Sports Columnists

By Reggie

February 2, 2006 04:24 PM | Link to this

I’m sure you all thought Terence Moore was a can’t lose but…

By yo

February 2, 2006 04:39 PM | Link to this

Reggie - the greatest post on this site in years. lol!!!!!

By BNA Dawg

February 2, 2006 04:55 PM | Link to this

Great Post Reggie-Maybe the best ever!!!! Terrence may have been a Blue Chip but he is still trying to find a position after 5 years.

By Merlyn Brown

February 2, 2006 05:53 PM | Link to this

Mark, see if you can get Jeff to counsel with you on this matter—he’s lost somewhere in “left field”, without clues.

By Robert

February 2, 2006 07:34 PM | Link to this

Sorry, Mark, I forgot the point. Reggie’s post was so on the money! I guess some think it’s their responsibility to put down the natives.

By Hill Dawg

February 2, 2006 11:08 PM | Link to this

Robert, did you mean to use the word “native”? We’ll read about that tomorrow!

By Nicholas Irwin

February 3, 2006 12:11 AM | Link to this

Signing day is the most gag-inducing display of pointlessness in the entire sports world. For the life of me, I cannot understand what pulls people into it. It has all the charm of the NFL and NBA drafts, but with the added bonus of knowing absolutely nothing about the players.

It is absolutely hilarious to me how everyone pretends to know about the skills of high school kids from freaking California. These people would have never even had the names of these kids pass into their brains if they hadn’t read them in one of the 50,000 Top 100 lists. But they gather around the water cooler and say “I like so and so…but I’m not sure he has enough speed to be a quaterback in the SEC.” And then the answer will be, “Yeah, I know, but he has the instincts.” You have no idea who the hell any of these people are. You just go by what the media tells you. You think Georgia is sitting pretty because everyone and their mother is ranking their class No. 2 nationally, so it’s accepted as fact. It simply boggles the mind how much credence is put into this crap.

Then there’s also the issue which Mark touched on, which is how do you know how good these kids are gonna be? You have absolutely no idea. Yet you pay 35 bucks a month to subscribe to a freaking recruiting newsletter and pay more attention to that than to sports that are actually being played ON THE FIELD AS WE SPEAK (or court…or ice, for that matter). Get a damn life!!!

By PBJ

February 3, 2006 12:33 AM | Link to this

Nicholas, I’m guessing you’re a Big Ten or Pac-10 fan, or possibly even Canadian. Please, go watch your hockey and leave us alone. You have your interests, we have ours.

By zonadog

February 3, 2006 12:39 AM | Link to this

Wow Nicholas…you just killed the buzz I had from those first few posts. It’s football, not homeland security. Relax!

By Nicholas Irwin

February 3, 2006 01:01 AM | Link to this

Just so you know, I’m a rabid SEC fan and am definitely not Canadian. Doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy watching actual sporting events more than talking about high school kids I’ve never heard of before, though. I’m not saying you can’t be interested in it. You can be interested in anything you want. What I am saying is that I could do without the endless blather in newspapers and on websites.

By GW

February 3, 2006 08:14 AM | Link to this

Signing day hype is about as worn out as old Steve Spurrier wisecracks. How about forgetting both for awhile.

By gdawginkalamazoo

February 3, 2006 08:16 AM | Link to this

Nicholas, This is a football blog. What else are we going to blather about?

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 08:18 AM | Link to this

GW and Nicholas must be techmites. Signing day shouldn’t mean much to them.

By GW

February 3, 2006 08:30 AM | Link to this

Dawgbite, your comment is like recruiting ratings, an assumption. I’m sure you’ve heard about assumptions. I’m a Bulldog but trying to win a national championship on paper gets old. 3 star, 4 star, 5 star…who decides that? At least let these kids practice a time or two before we declare them the greatest ever. To read the hype, Florida has already won the SEC for the next 4 years. Are we ready to accept that? I’m not falling into that trap simply because Scout.com is trying to make $$$$$. Let them play the games first.

