Time to Man Up

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The fatter they are, the harder they fall. And Bama’s fat. They have a colossal sense of entitlement and their recent success under darlin’ Nicky has only fueled it into a blaze for all Pachyderm athletics.

Well, not tonight.  Hope to see you at Stegeman. Click here to do your part in making this a sellout. Then we can watch some more of this -

Personally I like the quickly covered smirk by Coach Fox after the highlight as much as the dunk itself.

For more awesomeness, here’s Connor Nolte’s game day trick shot.

Trivial "Olympic" Update

Here’s the recap of episode 33:

ThursdaysRTrivial is coming up after this PSA: Too much Grecian Formula can over Costasize your scalp. Use with Caution.

ThursdaysRTrivial episode 33 “Winter Olympics Dawggy Style”. It’s time again for the Twitter Game Show that puts as much pep in your step as it does bob in your sled. REPLY back your answer for a chance at a fabulous prize. What three time NCAA nat’l champion will become the first Dawg to compete in both the summer and the winter Olympics on Saturday?

I expect by this time next year, we will see a lot more bobsleds on the University of Georgia campus. Mopeds are so 2009. And once Andras Haklits helps the Croatian bobsledders to the podium in Vancouver, this mode of transportation will take off like a North-South bus through a cloud of smoke on Sanford Bridge. You may remember that Haklits could really throw a hammer on campus nearly a decade ago. He’s also competed in Sydney, Athens and Berlin for the Summer games (that’s Athens, Greece…ya dummy). Word is he looks pretty good in a parka as well now that he’s in Vancouver.

Meanwhile for being first to tweet in, @TNRLM will be enjoying a special 17th year edition of Cool Runnings, undoubtedly the best bobsledding movie ever to grace the silver screen. The copy comes complete with Sanka Coffie’s autograph and a coupon to John Candy’s (aka Irv Blitzer) favorite hot dog stand. Sorry, you’ll have to provide your own popcorn.

Also tweeting in was @alanashley. He gets one of those cool beanie caps the Americans were wearing during the opening ceremonies. Should look good as he travels by bobsled to and from Stegeman. Speaking of which, check out these guys’ websites: Alan’s Assessments and The Non-sensical Ravings of a Lunatic Mind.

And if you’d like to get in on the act too Reader….finish this quote:

You see Sanka, the driver has to work harder than anyone. He's the first to show up, and the last to leave. When his buddies are all out drinking beer, he's up in his room studying ___________________.

Free shout out in the Meatloaf if you get it right. Have a great weekend!

Mark Fox – Our Hardwood Hero

I know it’s early in his UGA tenure…but amuse me for a minute here…

Is Coach Mark Fox our Jukebox Hero? If you wanna be a naysayer you’ll dismiss this thought too eagerly, you’ll point to the record and all the last minute losses. You’ll also raise your voice when you mention the brain fart to Wofford at home. And certainly half way through his first season, it’s not a record that sparkles and shines. Fox's charges are prone to turnovers in bunches and have made a habit of faltering down the stretch.

Yeh, I hear ya. Coach Fox's 11 wins against 12 losses generally adds up to an early vacation in March. But there are stars in his eyes, you know? While at Nevada, Coach Fox compiled a 123-43 record with three straight NCAA Tourney appearances. He was the WAC Coach of the Year three times. Prior to his first head coaching gig, he served under Nevada head coach Trent Johnson as his associate head coach.

He had a good thing going in Reno. Then he put his ear to the wall…and heard a distant scream.

And while I'm not saying the Georgia Hoops program is a beat up six string in a second hand store, it's not exactly a sold-out show either. For years the men's basketball team has toiled along with a smattering of highlights. When a good coach came along to rescue us from obscurity, he either bolted for a sea of blue or left the program in shambles.

All of this while sitting in a fertile recruiting ground where the right coach could simply cherry pick his starting lineup and its backups without the need for hemorrhaging frequent flyer miles. We heard the roar of the crowd during the Tubby and Harrick tenures, but in between the audience has mostly stayed away or sat on their hands.

I can remember camping out for tickets back in 1990 on the eve of an SEC showdown with LSU of epic proportions. I contend to this day that it was the biggest athletic victory on campus to date. Sure, the football program has a laundry list of big wins and the Gymnastics program has gone through stiff competition like a chainsaw through cordwood. Plus, how many tennis matches have gone our way at Magill Tennis Complex? Too many to count.

