The case for Faton Bauta

A little over a year ago I wrote this post supporting a redshirt sophomore hybrid/dual-threat/longshot as the next quarterback for Georgia. A year removed and I haven't really changed that position.

That's not to say that I don't think Mason earned the right to be last season's starter. In truth, this time last year he had already taken the reins to end the 2013 campaign. I recognize my position as just a fan with keyboard and trust the coaches to make the true and actual decisions.

This spring is different in many ways. Of course, much like Murray was eventually succeeded by his backup in 2013, Mason was forced to give up the huddle early too when he couldn't finish the bowl game. Brice Ramsey entered to finish off the 2014 season and so began the speculation that he was the heir apparent. However, it's clear that Ramsey doesn't have the firm grasp of the top spot that his predecessor did a year ago.

Which is why these next few months and especially August are going to be so interesting to watch. Ramsey, once presumed the next in line, has had plenty of time to develop, but hasn't separated himself from his colleagues.Maybe some of that is due to the change at offensive coordinator. Maybe not. Jacob Park, according to reports, has the swagger, but does it translate into consistency on the field?

Here's Coach Schotty himself on what they're looking for:

“I think we truly have three guys that are capable of doing it,” Schottenheimer, who coaches the quarterbacks, said last week. “We’re rotating the reps with the ones, giving them all a shot to work in there with the first group. What we’re looking for as a staff this spring is there are going to be good days, bad days, but we’ll come to a point with, ‘Who’s being the most consistent?'" (via Weiszer)

Competition in the spring. Consistency in the fall.

Faton Bauta has something both of those guys don't, more experience. This is Bauta's fourth spring camp and I bet that is something the other offensive players appreciate. I have little doubt that over the course of a season Bauta would take much greater care with the football than Park, and maybe Ramsey as well. My reasoning with that statement is similar to my reasoning last spring; Bauta is more than an arm. He's the type of player that will look to make plays with his arm, his feet and most importantly, his head.

Heading into a season that figures to see a lot of handoffs to #27, don't you think Schottenheimer and Richt would like to see someone under center they can trust completely? We'll have a better picture of Mr. Park after GDay, but right now he sounds like a gunslinger with chip on his shoulder. Boy we could've used that a few years ago. In 2015, not as much.

Back to the word "experience", you're right. Ramsey has more of it when it comes to in game, non-garbage time, meaningful snaps type experience. He has a live arm that can make all the throws. And there will be downs and distance this fall when we need an arm like that to move the chains and maybe even win a ball game. But doesn't Bauta add more of a dimension to the backfield with the likes of Chubb, Michel, Marshall, Hicks, Turman? As defenses zero in on Chubb after he's carried the ball for 150+ on 24 carries entering the fourth quarter, wouldn't it be nice to have a quarterback that can not only call the read option but can also run it?

That's where having Bauta as the starter truly excites me as a fan. When we're talking about keeping defenses honest, I like Bauta's ability to do that with his arm, his feet and his head more than the other guys. And I think Schottenheimer is thinking that over pretty hard the next few months as well.

If nothing else, I'm willing to bet that if Ramsey or Park beat Bauta out for the starting job, the dual-threat junior from West Palm Beach will have made them earn it.

Mike Campo releases new IPF renderings

Mike Campo, renowned architect from the firm Merence Toore and Assoc., has provided more details about the soon to be UGA Indoor Practice Facility, most notably that it should come at a cost under two hundred....dollars....two hundred American dollars.

Reached at his Statham GA office, Mr. Campo provided these details:

"I've worked on this non-stop since earlier this morning. I think you'll see these renderings show a functional, or at least a practical use of space. And yes, I've told Mr. McGarity that I could indeed keep the price tag under $200."

Pressed for his inspiration in this unique design...

"Well, I took my kids to McDonald's for breakfast before school this morning. Little Mikey was playing with this pile of straws instead of eating his hotcakes. When I turned to yell at the little brat for the fourth time I realized he'd built this tower that reached almost all the way to the ceiling. Boom. Genius!"

Okay...but what will the roof be made of?

"Like I said. We're still in the early stages. But Lil Lucy spilled juice all over her McMuffin wrapper. It seemed to hold pretty well against those elements. So that might give us a start."

Sounds pretty lightweight in frame. Aren't you worried about the wind?

"Yes. I've already told Coach Richt that his team might have to wear jackets on certain days. You know, due to the open air design.

Look, I've got to go. Bubba Wayne over at the trailer park has a noon appointment. He's building a new deck for Lucinda Earl!"

