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 > 2009 > February > 19 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBulldogs swing new bats
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Now I’m just going to gloss over this because I haven’t looked at a bunch of data on it but Georgia has made a change its baseball players and coaches believe could make a huge difference.
The Bulldogs — who open the season Friday against Youngstown State — will be allowed to use Easton bats this year. To hear a lot of them talk about it, not having that luxury may have cost them the national championship against Easton-swinging Fresno State in the College World Series finals last June.
I talked to athletics director Damon Evans about the switch Wednesday night before the Georgia-Auburn basketball game. Clearly he’s not sold on the premise that Easton’s composite bats are markedly better than Nike’s bats. According to him, there is no scientific data to support that hypothesis. And the Bulldogs did hit 96 home runs last season with Nike bats, the second-most in school history. Personally I haven’t looked into it enough yet to have a strong opinion either way.
But coach David Perno and his players were passionate in their belief that they needed the technological advantages the Easton bats provide to remain ultra-competitive. That carried enough weight with Evans that he was willing to, well, go to bat for them.
Now keep in mind, this is a thorny issue. UGA is a Nike school. It gets paid millions of dollars by Nike to use it’s equipment exclusively, which the sporting goods giant provides generously for all 20 sports the Bulldogs field. So this wasn’t a little thing for Evans. It required some phone calls and some negotiating and more than a little research to find out who was doing what nationally.
In the end, Evans said, “Nike was kind enough to work with us on this.” So Georgia is using Easton bats, for now just for this one season. But it still has Nike bats, too, and it’s up to the players to decide which one they want to swing.
Word is it’s 10-to-1 Easton. If they want to keep them the Bulldogs best hit 100 homers.
Couple o’ links:
Speaking of Nike bats, there is a really cool video that can be found on YouTube about former Georgia star Gordon Beckham made last season. Called “Gordon Beckham All-Access,” it was pointed out by JordanDawg33 and it features a little snippet about all the Nike bats he busted last season. Don’t know how I missed it last year but it’s very entertaining and I’d recommend watching the whole thing… .
Hope you saw my report on the Georgia-Auburn basketball game. Here’s the one from Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News… .
Here’s a nice little story on former Bulldogs David Greene and Matt Stinchcomb visiting some older alums over in Augusta… .
The Sporting News unveiled an interesting ranking system designed to determine which schools do the most with the least amount of talent. Spoiler alert: Cincinnati was No. 1.
- By the way, I’m in the process of making the switch over to the WordPress blogging platform on Monday. By all accounts it’s supposed to be a much more user friendly way to negotiate the blogosphere. I’m hoping not to lose touch with any of you guys during the transition so I’m going to be posting on both platforms for the next few days. You can see the NEW BLOG at: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/. Be sure to bookmark that address in your browser. The plan right now is to make a permanent move over there by Monday (Feb. 23). Happy blogging!
Permalink | Comments (33) | Post your comment | Categories: Baseball
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Comments
By Agree
February 19, 2009 9:15 AM | Link to this
As a former player, some of this is in the players heads, but I will say the NIKE bats are terrible! I have heard of them breaking in half during batting practice. As a hitter, everyone enjoys feeling the pop in a bat and you just don’t feel that with the NIKE bat. I commend Damon for pushing for the change. GO DAWGS!
By Voice of Practicality
February 19, 2009 9:34 AM | Link to this
A large percentage of sports performance is psychological. The placebo effect should account for at least four more home runs. If they want to show a real difference, they will need to substantially surpass the 2008 total.
By RAMBLE ON!!!
February 19, 2009 9:49 AM | Link to this
Wow, blaming the bat’s for the greatest choke in the history of NCAA sports. LOL!!!
By Old School
February 19, 2009 9:54 AM | Link to this
How about just going to wood. I love college baseball, because it is about playing hard, having fun and winning. There are no big time contracts and egos are usually in check. The only thing missing is the sound of a wooden bat. It would reduce the homeruns and bring the rest of the game (bunting, stealing bases, etc. back into play).
Realize that we would then hear about how one wooden bat is better than the other, but I really believe it would be better baseball and put winning in the hands of the better team verses the team with the most home run hitters.
By Old School
February 19, 2009 10:03 AM | Link to this
Choke… Let’s see, baseball has been, by far, the strongest sport that Georgia Tech has been represented in for the last 25 years. And how many National Championship Trophy’s can be found on Tech’s Campus? That’s right - zero.
I used to be irritated by you. Oh sorry Ramble, that means you annoyed or angered me on occasion. Oh sorry, ‘on occasion’ means every once in a while.
Now, I really do feel sorry for you.
Sincerely hope that you find God and a life.
