Ogletree Likes Red and Black Pen

Commitments don't mean diddly really. But GAs own top ranked safety and top overall prospect Alec Ogletree reportedly has committed to CMR and evidently is poised to pick up a red and black pen on NSD '10. Rumors were rampant that Ogletree was a good FSU lean, as Diddy's offer was the only big time one to come with another for Ogletree's brother, Zander.

Previously, Alec had said he might wait until after his senior season to decide. Below is the best highlight video I could find. It's short, sweet and will give you an idea how big a recruit this safety is.

The fence around GA may just be secure.

Alec...Athens suits you well.

RIP Jacko

This song, and more specifically the video, once inspired a dance career. Lucky for you Reader, I subsequently broke an ankle trying to emulate the King of Pop's signature tiptoe stand.

Classic.

Tomorrow, a BDB tribute to Farrah.

If a Cheerleader Falls Off of a Pyramid...

...does an FIU fan even notice?

Much has been made about UGA Athletics' big bank roll as of late. While it's not true that Damon's visage will grace the new $167 bill, new tv deals and fevered enthusiasm for the programs is adding up to glory days in Butts-Mehre.

Down in Miami however, times is tough and the money is tight. Doc Saturday lets us know that Florida International is cutting their band ...and their cheerleaders.

Seriously, the uniforms are being sold on eBay and the sousaphones are just collecting dust in the back of the band room.

Sad.

What's even more sad is no one will truly notice. The Golden Panthers averaged just short of 20 fans a game last season. My contact down there says they didn't even get a free hotdog or coke either.

I may be off base here, but if you can actually hear the words a QB uses when he audibles...from the upper deck...well, that would just be anti-climatic.

Then again...maybe FIU don't need no cheerleaders.

Friday Feedbag

• Some great stuff as usual from Weiszer including a Richard Samuel update, a LB moving exclusively to safety and some sunny news from Joe Cox. The ABH beat writer also provides a recruiting nugget in regards to a safety out of GMC.
• While we're on the recruiting trail, PWD gives a profile of recent commit Demetre Baker.
• Courtney Kupets has been nominated for an ESPY, Female College Athlete of the Year. You can help her score another Perfect TEN by voting HERE.
• That shockwave you felt yesterday was Alabama starting the appeal process.
• Hale's probably sunburnt by now, but he also has discovered another ally for T. Kyle King's quest to get Erk in college football's HOF.
• I read this post by the Senator ...and did so between the lines. So I surmise that Corch Meyer is scrapping the spread and taking up sports psychology.
• You know, now that the AJC is officially just shoving their readers out to other writers for UGA news and notes I don't expect it to be long before I get a call. Surely they'd love to attach the BDB name to one of the Junkyard Blawgger's posts. I'm not taking a subscription as part of the barter though. I have a property value to consider. AllJackCrap sittin' in the driveway ...no thanks. Just gimme whatever Moore was making before he took that job with the circus.
• Lastly, Mackie has a warning for your Okie State tailgate. If you work for Frito-Lay, make sure you read the comments...

I've had the new iPhone for a week now. The introductory period has gone well. It even helped with this post. And that was after I kicked its ass at Texas Hold Em. Take that Bomdiggidy!!

But I fear I may need a translator to help with the communication between myself and the device. I asked it to play Big Money by Rush the other day and it called my insurance company instead. I then asked Sherry at USAA if she could play anything from Power Windows and she just said those were already covered in my policy.

Mom's has been telling me I mumble for decades now. Jenn's on year 13 of telling me to enunciate. The last thing I need is this Lola the Apple chick making their point for them. I gave her another chance and all of a sudden I was listening to Elton John.

That MUST have come factory installed....I better go get that deleted come to think of it.

Lastly, remember Reader ...if you're in the market for drum major at your local Fourth of July parade, give south florida a ring. They may even throw in a set of pompoms.

Good, great or just okay...have a weekend.

Bernie

Deadliest Catch or HBO? Stardom vs. Success...

...bourbon or sippy straws. Decisions...

I'll be honest and own up to something I'm sure you have already discovered and subsequently ignored...I've been sucking at putting up my weekly discussion topics.

