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 > 22 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCleaning out the notebook …
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well, it’s been another not-so-quiet week in what is supposed to be the quiet time of year on a college sports beat. Then again, in the age of the Internet and 24/7 news and information, I guess there really is no down time anymore.
Of course, nobody expected Larry Munson’s health to become such a pertinent issue so fast, bringing his legend and his legacy to the forefront. I want to offer one more clarification on that subject. I had a long conversation with Neil “Hondo” Williamson yesterday (Thursday) regarding Larry. Hondo, of course, is WSB Radio’s director of sports marketing, the station’s chief liaison to Munson and one of Larry’s closest confidantes. I’ve known Hondo a long time and have found him to be a nice guy and a straight shooter.
Anyway, as Hondo explains it, Munson has an “open agreement” with the UGAA and WSB and can pretty much do whatever he wants when it comes to announcing Georgia’s games.
“Everybody wants it to be definitive, to be black and white,” Hondo told me. “But that’s not the way it is. Right now, Larry’s saying he doesn’t want to do road games and that’s fine. But if we get to the fourth week of the season and Larry says, ‘you know what, I feel pretty good and I think want to go to Tuscaloosa and do the Alabama game.’ We’re not going to say no to that. Of course we’d want him there. So I think it’s going to be more of a wait-and-see thing.”
Again, talking about the “no off-season thing,” there truly isn’t one any more. With football recruiting metamorphosizing the way it is, summer has become a pretty busy time if you aim to follow that side of college football. At last count, Georgia is up to 16 commitments for the 2008 signing class, with several more right there on the verge. At this rate, the Bulldogs might have 25 locked up before the season’s over.
Speaking of commitments, one of Georgia’s biggest — A.J. Green — was affected by the terrible tragedy over in Charleston. Louis Mulkey, who coached football and basketball over in Summerville, S.C., was a volunteer firefighter and one of the nine that died in that tragic blaze. He was a mentor for Green, who called him a “second father.”
You probably saw where Danny Ware got cut by the Tennessee Titans late this week. So it’s going to be a tough go for the former Bulldogs’ tailback, who left UGA after his junior season. I’m sure he’ll probably get another tryout somewhere else but, at this point, NFL Europe is looking like a good bet.
That’s all for now. We’ll tackle some new subjects on Monday. Let me know what’s on your minds.
Comments
By jimmy the greek
June 22, 2007 2:27 PM | Link to this
Ban the NBA from television, we get enough on the six o clock news.
By mikey
June 22, 2007 3:06 PM | Link to this
Ban the NBA from planet earth. All it does is encourage thugish behavior from semi-literate gangsta wannabe’s.
By Mikey
June 22, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
I hope Larry Munson does feel good enough to make some road trips. I agree with Hondo, it is his call…. Best wishes larry….We love ya.
By Luda
June 22, 2007 3:35 PM | Link to this
I feel bad for A.J. but on a more selfish note, I thought his football career was hit by tragedy. I know. I am a bad person.
By Trust Me
June 22, 2007 4:11 PM | Link to this
Chip -
All of these stories that position “Hondo” as a “close confidant” and friend of Munson’s couldn’t be more off base. Everybody knows that he’d be the first to pull the plug on Larry if he had a shot at getting that job. The posturing by everybody involved is really disheartening. All of a sudden he and Loran Smith are Larry’s best friends when everybody knows the Athens establishment has shunned Munson for years.
Sickening. You guys should get better sources for your stories. At least get two sources.
By Michael Scharff
June 22, 2007 4:26 PM | Link to this
It’s been interesting listening to Larry the past two days on his Inside on Sports daily comments. He sounds the same as always, wishing he could get away from the telephone and wishing he could go fishing and smoke cigars. It is also interesting to speculate how he still manages to get to the Beechwood every Sunday with his bevy of co-eds. Any news on the Richts from their overseas mission? I would be intersted to know how things are progressing. A couple of more things - please give us an update on Coach Dooley, and also, I’d like to know how many football players are on-campus particpating in voluntary summer conditioning. Thanks!
By ASUNUPE
June 22, 2007 4:37 PM | Link to this
MIKEY, YOUR SON MUST PLAY LACROSSE?