By JordanDawg33
February 19, 2009 10:07 AM | Link to this
Easton bats are of far greater quality than the Nike bats. If you want to know how terrible Nike Bats really are, go to YouTube and search “Gordon Beckham All-Access” and watch the video. In one corner of the locker room there is an entire seciton of cracked/broken Nike bats, probably at least 100 of them. UGA may not hit 100 home run s this season, but that’s because they don’t have as much power as last season (no Gordo).
By Laughing at RAMBLE ON!
February 19, 2009 10:14 AM | Link to this
Are you serious RAMBLE ON?? Every year the nerds put on their uniform is a choke year!! Look at the talent that has come through GT ie, Tex, Varitek, Nomar, and Payton to name a few and there are many more to be named. The NERDS always have a great recruiting class, but NEVER win the big game! 18-6…look it up!
By DAWGS ON TOP
February 19, 2009 10:15 AM | Link to this
This is a GREAT move. Kudos to Damon Evans. After having watched Gordon Beckham shatter a bat, not break, SHATTER, last year, this is a needed change. While I would love to see a change to wood also, this is a needed move. Looking forward to another great season. GO DAWGS!!!
By NC dawg
February 19, 2009 10:49 AM | Link to this
Ramble on is a f*cking idiot.
By DawginLex
February 19, 2009 10:53 AM | Link to this
RAMBLER,
At least we were there in Omaha. Who did we have to beat to get there anyway ?????????????
By BonesPop
February 19, 2009 10:55 AM | Link to this
Hear me loud and clear please!! NIKE is a SHOE company. They are not a BASEBALL company. Rawlings, Wilson and EASTON are BASEBALL companies. Kudos to Damon for allowing David Perno, our very successful BASEBALL coach to share his concerns and then do the right thing. I can tell you from hands on experience in this industry that 99% of Athletic Directors would never take the time to take on the giant money bags of NIKE the SHOE company. Tony Burchett is still my favorite Bulldawg baseball player of all time and he used an Easton bat and wore a Rawlings catchers mitt he designed himself. Go Dawgs!!
By rex
February 19, 2009 11:24 AM | Link to this
Hey Rambler, How many NCAA baseball championships have the jackets won? That’s what I thought.
Concerning the Sporting News column, I think the presentation of the data is skewed. According to the chart, there is no way a team with top rated recuits can do well because its total will always be in the tens or a negative.
By Fort Worth Dawg
February 19, 2009 11:40 AM | Link to this
Aren’t baseball players the most superstitious athletes on the planet? Of course, having said that, if the team thinks it will do better with new bats then it probably will do better.
By Justin
February 19, 2009 11:48 AM | Link to this
Nike bats are terrible…equipment matters. There’s nothing wrong with maximizing your ability.
By quaildawg
February 19, 2009 11:50 AM | Link to this
Ramble On (how appropriate)In the words of Abe Lincoln ‘Better to remain silent and thought a FOOL than to blog and remove all doubt.”
By Mike
February 19, 2009 11:56 AM | Link to this
Being someone who use to play and use to sell baseball equipment, I have to say that Nike is far less superior when it comes to baseball products. When I would even mention a Nike baseball bat to a customer, they would laugh at me. And, 9 times out of 10, would walk out with the newest Easton. All the high school coaches I know recommend Easton to their players. It is about time UGA finally came to their senses. Can not wait for another great season. GO DAWGS!!! And to “RAMBLE ON”-who did UGA sweep in the Regionals to make go to the Super Regionals in ‘08 and swept in the Super Regionals to go to Omaha in ‘04? I thought so. Talk about choke.
By RAMBLE ON!
February 19, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this
Sorry about the previous post. Sometimes I just can’t help myself.
Please understand that my feelings of inferiority as a human being are often overwhelming. I have no friends and women won’t give me the time of day.
As a Georgia Tech fan, I am having a hard time being positive about life, made worse by the fact that I live and work with all you Georgia fans. If my school would have something worth blogging about, I would post my stupid thoughts on their board. (Okay, I just lied a little about that, as my fellow nerd friends have asked that I stop posting comments on the Tech blogs, as well.)
Oh well. What am it to. This is the only attention that I get in my life, so please forgive me and keep the retorts coming! Peace and Love…
By Michael
February 19, 2009 1:15 PM | Link to this
I personally prefer Louisville Slugger TPX bats myself, but I’d never buy a Nike bat. Their spikes aren’t even very good.
By realdogdad
February 19, 2009 1:45 PM | Link to this
It is an insult to anyone who watched the championship series in Omaha to suggest even for a moment that the brand name on the bats was the difference between Georgia and Fresno State — no one who saw those three games will ever believe that. And as far as I know, you still can’t change the name on your heart, but good luck this year all the same.
By lakerat`
February 19, 2009 2:15 PM | Link to this
Damon is correct that Nike gets rather perturbed when “other” equipment is used without their permission.
