I was talking with Rennie Curran last week, and he was saying how essential it is for Georgia to have solid depth on defense in 2009 to ensure the starters can be well rested without the unit taking a big hit in terms of production.
It's a sentiment I can understand, but luckily for me, the depth at the Macon Telegraph is supurb, as demonstrated by this excellent piece on Demarcus Dobbs from our own Doug Stutsman.
When you're finished, shoot over to Get the Picture for a notable addendum to the piece courtesy of the Senator.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Howard, Zeier Back in the Booth
I sort of buried the lead in my "Odds and Ends" post earlier today, but here's the official word on the UGA radio team...
Georgia's broadcast booth went through some major shake-ups last season, but 2009 will begin with the same announcing team that ended the 2008 season.
Longtime broadcaster Scott Howard and former Georgia quarterback Eric Zeier will be the Bulldogs' permanent radio broadcast team, the school announced Friday, as the team readies to kick off its first season without Larry Munson in 44 years.
"This is a proven broadcast team," Georgia athletics director Damon Evans said. "Scott is a Bulldog calling Georgia Bulldog games. He's been one of our radio personalities going on 20 years and has done an exceptional job with all the Bulldog sports he has broadcast over a long period of time. Eric gives us not only a former Bulldog player but the special analysis that a former quarterback can bring to the table."
Howard took over play-by-play duties from Munson early last season after the longtime broadcaster announced his retirement following a series of medical issues. Howard had manned the booth for all road games in 2007 as well.
While Howard and Zeier will provide some consistency to Bulldogs broadcasts, plenty of other shake-ups are in store.
A new media rights deal with ISP Sports was announced earlier this week, giving ISP control of the radio broadcasts for the first time. ISP quickly announced an added hour to the team's pre-game show and said a number of other upgrades to the broadcasts are in store – including adding some new faces to the broadcast team in the roles of sideline reporters and pre- and post-game hosts.
"The other positions that we have from a sideline perspective, from a pre-game show, from some of the ancillary programming that we have with this new hour," ISP general manager Jeff Huffman said, "we're working closely with UGA to determine who those talents are going to be, but we haven't released that yet."
Georgia's broadcast booth went through some major shake-ups last season, but 2009 will begin with the same announcing team that ended the 2008 season.
Longtime broadcaster Scott Howard and former Georgia quarterback Eric Zeier will be the Bulldogs' permanent radio broadcast team, the school announced Friday, as the team readies to kick off its first season without Larry Munson in 44 years.
"This is a proven broadcast team," Georgia athletics director Damon Evans said. "Scott is a Bulldog calling Georgia Bulldog games. He's been one of our radio personalities going on 20 years and has done an exceptional job with all the Bulldog sports he has broadcast over a long period of time. Eric gives us not only a former Bulldog player but the special analysis that a former quarterback can bring to the table."
Howard took over play-by-play duties from Munson early last season after the longtime broadcaster announced his retirement following a series of medical issues. Howard had manned the booth for all road games in 2007 as well.
While Howard and Zeier will provide some consistency to Bulldogs broadcasts, plenty of other shake-ups are in store.
A new media rights deal with ISP Sports was announced earlier this week, giving ISP control of the radio broadcasts for the first time. ISP quickly announced an added hour to the team's pre-game show and said a number of other upgrades to the broadcasts are in store – including adding some new faces to the broadcast team in the roles of sideline reporters and pre- and post-game hosts.
"The other positions that we have from a sideline perspective, from a pre-game show, from some of the ancillary programming that we have with this new hour," ISP general manager Jeff Huffman said, "we're working closely with UGA to determine who those talents are going to be, but we haven't released that yet."
Odds and Ends
I've been out of town all week (and actually, for the better part of the past month) so a few things happened that I didn't get around to commenting on immediately. Rather than write up long responses to each issue, I figured a quick (OK, not so quick) around the horn might suffice...
-- Big thanks to ESPN's Chris Low for linking to my post on returning offensive production in the SEC this week. One of his commenters, however, wondered why I ranked the schools by percentage of returning offense rather than gross production. The answer is that I was curious about both, but assumed you could eyeball the gross numbers easier than the percentages. But, since it was asked, here's a quick rundown of the rankings based on yardage returning for 2009.
Receiving Yards
Arkansas, 2999
LSU, 2580
Alabama, 2098
Ole Miss, 2091
Kentucky, 1880
Georgia, 1775
Florida, 1596
S. Carolina, 1370
Miss St, 1354
Auburn, 1212
Tennessee, 1066
Vanderbilt, 725
Rushing Yards
Florida, 2414
Ole Miss, 2331
LSU, 2011
Arkansas, 1362
Auburn, 1317
Alabama, 1208
Kentucky, 1204
Miss. St., 1192
Vanderbilt, 940
Tennessee, 500
S. Carolina, 499
Georgia, 479
-- I ran into Andrew Williams last night. He said he's been working in an advisory capacity with Knowshon Moreno and is planning to move out to Denver with him. No deal done yet for Knowshon with the Broncos, but Drew said they're not too far apart.
-- The MLB draft reminded me what a joke the NCAA is. This had already been on my mind, but then ESPN's Jemele Hill wrote a fantastic column about it. Why is it that a baseball player can be drafted and then return to school, but the same isn't true for basketball or football players? Why are baseball players allowed to sign right out of high school but basketball and football players are not? Why is it that a baseball player can sign a contract, play professionally, but still return to school and participate in another sport, but something as petty as extra textbooks or attending a high school graduation are violations in football?
Hill argues, quite rightly, that it's all about money for the NCAA, which seems a bit ironic since the NCAA flips out whenever a player or his family receives a dime for their work. And chalk this up in the "I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'" category, but here's the racial breakdown in college sports: Football, 51 percent minorities. Basketball, 67 percent minorities. Baseball, 19 percent minorities. Oh, and as for the high-level "decision maker" jobs in the NCAA... the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports estimates that as much as 97 percent of those gigs belong to white people.
-- Bleacher Report stirred up some controversy this week with a story criticizing Georgia strength and conditioning coach Dave Van Halanger. I'd love to link to it for you to read firsthand, but Bleacher Report -- the bastion of journalistic integrity that it is -- deleted the story from its site already.
Nevertheless, the AJC's Bill King linked to it earlier this week, which drew plenty of comments from his readers.
Now, I'm not in any way endorsing the Bleacher Report story which was essentially no more than one man's opinion, but I don't think there's anything wrong with bringing up a topic of debate and challenging the status quo a little. And after talking to one NFL talent evaluator (who asked that his name not be used), I found there was at least a little bit of legitimacy to the story. He said several NFL people feel that Georgia's strength and conditioning program has "the wrong emphasis" and players from the Mark Richt/Bobby Bowden/Chuck Amato coaching tree have entered the league "undisciplined and not well prepared."
Is there reason to believe the critique? Potentially. Here's a bit of analysis of Mark Richt's draft classes done by reader Jim Franklin back in April examining the early selections of UGA players by year...
| Year | Round | Player |
| 2008 | 5 (161) | Marcus Howard |
| 2007 | 3 (51) | Quentin Moses |
| 2006 | 2 (30) | Tim Jennings |
| 2005 | 1 (14) | Thomas Davis |
| 2005 | 1 (17) | David Pollack |
| 2005 | 2 (35) | Reggie Brown |
| 2005 | 2 (48) | Odell Thurman |
| 2005 | 3 (85) | David Greene |
| 2005 | 4 (131) | Fred Gibson |
| 2004 | 1 (32) | Ben Watson |
| 2003 | 1 (6) | Johnathan Sullivan |
| 2003 | 1 (20) | George Foster |
| 2003 | 2 (34) | Boss Bailey |
| 2003 | 2 (37) | Jon Stinchcomb |
| 2002 | 1 (25) | Charles Grant |
(By year, Georgia had four players taken in 2008, four in 2007, seven in 2006, six in 2005, four in 2004, seven in 2003 and eight in 2002.)
Obviously the 2009 draft turned around the recent trend illustrated in the statistics above with four Georgia players being selected in the first three rounds, including two of the top 12 overall. But if you look at those high draft picks from 2002-08, there's a pretty fair number of busts (at least by NFL standards) in there, too.
The case could also be made that there has to be a reason for all the injuries last year, although I'm not sure any explanation given could be specifically traced back to the strength and conditioning staff, particularly since the injury bug had never been that bad in the past.
Now, the other side of the coin: At the start of the 2006 season, Georgia was tied for third with 36 former players on NFL rosters, and at least a half-dozen more will be added to the mix in 2009. (Also of note, Bobby Bowden's boys have the second most players in the NFL). So if NFL folks are so displeased with the preparation of Richt's players, why are they so prevalent on NFL rosters?
Of course, success in your S&C program isn't all about putting players in the pros either. At least ostensibly, it's about winning in college, and few people have done a better job of that than Van Halanger. His teams have made it to a bowl game for 28 straight seasons, an unofficial record among college coaches as far as Van Halanger knows.
The Bleacher Report story discusses Georgia's defensive woes as the product of poor conditioning, but that seems like an odd critique. For one, no amount of conditioning teaches Reshad Jones to wrap up on a tackle (and, in truth, it's probably time I stop picking on Reshad, too). No strength program will keep Jarius Wynn from hitting the quarterback late or ensure that the defensive ends can handle a cut block. Plus, if Van Halanger's preparation caused the defense to suffer last season, then why was Georgia's offense so good? Both sets of players are trained by the same staff.
Again, I don't think there's anything wrong with having the discussion about Georgia's conditioning program, but until a former player or two speaks on the record saying they were ill prepared for life in the NFL (or games on Saturdays during their college careers) I'm inclined to think Van Halanger and his staff are doing as good a job as anyone.
-- Lots of questions about the new deal with ISP Sports that Georgia just signed. I'll have a more detailed story in the next few days (I'm just starting to sift through a mountain of information on it) but here are a few tidbits I got from ISP's general manager in Athens, Jeff Huffman...
