Denzel joins the Rebel Alliance

Admiral Ackbar set a trap...or Houston just got giggety.

Denzel Nkemdiche committed to Ole Miss on Friday night, and said he is unlikely to make an official visit to Georgia.

“I don’t really see the Georgia visit happening now … I really don’t,” Nkemdiche said. “I will talk to my father and my coach [Grayson's Mickey Conn] about it and see what they say. But I don’t think that will happen. I’m excited about Ole Miss.”

The speedy cornerback from Grayson High School said he called Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt to reveal his decision on Friday night, then talked withUGA assistant Bryan McClendon.

“Coach McClendon heard that I had committed to Ole Miss and he wanted to know if it was true; I told him ‘Yes sir, it’s true,’” Nkemdiche said. “[McClendon] told me that he still wanted me to make an official visit to Georgia on the day after the Memorial Day holiday [Tuesday, May 31].

“That’s not going to be possible because that’s when Ole Miss wants me to report there for summer school.” 

Beer of the Week: Son of a Peach

As promised...


Gonna start off with my current favorite. I'm usually not big on wheat beers, or brews with fruit tastes for that matter. But RJ Rockers' Son of a Peach is fantastic. Call it a girlie beer, or too fruity...I don't give a peach. I think it's a perfect Spring/Summer brew.


Many beers of this variety lack consistency bottle to bottle and also have trouble balancing the true beer taste with the fruit flavorings. Sweetwater Blue for instance...I enjoy this on occasion. But if I ever bought a six pack of it I would take months to finish it. After I down one I just don't have much interest in another one.



SoP is totally different. The peach flavor is there and unmistakable, but it never overwhelms the beer itself. It probably helps that I really enjoy a good peach I'm sure. When you have one, do yourself a favor and pour it like a traditional hefeweizen: invert a cold glass over the bottle, then reverse their positions while slowly backing the bottle out of the top of the glass. I've found that this disperses the taste perfectly, much better than out of the bottle or simply dumped in a pint glass.


There's only one drawback I can think of to this beer...it's almost impossible to find unless you live in South Carolina. RJ Rockers is a Spartanburg brewery (and all of their stuff is good by the way) and they do a good job distributing throughout the chicken state. But the only place I've seen their beer in Georgia is Five Points Bottle in Athens. And that may have been a fluke. I'm sure it's in other places, but they're few and far between. If you try it and like it, just keep asking for it at your local place.


However, if you get crack-hooked on it, hit me up. I've got a personal border crossing bootlegger. You can also follow me on Untapp'd here.


Your welcome.


Bernie

I'm not pissed at Muschamp...

...even though he's guaranteed a win over Georgia at this Fall's WLOCP. Sure, he's a former player and the man many wanted to succeed Coach Richt. And of course he's now employed by enemy number one. But he was doing his job last night at Atlantic Station.


What really upsets me is that there is a Georgia fan out there...who passed over all of the beautiful girls in Athens...to marry a gatorette...on the same day we play them in Jacksonville.


YGTBFKM!

A young, pretty girl sitting near the front of the room had a question for the Florida coach.

“Coach, I’m getting married soon and he’s a Georgia fan and …”

“That’s not my fault,” Will Muschamp said, playing to the crowd.

“My wedding is on the same day as the Florida-Georgia game,” she continued. “I was wondering: Can you guarantee Florida will win?”

Muschamp, the native of Rome, a long-time Georgia resident and former Bulldogs safety, smiled.

“I certainly can,” he said (and then he turned in my direction and alerted the crowd that this pronouncement almost certainly would be used in the local newspaper).

This should end any lingering debate about whether Will Muschamp has divided loyalties.

Ladies and Gents, there is mostly truth to the phrase that love knows no bounds. But some colors don't mix. I demand this "fan" turn in his Dawg card and be sentenced to a lifetime of jorts and orange tank tops.

Can Grantham 2.0 hand out any goose eggs?

Hey!...it's the middle of May. Join me in a practice of nonsensical evaluation.