However, those programs are set up for success. The men’s hoops has difficult chords, key changes and complicated bridges to negotiate through. No offense to Coach Richt and the success he has enjoyed. But he, Yoculan and Diaz were given well-tuned Gibsons complete with amps and a plush recording studio. Every basketball coach dating back to Coach Durham has been asked to produce hit records from a garage using their uncle’s old Peavey. Jirsa didn’t know a fret from a fuse box and by the time Felton came to town the drummer had left and the bass player was in rehab. So everyone just sat there…waiting. Just like Felton’s offense, the program once again became stagnant. Boring.

But Fox…well, he’s got just one guitar….slung way down low. The first 23 games may not have produced the record we would like to see, but it's given us a taste. He’s got us rockin’. The argument for Fox being SEC Coach of the Year may not make the regional playlist this season, but it's a safe bet it will be a hit in the near future. The highlights have been glamorous. Despite the critics, the program’s gaining some attention. Young rockers are taking notice. They’ve got stars in their eyes too.

Furthermore, the seats are selling. Slowly but surely, Stegeman will be a live show again. Once a forgotten event, the mens hoops will have adventurous souls gathering outside. It’ll be a heavy downpour. But they’ll gather just to put their ear to the walls and hear the roar of the crowds.

And that one guitar, made his whole life change. I may just be drinking the Kool-Aid again, but I think it's gonna change ours too.


Addendum:
Big game against Tennessee on the hardwood tonight. I’m sure those HillBillys remember getting their ass kicked. Tune in on SECtv tonight at 8pm. If you’re like me though, you may need ESPN360 to watch.

Also, another big game in Athens Saturday. Bama comes to town with their first year coach Anthony Grant. I’m sure you remember him. So you can get your tickets here.

Live for Today...

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...Tomorrow May Never Come.

        - Dutch Harbor Proverb

I rarely post non-Dawg stuff. But Deadliest Catch is my favorite show and the Cornelia Marie has always been my favorite boat. I've seen a bunch of videos done as a tribute to Phil Harris after his death last week. This is the way I'll remember him -

Almost always on top of the crab. Riding his crew hard to reel in pots as full as they could possibly be.

RIP Cap'n Phil. Double Duck Farts on the House.

Monday’s Meatloaf – Giving Credit When Past Due

There are a number of things that a blogger uses to get by. For me, Old Crow bourbon whiskey is not just fuel for the soul but also a common source for inspiration.

But there’s other times when my keyboard and I just need some info, some honest coverage of the school I spent four five years at obtaining a degree in learning to drink. Most of you already know who the best Georgia beat writer is, but if not I can tell you the best, most accurate and complete coverage comes from a person Lewis Grizzard taught me to distrust.

David Hale is a yankee. Although I can count the times I’ve met him on one finger, I’d be willing to bet he has no grits in his pantry, probably eats his biscuits from a can and drinks his tea without sugar.

But….he’s not a damn yankee. He’s a damn good yankee. And while on vacay he got hisself recognized for being damn good at what he does. No word if this award comes with a year’s supply of Visine though. However, ultimately this’ll mean he does get some high fallootin’ job at Fox or even the mutha, but regardless it’s past due.

As I waited on official word that Willie Martinez would not be our defensive coordinator, there’s one guy who’s tweet made it official. And one day as I await official word that Michael Adams has indeed bagged his last carpet in Athens…I hope the news comes from one David Hale.

Congrats man! I hope you take the time to enjoy one of those frozen pre-packaged Philly Cheese steaks from the Golden Pantry. Not exactly PhilDELFya…but a treat nonetheless.

