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 > 2008 > May
May 2008
Georgia playing it close
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia is having its way Lipscomb pitching. The problem is Lipscomb is having its way with Georgia’s pitching.
The two teams are tied in the third inning of the first game of the Athens regional. Georgia worked slightly harder for its runs, batting around in the top of the first for four runs. It was Bryce Massanari coming through in the clutch for Georgia. The designated hitter delivered a two-out RBI double to keep the rally going. Massanari leads the team with 23 two-out RBI.
Lipscomb has hit two long shots off starter Stephen Holder. The first came in the top of the first over the left field wall. Blake Bratcher had a two-run shot over the right field wall to tie the game in the top of the third.
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Should Dogs, Tech have to meet again?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Welcome back from the Memorial Day weekend. I had a rare weekend off after returning from seven straight days of work in Tulsa covering the NCAA Tennis Championships and what ended up being the Georgia men’s run to their sixth national title. That’s an event I enjoy but not necessarily a week in Tulsa.
Turning our attention back to the here and now, obviously the Bulldogs’ weekend as hosts of the NCAA Athens Regional is the biggest thing going on the Georgia beat. Carter Strickland has a lot of good stories planned for the weekend and, with Georgia Tech also in the field, y’all know we’ll be providing some awesome coverage.
It’s amazing how many times the Dogs and Jackets have had to go through each other to advance in the NCAA Tournament. This weekend will be seven times if they’re both so fortunate as to get by their first-round opponents. Georgia has won four of the six games. Tech got a really tough draw from that perspective as Louisville is a hot team and a hot program that made it to the College World Series last year.
And, most would agree, the Jackets got a tough draw having to come to Athens. I tend to like the concept of a “true regional” in which teams from the same areas have to fight to represent that region. Tech coach Danny Hall said yesterday he thinks it should be like the NCAA basketball tournament because so many good teams come out of the South. That’s a good point, too. In 2006, when the two teams didn’t have to play each other, they both made it to the CWS.
So what do y’all think about it? Should the NCAA make a concerted effort to split up Tech and Georgia at tournament time since they already play each other three times every year? Or do you like the true regional format, where Tech or Georgia or Clemson or Florida State or Georgia Southern or South Carolina always have to get by the other to make it to Omaha?
I, for one, tend to like it that they have to get by each other. It makes for some high-energy baseball and we love covering that!
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Georgia out of tourney
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia took its Southeastern Conference trophy and went home.
Quickly.
The Bulldogs and all of their sound of fury during the regular season evidently signified nothing in the SEC Tournament. Georgia was bounced in two games. The second, a 5-2 loss to Alabama, may have been more humbling than the first, a 4-1 loss to Ole Miss.
Both came in remarkably the same fashion. Georgia received decent pitching efforts from the starters and no hitting. The Bulldogs totaled 10 hits in two games. Only three of those were extra-base hits.
Not even Gordon Beckham, the conference’s player of the year, could do anything. The junior, who came in with a nine-game hitting streak, had just one hit in the tournament and it came with two outs in the top of the ninth against Alabama.
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Georgia in trouble at tourney
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dodson had a shaky third and it may cost Georgia. Dodson was touched for two earned runs in the third. Another run came across on a throwing error by third baseman Ryan Peisel. That puts Georgia down 4-1. And with the way Georgia has been swinging the bats here that might be enough. Georgia still only has one hit. Last night Georgia did not have an extra base hit and only managed one run.
All this is a little strange because Georgia was hitting the ball everywhere just a week ago. It shouldn’t be nerves either because this is a veteran group.
It doesn’t help that Matt Cerione and Rich Poythress are not playing due to injuries. They should be back. But the question is can Georgia bounce back and find its offense between now and next week?
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Perno taking charge
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Well it is not 16-13 or 17-13 yet. Actually after a shaky start, Stephen Dodson has calmed down. Dodson loaded the bases in the first with no outs but only allowed one run. That run tied the game.
Georgia coach David Perno is close to being run. Perno took issue with a third strike call on Lyle Allen and argues the point for several minutes. The debate appeared to be over whether or not the pitch was fouled off the bat. Perno seemed to protest a little too long. Is it possible the coach is trying to fire up a team that was dormant last night?
