Boson for Linebacker

2011-12-14T01:49:00.006-05:00

"We observe an excess of events around mass of about 126 GeV."

Starts alongside Jarvis Jones. Wears No. 124~126.
Gives things mass/destroys. Causes "an excess of events."

With Munson, it was the waver

2011-12-10T22:05:00.008-05:00

I've thought, many times, "What is my favorite Munson call?"

And I keep coming back to 1978 Kentucky. "The bench is unconscious."

It's the waver in his voice, as he counts it down. Twenty-five, Twenty-four.

There is no font for that.

Of all of Munson's emotions, hyper intensified in the moment, I must say the fear was the most important. His explosive joy was more fun, obviously, but could it have been so sweet without the investment?

Not a chance.

By the way, Joe and I agreed, while Munson's own eulogy stole the show at today's memorial, Coach Dooley's story about the day Georgia decided to hire Larry was the best individual story. It was one I had not heard.

Dooley and others were listening to Munson call a Vanderbilt game, and the kicker missed a field goal. Larry says, "The S.O.B. missed it."

Then without missing a beat he tells his color man, "Scott, you can’t talk like that, we’re on the air.'"

Said Dooley: "Anybody who could think that fast, we wanted him."

Photo Gallery: Munson ceremony at Sanford

2011-12-10T19:36:00.002-05:00

Pictures courtesy Joe Petersen and Shawna Pile.

Munson: A part of the people, that's how I'd like to be remembered

2011-12-10T13:31:00.014-05:00

Larry recorded a message a few years back, and they played it at his memorial service today. It was moving stuff, my friends. An excerpt:

"Some people have called my homer style 'old school.' I think I'd call it a will to win. ... I've pulled my insides out trying to win. Being a part of the fans and a part of the people, that's the way I'd like to be remembered. ... I hope Bulldog fans remember I was always looking out for them."

Thank you, Larry. Thank you.

Image: Joe Petersen.

Update: The Athletics Association has video of Munson's eulogy up now. It's not to be missed.

Not enough Frijoles

2011-12-03T21:06:00.007-05:00

But next year, my friends, next year.

All propers to LSU. A great team as expected.

Suck it, Auburn, Florida, Georgia tech, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Clemson.

This just in: perfect tweet is perfect.

LSU: All they do is win, win no matter what

2011-12-01T22:46:00.005-05:00

This piece from And the Valley Shook is flat out excellent, in the pattern of the LSU football team itself:

This has been one of the most remarkable years of LSU football. We are nearing the close, and this team absolutely has to beat Georgia to validate this season -- winning the SEC means so much -- banners fly forever.

My only quibble is with the title. Because "delusional optimism" makes me think of Georgia.

You're not fooling anyone with that mask, Joe Cox

2011-11-30T21:08:00.012-05:00

People, this product doesn't need to exist.

Ginger Batman? Click to enlarge, weep.

We certainly don't need it available from "The Official Online Store of the Georgia Bulldogs" for $41.95. You want to dress like a Bulldog super hero, put on a Jarvis Jones jersey.

Come off it Bradley, ESPN. The BCS doesn't render the SEC anything

2011-11-29T22:05:00.005-05:00

This is just an awful column, Mark Bradley.

I don't want to overstate things. Obviously there is a shit-ton amount of drivel on the Internet. And granted a small amount of it comes from The AJC's sports writers, ~~all~~ most of whom are talented.

I know I'm going to turn on ESPN and hear Rod Gilmore whine about Alabama getting a "bye" while LSU has to play "another game" 36 days before the BCS championship.

But do I have to hear it out of Atlanta, too?

I get that people don't like the BCS. I get that they're using this SEC Championship Game won't factor into who plays in the BCS championship situation as an argument against the BCS.

I get that these people don't, I guess, like that the BCS and the SEC are separate, if partnering, systems. But that doesn't change the fact that they are different things.

That it's already obvious LSU and Alabama are the best two teams in the country does not render the SEC Title Game "moot." That they will meet in the BCS Championship Game means the BCS actually worked this year, despite needing to be replaced.

None of this makes the SEC Championship "just an exhibition game." They give a big ass trophy. The game generates tens of millions of dollars. They will keep a record of who wins it, probably for just about as long as there are people living in southeastern United States.

You don't have to exaggerate to make your argument. The BCS sucks. We get it.

That makes the SEC Championship more important, not less.

Update: Groo makes a point that derails the "meaningless championship meme" even more effectively:

Can we expect a similar column the next time the ACC and SEC basketball tournaments come to Atlanta? ... There is no greater set of moot exhibition games than during conference championship week in March.

LSU: If it bleeds, we can kill it

2011-11-29T12:46:00.003-05:00

In this video metaphor, I am Billy, the normally unafraid Indian tracker. The unseen alien enemy is LSU, embodied by any number of individuals on that team, some of whom may in fact be named Barkevious Mingo.

It is my sincere hope that Mark Richt and this 2011 Georgia team turn out to be Arnold Schwarzenegger. Because as bad ass as LSU clearly is, I promise you, they bleed.

tech over-matched, a puncher's chance v. LSU and hope for 2012

2011-11-28T11:56:00.012-05:00

I am surprised how weak Georgia tech looked Saturday. I really thought they'd give us all we could handle, but they looked over-matched from the start. Their decision to repeatedly throw us the football instead of committing to the run merely hastened their doom.

I'm proud of this Georgia team, this program and this coaching staff for getting it done this year. A 10-2 season is impressive, even with a weak schedule. It takes something to reel off win after win in college football, I don't care who you're playing. See the last decade of Boise State football if you doubt that.

That said, I think any fair analysis of this upcoming game against LSU must predict something approaching a crushing. That's not a jab at us. It's recognition that this LSU team is phenomenal. Having 11 defensive starters likely to play in the NFL has that kind of effect, and the Tigers have firepower on offense, too.

We're not going to Atlanta just to get the shit kicked out of us, though. We have what you always have at kickoff: A chance.

This Georgia defense turned a little nasty this season, and it's not unreasonable to expect some turnovers. If we can bottle up the run and keep this a low-scoring affair, the game could turn on special teams play and steady contributions from our offense, which will face its biggest challenge of the season by far.

Of course, if Isaiah Crowell's not at 100 percent Saturday, it's hard to see us rising to that challenge. Nothing short of our best game of the season in all phases will even keep this thing close.

Win, and all questions are answered with a resounding WE ARE AWESOME NOW. Lose and the over-riding question for the coming off-season seems clear enough to me. Was this season the start of an upswing, or an outlier due to what was obviously a down year for the SEC east and Auburn, plus a generous schedule from the SEC West?

Has Richt got us going again or not? Personally, I think he has. And hopefully we'll draw a good bowl opponent, keep the momentum going and douse the easy-schedule meme going into next year. But I also think it's fair to be afraid that Coach Richt just caught an astounding confluence of scheduling breaks this season.

Seriously, review our schedule. Who was the best team we beat? I'm going to go with "none of them."

