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 > July > 02
Monday, July 2, 2007
Coach Van labels ‘07 Dogs “special”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Visited with Georgia strength and conditioning coach Dave VanHalanger for a while today. If you’ve never met him, he is a truly energetic and incredibly upbeat guy.
Anyway, “Coach Van” asks me what I think are the two most important ingredients for building a championship football team. With weights getting lifted and slammed all around me, I thought this was an easy one. “Strength and speed,” I said.
“No,” Dave countered. “Chemistry and morale.”
“You really think so?” I said.
“I know it,” he said.
VanHalanger went on to say that everybody nowadays has good players and everybody lifts weights, runs and conditions year round. “The difference is how the players truly feel about each other. They have to love each other and care about each other.”
OK, now he had me set up. So I tossed him the proverbial soft ball.
“What about this team?” I asked. “Do they have those traits?”
“Are you kidding me?” he said incredulously. “Look around at these guys; look how hard they work. You see anybody complaining? Heck no. They’re having fun; they’re enjoying each other. That’s what’s gonna make them special.”
So there you go. According to Coach Van, this is a close-knit group that truly cares about each other. Now the question is whether that will translate into wins over Oklahoma State and South Carolina, for starters.
The Cowboys definitely have the Dogs’ attention. Everywhere you turn in the weight room there are signs — on the walls, on the mirrors, on the weightlifting platforms, even on the coaches shirts — that say, “Oklahoma State, Sept. 1, 2007.”
Again, Coach Van is upbeat as they get. But he truly believes this team is going to surprise some people. How about you? You think this is an 8- or 9-win team or maybe 10-, 11 or 12-win team? Coach Van, he’ll take the latter.
Couple of quick items:
Former Georgia tennis player John Isner, in his first tournament as a professional, won the Thompsons Buick-Pontiac-GMC Championships at the Millennium SportsClub El Dorado in Shingle Springs, Calif. Isner, the all-time winningest singles and doubles tennis player in Georgia history, was entered as a wildcard and proceeded to run the table. He dropped just one set the whole tournament, then knocked off No. 1 seed Ivan Miranda of Peru, 6-4, 7-6 (11) in the final. His prize: $15,000 prize.
Also, Lincoln Financial is airing a few television specials that highlight Georgia football in the coming weeks. In the Atlanta area, you’ll be able to see a special on Larry Munson on July 14 (5 p.m.), one on the Georgia-Florida series in Jacksonville on July 21 (4 p.m.) and one on former Bulldog and Atlanta Games CEO Billy Payne on july 21 (5 p.m.)
That’s all for now.
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