Obviously, I don't follow UGA basketball very much, but an article on the ajc.com website has required my attention. Just to update those who may not know, UGA Men's basketball is winless this year in conference games and Dennis Felton was fired recently for the teams shortcomings...UGA was the SEC tournament champion last year under Felton.
Anywho...The AJC is speculating that Bob Knight may be interested in the job at UGA. Furman Bisher has an intriguing article in which his primary source is a friend of Knight's: http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-%20blogs/ajc/bisher/entries/2009/01/31/bob_knight_interested_in_uga_j.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab
Wow, this would electrify the UGA program. Let's face it, whether or not you like Bob Knight, he has 902 ways to prove you wrong - more than any other coach - and the UGA basketball program would suddenly be in HD on ESPN (see Texas Tech). Personally, I am all for it, win or lose. Anything that will actually make me interested in UGA basketball is a good thing for me. The turnouts at the Dawgs' arena for games is enough alone to make one want to change the channel...
Let's hope this rumor has some weight.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
2009 Falcons Draft
The draft is already a hot topic for 30 teams in the NFL. For the Falcons, defense has been the topic of greatest attention. There have been several reports on what the Falcons will do, including the well-respected Mel Kiper's first Mock Draft of 2009: http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/insider/news/story?id=3849927 . He projects the Falcons taking an OLB/DE in Larry English from Northern Illinois.
One Atlanta Journal Constitution report has the D as the main focus and cites Dimitroff as the source for this information: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/printedition/2009/01/22/bradley0122.html?cxntlid=inform_artr
My concern, however, is the offensive line. Some believe that the O-line was exposed in the playoffs by Arizona and even referred to Atlanta's success in the run game and pass protection as "smoke and mirrors." This need will be addressed, I believe, but perhaps not in the first round. Let's face it, the Falcons will not have a sexy draft. QB's, RB's, and WR's are sexy. Defensive Tackles, Outside Linebackers, and Safeties, are not. Neither are Centers. Aside from Ryan, Ovie, Turner, and Lofton on Defense, look for Atlanta to adress the middle of both sides of the ball. They inched into this territory last year with DeCoud and in 2007 with Datish from Ohio State. Decoud is not quite like the head hunting run-stuffing Milloy, and Datish was cut. Grady Jackson is 35 and 375, and McClure, though still very effective, will be entering his 14th year.
We cannot go through another year with the same talent on the O-line and expect to get away with it - nor can we expect to ride the backs of 35 + year old players. Dimitroff is a fantastic GM and talent evaluator, and Coach Smith is a great mind who knows what he needs for his game plan, thus, the Falcons will be in great shape after the draft, just don't expect it to be sexy.
One Atlanta Journal Constitution report has the D as the main focus and cites Dimitroff as the source for this information: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/printedition/2009/01/22/bradley0122.html?cxntlid=inform_artr
My concern, however, is the offensive line. Some believe that the O-line was exposed in the playoffs by Arizona and even referred to Atlanta's success in the run game and pass protection as "smoke and mirrors." This need will be addressed, I believe, but perhaps not in the first round. Let's face it, the Falcons will not have a sexy draft. QB's, RB's, and WR's are sexy. Defensive Tackles, Outside Linebackers, and Safeties, are not. Neither are Centers. Aside from Ryan, Ovie, Turner, and Lofton on Defense, look for Atlanta to adress the middle of both sides of the ball. They inched into this territory last year with DeCoud and in 2007 with Datish from Ohio State. Decoud is not quite like the head hunting run-stuffing Milloy, and Datish was cut. Grady Jackson is 35 and 375, and McClure, though still very effective, will be entering his 14th year.