Today’s Ingredients

• The Grit Tree claims Hale as one of our own. Maybe to make it official the orange man will whistle him some Dixie while stirring a generous pat of butter into his grits.
• Back ‘tween the hedges, Estep says the QB battle is ready to commence. Paschall agrees.
• Cousin Walter is optimistic over the Dawgs’ 2010 season….and I dig it.
• Remember Tim DeRuyter? He’s evidently not planning on being in College Station long.
• The Senator thinks FIU may have found a marketing gimmick better than the nerds’ hot dogs and cokes.
• For Coach Fox against the lamecocks, the Price was right. And it was enough to make Mike smile.
• Grace Taylor showed plenty of her namesake in helping the GymDogs over Arkansas Friday night.
• If Perno’s Diamond Dawgs are going to have their usual even year run into late spring, they’ll have to do it against the toughest of SEC schedules.
• Mackie gets us ready for the Winter Olympics. Exile’s also pumped up.
• Streit’s got some things on his mind.
• Has Slurban finally put his money where his forked tongue is?
• And in honor of Hale, here’s a nugget on the Orangemen’s loss to the leisure suit yesterday. Sometimes you eat the active 2-3 zone and sometimes it eats you. Instead of wagering on Boeheim’s bunch to not only win but cover, I shoulda known another 'Cusian win woulda been too much for one weekend.

Then again, what were the odds on our Bulldog Blogger winning the bloodshot eyeball?

And I would be remiss if I did not spend a few lines honoring the men who have given their service to our country through the Oval Office. They haven’t all been perfect, and many have miserably failed. But they all became grayer around the temple and fatter around the waistline as a result of sitting in the big chair.

Last year I honored Teddy Roosevelt, this year I’m gonna work on Grover Cleveland. While it’s true that Cleveland was the only big guy to serve two terms that weren’t consecutive, it’s not true that he once ate his way out of Buffalo NY. The “mugwumps” sent a horse and buggy for him. On the back of it read: Railroads are for sissies…and jort’d men. It’s true. Google it.

In the end, all the buffalo wings in Jersey weren’t enough to get Cleveland invited back to his own party. He died just under four bills; even the Veto President couldn’t say no to chocolate milkshakes and double cheeseburgers.

And if you’ve stuck through all this to the end here Reader, chances are you won’t veto this plate. Better grab an extra napkin. You got a little on your chin there.

Bernie

Last Minute Valentine’s Day Shopping, Dawg

I probably should’ve posted this earlier in the week to help give you a head start, but let’s face it…you still wouldn’t be doing anything about it until now anyway. So here’s some ideas for that special Dawg in your heart.

• Tickets to See the Dawgs Play. Whatever sporting event strikes her fancy, you’ll earn big bonus points with this simple, yet timeless gift. As a bonus, you get another opportunity to bark like hell.
• The Georgia Snuggie. Help her stay warm in style.
• A Customized Replica Jersey. Nothing says I Luv U like a Dawg jersey with Bernie’s Watergirl printed on the back.
• Wanna get more intimate? How ‘bout these pajama bottoms paired with this tank top? Maybe you’re tired of the little lady’s dainties that came from that store in the mall with the awesome catalog. If so, buy her a set of these unmentionables.
• Perhaps your mate needs a new gameday purse (ie. bourbon transporter) or a new recipe book for tailgating ideas.
• Redecorating the home? She’ll love this acrylic tapestry.
• Maybe the wifey likes things with some more shine. I feel ya. Try this Executive Series Timepiece. You don’t have to tell her it came from WallyWorld, plus she might finally have dinner ready on time for once.
• If you need to take her on a vacation, why not make it Athens on Gameday? If you already live in Athens, tell her You My Lady! all over again this fall against the backdrop of the St. John’s River.

And if all else fails…buy her a subscription to BerniesDawgBlawg  and take her for a coupla chili dogs at the Varsity Sunday night. You’ll thank hate me later.

Happy ValenDawg’s Weekend Reader!

Trivial Update – “Lettering in History”

Here’s a recap of yesterday’s episode:

ThursdaysRTrivial is coming up after this PSA: You can piss away your dreams, but Tweetdeck don't flush.

ThursdaysRTrivial ep 32 "Spring Awakenings" The weather outside is still frightful, but ThursdaysRTrivial is always delightful. REPLY back your answer for a chance at a fabulous prize. According to Dawg historian and coaching legend Dan Magill, what sport is the oldest varsity sport on campus?

Winning takes a lot of effort, but giving it 110% doesn’t always guarantee W’s. Yesterday @BPMackie gave it his all…or at least loaded up a seven shooter full of bullets and took wild aim. Here’s his laundry list of educated guesses: equestrian, basketball, tennis, wrasslin’, baseball, bobsledding, and turkey bowlin’. And even though Mackie eventually stumbled upon the correct tweet, it was only good enough for a stand up double cuz @allyugadawg fished her phone out of the bowl just in time to provide the correct answer – Baseball!! Go Diamond Dawgs!!!