ESPNs Aschoff had a post the other day pertaining to SEC shutouts since 1992. The teams that make up the Southeastern Conference have been more proficient than any other in keeping opposing teams off the scoreboard. As I digested the information there I paired it with the anticipation of Grantham 2.0 coming this Fall. The defensive playbook may be close to an exact match, but the personnel and (God help us!!) the execution will be much, much different.


So I got to wondering just how likely we might be to see a shutout in our favor this coming season. Even given the SECs success rate at the feat the last two decades (and if you haven't peeked yet, Georgia is just above the median for the league with 8), Aschoff makes a fine point that offenses are getting pretty proficient at scoring as well as more athletic, and kickers are getting stronger too.


Regardless, I looked up some numbers. Below are our 2011 opponents and their 2010 average for points scored per game. (The exception is Coastal Carolina who isn't listed on cfbstats.com, and I chose not to dig much further than that. So their ppg number is unavailable)

Opponent	2010 ppg
Boise State	45.1
South Carolina	30.9
Coastal Carolina	(na)
@ Ole Miss	30.6
Mississippi State	29.0
@ Tennessee	27.0
@ Vanderbilt	16.9
Florida	29.8
New Mexico State	15.7
Auburn	41.2
Kentucky	31.2
@ Georgia Tech	26.0

If a shut out comes in the first game of the season we can surely surmise that the Broncos first team offense somehow used Mudcat's car to get from Hartsfield to the Dome. It'd take a big brass set to get one against USCe, Ole Miss, MSU, Florida, Auburn or Kentucky.


Georgia's most recent shutout was last October against Vandy, 43-0. Ho-hum, I know. Keeping New Mexico State or Coastal Carolina from scoring any points for 60 minutes, albeit still a pretty good accomplishment, isn't going to stir many cockles of the heart either. 


The lowest scoring teams among what's left are Georgia Tech and Tennessee. Tech is plugging in some new players after losing Nesbitt and Allen. And Tennessee...well, their QB still has much to prove beyond being able to give an ill-advised premature taunt. He did pretty well once establishing himself as the starter. But he did it against some sub-par defenses.


All in all, if you watch your defense force a 4th down decision outside of your own 35, you feel pretty good. If the opposing kicker nails a 52 yarder to give the team its only points and you still have to feel pretty good. To a greater degree the same is true if their signal caller throws a pick in the end zone. Earning a shutout on the gridiron isn't nearly the rarity of throwing a no-hitter in baseball. But similarly, it can easily be viewed as the confluence of skill, preparedness, execution and luck.


And the greatest of these may be luck.

Travis Leslie: bigger mouth than dunks?

Travis Leslie wasn't really known to run his mouth much on the floor in Athens. But he's hitting the headlines running as a future pro.

Apparently unsatisfied with comparisons between himself and veteran Memphis Grizzlies defensive stopper Tony Allen, Leslie told DraftExpress.com at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago on Thursday that he's the superior player.

"I feel like I'm a little better than Tony Allen," Leslie said. "Hopefully I can be compared to someone better. He's basically known for his D."

Leslie backed off those comments a few hours later on Twitter, claiming he was misquoted and that he actually said, "If I keep working hard on my game I feel like I COULD be a better player and scorer." Nonetheless, word of his original comments had already reached Allen, who not surprisingly wasn't thrilledthat a college junior who isn't even likely to be selected in the first round was taking jabs at him.

Slow down Travis. At least get drafted first.

2013: Death Valley dreaming

Now that the home and home with Clempson is official I can commence the real trash talkin' with my tiger ragged family members.

Georgia and Clemson agreed back in 2005 to resume their football series. Now they have dates for those games in 2013 and 2014.

Georgia confirmed that it will play in Death Valley on Aug. 31, 2013 and the Tigers will visit Athens on Aug. 30, 2014.

Georgia said its game with North Texas that was initially slated to open the 2013 season will now be played on Sept. 21, 2013.

Gerogia and Clemson agreed to their games in August of 2005, but the dates were “TBA,” according to the contract.

The schools have played 62 games, the last in 2003 when Georgia won at Clemson 30-0.

