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

In the case of King v Ealey

First off, let me apologize for the problems with the posts yesterday and today. Actually, not sure why I’m apologizing since I can’t really control the gerbils that power the inner workings of Blogger. Hopefully they’ve got things back on track for good.

Secondly, if you’re convinced that King is already academically ineligible you’re going to find the rest of this post a waste of your time. Because I think it’s just the opposite. If I’m wrong I’ll gladly pay my blogging fine and endure whatever ridicule thrown my way. As long as those of you who have jumped the gun on this agree to admit you were wrong, publicly…privately...whatever. As PWD pointed out the other day on Twitter, there’s a precedent for things like this being wrong. We live in a world where the value is mistakenly placed on being first…not necessarily being right.

Today I wanted to draw a definite distinction between these two running backs. They share similarities in their position on the field and the fact that they’ve become familiar with the doghouse. But while I’m happy that UGA and Ealey have parted ways, I’m equally pleased that Caleb King will be around next season.

King is a well rounded back that I just have to believe is ready to put the past behind him. The past includes injuries, standing in Knowshon’s shadow, trouble with the law and certainly other poor choices. I think he’s equally ready to embrace the role of Crowell’s backfield “supervisor”, take the ball from Murray and do Damn Good Dawg things with it.

I think it’s short-sighted to lump King in with Ealey, as many have seemingly done. By most accounts, Ealey was bad for the locker room. King has had moments where he’s hurt his team, that’s more than fair. But I think he can make the team better on the field and off. Ealey had moments like the game in Lexington last year where he made the team better on the field. But ultimately he’s all about two letters, M and E. He wants to be a premier back but is working off a 16 year old ego-centric mindset. I hope his 21 year old body grows out of that real soon. Just wasn’t going to happen in Athens.

On the other hand, I think King’s already transforming himself. I think he’s prepping for his swan song. Join me in hoping it’s a tune we can bark to.

Buford's Lee to announce Monday

Dawg fans have been wondering two things regarding the recruitment of Buford's Dillon Lee: 

1. What took so long for Georgia to offer one of the state's top prospects who also happens to have a brother on the roster?
2. And will Georgia's tardiness affect Lee's decision?

Well, we'll know Monday what Lee's plans are.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder from Buford High School confirmed to the AJC that he will announce on Monday whether he will join his brother with the Bulldogs — or commit to one of his three other finalists of Alabama, Florida State and USC.

Here’s Lee on Wednesday night with quick hits on his final four:

• Florida State: “I really like the campus and whole environment there in Tallahassee.”
• Alabama: “I really like what they do on defense. I like their defensive coaches and the defensive system they have.”
• Southern Cal: “That has been my favorite team growing up … my whole life.”
• UGA: “That’s my in-state school. My brother plays there. My whole family is Georgia fans, and I’ve been going to games there my whole life. I know a lot about them, and I’ve been trying to get to know the new linebackers coach since he was hired.”

Lee has accumulated nearly 20 offers; ironically, UGA was most recent, despite the family ties. Georgia linebackers coach, Kirk Olivadotti, called Lee with an offer from the Bulldogs on May 2. Georgia hired the former NFL assistant on Feb. 18.

Hard to go against Bama here. But I still like our chances too...despite being late to the party.