And how long can Dodson go? Georgia needs a solid seven innings if it wants to have the pitchers it needs to make a run through the rest of the tourney.
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Georgia tries to bounce back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s advantage in game two of the Southeastern Conference Tournament may be Alabama’s sleep deprivation. The Crimson Tide played until 1:54 a.m. Wednesday morning and now will have to turn around and play Georgia at around 1:30 p.m.
Alabama lost its opener, 9-3, to Kentucky. Top-seeded Georgia lost its opener, 4-1 to Ole Miss.
Alabama coach Jim Wells doesn’t think the quick turnaround will hurt his team. “They’re young. They will come back and play better. It will be an even keel. Sometimes we are too emotional and get worked up, and that can go against you.”
Alabama will go with Austin Hyatt. Georgia had seven hits in six innings against Hyatt last Friday. Georgia won that game, 5-4. It was the only win in the series between the two. Joshua Fields picked up the win in relief, but it was a strong start by Stephen Dodson that allowed the game to get to Fields. Dodson will start today against No. 5 seed Alabama.
The game may be delayed by some thunderstorms that have been detected in the area.
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Barking picks up in tennis final
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
All right, I’m not really sure how much blogging may be going on during Georgia’s NCAA Championship match against Texas — which is set to start a little after 7 p.m. EST here in Tulsa but may get started late due to women’s match — but I figured I’d file a new entry so those of you that care to converse can as the match commences. I’ll try to update you with details if and when I can but I’ll be under a bear of a deadline tonight so don’t know what I’ll be able to do.
Anyway, the electricity has definitely turned up a notch. The legendary Dan Magill flew in today, as did Georgia AD Damon Evans and most of the senior staff. ESPN’s mighty broadcast trucks have pulled in and taken over the main walk into the stadium and pointed their giant satellite dish toward the stars and brought in giant banks of lights for the back courst. The women’s match is ongoing but a steady stream of patrons is starting to file in for the marquee men’s match this evening. You know the participants must have the hairs on the back of their necks standing up.
Like I said, blog away and I’ll check in when I can with some insights you might not be able to find otherwise.
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Men’s tennis, golf leads spring charge
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Hey guys and gals. Still in Tulsa. Wasn’t sure how long I’d be here but, thanks to the Georgia men’s tennis team, we’re going on a week.
The way we planned the trip was for me to leave if and when all three of the teams we cover were eliminated. Odds were pretty good I’d be around as those were the defending national champion Georgia Tech women, the defending national champion Georgia men and the No. 2-ranked Georgia women.
As it turns out, only the Georgia men are still alive and it will be one heck of a feat if they can remain that way after tonight. The Bulldogs draw the No. 1-ranked and undefeated Cavaliers of Virginia in the national semifinals. They’re scheduled to start at 6 p.m. EST if you want to follow it online by clicking here.
If Georgia wins, it’ll play in the championship match on Tuesday. If it loses, I’m outta here tomorrow and heading home to the fam, which I miss very much.
As for the travel log, last night I ate at El Guapo’s Mexican Cantina downtown on First Street. Food was OK but the magaritas were great.
Meanwhile, all of Georgia’s spring sports seem to be doing very well. Did you guys catch the men’s golf team’s 20-stroke win at the NCAA East Regional. Incredible. The baseball team lost its focus a little in the final series against Alabama but resumes play in the SEC tournament later this week. The softball team is in the NCAA Super Regionals but faces UCLA, which seems to knock them out every year. And the Dogs had Justin Gaymon, a junior from Stewartsville, N.J., clock the third-fastest time in the world to win the 400-meter hurdles.
I’d talk about football but haven’t been around it lately. I’ll make sure to get over and check in it when I get back to Athens. If it’s up to Manny Diaz, that’ll be Wednesday at the earliest.
C-ya.
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Living on Tulsa time
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Greetings from Tulsa once again. I’m at the $15 million Michael D. Case Tennis Center watching the defending national champion Georgia men’s team put a hurting on Pepperdine in the round of 16.
The Bulldogs smoked them for the doubles point, winning 8-1 and 8-2 at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively. Then, after stumbling a little out of the gate in singles, regained their footing and are rolling now. At this minute they’ve won five first sets so it’s just a matter of time before they clinch it 4-0.
