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AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2008 > March > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USBibbity Bobbity Bulldogs!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What a weekend, as the lesson was taught again: Never bet against a team that thinks it’s playing for its coach’s job.
I don’t know whether Dennis Felton really has a fairy godmother, but this has to be the biggest feel-good Cinderella story of the year (or many years) in college basketball. Georgia’s run to become the unlikeliest conference champs in the country is the stuff of Disney movies, only this time we didn’t have Fred MacMurray in the locker room ironing flubber onto their shoes.
A team that had lost 10 of 11 games becomes only the second No. 6 seed to make it to the SEC tournament semifinals thanks to a pair of last-second overtime wins secured by unlikely heroes — senior scholar-athlete Dave Bliss, an occasional offensive force but more often mainly a defensive presence, and Zac Swansey, a freshman put into a pressure-packed position after Sundiata Gaines had fouled out.
Wait, not dramatic enough. Throw in a tornado that shook the Georgia Dome and postponed and forced the relocation of Georgia’s second game to the normally unfriendly environs of the Trade School’s sometimes leaky-roofed Alexander Memorial Coliseum, where they had to then turn around and play again just six hours later. They win, thanks in part to the sudden effectiveness of Billy Humphrey, who couldn’t buy a point for most of the tourney.
And then they manage to jump out ahead of Arkansas in the championship game and then hang on despite increasing fatigue. And, again, Humphrey comes up big, sinking a 3-pointer with just over a minute and a half left that was the dagger in the heart for the Hogs. As Felton said post-game, after having to go through all that and play three games in two days, “We found out that we had more than we ever thought we did” in terms of perseverance.
And to make it all even sweeter, the Dogs got to enjoy winning the program’s first SEC tournament title in 25 years and the ritual cutting down of the net at their arch rival’s home court.
Nah, even Disney in its “Pollyanna” heyday wouldn’t go for that!
This, of course, ends any speculation about Felton being let go by UGA, though actually even before the Dogs’ tournament showing, it appeared the consensus view in the Bulldog Nation was that Damon Evans might as well give Felton one more year to turn things around. Too many coaching vacancies elsewhere, no real stellar candidate to replace him, and what looks like an outstanding freshman class coming in next year.
Now, keeping Felton seems like the easy call. But in the midst of the euphoria of the past few days, fans can’t help but ask: Where was this team during the regular season?
Actually, some of the hallmarks of the past few months were still evident in Atlanta, including the tendency of the team to get a double-digit lead and then let it slide away. But where the Dogs seemed to give up several times during the regular season, they did exactly the opposite in the tournament. And once they got past Kentucky, they seemed to sense they were what the Georgia broadcast crew called them Sunday: a team of destiny.
The key to Felton making progress from this point on is figuring out how to inject that urgency into his teams’ play on a regular basis, especially on the road in conference play, where the Bulldogs have had an abysmal record under him.
The other concern about Felton is his problem with keeping players after he’s gotten them into school. A program where the coaches outnumber the backup players on the bench is going to have a hard time sustaining success.
So while we enjoy this unexpected championship and hail the job that Felton and his players did this weekend, let’s keep in mind that the 2007-2008 season is hardly a blueprint for building a program.
Felton needs to make whatever changes are necessary so that at next year’s SEC tournament the defending champs don’t have to depend on repeatedly defying the odds (and that fairy godmother) in order to have a chance at repeating.
Comments
By chris
March 16, 2008 8:39 PM | Link to this
Lots of credit being given to Felton and people on these boards calling other people idiots for thinking Felton should be fired a week ago, but let’s be realistic here. Felton has done a very poor job with this program up until the past few days. If the team has as much talent as they showed last few days then where in the heck was that throughout the season? Felton still needs to go. All he did was prove the team is far more talented than they’ve played like the entire time he’s been coaching here. How good could they be with a real coach in charge?
By Johnson
March 16, 2008 8:40 PM | Link to this
Bill:
“So while we enjoy this unexpected championship and hail the job that Felton and his players did this weekend, let’s keep in mind that the 2007-2008 season is hardly a blueprint for building a program.”
Amen to that. Perfectly said.
By GW
March 16, 2008 8:41 PM | Link to this
Thanks for an unbelievable 4 days….Go Dogs!!