By asunupe
June 22, 2007 4:46 PM | Link to this
ITS TOO EARLY TO COUNT ON COMMITMENTS FROM 17 YEAR OLD KIDS, I CHOSE STANFORD OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL(GOOD MEDICAL PROGRAM), B4 MY SENIOR YEAR BUT WHEN I VISITED ARIZONA STATE UNIV, I CHANGED MY COMMITMENT BEFORE I LEFT CAMPUS THAT WEEKEND, (WHY NOT PARTY AND GET A GOOD MED. EDUCATION) SO ITS NOT OFFICIAL UNTIL SIGNING DAY!!!!!!! BESIDES GA ALWAYS SIGNS 30 PEOPLE AND ONLY 15 QUALIFY, HELL IF I WANTED TO SEE GA’S REAL ATHLETES I WOULD GO TO HARDGRAVE MILITARY ACADEMY(VA) OR GA MILITARY, THATS WHERE ALL THEIR GOOD ATHLETES GO OR TO JAIL!!!!!!!!!! I HATE COUNTRY CLUB SCHOOLS THERE ARE SOME BLACK COLLEGES IN GA THAT HAVE A BETTER PROGRAM THAN GA.
By Wozzo the Wonder Dog
June 22, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this
Don’t forget the Techies smashed up their little car. I thought they could replace it with one of those black and white “Geek Squad” cars.
By DaddyDawg
June 22, 2007 5:02 PM | Link to this
Chip:
You keep wanting our response to your/AJC blogs, but who is responding to our questions here?? When you asked for our view of bias and unfairness by the AJC in its coverage of GA, we gave it to you in droves, but we received no response to the issues. Then, just yesterday, the “AJC staff” publishes a blog saying that SI finds GA’s football schedule to be soft, and asking whether it is strong enough to play for a BCS championship. There were so many inaccuracies and untruths in the AJC blog statement…. SI never said GA’s schedule was soft…. the article is about the 25 toughest schedules in college football, and GA’s was ranked no. 14!! The blog said GA’s schedule was easier than “most” teams in the SEC, but actually GA’s schedule was ranked 6th out of 12 teams in the SEC., for example… that’s not most! Nor is there any effort to quantify the difference between no 2 SC and no. 14 GA on the list. If you looked carefully at both schedules, I think you would find that an argument can easily be made that GA’s could indeed be tougher. In fact, true strength of schedule in my opinion can only be determined at the end of the year after the season has been played. The SI analysis is based upon obsolete information from the performance of teams from last year…. not an indicator of what teams will necessarily do this year. Moreover, teams like Michigan, LSU and West Virginia, just to name a few, have purportedly easier schedules which are ranked in the top 25 toughest schedules…. with West Virginia seen as a BCS title contender.
The AJC schedule blog is seen for just what it is… another attempt by the AJC to denigrate the GA program in some backhanded way…. it’s schedule is soft, odds for GA winning the national championship is long (where was the mention of the odds of GT winning??), etc. Even in a poll about Larry Munson’s replacement with Scott Howard, you use descriptive terms about both Larry and Scott which are simply inappropriate and unnecessary…. they seem like a personal or ad hominem attack. It’s okay to ask if people think it is time for Larry to retire…. it’s another to say.. Larry’s lost it and it’s time for him to go.
Does the AJC get it? When you do stuff like this, you lose your credibility, and people will not pay for your product. If you are interested in generating conflict and controversy to sell papers, you need to work for one of the tabloids covering Paris Hilton! By the way, I note that you have changed your links to the schedule blog to now say that “we’re not saying GA’s schedule is soft…..” LOL…. how ‘bout just admitting that your original work was sloppy, thoughtless and simply false in some respects (such as the original link stating: SI: GA schedule is soft). Amazing!!
By Mike
June 22, 2007 5:09 PM | Link to this
Danny Ware is a perfect reason why juniors should think twice before attempting the next level. Ware was a journeyman running back at best and the league is full of them. Ware simply saw the competion at UGA for this fall and bailed out - plain and simple. How he can be afraid of competing at the current level and believing at the same time he can make it at the next is beyond me. Ware could have helped his team this year - instead, he has only hurt the team as well as himself.
