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 > February > 15
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Who gets in from SEC?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Don’t know how many of you listened to that Georgia basketball game last night, but it was a doosie. I never would have dreamed the Bulldogs had any chance at all of possibly losing that game. But there they were, trailing by six with six minutes to play.
Their performance certainly didn’t say much about how they might look without Mike Mercer. That said, you kind of have to wipe it away since Takais Brown had to sit half the game as punishment for being “a tad late” to Wednesday’s shoot-around, and Kennesaw State played like it was their national championship game.
The real litmus test for Georgia will come this Saturday when they play host to Auburn. The Tigers (14-12, 4-7 SEC) are one of those teams that sits at the bottom of their division, but is very, very dangerous in that they can beat most anyone. You can bet they will have Georgia’s full and total focus and that should be a better gauge as to whether the Bulldogs have a chance at all to make the NCAA tournament.
The Bulldogs, especially now without Mercer, will need all the help they can get from their home crowd. They’re working on three consecutive SEC home sellouts. Last I heard, 500 tickets remained for Saturday’s 4 p.m. game.
Let me hear if you plan to go or are excited about it.
It’s been interesting watching the various prognostications for which teams will make the NCAA’s field of 65. What I’ve noticed is how the SEC went from a league everybody was enamored with nationally to now an also-ran conference. Now you see predictions of the ACC, which early on was said to be in a down year, getting eight and even nine teams in, while generally nobody list the SEC getting more than six.
I’m not sure I agree with that. Obviously, people are focusing on the West division’s problem of establishing a clear power. Ole Miss currently leads that half with a 6-5 league record. Bama and State are tied for second at 5-6.
The fact is the league, outside of Florida, is beating up on each other. But does that balance mean it’s not a strong league? I mean, the SEC dominated in non-conference play. I actually think the selection committee is going to see it differently than these so-called “bracketologists.”
I agree with a lot of the SEC coaches who said on Thursday’s weekly teleconference they expect the league to get at least seven teams. With five games left on everybody’s schedule, we’ll see it shake out in the next two weeks.
We know Florida, Kentucky and Vanderbilt are probably in, and Tennessee is looking pretty good at the moment. The other spots are going to come down to Ole Miss, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi State.
Which ones do y’all expect to get in? How many from the SEC will make it? How many should make it? Will the Dogs be among them?
Here’s the current league standings to go by:
EAST
• Florida: 24-2, 11-0
• Kentucky: 18-7, 7-4
• Vandy: 17-8, 7-4
• Tenn.: 18-8, 6-5
• Georgia: 15-9, 6-5
• S.Car.: 12-12, 2-9
WEST
• Miss.: 17-8, 6-5
• Bama: 18-7, 5-6
• M. State: 14-10, 5-6
• Ark.: 15-10, 4-7
• Aub.: 14-12, 4-7
• LSU :14-11, 3-8
Permalink | Comments (29) | Post your comment | Categories: Basketball