By honest_abe
March 16, 2008 8:43 PM | Link to this
i think the dawgs success over the past 4 days can be contributed to several factors.
the coaching was outstanding, felton made all the right calls. switching his defenses when it called for it, whether it be because of fatigue or foul trouble. also, his substitutions were very effective. most of all whatever he used to motivate his guys, i haven’t seen such an aggressive, passionate uga bball team in a while.
the seniors. sundiatta carried the team and bliss made all the right plays. these two have come along way since their freshmen days when they were oh so green and not so good.
albert jackson. my goodness, heres a guy who hasn’t been more than just a big body and he all of sudden turns into a bigtime rebounder/defender and suddenly has a penchant for making a big bucket.
good ol lady luck. dawgs don’t beat the cats in the sec tourney and it looked like it wasn’t about to be until smooth swansey saves the dawgs with 1.7 left. amazing!
back to felton can’t say enough about him. he’s such a class act. even though bulldog nation is probably 50/50 when it comes to support he made sure he credited the fans for their support on his cbs interview. i sure hope he’s the coach for a very long time to come.
goooooooo dawgs!
By Will
March 16, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this
Chris, We enjoyed winnning the SEC championship on your home court.
By AC in Boulder
March 16, 2008 8:46 PM | Link to this
simply unbelievable!! It was great to get that excited for a DAWG team in the middle of the football off season. Cutting down the nets at Ga. Tech was almost surreal, but oh so sweet! SEC champions! My God. Can you believe it?!
By T-bone
March 16, 2008 8:48 PM | Link to this
I’m very happy for Felton and the boys…an unbelievable run…and he very much deserves to be back. 2 items of clarification, however. 1) if Felton and the Dawgs had gone one and out (against Ole Miss), Felton WOULD NOT have been back. 2) This decision, contrary to what you read, IS NOT Damon Evans’ call. He’s a nice guy and represents UGA plenty good enough, but he is the messenger…not the decision maker. Michael Adams and the Athletic Board would have pullled the trigger, allowing Evans to hand over the pink slip. (see Donnan and Harrick). NCAA pimped us…should have been a 12…but what the heck…let’s enjoy.
By Gutrake
March 16, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this
I told you so. Felton is the man for this job. Leave him alone and let him build his team the right way and we’ll be in the final four within 3 years. Hell, we may be there this year! Don’t doubt!!!!
By honest_abe
March 16, 2008 8:50 PM | Link to this
lol chris. sorry bub. you’re out of your element. you don’t know the difference between a basketball and a ping pong ball. maybe you should just stick with gymnastics.
this bulldawg team lost two of its starting five before the season even started. they lost one of their best players (humphery) to suspension and he wasn’t as effective due to a bum knee. a key big man who was a reserve (singleton) quite the team. two scholarship freshmen had season ending injuries. and YET, the bulldawgs found a way to the sec tourney. this has nothing to do with some great talent all of a sudden waking up to play. instead its a team with limited parts, who through its coach learned how to be a competitive basketball team. gaines and bliss weren’t highly recruited players, they developed into serviceable players under feltons tenure. humphery was completely out of control and a ball hog. he’s turned out to be a great teammate and a wonderful defender. what i’m trying to say is that all of these players got better BECAUSE of coach felton. he taught them to play some outstanding defense, by playing with incredible intensity and desire. sorry chris. stop looking at boxscores and start watching the games before you start calling for someone to lose their job and livelihood.
what a schmuck.
By AC in Boulder
March 16, 2008 8:54 PM | Link to this
one more thing. for all of you people in your haste or ignorance say things like “could care less” as opposed to the correct “couldn’t care less” or “supposively” instead of the proper “supposedly” or spell “lose” incorrectly as “loose”. Xavier is pronounced Zavier,not Exzavier! Here’s to two SEC championships in 2008!!!!! Go DAWGS!!
By LT
March 16, 2008 8:55 PM | Link to this
I’m a UGA alumnus who went to every home game during my time there the past few years, and listening to some of the fans calling for Felton’s job must be delusional about the history of UGA’s basketball program. Looking at the banners in Steg you see a program that can at best be described as decent. Felton had to not only build a traditional lukewarm program into something great but improve a historical lukewarm program thats foundation was destroyed.