But tonight the wife's upstairs watching some crappy love movie that's been on the DVR since April, I'm out of Deadliest Catch episodes and there's nothing to drink in the kitchen except Evan Williams and Capri Suns.

Looks like the stars have aligned for ya Reader.

I just read the best damn blog post of the off-season and it should be no surprise that it comes from Hale's service station. The Go-To Guys has the perfect mixture of past, present and future. And it contains an analogy that really helps me close the door on the Stafford/Moreno era to ready/steady myself for the upcoming season.

If you haven't read it, you're a freakin idiot! But I link'd ya up anyway. Go on now ya lazy sumbitch. Click and read before you waste anymore of our time.....

As I commented to Hale's post I struggled with my words, in regards to Stafford especially. As opposed to when I commented to this worthless AllJackCrap piece on Stafford's legacy as a Dawg QB. To be quite frank, I don't give a damn if Stafford convinces Kim Jong-il to grow his hair long and sing Kum-Ba-Ya with Winston Churchill...he didn't win a championship.

Back on point, Hale really got me thinking. I mean, Stafford's probably the most talented arm to walk on campus since Lewis Grizzard last covered a game with his pen. But sometimes the abyss between stardom and results can be profound.

We can be reasonably safe in assuming that Zeier suffered from lack of talent around him. And when it did rise up in the fall of '92, the Visor had cheated just enough to steal a win in Jax. Maybe if tha mutha hadn't been so enamored with the Hat, or if Kentucky had closed the door on Philmer's last run in '07, the story would be different on Kiper's Golden Boy.

But we can all agree that something was wrong last season. More accurately, somethings wuz wrong. It wasn't all Martinez's defense, it wasn't all injuries....and it wasn't all because Nama wore the wrong undergarments.

Sure, Stafford succeeding in the NFL can only help Coach Richt and staff on the recruiting trail, but for my donation dollars...gimme Greene, Shockley ...Tarkenton... Belue.

For today however, let's look at the future. Hale intimated that it should bear to reason that having 11 guys on the field with an equal investment in the outcome could make a big difference.

Will inexperience and youthful talent leave us as stranded as Captain Phil Harris of the Cornelia Marie was after his engine bailed on him outside of Dutch Harbor in last week's episode?

Or will it taste as good as Evan over ice?

One thing's for sure...Opilio or King crab...it's gonna be a great season.

Phone lines are open...

JAX is MAX

Some HumpDay Headliners for ya:

• Word out of Jacksonville is that a deal is deep in the works on an extension to the WLOCP. Prez Adams and UF President Bernie Machen are giving hints...and judging from Weiszer's verbage, sounds as if a decision could come soon.
• GAWD NO!! Machen and I are no where close to being related. Read the link'd article above. That geezer wants stronger enforcement of open container laws. Nope, he's no relation at all...
• Mackie comes in with part three of his prediction series. Warning - somehow he goes from Bobby Petrino to a Clubber Lang reference....as only he could.
• Streit's at 73...
• TotalUGA has an update on Mack Brown's recruitment (subscription required). The best news outta this for me right now is that rookie coach Bryan McClendon is hanging in there with the big boys.
• And speaking of the RB position, word broke yesterday that Ealey has met requirements after a summer course is in the books.

Washuan Ealey Meets Requirements for Admission

S L O W tuesday. But this is pretty big news for a backfield that needs as much competition as possible, if you ask me.

Washuan Ealey has met requirements for entrance into UGA. It had been widely speculated that the RB out of ECI was a borderline possibility for Athens this fall. But after completing a summer school course last week, it appears the stud signee is ready for red and black action.

It should be interesting to see if he can now avoid a redshirt. I still say the RB by committee thang is fine and great for some games on our beastly schedule.

But at some point we'll need a back to step to the forefront and say...

"I'll get us those three yards

Coach....move the chains."

Monday's Meatloaf - Bernie's Varsity Pledge

Darren the Intern here, we're live outside of the Varsity off of Jimmy Carter Boulevard where the atmosphere is buzzing with anticipation. Nearly four people have shown up to hear Bernie's first public remarks since Blogging Pantsless went all defamation on him. We're expecting the blawgger to approach the podium any moment now...in fact, YES! There he is finishing off a last minute chili-cheese burger. He may have even shaved...