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 08:39 AM | Link to this

Obviously someone who knows football rates these kids on their potential. Obviously the coaches who recruit them know potential when they see it. Strong recruiting classes always produce several impact players, but the biggest benefit of strong recruiting is quality depth. Which is the difference between big time and the small frys. Those who recruit well win. In the NFL those who draft well win. The correlation is obvious.

My condolences on your class over on the flats GW. Unless every one of them become impact players and the QB takes Ball’s job..well another year of you know what.

By GW

February 3, 2006 08:56 AM | Link to this

Dawgbite, Maybe we can together one day and compare credentials. I just don’t believe in being suckered by the hype. Back in September hype had the Falcons in the Super Bowl.

By Bookie

February 3, 2006 08:58 AM | Link to this

Very simply, recruiting is the stuff of dreams. And never try to take anyone’s dreams away.

By Swamig8R

February 3, 2006 09:02 AM | Link to this

“Florida has already won the SEC for the next 4 years. Are we ready to accept that?”

You better be…because we’ve owned YOU for a while now…..

and look, GW and Nicholas are probably p** because it took away some of their time from Guiding Light, and Y & R….

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 09:05 AM | Link to this

Credentials? Obviously in all activities recruiting the best talent (potential)is widely accepted. And obviously hype is part of that process. Hyped job candidates get what GW? Big bucks. Why? The way their potential impact has been hyped. Does that not apply in your world GW?

By Ala Jim

February 3, 2006 09:51 AM | Link to this

GT shouldn’t use academics as an excuse for not signing good players. I graduated in Industrial Manangement and believe me, if I can do it any one can. Except for mandatory drawing 101, 102 and 103.it wasn’t too bad. I talked the drawing prof into giving me 3 D’s. Surely he would do that for someone who is a good football player.

By kendall

February 3, 2006 10:04 AM | Link to this

uf can “own” us all they want. The one thing they dont own is the SEC Championship. How pathetic is it that uf beat both ut and UGA in the same year and couldnt even make it to championship game? uf is once again an afterthought program, just like it was before SOS, and is again.

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 10:09 AM | Link to this

Thank you Ala Jim. I have a good friend that is a tenured prof at Tech and he makes no bones about the fact that Tech has football for dummies classes just like everyone else. Some of Tech’s stars during the O’Leary days passed through his classes and he says some of them were pretty damn dumb. Tech needs to get off that tired old academic mule they ride as an excuse for losing. After all. Look at their probation. It says it all. Guys in school 4 and 5 years taking and not even half way to a degree. And PUHLEEZE! Don’t try to say admin error. Any academic counselor knows when someone is progressing toward a degree. Tech insulated their football dummies from the classes that were threatening to eligibility and hoped that the NCAA would never come looking.

By Hedduk

February 3, 2006 10:27 AM | Link to this

I think it may be a good idea to change the recruiting process to a “draft” similar to the NFL. It would eliminate a lot of the abuses and restore some sanity to the process.

By matt

February 3, 2006 10:36 AM | Link to this

Potential just means they havent done s**t yet.

By CJacketFan

February 3, 2006 10:40 AM | Link to this

Hey DawgBite,

How many points does a baskeball player score after making a 3-pt basket?

nuff said.

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 10:40 AM | Link to this

Maybe so matt. But potential is the measuring stick. And matt. I am truly sorry that you are so bitter about the lack of potential in your recruiting class over on the flats.

By matt

February 3, 2006 10:49 AM | Link to this

Im a dawgs fan. Im just saying alot of players have a ton of potential and get to the college level and even the pros and dont live up to that potential.

By Ga_Tech_92

February 3, 2006 10:52 AM | Link to this

DawgBite -

Who said anything about GT using academics as an excuse? The funny thing is, the first time that sort of expression is used on these blogs, it is usually a UGA poster saying we should quit using it. Who used it?