By Gutrake
March 16, 2008 8:56 PM | Link to this
Chris, you apparently know very little about coaching. It is true that this team doesn’t have the talent that is necessary to do this the normal way. But they have a coach who drew the line, held their feet to the fire and exterminated all dissent. When dealing with youngsters, this proves invaluable. Felton showed tough love to the degree that it almost cost him his job. That’s a risk he was willing to live with. So was I.
By Bryan G.
March 16, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this
Like I said on another blog, my apologies to Coach Felton. I’ve been a big supporter of letting him go, but he showed he had what it took this weekend. The team looked totally different in the SEC tournament.
I hope we can build on this next year and have an NCAA bid locked up before championship weekend!
By pj
March 16, 2008 8:59 PM | Link to this
This is the most delicious crow I have ever eaten. I wasn’t one of the rude posters calling Felton names, but I respectfully submitted that it might be time to turn the page.
I’m wrong I’m wrong I’m wrong I’m wrong I’m wrong…. whew… that feels good.
I was in the hospital this weekend and the nurses had to literally (I’m not kidding) strap me down because I was going nuts. I actually had to negotiate to let them keep the games on.
I’m so proud to be a dog, and I’ll do my best not to doubt coach Felton again…. although it was hard not to after this season, and anyone who “knew” this was going to happen is a liar.
Go freaking Dawgs. It was the cure the hospital couldn’t give me!
By ncdawg
March 16, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this
What a great accomplishment for this team! I’m sooo glad for them! Felton and the boys did an excellent job in motivating themselves to the title. For all those who ask where this team has been all season, you obviously weren’t at games. The only blowout was the game @ TN. They played aggressive all year but seemed to always be on the losing end of a 3 or 4 point decision. Come tournament time, they came out on the winning end of those decisions. Let’s see more of you in the stands next year to give them more incentive. Look what they did with the little bit of incentive we gave them this year. GO DAWGS!!
By T-bone
March 16, 2008 9:07 PM | Link to this
I’m very happy for Felton and the boys…an unbelievable run…and he very much deserves to be back. 2 items of clarification, however. 1) if Felton and the Dawgs had gone one and out (against Ole Miss), Felton WOULD NOT have been back. 2) This decision, contrary to what you read, IS NOT Damon Evans’ call. He’s a nice guy and represents UGA plenty good enough, but he is the messenger…not the decision maker. Michael Adams and the Athletic Board would have pullled the trigger, allowing Evans to hand over the pink slip. (see Donnan and Harrick). NCAA pimped us…should have been a 12…but what the heck…let’s enjoy.
By LongBeachJacket
March 16, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
Far be it for a Jacket to appear in the Junkyard where we do not belong….
..but DAWGS, your team impressed me tremendously this weekend. I cannot help but pull for gutsy players like Sundiata Gaines and Dave Bliss. Great for your seniors.
Coach Felton is trying to build your program on rock solid integrity. It’s great to see that rewarded.
Your team deserves all the accolades it gets a a ton of at-a-boys from your fan base.
Of course I hope your win streak at Alexander stops at 3….
Otherwise, go beat Xavier and keep it rolling. Well done!
By Gator Nation
March 16, 2008 9:22 PM | Link to this
Congratulations Bulldogs!
As a life long gator, I have to say that I was pulling for you the minute I heard you had to play two games on the same day.
Your team showed real heart.
Don’t sweat being a 14th seed. You will upset Xavier.
Good luck in the tourney! Make the SEC proud.
By Glenn
March 16, 2008 9:26 PM | Link to this
I’ve been a Bulldog fan for 25+ years and am a former basketball coach. What I saw the last three days defies logic, and may be the greatest multiple game stretch of human effort I have ever seen. These players and their coach refused to lose, and they played defense as if they were in a gang war.
That’s heart and that’s being taught how to play. If Felton couldn’t coach this would have been one and done, there is limited talent.
But you must be proud that they played like their nickname, like Bulldogs, they were tenacious and relentless!!!!
By MVP
March 16, 2008 9:31 PM | Link to this
Congrad to Felton and entire coaching staff on winning the sec. All you leghumpers were ready to run Dennis out of town, now leghumpers want to jump on the bandwagon.Tell em to stick it coach Felton!
