Latest arrests bad for Bulldogs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
All right, I’m about to settle in for the night with my family. But I know the latest arrests of these two Georgia football players and the imminent arrest of a third is fresh on everybody’s minds and I’m sure everybody has an opinion on it.
So I’ll tell you what I know and what I don’t know and a little about what I think and we’ll have at it. Most of my responses to your questions won’t come until tomorrow (Wednesday), however.
First of all, the allegations against Michael Lemon are going to end up being much more serious than the ones against Justin Anderson and Trinton Sturdivant. I spoke to the victims in both cases and the guy who claims Lemon punched him out Saturday night is pursuing felony charges and claims to have gotten them. If Lemon is arrested on felony charges, which the guy says is going to happen Wednesday, UGA will likely have to suspend Lemon indefinitely until the case is resolved. Who knows when that might be?
Anderson and Sturdivant are accused of misdemeanor offenses. This is one of those things that will come down to whether the court believes what the victim says or what the offenders say. However, the victim claims that cameras at the dorm captured the incident. If that’s the case the whole thing may be resolved very quickly because cameras don’t lie.
As for the fact that three more Bulldogs found themselves in trouble with the law, there’s not much to say about that. That’s seven arrests in seven months (that we know about) and that’s not good. I know UGA and coach Mark Richt lecture their athletes a constantly about their behavior and the consequences of their actions. But they seem to continually find themselves on the wrong side of the law. When you add the recent alcohol-related driving arrests of basketball player Billy Humphrey and baseball player Ryan Wooley it looks even worse. Say what you want but Georgia needs to get a handle on all this and I’m sure it will.
As for me, I think I can speak for most reporters in saying that we don’t relish these types of stories. I wish these kids would behave year ‘round and never run afoul of the law. I can’t remember a year that has ever happened though.
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News doesn’t stop for vacation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Howdy folks. I’m back. Vacationed on the Gulf Coast last week and really enjoyed it. Hope y’all had an enjoyable week as well.
Of course, as usually is the case whenever I take some time off, all kinds of news breaks. Where I stayed in Florida, there was no cell service and no wireless access. So I didn’t find out until late Wednesday evening that Georgia basketball player Billy Humphrey was arrested for DUI and subsequently dismissed from the team. Thanks, by the way, to Chris Vivlamore, one of our editors, for handling the news.
Such a shame, but coach Dennis Felton was left with no options after Humphrey’s third arrest in seven months. Too bad because I really believe Billy is a decent person who just made some poor choices. I hope he lands on his feet somewhere. No question it will hurt the team. Billy was just coming into his own as a player.
Then, of course, I learned of Uga VI’s tragic passing Saturday morning. At this point I was traveling home from Northwest Florida and was able to receive the call from our news desk that Uga had died of heart failure. I was able to help out with a couple of calls as I drove. I can’t say it was a complete shock. At nearly 10, Uga was very old for a bulldog and, at 65 pounds, a good bit overweight. But there had been no recent indications he was not well.
I’ll be attending Uga’s burial at Sanford Stadium this afternoon and will file a report for the UGA page as soon as possible. It’ll be the first one of these that I’ll see in person. Oddly enough I’m not sure what to wear.
Anyway, I’m back on the scene and will be providing news and updates daily. So stay tuned.
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CWS, Open make for awesome TV
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Was it just me or was Saturday night a sports enthusiasts’ TV-watching dream?
I was absolutely wearing out the “last” button on my remote control as I jumped back and forth between the U.S. Open and Georgia’s College World Series Game against Miami. Talk about great television. You couldn’t ask for more drama from a Britney Spears weekend in Vegas.
The best thing is I didn’t miss a critical moment of either event. I was able to watch Tiger limp his way through the back nine and the Bulldogs’ incredible four-run ninth inning with two outs. You know when Lyle Allen and David Thoms are your offensive heroes, something is going right.
Of course, we’ll all get a chance for another double dose today, with the U.S. Open playoff between Woods and Rocco Mediate set for a noon telecast on ESPN and 2 p.m. on ESPN. And the Dogs get Stanford tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. Once again, David Perno’s team draws the prime time marquee matchup. Today may be the least productive day in the modern history of work.
Anyway, a little housekeeping to get out of the way. As most of y’all know Carter Strickland has left the newspaper to pursue private business ventures. Despite some criticism in this forum, Carter is a fantastic writer, a workhorse of a beat man and a good guy overall. I’m going to miss him and I believe y’all will, too.
Meanwhile, I’m at the point in the summer where I’m having to squeeze in a lot of my training (our paper requires many hours per year) and vacation. I’m off to the Gulf Coast next week.