On changes to the UGA Web site...
"We're going to re-launch our site this year. We're making improvements to it to make it more cutting-edge, offer our fans something that they've never had access to before. That's our biggest investment from an upgrade standpoint. We're going to invest a lot of resources into making that a real fan-friendly place."
On the all-important upgrades to the game tracker software at GeorgiaDogs.com...
"That's in discussions right now. We're working to improve all facets of our Web site and that is a piece that we're obviously looking to upgrade."
On when the new Web features might be available...
"We're shooting for a target date of the end of August. We want to have it up and ready to go so people can get acclimated with it and have time to learn and have it ready before we kick off (for football). This is something that's been in the works for several months now, so we didn't just start on it."
On the TV side of things, including the coach's show...
"We're going to introduce new programming which will be unveiled in the next several months. With the coach's show, the biggest thing is distribution. We're working to make sure if you want to be able to watch the coach's show, you can find it. We're also going to upgrade just the overall look and feel of the show. This new media team that we have in place, they will be not only working for our Web site, but they'll be shooting game-day activities, working with the coaches behind the scenes, shooting the coach's show. We've got the HD equipment and the necessary tools to be able to produce a first-rate quality program."
On who'll be doing the radio broadcasts...
"Scott Howard will be our play-by-play man and Eric (Zeier) will continue to be our color analyst for football broadcasts. The other positions that we have from a sideline perspective, from a pregame show, from some of the ancillary programming that we have with this new hour, we're working closely with UGA to determine who those talents are going to be, but we haven't released that yet."
-- I wanted to wish a happy father's day to all the dads out there and remind you that Mark Richt will be hosting the All-Pro Dad event tomorrow if you can make it.
-- And finally, I made a bit of a big deal over a comment by Rivals' Radi Nabulsi on UGASports.com's messsage board over the weekend. I received emails from both Radi and Anthony Dasher explaining their side of the situation, and in fairness to them, I thought it was important to publicly note that we've cleared things up and there are no hard feelings on my part. I highly doubt any of you really cared, but since I called them out on the blog, I figured I should be as up front with the results.
OK, that's it for now. Have a great weekend!
Friday Links (6/19)
An old friend of mine from San Diego weaseled his way into a free time share in Orlando this week, so I decided to make the drive down to visit. I hadn't seen him in a while and, while I generally dislike Orlando immensely, free is also my favorite price, so the two balanced out.
Anyway, amid the typical pleasantries and rehashing of stories from back in the day, I learned that my buddy was dating a different girl than the last time I had seen him. Since I'm a nice person and all, I asked a few follow-up questions about what she was like and how they met and what she did for a living. As it turns out, she's a graduate of the University of Florida.
Now, my friend was born and raised in Southern California, and he's not exactly the biggest college football fan to begin with, so it's not really his fault that he's dating a Florida girl. He didn't know any better. But the information did lead to this conversation:
ME: She went to Florida?
HIM: Yup. Why?
ME: Does she wear Jorts?
HIM: What are Jorts?
ME: You know, like jean shorts?
HIM: Oh, yeah, but they're really short so it's OK.
True story.
Anyway, while the trip was a nice excuse to get out of town for a while, it did prevent me from posting any links this week, an oversight we'll remedy now...
-- T Kyle King is making it his mission to get Erk Russell into the hall of fame. That's a significantly nobler goal in life than my mission to drink a beer in all 50 states.
-- This requires an insider subscription, but here's an ESPN preview of Georgia's upcoming season that has the Dawgs ranked No. 16.
-- Senator Blutarsky offers some thoughts on the SEC and, while he's not backing them up with any data, it's hard to argue with any of his conclusions.
-- Here's your daily fix of Lane Kiffin zaniness... Tennessee will be paying two strength coaches this season.
-- I've heard (and partially agree with) the theory that the best asset Florida has had in recruiting over the past few years is the overall lousiness of Miami and Florida State. After reading this post from Marc Weiszer, however, it might be argued that Georgia has been as big a beneficiary of the downswings at those schools as the Gators have.
-- With 78 days left to go before football season, Bubba N Earl relive one of my favorite plays from last season.
-- Much has been made of the grueling first six weeks to Georgia's schedule in 2009, but Battle Hymn Notes takes a look at the latter half of the Dawgs' slate.
-- Georgia's football program is a cash cow to be sure, but what about everyone else? This story might be a big deal, but the truth is, few programs outside of men's basketball and football generate real revenue at any school, and the fact that Georgia hoops stinks is hardly a big secret.
-- Yesterday, I introduced you to Chris Burnette, the lineman. That was timed well with Blogging Pantsless introducing you to Chris Burnette, the blogger.
-- Rex Robinson asks an interesting question: Since 1990, what have been Georgia's best recruiting classes?
-- Remember when people thought Boise State had a legitimate shot at beating Georgia in the '05 season opener? There could be a lot more of those games on the slate for the Broncos in the future.
-- South Carolina's Ryan Succop was the last pick in the NFL draft this year, but that isn't going to stop him from earning some serious cash.
-- A former South Carolina announcer will be the new assistant dean at Georgia's Grady School of Journalism.
-- This is awful news: A fire looks to have caused serious damage at the Georgia Theater in Athens.
-- I know that at one point I promised fewer "Lost" links since the season ended, but darned if I don't keep finding good stuff to link to. This is a fantastic post that wonders what the show would be like as a sitcom.
-- And you're not getting off that easy... "Lost" star (and Georgia native) Josh Holloway chats with Entertainment Weekly.
-- Nope, still more... there's talk that Maggie Grace could return to the show in its final season.
-- I like David Cross quite a bit, but you'd think he could find a better enemy than Jim Belushi. That's like Georgia fans really hating Tennessee Tech. (Although, as a side note, Cross has a great bit about the time he played celebrity poker with the lead singer of Creed that is absolutely hysterical.)
-- Check out the new "Family Guy" app for your iPhone.
-- And finally, Chuck Norris is writing a book of 101 Chuck Norris facts. Unfortunately the average human brain would explode from the awesome implications of reading just one of them.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Thompkins Lands on U.S. U-19 Team
From UGA Athletics...
University of Georgia forward Trey Thompkins was named Thursday to the 12-man team that will represent the United States at the FIBA U19 World Championships next month in Auckland, New Zealand, according to an announcement by USA Basketball at its headquarters here.
Thompkins was among 17 of the nation’s top 19-and-unders competing at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The 12 players will remain in Colorado Springs through June 25 to continue training for the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship, which will be held July 2-12 in New Zealand. The player selections were made by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team
Committee, chaired by Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim.
In addition to Thompkins, others selected to the team included: DeAngelo Casto (Washington State / Spokane, Wash.), Seth Curry (Duke / Charlotte, N.C.), Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh / Scotch Plains, N.J.) , Gordon Hayward (Butler / Brownsburg, Ind.), Shelvin Mack (Butler / Lexington, Ky.), Darius Miller (Kentucky / Maysville, Ky.), Arnett Moultrie (UTEP / Memphis, Tenn.),
John Shurna (Northwestern / Glen Ellyn, Ill.), Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas / Jersey City, N.J.), Klay Thompson (Washington State / Ladera Ranch, Calif.) and Terrico White (Mississippi / Memphis, Tenn.).
University of Georgia forward Trey Thompkins was named Thursday to the 12-man team that will represent the United States at the FIBA U19 World Championships next month in Auckland, New Zealand, according to an announcement by USA Basketball at its headquarters here.
Thompkins was among 17 of the nation’s top 19-and-unders competing at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. The 12 players will remain in Colorado Springs through June 25 to continue training for the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship, which will be held July 2-12 in New Zealand. The player selections were made by the USA Basketball Men’s Junior National Team
Committee, chaired by Syracuse University head coach Jim Boeheim.
In addition to Thompkins, others selected to the team included: DeAngelo Casto (Washington State / Spokane, Wash.), Seth Curry (Duke / Charlotte, N.C.), Ashton Gibbs (Pittsburgh / Scotch Plains, N.J.) , Gordon Hayward (Butler / Brownsburg, Ind.), Shelvin Mack (Butler / Lexington, Ky.), Darius Miller (Kentucky / Maysville, Ky.), Arnett Moultrie (UTEP / Memphis, Tenn.),
John Shurna (Northwestern / Glen Ellyn, Ill.), Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas / Jersey City, N.J.), Klay Thompson (Washington State / Ladera Ranch, Calif.) and Terrico White (Mississippi / Memphis, Tenn.).
Get to Know: Chris Burnette
For the past few weeks, we've been talking with several of Georgia's incoming freshmen to get to know what they're like in anticipation of the 2009 season. In the latest installment, I spoke with offensive lineman Chris Burnette, who starred at Troup High School both on and off the field, falling just a few points shy of being named his class valedictorian. But there's more to Burnette than just a high GPA...
David Hale: Offensive linemen are known for having pretty interesting personalities. I know Ben Jones, among Georgia's linemen, has already established a reputation for being a bit on the crazy side, while other guys like Clint Boling are a bit more laid back. Where do you fall on that spectrum?
Chris Burnette: I think I'm more of a laid-back type of guy. I'm not trying to show off or anything. I'm just trying to do my job, but do it with intensity at the same time. I guess you could say off the field I'm mild-mannered and all that, but on the field, when I put that helmet on, I'm pretty much a nasty guy. I'm not trying to hurt anybody, but at the same time, I'm trying to take your head off. I'm trying to be energetic, energize other players on the team like Moreno used to do for his guys, running on and off the field, the little things that people might not think would be a big part of the game. I really try to implement that in what I do.
DH: As a local guy from LaGrange, did you always want to come to Georgia or did you seriously consider any other schools during the recruiting process?
CB: It was a no-brainer because I wanted to go to Georgia since I was in middle school. Before that I had moved around a lot. I lived in Columbus at one point, New Mexico, Oregon, a lot of different places. But once I finally got settled, Texas was actually the first school I wanted to go to, but then around sixth or seventh grade, I was like, the Bulldogs are the place to be. When they offered me in 11th grade, that was just the easiest decision I've made in a while.
