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Thursday, December 10, 2009

Thursday Links (12/10)

First off, an apology about the comment moderation on the blog. Sadly we had someone posting some particularly unpleasant links yesterday, so we had to make some adjustments.

As you'll recall, we had to do the same thing a few weeks ago, and my guess is that the same person is responsible this time.

Now, I'm no Columbo, but let's look at the clues here:

1.) The person has hacked into blogger accounts and posted under other people's names -- most recently Paul Westerdawg's.

2.) They have a distinct vendetta against Georgia fans.

3.) They have an immense amount of time on their hands to sit around, look up pornographic Web sites, then spend hours at a time posting links to them on UGA blogs while starting arguments with other commenters -- often responding immediately, as if they were just sitting at their computer waiting for a reply.

4.) They obviously lack any sort of social skills or ability to function within the dynamics of the real world.

So, this seems like a pretty easy case to crack. It sounds like some poor Georgia Tech fan had his video games taken away after he didn't finish his vegetables and now he's bored and taunting us.

How sad and pathetic.

Anyway, I'm hoping to remove the comment moderation soon, but for now, you're stuck with it.

In the meantime, some links...

-- Interesting blog post from Rex Robinson, who argues that the inmates are running the asylum at Georgia and a simple change in defensive coordinators might not be an instant solution.

Two points on Robinson's blog:

1.) I've said all season that any fans who are expecting a quick fix with new coaches without other changes are going to be disappointed. Winning is a culture that is created within a program. Listen to Nick Saban or Urban Meyer talk about how they've done that. It's not their yelling and screaming or ruling with an iron fist. It's their unwavering insistence that players buy in and adhere to their philosophy -- an insistence that is backed up with consequences. That's the culture that must exist in a winning locker room.

2.) Robinson brings up the issue of the strength and conditioning program, which a number of you have asked me about as well. Here's what I can tell you: I have seen UGA's end-of-summer strength numbers for the past few years and, indeed, they are very good -- and trending upward. But as a basis for comparison, they're not all that helpful. For one, strength on the football field is not easily quantified by a bench press or a squat number. If it was, Tanner Strickland would be an All-American. Second, I have no way of accessing the strength numbers for other schools, so while Georgia's may be "good," the only way to define "good" is by comparing it to other years at Georgia. But the Dawgs aren't playing themselves from two years ago. They're playing Florida and Auburn and Tennessee, and I don't know what the strength numbers look like at those schools. And finally, the end-of-summer strength numbers are only good for measuring what a player can do after the offseason. Perhaps it's the in-season conditioning that is the issue. We have no way of knowing.

So, the bottom line here is this: Yes, there certainly could be an issue with the strength and conditioning, but there is very little means by which we can quantifiably judge, which means we should probably be careful when critiquing an S&C program run by a coach who has spent more than a quarter-century as one of the best in the business. I'm not saying there isn't a problem, but I am saying it's hard to see any real evidence beyond the eyeball test, which isn't exactly the most accurate estimation.

-- I've heard probably a half-dozen names mentioned by reliable folks in regards to the UGA DC job, but it always seems to come back to Kirby Smart. And when you read Tony Barnhart's column that says Smart is ready to move on and compare it with how little we've officially heard on the subject from UGA, perhaps we're all just biding our time until after the national championship game. ... Or maybe they'll hire someone I've never heard of tomorrow.

-- Meanwhile, Mack Brown gets a $2 million a year raise through 2016, making him the highest paid coach in college sports. So is it then fair to ask whether Will Muschamp wants to remain "in waiting" behind Brown?

(And I know it's been said 1,000 times, but how awful is it for UGA fans to see two former Bulldogs coaching the defenses in the national championship game while Mark Richt is looking to fill a vacant DC job on his sideline?)

-- Chris Low runs down his Georgia season recap.

-- Bernie reminds you of a very important bit of TV programming tonight.

-- Former Bulldog Billy Payne received the Distinguished American Award by the National Football Foundation.

-- Irony alert: Bleacher Report has an open letter to Mark Richt warning him not to listen to "two bit reporters."

-- Georgia couldn't turn the tide against St. John's last night at Madison Square Garden.

-- And speaking of that Big East-SEC challenge, I'm hoping you'll all be pulling for my Orangemen tonight.

-- Remember all the fuss about the SEC's awful new media policy on video? Well, that hasn't exactly gone away.

-- I am shocked -- shocked! -- by this: FOX using trumped-up footage to give viewers the idea that there was more enthusiasm for an event than there really was. I can't believe something like that would ever happen. Absolutely no way. It would just be completely unlike anything Fox has ever done.

-- Interesting tidbit over at Team Speed Kills on the future of print media but here's my quibble: Why downplay the significance of being able to browse the Internet while sitting on the toilet? That seems like a step in the right direction. After all, I'd argue that's where a good bit of newspaper reading gets done.

-- Sad to see yet another character depart (*spoiler alert*), but last night's was yet another great episode of "Friday Night Lights."

-- No "Flash Forward" or "V" for a while and we're still a few months away from "Lost," but on the upside, "Chuck" is coming back soon, and its star talks about the upcoming season in this interview.