Now, on to the town of Tulsa. Thanks again for the many suggestions of where to go and what to do. I still haven’t been able to go out to dinner yet, per se, but I did get to sample a little of the nightlife last night. Make that late-night, nightlife because I didn’t get out of the tennis complex until 11:30 local time.
I met a couple of Georgia sports information guys at a place they chose down on Cherry Street, the “Gray Snail Saloon.” It was a great place if you’re in your 20s and I’m not. So after standing in front of the bar for 15 minutes with my ribs rattling to hip-hop holding up a twenty for the bartender to please get me a beer only to see him walk away to get straws to fill the dispenser then come back and serve the young lady behind me and to my right, I decided to leave. Never did get that beer.
I proceeded to a place called “Buckaneers” Tulsadog recommended as “a great dive” not too far away on Harvard Avenue. It definitely was a dive and was filled with some interesting characters. It was karaoke night, as it turns out, and a couple of ladies did their own version of Coyote Ugly on the bar. I finally got my beer but I didn’t stay long as the loud, bad singing and the smoke was getting the best of me. Yes, they smoke inside the bars here.
So, anyway, with any luck I’ll get done in time tonight to try one of your many dinner recommendations. So stay tuned. I know this is riveting stuff!
Dogs are about to clinch so I’ll check in later.
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Dogs, Jackets, AJC converge on Tulsa
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Greetings from Tulsa, Oklahoma. What am I doing here, you ask? I’m here to cover the NCAA Tennis Championships. I’m interested in hearing what y’all think about that.
There’s no question the AJC needs to be here chronicling this event. After all three teams from the two state universities we cover the most are represented here. The defending national champion men’s team from Georgia is here. The Bulldogs are seeded fourth this season but, by all accounts, have a reasonable chance to repeat as national champs. The Georgia women, who have won two of these things, are here as well. They’re seeded No. 2 so, obviously, they could win another title. Then there is the Georgia Tech women. The Yellow Jackets are defending national champions — they won the program’s first title at UGA last year — and also won the national indoors earlier this season. So obviously they are very good, too.
That said, we know college tennis doesn’t necessarily generate great interest and/or readership. But this is an example of how we don’t always base our coverage decisions on what people want to read most. We also have to consider the athletic achievements of the teams we cover on a regular basis.
So here I am in Tulsa, a place I’d never been to and never expected to visit. Please tell me somebody will be reading the copy I’ll be producing out here over the next week (something on the Tech-Georgia tennis rivalry coming a little later today). And I’ll offer another shout-out to Tulsadawg, one of the blog’s regular visitors, to tell me once again where I should be going and what I should be doing during my down time (which won’t be much).
Meanwhile, I’ll understand if the blog morphs into a discussion of Georgia’s strength and weaknesses on defense this season or more debate on the Dogs’ baseball program compared to Tech’s. They certainly put on a good show at The Ted last night.
I’ll be checking in regularly. Until then, so long from Tulsa!
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Perno building a baseball powerhouse
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How ‘bout those Diamond Dogs?!
How many of you guys caught the Bulldogs’ 12-10 win over Vanderbilt on Sunday that clinched the SEC regular season baseball championship. I was covering the NCAA Tennis Regional over at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. But between three of us over there we were tracking the game via the Internet with the audio broadcast, the gametracker and a live webcast (the latter of which didn’t work very well at all).
Anyway, it was exciting stuff for sure and brings up an interesting topic. This is the third SEC championship Georgia has won since 2001 and second under coach David Perno. That’s after not winning one for 47 years from 1954 until Ron Polk showed up.
Perno also has the Dogs poised for yet another trip to the College World Series, though that’s getting way ahead of the game. Getting to Omaha can be an almost flukish thing sometimes.
The point is, Perno is doing something right. He has drawn a lot of criticism in years past, from his in-game strategy to the handing of his coaching staff. But every other year at least he seems to put together some pretty special squads. This one definitely is, with Gordon Beckham and Joshua Fields fulfilling the big star roles and different players playing hero from one series to another.