Look at the Florida game. That team is terrible, didn't have its best quarterback healthy against us, and we barely pulled it out. So, while I'm pretty damn optimistic about next year, what with the talent we have coming back, the defense's gains under Coach Grantham and the litany of recent examples that show how quickly teams can go from pathetic to mediocre to champions, I fear my optimism is misplaced.

Call it a gnawing fear, banished to one small corner of my stomach by a 10-game winning streak. Banished, but not fully uprooted.

It's simple: I want tech to fail. Always.

2011-11-25T10:59:00.009-05:00

I've seen a few Dawg fans over the last week say they cheer for Georgia tech until we meet the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

The idea is that they cheer for all the state's teams, that they want the nation to take note of Georgia's football prowess in general, or they want the strength of schedule boost, or they just want to prove that the best tech teams still lose to Georgia.

Now, I'm all for taking as much from Georgia tech as we can. But the years we'll have a shot at ruining a techie National Title run are very few and very far between. So let's set that aside and try an exercise I typically find useful: Say it out loud.

As a Georgia fan I want Georgia tech's football program to do as well as possible, except when we play them, of course.

Does that really sound like a good idea? The top high school football talent in Georgia, you want them to have two legitimate in-state options? The national media attention that helps land recruits out of state, you want Georgia tech getting some of it?

No, I think one of our long-term goals should be forcing Georgia tech to end their football program and apologize to the state. Let's work toward that, and allow clean old fashioned hate to fester on its merits all year long.

Keith Marshall, come on down

2011-11-24T14:21:00.000-05:00

From The AJC:

Richt seemed to be talking to Marshall directly when he spoke of Georgia’s need for more tailbacks on Wednesday.

“There’s a tremendous opportunity at the University of Georgia for running backs in this class to come to Georgia and make a big impact,” Richt said. “I hope that’s not breaking a rule, but there’s tremendous opportunity, I can say that. If I was a running back, if I was a great running back, I would want to come to Georgia. I would be so excited about my opportunity at Georgia.”

The message reached Marshall. He retweeted Richt’s comments after they were circulated on Twitter by reporters.

SEC Champ tickets cutoff: $12K

2011-11-23T16:10:00.003-05:00

The Athletic Association just sent out point cutoffs for SEC Championship Game tickets:

Hartman Fund Contributor Tickets - in an attempt to provide tickets to as many Hartman Fund contributors as possible, the following ticket limits were implemented.
6 tickets: All contributors who ordered with a cumulative score of 100,000 and higher will receive up to 6 tickets.
4 tickets: All contributors who ordered with a cumulative score between 52,500-99,999 will receive up to 4 tickets.
2 tickets: All contributors who ordered with a cumulative score between 12,050-52,499 will receive up to 2 tickets.
Tickets will be mailed to Hartman Fund contributors on Wednesday, November 23 via USPS

I'd say that's fairly high demand.

Munson: For "old timers," tech our biggest rival

2011-11-22T10:34:00.007-05:00

I got to interview Larry Munson in 2005 for The Macon Telegraph. It was pretty cool.

Q: Who is Georgia's biggest rival?

A: Oh, I would think that the real old timers, like me and my age, I'm not saying me, but the older fans, they would show more hatred toward Georgia Tech than anybody. But as far as a rival is concerned and the student body getting up, younger people, I don't know. They have so many, so many teams that they're blood rivals with. Florida would rule, would be very close to that. But Tennessee would be close to that, too, and so would Auburn.

When it comes to hating other universities over a football game, who you gonna listen to? Students, old timers, or Jeff Schultz?

Beat tech. Beat them on every down.

His middle name was Harry

2011-11-21T09:38:00.003-05:00

What can you say about Larry Munson after, "He was the best?" What can I add to a 40-year love affair and a tradition that somehow grew as strong as the game itself?

Not much. There are few unturned stones along the path of Larry Munson's life. Reporters have been ringing him up for years, hoping to write their part to the gravely chorus of his life.

But maybe you don't already know he was from Minnesota, served in World War II and that his middle name was Harry. Lawrence Harry Munson.

One of a kind indeed.

ESPN leveraging Corso's F-bomb

2011-11-20T10:52:00.003-05:00

The awesomeness of Lee Corso's "F it" moment yesterday was pretty clearly unscripted. But I notice ESPN doesn't seem to be making any effort to bring down pirated videos of the moment, which surely they can do under copyright laws.

No doubt the moment will inject a little more life into next week's broadcast, and the good folks at the Worldwide Leader realize that the more people who hear about Corso's outburst, the better.

In a related note: In my eyes, Corso just justified the last two years of his career, during which he's made impressive strides back from a stroke, but hasn't been his old self. I declare him interesting again.

What a season. Now beat tech relentlessly

2011-11-20T10:41:00.006-05:00

Way to go, guys. Weak schedule or not, slow start or not, you won the SEC East, and that's a hell of an accomplishment after last season.

In other news:

YES, awesome, suck it, die. Metaphorically(ish), of course.

Not bad for a white boy

2011-11-18T22:31:00.016-05:00

Put me in the "doesn't buy that Michael Bennett is 'white'" category.

Image: Tenn. Sports for The Dawgbone.

Guy's a 6'3" freshman and he's got 4 touchdowns this year, two of which I specifically remember as being holy-shit-awesome.

That is one of several reasons to believe our receiving corps is in good hands for the future. Bennett, Conley, everyone's favorite playmaker Malcolm Mitchell ...

Herschel Walker Quiz

2011-11-14T22:40:00.008-05:00

Which of these paragraphs about Herschel Walker, from this November Playboy profile, is the most awesome paragraph about Herschel Walker?

a. Said Michael Irvin: “When Herschel was the baddest motor scooter on earth, he’d say, ‘I want to fight Mike Tyson.’ I’d say, ‘Herschel, do you know what that guy does to people? Let’s just beat the Redskins next week.’ But he believed he could beat Tyson. MMA is par for the course for him.”

b. “You can order room service at your house,” says Walker, who a mile into the run speaks with the effortlessness of someone who could do this for hours. Indeed, it is only 7:30 on a summer morning, but he has been up since 5:30, already knocking out 2,000 sit-ups and 500 push-ups and then answering e-mails.

c. Today Walker’s company consists of two divisions, including a recently purchased hospitality unit, and employs 300 people. Corporate offices are in Georgia. From three plants in Arkansas he distributes chicken sliders, chicken wings, chicken breast fajita strips and a host of other food items to clients that include the MGM Grand, Caesars Palace, the Hard Rock Cafe and McDonald’s. Last year his sales topped $80 million.

d. If record keepers took into account his combined USFL and NFL yardage — 13,787 — he would be the fifth leading rusher in pro history, ahead of Jim Brown, O.J. Simpson, Eric Dickerson and Ricky Williams.

e. He believes he would have committed murder had he not seen a "smile, Jesus loves you" bumper sticker on the rear of his intended victim’s hauling van.

f. “By eighth grade I’d been beaten up 15 times,” he says. “On the last day of eighth grade I got beat up again. I went home and watched Gilligan’s Island and said, ‘That won’t happen to Herschel again.'

I have to go with f. Also acceptable: Holy shit, watch out for Herschel Walker.