Ahem! (...taps microphone which abruptly emits shrill feedback, picks onion from between teeth, straightens tie...) Lady and two guys there at the window table...it is with great humility that I address you today. (Erp!) There is nothing more important to me than my integrity. I've spent a lot of dough to get BDB where it is today. Red Bulls, Pixie Stix and jelly filled doughnuts don't drip into the laptop's keyboard by themselves. Not to mention all the hush money.

Yet I digress...

But four days ago that integrity was thrown to the floor and trampled. I am of course speaking of Mackalicious' ill-conceived and mostly false posting that soiled my somewhat average name. Sure, the reality is that it has little to no impact on our day to day operations.

I have called my reader personally to set the record straight. Unfortunately, it was dinner time and his mom had made tater-tots. He supposed to call me back...sometime.

My pledge to you on this day is to not fall into the gutter that this Mackie fellow dwells in. I will continue to bring you the latest in half-assed posts and ridiculous ramblings that you have come to ignore quite frequently.

Now if one of you will kindly give me a ride, my Eco-green, Al Gore signature moped's in the shop and I have an appointment at the eye doctor.

Today's Ingredients

• In honor of Father's Day, some nice readings on Marcus Washington over the weekend. Here's one from UGAs Athletic site, and here's another from Hale. For the deleted scenes, click here.
• 
  
• Great event over the weekend at Woodruff that hundreds enjoyed, All Pro Dad's Bulldog Father and Kids Experience. Those in attendance enjoyed seeing CMR do a TD celebration "dance" and even caught a glimpse of Falcons' DC Van Gorder. Truett Cathy spoke, which was exciting for me as a long time admirer of his. But the highlight was just spending time with the kids and other Dawg Dads. Here are some thoughts.
• 
  
• Derek Owens is the latest to commit to CMR and ensures all around the southeast that the state of FL is indeed a pipeline state. TotalUGA has a video of Owens, and as usual...all videos are free.
• 
  
• Cord reports that there were some Californians trying to tailgate with HamDogs at a (get this) ...baseball game. Hope they didn't run out of cucumbers or avocado.

• Scott Howard and Eric Zeier will remain side by side in the booth this fall. The move didn't surprise me...and in that way it pleased me.
• As the smoke clears from the corner of Lumpkin and Clayton, PWD wants to know what your favorite memory is. He also has some telling pics up, part one...part two.
• 
  
• Still have that sinking feeling in your pit from those losses last fall to floriDuh and NATS? Let Weiszer introduce you to motivation.

When we parted ways from this very spot four days ago, word from the pantsless guy was that he plans to rock climb his way to Stillwater. I guess he has confused the Oklahoma plains with Everest. We can only hope he catches his breath before kickoff. (pauses for effect, hoping for laughter...none forthcoming he continues) Meanwhile I guess I'll arrive rested and refreshed after being pampered by a Delta stewardess.

Thank you gentleman with the mustard stained shirt and the chili in the corner of your mouth for the ride. I'll meet you in the parking lot after I grab one more order of manna from heaven.

Now, back to Darren...

So there you have it folks. Purple Sham-Wows, 20" spinnaz and high dollar weight loss pills all sounds pretty glamorous, but it's business as usual here at BDB. Take a hefty slice and place it carefully between two pieces of wonderbread and you got a meatloaf sandwich.

That's lunch. Have a great week Reader.

Bernie

It's Better to Build Boys than Mend Men

Happy Father's Day Weekend

...from all of us at BDB.

If you're a dad, hope the rain stays away from Beth Page long enough for some quality sofa time for you. And even if it doesn't, I hope your children are as adept at bringing you cold beers as mine.

My girls and I just got back from the Bulldog Father and Kids Experience at Woodruff Practice Fields. If you were out there, I'm sure you would join me in saying it was a terrific experience. HOT!...but terrific nonetheless.