DH: Is there an NFL player you really model yourself after?
CB: Really the guys I've been modeling my game after are guys who went to Alabama – Walter Jones and Chris Samuels. Those guys really are nasty on the field, and Walter Jones has a reputation of being one of the best pass blockers in the league. I just try to put a whole bunch of things and styles that they do and put it into what I do.
DH: So by this point, your smarts are well known by Georgia fans thanks to the whole controversy about Mark Richt wanting to come to your graduation, so I'm sure you didn't have too many problems with any of your classes, but what were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school?
CB: I can say my favorite class was lunch. Lunch and gym, even though I'm a pretty smart guy, I really like that stuff. I'm pretty well rounded when it comes to classes. There's not really one I really like more than the other. Hopefully that's something I get to work on when I get to Georgia where I can figure out what I want to do. The one I had the most problems with was calculus. That was probably the closest I'd ever been to making a B in high school. I was pretty much on the edge until the very end but I ended up pulling that one out.
DH: So since you like so many things, have you decided on a major at Georgia yet or are you kind of looking around to see what you like best?
CB: I'm really trying to play the field. I have a lot of AP classes and credits, so I'm coming in ahead of the curve. I'm trying not to rush into anything because I really want to have a major that I can use instead of just majoring in something. I'm into finance and stuff like that, so maybe business.
DH: OK, well as a guy who really appreciates lunch, what's your favorite meal?
CB: Really anything barbecue. I really like barbecued chicken, stuff like that. Just hot dogs off the grill, maybe hamburgers off the grill. I love barbecue all the way.
DH: If you could meet any celebrity, who would it be?
CB: I would have to say Michael Jordan because I idolized him and was a big basketball fan when I was a kid. So if I could just meet one guy that was a celebrity, it would have to be Michael Jordan.
DH: Do you have any good nicknames that people have given you over the years?
CB: Really I have too many to name. Some people call me Bernie, or they'll say C.J. or they'll call me a whole bunch of different crazy stuff that I probably wouldn't want to tell you, so I'll have to leave it at those two.
DH: You've lived a lot of places, so other than Georgia, where was your favorite?
CB: Texas, I really like Texas a lot. Oregon was kind of cold up there, and New Mexico, there was a lot of dust flying around, so I would have to say Texas even though it was a little hotter. When I got the chance to go back to San Antonio in January, it was a great experience.
DH: Of the places you haven't been yet, where would you most like to visit?
CB: I would really like to go to New York. It was originally L.A. but I had a chance to go out there earlier this year. But New York is one place that I still haven't been.
DH: Only a few more weeks before you start the Stacy Searels Experience, which everyone says is pretty tough. Have any of the current players given you some helpful advice to get you prepared for what's ins tore?
CB: Ben Jones, Ben Harden, they've really been trying to give me some tips, stuff that they've been trying to use. Really the biggest thing they were saying is make sure you are in shape. They like the way I play, and they were saying that if you come in an play like the way you've been playing, you have a chance to play because Coach Searels wants the best on the field. The main thing though is to get in shape and make sure you can figure out those plays and if you need help with anything, just ask the other guys because they're trying to be a family.
David Hale: Offensive linemen are known for having pretty interesting personalities. I know Ben Jones, among Georgia's linemen, has already established a reputation for being a bit on the crazy side, while other guys like Clint Boling are a bit more laid back. Where do you fall on that spectrum?
Chris Burnette: I think I'm more of a laid-back type of guy. I'm not trying to show off or anything. I'm just trying to do my job, but do it with intensity at the same time. I guess you could say off the field I'm mild-mannered and all that, but on the field, when I put that helmet on, I'm pretty much a nasty guy. I'm not trying to hurt anybody, but at the same time, I'm trying to take your head off. I'm trying to be energetic, energize other players on the team like Moreno used to do for his guys, running on and off the field, the little things that people might not think would be a big part of the game. I really try to implement that in what I do.
DH: As a local guy from LaGrange, did you always want to come to Georgia or did you seriously consider any other schools during the recruiting process?
CB: It was a no-brainer because I wanted to go to Georgia since I was in middle school. Before that I had moved around a lot. I lived in Columbus at one point, New Mexico, Oregon, a lot of different places. But once I finally got settled, Texas was actually the first school I wanted to go to, but then around sixth or seventh grade, I was like, the Bulldogs are the place to be. When they offered me in 11th grade, that was just the easiest decision I've made in a while.
DH: Is there an NFL player you really model yourself after?
CB: Really the guys I've been modeling my game after are guys who went to Alabama – Walter Jones and Chris Samuels. Those guys really are nasty on the field, and Walter Jones has a reputation of being one of the best pass blockers in the league. I just try to put a whole bunch of things and styles that they do and put it into what I do.
DH: So by this point, your smarts are well known by Georgia fans thanks to the whole controversy about Mark Richt wanting to come to your graduation, so I'm sure you didn't have too many problems with any of your classes, but what were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school?
CB: I can say my favorite class was lunch. Lunch and gym, even though I'm a pretty smart guy, I really like that stuff. I'm pretty well rounded when it comes to classes. There's not really one I really like more than the other. Hopefully that's something I get to work on when I get to Georgia where I can figure out what I want to do. The one I had the most problems with was calculus. That was probably the closest I'd ever been to making a B in high school. I was pretty much on the edge until the very end but I ended up pulling that one out.
DH: So since you like so many things, have you decided on a major at Georgia yet or are you kind of looking around to see what you like best?
CB: I'm really trying to play the field. I have a lot of AP classes and credits, so I'm coming in ahead of the curve. I'm trying not to rush into anything because I really want to have a major that I can use instead of just majoring in something. I'm into finance and stuff like that, so maybe business.
DH: OK, well as a guy who really appreciates lunch, what's your favorite meal?
CB: Really anything barbecue. I really like barbecued chicken, stuff like that. Just hot dogs off the grill, maybe hamburgers off the grill. I love barbecue all the way.
DH: If you could meet any celebrity, who would it be?
CB: I would have to say Michael Jordan because I idolized him and was a big basketball fan when I was a kid. So if I could just meet one guy that was a celebrity, it would have to be Michael Jordan.
DH: Do you have any good nicknames that people have given you over the years?
CB: Really I have too many to name. Some people call me Bernie, or they'll say C.J. or they'll call me a whole bunch of different crazy stuff that I probably wouldn't want to tell you, so I'll have to leave it at those two.
DH: You've lived a lot of places, so other than Georgia, where was your favorite?
CB: Texas, I really like Texas a lot. Oregon was kind of cold up there, and New Mexico, there was a lot of dust flying around, so I would have to say Texas even though it was a little hotter. When I got the chance to go back to San Antonio in January, it was a great experience.
DH: Of the places you haven't been yet, where would you most like to visit?
CB: I would really like to go to New York. It was originally L.A. but I had a chance to go out there earlier this year. But New York is one place that I still haven't been.
DH: Only a few more weeks before you start the Stacy Searels Experience, which everyone says is pretty tough. Have any of the current players given you some helpful advice to get you prepared for what's ins tore?
CB: Ben Jones, Ben Harden, they've really been trying to give me some tips, stuff that they've been trying to use. Really the biggest thing they were saying is make sure you are in shape. They like the way I play, and they were saying that if you come in an play like the way you've been playing, you have a chance to play because Coach Searels wants the best on the field. The main thing though is to get in shape and make sure you can figure out those plays and if you need help with anything, just ask the other guys because they're trying to be a family.
Video Blog: Bryce Ros
Georgia tight end Bryce Ros talks about new Bulldogs Orson Charles and Arthur Lynch.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Georgia, ISP reach deal
NOTE: I was on the road nearly all day today but I'll have a bunch more on this tomorrow.
From UGA athletics department:
ATHENS, Ga. --- The University of Georgia Athletic Association has in principle reached a comprehensive eight-year agreement valued at $92.8 million with ISP Sports to serve as the exclusive multi-media rights marketer beginning July 1, 2009, according to an announcement Wednesday by UGA Director of Athletics Damon Evans.
From UGA athletics department:
ATHENS, Ga. --- The University of Georgia Athletic Association has in principle reached a comprehensive eight-year agreement valued at $92.8 million with ISP Sports to serve as the exclusive multi-media rights marketer beginning July 1, 2009, according to an announcement Wednesday by UGA Director of Athletics Damon Evans.
"We are extremely pleased to partner with ISP Sports to deliver Georgia Bulldog programming to the Bulldog Nation and beyond," said Evans. "This agreement will provide the infrastructure to deliver our content and message through various mediums that will continue to make the University of Georgia a leader in intercollegiate athletics."
Currently, ISP manages Georgia's sponsorship and marketing rights which includes corporate sponsorships, presence marketing, print publications and corporate hospitality. Under a separate agreement, Cox Radio WSB 750 has managed the Athletic Association's radio and coach's television show rights. Under terms of the new agreement, ISP will assume the responsibility of radio and coaches show television rights as well as add additional television and digital media rights to complete its Georgia portfolio. However, ISP and WSB have reached an agreement for WSB to remain the flagship station of the Bulldogs for the term of the Georgia/ISP partnership.
"I'm especially pleased that WSB News/Talk 750 will continue to be our flagship station," said Evans. "We have a long history and tradition with WSB which is one of the country's premier radio stations. That relationship will continue providing the very best coverage for Georgia sports teams."
"We are elated to extend our relationship with an outstanding university and one of America's truly elite athletic programs," said Ben Sutton, ISP Chairman of the Board and CEO. "We have enjoyed an excellent relationship with Damon and his remarkable team of administrators and coaches and look forward to an even greater partnership in the years to come. We appreciate the university's confidence in ISP and are committed to providing the Bulldog Nation with the finest in programming, corporate marketing, sales and service.