He hung up before I could ask if he was an Auburn grad.

---------

Addendum: The years have not been kind to the Mike Campo phenomenon. I should've suspected this. First, once Hale left Macon his old Dawg Extra blog became harder to bookmark as it auto-redirects to the Ledger Enquirer. The old blog was where I first discovered Campo. Now, the AJC has removed the original article (and subsequent comments that include Terence Moore getting duped) from its site. So, the only remaining evidence may be from my copy and paste job in 2013, which was actually copied and pasted from my first celebration of Happy Mike Campo Day in 2010 (albeit slightly embellished). 

If you're new to this April 1st tradition, I suggest you start there.

Humpday Hilarity - a Golf Poem

Starting to smell like one of the greatest weeks in sports. The Masters is like none other, with the beautiful backdrop of azaleas, dogwoods, and perfect lawns. If golf is a religion, then Augusta National is its own St. Peter's Basilica - beautifully constructed, awe inspiring, and brings grown men to their knees.

Next week it will be full of guys from all over the world, that rarely have recited this poem:

A Golf Poem In My Hand I Hold a Ball, White And Dimpled, Rather Small. Oh, How Bland It Does Appear, This Harmless Looking Little Sphere. By Its Size I Could Not Guess, The Awesome Strength It Does Possess. But Since I Fell Beneath Its Spell, I've Wandered Through the Fires of Hell. My Life Has Not Been Quite the Same, Since I Chose To Play This Stupid Game. It Rules My Mind for Hours on End, A Fortune It Has Made Me Spend. It Has Made Me Yell, Curse And Cry. I Hate Myself And Want To Die. It Promises a Thing Called Par, If I Can Hit It Straight and Far. To Master Such a Tiny Ball, Should Not Be Very Hard At All. But My Desires the Ball Refuses, And Does Exactly as It Chooses. It Hooks and Slices, Dribbles and Dies, And Even Disappears Before My Eyes. Often It Will Have a Whim, To Hit A Tree Or Take A Swim. With Miles of Grass on Which to Land, It Finds A Tiny Patch Of Sand. Then Has Me Offering Up My Soul, If Only It Would Find The Hole. It's Made Me Whimper Like a Pup, And Swear That I Will Give It Up. And Take To Drink To Ease My Sorrow, But The Ball Knows, I'll be Back Tomorrow.

A RECENT STUDY FOUND THE AVERAGE GOLFER WALKS ABOUT 900 MILES A YEAR. ANOTHER STUDY FOUND GOLFERS DRINK, ON AVERAGE, 22 GALLONS OF ALCOHOL A YEAR. THAT MEANS, ON AVERAGE, GOLFERS GET ABOUT 41 MILES TO THE GALLON. KIND OF MAKES YOU PROUD. I ALMOST FEEL LIKE A HYBRID. (h/t Mac)

A picture is worth thousands of yards

This one's a keeper.

(via)

Humpday Hilarity - Spring Drill SURPRISE!!

"Hey thanks! Oh shittttt!!!"

h/t AHD

You're my boy Greg Blue!

Happy Birthday to the Magnificent De-Cleater himself!

Some Charles Johnson Foundation news to share

HAWKINSVILLE, GA, March 10, 2015 – Registration is now open for the fourth annual Charles Johnson Foundation Sports Academy and Community Weekend on June 19-20 in Hawkinsville, GA. The event welcomes 1^st-12^th grade girls and boys in Middle Georgia to a free-of-charge two-day event.

The annual Sports Academy is former University of Georgia Bulldog and current Carolina Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson's opportunity to give back to his hometown and connect with the community. The weekend of activities not only focuses on athletic skills, but also team-building and the importance of education. Coaches emphasize to the participants the importance of following their dreams and saying no to negative influences in their lives.

The Sports Academy includes clinics in basketball, dance, tennis, football and cheer. Johnson and some of his friends and coaches in the NFL and NBA attend the event to help guide participants through various activities. On Friday evening, everyone is invited to Middle Georgia Community Night where the community gathers together to celebrate one another and the foundation’s community partners. The evening also includes a check presentation to the two high school senior 2015 honorees of the Charles Johnson Foundation’s $20,000 college scholarships.

The full schedule for the 2015 event is as follows:

Friday, June 19                      

Basketball Clinic: 1-3 p.m. 1^st-6^th graders; 3-5 p.m. 7^th-12^th graders

Dance Clinic: 1-3 p.m. 1^st -6^th graders

Middle Georgia Community Night: 5-8 p.m.