By Mike
June 22, 2007 5:23 PM | Link to this
Should would be nice to have a home-town newspaper that supports its local teams. Easy schedule? How can anyone remotely familiar with SEC football think that any schedule is easy. Play all the teams in your division and a couple in the other division and tell me about it. This doesn’t count out-of-conference games.
In looking at UGA’s future schedules, I see at least two years where we play Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina. These are all potentially top-ten teams - half the schedule! This doesn’t count out-of-conference games. No conference even comes close to the SEC. One day perhaps the AJC will hire local sportswriters who grew up around SEC football instead of hiring them in from all over the country.
By Sports Fan
June 22, 2007 5:27 PM | Link to this
Cleaning out your notebook? Why don’t you clean out your locker and go home - make room for some real sportswriters. Readers of the AJC are sick and tired of your team-bashing.
By Pacman is a Thug
June 22, 2007 5:31 PM | Link to this
Pacman is proof that no matter how many millions are at stake, a Thug can not stop being a Thug.
By Lowcountry Bulldawg
June 22, 2007 5:31 PM | Link to this
Chip,
Thank you for taking note of the trajedy here in Charleston. It just goes to show you that not only are these brave men firefighters,but are role models in the community as Mulkey was a coach on the football team and head JV Basketball coach.
By Lowcountry Bulldawg
June 22, 2007 5:33 PM | Link to this
Chip,
Thank you for taking note of the trajedy here in Charleston. It just goes to show you that not only are these brave men firefighters,but are role models in the community as Mulkey was a coach on the football team and head JV Basketball coach.
By Chip Towers
June 22, 2007 5:41 PM | Link to this
DaddyDawg:
I DO respond to the questions posed here. I responded multiple times as whole the “AJC is biased” debate raged here. And I still maintain that we most certainly are not… .
As far as that poll that initially read “is Georgia’s schedule too soft?”, I, too, thought it was off base and I told folks here as much. But it had nothing to do with me. That was someone from our online wing trying to generate some interest. I don’t agree with the method myself but it was effective. Hundreds responded and many of those expressed the same opinion as you have here today. That, my friend, is a good thing. That’s what interactivity and free speech is all about! …
The only thing I can offer when readers say there is this thing or that thing about our newspaper they don’t like is to ask you to TELL US Y0U DON’T LIKE IT AND WHY. That’s why we list all our e-mail addresses next to all our bylines all the time. But it is not just us lowly writers you can contact. Let our editors know. Tell Julia Wallace and Mike Lupo and Jeff D’Alessio what’s on your mind. I’ll guarantee you will get a response… .
What we all must understand is there are hundreds of people who work for the newspaper and we serve millions of readers across metro Atlanta and the state and — thanks to the Internet — the South and the nation. So we’re dealing with a wide cross-section of people with a wide variety of allegiances. The Bulldog Nation is a HUGE part of that readership base and, I can promise you, it’s a group we want to serve.Now we will never do that at the expense of being objective but we DO want to give you what you want. For example, our recruiting coverage is more comprehensive than it used to be. Why? Because readers responded favorably and in big numbers to our recruiting blog when we opened it.
So to answer you, DaddyDawg and others, YES, we get it! Things don’t change over night but we’ll work tirelessly to provide you with the coverage you desire.
By NASCARfan
June 22, 2007 5:49 PM | Link to this
Chip,
As the ONLY honest journalist left at this piece of crap rag (though, unfortunately for us, it’s the ONLY one we have) not named Furman Bisher, I hope you finally see after the firestorm from yesterdays “SI says Georgia’s schedule is soft” blog that your paper is either 1) geniunly biased against Georgia or 2) that your paper employs a bunch of a-holes like Carter Strickland who intentionaly write inflamatory, unethical articles to incite anger, and thus web site hits, from your readers.
This is tabloid journalism at its absolute worst Chip. I hope you had absolutely nothing to do with last night’s blog. You ignoring today in your “clean out the notebook” blog makes me wonder, though.
By NASCARfan
June 22, 2007 5:55 PM | Link to this
Chip,
I should have never have lost faith in you. Thanks for standing up to the a-holes. I hope you still have a job tomorrow after doing so.
By Bigcalidawg
June 22, 2007 6:39 PM | Link to this
It is unfortunate that, despite the hard line stance that CMR takes with his players, that outsiders still bash our program.