Is it possible to say that Perno is building a perennial baseball powerhouse over at Georgia? What do you see as his strengths and/or weaknesses? And do you think he can take the Dogs all the way to Omaha again this season.
By the way, Georgia and Georgia Tech play at Turner Field Tuesday night. The Jackets have won the last two going away. With the SEC title in the bag, think Perno might pull out all the stops to win this one? Should he care?
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Georgia, Florida have big advantages at QB
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I don’t think anybody who knows anything about football can question the importance of quarterback play. It’s not as important in college as it is in the NFL — check out some of the signal-callers that have won national championships — but strong, mistake-limited play out of the position is super significant nonetheless.
My brother and I were talking about this the other night and our conversation invariably led us to a discussion of SEC quarterbacks. Never mind the “who’s better?” argument between Florida’s Tim Tebow and Georgia’s Matthew Stafford. There’s no denying that Tebow has been better so far but we won’t have complete data on those two until they have completed their college careers and secured their fates in the NFL. Until then that’s all opinion and conjecture.
What everyone can agree on regarding those two is that they’re both pretty doggone good and certainly difference-makers for their teams. Which brings me back to the discussion with my brother.
The fact is, Stafford and Tebow loom above the rest of the quarterbacks in the SEC and are big reasons why their teams are so good. They’re going to be better than their opposition’s quarterback in virtually every game other than the one against each other. In fact, if you look at it closely it doesn’t appear to be a great year for quarterbacks in the league.
Starting in the Eastern Divison, Tennessee has to replace Erik Ainge and it’s doing it with a quarterback (Jonathan Crompton) who is coming off elbow surgery. Kentucky must find a replacement for record-setting Andre Woodson and South Carolina will break in a new signalcaller, which could be a good or bad thing considering Blake Mitchell’s enigmatic career. One of the Gamecocks’ best candidates, Stephen Garcia, is currently suspended from school because of his trouble with the law. Only Vanderbilt, which brings back the duo of MacKenzie Adams and Chris Nickson, is solidified under center, and neither one of them will have Earl Bennett to throw to.
On Georgia’s schedule from the West are: LSU, which will start either a transfer from Harvard or a redshirt freshman after the Ryan Perrilloux debacle; Auburn will not only break in a new starter at quarterback (Chris Todd or Kodi Burrns) but it will also be introducing an entirely new offensive scheme under new coordinator Tony Franklin; and Alabama, which brings back John Parker Wilson, a decent quarterback for sure but certainly not one that strikes fear in defensive coordinators. Advantage Georgia in those three tilts.
The rest of the conference: Ole Miss believes it will be upgrading from Seth Adams to Texas transfer Jevan Snead; Mississippi State appears set with Wesley Carroll; Arkansas has a go-to guy in Casey Dick but new coach Bobby Petrino pronounced it an open competition and has brought in quarterbacks from everywhere to join it. A recent NCAA decision to deny eligibility this season for Michigan transfer Ryan Mallet didn’t help matters.
The point is, as you can see, Georgia and Florida are in really good shape at quarterback and both have the requisite weapons around them required to make some big noise. The majority of the league, not so much.
What do y’all think? Am I overstating the significance of quarterback play? Is there one or two SEC guys out there that may turn out better than Stafford or Tebow? Let us hear your thoughts.
Also, check out where Mr. College Football has the Stafford-led Dogs and Tebow-led Gators in the TB Top 30.
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South Campus will be rocking this week
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With spring football practice in the rearview mirror and nearly four months to wait for Georgia’s season kickoff against Georgia Southern, it’s easy to think there is not much going with UGA athletics. But you’d be wrong.
The whole spring sports thing reaches a kind of crescendo about this week every year and that will definitely be the case in Athens this week as virtually every corner of campus South Campus will be awash in one sort of competition or another.
It all starts Wednesday night when Georgia Tech baseball visits the Bulldogs at Foley Field. If you haven’t had a chance to catch the Diamond Dogs this season, which appears to be developing into another special one, this would be a great chance. Tickets for the 7 p.m. tilt are $6 and half that much for kids and you don’t have to pay $8 for a hot dog like you have to in some unnamed professional parks. The Jackets drew first blood in this highly-charged series with a 9-4 win on April 9 in Atlanta, so No. 8-ranked Georgia will be feeling vengeful. They’ll play a third time May 13 at Turner Field.