Yeh, for that 2003 game I was singing Glory, Glory, surrounded by orange and sitting right next to my dad.  The game went about as he had predicted at the tailgate outside their Death Valley, but he was still less than amused.


In 2013 the Dawgs should be stocked; primed and ready for a serious run. Aaron Murray's senior season, Crowell's junior...and surely a receiving threat to take AJ's place by then. And we'll have to be good because the 2013 schedule promises to be much more daunting than the one we're facing this Fall. After playing at Clemson we also visit LSUs Death Valley and have Bama at home. The only breather in the first month of the season is that we get North Texas and an open date between South Carolina and LSU.


Our last games against these two Tiger squads on the road were marked by stellar defensive plays. Pollack couldn't be blocked against Clemson and Gamble spent 60 minutes disguised as an LSU receiver. As loaded as we'll be offensively in 2013, it should be a defensive stud to help us win those future games.


I wonder who?

While we're plodding along towards September...

We're nearing the 100 day mark, I think. That seems an eternity. I had a dream the other night we were suddenly just a couple days from kickoff in the GA Dome and I was way behind on posting. I'm sure similar anxiousness has tormented you as well.


So, while we're miserable together...


I plan to have a weekly Beer of the Week post. I have a fridge full of this stuff. I'd like to feature some of it. So on Saturdays, since we're not able to stand together at a tailgate and reach into an ice filled cooler for some liquid refreshment, we might as well look at what I find especially tasty and hopefully you'll share your favorites as well. Craft beer, cold cans, German, dark and stout, light on the waist, even home brews...nothing is off limits. I always maintain the only bad beer is a warm one. And even then there's times...


Also, I desperately need to read more. At least I have been told this by those close to me. This is something I have realized on my own for some time, but have too easily pushed off. I read scores of articles and posts every night in prepping my mind and blogger account for what's to come. But I do miss the printed words of an actual book.


If you find yourself in the same quandary, join my summer book club. No, we're not going to sit in a circle and talk about Oprah's list of self-helps. The first one in my queue is Erk: Football, Fans and Friends. We'll look at this one a few chapters at a time. So go check your local library or bookstore.


Feel free to join in or just come back and read my thoughts, hopefully cogent...and not the victim of a beer foul.

Jax is Max

I see where a lot of people are weighing in on what the biggest game of the SEC season will be. This has also sparked some discussion around the interwebs about what the biggest game of Georgia's season will be. The Junkyard Blawg has a poll up in reference to the question. I was a little surprised to see the Boise State game so highly regarded. And I was shocked to see the WLOCP running a distant third.


I agree there's some significance to the opener in the Dome. It's our first chance to see the Dawgs play tackle football since we got our bell rung by the CUSA champ, Directional Florida Black Knots. It also has the intrigue of a distinct national taste to it. Erin Andrews might primp her hair on the sidelines. Holtschhhzz will direct saliva into Rece's eye. And Mark May's head will explode trying to decide who will lose. 

WTF?? Again!?!?

And there will be much rejoicing. But it's not the biggest game of the season. It's not even a conference game.


The South Carolina game the following Saturday is much bigger. Lattimore spoiled our chicken dinner last year. They're the defending SEC East champs. Their (potential...) quarterback is a certified instructor from the Charlie Sheen Academy. It'll be our first chance to light up Sanford since Justin Houston made Coach PaJammies crap a slide rule.


But even that is not the biggest game on the schedule. Jacksonville, son. C'mon. WLOCP. GA-FLA. Choke sign. 50-50 split. Vertical clapping (h/t Kit). Muschamp returns. More douchebaggery in jorts. The main reason for Richt's receding hairline. Shockley coulda won it on crutches...etc...etc...


Georgia's 3-18 against the gators since Duke was last relevant. We can blather on and on about what kind of record Richt needs to save the area code attached to his blackberry, but for my St. Simons' weekend rental fee the measuring stick this season (and any damn season we tee it up) begins and ends in Jacksonville.


Get real y'all. Jax is max.


Go Dawgs!

Nick Marshall, one Wild Dawg

Even before this article delved into "emergency running back" talk, I was already thinking of Hines Ward type versatility.

