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 > 20
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
SEC not getting its due
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia basketball coach Dennis Felton is annoyed, and it has nothing to do with how his team is playing.
Felton is bothered by the lack of respect the SEC is getting from the national press with regard to NCAA tournament predictions. And he’s not alone. A lot of the league’s coaches have been complaining about it lately.
Look around. In general you’ll see prognosticators list the SEC with five projected NCAA tournament bids. At the same time, you’ll see the ACC predicted to get in eight and nine teams.
Meanwhile, the SEC is rated No. 1 in the nation in RPI (an overall strength index) and is coming off a season in which it had the national champion, two teams in the Final Four and another one winning the NIT championship.
“I’m not able to explain why that is,” Felton said. “There’s not a stronger conference in the country than the SEC. How could another conference get in more teams?”
Because there is so much parity in the league - after Florida of course — the other SEC teams are beating up on each other. Georgia (16-9, 7-5 SEC) actually has the third-best conference record in the league, along with Kentucky. The Western Division is jammed up with three teams (Alabama, Ole Miss and Miss. State) tied for the lead at 6-6.
“The one thing that’s not being said is the West is so strong,” Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl said.
“Everbody’s criticizing it for being topsy-turvy. LSU is a Final Four team from a year ago that had a lot of guys back and beat UConn and Texas A&M in non-conference and now they’re where they are. That speaks to the excellence of the league, not the mediocrity or the struggles that the West has had. It speaks to the power; it speaks to the strength.”
As they say, perception is reality. Because of the parity, only one SEC team has 20 or more wins (Gators with 24). To compare, the ACC has three and another with 19.
Meanwhile, you hear almost nothing with regard to Georgia and a possible tournament bid.
“Georgia hasn’t been on the national conscience for a good bit of time. That might have something to do with it,” Felton says.
The Bulldogs, like all these other teams, simply have to keep winning and selling themselves to the selection committee. A road win at Ole Miss on Wedneday would be a huge start.
Either way, Felton thinks the selection committee will have a better view of the league than the national media.
“I imagine the committee knows we’re here,” he said.
I’m thinking there’s no way the SEC gets in less than six and I doubt the ACC will get more than that. What’s your thoughts?