I trust Ally will enjoy this authentic Claude Derrick Philadelphia Athletics jersey from the 1912 World Series. It’s not a new crackberry, but should look nice from the stands at Foley this spring. Mackie meanwhile gets a stolen copy of E. Merton Coulter’s notes, a treasure for any UGA historian (or just a guy needing some light reading while at the office. But please secure your phone before coppin’ a squat…..).

In case you’d like to get in on the act too Reader….Who were the pitcher/catcher tandem on that first UGA baseball team that were also brothers? Hint…the pitcher introduced the curve ball to the South. Winning comment gets a free shout-out in Monday’s Meatloaf. Or a coupon for a free medium fries at Burger King, expiration date yesterday at noon.

And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter. Maybe you can slow down the Dan Magill wannabe in Ally in episode 33.

Game, Set, Match with Coach Diaz

I read In Dawgged Pursuit a few weeks ago and was eager to post something on it, but couldn't find the interview on the actual website. If you're a USTA member in the Atlanta area, you probably have already had the pleasure of reading it in print. I doubt if it made the other regional issues of Inside Tennis, but after reading it a second time...I sure hope so.


Manny Diaz is not just a great coach and leader, but a true ambassador for the University of Georgia. I don't know how many tennis fans I serve here, but all Dawg fans can easily become Diaz fans. I've included some excerpts from the interview below, but you should check it out in its entirety.

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InsideTennis: The history and fanfare of Wimbledon is great. Roland Garros has Paris, and the U.S. Open is an event like no other. But there’s nothing quite like an NCAA team final — six matches going on at the same time, fans yelling. What makes the atmosphere so special?
Manny Diaz: You’ve got kids playing with such heart, such enthusiasm. You can pick a match to watch from the six that are going on. Three doubles matches. You see great variety. It’s a little more “rah-rah.” It’s a zoo. It’s a jungle. It’s that kind of passion for the game that you see in college matches.


IT: For those who haven’t experienced May Madness on the Georgia campus before, how would you describe it?
MD: Our crowds were really, really rowdy when we started hosting the NCAAs. We hosted them now for 25, 27 years in the past 30 years. In the beginning, our crowd was basically a football crowd — the Deep South in the early ‘70s. But the more we hosted it, the more our fans became tennis fans, the more they became educated from just wild, football fans to being more informed. While our fans are right now many in numbers — we’ve got over 6,000 fans out there for the NCAA Championships — our fans are much more educated and tennis savvy than they used to be.

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If you’ve never been to an NCAA tennis match, check one out this spring at Dan Magill Tennis Complex. It’s nothing like what you see on television as you watch Wimbledon or the US Open. The atmosphere is electric, an organized rowdiness that is closer to Saturdays in the fall than it is a fortnight in London.

And this interview with Coach Diaz really paints the picture. The excerpt above barely scratches the surface Reader. Diaz goes on to make any Dawg fan proud with the way he talks about Athens and the University of Georgia. He also analyzes John Isner’s rise in the ATP rankings…and gives Inside Tennis his all-time Georgia lineup.

Great read.

Some related links:

• John Isner’s Website
• UGA Tennis Schedule for Men and Women
• The Manny Diaz bio
• the 2010 NCAA Tennis Championship homepage
  
  

Going Deep Without Depth

The spurned by the state’s top wideout talk has slipped to a dull roar. Thankfully. And while it is now perfectly clear that we’d much rather have Baccari Rambo than one Da’Rick Rogers, the reality must still be faced squarely in the mirror.

Who’s lining up with AJ this fall?

Sure, many writers will spill ink over the QB race to succeed Joe Cox. But really, this is Aaron Murray’s to lose. And of course we already know who runs this state. So the other offensive skill position needs to be addressed. It’d be nice for one of these guys to step up in what should be AJs final season. We lose Michael Moore who produced a modest 25 catches for 249 yards in ‘09, but was second on the team with 5 TDs. However, we get back Kris Durham who is a natural fit with his size in the slot position that Moore often occupied. 

