It was the perfect backdrop for a day of college football.
Finally, that crisp autumn air was a little “nippier” and it was starting to feel like something special was going to happen. Continue reading “Nightmare In Dixie: Atlanta Braves, Georgia Bulldogs Give State Of Georgia Their Worst 48-Hours In Sports History (Part 2)”
Last weekend was full of promise as a sports fan in the State of Georgia.
On Friday the Braves, back in the postseason for the first time since 2010, were ready to go against the team that had unceremoniously knocked them out last season. Continue reading “Nightmare In Dixie: Atlanta Braves, Georgia Bulldogs Give State Of Georgia Their Worst 48-Hours In Sports History (Part 1)”
The Locker now has an accompanying Podcast! Locker Talk debuted this afternoon and it will be a twice a week discussion on all things sports, music, entertainment and more. Give it a listen! It will be co-hosted by my good buddy Baden Bagley and feature insight from other writers and (hopefully) sports figures. The first features The Lady Sportswriter blogger Kimberley Nash and I discussing College Football, the SEC, Top-10 teams, most overrated and underrated and the big top-10 matchup between the University of Georgia and the University of South Carolina. Listens appreciated, feedback always welcome. Enjoy!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thelocker/2012/10/04/locker-talk
I have a list of coaches and players that I admire quite a bit for a number of different reasons. Mark Richt of the University of Georgia is definitely one of those coaches. I like this recent spot he did for the College Gameday crew for their upcoming visit to Columbia, South Carolina as they take on the number six Gamecocks.
It isn’t enough for Mark Richt’s fifth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs to defeat the sixth-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks. They have to do something far more drastic Saturday evening.
They need to beat them soundly and without much mercy. Continue reading “NCAA Football 2012: University of Georgia Needs To Make A Statement With Win Over Spurrier, South Carolina”
National signing day is supposed to be the culmination of four-years of hard work by a prep athlete getting validated by an offer from some of the finest institutions in the nation.
That was not the case for University of Georgia signee Josh Harvey-Clemons.
Harvey-Clemons (ESPN150 #17/Lowndes High School, Valdosta, GA) was the number one outside linebacker recruit in the country and the number one recruit in Georgia. He was pretty tight-lipped about his commitment status until 2 p.m. yesterday when he announced on ESPN. What everyone didn’t expect was his choice: Georgia.
That set off a chain of events that were as inexplicable as they were confusing.
You see Harvey-Clemons legal guardians are his grandparents and in order for the deal to be official he needed both grandparents signatures on the letter of intent (LOI). Problem is his grandfather, Woodrow, went missing right after the announcement. The interesting part is he meant to do so.
Yep. Grandpa went AWOL.
You see his grandfather decided to take this kids opportunity and make it about himself and his desires rather than what his five-star grandson wanted which was to play in Athens. Because of proximity he didn’t like the idea of Georgia because it was two hours further for a drive. So we’re talking about giving up a chance to play for a great program and a coach who coaches who know how to get their guys ready for that next level for two hours and the wishes of someone who didn’t tackle a soul the last four years (although as a bail bondsmen I could be wrong on that second fact).
Listen, family is family, but understanding that when a kid makes a decision that he feels is best for him and his future in life (be it in football or otherwise) I think that should be understood. Especially considering the myriad other things he could be doing instead of the right thing.
it is unfortunate that his day will be marred by the actions of an overbearing guardian but I wish him all the best from here on out. Lets just hope this isn’t a precursor of things to come and its a smooth ride from here on out.
Writer’s Note: Throughout the winter, spring and summer leading up to the 2012-2013 College Football Season I will be gathering information on my top-25 teams in the country. The teams will be in no particular order but you can check The Locker for the complete list when camps start.
There was a lot to be learned for the University of Georgia Bulldogs.
Not to say that every other team in the nation didn’t learn anything but in Athens that curriculum had to be picked up quick. Mark Richt has put together an impressive career at Georgia but in an era where winning quickly is the norm the faithful were becoming restless.
Fact: Richt has won over 100 games during his tenure as head coach of the Bulldogs.
Fact: His last two seasons have produced a combined (14-12) record including (7-9) in conference play.
Fact: The Bulldogs have two Southeastern Conference championships under Richt.
Fact: The last one came in 2005.