A few years ago my son was a basketball walk-on at UGA; his Nike shoes wore out about 12 games into the season and Felton would not give him a new pair. He went online and ordered a pair of adidas. When he put them on in practice one of the managers told him he could not wear them in a game. I told him to tell the manager that as a walk-on he could wear anything he wanted, especially if the team would not supply him shoes.
The night of the game he had his adidas on; fortunately, the Nike rep was there that day, and when he saw those adidas on the court on a UGA players’ foot my son had a new pair of Nikes the next day!
By AltamahaDawg
February 19, 2009 2:22 PM | Link to this
Now this new format……..does it have spell check? Some of us really need the spell check.
By Cuz
February 19, 2009 2:47 PM | Link to this
I just hope it has idiot check Alt.
By AltamahaDawg
February 19, 2009 2:49 PM | Link to this
What strikes me about the TSP equation is this: Comparing win totals across the board when clearly the SOS can vary by such a wide margin, actually makes recruiting class rankings, as subjective as that is, look downright judicial.
By Cuz
February 19, 2009 2:56 PM | Link to this
Are we talking pre-season or post-season?
By AltamahaDawg
February 19, 2009 2:57 PM | Link to this
yes cuz….and a fact check for our bug friends would be very helpful. Or a getalife check.
By RAMBLE ON!!!
February 19, 2009 4:43 PM | Link to this
hmmm, just a thought. If the football team had different helmets, would they have knocked Roddy Jones out of bounds?
By Chip Towers
February 19, 2009 5:20 PM | Link to this
What, do bat debates not get you guys going? Little dead in here today. That’s my fault. Not giving you subjects to inspire you… .
I’m sitting here in the basketball offices today waiting for practice to get over so I can interview Trey Thompkins. Going to ask him about his freshman season, which I’m sure been more of a struggle than he expected when he signed out of Wesleyan… .
Speaking of Wesleyan, Thompkins’ teammate there, wing player Tanner Smith, is having a pretty good rookie campaign at Clemson. He has played in all 25 games, averaging 12.8 minutes per and 3.9 points per game. He leads the team in 3-point percentage at 43 percent… .
Georgia went with Drazen Zlovaric rather than Smith, who reportedly would have come to Athens if offered. Zlovaric has appeared in 15 games and averaged 1.4 points in 5.3 minutes while shooting 18 percent from 3.
By LaGrangeDawg
February 19, 2009 6:37 PM | Link to this
Chip - Thanks for the update. Rumors started circulating last week that the team was practicing with Eastons. Then there was the picture of Poythress in the Red & Black with the new Easton Stealth. I tend to agree with Fort Worth Dawg; a supersticious baseball player will benefit from even a placebo. However, in defense of the switch, after hitting with Nike, TPX, Easton bats, (run-on sentence alert) more often than not, the feel of the ball coming off of an Easton makes you feel that you got all of the ball, even if it’s an out. This helps in the same psychological aspect as the aforementioned placebo. Happy minds make Happy bat; “Hey, bartendor, Jobu needs a refill!” As for basketball, the rumor mill is also spinning out the word that Sir Adams is meeting with a prospective coach’s ex-boss. Any word on/truth to this?
By Mudpupball
February 19, 2009 8:04 PM | Link to this
Hey Hey, “Baseball is a simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball and you hit the ball.” It does not matter what kind of stick you have in you hands. The only thing that matters in hitting the ball is seeing the ball. If you dont see it you aint going to hit it.
By BE#3
February 19, 2009 8:54 PM | Link to this
Friends with a guy who was a senior last year. Nike bats were crap. Difference in hitting the ball to the track or over the fence. Looking forward to a cold weekend at Foley!
Interesting comments from Aron White on the TotalUGA.com website about team unity in the off-season. I heard some stuff about this from guys last season………
http://www.totaluga.com/news/articles/2009/2/18/white-focus-better-without-stars
By Cuz
February 19, 2009 10:07 PM | Link to this
Sorry for the lack of response Chip. Maybe you can do a blog on favorite UGA football benchwarmers. Or who was the best head coach, Butts, Dooley or Richt. That ought to start some fights between the youngsters and the white hairs, or in my case, no hair.
By Cuz
February 19, 2009 10:17 PM | Link to this
Rambleon let me explain this in terms even you can understand. If Tech has a great regular season and goes 9 and 3 and UGA has a dissapointing regular season and goes 9 and 3. Which team will sell out their stadiums the fastest for the 2009 season. Hint, it does not take your brand new calculator to figure this one out. Even if you gave a whole pizza to every ticket buyer to every game, you still lose. I guess Tech’s blogs got cancelled for lack of interest. Someone get a can of Raid.
By Andrew
February 20, 2009 12:21 AM | Link to this
Talking from the experience of swinging boths types of bats, Easton designs a better bat. Speaking of shattered bats, that does not show signs of a bad bat. Actually, the bat wall is thinner which increases the chances of shattering. Normally, the thinner the bat wall the more pop and distance on balls well hit.