By War Eagle
March 16, 2008 9:48 PM | Link to this
Nice wins, good luck in Washington against Xavier. This is one run Kentucky has never made or any team in the SEC BB history…four wins in three days and had won only four conference games entire year…WOW
By Slam Dunk
March 16, 2008 9:50 PM | Link to this
I think you call it “One and Done Baby”. Would be great to win at least three SEC titles this year, Basketball, Gymnastics, Football and you can never tell about the other sports. Their not to shabby either. The possibilities are there. GO DAWGS!!!
By Jack
March 16, 2008 9:55 PM | Link to this
FELTON - COACH OF THE YEAR. I’VE BEEN SAYING IT SINCE DAY ONE THAT WE COULD BEAT ANY TEAM IN COUNTRY - AND WE CAN. SIX MORE TO GO, BABY. WHERE THE FELTON HATERS AT NOW? THE MAN OUT COACHED EVERYONE IN THE SEC. GIVE HIM A RAISE!!!!!!!!!!!
By AltamahaDawg
March 16, 2008 9:55 PM | Link to this
Athletic director Damon Evans gave him a hug on the court.
“He’s our basketball coach. He’s going to be our basketball coach,” Evans said. “Of course he’ll be back.”
By dawgsarejokes
March 16, 2008 10:02 PM | Link to this
SEC Fan here, if my team can’t win it then go for the conference. Georgia showed a lot of heart this weekend and maybe they won’t advance very far in the dance but give them credit at least they got there.
By UGA75
March 16, 2008 10:09 PM | Link to this
Coach Felton has always placed a premium on character over talent. He has eliminated players who thought more of themselves than the team, and until this weekend, it looked like that formula was a failure.
Suddenly Character played like talent, and Coach made virtually every call correctly be it changing defenses, or when to use his timeouts. I fully admit I can not believe the Dawg won, but everyone in the GA Basketball Program demonstrated class and determination seldom seen in college ball these days.
Congratulations Coach and team, you’ve made all of GA proud.
By Frank
March 16, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
I did have a lot to say about the idiotic comments of Chris but why should I take the time when “honest abe” expressed all my thoughts so eloquently. Thanks, Abe.
By Dawg Fan in Fla
March 16, 2008 10:43 PM | Link to this
Am admittedly surprised and proud of the Dawgs. Was glad for Coach Felton; his true worth was highlighted, I thought by Coach Knight’s commentary on ESPN. For those concerned about Stegman Hall … you should have been around for its predecessor: Woodruff Hall. Good Luck in DC against Xavier.
By oldgold
March 16, 2008 10:47 PM | Link to this
This tournament shows once again, as if it were needed, how low this conference has sunk. There is only one decent team-Tennessee. How has this conference deteriorated this quickly? The AJC, never missing an opportunity to report the irrelevant, has spent the past 2 months reviewing Richts next 10 recruiting classes while this sad team managed to win a high school level tournament. This is the equivalent of App. State beating Michigan in football.
By TennesseeDawg
March 16, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this
I’m not sure that I have ever been so proud to be a DAWG. Thanks for the trip. It was fun to watch!!
By Gen Neyland
March 16, 2008 11:02 PM | Link to this
Congrats Dawgs, SEC Tourney Champs…Now the fun begins. Big shoes ahead for all us SEC’ers. Sagarin ratings has ranked in order 1 through 4, North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA and Memphis. All four recieving and deserving # 1 seeds. # 2 seeds follow suit with the exception of Wisconsin claiming a # 3 seed in the NCAA. # 2 seeds are Duke, Tennessee, Georgetown and Texas, which according to Sagarin, should hve been a 3 seed instead of Wisconsin. Once again, stating the obvious that in rankings, seeding and overall just being closer to right using criteria involved and eliminating the beauty contest mentality, Sagarin does a good job. This is why I lean on this system in football to boot…It takes the jilt out of the game and replaces it with common sense and factual stats, giving us a closer view of reality. GO SEC…
By PVB Dawg
March 16, 2008 11:36 PM | Link to this
Hey Long Beach Jacket, Gator Nation, and War Eagle, thanks for the classy posts. Regardless of your allegiance, anybody who watched the last 3 games the Dawgs played had to be amazed at the tenacity shown by a team that NOBODY gave a prayer to win. I am extremely proud of Coach Felton and the Dawgs. He has restored dignity and respect to a program that was at rock bottom prior to his arrival. He is a man of integrity and I applaud his approach. Hats off to Felton and the Dawgs. Good luck Dawgs against Xavier!