In life, there are certain things you can control and those that you cannot. Amongst things controllable, I feel we do a damn good job and feel we run a clean program.
I have spent Saturdays at Stanford, Cal, St. Mary’s College, and Chico State University, here in the Bay Area in California. On several occasions, including when I was a High School student, I strolled across campus with an open container of whatever’s on tap. Not once have I ever been cited.
Some of the actions we have taken would not be reported at other campuses. In fact, I would venture to say that there are frequent “cover ups” when these pop up.
I think we run a clean program and put all our cards on the table.
When is the last time you heard of a black college athlete being suspended due to his participation in the FREAKNIK. Small colleges are under the radar and their indiscretions are perceived as inocuous.
By AltamahaDawg
June 22, 2007 6:44 PM | Link to this
of cource others in the SEC have a tough schedule, they play UGA.
By GJK
June 22, 2007 6:54 PM | Link to this
Chip, keep up the good work!!
By King Bee
June 22, 2007 7:05 PM | Link to this
Shut your cake hole Chip. Case and point about the AJC being biased in favor of UGA. Munson talks retirement and recruiting progresses, and all of the sudden, UGA HAS HAD AN EMOTIONAL WEEK?????
Give me a f__ing break Chip. Don’t sing me your song about the AJC being non-biased in its reporting and then start this crap. If you want to write junk like this, then keep your mouth shut about the AJC and it’s biases.
Absolute B.S.
By Lane4411
June 22, 2007 7:13 PM | Link to this
Could, you keep us informed on John Isner’s career on the professional tennis circuit. He is playing the Future’s circuit, where the maximum prize money is $25,000 and a long way from the big time. Friend of mine bet me, Isner would never make the top 100 in either doubles or singles. However, Ana Ivanavic, has risen from 703 to number 6, took 4 yrs. Isner could be in for a very difficult journey. Thanks
By Bigcalidawg
June 22, 2007 7:15 PM | Link to this
King Bee needs an enema.
By cooter11
June 22, 2007 7:54 PM | Link to this
what kind of dog would you call Ware?
By Pitbull
June 22, 2007 7:55 PM | Link to this
So here is the joke: SI rates UGA’s schedule the 14th most difficult in the nation of 121 teams. It also rates Tech’s schedule 9th hardest of 12 ACC teams. So which does the AJC choose to pick on? Yea Chip, the AJC is biased and it sucks too.
By Tech Man
June 22, 2007 8:06 PM | Link to this
Pitbull,
Either you have your facts wrong or SI is absolutely nuts. How can Tech’s schedule be 9th hardest of the 12 ACC teams when 2 of the 3 ooc teams include Notre Dame and UGA? Yes, the third ooc team is a patsie, but come on! Are you telling me that the other ACC teams have more difficult ooc teams? I don’t think so!!!!
By CapeCodDawg
June 22, 2007 10:14 PM | Link to this
There are a few comments here that I would like to respond to.. 1) Jimmy the Geek and Mikey, I don’t watch NBA basketball anymore either but it’s because the style of play - 3 pointers or dunks take your pick..THATS what I don’t watch,not the thuggish stuff you pay attention to. 2) Pacman is a thug, What is your definition of a thug? describe him to me please. 3) Asunupe, Whats wrong with lacrosse? I played for 6 yrs and it’s a great sport! 4) Mr. Munson do whatever you desire.You deserve that respect. 5)Danny Ware.Were your grades shaky? 6)One last thing…People come on now;you know the newsroom has to tweak the copy every now and again to show their bosses they’re edgy and somewhat controversial (those higher then Chip) Lets talk football and recruits etc…
By Pitbull
June 22, 2007 11:53 PM | Link to this
Hey Tech Man: Go to the SI website, click on College Football and click on schedules, then click on ACC. They are listed from hardest schedule (FSU) to easiest, and Tech is 9th out of 12.
So stop “not thinking” and do some research.
