UGA blog finds new home
Morning all. As I’ve said a couple of times this week, we’re converting this blog over to a WordPress platform and it will be a permanent move the first of next week.
Those of you who are regulars probably know that I’m not what you’d call techno-wizard when it comes to these things. But from what I understand the technology offered in this new format should make the blogging and commenting experience better for all. Of course, I’ll be learning as we go along, too. But I’m hoping to provide more pictures and video and things like that which should bring the blog more to life.
Of course, this blog is nothing without all you guys so I want to heartily invite (read: beg) you to come over to the new site by CLICKING HERE ON THE NEW ADDRESS and save it in your browsers. As of Monday, Feb. 23rd, this will be the permanent home of the UGA blog you so love or, in the case of some of you, love to loathe. If you’d prefer to copy and paste or just memorize, the new address is: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/.
See at the new place!
AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2007 > January > 15
Monday, January 15, 2007
Hoops, recruiting on upswings
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Greetings all. Hoping you had a good weekend and actually are continuing to have a good weekend with the MLK Holiday. No such thing as a three-day weekend in the newspaper business, but we’re happy to serve you.
Lots to talk about after the exceptional showing by the men’s basketball team and the ongoing recruiting push in football.
Let’s talk hoops first. I’m sure not a lot of y’all got to see the Vanderbilt game since it wasn’t televised and Stegeman was, as usual, only half-full Saturday. But you should know that it was a very impressive victory. The Commodores, who were coming off an upset win over Tennessee, brought their A-game. They made 8 of their first 10 3-pointers and generally played their butts off. Yet the Bulldogs (10-5, 2-1 SEC) absorbed their best blows came back swinging hard. Billy Humphrey and Levi Stukes provided the knockout punches.
I’m starting to see some chemistry develop and there might be just enough talent for these Dogs to make some noise this year. We’ll definitely find out a lot this week as they travel to Arkansas and to Alabama Wednesday and Saturday. A split or a sweep and you’re looking a team with some serious pedigree. The following week brings LSU and Kentucky to town and that’s a good opportunity for the ol’ Stegosaurus to be rockin’ again.
Speaking as the guy whose duty it has been to cover them the last three years, it’s nice to see Georgia above .500 in SEC play and, more importantly, just putting up a hard, competitive effort every night. I promise you, neither me nor Winkeljohn nor Wyche nor any of us beat guys are homers, but it’s much easier and more pleasant to cover winning program than it is one that’s struggling.
As for football, this is the time of year that has the “recruitniks” foaming at the mouth. Georgia’s obviously already in good shape with seven players signed and in school, and another 15 commitments pledged. But Rodney Garner and the Dogs are far from done.
They’re still out there working hard for some major, blue-chip prospects and, as has been their forte’ under Mark Richt and Garner, I expect them to reel in at least one or two by national signing day.
Who do you think it will be — Cameron Heyward, who visits Florida this weekend, Georgia on the 26th and Ohio State after that? What about Allen Bailey? Remember that fantastic story our Steve Hummer did on him back during the high school season?
And what about Chris Little?
Don’t count out Morgan Burnett, what with Tech’s Chan Gailey shopping around like it was the week before Christmas.
I can’t get a read on this Lennon Creer kid, the running back out of Texas. He never answers our phone calls but he reportedly still list the Dogs as being in the hunt.
A new name popped up recently in Orlando Franklin, an O-lineman from south Florida who apparently signed with Miami last year. Don’t know much about himm but Georgia thought enough of him to send new OL coach Stacy Searels and three other assistants to an in-home visit this weekend, according to a Rivals.com report. Guess the Dogs feel like they could get him.
Tell me which unpledged blue-chippers you think Georgia’s going to get. And will the basketball Dogs get a win at either Arkansas or Alabama?
P.S. We’re keeping an eye on the Rice head coaching vacancy and the report by the Houston Chronicle that Georgia DC Willie Martinez is a candidate. Carter and I are skeptical but we’ll get to the bottom of it.