Raise your hand if you thought we'd whup Auburn

2011-11-14T22:39:00.006-05:00

Everyone but Coach Richt and Coach Grantham, put your hands down.

Well done, all around, Bulldogs.

Evil Richt Returns

2011-11-09T20:41:00.002-05:00

Awesome.

Update: It sounds like the question asked was "Any suspensions that we need to know about?" Yeah. Because that would be ridiculous. Coach Richt may not have had a pleasant Wednesday.

Auburn hates America, and we got America's back

2011-11-07T12:31:00.003-05:00

The source is lost to time and the Internet, but some years ago a Dawg fan described Auburn something like this:

"I'm pretty sure that, if a Kid Rock concert could take a shit, it'd be Auburn."

That is, I believe, roughly accurate. And yet, these people are not merely no-account losers, sleeping on their cousin's couch in a doublewide. They've been successful, largely due to to cheating.

But I digress.

We'd better bring everything on Saturday. We'd better come out focused, and throw every asset we have at this biggest game of the season. Because we're not a very good team, and Auburn isn't terrible.

Altogether, I am reminded of 1997. We beat Florida that year, albeit with a much better effort and without the special teams meltdown we saw 8 days ago in Jacksonville. We were headed in the right direction that year, then slammed into an orange-and-blue wall named Dameyune Craig.

Let's definitely not do that again.

Before the Auburn game in 1901, a sign hung in the Georgia locker room. It said, "Beat Auburn or quit the game."

The game ended in a 0-0 tie. So we did not beat Auburn, and we did not quit the game. The basic philosophy, though, is sound.

Beat Auburn, or this season hardly existed at all.

More black jerseys? No. That is a bad idea

2011-11-04T17:40:00.004-04:00

OTA, I enjoy your blog, but any line of logic that includes "it would be similar to the way Notre Dame wears/wore the green jerseys" is a line of logic you should abandon.

Update from the comments:

I like the idea of only doing it against AU at night.

That is now official blog policy.

Glory, Glory

2011-10-29T21:37:00.002-04:00

The beach houses are secure.

Mark Richt, Gator Hunter

2011-10-26T14:04:00.006-04:00

A buddy of mine turned this into this:

Brilliant. Credit: Keith McCoy.

Warning: Graphic Content

2011-10-25T09:26:00.003-04:00

Ran into this guy somewhere in south Georgia, at a gas station on our way to Jacksonville in 2007. "That's what we gon' do to them Gators," he said.

Turned out to be prophetic. And honestly, that second picture, that says what I want this weekend better than a thousand words ever will.

Logan Stewart, you're a cheap, cheating thug

2011-10-19T12:55:00.002-04:00

James Franklin, more and more you and your whole outfit look like trash.

From The AJC:

“I’ve played football and been around football all my life,” said Robert Geathers Sr., who played in the NFL for 13 seasons has has two other sons playing professionally, “and if you watch it you see this kid speed up while everybody else is slowing down and he’s locked in on my son’s leg. If you look closely you can see the guy give a thumbs up to the sideline and the coach telling him ‘good job.’ I was, like, ‘Wow!’ I could be sitting here today telling you how my son’s surgery went.

Grantham v. Franklin: What really happened

2011-10-18T14:14:00.004-04:00

It amazes me that a confrontation can play out on national(ish) television, the parties involved can be interviewed about it and no one will just say "here's why we were yelling at each other."

But finally we have word from a Nashville T.V. station with video footage: James Franklin thought Georgia was rubbing Vandy's face in a loss, and he used that to draw attention to his program.

Why it was so hard to get this hashed out from the beginning instead of everyone spending three days saying, well things got a little hot and we want to be gentlemen, is beyond me.

The Senator lays it out. Case freaking closed.

Sturdivant: This man loves the game

2011-10-18T09:51:00.003-04:00

Per The Red & Black, Trinton Sturdivant is coming back next year ... as a tight end.

GATA, my man.

Personally, I think we're pretty good

2011-10-16T01:12:00.005-04:00

Personally, I think we're pretty good. 2011 SEC East pretty good.

Yes, it was Vanderbilt. But we were missing a couple of guys, and it's Vanderbilt. So you can't say, "but it's Vanderbilt" and not account for the fact that it's Vanderbilt.

Two weeks and beat Florida.

A top 25 team waking up

2011-10-01T16:22:00.005-04:00

If we keep getting improved play from the offensive line, the defense keeps up its very noticeable growth, our best play makers (Crowell, Boykin, J. Jones, Malcolm Mitchell and the tight end parade) stay healthy and Aaron Murray / Blair Walsh both find their heads, this Georgia team will be pretty damn good.

Especially as we get folks back from injuries and the young guys continue to mature.

Good win today. But let's don't get satisfied.

We didn't have time to miss you

2011-09-29T22:35:00.004-04:00

It does kind of make you feel better about your position in the human condition to hear David Pollack doubted his ability to play SEC football.

From the Ken Malcome and Derek Owens are leaving the program story:

“I’ll never forget David Pollack coming in my office as a freshman during camp and he was down,” Richt said. “He’s like, ‘I can’t do anything right. Coach [Rodney] Garner is all over me. I think I might have made a mistake. I don’t know if I can play here.’ … It’s hard to all of a sudden compete at a level you never had to. The guys [transferring] aren’t bad kids at all. Instead of fighting, they choose to move on, and the kids that do that, they’re a bunch of good kids.”

Wishing you the best, Jakar Hamilton

2011-09-20T23:39:00.004-04:00

Fare the well, Hitman.

I suspect some Dawgboners don't like clicking on a headline, only to find, basically, nothing they didn't already know. That's reasonable.

C'mon, Richt, you know that's my dream

2011-09-19T21:59:00.001-04:00

From The AJC:

If Orson Charles and Todd Grantham had their way, the junior tight end would have played some defense late in the Coastal Carolina game.

With all the tight ends we've got, and had, for Orson's career at UGA, what could have been if he was playing outside linebacker?

Head north toward Cedar St.

2011-09-14T22:05:00.003-04:00

For what it's worth, my cell phone just gave me directions from Sanford Stadium to a brewpub in downtown Winston-Salem.

Now, I'm in Winston-Salem. And my phone was in Sanford Stadium Saturday. But I didn't ask it for directions then, and I certainly didn't just ask it for directions from the stadium.

4 hours and 37 minutes, "in traffic," by the way.

A Base to Rebuild From

2011-09-12T08:09:00.013-04:00

It would have been nice to get a win Saturday. But for what it's worth, I have hope again. Always nice when you don't won't have to strip things down to the concrete and start over.

Ashley Henderson-Huff and Noah Harris

2011-09-11T21:06:00.005-04:00

The University of Georgia honored Ashley Henderson-Huff and Noah Harris during half time of Saturday's South Carolina game. Both died serving their country, and their families were given framed University of Georgia jerseys.

I'm very proud to say Ashley was a friend of mine.

The anniversary of her death, in fact, is about a week away. She is buried in Oconee Hill Cemetery, across East Campus Road from Sanford Stadium.