We cannot go through another year with the same talent on the O-line and expect to get away with it - nor can we expect to ride the backs of 35 + year old players. Dimitroff is a fantastic GM and talent evaluator, and Coach Smith is a great mind who knows what he needs for his game plan, thus, the Falcons will be in great shape after the draft, just don't expect it to be sexy.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Braves Offseason Moves
John Smoltz is a Red Sox. That is about how this offseason could be summed up until Monday, the 12th. The Braves were repeatedly let down by rumours and trade talks that consistently fell through. At one time, Derrick Lowe was considered to be of no interest to the Braves, until he was the last pitcher left that could lead a rotation. Now our rotation will debut with three new faces, including the first Japanese player in a Braves uniform. The missing piece is a legitimate power bat in the lineup. As it stands right now, there is a legitimate chance that no one in the lineup will reach 25 homeruns. Ouch. Spring training is right around the corner, so we will have to see if Wren has anything else up his sleeve.
Falcon Season Wrap
The playoffs became a reality for the Falcons in 2008. This team was supposed to win one game, as many know. That maligned win total was trumped in week 3 against Kansas City.
Rookie of the Year Matt Ryan, Coach of the Year Mike Smith, Pro Bowlers Michael Turner, Roddy White, John Abraham (alternate) and Matt Ryan (alternate). The Sporting News also released its list of superlatives and these Falcons made the list as well as Curtis Lofton, a first team All-Rookie selection.
It was a great season for the Falcons and the fanbase was re-energized after a hopeless 2007 campaign. Many storylines and feel-goods surfaced in 2008, however, and now the Falcons become favorites in the division for 2009. This franchise has never had back to back winning seasons, and this will be a goal. The process, as the orginization calls it, is not over until there is a Lombardi Trophy in Atlanta. That thought alone is hard to fathom for a city that has only seen one major sports championship (1995 Braves). This could quite possibly be the best coaching staff in the NFL in the coming years and the front office has been superb in its debut season.
Go Falcons.
Rookie of the Year Matt Ryan, Coach of the Year Mike Smith, Pro Bowlers Michael Turner, Roddy White, John Abraham (alternate) and Matt Ryan (alternate). The Sporting News also released its list of superlatives and these Falcons made the list as well as Curtis Lofton, a first team All-Rookie selection.
It was a great season for the Falcons and the fanbase was re-energized after a hopeless 2007 campaign. Many storylines and feel-goods surfaced in 2008, however, and now the Falcons become favorites in the division for 2009. This franchise has never had back to back winning seasons, and this will be a goal. The process, as the orginization calls it, is not over until there is a Lombardi Trophy in Atlanta. That thought alone is hard to fathom for a city that has only seen one major sports championship (1995 Braves). This could quite possibly be the best coaching staff in the NFL in the coming years and the front office has been superb in its debut season.
Go Falcons.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Bulldog Season Wrap and Crystal Ball
Well, when 10 wins leaves room for complaints, your fanbase is pretty fortunate. There are some complaints, however, after the 2008 season. The defense waited until the bowl game to show signs of life, which was bittersweet when considering the 42, 49, and 45 points we gave up in our three losses. We did beat a Michigan St. team with 9 wins (who lost by considerable margins to both Ohio St. and Penn St.), and this is the "sweet" portion of that oxymoron.
Perhaps even larger than what we won or lost between August 30-Jan. 1 is who we lost in the following weeks: Knowshon Moreno, Matthew Stafford and, more recently, Asher Allen. I am going to sail out to the one-man island here and say that Georgia is better off without them. If not better off, at least no worse. Mark Richt has 6 10-win seasons in his 8 years as a Dawg, with only two of those coming with the three kids leaving. Richt was able to win two conference championships with David Greene and DJ Shockley under center and Thomas Brown, Musa Smith, Kregg Lumpking, etc. at tailback. Richt won zero conference crowns with Stafford and Moreno...
The talent coming in makes you scratch your head a bit. How was Richt able to convince the ESPN.com #1 quarterback AND the ESPN.com #10 quarterback to come to Georgia in the same class? Who cares, really? The point is, they are both coming and their names are Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenburger (sounds alot like a certain Steelers superbowl winning QB eh, John Gray?). If either prove to live up to the expectations, Richt will not hesitate to start the best QB (See Stafford). Personally, I'm pulling for Joe Cox to come in in his senior season and remind us all of how effective Shockley was when he got his shot.