By DWG
March 16, 2008 11:37 PM | Link to this
Funny thing is, with all of the coaching vacancies this year, Felton may upgrade to a better job - especially if the dawgs have a good showing in the tourney. I wouldn’t blame him with the lack of support and the ax that was hanging over his head. Look, he took over a tough job at a football school, kicked starters off the team instead of looking the other way and lost A LOT of close games this year. But in the end he ended up a winner. Hopefully he sticks around for a while and shows everyone what he can do with more talent.
By DWG
March 16, 2008 11:45 PM | Link to this
Old Gold, look at your acc football conference to see a conf. that’s deteriorated into NOTHING. The SEC is a football conference that has been dominating your basketball tourney the last few years and now we have your techie bball nets in our trophy case. Dawgs didn’t win much this year but they did beat the jackets so go back in your hole.
By Dr Morpheus
March 17, 2008 12:10 AM | Link to this
Great post, BIll. Nothing like winning to settle down a restless group of natives. Honest Abe, you pointed this out- I, too, loved the way CDF complimented the fan support and sounded completely sincere!?! Maybe he meant that it was the quality, not the quantity (with hats off to home boy Roy Bell and other die-hards)?! Coach Felton is doing it the right way to restore self-respect our program…that and a little divine intervention… and the way the Dawgs made it to the dance… priceless. All you can say is
HOW ‘BOUT THEM DAWGS?
By Dawg in Alexandria
March 17, 2008 12:18 AM | Link to this
Well done, Coach Felton, well done!
I wonder what Tech fans think about UGA cutting down the nets on their home court while the Tech basketball team was busy cleaning out their own lockers.
By BeachGaBulldog
March 17, 2008 12:56 AM | Link to this
I’ll worry about next year when it comes. Right now, I am basking in the glory of watching this gutsy team make it to the dance. I am SO PROUD OF THE SEC TOURNAMENT CHAMPS!
By dumbdawg
March 17, 2008 12:59 AM | Link to this
UGA doesn’t lose at GT! You know they’ve got to be hating it. I do, however respect their AD, DRAD, for his efforts to accomodate the SEC and Dome officials. GO DAWGS!!!!
By LA Dawg
March 17, 2008 2:34 AM | Link to this
This weekend was about Yata and Bliss and the team not giving up on them. If the team really had ‘no quit’ in them then they wouldn’t have squandered so many big leads throughout the season. And it’s the coach’s job to instill this day in and day out and Felton clearly doesn’t do it. Hell, Swansey ignored Felton vs. Kentucky. He was supposed to pass the ball and not shoot it. I agree that Felton gets one more year but 4-12 in the conference or even 7-9 and he’s gone…now 10-8 and a tourney bid and we’re talking.
Great piece, Bill. Amen. You said what all of the bandwagon, hystericals couldn’t find the calm to state.
By FlDawg
March 17, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this
Give Felton a raise and long term deal. Then let him build another winning program @ UGA.