More Playmakers and Blocking: live blogging

2011-09-10T11:26:00.020-04:00

Gotta have 'em both.

Come on down, Will Friend and Malcolm Mitchell.

Update: The Senator hit today's theme song right on the head: going Down the Road Feeling Bad.

Update: just heard prince's 1999. Roughly where we are on the timeline we're on any way. 'Life is just a party and parties weren't meant to last.'

1:01 pm: whiskey bent end hell bound. Very Nearly Literally.

2:29: Campbell HS, Smyrna Georgia forever.

2:33: On a scale from 1 to fucked ...

2:35: I'm afraid. To ask, but where do you have us on that scale? Err on the side of optimism.

2:41: Auburn appears to have playmakers. I mean come on.

2:52: Auburn is a trailer park mafia.

3:06: And ... Optimism.

4:43: my wife is pregnant. What do you think of 'lattimore enemy' as a name for a boy?

Noah Harris and Ashley Henderson Huff. GATA

Please remember the first responders

5:38: I cannot wait til Alshon Jefferey is pumping gas.

5:48: ISRAEL ... WOOTEN ON THE CATCH TURNABOUT IS FAIR PLAY

POST GAME: MUCH BETTER ... HEY, ALMOST

Is someone polling Coach Richt?

2011-09-09T00:03:00.003-04:00

From a friend of mine, via The Facebook:

My parents are among the few people I know that still have a regular home phone. It rang tonight and when my mom picked it up she got a recording asking her to press 1 for "get rid of Richt" or 2 for "keep him"!!!!

Well, that ain't good.

Hope

2011-09-07T20:49:00.003-04:00

My wife: Do you have any hope at all for the South Carolina game?

Me: No. None.

The Woman's Perspective, from DawgSports

2011-09-05T22:00:00.006-04:00

Good stuff.

So you showed up on my doorstep last evening with a dozen red roses and a box of Godiva chocolates. I would assume those gifts were to make up for your hideous all-red outfit, although I have to admit you were absolutely adorable while you tried to explain to me with a sort of embarrassed shuffle that your dad's boss had made the suit just for you and that you never argued with your dad's boss. ...

Those sexy gloves rested possessively against my skin, and I knew that this was going to be one of the greatest nights of my life.

Until you trod on my foot. Then bumped into the couple dancing beside us. And then fell on your butt. You stared at me in bewilderment, unable to comprehend why you were on the floor and why the whole room was suddenly staring at you. I wanted to shrink away in embarrassment, but I would never give up on you that easily.

So I helped you up and dusted you off, determined to help you regain your confidence and get rid of those big-party jitters. I whirled and twirled and curled, dancing my hardest for you. I tried to help you, but you always did the most inexplicable things at the worst times. Occasionally, we would be in sync, but those times always seemed accidental ...

It's the "those times always seemed accidental" that I found, perhaps, most accurate.

Something to remember if it all goes south

2011-09-05T15:27:00.002-04:00

Had by my own want to believe

2011-09-04T10:43:00.005-04:00

It would appear that we did not cut deep enough over the off season to fully remove what ails us. I think we all know where that line of thinking leads.

MOHAWK UPDATES / BSU GAME Live Blog / Drinking

2011-09-03T16:01:00.082-04:00

Why not? Say, 7:30?

5:35 - DRINKING GAME: When Aaron Murray completes a pass, take a sip of beer. When Orson Charles catches a pass, take two sips. The first time we run the sprint draw to Isaiah Crowell, make yourself a whiskey drink.

If Kwame Geathers or Jon Jenkins pancakes on top of Kellen Moore, get yourself a second whiskey drink.

If any Georgia coach gets so fired up that he chest bumps / grabs the facemask of a Bulldog player, or punches Kellen Moore in the face, punch everyone in the room in the face and say, "THAT'S THE GEORGIA WAY."

**Note: I probably will not play this game.

6:28: Holly Rowe's got your latest Orson Charles Mohawk picture. It is pro-combat style.

7:16 Joe from the Dome: "Our jerseys look horrible. We look like assholes. We look like Fresno State. Kellen Moore's easily in whiskey bottle range right now. Branden Smith, he looks (uninjured). He's practicing catching punts right now."

7:17: Mark Schlabach says basically the same thing about our uniforms.

8:12: You don't need this update: There's a lot of red in that Dome. Please kick to Brandon Boykin.

8:13: Brandon, tie your shoes just a little tighter.

8:17 Dan from the Dome: The early sentiment in section 338 is that Bobo sucks. Our fanbase is a fragile bunch.

8:26: Sprint draw to Crowell and he fell down. Drink heavily.

8:26: Orson Charles has fallen down twice. Lose your mind with worry.

8:33: And we've taken a timeout in punt formation, with Boise State on 4th and 2. I'd almost forgotten how often we waste timeouts.

8:38 Touchdown Boykin. On offense. Said it before, I'll say it again: Brandon Boykin is our best running back.

8:38: As an aside, I'm now OK with Branden Smith and Isaiah Crowell wearing the same number.

8:49: I'm not worried about Boise's offense, but I am worried about ours. (comment not inclusive of Brandon Boykin.)

8:59 Joe from the Dome: What happened when Shawn Williams got hurt and we put in a white guy. Whay is wrong with Rambo? I mean, it's still the first quarter. The longest quarter of my life ...

9:15: Go you Herschel Walker.

9:23 Huff from the Dome:

9:26: Murray int. Cunt. Also, Nike, all the guys with dreds keep losing their helmets. I will make it my mission in life to destroy you.

9:34: Noooooooo RT @ajcuga: Ogletree out for game for #UGA

9:35: Christian Robinson possibly hurt, too. Funny how quickly I can go from "we won't be very good" to "IT IS ALL SLIPPING AWAY" and we're only down by a touchdown to the No. 5 team in the nation.

9:39: Richard Samuel limping off the field. WHISKEY HALFTIME.

10:02 Joe from the Dome: Now we find out about Joe Tereshinski. Also, they are about to cut off alcohol sales here.

10:07 @theredandblack: this no huddle is killing us

10:10: Looking slow against Boise: Priceless.

10:11: Dear Nike Pro Combat: Your helmets are unfit for "combat." Reason: They keep coming off.

10:12: Drink Whiskey.

10:12: Reset for those doing the post mortem: 28 to 7 Boise in the 3rd quarter.

10:15 Call the Rice band against Texas. See if they've got any advice.

10:20: I'm calling it at 10:20 p.m. on the night of the first game: Our O-Line is not very good.

10:22: RT @jeffowens95 I don't like our offensive scheme, since when did Georgia become a spread team??

10:23: I'm not sure we're running anything much different than in the past. But when you've lost Jeff Owens ...

10:28
?

10:36: To my dying day I'll believe David Greene overthrew Terrence Edwards in 2002, and that Brandon Boykin woulda taken that kick to the house if he wasn't kind of tired.

10:37: Oooooooohhhhh, Tavarres King you cannot drop passes.

10:39: Third and 16 and we run the draw. Son of a bitch.

10:40 Huff from the Dome: Our fan base has booed our team consistently since the end of the first half.