Now that you’ve brought it up, there is a little bit of truth to the academic point you try to avoid. There are no cup-cake majors at GT. We have a much more limited list of majors, because that’s the way the state wants things (you guys are the agg/liberal school for the state…we are the tech/science school). Additionally let’s look at the girl to guy ratios (don’t tell me hot shot athletes don’t care about girls), I don’t know the exact numbers, but I feel 100% certain that UGA has a much higher percent of Girls than Guys. I don’t view it as a problem, but let’s not pretend these things don’t play a factor in recruiting.

That said, what happens after the recruiting process? How is it that we always have a very bottom ranked recruiting class in the ACC, yet we never finish near the bottom of the standings in the ACC? What does that mean year after year? Either our guys try harder than UGA guys, our coaching is better OR…just maybe…the recruiting rankings mean very little.

What does it mean when you finish in the bottom of recruiting every year but never finish in the bottom of the standings on the field? What does that mean?

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 11:04 AM | Link to this

You just proved it GT_92. Went right back to the academic excuse. Maybe I am wrong here. Correct me if so. But doesn’t Tech have a college of liberal arts? You guys managed to win a few games in the 90s with your “academic constraints”. Of course we all now know how that was accomplished.

And I agree with you on one thing though. You do really well to stay 2nd teir in the ACC with the recruiting classes you sign. Chan must be doing one hell of a job coaching up your recruits.

By Ga_Tech_92

February 3, 2006 11:12 AM | Link to this

Dawg Dawg Dawg LOL - I didn’t go “right back” to the academic thing, because to have gone back to it would imply that I had been there in the first place. I only mentioned it because you did, so I felt it appropriate to shed some light on the topic. If I hadn’t, some people might have believed your one sided view of things. I do not ever bring up the academic situation, unless someone brings it up first in a negative light. I view having high academic standards as a GOOD thing.

What I find really geeky word here NEAT, is that even with our bottom tier recruiting…we still have one at least a share of a National Championship more recently than you guys. You guys always have an awesome recruiting class (by the “experts” relative to ours”). I don’t really understand how that happens. I think our guys just try harder probably.

GO JACKETS!!

(btw - I do not dislike UGA, I’m just teasing for the sake of something to do. I have many UGA friends and it’s just a friendly rivalry to me.)

By Ga_Tech_92

February 3, 2006 11:17 AM | Link to this

note: one should have been won

btw: My justifying of the recruiting classes -vs- results does not mean that I’m not jealous as hell. I would love to have your class every year!!

(thwg just for good measure)

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 11:20 AM | Link to this

Yes GT_92. Your 1/2 NC is only 15 years old. But to be truthful. I think I would rather have our winning percentage against you and the rest of the world than that 1/2 NC that seems to be the apex of Tech football glory. Last time I checked, dropping below .500 overall WP is a real possibility at Tech. Anyway. Maybe the question now should be which team in the state of Georgis will win the next one. Or at least be in contention consistently. I am glad that you can comfort yourself with your academic prowess as you sit through another series of Tech football embarrassments.

By proteustein

February 3, 2006 11:25 AM | Link to this

I started following the recruiting process four years ago and it has made watching the Dawgs alot more fun for me. I find it exciting to see these players develope(or not)into stars. It’s like getting a head start on who’s who I guess. One thing for certain, recruiting is not an exact science on any level but it is getting more accurate every year in my opinion. One thing we should keep in mind … recruiting is the life blood of a program and it is very important to a teams future success. So if it doesn’t interest you … go watch thugball or something. Did anyone happen to read what Fat Fulmer said after UT’s not so great signing class? He was so upset that he called the kids he was recruiting a bunch of liars and said they had no respect … nothing like letting your lard butt emotions over come your brains there Phil!

By Ga_Tech_92

February 3, 2006 11:26 AM | Link to this

tssszzzzz you got me! Ouch!!

By UGADawg

February 3, 2006 11:28 AM | Link to this

Keep it up Dawg Bite.

By RUDY's BACK!!!

February 3, 2006 11:48 AM | Link to this

Half the Dog recruits will be arrested or declared ineligible before the season even starts!! Now that C.W. is in the mix, N.D. will rule again!! GO IRISH!!!