Nick Marshall’s coach said he wasn’t surprised to hear UGA football coachMark Richt mention that Marshall may play some QB in college.

Marshall is one of the most decorated quarterbacks in the history of Georgia high school football, but signed with the Bulldogs to play defensive back. Richt told reporters recently that Marshall may see time at QB in Georgia’s Wildcat formation — or the “Wild Dawg” as Richt likes to call it.

“No surprise there,” Wilcox County football coach Mark Ledford said. “We talked about that after Nick committed to play defensive back. Coach Richt called up to say that he might put some kind of package in there for him.

“After watching Nick for four years, I would say any way that Georgia could find a way to get the ball in Nick’s hands, that would be a great idea.”

And yet...I still have a "I'll believe it when I see it" attitude. Call it The Bobo Postulate - you have to have at least one wild hair to have a Wild Dawg.

Big John is pissed!!

h/t ecdawg

As the academic rumor mill churned last week, John Jenkins found himself at the center of speculation as to whether he would even be in Athens much less challenge Kwame Geathers at nose tackle. In an effort to find the source of the rumor, I used my cellular device to call the old ball coach on the golf course...

Moob over Garcia. You're sittin'
on my Banquets.

"Heywho'sthis?!?...oh, that Bernie fella. No, there's no truth to it. I was just sick of hearing about my drunk nekkid quarterback. Thought I'd shine the spotlight some where else." 

Then with a little chuckle..."And HEY! It worked, for a little while at least. Kinda like that draw play we'd run back in '96 when Wuerffel was there. We'd hand that thing to Fred Taylor..."

The rest trailed off as I hung up. Besides, I could tell the Visor was well into his case of Banquet Beer. But I share all that because Chip Towers has gone directly to the source (why didn't I think of that?) and spoken to Jenkins and his coach. The bottomline is that Jenkins is in no academic trouble or turmoil. He didn't stop going to classes and isn't going to fail out of school before he even sends his first dinner picture to Coach T.


He's good. No problems. However, September 10th 'tween the hedges...you might not wanna be standing between him and the Carolina quarterback. I hear Big John likes chicken almost as much as totin' his backpack full of #2 pencils to class. And after reading this he's probably gonna be mighty pissed at the gamechickens.


Say it with me Reader, State Trooper Fist Bump! GATA!

The Nkemdiche Brothers

Recruiting Late
First, the expected news. Dillon Lee did not name UGA as his choice last night. He named Bama over FSU and the others. Georgia was late in the game and wasn't really expected to land the in-state prospect, despite the fact that his brother Dallas is currently on Richt's roster.


There's some frustrations over this one, some of which is understood. But it's important to remember that as it stands right now Richt's 2012 class is going to be pretty small, especially compared to last year. Right now I think we're looking at around 8 fewer scholarships to offer. And if there was ever any doubt about how Richt feels about oversigning, he's made it perfectly clear here recently.


I don't like that a local kid I think is going to be a heck of a player in college has decided to cross state lines. But after looking into the situation more, I'm not as bothered by the fact that we were so late to the Dillon Lee party. Some programs serve scholarship offers out of ice cream trucks it seems. Richt and staff are more methodical, laborious. And after this year's class they hauled in, I'm more than willing to cut them some slack over a kid that's ranked 24th at his position nationally.


The Denzel Nkemdiche Situation
This is a great wrapup ($$) by Fletcher Page on the developing story of the Nkemdiche brothers. I frequently disclose that I'm not a huge follower of recruiting. I keep my finger on the pulse, but don't update my notes each and every day like some do. So I'll also freely admit that as recently as a couple weeks ago I had never heard of Denzel. Perhaps I had read the name here or there, but it was his brother Robert that has most recruitniks star struck.


Robert Nkemdiche is in 10th grade. He's 16 years old. I mention that because of what's next. He's nearly six and a half feet tall and weighs 265 pounds. He's a beast and has been on everyone's radar for awhile. The Nkemdiche's are from Grayson, GA. There isn't a Div I school on their radar that is closer than UGA.


What's the key to landing Robert Nkemdiche? His older brother Denzel. 