10:42: PENALTY ON BOISE. AND THERE'S BEEN A 2ND HALF ORSON CHARLES SIGHTING. DAWGS DOWN 14-28.

10:43: Geathers on the sideline. Come on Motel 6.

10:53: Double end arounds really shouldn't work against a fast defense.

10:56: This is hard to watch.

11:02: WHY MUST YOU MAKE ME BELIEVE AARON MURRAY AND MALCOLM MITCHELL TOUCHDOWN GEORGIA 21-35.

11:09: Kellen Moore, you are a brutal executionist.

11:30 Shortest College Football season of my life. Almost fun the two days it lasted.

Big Season Ahead if it Worked: The S&C

2011-09-03T11:45:00.021-04:00

If the strength, conditioning and nutrition changes we made in the off season worked, this team will win 11 regular season games. I say that despite concerns about the offensive line, safety and wide receiver, not to mention running back and a few other places we're relying on new and largely unproven talent.

We've got a long list of question marks, in fact. But if THIS TEAM can push people around in the Fourth Quarter, I like it's chances an awful lot.

That includes tonight, against what I expect will be a very good Boise State team. I say Dawgs by 3.

The rest of the season? A while back The Dawgbone had a picture / motto / with one basic message: We believe in Joe Tereshinski. It went up after one of the guys played golf with Coach Tereshinski and, like a lot of people who've met him, came away impressed as hell.

"All I can say is JTII is a badass," Deke said. "After the round everyone was socializing in the clubhouse drinking and eating. JTII sat at a table by himself the whole time and talked to no one.

"I’m a fan."

Me too. I think we fulfill a lot more of our potential this year, and I'm excited.

Final Thoughts:

Dan: I hope we don't blow them out too bad and get the big head. Rest of the season, we'll know in 8 days.

Joe: My final thought is we win.

Huff: UGA 35 - BSU 24. Some of the years that we have the most question marks are the years we have the best seasons. What I want to know is are boooze served in the dome for this?

...
Post-game update: I no longer believe in anyone.

That's what you get for recruiting the Netherlands

2011-09-02T22:52:00.004-04:00

Really, Boise State? You've got three players, at least, from the Netherlands? What sport do you think this is?

By the way, take it from a team that knows, having to leave a starter or two at home over some vague NCAA investigation issues can put a real damper on your season.

But don't worry about having a redshirt freshman making his first start at safety now. You don't have anyone who can guard this guy any way.

The 2011 College Football TV Schedule

2011-09-01T09:19:00.004-04:00

I don't know who runs www.lsu.net, but they always seem to have one of the most complete and user-friendly T.V. schedules of the college football season.

Just bear in mind, all those times are central.

By the way, what a shit hole of openers tonight. I guess South Carolina's too big a deal these days to start the season on a Thursday night.

Because basically we said, "Suck it, tech."

2011-08-30T00:24:00.004-04:00

I love this, from an AJC piece on the story behind the Boise State game, because I can't see much reason for the decision other than we just didn't want to do it, since it would have been good for Georgia tech:

Stokan next pursued the possibility of moving this year's Georgia-Georgia Tech game from late November in Bobby Dodd Stadium to early September in the Georgia Dome.

Tech expressed interest, but only if UGA would agree to play at Tech, rather than in Athens, in 2012.

The result would have been that starting in ‘12, Tech's home games in the rivalry would fall in even-numbered years, rather than the current odd-numbered years. That change would have created a more even flow of revenue for Tech by breaking up the current format that has home games against Georgia, Clemson and Virginia Tech in the same seasons.

Georgia declined, saying it did not want to alter the rivalry's home-game rotation.

Rambo suspended for the Boise game?

2011-08-29T15:43:00.015-04:00

I certainly can't confirm it, but it fits with chatter from the last week or two. From Dave Tarter who, according to his Twitter account, is a UGA student and radio show host:

Update: Dawgpost.com and other outlets have several interesting things up from this afternoon's press conference, including Coach Richt getting asked point blank if Rambo is expendable ... er, suspended:

“I’m not going to address that (Richt said). At the appropriate time if anybody is like that, I’ll let you know.”

If that ain't a "yes," then either there are some real strange circumstances, or Coach Richt needs to learn how to answer questions better.

Turn up the heat

2011-08-28T23:17:00.011-04:00

How desperate are we for College Football that this qualifies as smack talk?

Boise State, the vocal bulk of your never-been-nowhere, chip-on-it's-shoulder, llama-feeding fan base is clueless. You live in a dream world, where the grass is blue and you wanna bet us whether Kellen Moore can throw a football over them mountains.

I definitely think you should kick to Brandon Boykin, every chance you can get. And I love the way he's talking to you.

I heart Greg McGarity

2011-08-25T09:15:00.006-04:00

Since his return a year ago, UGA Athletic Director Greg McGarity has repeatedly struck just the right tone on issues a lesser executive would have easily over, or under, stepped on.

Consider the fine line that needed to be walked in meeting with Athens' police chiefs. Consider his focus on the little things, noted in that same piece.

Simply put, the man gets it. He sees consequences several steps beyond his choices. Every decision he makes just makes me more confident that he's leading this department to success.

And that's a big picture that should put a smile on your face.

"I doubt we go to the Ramsey"

2011-08-23T09:29:00.003-04:00

From the bottom of Marc Weiszer's practice notebook today:

"Some guys have done a better job of being mature enough to fight through being tired, being sore, being bored, whatever the heck it is, to get better," he said. "I’d say there’s a few guys that still need to learn that." … Richt in recent seasons has taken his team for some diving and swimming at the Ramsey Center during camp to change things up, but that’s not in the plans. "I doubt we go to the Ramsey," said Richt, who said the team is on track to get in 29 practices for what might be the first time since he’s been at Georgia.

Good call, coach. Ramsey's got an indoor pool. They can swim in December.

"Opinions were mixed on Saturday ..."

2011-08-21T09:17:00.015-04:00

The media coverage of Saturday's Pro Combat uniform debut provides several examples of one of my least favorite newspaper traditions: The public reaction story.

Basically, this story assignment translates to "go out, talk to like 5 people, and write what the public thinks about something." At the heart of this practice seems to be a belief that the reader needs to know what a handful of random people think, generally on a subject they know little about.

And despite a number of newspaper headlines telling you how much fans hate the Pro Combat uniforms, I can assure you that's not true. Fans have mixed opinions on these uniforms. People always have mixed opinions on things.

Hell, people can't even come to a consensus on what color the new helmets are. UGA and Nike say they're silver. The Banner-Herald says they're gray. The Macon Telegraph somehow determined that they're white.

There are fans who hate these uniforms. There are fans who like these uniforms. There are fans in the middle. You don't have any idea what the actual split is.

Me, I like them, for one game. I think they'd look better with black pants, though.

Update: The Telegraph changed its helmet description, going with "silver and red."

The 2011 AP Top 25 in list form

2011-08-20T10:29:00.005-04:00

Twelve years in the newspaper business and I can't for the life of me figure out why the Associated Press is so quick to move a story on their College Football Top 25's, but makes just a simple list hard to find.