By Ga_Tech_92

February 3, 2006 11:53 AM | Link to this

To all the dawgs. I feel that I’ve been put in my place. Wow, I really feel bad. I hope to make it up to you by sharing with you a rare opportunity to show your a true fan of the state of georgia’s football accomplishments.

click below for details

http://store.fansonly.com/marketplace/storecontents.cfm?storeid=212&productid=77157&deptid=3205

By chap

February 3, 2006 12:01 PM | Link to this

Forrest G. said it best and like life it can be applied to high recruits, they are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. You never know who will be your studs and who will be your duds.

By physicsDawg

February 3, 2006 12:06 PM | Link to this

By Hedduk *February 3, 2006 10:27 AM *

I think it may be a good idea to change the recruiting process to a “draft� similar to the NFL. It would eliminate a lot of the abuses and restore some sanity to the process.
Hedduk, that’s the most insane proposition I’ve ever heard. And, not trying to insult you personally, I’ll explain why. The reason(s) College Football fans love their College Football, are the differences between it and the Pros. Whether or not you want BCS, or Playoffs, You KNOW College is defferent, and special. Old Boys become Young Men in college. College is a special time. And you want to take any choice away from where they go? Why not do the same thing for ALL college students (academics, too). Make a big job fair, and kids get “picked” by colleges, or even go ahead and sign up with a Coorporation, who then directs their education. You see how silly this is, but its application is the same for football. To localize the argument, look at the Character of Mark Richt. He shows players what they can do for the team, and what the coaches and Athens can do for the young men. He builds young men, as he is fond of saying. Making a “puppy farm” out of College Football is a ridiculous idea.

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 12:17 PM | Link to this

GT_92. Sorry that I get carried away sometime. I have alot of good friends that are Tech grads, fans, even former players. All good people. And I wouldn’t object if either of my daughters wanted to go to Tech. And they can. One was offered an appointment to the Naval Academy. The other is presently making a choice. And by the way. I do hold your school and its academic excellence in high regard. I just think that when it comes to football, every school makes allowances. I think there could even be a case made that rival recruiters scare recruits away from Tech when the reality is that the kid just might make it once he is there.

By hedduk

February 3, 2006 12:30 PM | Link to this

Insane? Hardly. Your analysis is pretty good without the personal insults. I also have thought about the points you made and they deserve consideration. Also what about the kid who wants to stay close to home, go where Dad did, etc. But there are ways to overcome that. As for Richt, all the coaches claim they build character and I am sure they do. For instance Richt’s mentor,Bobby Bowden at FSU. But educationally, would a kid be better off being drafted by say Stanford or recruited with lots of promises to a football school.

I believe a draft would increase parity, give more kids a chance to excell, reduce cheating and overall increase the quality of the game.

By Peerless' Mama.

February 3, 2006 12:45 PM | Link to this

IF they had a High School draft then maybe my son would have a job now.

Stop being rude to each other please.

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 01:01 PM | Link to this

The obvious flaw in the “draft” idea is that it takes choice totally away from the kid. Some kids would be absolutely miserable if forced into certain schools, climates, etc. College ball is not the pros and at the very least a kid should have the right to choose where he will be spending arguably the best days of his life. How motivated would a kid be to perform at a place he hates. That is one thing the pros have shown us with drafts and trades.

By godawg

February 3, 2006 01:39 PM | Link to this

hedduk,

physicsDawg is right, the idea of a draft is insane and there are no “ways to overcome” the problems associated with it. Do honestly think kids and parents would allow the NCAA to dictate where they attend school. Remember most players don’t go on to the pros, so other considerations factor in when picking a school. Even with atrocious graduation rates (just over 50% in UGA’s case) many do recieve educational benefits that help them later in life. Some things we considered when choosing a school for my athlete daughter were, academic area of interest and program availabilty and quality, proximity to home, housing, cost of living, quality of the coaching staff, school reputation, scholarships, etc. I could go on and on but you get the idea. I’m a UGA grad and my wife an AU and my daughter had scholarship offers from both as well as about 10 others. She chose a smaller school with a quality program and academics and good campus life. If you want to dictate where athletes attend you might as well go back to the old USSR and make them wards of the state.