"The addition of the Georgia Bulldog Radio Network to our partnership with UGA Athletics is an extremely positive one. Our talented radio production team is looking forward to the opportunity to build on the long and rich tradition established by WSB and Cox radio in bringing the millions of Dawg fans the very best in sports broadcasting!"
About ISP Sports:
ISP: America's Home For College Sports-- is the country's largest and fastest growing collegiate multimedia rights holder, with partnerships involving more than 60 NCAA member institutions, conferences, bowl games and venues. The ISP family of leading universities and conferences reaches into 34 states across the country. The company, which is based in Winston-Salem, NC, produces a variety of sponsorship opportunities and services for its partner schools and corporate clients, including publications, radio/TV networks, internet sites, game event promotions and stadium/arena signage. With more than 50 regional offices throughout the country and over 300 employees, ISP is nationally recognized for its quality performance, professional workmanship and unrivaled service.
About the University of Georgia Athletic Association:
The University of Georgia Athletic Association sponsors a 21-sport athletic program featuring 12 women's and nine men's sports. Georgia sports teams have won a total of 37 national team championships, 35 of which have come since 1985.
Return Engagements
I think everyone has come to terms with the fact that Georgia isn't returning a lot of experienced players at the offensive skill positions. But I started wondering where exactly the Bulldogs stacked up against the rest of the SEC, so I decided to do a little research into what each team was bringing back for 2009.
First, let's look at the starting quarterbacks around the SEC, something I already did a few weeks ago, but will post again here. (NOTE: I used the projected 2009 starter in each case, unless there was no clear leader, in which case I used the QB with the highest number of career attempts.)
Next, let's look at the rushing stats for each team...
Obviously these numbers have three distinct flaws when projecting out toward next year. For one, they don't take into account a team's offensive line, which obviously undervalues Georgia while overvaluing, say, Ole Miss. They don't account for defense and special teams either. Of course, those stats would only make Florida look better, so we might be better off not mentioning them. And finally, these numbers assume the players a team lost last year were better than the replacements those teams will have this year. In the case of Knowshon Moreno, that's probably true, but it's certainly not in every case.
So what do we learn from all this?
Well, first, we learn that I am incapable of making two tables in HTML that look alike. But there are plenty of other, more important findings...
-- Yes, Florida is going to be very, very good next year, but these stats tell me that the Gators are going to miss Percy Harvin more than people seem to be talking about. He is really the only major loss Florida has from last year's offense, but he was responsible for a pretty hefty chunk of both the Gators' running and passing attack.
-- My sleeper pick for this season was already Arkansas, but looking at these numbers, it's a safe wager that the Hogs could have a very dangerous offense in 2009. Now, that defense could be another story altogether.
-- Looking at the numbers for LSU -- which already had a decent offense last year -- I might argue that now one player in the SEC has a more critical job than Jordan Jefferson in 2009. If he's as good as he looked in the bowl game, that could be a really good team (maybe nat'l championship level good), but if he's not, there might be a lot of wasted talent.
-- The SEC West overall looks a lot better than the East in terms of returning offensive talent. On the ground, the top five teams in terms of returning rushing yards are all in the West and through the air, six of the top seven are out West. In all, the SEC West returns 82 percent of its receiving yards (compared to 50 percent for the East) and 83 percent of its rushing yards (compared to 54 percent in the East). And when it comes to that bevy of inexperienced QBs, don't you feel a lot better about Ryan Mallett, Jordan Jefferson and Greg McElroy than Mike Hartline, Stephen Garcia and Johnathan Crompton?
-- If you're looking at which of the new head coaches might have the most to work with in Year 1, it might well be Dan Mullen. I wouldn't hold my breath on an Ole Miss-like turnaround, but Mississippi State is probably in better shape (at least offensively) than Auburn or Tennessee.
-- Things don't look great for the Dawgs in terms of returning offensive talent, but at least they had something to work with. Look at South Carolina, on the other hand. The Gamecocks' offense stunk last year, and they return a questionable QB and less than 45 percent of their total offensive production from 2008.
-- Having said that, I'm not sure there's any great rival for second place in the East to Georgia this year unless one of those other teams (Tennessee, Vandy, Kentucky or South Carolina) takes a big (and unexpected) step forward. The question then becomes, can the Dawgs handle their business out of conference and against the West to a degree that the Florida game will actually matter in the standings.
OK, so that's a few of the things that jumped out at me. Anything you guys noticed? Are you concerned by Georgia's standings here?
First, let's look at the starting quarterbacks around the SEC, something I already did a few weeks ago, but will post again here. (NOTE: I used the projected 2009 starter in each case, unless there was no clear leader, in which case I used the QB with the highest number of career attempts.)
| Team | QB | Career Att. | Career TD |
| Florida | T. Tebow | 681 | 67 |
| Ole Miss | J. Snead | 376 | 28 |
| Vanderbilt | M. Adams | 368 | 14 |
| Kentucky | M. Hartline | 317 | 9 |
| Miss. St. | T. Lee | 260 | 7 |
| Tennessee | J. Crompton | 245 | 9 |
| Auburn | K. Burns | 205 | 4 |
| Arkansas | R. Mallett | 141 | 7 |
| S. Carolina | S. Garcia | 122 | 6 |
| LSU | J. Jefferson | 73 | 4 |
| Georgia | J. Cox | 58 | 5 |
| Alabama | G. McElroy | 20 | 2 |
Next, let's look at the rushing stats for each team...
| Team | 08 Rush Rank | 08 Rush Yds | Return Rush Yds | % Return |
| Arkansas | 97 | 1362 | 1362 | 100.0 |
| Miss. St. | 105 | 1207 | 1192 | 98.8 |
| Ole Miss | 28 | 2424 | 2331 | 96.2 |
| LSU | 43 | 2168 | 2011 | 92.8 |
| Auburn | 69 | 1650 | 1317 | 79.8 |
| Florida | 10 | 3235 | 2414 | 74.6 |
| Kentucky | 81 | 1651 | 1204 | 72.9 |
| Vanderbilt | 73 | 1737 | 940 | 54.1 |
| Alabama | 30 | 2585 | 1208 | 46.7 |
| S. Carolina | 112 | 1223 | 499 | 40.8 |
| Tennessee | 88 | 1475 | 500 | 33.9 |
| Georgia | 56 | 1928 | 479 | 24.8 |
And finally, the receivers...
| Team | 08 Rec Rank | 08 Rec Yds | Return Rec Yds | % Return |
| LSU | 71 | 2617 | 2580 | 98.6 |
| Arkansas | 23 | 3115 | 2999 | 96.3 |
| Alabama | 97 | 2396 | 2098 | 87.6 |
| Kentucky | 96 | 2234 | 1880 | 84.2 |
| Ole Miss | 53 | 2875 | 2091 | 72.7 |
| Miss. St. | 94 | 2092 | 1354 | 64.7 |
| Auburn | 99 | 1985 | 1212 | 61.1 |
| Tennessee | 107 | 1750 | 1066 | 60.9 |
| Florida | 61 | 2995 | 1596 | 53.3 |
| Georgia | 16 | 3610 | 1775 | 49.2 |
| S. Carolina | 50 | 2892 | 1370 | 47.4 |
| Vanderbilt | 112 | 1587 | 725 | 45.7 |
Obviously these numbers have three distinct flaws when projecting out toward next year. For one, they don't take into account a team's offensive line, which obviously undervalues Georgia while overvaluing, say, Ole Miss. They don't account for defense and special teams either. Of course, those stats would only make Florida look better, so we might be better off not mentioning them. And finally, these numbers assume the players a team lost last year were better than the replacements those teams will have this year. In the case of Knowshon Moreno, that's probably true, but it's certainly not in every case.
So what do we learn from all this?
Well, first, we learn that I am incapable of making two tables in HTML that look alike. But there are plenty of other, more important findings...
-- Yes, Florida is going to be very, very good next year, but these stats tell me that the Gators are going to miss Percy Harvin more than people seem to be talking about. He is really the only major loss Florida has from last year's offense, but he was responsible for a pretty hefty chunk of both the Gators' running and passing attack.
-- My sleeper pick for this season was already Arkansas, but looking at these numbers, it's a safe wager that the Hogs could have a very dangerous offense in 2009. Now, that defense could be another story altogether.
-- Looking at the numbers for LSU -- which already had a decent offense last year -- I might argue that now one player in the SEC has a more critical job than Jordan Jefferson in 2009. If he's as good as he looked in the bowl game, that could be a really good team (maybe nat'l championship level good), but if he's not, there might be a lot of wasted talent.
-- The SEC West overall looks a lot better than the East in terms of returning offensive talent. On the ground, the top five teams in terms of returning rushing yards are all in the West and through the air, six of the top seven are out West. In all, the SEC West returns 82 percent of its receiving yards (compared to 50 percent for the East) and 83 percent of its rushing yards (compared to 54 percent in the East). And when it comes to that bevy of inexperienced QBs, don't you feel a lot better about Ryan Mallett, Jordan Jefferson and Greg McElroy than Mike Hartline, Stephen Garcia and Johnathan Crompton?
-- If you're looking at which of the new head coaches might have the most to work with in Year 1, it might well be Dan Mullen. I wouldn't hold my breath on an Ole Miss-like turnaround, but Mississippi State is probably in better shape (at least offensively) than Auburn or Tennessee.
-- Things don't look great for the Dawgs in terms of returning offensive talent, but at least they had something to work with. Look at South Carolina, on the other hand. The Gamecocks' offense stunk last year, and they return a questionable QB and less than 45 percent of their total offensive production from 2008.
-- Having said that, I'm not sure there's any great rival for second place in the East to Georgia this year unless one of those other teams (Tennessee, Vandy, Kentucky or South Carolina) takes a big (and unexpected) step forward. The question then becomes, can the Dawgs handle their business out of conference and against the West to a degree that the Florida game will actually matter in the standings.
