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 > June > 04
Monday, June 4, 2007
Football frosh report to campus
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
There has been so much going on in the Bulldog Nation lately, I don’t even know where to begin. Like last week, I’m just going to clear my thought list and then keep this blog updated a little more often in the coming weeks.
First of all, as most of you know, most of Georgia’s freshmen signees reported to campus Sunday and Monday. This is a lot different than the way it used to be. Used to be, unless you enrolled spring semester, you didn’t show up to schools until freshmen reported the first of August. Now nearly 100 percent of the recruits enroll in summer classes and go through summer conditioning with the rest of the team. This is a good thing for everybody. The young guys are able to acclimate a little to their new lives, get into better condition so that they might have a better chance to compete for playing time in the fall and get to know their teammates and coaches. Plus, they get a head start on their academics. It’s a win, win, win situation.
I’m hoping to get some interviews with some of the newbies this week and write a story or two for you, but Claude Felton tells me NCAA rules have been changed a little this year regarding schools being able to facilitate media interview requests. One way or another, we’ll get in contact with some of these guys and let you know what is on their minds as they undergo this transition. I’ll gladly take your suggestions for specific guys you’d like to hear from.
On that note, it will be a telling week for signee Israel Troupe. The high-caliber wide receiver from Tift County apparently is already on campus but is expected to be drafted in the Amateur Baseball Draft this weekend. Word is that Troupe is not expected to go too high — he’s not listed among the top 200 prospects at this writing — and reportedly does not intend to play professional baseball unless he is a high, single-digit draftee, which he apparently does not expect. If he doesn’t go pro baseball, this AJC Super 11 prospect is expected to be an impact college football player and one whale of a walk-on for Bulldogs’ baseball coach David Perno.
You’ll never believe who I ran into this weekend. I was driving into the gates of Cuscowilla Golf Club down on Lake Oconee and was greeted by a sign at the entrance that said “Welcome Coach Harrick and Friends.” Sure enough, after I finished my round with three buddies, there was Jim Harrick eating a cobb salad on the clubhouse deck. He was surrounded by all his old friends from the Georgia Tipoff Club — Kevin Price, Allan Hixon, Ed Schimmel, Bob Wimberly and several others. I should say former members of the Tipoff Club because none of them have anything to do with it anymore since Harrick is gone, which is a shame. They’ve refused to embrace new coach Dennis Felton or his program, even though Felton had nothing to do with anything that went down. But I digress. Harrick said he and his wife Sally are doing well and miss Athens. “We really loved it there. We had it going,” he said. He still maintains a home in Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., but spends the basketball season in Bakersfield where he coaches the Bakersfield Jam of the NBA developmental league. After Lake Oconee, Harrick was heading up to North Carolina to play Pinehurst No. 2, so he must be doing all right.
Those of you who are regulars know I’m not much of a recruitnik but I have to say I’m definitely impressed with the list of football commitments the Dogs have for February 2008. The latest to give UGA the nod was Griffin defensive lineman Toby Jackson, who by all accounts is another big-timer. He makes No. 12. Too bad for Mark Richt and Rodney Garner football doesn’t have an early signing period coming up in the next month or so. Otherwise they’d have a lot of their work done for 2008.
I’ll get up another blog by Wednesday. Until then, let’s hear what YOU have to say.
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