By tim

February 3, 2006 01:47 PM | Link to this

You guys have signing day,(which gets mild intrest in Canada because a handful of kids sign NCAA letters from these parts.)and we have the junior hockey and NHL drafts. The sports networks up here will be in crisis mode March9th for the NHL trade deadline with 8 or 9 hours of LIVE babble. To each his own.

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 02:21 PM | Link to this

Exactly tim. People enjoy it and that is a good thing in a world that is getting more complicated and less enjoyable.

By gdawginkalamazoo

February 3, 2006 02:22 PM | Link to this

Did I miss something above? Did somebody mention a “draft” for college football? Crystal meth is a dangerous drug please seek help!

By gdawginkalamazoo

February 3, 2006 02:31 PM | Link to this

Re: the draft. You would always have QB punks like the NY Giants have and the Denver Bronco had that “don’t want to play for a loser”. There by screwing any “parity” idea up.

By GT90

February 3, 2006 03:15 PM | Link to this

HEY UGAY FANS (including Shultz, Moore, and Bradley)- You all forgot to mention (while ripping Tech) that Tech once again finished ahead of WEST VIRGINIA!!!!!

By GatorBait

February 3, 2006 03:18 PM | Link to this

FL OWNS GA!!

Se y’all in Jax. for the annual A** whooping!!

By physicsDawg

February 3, 2006 03:23 PM | Link to this

godawg, UGA grad myself with a AU wife. Small world. Met at the 1997 game in Athens. (dont ask me what I was doing ‘fraternizing with the enemy’)

By GatorBait

February 3, 2006 03:29 PM | Link to this

So what’s with all the chatter about the week off before the Cocktail Party for UGA this coming season? Ask the doughboy at Tenn. if that helped him and Hesiman runnerup, peyton manning beat the Mighty Gators. Not!! It’s just another week to think about your annual A** Whooping down here in Jax.!!

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 03:30 PM | Link to this

Your point being, GT90? Is it that WVU recruits worse than Tech but performs better? That they get the job done in spite of their handicap? And that they do it without all of the whining, crying, and excuse making that you get from the Tech faithful? Are those your points?

By Cotton

February 3, 2006 04:13 PM | Link to this

Anyone that knows just the bare minimum of college football can be a recruiting analyst. These guys don’t see all of these kids play, heck they probably see 5-10% of the ones they rank play live. It is just a group that communicates back and forth and creates a format - to make MONEY! I really get a kick out of a .com recruiting guy saying how much he likes this kid or what a stud he’s going to be. The only thing to consider is what the coaches feel about a kid, since they happen to know a little about football and what it takes to play at that level. For every 5 Star recruit that makes it as all-conference, I bet there is a 1 Star that does as well. Who’s going to be that kid for the Dawgs in the next years to come? Kris Durham, Tony Wilson, Ricardo Crawford…

By DawgBite

February 3, 2006 04:21 PM | Link to this

Early indications are that Kris Durham is a real find.

By War Eagle

February 3, 2006 04:50 PM | Link to this

UGA, hope you got all recruits from Ga. this year you need because Auburn will return for its share next year with our New Defensive coordinator WILL MUSCHAMP. The former UGA captain was named this PM by coach Tuberville. We are all excited knowing Will`s ability and character. He was OC during LSU 2003 NC title run. He was asst. head coach for Miami Dolphins last year….

By wildthing

February 3, 2006 06:46 PM | Link to this

what is florida winning 4 years in a row?…tiddly winks titles//cryer will be back in utah

By toemeetsleather

February 3, 2006 06:50 PM | Link to this

jackets line up smash mouth with georgia and their high recruits every year…see little difference…gets chan is just dynamite coach…..GO JACKETS!!!!!!!!

By westvirginiawill

February 3, 2006 06:55 PM | Link to this

decided to peak back at your site to see if you have risen from doldrums….hope you guys got some speed because that defense in the first quarter of sugar bowl was slowest we saw all year….am sure coach richt saw that and watch for more speed in your team…GO MOUNTIES!!!