On Thursday, the women’s golf team, under the direction of first-year coach Kelley Hester, will host the NCAA East Regional Tournament at UGA Golf Course. Team golf is a really enjoyable event to follow and if you haven’t checked out the Davis Love III’s redesign of the Robert Trent Jones course out on Riverbend Road, now would be a good time to see it. The tournament wraps up Saturday with the leading teams teeing off early in the day. Price of admission: Free.
There will be NCAA Tennis on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex. The No. 2-ranked and second-seeded Lady Dogs play on Friday and Saturday at 4 p.m. each day and the No. 4-seeded and defending national champion men’s team plays on Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively. That is, of course, they’ll play two matches only if they win their first ones, which they should. I’ll be out there for those and will be going to Tulsa for the championship rounds the next week.
If track and field is your thing, you can catch the Georgia Invitational over at Spec Towns Track on Friday (first event, 9 a.m.). It gets kind of lost with all the Dogs’ other spring sports but they always have some world-class athletes wearing the red and black
Good thing the baseball team is in Nashville to take on Vanderbilt — in a series, by the way, that could determine the Bulldogs as regular-season champs — and softball is in the SEC Tournament in Baton Rouge or there might not be anywhere to park.
One of the good things about the semester system, in my opinion, is these student-athletes will be able to focus on these competitions without being burdened with studies. You know that has to feel good for them.
So anybody planning to come out and enjoy any of these events? Carter Strickland and I plan to have it all covered for you. Any of these sports you’d like to see more (or less) coverage of.
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Many stars coming from outside Georgia galaxy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I’m probably like a lot of you guys in that I’m on the computer every day surfing the web for college football news and information, especially in regard to Georgia. My wife says I’m addicted to the Internet but I say I’m just doing my job. We’re probably both right.
Anyway, it was while doing this yesterday that I happened upon an interesting tidbit being discussed on the Georgia website maintained by Scout, georgia.scout.com. During a roundtable discussion, their publisher, Dean Legge, mentioned that a lot of the Bulldogs’ star players come from out of state. That got me curious, so I pulled out the roster to have a look for myself.
Sure enough, it’s true. For as much as coach Mark Richt and his staff are lauded for recruiting well the home state of Georgia, they’ve done awfully good job outside the borders. Georgia’s top three offensive players — QB Matthew Stafford (Dallas, Texas), TB Knowshon Moreno (Belford, N.J.) and flanker Mohamed Massaquoi (Charlotte, N.C.) — all hail from other states. So does super sophomore tackle Trinton Sturdivant (Wadesboro, N.C.).
The same can be said on the defensive side of the ball. There you’ll find defensive tackles Geno Atkins (Pembroke Pines, Fla.), Jeff Owens (Sunrise, Fla.) and Kade Weston (Red Bank, N.J.), linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (Hamlet, N.C.), safety CJ Byrd (North Augusta, S.C.) and cornerbacks Bryan Evans (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Prince Miller (Duncan, S.C.).
And many of the Dogs’ future stars may be coming from out of state. In all likelihood incoming freshman Blair Walsh of Fort Lauderdale will become Georgia’s place-kicker this season. The Bulldogs snatched quarterback Logan Gray and tight end Aron White out from under the noses of Missouri and Ben Jones of Centreville, Ala., looks like potential star on the offensive line. More recently, they got a highly-publicized commitment from Aaron Murray, generally considered the top quarterback in Florida, who had 53 scholarship offers including several in his home state.
This, my friends, is the difference in Georgia in years past and Georgia now. As always the Bulldogs take care of their business in the fertile recruiting ground that is the Peach State. But increasingly under Richt they have been able to cherry pick some of the nation’s best from surrounding states and beyond. The Bulldogs have always done that to some extent (see Richard Seymour, Rodney Hampton, Bill Goldberg, etc.) but not to the degree we’re seeing now.
What’s your thoughts on it? Nothing but a good thing if you’re a Georgia fan, I guess. Any danger of favoring an out-of-staters over locals? And, of course, there are numerous Georgians doing standout work for the Dogs.
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