OK, so that's a few of the things that jumped out at me. Anything you guys noticed? Are you concerned by Georgia's standings here?
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Richt Hosts All Pro Dad Event
With Father's Day coming up, this might be of particular interest to Georgia fans (from UGA Athletics)...
The All Pro Dad Father & Kids Experience is coming to the University of Georgia on Saturday, June 20. Dads and kids will take to the Bulldogs’ football practice fields for football-themed games and special activities promoting father and child bonding. The event, scheduled from 9 a.m. until 12 noon on the Bulldog practice fields, is hosted by UGA head football coach Mark Richt, Chick-fil-A founder and CEO Truett Cathy, and 40 University of Georgia football players.
The All Pro Dad Father & Kids Experience is the football-themed event of All Pro Dad (www.AllProDad.com), the fatherhood program of Family First, a national non-profit organization based in Tampa, FL. Launched with the help of former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy in 1997, All Pro Dad features 55 NFL players, coaches, and alumni who speak out on the importance of being a good father. In March, Dungy came to Athens and announced that the national fatherhood program, which had been mainly focusing on the NFL, was expanding to the college ranks with the University of Georgia being the first to sponsor the program.
The event’s title sponsor is Chick-fil-A. Comcast Charter Sports Southeast and WCNN 680 The Fan are media partners for the event. For advance registration information visit www.AllProDad.com. The event is recommended for ages five and older. Registration is $15 per family which includes admission for one dad and up to four children.
The All Pro Dad Father & Kids Experience is coming to the University of Georgia on Saturday, June 20. Dads and kids will take to the Bulldogs’ football practice fields for football-themed games and special activities promoting father and child bonding. The event, scheduled from 9 a.m. until 12 noon on the Bulldog practice fields, is hosted by UGA head football coach Mark Richt, Chick-fil-A founder and CEO Truett Cathy, and 40 University of Georgia football players.
The All Pro Dad Father & Kids Experience is the football-themed event of All Pro Dad (www.AllProDad.com), the fatherhood program of Family First, a national non-profit organization based in Tampa, FL. Launched with the help of former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy in 1997, All Pro Dad features 55 NFL players, coaches, and alumni who speak out on the importance of being a good father. In March, Dungy came to Athens and announced that the national fatherhood program, which had been mainly focusing on the NFL, was expanding to the college ranks with the University of Georgia being the first to sponsor the program.
The event’s title sponsor is Chick-fil-A. Comcast Charter Sports Southeast and WCNN 680 The Fan are media partners for the event. For advance registration information visit www.AllProDad.com. The event is recommended for ages five and older. Registration is $15 per family which includes admission for one dad and up to four children.
For Love of the Game
It's a bit of an odd situation. Coming from Virginia, Jordan Love doesn't exactly know too many of his new teammates all that well, and he never spent any time facing off against any of his fellow freshmen in high school.
So he's done his best to build close ties with the players he's met so far, and as it turns out, two of his closest friends will be the two players he's competing for reps with this season -- Branden Smith and Brandon Boykin.
Rather than start things off on the wrong foot, however, Love said he's looking forward to squaring off against his friends on the practice field.
"I think healthy competition is good," Love said. "You get out there, and everybody's going to be pushing each other, so whoever gets the job is going to be really deserving of the spot."
Most pundits weren't exactly sure where Love would be competing when he finally does hit the practice field. At 6-foot-1 and closing in on 200 pounds, Love looked more like a safety than a corner -- the position he played in high school -- but Georgia's coaches didn't see it that way.
"The coaches said they needed corners and wanted me at corner," Love said. "I'm big for a corner, which they said they liked, so I'll probably be starting off there, but if they need me to play safety, that's what I'll do."
With Boykin (5-10, 195), Sanders Commings (6-2, 215) and Love, Georgia won't lack for big corners, and that's an advantage Love said he thinks the Bulldogs can exploit regularly.
"The receivers in the SEC, they're getting bigger, so you'd like to have a corner that can match up in bulk and size with those receivers," he said.
Beyond his size, however, Love said he brings a few other skills to the table.
"I have good hips, and I've been working on my footwork with an NFL coach, (Oakland's) Lionel Washington, so I have good hips and footwork for someone my size," he said.
Love said he isn't looking at Smith, a fellow freshman and five-star recruit, as his measuring stick, although he expects many fans will invariably compare the two at times. The way he sees it, Smith's game is about speed, and his is about power. They're two different players.
He also doesn't expect to get the iron man treatment Smith has been promised. While Love did play on both sides of the ball in high school, he said he isn't holding his breath to earn any offensive snaps at Georgia. Special teams, on the other hand, is a real possibility.
"I can definitely see myself returning punts and kicks," Love said. "I think if I can get started off on special teams, that will eventually get me on the field whether its offense or defense or different positions."
Whatever it takes to get on the field is what Love wants to do, but added he wants to make plays more than just earn playing time.
The possibility of early playing time is there, however, due in large part to the departure of junior Asher Allen for the NFL draft -- a move that surprised and somewhat disappointed Love. In the end, however, he's just happy for the opportunity.
"I was kind of hoping that when I got there I'd be able to learn from (Allen)," Love said, "but the fact that he left, it was kind of a win-win if he stayed or if he left. If he stayed, I could have learned from him, but since he left, it opens up some more playing time."
So he's done his best to build close ties with the players he's met so far, and as it turns out, two of his closest friends will be the two players he's competing for reps with this season -- Branden Smith and Brandon Boykin.
Rather than start things off on the wrong foot, however, Love said he's looking forward to squaring off against his friends on the practice field.
"I think healthy competition is good," Love said. "You get out there, and everybody's going to be pushing each other, so whoever gets the job is going to be really deserving of the spot."
Most pundits weren't exactly sure where Love would be competing when he finally does hit the practice field. At 6-foot-1 and closing in on 200 pounds, Love looked more like a safety than a corner -- the position he played in high school -- but Georgia's coaches didn't see it that way.
"The coaches said they needed corners and wanted me at corner," Love said. "I'm big for a corner, which they said they liked, so I'll probably be starting off there, but if they need me to play safety, that's what I'll do."
With Boykin (5-10, 195), Sanders Commings (6-2, 215) and Love, Georgia won't lack for big corners, and that's an advantage Love said he thinks the Bulldogs can exploit regularly.
"The receivers in the SEC, they're getting bigger, so you'd like to have a corner that can match up in bulk and size with those receivers," he said.
Beyond his size, however, Love said he brings a few other skills to the table.
"I have good hips, and I've been working on my footwork with an NFL coach, (Oakland's) Lionel Washington, so I have good hips and footwork for someone my size," he said.
Love said he isn't looking at Smith, a fellow freshman and five-star recruit, as his measuring stick, although he expects many fans will invariably compare the two at times. The way he sees it, Smith's game is about speed, and his is about power. They're two different players.
He also doesn't expect to get the iron man treatment Smith has been promised. While Love did play on both sides of the ball in high school, he said he isn't holding his breath to earn any offensive snaps at Georgia. Special teams, on the other hand, is a real possibility.
"I can definitely see myself returning punts and kicks," Love said. "I think if I can get started off on special teams, that will eventually get me on the field whether its offense or defense or different positions."
Whatever it takes to get on the field is what Love wants to do, but added he wants to make plays more than just earn playing time.
The possibility of early playing time is there, however, due in large part to the departure of junior Asher Allen for the NFL draft -- a move that surprised and somewhat disappointed Love. In the end, however, he's just happy for the opportunity.
"I was kind of hoping that when I got there I'd be able to learn from (Allen)," Love said, "but the fact that he left, it was kind of a win-win if he stayed or if he left. If he stayed, I could have learned from him, but since he left, it opens up some more playing time."
Monday, June 15, 2009
Kicking it Up a Notch
Brandon Bogotay was just tossing the football around with a friend at Grossmont Junior College one day, occasionally booting the ball down the field with impressive length. His friend suggested he try out for the school's football team as a kicker, despite never having played the sport before.
A few days later, Bogotay was a part of the team. A few months later, he was one of the top junior-college kickers in the country. And a few weeks after that, he read a story that Georgia's head football coach was willing to look just about anywhere for a kicker who could kickoff into the end zone consistently.
Now, just a year after his journey began, Bogotay is about to leave San Diego for Athens as the Bulldogs' new kicker.
"I went out one day for a tryout and did one practice and the coach told me I made the team and it all started from there," Bogotay said.
While Bogotay is still pretty green in terms of football experience, the job of kicker is one he had been preparing for nearly his entire life.
"I always played soccer, so growing up as a kid running and building up my leg has been huge," Bogotay said. "About a year ago I started kicking the football. I've always hit the soccer ball pretty hard, and I just ended up kicking a bunch of touchbacks and from there I started developing field goals and fine tuning."
Touchbacks are exactly what Mark Richt -- and a lot of Georgia fans -- were desperate for last season.
Blair Walsh struggled on kickoffs down the stretch, failing to reach the end zone consistently then missing badly on directional kicks as well.
So Richt was looking for a kicker, and Bogotay was looking for a chance to move on to a four-year school. Bogotay still had another year of junior college eligibility, but when he learned of the opportunity at Georgia, he sent out a tape of his kicks in hopes of landing a scholarship offer.
"I think the (JuCo) coaches were hoping I was going to stay, but I felt like I was ready to step up to the next level," Bogotay said. "So I sent my film off to the coaches and they got back to me."
Bogotay had offers from Nevada and Hawaii as well, but his kicking instructor at Grossmont was a longtime Georgia fan and urged him to join the Bulldogs.
"He always told me that if Georgia offers there's no way you can refuse," Bogotay said.
After talking with the Georgia coaches and visiting campus, Bogotay was hooked. And for their part, the Georgia coaches were hooked on him, too.
While Bogotay knows he's being brought in for kickoff duties, he said coaches have assured him he'll compete for extra-point and field-goal duties as well -- a chance he relishes.
