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 > November > 20
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Hoops and Richt’s Tech worries
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I wasn’t exactly sure what might be on everybody’s minds today so let’s just call this a clearinghouse day. I’ll offer some tidbits on a few different things and you guys weigh in on what you want (as if y’all needed my permission where to take a discussion).
Not that anybody cares but I’m exhausted. This is the time of year when basketball overlaps football and then you add in a holiday week and everything just kind of gets compressed (including my brain). Add to that some unexpected storylines — i.e.: Humphrey arrested, Mercer dismissed — and you can see how it can get away from you pretty quickly.
Anyway, I’ve seen a good bit of discussion on yesterday’s blog about Dennis Felton’s decision to kick Mike Mercer off the team so let’s get into that a little. Obviously that’s a major blow to the team from an athletic standpoint. Mercer was the second-leading scorer on last year’s team before going down with a knee injury that forced him to miss the last 10 games of the season. That, by the way, is when he started to get into all that trouble for missing tutorial appointments.
Anyway, it’s all a shame because I think Mercer is a decent person and he’s certainly intelligent beyond the way he may perceived through all of this. I had just talked to him the other day and he was very contrite and forthcoming about his troubles and I was surprised to learn he was actually on schedule to graduate. At the bottom of this file, perhaps I’ll list some of his quotes from that interview because otherwise they won’t see the light of day.
But mainly Mercer is a very good basketball player who would have had — and maybe still will have — professional opportunites. This latest development certainly doesn’t help his situation because, believe it or not, the pros look at character, too. I just hope Mike settles in at another school and gets a degree before he tries to pursue professional money either here or overseas. He has a good family behind him and I’m sure he’ll take the best interest of his little daughter to heart.
I’m sure by now you’ve also seen that Billy Humphrey was reinstated. I’m not surprised at the outcome — I’m a big civil liberties guy and I couldn’t believe UGA and the police did what they did — but I WAS surprised by the swiftness with which the whole thing was resolved. I won’t pretend to have this great insight into who Humphrey is and his guilt or innocence in all this but from what I can tell he’s a good kid that stays on the straight and narrow and a pretty good basketball player as well.
As for football, CMR had his weekly presser today and, the most notable thing about that was how much respect he has for Georgia Tech. Now I know all coaches are going to talk up their opponent the week of the game but it wasn’t until Richt began to run down Yellow Jackets’ list of defensive and special teams national rankings that I really got an idea of how good that club is. I read most of the stuff our guys write on them but I hadn’t really perused Tech statistically and, as Richt said, “they’re scary defensively and on special teams.”
Here’s some of the stats to which he was referring: Rushing (1st ACC, 18th NCAA), quarterback sacks (1st, 1st), tackles for loss (1st NCAA), net punting (1st ACC, 3rd NCAA), kickoff returns (1st, 15th) and kickoff return defense (1st NCAA). The bottom line is this: Tech runs the ball well, plays good defense and has a good kicking game. That’s a winning recipe last time I checked.
OK, here are some Mercer quotes from late last week (obviously before his dismissal):
When did you learn you were suspended 15 games?
“I was told over the summer, in the middle of the summer semester. My first reaction was I was upset about it. My first impression was I was out six and when they told me it was 15, I didn’t think I had missed that many appointmenmts. But you live and you learn. I just look at it as a blessing in disguise, that it will give me time to rehab my knee and come back fresh at SEC time so I can help my team win.”
You’ve been practicing with knee brace right? So you could play right now if not for the suspension?
“I could definitely play right now.”
How in the world could you get to the point that you were suspended for that many games?
“After I got hurt it was hard for me to get around. Having to get from one side of campus to the other and having to be there in 30 minutes was tough. It got to the point where I just wasn’t going to make it anymore. I count most of that to the time I was injured. But that’s no excuse. I should have taken care of my business.”
Were you depressed?
“I wasn’t depressed. I knew I was going to get out there and play basketball again. There was no depression.”
So how are you doing now?
“I’m doing fine in schoolwork. I’m doing real well toward graduation.”
Is it still hard to focus when you’re unable to play in the games?
“No definitely not. My head is into the season. My team’s doing really well and the freshmen are playing good basketball right now. We still have a long ways to go; we haven’t played the really tough competition yet. But I’m going to be ready for when I get back out there because I’ve been working hard rehabbing and with weights and all that. I’m just trying to wait my turn.”
You know there are many out there who don’t think you’ll finish your career at Georgia. Are you still eyeing the NBA or professional ball?
“I’m definitely trying to graduate. I’m not thinking about leaving school early or anything like that. I’m here to be in school and play basketball and I’m trying to do that.”
So exactly when will you return to action?
“Mississippi State.; It’s circled on my calendar.”
What do you think that first game back be like?
“I definitely think it will be a big boost for our team. SEC time is a time when everybody is physically and emotionally drained. I think I’ll be able to step in and be an energy boost off the bench and help my team win.”
How do you get through it in the meantime?
“Just being out there in practice with the guys. I know they need me out to push them in practice to get them where they need to be. Really I’m kind of like a player-coach, just directing the young guys. I’m just trying to help my team win in any way I can. Time’s moving slow right now but I’m sure it’s going to come faster.”
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