Saturday, June 20       

Football Clinic: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. 1^st-6^th graders; 12-2:30p.m. 7^th-12^th graders

Tennis Clinic: 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. 1^st-12^th graders

Cheer Clinic: 12-2:30 p.m. 1^st-6^th graders

To register for the 2015 event, please visit here. The Foundation is looking for volunteers for the event and those interested should visit the foundation’s website for more details. If you or your business is interested in learning about sponsorship opportunities, please contactinfo@charlesjohnsonfoundation.org.

For media requests or with any questions, please contact Meredith Geisler at 703-740-5015 or mgeisler@tandemse.com.

ABOUT CHARLES JOHNSON & THE CHARLES JOHNSON FOUNDATION

Charles Johnson is a native of Hawkinsville, GA, and a proud alumnus of Hawkinsville High School. After attending the University of Georgia where he starred at defensive end, Charles was drafted by the Carolina Panthers of the NFL in 2007 and now serves as a captain of the team.

Through eight professional seasons, Charles has received All-Pro recognition on the strength of 62.5 career sacks, placing him among the premier pass-rushers in the league.

In 2012, Charles’ passion for philanthropy and loyalty to Middle Georgia led him to launch the Charles Johnson Foundation. A non-profit organization, the Charles Johnson Foundation is dedicated to fulfilling a two-fold mission:

• Providing opportunities for under-served youth to reach their full potential through athletic, recreational, and educational programs and initiatives; and
• Providing support for single African American mothers through proven programs and initiatives.

The Charles Johnson Foundation Sports Academy and Community Weekend is the flagship annual event for the Charles Johnson Foundation, combining his efforts to advance education with free sports clinics in football, basketball, tennis, dance and cheer.

Humpday Hilarity - How many Hail Mary's for being overly judgmental?

h/t Mac

An IPF podcast debate

Yesterday some artists' renderings of the soon to be indoor practice facility were published. But last week Robert and I debated the topic ad nauseum. Sure, this IPF is an inevitability. The look and location of it are issues still to be settled. But it's coming.

Whether I like it or no.

LINK

**I tried to get this episode of the JunkYard Podcast uploaded to iTunes so that those of you that have subscribed could get it on whatever app you use to listen to podcasts on. I will continue to try as it's something I did several times last year when I was podcasting. But as of this moment, the success of such a task eludes me.

Anyway, thanks for listening.

Are you betting on Cinderella?

Will you be filling out a March Madness pool next week? Will you be confident in it enough to put some money behind your Final Four picks? Ever wonder why betting your own money isn't legal?

If the NCAA tournament was to take place in Europe or even some of the other continents in the world, the ability to wager a bet legally on proceedings would be readily available online. However, in the United States, as we know, this isn’t neither feasible nor a legal option.

The FBI predicts that $2.5 billion is wagered illegally during the March Madness NCAA tournament. This amount exceeds that spent on illegal wagering on the Super Bowl – a staggering statistic for a collegiate tournament.

Although little of that money will be wagered on our very own Bulldogs and more like on favorites Virginia, Kentucky and Duke it does beg the question as to why we cannot bet on events in the United States.

In 2011 Black Friday eliminated all online wagering sites and casino portals. And although some states have relaxed their gambling laws and allowed online casinos to once again operate, actual gambling on collegiate games is still prohibited.

It’s predicted that there is an increasing number of students betting on collegiate games – with some betting illegally online. Unlike in Europe where people are able to wager on a raft of sports like soccer, basketball and cricket, the United States just doesn’t allow this type of betting.

Additionally, the NCAA prohibits any forms of gambling and like most sports also bans people involved with team in the NCAA from providing outsiders with information on upcoming games. It’s understandable, as the last thing they want to do is call the NCAA’s integrity into question.

But part of the reason why so many seem to bet illegally on the NCAA is due to the fact that many “feel that they will make money from betting,” according to the NCAA’s ‘Gambling on Sports’ article. On top of that, many students feel that it adds an extra “fun factor” to games which attributes to a high percentage of betting.

With there being approximately $70 billion per year bet illegally on college football, too, the chances of this problem going away anytime soon is unlikely. Hence, why so many are now calling for it to be regulated like in Europe and other continents. As with anything that isn’t regulated comes problems and corruption. At least if it’s regulated, people will stop getting ripped off by bogus bookmakers and ultimately, procedures like Betting Responsibly can be put in place to educate people better on the ways of gambling responsibly.