Denzel has signed to play next year with Miss. Gulf Coast. However, since then he has recently cleared a Div I eligibility hurdle. If everything else plays out just right in the next couple of weeks, he should join an SEC school this summer. He's visiting Ole Miss, he also likes Georgia. Wherever he ends up this Fall is likely where his brother ends up.


A lot more is known about Denzel's academics than his athletics. Because he has only recently qualified, he's not ranked by most recruiting services. But he's a good athlete (5'11", 195lbs) and could likely contribute and compete. 


Hope it's in Athens. Unlike with Lee, I feel pretty good about our chances.

Monday's Meatloaf - Stupidity has run amok

How to implicate yourself in 20 words or less:

Sometimes it's just better to keep your mouth closed. That said, I hate when I lift some chicks purse and then she tells the judge there was more crap in there than there actually was. Pisses me off! 

She doesn't even look like she knows how to use a calculator.

Today's Ingredients

• UGA Athletics news to come. But first, this is the biggest news from the weekend. Welcome home Exile! Whatever shall we call thee now?
• Teams continue to find that it's hard to beat the Dawgs in tennis. Both the men and the women have advanced to the round of 16 and play later this week in California.
• Not a great weekend for the Diamond Dawgs, but they did earn their spot in the SEC Tourney with a win over the Wildcats.
• The softball team couldn't quite win the SEC Saturday, but they will host a regional this week against Georgia State.
• Mike thinks the "Tale" is wagging the Dawg once more.
• Remember, tonight we find out where Dillon Lee intends on playing football in college.
• ecdawg enters into the college playoff discussion with some words he thinks Tony Barhart missed.
• PWD had an intriguing post yesterday about the future of Georgia Sports Blog. Hmmm...
• Although the "should have lost" descriptor makes me cringe, Martin van Dawgin has the first post in an installment designed to evaluate Coach Richt.
• If you don't know the name Nkemdiche, Chad Simmons says you should become familiar ($$).
• Yes! I've been saying this more and more the last couple years - get the student athletes off the social webs as much as possible. 
• Although I do disagree with Mr. Sanchez, I think Coach Fox has the right idea: let the guys who've shown they can handle themselves maturely have a longer leash.
• "Tressel doesn't deny wrongdoing. By hiring Marsh, Tressel intends to not deny himself the best chance of survival." If Jimmy Tressel weren't so slimy he might actually be cute. h/t Senator
• Not long after finding out that Mike Blakely might transfer from Gayturdsville to Skip Holtz's South Florida team, we also find out that FUs Chris Dunkley may do the same thing.
• Lastly, Serena Williams recently graduated from the Erin Andrews School of Attention Whoring, magna cum laude no less.

Always willing to try something different, today I'm coming to you from the luggage compartment of my mother in law's car. She's leaving our home today despite the pleadings of all of its denizens. She intends to head home, a return to retirement living. Peace and quiet reawakened.

But the thought of detoxing two kids who've spent nearly two weeks being entertained by their grandparents, plus dealing with my tonsilless patient...I have decided to leave as well. When the going gets tough on the homefront, dads typically resort to extreme measures. Hence the reason I'm currently huddled up with a spare tire and trying not to yelp when she hits a pothole.

Meanwhile, I'm sure my kids are on the school bus, crying. They'll spend the day trudging through their readings, some math word problems...maybe a visit to the library where they'll mindlessly thumb through a book. Lunch and recess will lift their spirits. And then they'll get off the bus and realize their mom is their own to care for. They'll debate which one has the better measuring skills when it comes to liquid narcotic oral suspension. Mrs. Bernie will whisper at them, with several exclamation points!!!!!

(Crap) just got real in the Bernie home y'all. Everybody might love Raymond, but in my house this dad is getting a different vibe. And yet I'm starting to feel bad about leaving. This was a stupid idea, what was I thinking? When my lady's old lady pulls over to refill her iced tea, I guess I'll hop off and head back south. Any readers around the Charlotte area that are Atlanta bound today? 

I packed a PB&J. I'll split it with ya...? The rest of you enjoy your Monday. 

Bernie