Moreno is harder to lose because he is a special talent, but Georgia's running offense was not statistically better with him in the lineup. Look it up. It may seem that way, but the fact is that three years ago when UGA rushed for 200 yards in a game, three guys shared the load, under Moreno, only one guy supplied the yards. Everyone knows UGA is a magnet for good running backs, and King and Samuel will prove to work hard and be effective like all of our other rotating runners.
Bottom line is, I look for Georgia to have at least 9 wins again next year, maybe even 10 with their New Year's Day bowl game.
Of course, the road will be tough, with the disheartening news that Tebow will delay his entry into the NFL - who projected him as a mid-level tight end - this all may be a moot point. Miracles can happen...on ice anyway. Boldest January prediction - Georgia loses 1 game next year to the Gators, who lose 2, Georgia 2009 SEC champs. If you're under the radar, get your but off the floor.
Perhaps even larger than what we won or lost between August 30-Jan. 1 is who we lost in the following weeks: Knowshon Moreno, Matthew Stafford and, more recently, Asher Allen. I am going to sail out to the one-man island here and say that Georgia is better off without them. If not better off, at least no worse. Mark Richt has 6 10-win seasons in his 8 years as a Dawg, with only two of those coming with the three kids leaving. Richt was able to win two conference championships with David Greene and DJ Shockley under center and Thomas Brown, Musa Smith, Kregg Lumpking, etc. at tailback. Richt won zero conference crowns with Stafford and Moreno...
The talent coming in makes you scratch your head a bit. How was Richt able to convince the ESPN.com #1 quarterback AND the ESPN.com #10 quarterback to come to Georgia in the same class? Who cares, really? The point is, they are both coming and their names are Aaron Murray and Zach Mettenburger (sounds alot like a certain Steelers superbowl winning QB eh, John Gray?). If either prove to live up to the expectations, Richt will not hesitate to start the best QB (See Stafford). Personally, I'm pulling for Joe Cox to come in in his senior season and remind us all of how effective Shockley was when he got his shot.
Moreno is harder to lose because he is a special talent, but Georgia's running offense was not statistically better with him in the lineup. Look it up. It may seem that way, but the fact is that three years ago when UGA rushed for 200 yards in a game, three guys shared the load, under Moreno, only one guy supplied the yards. Everyone knows UGA is a magnet for good running backs, and King and Samuel will prove to work hard and be effective like all of our other rotating runners.
Bottom line is, I look for Georgia to have at least 9 wins again next year, maybe even 10 with their New Year's Day bowl game.
Of course, the road will be tough, with the disheartening news that Tebow will delay his entry into the NFL - who projected him as a mid-level tight end - this all may be a moot point. Miracles can happen...on ice anyway. Boldest January prediction - Georgia loses 1 game next year to the Gators, who lose 2, Georgia 2009 SEC champs. If you're under the radar, get your but off the floor.
Back After Long Rest
I am back after a two month layoff in which papers, exams, and other issues prevented me from posting.
I laugh looking at my November 12 post. The Hawks suffered their first loss of the season that night in Boston and now they have 15, including a three-streak of bad performances. The Bulldogs took a nosedive against Tech in the last week of November, and the Falcons missed the 2nd seed in the playoffs and a first round bye by a last second Panther field goal against New Orleans.
More on all that very shortly. I am back and will post regularly.
I laugh looking at my November 12 post. The Hawks suffered their first loss of the season that night in Boston and now they have 15, including a three-streak of bad performances. The Bulldogs took a nosedive against Tech in the last week of November, and the Falcons missed the 2nd seed in the playoffs and a first round bye by a last second Panther field goal against New Orleans.
More on all that very shortly. I am back and will post regularly.
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