"He gave me the opportunity to come in and work and earn both positions, but basically I think the main focus is kickoffs," Bogotay said. "I'm coming in with the attitude to try to win both but I'll do whatever helps the team."
Bogotay said that seems to be the attitude of Georgia's incumbent, too. He said he has spoken with Walsh a few times, and the sophomore kicker has welcomed the challenge and sounded excited about Bogotay's arrival.
"We're cool. We're just going to work together and whatever is best for the team is best for the team," Bogotay said. "He was great. He just welcomed me and there was nothing negative. It's going to be fun to work with him throughout the year."
Bogotay still has a few more weeks of school at Grossmont and expects to arrive in Athens in July.
A few days later, Bogotay was a part of the team. A few months later, he was one of the top junior-college kickers in the country. And a few weeks after that, he read a story that Georgia's head football coach was willing to look just about anywhere for a kicker who could kickoff into the end zone consistently.
Now, just a year after his journey began, Bogotay is about to leave San Diego for Athens as the Bulldogs' new kicker.
"I went out one day for a tryout and did one practice and the coach told me I made the team and it all started from there," Bogotay said.
While Bogotay is still pretty green in terms of football experience, the job of kicker is one he had been preparing for nearly his entire life.
"I always played soccer, so growing up as a kid running and building up my leg has been huge," Bogotay said. "About a year ago I started kicking the football. I've always hit the soccer ball pretty hard, and I just ended up kicking a bunch of touchbacks and from there I started developing field goals and fine tuning."
Touchbacks are exactly what Mark Richt -- and a lot of Georgia fans -- were desperate for last season.
Blair Walsh struggled on kickoffs down the stretch, failing to reach the end zone consistently then missing badly on directional kicks as well.
So Richt was looking for a kicker, and Bogotay was looking for a chance to move on to a four-year school. Bogotay still had another year of junior college eligibility, but when he learned of the opportunity at Georgia, he sent out a tape of his kicks in hopes of landing a scholarship offer.
"I think the (JuCo) coaches were hoping I was going to stay, but I felt like I was ready to step up to the next level," Bogotay said. "So I sent my film off to the coaches and they got back to me."
Bogotay had offers from Nevada and Hawaii as well, but his kicking instructor at Grossmont was a longtime Georgia fan and urged him to join the Bulldogs.
"He always told me that if Georgia offers there's no way you can refuse," Bogotay said.
After talking with the Georgia coaches and visiting campus, Bogotay was hooked. And for their part, the Georgia coaches were hooked on him, too.
While Bogotay knows he's being brought in for kickoff duties, he said coaches have assured him he'll compete for extra-point and field-goal duties as well -- a chance he relishes.
"He gave me the opportunity to come in and work and earn both positions, but basically I think the main focus is kickoffs," Bogotay said. "I'm coming in with the attitude to try to win both but I'll do whatever helps the team."
Bogotay said that seems to be the attitude of Georgia's incumbent, too. He said he has spoken with Walsh a few times, and the sophomore kicker has welcomed the challenge and sounded excited about Bogotay's arrival.
"We're cool. We're just going to work together and whatever is best for the team is best for the team," Bogotay said. "He was great. He just welcomed me and there was nothing negative. It's going to be fun to work with him throughout the year."
Bogotay still has a few more weeks of school at Grossmont and expects to arrive in Athens in July.
Richt: Shockley Had it Tougher
Comparisons between two players are rarely fair, but it's hard to avoid the obvious ones between D.J. Shockley and Joe Cox. Both players chose to stay at Georgia and ride the bench for four years, and both finally landed a starting job in their final seasons. For the most part, however, that's where the comparisons end.
Still, that hasn't stopped many fans and pundits from wondering if Cox can repeat the SEC championship-winning performance Shockley gave Georgia in his last season, leading the expectations on Georgia's new QB to be pretty high.
But while Cox may be a bit unfairly judged by what Shockley accomplished, Mark Richt thinks that his current quarterback has actually had it a bit easier than his old one did.
"If you remember, Shockley's last game he played a lot in was Georgia Tech on a cold, wet day, and he didn't play very well," Richt said. "So there was a lot of people, a large contingent of fans who were like, 'This kid can't do it.' I think Shockley came into the season with more doubters than what Joe's coming into the season with, in my opinion. I had full confidence in Shockley, and I think his teammates did, too, but a lot of people were concerned about him taking over after that last performance."
Still, that hasn't stopped many fans and pundits from wondering if Cox can repeat the SEC championship-winning performance Shockley gave Georgia in his last season, leading the expectations on Georgia's new QB to be pretty high.
But while Cox may be a bit unfairly judged by what Shockley accomplished, Mark Richt thinks that his current quarterback has actually had it a bit easier than his old one did.
"If you remember, Shockley's last game he played a lot in was Georgia Tech on a cold, wet day, and he didn't play very well," Richt said. "So there was a lot of people, a large contingent of fans who were like, 'This kid can't do it.' I think Shockley came into the season with more doubters than what Joe's coming into the season with, in my opinion. I had full confidence in Shockley, and I think his teammates did, too, but a lot of people were concerned about him taking over after that last performance."
Sunday, June 14, 2009
A Few Quick Words
Hope everyone is enjoying a relaxing weekend. I'm headed to Orlando for a few days, but I'll be continuing to update the blog this coming week. Before I hit the road, however, I wanted to address a couple quick things...
First, thanks to all of you who wrote or commented following my post yesterday. In retrospect, I feel a little foolish having even written it. From the amazingly supportive replies from all of you, it's pretty clear it wasn't necessary. I greatly appreciate all the kind words and comments, and in the future I'll try to keep those in mind before I decide to get too worked up about one critique I find particularly offensive.
Having said all that, I wanted to assure you that, had the criticism not come from another media professional, I definitely would not have responded as I did. I think those of us in the business need to be held to a slightly different standard than the average anonymous message board poster, which was what really got to me, I guess. But, I don't want my response to this to in any way keep you all from feeling free to hit me with a few low blows whenever they are necessary -- whether it's enlightening me about something stupid I wrote or correcting some poor grammar, as this anonymous poster did...
Anyway, the other thing I wanted to note was this message, posted yesterday at Dawgbone.net.
In any case, I wanted to send a big thanks to Dawgbone and wish them the best of luck in the future.
First, thanks to all of you who wrote or commented following my post yesterday. In retrospect, I feel a little foolish having even written it. From the amazingly supportive replies from all of you, it's pretty clear it wasn't necessary. I greatly appreciate all the kind words and comments, and in the future I'll try to keep those in mind before I decide to get too worked up about one critique I find particularly offensive.
Having said all that, I wanted to assure you that, had the criticism not come from another media professional, I definitely would not have responded as I did. I think those of us in the business need to be held to a slightly different standard than the average anonymous message board poster, which was what really got to me, I guess. But, I don't want my response to this to in any way keep you all from feeling free to hit me with a few low blows whenever they are necessary -- whether it's enlightening me about something stupid I wrote or correcting some poor grammar, as this anonymous poster did...
Well, said, Anon. Well said.So maybe it was not "I" who was uninformed here.
If you are going to invoke journalistic integrity...
Anyway, the other thing I wanted to note was this message, posted yesterday at Dawgbone.net.
Dawgbone is taking an indefinite hiatus from the Internet. We don't know what the future will be for the site. Thank you all for your interest the last 5 1/2 years.This is definitely sad news for those of us who both read and produce Georgia blogs. Dawgbone is without rival in terms of collecting Bulldogs stories for readers and has been a tremendous asset to me in terms of both tracking down information and in driving readership to my site. As a blogger who tries to round up stories on Georgia sports on a (semi) daily basis, I can also understand just how time consuming the work Dawgbone has done must have been.
In any case, I wanted to send a big thanks to Dawgbone and wish them the best of luck in the future.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Them's Fightin' Words
I preface this by saying, I don't mind criticism. In fact, I encourage it. Thanks to some insightful commenters (even the guy who corrects my spelling on every minor typo), I've definitely reconsidered some opinions I had in the past or re-evaluated the way I put together a story or compiled this blog. So please understand, I'm not bothered by a critique.
What does bother me, however, is when someone who has no clue what they are talking about takes a swipe at my journalistic integrity. At the end of the day, that's all we as journalists have going for us (it sure ain't the salary or job security) and so I'm defensive about it.
When I wrote the piece for the blog yesterday on Lane Kiffin and Mark Richt's divergent approaches toward recruiting, I expected a little backlash and even considered not writing it because I didn't want it to come off as a ringing endorsement of how perfect Richt is and how childish Kiffin is. That wasn't my intention, but I'm aware it could have sounded that way.
As it turned out, I think most of you got what I was trying to say pretty clearly, and even those who didn't agree with it -- like UGABullldog14 -- had valid points to be made. Here's what he wrote:
I really like the atmosphere Coach Richt has created at UGA, but even as a Dawg fan I thought this article was a bit too negative towards Tennessee.
Lane Kiffin has been annoying and has made a lot of enemies you don't want to have going into your first game as a college head coach, but I can't say that his antics will result in Tennessee on serious probation or UT having the ever-so-popular "bunch of thugs" on his team. I'm not saying you said this, but this is the idea I got.
I'm far, far from a Tennessee fan and probably have more animosity towads them than most UGA fans, but I think it is a bit much to say Kiffin will only get the rotten apples, or that he will get more rotten apples than most ('cause we're all gonna get some each year).
I think Kiffin is trying to create a fun atmosphere. I do not think he went about it the right way at all. I think he's a dubious character, too, judging from him making Al Davis look like the sane one (in my opinion). But I just can't say that Lane Kiffin is going to end up with a bunch of me-first players that do their own thing.
Different things work for different schools and different coaches. I hope this doesn't come as an insult to Florida, and I may be wrong, but they seem to be more of a business than a family, and look where that has gotten them. I judge that off of the overall feeling Urban Meyer gives off. Same with Southern Cal and Pete Carroll. I just think Kiffin is trying to show that he'll be a player's coach, and I think he went about it in the wrong way. There has to be something he could've done with a little more class that would've gotten UT off-season publicity from the start.