By DAWGPAPA
March 17, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this
lEAVE fELTON ALONE. HE CAN’T HELP IT THAT HE IS COACHING AT A PARTY SCHOOL. hE HAS THE SAME SITUATION THAT MARK rICHT HAS AND THAT IS THESE PLAYERS WANT TO DO WHAT THE REST OF THE PARTY PEOPLE AT UGA DO AND THAT IS DRINK AND DITCH CLASSES. hIS SITUATION IS MUCH MORE MAGNIFIED AS HE DOES NOT HAVE THE NUMBERS THAT FOOTBALL HAS. WHEN YOU LOSE TOP FLIGHT TALENT AS HE HAS THE BENCH GETS PRETTY THIN. aLSO HE NEEDS TO QUIT RECRUITING PLAYERS FROM THE AAU PROGRAMS PARTICULARLY THE ATLANTA CELTICS. THESE PLAYERS ARE BROUGHT UP TO THINK THEY CAN DO ANYTHING THEY WANT TO DO AT ANYTIME AND THEY ARE ONLY ABOUT THEMSELVES AS OPPOSED TO PLAYING TEAM BASKETBALL. ALL OF THE GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL TALEN THAT IS RECRUITED IS LESS TALENTED ON A NATIONWIDE SCALE AS COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY. HE NEEDS TO LOOK NATIONALLY IF HE CAN FIND PLAYERS THAT WANT TO COME TO A FOOTBALL SCHOOL IF HE CAN GET THEM. AS FAR AS HIS PROGRAM MANAGEMENT HE IS DOING THE RIGHT THING BY FIRING THOSE PLAYERS WHO WON’T CONFORM AND MOVING ON WITH THE PLAYERS WHO WANT TO PLAY TEAM BASKETBALL. ALSO AD DAMON EVANS NEEDS TO COME OUT OF PRESIDENT MICHAEL ADAMS POCKET AND RUN THE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT HIS INTERFERENCE. IF ANYONE SHOULD BE FIRED IT’S ADAMS
By ssidawg
March 17, 2008 8:24 AM | Link to this
Thanks Dawgs for a great weekend! It’s actually kind of fun being the underdog and winning the upset. Good luck in DC!
By Pat
March 17, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this
There’s a lot to be said for just letting them play. This situation gave no time for overpreparation and getting uptight. Also the players left clearly aren’t bothered by Felton’s expectations. When you can survive Felton/UGA/A-CCPD this was a walk in the park. While Tech graciously accomodated the SEC the Big Ten refused to change their championship game time from 3 to 1 even with a 2 day notice. What class they have.
By Still Can't Believe It
March 17, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this
Honest Abe said it better than I could, but I have to add my support for Coach Felton. Thank you for showing so much class and uncompromising integrity this season, and for that matter ever since you’ve been at UGA. Taking a program from where it was when you arrived and setting it on the right course, and still winning nearly as many games as you’ve lost is an amazing accomplishment. OK, Dawg fans, the question now is no longer, will he be able to keep his job, but instead will we be able to keep him here?
By Brett
March 17, 2008 9:28 AM | Link to this
Georgia won the SEC Basketball TOURNAMENT championship. They did not win the SEC CONFERENCE championship.
By kenny from athens
March 17, 2008 9:33 AM | Link to this
Felton is Prop Joe to Michael Adam’s Omar. Felton had one chance to keep his job. He came up triple 7. The man has bought himself three seasons.
By newteamgear.com
March 17, 2008 9:41 AM | Link to this
The dawgs are definitely going all the way. 2008 is the year for the dawgs. sic em sic em uga.
By molardawg
March 17, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
Dennis Felton…
You’re too strict, you can’T keep your recruits in school, blah, blah, blah.
Can you say VINDICATION?
By keeping it real
March 17, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this
I Can’t Believe how 790 the Zone are down-playing Ga win this weekend.
Jeff Wolv- “we’ll see how passionate they are after their loss at 2:30pm on Thursday”?
Steak- They’re really not that good- I don’t think they can win against Xavier. No one on the team respects Felton, and that he should be considered on the hot-seat.
By DAWGPAPA
March 17, 2008 10:45 AM | Link to this
Georgia will be tested by Xavier no doubt, but to get to the big dance is remarkable for any team in the NCAA. These talking heads as mentioned in the above post, what do they know about coaching? All they do is pass judgement on coaches and teams to stir up ratings. If no one on the team doesn’t respect Felton they sure didn’t show it this weekend. As a retired former high school basketball coach I have a lot of respect for what Coach Felton is doing. If there are players who don’t respect him it’s because they were allowed to run wild and do what they wanted to do when they played in high school and on these streetball oriented AAU teams. This is the damage a lot of college coaches have to undo. As a Duke basketball fan for over 40+ years I see Coach Felton and Coach Paul Hewitt at Georgia Tech doing the right thing. It is to bad the media has bought into what the uneducated masses/posers want and that is that travesty known as the NBA (NO BASKETBALL ALLOWED)and its one on one, matador defense, me first team second mentality that is so prevalent with the streetball crowd. For Georgia to win this week they have to play suffocating defense, rebound with authority good shot selection, and most importantly have good clock management down the stretch. If they do this they can get to the next round.