1. Oklahoma (36 of 60 first place votes)
2. Alabama (17)
3. Oregon (4)
4. LSU (1)
5. Boise State (2)
6. FSU
7. Stanford
8. Texas A&M
9. Oklahoma State
10. Nebraska
11. Wisconsin
12. South Carolina
13. Virginia Tech
14. TCU
15. Arkansas
16. Notre Dame
17. Michigan State
18. Ohio State
19. Georgia
20. Mississippi State
21. Missouri
22. Florida
23. Auburn
24. West Virginia
25. Southern Cal

Seems like there are some reaches in there. But, then, what else to expect before the season starts?

I guarantee that's not how you Dooley

2011-08-18T23:11:00.001-04:00

It's not that there are no words, it's that there are way too many.

Hat tip: Silver Britches.

Looking forward to basketball season? -> this guy

2011-08-18T19:47:00.004-04:00

Not to be seen as a comment on the coming football season.

UGA hoops schedule announced. How 'bout them Dawgs.

Bleacher Report: Also successful publishing

2011-08-18T08:13:00.010-04:00

"Little by little the look of the country changes because of the men we admire."
- Homer Bannon, Hud

Let me start with this: I did indeed paint with too broad a brush last week in writing about the Idaho iteration of SB Nation. It was unintentional. There are fine writers at SB Nation, just as I'm sure there are fine writers at Bleacher Reporter.

An entity has to be judged by what it does, not by semantics. Blogs can produce great stuff. Newspapers can produce crap. But you shouldn't publish things that look to all the world like a regular article then hide behind, "well that's just a fan perspective," when it contains numerous inaccuracies.

Which brings me to The Bleacher Report. If you think they actually sent someone to all 50 of these stadiums, or did anything more scientific than read other rankings and dither over how to produce the most hits through this list of the loudest college venues, you're kidding yourself.

It's click bait, like so many things you see today from traditional and non-traditional publishers. It's a slideshow with a bunch of pictures. Facts don't come into it.

There's a place for that type of discussion. But does it deserve 43,000 views and counting?

What I'm saying is: Facts are important. Research is important. Actually going to see things in person is important. Please reward that and stay away from publishers who prove, repeatedly, that they don't value these things.

Otherwise, you will get what you pay for. Because one thing's for sure: The media is going to give you what you want, particularly when what you want is so much cheaper than traditional journalism.

Update: In writing this I have asked myself, "am I a hypocrite?" After all, this blog generally contains little original reporting. Then again, it specifically advertises its stupidity. And like other blogs I enjoy reading, it would be hard to mistake for a legitimate news organization. I'm not saying blogging is bad. I'm saying be clear and honest with readers about what you are.

Bring back the silver helmets

2011-08-15T14:24:00.007-04:00

I'm on record against anything called "Pro Combat" that doesn't involve actual soldiers. But if we're heading down that path anyway for the Boise State game, I'd like to see some throwback flair to the new uniforms.

I'd like to see silver helmets in the mix, with an updated "G" on the side in a nod to the 1962 uniforms described here.

All in all, I think we downplay silver in general. I'm not calling for a silver-out ... yet. But it sure looks good mixed with that red and black, and it's a lot better than white.

Nick Saban: It hits all by itself

2011-08-13T16:56:00.007-04:00

My buddy Joe was telling me the other day about a radio interview he heard with Alabama Coach Nick Saban.

Essentially Saban said he knows what he wants to do on defense, he recruits the right players for it, then he dictates that right down the other team's throat. But on offense Saban rejected the idea of having a specific philosophy, even though many argue it's important for an offense to have a clear identity.

I can't find this interview online, but Saban has made this point before:

"Our philosophy is we want to utilize the players we have on offense," Saban said following Alabama's second practice of Fall camp Friday. "We start with that. There were times at LSU when we led the SEC in passing and there were times when we led the league in rushing. There were times when we scored a lot of points and there were times when we were hard to score on. ...

"The bottom line is, we don't have a philosophy."

It didn't take long to remember where I'd heard that before. It was Bruce Lee's philosophy of martial arts, laid out at the beginning of Enter the Dragon.

Trojan Horse t-shirts: For the tech fan in your life

2011-08-10T15:31:00.005-04:00

I want to give these people a standing ovation. From Reuters:

BERLIN - Festival goers at a nationalist, right-wing concert in Germany were taken by surprise when souvenir t-shirts they were given had a secret anti-far right message that emerged only after being washed.

The slogan on the shirts first read "hardcore rebels" along with a skull and nationalist flags. But once washed the slogan turned into a message from a group offering help to right-wing extremists break away from the neo-Nazi scene.

So you give someone a shirt, and at first it tells them they're awesome. But when they wash it, it lets them know just how stupid their moron beliefs are.

This is easily the greatest t-shirt related technology since hypercolor.

Boise tickets mailed separately

2011-08-10T14:06:00.003-04:00

If you've gotten your season tickets in the mail and wonder why you didn't get tickets to the Boise State game, rest easy. Those will come in a separate mailing, according to the UGA ticket office.

Big John Jenkins: Banking on the Motel 6

2011-08-10T09:03:00.006-04:00

I have no idea who came up with this, other than this anonymous commenter on Hedges to Hardwood, but this blog heartily endorses "Motel 6" as the official nickname for John Jenkins.

Me: Because he wears No. 6, and he puts people to sleep.

Joe: That is awesome. You think we'll line him up on offense some? What if we beat South Carolina on a p-44 Jenkins?

Me: Then he could go to the sidelines and eat Spurrier's visor.

Motel 6: He'll turn the light off for you.

SB Nation: Irresponsible and successful publishing

2011-08-08T18:19:00.019-04:00

It says a lot about today's media that this guy:

... can type up his thoughts and these guys will just throw it up on the Internet, generating hundreds, if not thousands, of hits and thus advertising revenue.

Even better, they do it with the following caveats. From the blog's editors:

This content was not created by OBNUG and therefore may not meet our standards. On the contrary, it probably exceeds them.

And from the author himself in the comments:

idk if these facts are correct but that is what i found, i’d appreciate the feedback so i can get these facts correct

"Pro Quality, Fan Perspective," indeed.

I can fix the misdial recruiting violations

2011-08-06T14:05:00.004-04:00

I doubt they're any kind of big deal, even cumulatively, but it's easy enough to keep from misdialing recruits from your cell phone.

Every recruit you program into your phone, put an "x" or some other unusual letter before their name. Then they're all together in one place, and you don't call Drew Harris when you mean to call Jay Harris (fourth item) and commit a secondary NCAA violation.

Putting recruits in the "X" section should also cut down on butt dialing.

Aaron Murray: Room for improvement

2011-08-06T00:15:00.002-04:00

I have a confession to make: I didn't think Aaron Murray was that good last year.

Sure, I know he was a redshirt freshman. He was good for a redshirt freshman. And taken as a whole, his stats for the season were downright solid.

But we stalled on a lot of drives, right when we needed momentum. I'm not smart like some of you folks, so I can't just point at Mike Bobo and blame the play calling. I blame a plethora of things. I see death by 1,000 cuts and football as a game of inches.