So you get the picture? This conference has produced the last six national champions. In a conference with as much bad blood as this one, Georgia, whose immediate rivals Auburn and Florida, have three titles between them was under a lot of pressure to turn things around in a hurry. Factor in a new athletic director who brings a penchant for winning (two national championships a piece in football and basketball while at Florida) and that made the seat real toasty for the affable Richt. Even when that seat got hotter after a loss to Boise State in the Georgia Dome and South Carolina he didn’t panic.
How did he and his team respond?
They won ten straight games, including a comeback victory over Florida and a resounding statement game against Auburn. During the streak we saw the “Dawgs’ learn a few new tricks. they learned that they are capable of winning in their conference. They learned they have the personnel to compete with anybody in the country. They learned that they have a defense as vaunted as any you will see. Most importantly, though, they learned that with this group they have a chance to accomplish something they haven’t accomplished since 1980. We are getting ahead of ourselves because as coach Richt always points out the goals never change, both in order or importance; Eastern division, conference and then see where you land.
As for that “higher” goal I won’t say it out loud. The ghost of Herschel Walker looms large enough without me adding to it.
Q&A with Kimberley Nash of the Lady Sportswriter:
On the commitments of running backs Keith Marshall (ESPN150 #5/Millbrook, Raleigh, NC) and Todd Gurley (Rivals #42/Tarboro, Tarboro, NC):
We were salivating over them down here. Marshall, we definitely heard about his above-board character. Marshall also did a great job getting Gurley to come our way. He had over 2,600 yards to go along with 33 touchdowns.
On which is better: Gurley or Marshall:
Let’s put it this way, Gurley beat out Marshall for player of the year. Note: Marshall is still the higher rated player in some rankings and is very, very good.
On the differences in style between the two backs:
Gurley is power and speed whereas Marshall is speed and finesse. They hope to be a formidable 1-2 punch for us in 2012.
On Isaiah Crowell and his issues:
Crowell is kind of a victim of being overly pampered at a soft school. Crowell actually wanted a buffer [between himself and the feature spot]. He wasn’t comfortable with the spotlight and the responsibility [year one] of being “the guy.” Trust me; he’s happy about the new blood. But hopefully it makes him work harder to get better. The kid has the talent to be a good one if he does.
On Jarvis Jones and his emergence:
Hard to believe he and Jarvis came from the same place. Jarvis is the real deal. He’s got a good head on his shoulders and a totally different outlook. I think his experience at SC (University of Southern California) changed him for the better.
On the Bulldogs Offensive Line situation going into ‘12:
O-line is a big question mark right now. Lost a couple of quality starters, but if [offensive line coach Will] Friend can whip the talent we have into shape they should be decent. The main thing is finding a left tackle to protect Aaron [Murray] better. We weren’t very good in pass protection last year.
On recruits on the horizon who could make an impact on the “O-Line”:
We’re still looking at Avery Young (ESPN150 #61/Palm Beach Gardens High School, Palm Beach, Fl). He’s got long arms and is built to play that position but he needs some weight on him to handle SEC defenders. We are currently in his top-2. John Theus (ESPN150 #28/ The Bolles School, Jacksonville, Fl) is already on campus and looking good for spring reps. He is a beast, too. He’ll be a candidate right along with Watts Dantzler (true sophomore).
The defense looks to be stacked coming back but Brandon Boykin graduated. Who fills that void?
No one in my opinion but we could find pieces to step up and replace that versatility a bit. We are looking for Branden Smith who will surely look to shine for sure. Add to that list, Corey Moore and Sanders Commings as well.
To win the SEC East Georgia must:
Get better on special teams and get more consistency out of Aaron Murray. Fans will be looking for more competition out of the QB spot with Christian LeMay off the redshirt. Murray is a good guy, great leader, but he’s shown he can’t handle the pressure in big games thus far. Fans are getting tired of him falling short against the big boys. Part of Murray’s problem is he’s not progressing. How much of that has to do with [offensive coordinator Mike] Bobo is debatable, however.
Which brings me to the next question: With Richt and Grantham getting extensions is Bobo’s seat the hottest?
Bobo has yet to be placed in the conversation as far as extensions go. What does that tell you? He is Richt’s guy but he lost favor with everyone else a long time ago. I figure he will get at least one more season to do something with this offense before serious conversations about his future start to happen.
Why not make that move now? Wouldn’t it seem appropriate with all the pieces coming in and expectation high in Athens to take the next step to move on now?