Here’s a look at the returning names along with their ‘09 numbers:

Player	Rec	Yds	TDs
AJ Green	53	808	6
Tavarres King	18	377	1
Israel Troupe	4	39	0
Rantavious Wooten	10	197	2
Marlon Brown	2	15	0
Orson Charles	23	374	3
Aron White	13	198	4
Arthur Lynch	2	17	0
Figgins/Durham	did	not	play

With all due respect to Tavarres King who had some big grabs last season, the numbers really drop off after #8. Troupe has had moments of brilliance that hiccup within lags of non-playing time. Wooten’s skillset may be unquestioned, but his size will limit his opportunities down close to the goalline.

And while many fans will focus their attention on the broad shoulders of Marlon Brown, the answer may also be found at the TE position. As Paschall wrote, Georgia’s tight ends are poised to complement a receiving corps that even Coach Richt admits is not as deep as he would like.

Depth is definitely an issue at receiver. I would say we don’t have, at this moment, a good number that I feel comfortable having. During the season, you’re probably going to play around six or seven, and that’s what we have right now, so everybody’s going to get their share.

From reading that quote it might be easy to surmise that Logan Gray will be counted on to provide some extra depth. Yet truly, it’s unlikely at this point that even Coach Ball knows how well the athletic quarterback will fill into the role of a pass catching playmaker. So it’s clear that someone will need to step up. A dependable deep threat and athletic ball hog needs to line up on the field opposite AJ Green for a reasonable amount of fear to strike the hearts of SEC secondaries. Preferably two deep threats and ball hogs. Maybe three...I'm greedy.

I would say at this point, #7 may be the only other answer we feel completely comfortable in giving. But I bet by summer’s end we have another. What say you?

Monday’s Meatloaf – A Manning for Regular Seasons

Small portions today Reader. I anticipated you probably over-gorged yourself last night anyway.

So another season of gridiron battles came to a close last night. Congrats to the New Orleans Saints on their great achievement. Sure, winning the Super Bowl is awesome. It’s their first ever. So when everyone in the City of Saints finally sobers up, sometime around Cinco de Mayo…well then I guess they will rebuild the city once again.

But, the greatest achievement for the Saints was proving to the rest of the world that one dude named Peyton Manning is actually a human with faults. I mean, my God…he chose Rocky Flop as his institution for higher learning not so long ago. Since leaving Knutsville, the guy’s done nothing but walk on NFL waters. And evidently lost the battle of the hairline.

But I digress. Look, I know Peyton is the nicest guy to ever wear urranjah and you can’t deny that he has a beautiful name. But I’ve grown sick of the greatest eveh and the all he does is win close games talk. The Saints proved he can throw as many TD passes to opponents’ jerseys as his own.

The good news for Peyton is that once he’s old enough, he can always perform at halftime to help make ends meet.

BahZINGah!!



Today’s Ingredients

• Saints fans in Louisiana are basking in Manning’s late game unheroics as well.
• Wasn’t that a fast game, by Super Bowl standards? And thankfully so, considering how often we were subjected to Jim Nantz uttering the phrase Who Dat? as if he had just finished a triple non-fat latte and the Wall Street Journal. Ugh.
• Congrats to Jon Stinchcomb and Charles Grant! UPDATE: I'm an idiot for not including Travis Jones in that brief list. (h/t Mike)
• As far as the commercials, they just stunk. Doritos was good. The Snickers one with Betty White and Abe Vigoda was probably the best. The Tim Tebow spot....WOW! That was incredibly offensive. How dare he tackle his mother and then smile with her as if they have a strong relationship.
• Vandy’s recruiting coordinator and LBs coach, Warren Belin is hired to fill out Coach Richt’s staff.
• Weiszer recaps Saturday night’s win over Vandy.
• There’s a new sheriff in SEC town, and his name is Chahizzy. Whatevs. Call me when he starts winning in living rooms and on football fields.
• Now that this Da’Rick Rogers kid has gone on record as not knowing who Baccari Rambo is, maybe some Dawg fans can work through this grieving process a little quicker. What a tool!
• And speaking of tools, this Seantrel Henderson kid must recognize something in USC.
• Hale is on vacation, but left us with plenty to chew on.
• The Senator wonders if Corch is readying for the new season with one eye on the safest exit.
• Lastly, I know it’s cold and the northeast has like 32 feet of snow. And it’s no secret that Mother Nature can be an ill-mannered lady. But weather should never be anything to kill one’s self over.

That’s about all for today folk(s). Now go give Monday a swift kick in the (pants).

Bernie