A conversation with (the) Sky

Still a little shaken by the news of Hertwig's passing. The only silver lining has been reading and listening to everyone's favorite Sky story. If you're looking for a couple good ones, can't do much better than Travis and Patrick.

To remember the giant and pay him proper respects, I sat down last night and raised one (or three, four) up in his honor. Together we talked about the upcoming season, the beautiful city of Athens and why nine ball is a much manlier game than eight. Then I would guess Munson started chiding Sky as to why a man with so many bars didn't show up with more bourbon.

But even as Sky left me sitting there, I ruminated further. And subsequently I bring you these thoughts. Some are concerns, some hopes. All are ponderings designed to get us through these last 90+ days. Please add your own in the comments.

1. Will ALL the talent we have in the backfield translate to actual results and yards and touchdowns and wins in 2012?
2. Can Malcolm Mitchell's hamstring (and about 2,348 other body parts) hold up to everything we need it to, especially early on in the August heat of drills and early September games?
3. How fast can Coach Friend bolster the offensive line?
4. Can Aaron Murray get that much needed signature win? Follow up...can it come as early as Columbia West? Another follow up...if it does, will people consider a win of a Big 12 cast off as a signature?
5. Which freshman makes the greatest impact?

(pic via)

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GATArchives - a hate for Dawgs is born

Tomorrow's a get away day for me. I'll have some provoking items as I aim the Bernie Family Circus towards the beach. I'm interested to hear your thoughts as we all head into the Dawg days of summer.

But for now....



That's Spurrier, circa 1966 I believe.

I got a real good kick out of Coach Richt's response the other day to the Ol Ball Coach's proposal that only divisional games count towards the divisional crown. In case you missed it, here ya go:

“I think every man has a right to his own opinion. If it gets changed, then good for him I guess this year. I don’t know if he’d feel that way every year. This year he’d probably feel good about it. I don’t think it’s going to change. I’ve always said for me personally tell me what the rules are at the beginning of the year and let’s go play by them.

Anyway, it all got me thinking about the Dawgs' history with Steve Spurrier. The historical saga has been a long and dramatic one between the visored one and the Georgia Bulldogs. There's truly no love lost.
- Spurrier played for Florida from 1964-66. He went 1-2 against Georgia, including a beat down just before he was crowned the 1967 Heisman trophy winner. The Gators were undefeated heading into Jacksonville that season. It wasn't pretty from the get-go as Dooley's Dawgs went on to a 27-10 victory and Co-SEC champs. (here's some more on that game)
- It didn't fare much better for Spurrier once he started his coaching career. He was a QB coach in Gainesville in 1978 as well as at Georgia Tech in 1979. Both were wins for Georgia.
- I wasn't able to find much on the internets regarding Georgia's history with the Tampa Bay Bandits...or Duke. So, we festered in his belly during those years too.
- But then he owned us, flat out during the 1990's. Enough said, let's move on.
- 1997! Robert Edwards helped exercise many demons.
- But then Spurrier owned us. Again.

South Carolina has been a mixed bag. I'll admit that the ol ball coach has lasted longer in Cola East than I thought. But at least it has helped create my favorite memory of Spurrier to date.

What's been your favorite (or least favorite) memory of the one we love to hate?


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A picture of Versatility

Setting aside the fact that we missed the boat on using Boykin's more often than we did...this picture puts Malcolm Mitchell in some high company.

via georgiafootball

2012 motto - No Regrets

h/t @WeRunThisState

SEC coaches in Destin, hoops edition

Here's a sampling of some of the basketball coaches that were interviewed yesterday in Destin outside of the SEC meetings going on this week. Here's some of the divisional rivals for Coach Fox: Cuonzo Martin of Tennessee and new South Carolina coach Frank Martin, then Billy Donovan and Coach Calipari.

SEC coaches in Destin, football edition

Here's a sampling of some coaches that were interviewed yesterday. First, Coach Saban talks about his team from last year and what he has this year. Then we have James Franklin of Vanderbilt...shoveling some shit.