So the blog updating may be a little sporadic for a few weeks. But I will get in here and update as much as possible, maybe even once or twice when I’m otherwise off. It will be up to you guys to keep it vibrant and relevant. And let’s stay away from the trash talk.
OK, time for me to knuckle down on some work (at least until noon).
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Dogs-Miami Saturday on ESPN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Good news for Georgia baseball fans. The NCAA and ESPN has slotted the Bulldogs’ game against No. 1-ranked Miami for the prime spot in the Saturday lineup — 7 p.m, Eastern time on ESPN.
And what’s not to like? The Bulldogs, one of the hottest offensive teams in the land, going against perennial college baseball powerhouse Miami (52-9). The Hurricanes, coached by for Georgia Tech coach Jim Morris, are making their 23rd appearance in the College World Series, compared to No. 6 for Georgia (40-23-1).
You could say it’s a tough draw for the Dogs, getting Miami. But the CWS doesn’t reshuffle the teams after they get to Omaha. So Georgia as the 8 seed gets Miami as the first. If there are upsets at the other spots — and Stanford over 5-seed Cal State Fullerton is the only one so far, so be it, they figure.
It sounds like a coach’s cliche but there really is no easy route in the CWS, one of the more raw competitive event you’ll ever see. The Dogs traditionally have drawn some powerhouses and they’ve come out OK. They’re 6-9 in the CWS with three two-and-outs and one national championship.
I was there when Georgia won it all in 1990. The Dogs beat Mississippi State 3-0 in the opening game and that was considered a tough draw. Then they got Stanford three times in a row, beating the great Mike Mussina two times. Finally they knocked off a powerful Oklahoma State squad 2-1 in the final. If I remember right, that was the first time the championship was decided without double-elimination, which the previously unbeaten Cowboys remind folks of often.
In 2001 Georgia lost to 2 seed Southern Cal and 8 seed Tennessee. In ‘04 the Dogs went 2-2 against 2 and 8 seeds Arizona and Texas and they got No. 1 Rice and No. 4 Oregon State in back-to-back in ‘06.
As coach David Perno said, “whoever you get out there is going to be difficult.” And he’s right. I can guarantee you Miami is saying that about drawing the Dogs.
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Hot times expected at Foley Field
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So I’m standing in the Georgia dugout at Foley Field yesterday waiting on coach David Perno to come out of the locker room when the fan a few feet to the left of me begins to make some gosh-awful sounds. It was a smaller version of one of those big mist-producing fans you see on the sidelines at football games. Then it clanked and clanged and finally it stopped all together. Team trainer Mike Dillon quickly came over to tend to it but, after only a short while, pronounced the fan dead on the scene.
Perhaps that’s a good omen for the Diamond Dogs, who come into Friday’s NCAA Super Regional against N.C. State as one of the hottest teams in the nation. With a noon start and their dugout fan on the fritz it doesn’t look like they’ll be cooling off anytime soon.
Speaking of fans, it was a good sign for Georgia when today’s game sold out in one day earlier this week. In fact, the Bulldogs received an extra 400 tickets returned by N.C. State and sold out of them by Wednesday. That’s not unusual for Georgia baseball in the postseason but there was a little concern from UGA administrators when ESPN gave them noon starts Friday and Saturday. The Dogs would have much rather started at 7 p.m. but, as ever, television dictates all in sports.
Anyway, both Carter and I will be in the press box at Foley Field today and I’ll be blogging periodically from there today. The NCAA doesn’t allow you to do play-by-play for constant score updating but I’ll try to give you some periodic sights and sounds that you won’t get from television.
So stay tuned and thanks in advance for hanging out!
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Latest comments
No new stories. Just let the arrest of Lemon and the headline by TM stay up for another week! Make the charges dropped against Lomax the headline. Anything but leaving the negative stuff up forever.... read the full comment by On vacation | Comment on Latest arrests bad for Bulldogs Read Latest arrests bad for Bulldogs
prabably just a typo…... read the full comment by "prAbably" should be prObably | Comment on Latest arrests bad for Bulldogs Read Latest arrests bad for Bulldogs
Jimmy, there are 8 more Saturdays till CFB begins. Because of the off field drama, some young dudes will definitely get a shot to compete, during the early part of the season. Who do you expect to step up, and prove their mettle? Go Dawgs!... read the full comment by Real Football News Reporter | Comment on Latest arrests bad for Bulldogs Read Latest arrests bad for Bulldogs
Someone wake me come the start of two a days, when we can get some real football news.... read the full comment by Jimmy | Comment on Latest arrests bad for Bulldogs Read Latest arrests bad for Bulldogs