Well, not really. Who would Georgia have picked up to replace him at this juncture? Bobo’s done just enough to not be a disaster and that was enough to give him one more year-especially given the schedule. Even more how much the offensive line contributed to the offense’s struggles is still a conversation many consider having. not to mention the lack of a running game for the better part of seven games. The part you have to look at Bobo is his adjustments during the course of a game. That being said, he didn’t throw the interceptions or fumble the ball. That goes right back to the consistency of play on the field.
Early predictions for Georgia in 2012-2013:
I want to see how they do against Missouri, but I can’t see less than 9-10 wins this season.
Check out The Lady Sportswriter blog for all things pertaining to Georgia Bulldogs football and other news in college athletics
It’s a funny thing culture. We talk about it all the time in sports regarding teams and franchises. We talk about what their philosophies are regarding the way they want to do things and the type of culture they’re trying to breed. Yet as often as it is stated it is also an afterthought in the list of things needed for a successful organization.
Looking back at this past weekend in football (college and the NFL) and the week in sports in general I saw a lot of teams and franchises going in a different directions. I noticed some things regarding culture and the way its being handled by storied teams and franchises. You, obviously, can’t talk culture without starting in Dallas. The Cowboys need something completely different. This past week, leading up to the game against the New York Giants owner/general manager Jerry Jones sounded almost desperate for a new way of running business. Jones, who spent the entire week pumping up Tony Romo and making him sound like he was going to have an historic run through the playoffs that would begin in New York, couldn’t have foreseen his teams would end like it had in Carolina (twice), Arizona, Minnesota, New York and Seattle in the years since their last Super Bowl appearance back in 1996. Only this time before making the playoffs.
Their division mates and rival Washington Redskins have looked forward (Spurrier) looked back (Gibbs) and looked lateral (Mike Shanahan) to find a winning culture in Washington DC. Yet for all the millions spent on players somehow Dan Snyder never spends much on a legitimate quarterback. No disrespect to Donovan McNabb, Mark Brunell, Todd Collins, John Beck and whichever warm bodied lamb they run out there, but you have to have someone capable of playing the position to have a shot at championships. Those names aren’t going to cut it and it has been proven. Mark Brunell and McNabb lost a combined five conference championships before arriving.
In college there were a few teams that made some changes to breed a new culture for their programs as well. While that was nice it seemed the same ugly vices reared their ugly head.
Lets start in Georgia.
Mark Richt has won two SEC championships, over 100 games and two BCS bowls in his time as head coach of the University of Georgia. He’s run into some hard times of late. First it took him a little too long to realize Willie Martinez was not his guy as defensive coordinator and that led to Georgia going from a perennial top-10 team defensively to being sandwiched between the likes of San Jose State and Ohio. This year they were third nationally behind a 3-4 scheme led by Todd Grantham and looked great. The culture was finally changing at Georgia. Until we realized coach Richt’s old penchant for not placing enough emphasis on special teams would bite him a few times. There were missed tackles on punt returns and an All-American kicker who lost his ability to kick. Their were adjustments, but the lack of a special teams coach was apparent in a big way. Especially when it mattered the most. This year they went 10-4. Their last loss in a bowl game to Michigan State. On a missed field goal.
There are rumblings in New York that the Jets are getting tired of the culture brought by brash head coach Rex Ryan. Yet, no one was complaining when he took his team to two straight AFC championship games. for those of you who say that means nothing I pose this question: When was the last time your favorite NFL team went to a conference championship game? I can tell you the last time mine did. 2004-2005 season. Seven years goes by very quickly. Bigger picture? Before Rex Ryan arrived the last time the Jets participated in a conference championship Curtis Martin played running back, Vinny Testaverde was the quarterback and John Elway was preparing his super bowl swan song.
That was 1998-1999. How quickly we forget.
Culture is something that gets overlooked so often in sports It confuses me. We look past it like the minimal signing of a guy we don’t know, yet it is the most important thing when determining the success and failure of your favorite team. Don’t believe me? Ask the Detroit Lions, Atlanta Falcons, and even the Washington Nationals how important positive new change can be. While some are moving forward with a new direction others such as the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins need to start looking for something new.
That starts by changing the old.
Brandon Boykin had the game of his career on Monday against Michigan State. The Line:
Tackle for a safety, 92-yard punt return, receiving touchdown and 183 all-purpose yards.
He’s a “damn good Dawg” and will be missed. Success and best wishes on Sunday #2. #GATA
Cheers to Cincinnati Bengals (and former University of Georgia Bulldogs) standout wide receiver A.J. Green for making the Pro Bowl as a rookie. As a Georgia fan I say congrats and Go Dawgs!!