Which is to say I want a quarterback who can shrug all that off, put us on his back, and take us to the end zone.

And that is why I love Aaron Murray. From The Macon Telegraph:

“If you all were able to go back and watch the film the way we watch the film and critique it the way I critique it and the way Coach Bobo critiques it, there were tons of plays last year where I left on the field,” Murray said. “I could’ve thrown a completion here or there, or thrown a touchdown here or there, or checked to a play here or there that I didn’t do. There are a lot of corrections to be made.”

Boise game NOT a must win

2011-08-04T10:13:00.004-04:00

From Tom Dienhart:

I hate to overstate the importance of a season-opening game, but that's just what I'm going to do: Georgia HAS to beat Boise State when they meet in Atlanta on Sept. 3. ... No school will play a more important season opener than Georgia. A loss vs. a very good Boise State squad could send a Bulldogs team with shaky confidence into a funk with a visit from South Carolina - the favorite of most to win the SEC East - looming next. An 0-2 start could mean that Georgia's season is over before it hardly had begun.

Free tip for journalists starting out: Don't write sentences that say two opposite things.

Now, I'm going to lose my mind as much as anyone if we lose to Boise State. But it's not an SEC game. It's not a "must" win any more than any other game on the schedule. To the extent that early-season must wins exist, South Carolina is a must win.

But college football history is replete with examples of teams that stumbled early, then recovered to have very good seasons. And a very good Bulldogs season in 2011 would be a great accomplishment.

Since our primary goal is the SEC championship, I'd argue the opening game is bigger for Boise than it is for us. Win and they're in the national conversation all year long. Lose and maybe the ESPN guys will talk about how Boise State can still win the Mountain West, some time after the third commercial break.

But I will say this: If we're so mentally weak that losing to Boise sends us into some kind of shame spiral the season can't recover from, if we're a team with "shaky confidence," as Dienhart suggests, then we are already doomed.

Hobnailed boots only carry you so far

2011-07-31T17:53:00.016-04:00

We need new highlights, Bulldogs. Because every jerk-ass compilation video I see right now just pisses me off.

We were 6-7 last year. It's been 29 years since Herschel Walker was running over people. It's been 10 since we stomped on Tennessee's face with a hobnailed boot.

We don't have any highlights right now. And I damn sure don't want to see selective editing of the one good play we had during the 2009 black helmet debacle. We lost that game 41-17.

FORTY-ONE TO SEVENTEEN.

We lost to Colorado last year. We lost to Mississippi State. WE COULDN'T SCORE A TOUCHDOWN AGAINST CENTRAL FLORIDA.

You want some honest highlights from the last few years? How about these? Or these? Or this massive beating?

Take a look at this. And this. Why don't you watch Cam Newton celebrate beating us?

So shutdown iMovie. Quit editing the 16 good plays we had last year into a "hype" video. Quit splicing in Rocky speeches. Quit listening to "Here Comes the Boom" all day like we can tackle somebody.

Quit all that dumb shit and get mad. Because you have nothing to point to right now as a Georgia fan. You're a loser. And you should be frothing at the mouth over that between now and Sept. 3.

Optimism at the horizon

2011-07-29T08:28:00.003-04:00

I was in Athens two weeks ago and ended up, as I usually do, downtown after midnight. And as I stepped onto a sidewalk, I felt the more-than-faint wisp of wet coolness in the breeze. An undercurrent of the coming season.

And I rediscovered that, no matter how many running backs we kick off the team, Georgia football's still coming.

So it is with that attitude that I devoured every word of this news, which The Senator rightly labelled "Dawg Porn." It's just an orgy of love for freshmen coming in at positions of need.

We remain thin on the offensive line. We've got problems at running back. Safety ... don't even get me started. But hope, thy name is Malcolm Mitchell. As Tyler Dawgden wrote:

I made it to July 28th without buying into off season hype. I can resist no longer. ... I hope the A.J. Green comparisons Malcolm Mitchell is drawing are real.

Inside the Georgia Theatre: Looks great

2011-07-28T10:57:00.009-04:00

This is a picture from upstairs at the new Georgia Theatre. Looks like there's a lot of new balcony space and everything's just nicer in general.

Image: The Georgia Theatre.

Internet loosers worth ignoring

2011-07-27T10:02:00.008-04:00

This post on The Senator's blog presents a good opportunity to lay out an Internet truism. If you mistake "there" for "their" or "loose" for "lose" once in a conversation, that should be ignored.

If you do it twice or more, no one should listen to anything you say ever again.

The Internet is an amazing thing, but it's tendency to hand megaphones to idiots is a problem the rest of us need to bear in mind.

GATA, Kasyn Olividatti

2011-07-25T21:21:00.003-04:00

We'll be praying for you.

From The Macon Telegraph:

The four-year-old daughter of new inside linebackers coach Kirk Olividatti has been battling leukemia, Richt announced. Olividatti’s wife Keely hasn’t left the hospital for 30 days, the head coach informed the crowd; she spoke to Richt on Monday, and agreed that Richt could make the daughter Kasyn’s fight public.

Georgia Theatre nearly back

2011-07-24T09:47:00.004-04:00

The Georgia Theatre is set to re-open in just over a week. Get your tickets and schedules here. Welcome back.

Image: Brian Huff, Saturday night.

Good news for basketball

2011-07-23T10:15:00.002-04:00

This put a smile on my face this morning. From The AJC:

Charles Mann, who is considered (the) state’s No. 1 college basketball prospect at point guard, committed to UGA over Florida State on Friday.

In the past I've dismissed optimism for the basketball program, waiting to see results instead. But the momentum Coach Fox is building on and off the court promises to take us where we want to go.

Suddenly, we're pro fake combat

2011-07-20T22:01:00.004-04:00

Just to be clear: Calling yourself "a soldier" as a metaphor for being a football player? That's reason for scorn because you don't respect America's troops.

But taking college football uniforms and calling them "Pro Combat" style? That's worth millions.

That can be arranged, Bedford

2011-07-15T17:20:00.004-04:00

From The AJC:

In that letter, posted by (Georgia tech Center Sean) Bedford on his Facebook page and reprinted on numerous sports message boards, the 23-year-old Gainesville, Fla. resident told the NCAA that if they want him to return his ACC Championship ring, they will have to “pry it from my cold, dead finger.”

You played for tech and you're from Gainesville? I have a new mortal enemy.

Even so, he's exactly right, which may be a first for a tech man:

Dear NCAA,

Thank you for handing down penalties that only adversely affect the players who did things the right way.

Now go write a letter to Demaryius Thomas and Morgan Burnett, and tell them not to be liars.

The chicken, or the egg

2011-07-15T09:47:00.004-04:00

Do some of our 5-star, can't miss prospects bust because we change their position so much, or do we move them around so much because they're busts?

Can't say I know. But I do know reversing course repeatedly rarely gets you far.

Samuel perhaps to RB: What me worry?

2011-07-13T23:29:00.002-04:00

He must be a hell of a linebacker.