He brings up some good points, and I'm not inclined to disagree with any of them. There are a lot of ways to build a winning football program, and perhaps Kiffin's will work as well as Meyer's has. I guess my primary argument, however, was that if you recruit guys to be a part of a family, they are more apt to use that family as their motivation for four years, but if you recruit a guy by telling him he's the best, you're more apt to get a guy who is playing for himself. Not an air-tight theory, but my guess is it's true more often than it's not.Lane Kiffin has been annoying and has made a lot of enemies you don't want to have going into your first game as a college head coach, but I can't say that his antics will result in Tennessee on serious probation or UT having the ever-so-popular "bunch of thugs" on his team. I'm not saying you said this, but this is the idea I got.
I'm far, far from a Tennessee fan and probably have more animosity towads them than most UGA fans, but I think it is a bit much to say Kiffin will only get the rotten apples, or that he will get more rotten apples than most ('cause we're all gonna get some each year).
I think Kiffin is trying to create a fun atmosphere. I do not think he went about it the right way at all. I think he's a dubious character, too, judging from him making Al Davis look like the sane one (in my opinion). But I just can't say that Lane Kiffin is going to end up with a bunch of me-first players that do their own thing.
Different things work for different schools and different coaches. I hope this doesn't come as an insult to Florida, and I may be wrong, but they seem to be more of a business than a family, and look where that has gotten them. I judge that off of the overall feeling Urban Meyer gives off. Same with Southern Cal and Pete Carroll. I just think Kiffin is trying to show that he'll be a player's coach, and I think he went about it in the wrong way. There has to be something he could've done with a little more class that would've gotten UT off-season publicity from the start.
Anyway, UGABulldog14's comment was fair, well thought out and -- most importantly -- a proper reply to what I actually wrote. He didn't gloss over things or assume I said things I didn't. He gave his opinion which was a bit different than mine, and I respect that.
Now, here's the opposite of that, courtesy of an actual employee of the Georgia Rivals site. It comes from the message boards at Rivals, which I would not have read had someone not decided to post a link to my blog from there today (which, by the way, I do appreciate).
Here is my beef, something that is thrown around by old-guard journalists all the time:
"Yes, he got a good class this time in terms of the valuations by recruiting sites (which are at least on occasion a bit dubious) but if this is Kiffin's method for recruiting, is he really getting the type of players a program wants?"
No mention of how the papers are a bit dubious a lot of the time nor how they wallow in bad news. Also I didn't see one guy from any newspaper out at the camps that I was at Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, etc. Kipp was at a different 7-on-7 camp so we could cover two camps. But I guess watching the recruits work out and compete is not as valid as sitting behind the computer watching Cheers and then saying "Hey, they were wrong about Mudcat. They must be dubious."
I know. Picky. Very Picky. I know- not even remotely the point of his article. But just the flippant brush-offs get a bit tiresome after a while. And just like any minority, one gets tired of repeated put-downs, especially when the offender doesn't even realize they are going it.
Might as well have said "You people..."
"Yes, he got a good class this time in terms of the valuations by recruiting sites (which are at least on occasion a bit dubious) but if this is Kiffin's method for recruiting, is he really getting the type of players a program wants?"
No mention of how the papers are a bit dubious a lot of the time nor how they wallow in bad news. Also I didn't see one guy from any newspaper out at the camps that I was at Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, etc. Kipp was at a different 7-on-7 camp so we could cover two camps. But I guess watching the recruits work out and compete is not as valid as sitting behind the computer watching Cheers and then saying "Hey, they were wrong about Mudcat. They must be dubious."
I know. Picky. Very Picky. I know- not even remotely the point of his article. But just the flippant brush-offs get a bit tiresome after a while. And just like any minority, one gets tired of repeated put-downs, especially when the offender doesn't even realize they are going it.
Might as well have said "You people..."
Again, I don't mind criticism -- and there was some criticism of the actual blog topic on the message board, too, which I found completely valid. I mind having my integrity questioned, and I particularly mind it when it comes from someone who also works in the media and should understand the weight of such accusations.
Allow me to counter this point by point:
1.) I was in Macon on Tuesday to talk to Mark Richt. I was at Butts-Mehre on Wednesday the entire day talking with players (and even said hello to Mr. Nabulsi, so he should know I was there). On Thursday I spoke with several other players on the phone for interviews. To suggest I don't get firsthand knowledge of the topics I write about is a joke, and if Mr. Nabulsi would like to compare time sheets from the past year, I'd be happy to do that.
2.) Yes, I work for a newspaper, which I assume makes me an "old world" journalist. But if you can find another "old world" beat reporter in this area who has embraced the Internet more or criticized newspapers more than I have, I'd love to meet him. (Heck, my next post after the Kiffin story was a response to Twitter inquiries!) I have no hard feelings toward the Internet sites at all. In fact, I write content for Scout's Web site and have worked closely with Dean Legge over the past year. Nearly every day I link to blogs covering Georgia that are far outside the mainstream -- not to mention links to Rivals on a regular basis. I'm on board.
3.) The camp Mr. Nabulsi discusses is A.) not part of my job to cover, and B.) off limits to media as directed by the SEC. So my hands were a bit tied there.
4.) Associating the plight of recruiting Web sites with that of blacks or Jews? Please, you can't be serious.
5.) And this is the most important one -- I DIDN'T INSULT RECRUITING SERVICES. All I meant was that no evaluation of a high school player can be considered a completely accurate prediction of how he'll perform at the college level. Anyone who wants to argue with that is simply wearing blinders.
Seriously, I included the Cheers reference because I try to make this blog more fun than the typical stodgy newspaper reporting. I spent nearly the entire week covering UGA football even though the season doesn't start for another three months. And what I said was not even remotely a criticism of recruiting sites.
So maybe it wasn't me who was uninformed here.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Talking To the Twits
Before the Pigskin Preview event in Macon on Tuesday, I asked via Twitter for a few questions you guys wanted me to ask Mark Richt. A handful of folks had suggestions, and I got a few answers. Here goes...
@Ludakit asks: due to de depth, any special packages being made like a 3-4 just in case? Maybe something similar to lsu's express?
Don't expect any vast departures on defense. As Rod Battle said, "It's just a renewed focus. The same stuff worked in years past, and we know what we want our style of play to be. We want to be a team that plays fast and physical, and I think if you do that, you make up for a lot of mistakes you make."
Of course that doesn't mean there won't be any changes. Richt said he expects the try-outs for Darryl Gamble and Marcus Washington at defensive end this spring to be a permanent feature in the fall.
"We felt like with Brandon Miller we probably didn't take advantage enough of his abilities," Richt said. "He played Sam linebacker and when the Sam left the game he was standing on the sideline. He wasn't really producing for us. It was late in his career that we really found out that we should let this kid rush the passer in nickel situations. So we're basically making that our normal mode of operation now. If you're a Sam linebacker and it's nickel time, you're going to learn how to rush the passer."
@strickland asks: which player are you most excited to see play this fall?
Richt was short on specifics here, but he did have some big picture interests: "There's so many. I'm curious about the tailback position. I'm very curious to see how the young receivers do because they're going to have to play. I'm excited to just watch the offensive line practice on a daily basis because not only will the first team be pretty good, but the second team is going to be pretty darned good. And when that happens, that helps the defense. The healthier you are, the more experienced you are, everybody just gets better on a daily basis, and just to watch that will be good."
@TNRLM asks: any chance of the special teams brain trust rethinking "directional kicking" and coverage?
This one didn't take long for Richt to answer: "I doubt there will be change."
I suggested he check out Rex Robinson's thoughts on the situation, which he did promise he would do.
"Maybe I ought to read it and maybe it will change my opinion," Richt said. "I'll read it."
@RandallDBruce asks: What is his response to people now calling him a whiner with his recent remarks?
Well, I posted much more about this yesterday, so be sure to check that out HERE.
Beyond that though, Richt said he doesn't think criticisms of him or his team are unfair. But he did admit that the landscape has changed in terms of how fans view him and the program, particularly in light of last season.
"I think they have a pretty realistic idea of what this league's about," Richt said, "but last year in particular, all that preseason No. 1 got everybody thinking this is it, and when you have a Stafford and Moreno, people have a tendency to want to judge the entire team on two guys. To me, when you're starting three freshmen and two sophomores up front, if you look at that, not many people would rank someone a preseason No. 1. But because of how we finished the season prior and because we had these highly regarded players, they thought, this is the year."
And if you're still looking for some more info from the Pigskin Preview, check out Part 2 of Macon Dawg's report at Dawg Sports.
Thanks to those of you who submitted questions, and don't forget to follow me on Twitter if you're not already.Friday Links (6/12)
Hey I'm hitting the road once again. I'm going to be in lovely Albany, Ga. for two days, then heading to Orlando to visit some friends, but fear not... I've preposted a bunch of material for next week, so you won't be without new content. That said, I make no promises on prompt replies to comments or emails.
I'm also typing up this links post on Thursday night, so it might not be the freshest content by the time you read it, but the site's free, so who are you to complain, right?
Anyway, here ya go, and have a great weekend...
(One quick note, I talked to Jeff Owens yesterday, and he promises a new blog post very soon.)
-- Damon Evans tells fans to expect more night games for Georgia this season and beyond. And given our deadlines, that should effectively end any reason for you to buy the newspaper.
-- I know, I know, you hate when I link to Bleacher Report. Well, this one probably won't help: BR says Knowshon Moreno and Matthew Stafford will never be seen as true Georgia legends because they never fulfilled their promise.
-- Hey Jenny Slater wonders what the Dawgs will have to do in 2009 in order for fans to be satisfied.
-- Apparently Florida officials aren't too happy with the Orlando Sentinel for tracking all the player arrests during the past four years.
