Wednesday Links (1/14)

Working from Starbucks again this morning, but big things in store for the day, which hopefully will result in me sleeping in my own bed tonight. Fingers crossed.

Big things in store for the Bulldogs basketball team, too. First off, they've got their first SEC road test of the season tonight at Vanderbilt. I have a story on the need for them to start turning the lessons learned over the past few weeks into actual victories or this season will be over very soon.

Of course, some potential good news for Dennis Felton, too: Derick Favors will announce where he'll be playing college ball tonight at 6:30 in Atlanta. I have to be in Macon this afternoon, but traffic permitting, I'm hoping to cover the event, and I'll have word here of his decision as soon as I can.

-- Meanwhile, Tim Tucker writes that Georgia needs to be stronger on the boards if it wants to end its three-game losing streak. I agree, but it would also help if they could avoid those 10-minute scoreless streaks.

-- The brilliant Mr. Tucker also discusses Asher Allen's decision in his blog. I have a hard time arguing with his decision because, at heart, it's always a personal choice, and none of us know what sort of family issues may have played a big role in this. Having said that, it is pretty inexplicable that he would go. When Danny Ware left two years ago despite having virtually no chance at being a first-day pick, it was at least understandable because he wasn't going to see much playing time (and was usually in Richt's dog house anyway). But Asher would have been a cornerstone of the defense in 2009, and would have very likely been a first-round pick in next year's draft.

-- Top recruit Branden Smith chimes in with his thoughts on Asher's decision.

-- The Red & Black talk about the decision to leave school early, too. Only problem: Asher won't be making millions with his first contract.

-- Kit Kitchens runs down the potential Asher Allen replacements with some really nice insight. If I'm betting, I have to assume Vance Cuff has first crack at the job, but everyone I spoke to this season raved about Brandon Boykin. Regardless, there will be plenty of talent at the position next year, but not much experience.

-- This was published hours before Asher declared, but this is one heck of a long list of underclassmen in this year's draft.

-- Bulldogs baseball is ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll. No word as to whether Dave Perno contacted Mark Richt to ensure the baseball team would have no problem handling preseason expectations.

-- More than half of Georgia's student-athletes earned a 3.0 or better last semester.

-- Kyle King talks about the sudden suckitude of Oklahoma's Bob Stoops. I think there are three big reasons Stoops is no longer a good "big game" coach: 1.) Mike Stoops left, and the defense has never been the same; 2.) The awful defenses and insanely weak non-conf schedule the Big 12 faces each year does little to prepare even the best teams for what's in store in a bowl game, and 3.) It's hard to win national championships. I think the fact that LSU and Florida have each won two this decade has convinced way too many schools that they should be winning one every season. The fact is, what Florida and LSU have done is the exception to the rule, not the rule.

-- Get the Picture and The Wiz investigate the effects of the changes in the clock rules from last season. It seems to me that the simple solution for college football when it comes to clock rules is this: The more plays, the better.

-- Athens was named one of 2009's Dozen Distinctive Destinations. That's a nice compliment, I guess, but Buffalo is on the list, too, so not sure how much stock we can put into the evaluation process.

-- Meanwhile, Georgia students are fighting for their right to party.

-- Exciting times: Only one more week until the premier of "Lost." Here's an interesting Q&A with the exec producers of the show.

-- Not-so-exciting times: Jackie Chan as Mr. Miyagi?!?!? I hate Hollywood.

-- And finally, some fun text messaging news:

My record for text messages sent in a month was slightly over 4,000. This seemed pretty impressive right up until I read this. I'd say it's an unfair comparison since this girl is in high school and has lots of free time, but my record month came while working an awful accounting job in Kennett Square, Penn. and I spent a solid seven-and-a-half hours a day sending texts.

Of course, any of us who text regularly have at some point accidentally sent a text to the wrong person. Ideally it's harmless. For this high school senior, however, she shared a bit more info than she might have wanted with her dad. Two hilarious points to this story: 1.) even if she had sent it to a friend, the "wish you were here" part seems a bit risque, and 2.) Guess what college she's headed to... Syracuse! It's days like this I'm proud to be an alum.

OK, I'm off to Macon. Probably the only post for today until Favors announces.