Any day you can get a book (same title as this post...check it out at Amazon by clicking here) handed to you by Truett Cathy himself is a day to cherish. There was a great turnout (bigger even than I

expected) and I got to reconnect with two other great dads - Matt Kirby and Shane Todd, both former high school classmates. As operators of Chick-Fil-As in town, they helped lead the event. Shane almost got Coach Van Gorder to do a touchdown dance and Matt is a real pro with a bull horn.

Super job by the Cedar Shoals (Go JAGS!!) coaches running everyone through the drills. I wasn't surprised when Ainsley excelled at the LB drill, but Conner really whipped me at the D-back position. That girl has quite the hip turn and explodes on the ball like Tim Wansley.

The real highlight of the day for me though was just the time with my girls. I got high-fives and hugs, a thumbs up and even a couple of kisses...(from Ainsley). They got to run around on the same field Knowshon used to do backflips on while redshirting. (I chose not to remind CMR of that)

And they got to do this...

The rematch had a similar result... somehow the five year old

was savvy enough to get the side with the

rope again...competitive advantage.

I've added an All Pro Dad widget to the right. If you're a dad and are not yet receiving the daily emails, I would strongly suggest it. As Cathy and Coach Richt said, today's world is losing it's sense of family and more and more fathers are not present in the home. And even if their present...well, we're not always present. I'm sure you get what I'm saying.

It's not easy being a parent. But it's our greatest job. So much more important than anything I can do in the office...and even more important than beating the crap outta Florida on Halloween. It's important to reconnect, refocus and reenergize.

That's what today did for me and hundreds of other dads...and some moms too. :)

So make a date with your kids sometime soon. Check out the All Pro Dad website where you can sign up for the daily emails, and even register to become an All Pro Dad yourself.

Have a great weekend Reader. See ya Monday for some Meatloaf.

Bernie

Where There's Smoke, There Ain't Always a Flame

Anybody who tells you otherwise is either blowing selling something, or is my neighbor. More to follow.

This week's Roundtable helped put to rest rampant speculation that Coach Richt is in any way whining, scared of the St. John's River or jealous of Corch Meyer's OOC skedYule (if you're new here, that's out of conference schedule...try to keep up).

So it was all a smokescreen. Let's surmise:

• CMR - mental giant
• KiffyBaby - grown man, yet drools and wears diapers
• The Visor - loses more than Regis Philbin would on Jeopardy, and wears Depends

So inspired, I tried to produce my own smokescreen this week. Had a mound of leaves, a match and a can of fuel. WHOOOOPFFFT!! Leaves go bye-bye. Flame entinguishes within seconds, smoke lingers for a little longer.

An hour later the lawn was mowed and I was pushing the mower back into the garage. Lo and behold! a fire engine from Station 27 pulled up. Turns out the new neighbor is a rat. Luckily Joe the Fireman was nice, albeit a little miffed that someone had wasted his time by picking up the phone instead of walking next door.

Bernie gets a warning paired with a knowing grin. Joe went back to his lunch at the firehouse.

So - courtesy of the Gwinnett County Fire Department, Smokey the Bear and a lady who dare not darken my doorstep in need of a cup of sugar...here's your Safety Tip: When rolling your neighbor's house, use at least two-ply. That cheap stuff doesn't have the weight needed for trees over 7-8 feet tall. You might just tear a rotator cuff.

Thank you. I'm here all week. Try the veal.