-- Season ticket sales are down a good bit at South Carolina, which seems odd given how cautiously optimistic Steve Spurrier is about his QB.
-- Georgia Sports Blog points out the obvious ridiculousness of the sanctions against Alabama.
-- Gene Chizik is at work in Georgia trying to slice a few holes in any fence Mark Richt has built around the state.
-- If my post earlier today about Lane Kiffin's recruiting strategy didn't fill the void in your heart for making fun of the UT coaching staff, you absolutely must read this hilarious blog post on the top products Kiffin has identified from his latest camp. (h/t CBJ)
-- Lane Kffin's antics can't all be called "self promotion" when ESPN is doing such a good job of helping him promote. I guess this also means that if Carlton Thomas hurdles anyone this season, it'll make "SportsCenter." (h/t Adam G.)
-- The Frankfort Station has a nice profile of Georgia softball star Alisa Goler.
-- I absolutely hate my GPS system, but it's never caused anything nearly this bad to happen to me.
-- If you like mustaches and you're excited for the new "Transformers" movie, you're going to love this T-shirt.
-- I'm not sure how many of my readers are avid nudists, but I feel compelled to make you aware of your chance to be a part of setting the world record for skinny dipping. (Warning: Bare asses come with this link.)
-- This is a very cool way to kill 3 minutes, 20 seconds of your life: Check out this mashup of the 100 best movie lines of all time in 200 seconds.
-- Upon reflection, there were a handful of plot holes that really bothered me about "The Hangover," but I'm choosing to ignore them because the movie was so darned funny. One, however, was that the movie promises the end credits will explain how one character ended up in the emergency room, but in fact, it doesn't. That's not to say that the end credits are not hilarious though. And they inspired this list of the all-time best end credits in movies.Sometimes You Wanna Go...
I spent a majority of my Thursday watching reruns of "Cheers" and doing laundry. I recently decided that I had seen every episode of "Seinfeld" too many times, so I had to switch up my syndicated sitcom of choice, and determined that "Cheers" would be a welcome addition to my DVR schedule.
Anyway, I watched six episodes, my favorite being one from the final season in which Harry the Hat (played by "Night Court's" Harry Anderson) helped the gang at Cheers finally exact some revenge on Gary from Gary's Olde Towne Tavern. The ongoing war between Cheers and Gary's was always one of the best recurring storylines of the show, and Gary, of course, always got the better of Sam's crew.
Beyond the mini-marathon of "Cheers," I also spent a relatively sizable chunk of my day reading through the extensive copy dedicated to the potential success of Lane Kiffin, as posted by T Kyle King HERE, Senator Blutarsky HERE, and some fine Tennessee fans HERE. To say the least, it was enjoyable.
I'm not about to jump into the fray of wondering how much success Kiffin will find this season at Tennessee -- although I believe I didn't exactly pick the Vols to do well in my way-too-early projections -- but some of the points King discusses touched on something I've been thinking about for a while.
I spent some time listening to Kiffin explain his offseason antics in Destin, Fla. two weeks ago. Dubious or not, Kiffin seems to think he needed to be a little wacky this offseason in order to bring attention to Tennessee. He felt he needed to throw a few stones at the opposition in order to turn the spotlight back to his school. He needed to get his name -- and by association, I presume, the Volunteers' -- into the national conversation in order to ensure he'd have a shot at luring prized recruits. The results, he suggests, speak for themselves, insofar as Tennessee landed a top-10 recruiting class and the nation's No. 1 overall recruit.
Now, regardless of whether or not you believe all of this was premeditated, I think there's another question to be asked: Since when did Tennessee need publicity stunts to be regarded as a national program? Say what you want about Phil Fulmer, but beyond a few legal headaches in Alabama and the obvious marketing tie-ins with Krispy Kreme, when did he need to make an ass out of himself in order for people to pay attention to the Vols?
I've rarely cared one way or another about Tennessee, but come on... they're better than that, right?
In King's post, his essential point (and I'm glossing over some good stuff) was that, Kiffin may be a fine recruiter, but he hasn't proven he can coach. Valid point.
But my question is -- is he really a fine recruiter? Yes, he got a good class this time in terms of the valuations by recruiting sites (which are at least on occasion a bit dubious) but if this is Kiffin's method for recruiting, is he really getting the type of players a program wants?
That's the thing about publicity stunts. They're stunts, and they're designed to get a quick boost in interest, but they never last. There's a reason the Yankees and Lakers don't offer publicity stunts, and there's a reason why two-bit teams in small towns offer free haircuts, speed dating at the ballpark and Rod Blagojevich bobbleheads. My guess is that most Tennessee fans would prefer to be associated with the former than the latter.
For the past few weeks, I've been talking with a number of Georgia's incoming freshmen for a Getting to Know You series. In each interview, I've asked them the same question: What brought you to Georgia?
These aren't just local kids who spent their lives wanting to play for the Bulldogs. These are players from California and Virginia and Massachusetts. Even the local standouts like Branden Smith were recruited heavily by other top schools. Orson Charles picked Georgia over Florida and Southern Cal, arguably the two best programs in the country in terms of wins and losses.
Despite the distinct differences in the backgrounds of each player, they all gave essentially the exact same response: Georgia felt like a family.
OK, so at this point, unless you're a rose-colored-glasses-wearing Georgia fan, you're rolling your eyes and saying, "Of course they said that." I get it, and I'm not trying to be the head of the Mark Richt fan club.
But think about it: They didn't say they came for playing time or because it was their best chance to win a national title or because Georgia puts so many players into the NFL. I have no doubt that all of those things factored into their decision, and all would have been valid answers to my query. Instead, however, every one of them -- and I've talked to nearly a dozen (many of which I haven't posted yet) -- said the same thing. Family.
At that same press conference Kiffin held in Destin, he was asked how recruiting in the SEC was different from other areas of the country. Here's what he said about kids in the South:
"It's the people around them more, the relationships around him. A lot of times the kid's not making the decision on his own. Someone else is making it for him. I think different parts of the country, it's more about the kids himself than about the parents or the coaches. It's more about family values here."
This should sound at least a little familiar to Georgia fans, since Kiffin essentially said Marlon Brown only chose the Bulldogs because his grandmother was so taken with Richt. (And in case you were wondering, here's what Brown told me when I asked him why he came here: "Probably the thing that made up my mind was the people. Coach Richt and his staff did a good job of recruiting me from Day 1, and that's really what made the difference.")
In any case, clearly Kiffin acknowledges that creating a family environment is important to landing top recruits in the area, and yet he thinks that publicity stunts and boorish behavior were a necessity to get good players to come to Tennessee.
Now, I'm not saying Richt is the perfect family man, both at home and in the locker room. Clearly Georgia has missed out on some top recruits that were also good kids (UT's Eric Berry springs to mind). But there's a good reason why so many of this year's incoming freshmen said they felt at home in Athens.
During the season, I spent countless days over at the Butts-Mehre building, watching practice and doing interviews. The one guy who I didn't talk to all season was Stacy Searels. He wasn't doing interviews, as you may know. But you know who I talked to at least once a week? Searels' daughter. She was always running around the halls and playing on the elevators along with the other coaches' kids. Marcus Washington's wife and kids were often in the building, hanging out with players. Former players dropped by often with their families to visit. Richt's wife is the water girl on game day. It really is a family environment.
Now, I'm not saying none of those things happen at Tennessee or anywhere else. I'm sure they do. But rather than rent limos or rip off shirts or call out other coaches, it's that family environment that Georgia's coaching staff sells, and I have no doubt that it attracts a specific type of person to want to play for the Bulldogs.
In fact, here's another great example that Rodney Garner gave about the recruitment of Montez Robinson from Indiana:
"He was a young man that was from the state of Alabama. He's sort of a unique story a lot like DeAngelo Tyson. He's been a ward of the state since he was six years old. Just getting to know him, you really felt a bond toward him, a love for him, and you really felt like he was an outstanding young man. Here's a kid that came from a very difficult set of circumstances, but yet he was able to rise up and is going to be able to do something special with his life. He has eight brothers and sisters, he's the oldest, and I think they are all looking to him to do something special. It's not just from an athletic standpoint, but I think we all fell in love with him as a person, too. I think arguably he is the best player in the state of Indiana, and we're excited about him getting here in June and getting in with this family. We know he's going to have a family once he gets here."
Seriously, if you heard that, wouldn't you want to go play for Garner, too? Maybe a lot of it is B.S., but it's pretty convincing B.S.
That, of course, is not to say every player who has worn the red and black has been a good guy. Some haven't been. Some have been good people but still made some bad mistakes. Nobody's perfect.
But when you look big picture and compare the approach of Lane Kiffin with the approach of Mark Richt, there's a good chance you end up with two markedly different recruiting classes. Both might have top-10 talent, but they're likely to have distinctly divergent agendas they hope that talent helps them achieve. There were, after all, a lot of folks at USC who were thrilled to have O.J. Mayo, and a lot of fans at other schools who were angry they missed out. How'd that work out for Tim Floyd?
I guess what I'm saying is, Kiffin can trumpet the success of his over-the-top approach all he wants. In terms of bringing talent and attention to Tennessee, it certainly seems to have worked. But sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for.
Gary spent a lot of years tormenting the gang at Cheers, but in the episode I watched yesterday, he finally got what was coming to him. Harry convinced Gary he was a billionaire developer interested in buying the property where Gary's bar was located. Hoping to play one final prank on Cheers, Gary demolished his own bar and tried to pin it on the Cheers gang, only to learn that Harry was a fraud. In the end, his arrogance was his own downfall. (Well, that and some delightful hijinks from Harry the Hat.)
Being the loudest, most confident guy in the room has its immediate rewards, but there's an upside to being understated and biding your time. Kiffin might take a lesson from Gary's ultimate demise. While a lot of talented players want to have their ego stroked and the world handed to them, there are plenty of others who simply want to go where everybody knows their name.
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