-- My girlfriend got me to watch "The Biggest Loser" with her this season, which was enjoyable for the unintentional comedy alone. (My favorite is the staged situations in which one of the trainers pitches some product that is sponsoring the show... like the long, emotional walk in which the trainer says, "With all your stress and heartache, I know it'll be tough for you to avoid those bad foods when you get home, but I recommend always keeping a pack of delicious Extra Sugar Free gum with you... it brightens your smile and helps you lose weight!") Anyway, if you watched the finale this week, you know that two contestants got engaged. But I was legitimately shocked to learn that wasn't the only hook up between contestants on the show.

-- I DVR'd last night's "Top Chef" finale, so don't ruin it for me... but here's an interview with the two brothers from the show in The Washington Post.

-- This list of sketchy Santas wins the award for making me laugh the most this morning. The one with the'70s porno mustache is my favorite.

-- And finally, I mentioned Mr. Burns' write-in votes for NYC mayor yesterday, and one of our readers was kind enough to alert me to the posters hung around the city promoting the Burns-for-mayor campaign.

15 comments:

Unknown said...

David,

I take my laptop to the crapper with me every morning.

Shorter Rex Robinson said...

Boogity boogity! I have dirt on the UGA program, but I'm not going to tell you it all right now! Just know that it's bad! Very very baaaad!

Come back to my blog every day and I'll tell you everything! I swear! Boogity boogity!

Ginny said...

Rebecca and Daniel??? I did not see that one coming. Is it just me or does Rebecca look about 15 years older with that new haircut and dye job?

Rex Robinson is a whiny, attention-seeking crybaby. I understand the points he's trying to make but he loses all credibility when he tries to make claims that he refuses to back up with evidence.

David Hale said...

Agreed on the part about Rex hinting at stuff but not offering the evidence. But keep in mind, he's also in a tenuous position -- he wants to be honest in his writing, but he also has very close ties to the program -- and some of the info he gets no doubt comes from players who might be in a bit of trouble if he were to leak it out. Again, perhaps it's best then to say nothing at all, but I don't think Rex is trying to be malicious when he writes it.

(And hey, if he were a former Florida player blogging, he wouldn't be allowed back at games while Urban was the coach.)

And Ginny... that's EXACTLY what my girlfriend said about the haircut.

Bill M. said...

you have a girlfriend? since when?

Rex Robinson said...

"but I don't think Rex is trying to be malicious when he writes it."

Nah, I am.

The Truth said...

Do you think Saint Simons is behind the bad blog comments? You know that little nerd went to the lengths of having some application that posted first on every AJC blog.

Kathleen said...

I would love to know what Rex Robinson is talking about. And which specific players are opposed to doing what it takes to win. I just can't imagine it.

Anonymous said...

Rex's blog is just a feeble attempt at remaining relavent. It worked we are talking about him right. Rex, loved ya when you played but now you can kiss off into the sunset.

Unknown said...

What Rex is referring to is several comments from grad assistants at other schools who have observed our strength and conditioning program (i.e. A strength and conditioning assistant at Iowa says our system is polar opposite from theirs and not in a good way....why wouldn't you? who's going to say their own program that they run isn't as good as someone else's?). Secondly, her says he got his "sordid" information from ugasports.com's DawgVent, a notoriously hyperbolic message board, and has since confirmed it. What he's referring to is infighting and tension on the team this year. Yeah, it happened; most of it in the defensive ranks. One thing to remember is that Mark Richt and Dave Van Halanger administer their respective programs; it's up to position coaches and coordinators to make sure their athletes are doing what they are supposed to do. Notice who is gone. Mark Richt is making sure this problem is fixed. We didn't have these issues when VanGorder was DC and thats the kind of man wee need in charge of our players. The issues Rex and others have brought up are really being overblown.

David Hale said...

Good points, Ed.

Anonymous said...

Where was Rex in 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, and 07 when things were going pretty well? Why all of a sudden does he start a blog this season and basically do nothing but blast the coaches all season. Then when CMR gets rid of the entire defensive staff and the ST coach he doesn't give CMR the benefit of the doubt, he keeps blasting away. Why doesn't Rex just say it. He wants Richt gone and he'll keep stirring the pot until he's gone. And a kicker blasting the S&C of a team is almost laughable. Nice job Rex. CMR is going to be in Athens at least a couple of more seasons and there is plenty of talent to go along with it. Time to suck it up and start supporting the Dawgs instead of the constant ridicule...

Anonymous said...

A couple of things that come to mind. First, I don't thing S&C is the issue, but when things don't go well every part of the program gets scrutinized as you would expect. Now, my observation may be incorrect but it appears to me that we are recruiting smaller, quicker players (corners and linebackers that are 5'9" etc.) so they may not look as big as some of the guys we had before like Boss, Taylor, and Odell. My guess is our players do seem to be a bit smaller but that is just a guess and doesn't mean they are any less strong or less conditioned. I thought are S&C coach won some awards for his expertise in this area?

Secondly, whenever one part of a team is perceived as underperforming as the defense has been rifts will occur. This should go away with the right hire.

I fully expect Georgia to go 9-3 next year with a much easier schedule then they have had in at least 4 or 5 years and these issues to go away. Go Dawgs!

The Watch Dawg said...

Go Orange. Downed the Gators 85-73. As you well know, we'll pull for anyone over the swamp lizards.

Anonymous said...

What isn't overblown is the comment about Dawgvent. It has become the worst message board affiliated with UGA. People leave it because they are embarrassed to be associated with the posters there. It once was the best, most informative.