By Where are the Vol Fans
March 17, 2008 10:47 AM | Link to this
So where have all the VOL Fans gone? Yes, that means you Vol Man so quick are you to bash a Dawgs team and prop up a Vol team.
So the Vols “CHOKED” again - can’t handle the pressure of being a #1 seed, can’t win an SEC Tourney.
Vols lose again - ha! ha! ha! - Bruce Pearlman is a joke
By Bulldog Willie
March 17, 2008 11:05 AM | Link to this
The Dawgs’ performance this past weekend was epic in stature. Most of us believe that it was so unfair to make them play two games in one day. It was!! But they overcame Kentucky’s storied blue blood and persevered through the fatigue to win it all. Every time we thought they were dragging, someone stepped up a notch…Magnificent performance!
By Whitegoat
March 17, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
4 wins, 3 days. Props to the dogs. Even a goat knows guts when he sees it.
By Fort Worth Dawg
March 17, 2008 11:33 AM | Link to this
This was the biggest UGA basketball event since my freshman year with Banks, Fair, and Fleming. WOW! Coach Felton is now tied with Coach Durham for the most SEC Tournament championships. Mike Mercer, I bet you wish you went to class now. Why was there a tornado in downtown Atlanta? Because Georgia Tech sucks.
By Gen Neyland
March 17, 2008 11:42 AM | Link to this
Where are all the Vol Fans
I’m here. Can’t speak for the others. Maybe they’re on their way to the NCAA opening game of choice. My question for you, is where have YOU been..? Are you one of these’ Get on to football’ guys that just last week were ready to fire Felton..? Or one of the guys that approved of Feltons’ 75K raise after last years run only to wish for the return of Harrick. Now, I ‘ll repeat what I’ve already said, Congrats to the Dawgs for winning the SEC Tourney. Although we didn’t get another chance, as SEC Champions, to wax your fantastic in the tourney, we’ll just have to postpone our continued success against UGA BB until next season unless you are of the opinion we’ll meet again this year, of which I have my doubts…I’ll delve into the brackets at another posting, but all I can say at this point is, Go Vols, Go SEC, and Go Memphis…
By Harriette Simpkins
March 17, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
Congratulations to Coach Felton and his team. The University of Georgia family should be very proud of them. I will be pulling for them on Thursday. INTEGRITY is everything!!!!!
By Rabun Dawg
March 17, 2008 1:00 PM | Link to this
Congrats to the Dawgs on an amazing run!I think that Ga. Tech should be also given accolades for responding to the SEC on short notice.Job well done by them and us!! Wasn’t it sweet to cut down the nets in the place with the “Jacket” logo on the floor, and ACC all over the place.Credit where credit due, Coach Felton, the Dawg players, and yes again to Tech for accomadating the SEC.We drew a tough opponent in the 1st round, but regardless of the outcome,proud of the Roundball Dawgs!
By Tech69
March 17, 2008 1:23 PM | Link to this
What a run of basketball! It reminds me of a run Tech had in the ACC baseball tournament some years back. You’re welcome for the use of our floor in your run to the SEC Championship. Good luck in D.C.; show “X” what playing in a Major conference means.
By Dawg87
March 17, 2008 1:40 PM | Link to this
Dennis Felton will get it done and the right way. Leave him alone and get out of the way. His team played hard for respect and his job. Go Dawgs!!
By MariettaDawg
March 17, 2008 2:14 PM | Link to this
Dear Beloved Dawgs,
I sincerely apologize for writing you off and considering this season a loss. I don’t know what lit the fire, but I hope that it continues to burn! Congratulation to you on your SEC Championship men, and good luck at The Dance!
By Cuz
March 17, 2008 6:15 PM | Link to this
How bout dem Dawgs. How bout that Coach. Who wudda thunk it last Monday? I am proud to call you roundballers Dawgs. As Lewis Grizzard once said in the Superdome in New Orleans, “Children laughed and grown men cried.” Nuff said. Cinderella is going to the dance after all.