Next we have Slive and Coach Miles. Slive talks about the "golden age" of SEC athletics and the issues moving forth with 14 total teams. Miles talks about defending the SEC crown this season.

Coach Landers in Destin

Coach Landers talks about the upcoming season and his time at UGA.

SEC Spring Meetings LIVEFEED

The schedule is below for who speaks when. You can use the SEC Video Zone tab underneath the banner, or just click here to pick up all the latest news and quotes live.

XOS Radio Show (10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. / Auditorium) ALL TIMES CENTRAL
10:30 - 10:40    Gary Blair, Texas A&M                      11:50 - 12:00    Billy Donovan, Florida
10:40 - 10:50    Gene Chizik, Auburn                        12:00 - 12:10    James Franklin, Vanderbilt
10:50 - 11:00    Andy Landers, Georgia                      12:10 - 12:20    Mike Anderson, Arkansas
11:00 - 11:10    Les Miles, LSU                             12:20 - 12:30    Frank Martin, South Carolina
11:10 - 11:20    Frank Haith, Missouri                      12:30 - 12:40    Nick Saban, Alabama
11:20 - 11:30    Hugh Freeze, Ole Miss                      12:40 - 12:50   John Calipari, Kentucky
11:30 - 11:40    Vic Schaefer, Mississippi State            12:50 - 1:00      Commissioner Slive
11:40 - 11:50   Cuonzo Martin, Tennessee

The SEC Meetings agenda

Although the annual meetings in Destin are never lacking for attention. This year there is a lot riding on the discussions that coe out of them. Ching does a good job of laying it all on table for you.

While most eyes and ears will be on the football side of things, it's the basketball scheduling that is the most urgent as the SEC coaches still don't have their traveling orders for the upcoming season. Once we have the dates for the conference slate we should get some final non-conference games finalized.

But it's football that we're most eager to hear about in terms of an eight game schedule vs a nine game. And if the eight game schedule is finalized will it be the 6-1-1 or the 6-2.

And oh yeh...there's that pesky post-season debate.

Adams expressed confidence that a four-team playoff will come to fruition, but is not certain how the teams would be selected or where the playoff games might be played. He also does not know how the recently announced SEC-Big 12 bowl game will fit into the league’s postseason plan, although its existence will serve as a safeguard if the playoff proposal runs into unexpected opposition.

“I don’t think there’s any belief that some form of playoff is not going to move forward, but I said this morning -- you may have heard me -- I think there’s both a protection factor and a leverage factor that went into those decisions,” Adams said after last week’s UGA Athletic Association Board of Directors meeting. “Our responsibility is to protect the SEC regardless of what happens nationwide and that’s what we were trying to do there.”

Memorial Day tribute

Thanks to those who serve our great nation, and a tribute for those who've given their life for it.

h/t acapellaman129

Y'all have a great, safe Memorial Day.

Put a couple pots of coffee on

There's much work to be done in Destin this week.

There may not be another during that span that has offered up more meaty matters for the conference’s presidents, athletic directors and coaches to sink their teeth into.

“I’m not sure we’ve had a Destin meeting in a long time with as much of a substantive agenda as I expect next week,” Adams said Thursday.

The top item on the agenda will be the SEC determining its positions on college football’s postseason — issues like where a four-team playoff would be played, how the teams would be selected and the role of the bowls — following the 2014 season after the BCS contract has expired.

“The normal swirl is a little greater swirl this year because of the issues surrounding football,” said Adams, who is retiring as UGA president in June 2013.

Football and the lucrative TV dollars that come with it is a big reason why the SEC has more than tripled the money it’s distributed among its schools since Adams’ first attended the meetings in 1998, growing from $62.1 million then to more than $220 million last year.

This will be the first SEC spring meetings for new members Missouri and Texas A&M, which are leaving the Big 12. The meetings begin in earnest on Tuesday and run through Friday.