Brandon Boykin: The best rb on our team

2011-07-11T10:16:00.002-04:00

I've thought this for more than a year now: Brandon Boykin is the best running back on our team. Unfortunately, he's also our best corner, along with being our best kick returner.

So, while Branden Smith (and maybe Malcolm Mitchell?) are likely to get more offensive touches this year due our depth problem at running back, I doubt Boykin's going to be an option there.

I will still pay good money, though, for some sort of ridiculous wishbone based offense involving Bacarri Rambo, Boykin, Smith and Orson Charles running the football.

Because I'm a moron.

Brazil, refs, can't beat America

2011-07-10T18:55:00.004-04:00

Abby Wombach, your Gatorness is forgiven.

Video via Sports Grid.

King's flunk-out leaves us thin in one more place

2011-07-08T18:30:00.009-04:00

To those arguing that the sky is not falling just because Caleb King threw away his senior year of Georgia football: I hear you.

But this sure has a hair-that-broke-the-camel's-back feel to it, doesn't it? Especially combined with Washaun Ealey leaving, Brent Benedict leaving and the fact that we now have 77 players on scholarship, or two more than a team the NCAA dropped the hammer on with scholarship reductions.

Generally speaking, step one to success is not fucking yourself over. And when it comes to proven players, we are now very thin (at best) at safety, offensive line, linebacker (especially if Jarvis Jones has to sit the first couple of games), wide receiver and running back.

And that's assuming John Jenkins and Kwame Geathers are the answer on our D-line.

'82 media guide: Herschel for Heisman

2011-07-03T11:07:00.011-04:00

I've had this 1982 media guide for some time now. And hadn't noticed the Heisman Trophy reflection in Herschel's helmet.

So ... just because?

2011-07-01T11:17:00.002-04:00

Dear Brent -

It's little of my business, but I find this explanation unsatisfying.

Athens was great, your grades were fine, your knee is fine, Georgia's doctors did "an awesome job" on it, you're "a team player" and you were happy playing guard.

But you're transferring because you need a change? Change from what? All that stuff you just said you liked?

The optimism chart needs a new name

2011-06-29T17:37:00.011-04:00

Perhaps you remember this attempt to graph my expectations for the coming season. Three months later the update looks like heart monitor hooked up to a cadaver.

There is some good news, though. Check out Dan up there expecting a 9-3ish season.

"We will be good enough to beat almost everyone," he said. "But because of the O-line we won't be able to get past the best teams."

I judged that to be somewhere between reasonable expectation and irrational optimism, but at this point my judgment is essentially worthless.

Then there's Huff, who asked to be placed "somewhere below the actual chart in the 'We are f*****' area."

Joe was essentially unchartable:

"I recently dropped from my February 'unreasonably high expectations' to something closer to this," he said. "That represents one day."

We can be a sad, sorry and confused group of people in the summer.

Tell you what, Benedict

2011-06-28T18:21:00.004-04:00

Let's just say I'm saving a picture of you, in case you transfer to Florida and make an All SEC team.

Let us hear from you, friend, so we can wish you luck.

Tickets mail Aug. 8, to all donors

2011-06-28T13:25:00.003-04:00

If you donated for the first time this year, you picked a really good year to start. From the UGA Athletic Association:

For the 2011 season all Hartman Fund contributors with a minimum $250 per seat 2011 contribution, will receive adjacent renewable season tickets. Assignment of renewable season tickets, away game and single home game tickets are based on cumulative score, annual contribution and availability. Season tickets are scheduled to be mailed the week of August 8

Hines Ward: 'til the wheels fall off

2011-06-27T18:18:00.005-04:00

I caught a good bit of Hines Ward's interview this morning on Colin Cowherd's show. Asked about retirement plans, Hines said he's talked to Jerry Rice, Deion Sanders and Emmitt Smith about it.

They all told him "to play 'til the wheels fall off," he said.

Hines continues to mold a Hall-of-Fame career in the NFL. He's only 46 catches short of 1,000 for his career, tied for 8th all-time with Randy Moss.

If you discount Herschel's USFL years, have to figure Hines is Georgia's most successful pro since, who, Fran Tarkenton?

NC State's Wilson picks Wisconsin over Auburn

2011-06-27T18:15:00.002-04:00

Bad news for Auburn will always be good news for me. From the Associated Press:

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Former North Carolina State quarterback Russell Wilson is headed to Wisconsin, potentially solving one of the biggest hurdles standing between the Badgers and a Big Ten title. ...

Wilson also considered Auburn before settling on Wisconsin.

It's OK. We have plenty of 5-star o-linemen

2011-06-26T19:50:00.002-04:00

You know what, Summer? You're a real bitch.

Brent Benedict, a redshirt freshman offensive lineman from Jacksonville and a former five-star recruit, left the team due to “personal reasons,” head coach Mark Richt said in a news release on Sunday. Benedict (6-foot-5, 312-pounds) was slated to back up Chris Burnette at right guard.

Columbus AAU accusations sound very bad

2011-06-26T11:32:00.006-04:00

Son of a bitch. From The Ledger-Enquirer:

Police records show that an unauthorized bank account controlled by Adams and Porter was used to pay for flights to and from Los Angeles for Jarvis Jones, a two-sport star at Carver High School who played football for one season at the University of Southern California, and for the cell phone bill of the mother of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a five-star shooting guard from Greenville High School.

NCAA rules do not allow amateur sports organizations to provide expenses for athletes in excess of actual and necessary travel, room and board, apparel and equipment for competition and practice.

The story is solid, well-sourced, based on a local police investigation and gives an example of how the NCAA responded in a similar case.

It's hard to see how this doesn't lead to suspensions for players we were absolutely depending on.

Update: I don't expect rationality from the NCAA anymore. This is from Jarvis' USC bio:

Overall in 2009 while appearing in the first 8 games, he had 13 tackles, including 1.5 for losses. He suffered a neck sprain at Oregon and was sidelined for USC's last 5 games.

The most recent flight paid for was Oct. 9, 2009, just after the 5th game that year. So it would be possible to "suspend" him for 3 games he played for USC in 2009.

Again, I default to "NCAA will screw us."

GATA, Coach

2011-06-25T10:05:00.001-04:00

Welcome home Coach Richt. I like where your head's at.

“He’s a good kid, but I’m not going to help Boise State."

Tony Gilbert, another home run

2011-06-22T08:43:00.002-04:00

Thomas Brown and now Tony Gilbert? We're building a roster of wants-it over-achievers on that S&C training team. From The Telegraph:

Former All-SEC linebacker, three-year Georgia letterman and NFL veteran Tony Gilbert has been named an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Bulldogs.

Times-Recorder: Leonard Pope saves child

2011-06-13T17:09:00.003-04:00

From the Americus Times-Recorder:

"Leonard was inside, and he came out of nowhere and dove into the water without any hesitation, cell phone in his pocket and all. He saved my son’s life, and I am so thankful that he was there for me and my child.”

Amen.

Please Herschel, don't hurt 'em

2011-06-09T21:12:00.001-04:00

Boys, you ain't ready.

While the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner is in town for a couple of days, he will speak to the team and plans to work out with them tomorrow, including Crowell.