General, don’t pay attention to the nattering naybobs of negativity. Tennessee will go far in the dance. I have no idea how far the Dawgs will go but I am ready for the ride. I for one appreciate your continued support of UGA athletics when we are not playing your beloved Vols. Wareagle, you are included also. For you fans who do not know it, Wareagle sent many a high school football player to Athens to play for Coach Dooley. These two guys may be quote unquote enemy bloggers, but they are both class acts.
By AltamahaDawg
March 17, 2008 8:50 PM | Link to this
Ok, if Mark Richt can admit it, I think the rest of us can too. Who DIDN’T get just a little glossy eyed when the freshman hit the 3 pointer. It wasnt even “yea, we won” as much as you just had to feel for those boys who tried sooo hard this whole season, for the senior who had just fouled out of his (almost) last game, the coach who had such a rough season. Sorry rest of the SEC, NOBODY needed this more than them Dawgs.
By gmw
March 17, 2008 11:15 PM | Link to this
I’ll be surprised if any sec team gets past the sweet 16 …
By 82DAWG
March 18, 2008 8:36 AM | Link to this
gmw, don’t worry, the SEC shows up for the tournament.
By gdawginkalamazoo
March 18, 2008 5:19 PM | Link to this
Congrats to Coach Felton and the Dawgs! What an awesome performance in that tournament. I am glad that the team won and Coach Felton gets to keep his job. They hired him to clean the program up and make it respectable. He made it respectable by making sure the players knew that they were first students then athletes. He was well on his way to one of his best seasons this year until he had to take action against two of his best players. Injuries didn’t help either. Who of us here doesn’t think that getting rid of two of your stars will hurt the team and the season? Felton made some tough choices and he knew his job was on the line yet he did the right thing. That’s the kind of coach I want at UGA. We know he can win, he did it at WKU. If he had lost his job this season he would have been hired elsewhere in a heartbeat. Thanks for the tourney win coach you and the team earned it the right way.
By DAWGPAPA
March 20, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this
Dawgs lose to Xavier by 12 but a much closer contest than the score indicates. They never got to the free throw line as Xavier shot free throws at a 4-1 margin. Georgia looked very tired down the stretch with about eight minutes to go as Xavier made their run. Gaines and Bliss gave everything they had, and as seniors that is what you want. This should do nothing but help Georgia Basketball for the future, particularly in recruiting. Everybody should get off of Coach Felton’s case and let him continue to build this team the right way. As I said in a previous post if there are players on the team who don’t re spect Felton, then don’t let the door hit you in the a* on your way out. A great ending to a tough season and a prelude of things to come.
By UGA Eliminated
March 20, 2008 3:05 PM | Link to this
The actual AJC title on sports page after Xavier beats Georgia State A&M (the original title of UGA) 73-61. Makes the ‘made up’ one of Trade School for Tech not as funny does it? As always, the last laugh is on UGA. What have you guys done to be proud of?? All the sports pages (except UGA-AJC) keeps asking the same thing.
First, you are left out of the Football championships, naturally and with good reason, and they let you play the easiest team in college football in a bowl game.
Second, you think you have done something good when you win the worst basketball conference in the NCAA.
Finally, the sad thing is you still have to go home to a trailer park at the end of the day.
By DAWGPAPA
March 20, 2008 3:23 PM | Link to this
This one goes out to UGA Eliminated for his dripping sarcastic wit. I got one for you, where is Tech playing this weekend? Apparently UGA Eliminated never played the game or he would have recognized what transpired today. Probably another poser guy from techie land with his narrow minded approach to life in general. You know who the real “State Champs in Georgia are, and their bite is worse than their bark, so beware.
By SanDiegoJacket
March 20, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this
One and done, ho hum, how exciting for the UGAGers.
THWG Every Day in Every Way!!
By D Gelbart
March 20, 2008 4:33 PM | Link to this
UGA Eliminated I’m not a Georgia Basketball fan… but are you trying to talk smack about a non-basketball school that went on accident? You’re obviously either a fan of Florida or more likely a Tech fan.
PS: I am a football fan of UGA and I can say easily that the basketball program isn’t good because this is a historic SEC football school. If you do reply I’m not wasting time listening to you try to say I one of the trailer park fans that know nothing or everything else that rival school’s fans say about UGA. (I’m not living in a trailer park.)