By Bob
June 23, 2007 12:27 AM | Link to this
Chip,
I came on after you asked the question the other day and defended the AJC. Two days later the “soft schedule” query came up. I understand that the AJC got a reaction. I mean between the Braves swoon and the Larry Munson situation, ain’t much going on around the ATL in June. If the intent was to get a reaction, the AJC should have expected that. The problem is that SI NEVER said Georgia’s schedule was “soft” or “too soft”…the AJC did. That led lots of folks who did not read the SI piece to believe that SI said these things which was patently untrue.
I know a beat writer frequently defends himself/herself by claiming that the writer does not write the headlines. I understand that. But I beleive your question was whether or not the AJC was objective, not whether or not Chip Towers was objective. The AJC created the issue when they blatantly mislead their readers as to what the SI piece said. That my friend is FACT, not some subjective analysis on the objectivity of your paper.
I think you do a great job, but I find it quite ironic that this moronic topic was raised less than 48 hours after you asked for reader opinions on the fairness issue. Who knows, maybe Dave O’Brien was trying to get people off his blog and the tumbling Braves. LOL
By shane
June 23, 2007 1:37 AM | Link to this
the fairness issue aside,it doesn’t matter anyway,i was saddened to hear of a.j.green’s loss.donations can be made at any bank of america branch for the nine firemen’s families.i plan to make two,one in a.j.’s name,and one in larry munson’s.i would suggest that all dawg fans do the same,lets show the kid that we are a family, and honor larry while we help these people.
By ASUNUPE
June 23, 2007 6:23 AM | Link to this
I have adjusted my meds, so now I take back all of my hate-speak from yesterday.
By dawgxian
June 23, 2007 8:41 AM | Link to this
Chip, in all fairness on sports, I can’t say that the AJC is biased against UGA than against Tech. The odds of winning the title are long? 1. that’s true 2. Would Larry Munson say anything different? As far as the headline after the UT game last fall, here’s the headline in Ga Tech section after 02 Ga-Ga Tech game- “An Old Fashioned Butt Kicking”. Is the AJC biased against both Ga and Ga Tech? I think that highly unlikely. With that being said, the AJC is clearly biased on other issues. In politics and business, for example, it’s nothing more than a w******* for the Democratic Party and the cable company.
By kennyg
June 23, 2007 9:15 AM | Link to this
Chrip, i meant Chip…….you ever do any positive reporting?
By kennyg
June 23, 2007 9:18 AM | Link to this
Maybe you should consider “cleaning” out your desk. Just sayind.
By john
June 23, 2007 12:04 PM | Link to this
just a sign of thinks to come for the dawgies this year. If you think this is bad wait till Sept 1 then I really can not wait to hear yall b*** and moan the rest of the fall.
By Cuz
June 24, 2007 11:31 AM | Link to this
Chip, do not listen to these nattering naybobs of negativity. Keep on topic and you are right, there is no offseason now. I do not care one wit what the AJC chooses to use as a headline. I care about the info in the article. UGA fans think AJC is biased toward Tech, Tech fans think AJC is biased to UGA. That means it must be close to even. But really who cares. I read for the info about my team. I decide how I feel about a team myself, not because a journlist wrote something demeaning or derogatory.
By Buck Cochran in the NW
June 24, 2007 10:01 PM | Link to this
cuz, I must have a problem that I’m not aware of. The headline question if “Is the Dawgs schedule to soft, in the way I saw it wasn’t at all offensive towards Ga. 1st. thing is a couple of people have already picked the Dawgs to win the SEC East. Is it to soft doesn’t hurt us at all because if we win then that makes us look even better. The head line could have been worded in a different way but after all, this was one person at SI who was doing the listing of the toughest schedules. cuz, I must have the beginning that “senile” thing because I don’t understand this AJC is biased against the Dawgs.
By AJC Put In Its Place
June 25, 2007 1:00 PM | Link to this
AJC=Coming to a supermarket check out lane near you.
By AltamahaDawg
June 25, 2007 4:27 PM | Link to this
Buck, if we win em all , the AJC saying we had a soft schedule does NOT make us look even better. Winning against a tough schedule looks better. The point I think you missed is that while the SI folks actually said UGA had about the middle in the SEC, the nation’s toughest conference, and in fact said “can’t even put together a soft schedule in the SEC”, the AJC headline lead you to beleive that SI said it was soft. No way to read that article and come away with that. Was pretty blatent twisting. Thats what folks in here were refering to.