Friday Feedbag

** Ever wonder who the hell writes this (crap)? Here ya go...the rebuttal is forthcoming; my blawggeristic integrity requires me to fact check everything. You know, unlike other greasier, pantsless varieties.
** For something totally unrelated, here's Hale's interview with Chris Burnette. The one from Troup Co.
** Damon's phat checkbook just gets phatter.
** Itch!...MUST scratch!! We're under 80 days 'til Stillwater folks. I certainly hope you've already caught these countdown/preview posts, but if not: Pete Fiutak at CollegeFootballNews gives us a taste of Okie State; Streit reminds us how many yards passing Joe Cox had at G-Day; Mackie puts some chicken on the menu (although don't be surprised that a visit to Rome didn't help the guy master Roman numerals); and BattleHymnNotes breaks the entire season down into two posts: the Grind and the Second Wind.
** Congrats to Tiger Woods on another US Open victory...uh oh!....sorry, that's an ingredient still in the fridge for Monday's Meatloaf. Pardon me!
** Exhile's back in the friendly confines of his cornfield after increasing his HdL to astronomical levels during his whirlwind tour of the home state.
** Our brave Senator took on some toothless grins, chicken salad eaters and vacated victory Sabanites this week in a debate on the wonder that is Layla's husband. Probably the one point almost all could agree on is that one day Laney will only be known as just that, Layla's husband.
** Earlier this week, I weighed in on the recruitment of Jeff Luc of Port St. Lucie, FL.TotalUGA reports that a GA prospect has narrowed his list to three. Click here to see who Alec Ogletree names (sub required).
** After years of denial and epic episodes of screaming at rivals to bark like a dawg!!...Dr. Robinson has diagnosed me as fanatical. Luckily, I own no poster of Newberg. So I'm not ORD.
** Without getting too political, I consider THIS proof that Canada's socialist healthcare system is an abject failure.
** And don't forget the Bulldogs Father and Kids Experience tomorrow at the practice fields. A great way to celebrate Fathers' Day with the kids. According to reader Meg, you Metro ATL dads can also stop by selected Chick-Fil-A's with kids in tow for a free milkshake.

Been a good week. Met Mackie over some greasy onion rings; turns out he might blog pantsless, but he drinks a frosted orange fully clothed. Thank the Good Lord!

And Ainsley converted one of her former classmates to the Dawg Pound. Julianne may have once enjoyed a good rendition of the blue tick'd hound RockyTop. But now she tells her dad to bark like a Dawg!! Way to go Ainsley!! Tell Mommy I said you're good for an extra popsicle at lunch today.

And looking back on my venture with the wrong side of the law this week, I see it as further proof that my life and college football are in perfect sync. How do I figure? Glad you asked. Well...by September the axis will be righted and our blood-thirsty gridiron souls will be satiated.

That's also when I'm next allowed to strike a match outside the safety of my own doors. I figure by then, the leaves, twigs and brush will be piled so high and the fever-pitched desire to drench them in highly combustible fuel will be so great...WHOOOOPFFFT!!

As the mushroom cloud reaches the heavens, I'll be the smoke-stained white boy at Ground Zero singing an eclectic mix of the Trampps' BURN BABY BURN and selected tracks from Def Leppard's Pyromania. That mutha may even burn the remnants of the toilet paper from my neighbor's trees.

Everybody now: Gunter glieben glauchen globen.....DISCO INFERNO!!

Enjoy your weekend Reader. I'm off to stand in line at BestBuy. They're selling some new rotary phone today that's supposed to be all the rage. Make sure and tip your waitresses and don't forget the collect call to dad Sunday afternoon.

Poor bastard.

Bernie

Jeff Luc - Don't Piss Him Off....

...or carry the football in his vicinity. Either could be hazardous to your health.

If you've been tuned in lately to CMRs '10 recruiting class, you've undoubtedly noticed that we've picked up a handful of 17 year old nods in Da'Rick Rogers, Michael Bennett and Brent Benedict in the past week. Add to that a LB prospect in Demetre Baker out of Orange Park, FL and the '10 class is beginning to take a good shape.

Earlier this week PWD gave a good writeup to Jeff Luc of Port St. Lucie, Florida. I have to agree that this kid's john hancock would be HUGE.

Take a look:

As you can see, the kid is violent, fast and incredibly athletic.

Probably the reason his is such a sought after signature and

the #1 MLB prospect in the nation. He would be a great

addition to a kickass '10 class and more importantly CWMs

defense.

Enough of my blabbering...here's Luc's own words:

“I am going to get to the ball.....I am going to go through

anybody in my way, or step on anybody that gets in my way, to get to the ball. I do ladder drills all the time and my coaches are always working me. We are always working to get better, and we never settle. At times, I just rely on my power and when I hit you I am going to make you feel it. I also love to read the play and then step into the hole and make the hit. My coaches blitz me some and I love to read the key and hit the quarterback flush.”

Want more? Here's PWDs take. And as usual, Jensen's all over it. Kid's looking for a school with a good business program...I'd like to see him take care of some bidness 'tween the hedges.