You can lead a Dawg to water…

The propensity of young men to ignore advice and direction is one of the constants of the universe.

Starting linebacker Alec Ogletree and starting safety Bacarri Rambo will miss at least two games, but up to as many as four games, at the start of the season for a violation of team rules.

The length of those penalties tells me this isn’t their first time at the rodeo.

Lakatos and Grantham look to have their work cut out for them, don’t they?

“Coaching is easy for me.”

Hines Ward talks about what he’s doing in Athens this week.

Any time, big guy.

Craig James is running to save us from Mike Leach.

Simply unbelievable.

Musical palate cleanser: six degrees of Justified.

Here’s your second Justified reference of the day.  The drummer in this clip is Mickey Jones, who plays drug dealer Rodney Dunham on the show.

Small world, ain’t it?

Oh, yeah – the clip is pretty fabulous for all the usual reasons, too.

James Franklin frowns upon pre-scholarship fooling around.

His advice to Georgia DE Jonathan Wynn?  Practice safe commitment.

“Coach Franklin then had a nice metaphor [about my commitment]. He said it was like ‘we’re engaged right now with this commitment, and next February we’re going to get married when you sign with us.’ I thought that was pretty funny. He has me laughing.”

Somewhere, Paul Johnson is taking notes.

If David Stern isn’t part of the solution, he’s part of the problem.

The next time you see or hear somebody get all high and mighty about the NCAA plantation, point them to this interview with the man who might be the most arrogant sports commissioner ever.

“A college could always not have players who are one and done,” Stern said. “They could do that. They could actually require the players to go to classes.

“Or they could get the players to agree that they stay in school, and ask for their scholarship money back if they didn’t fulfill their promises. There’s all kinds of things that, if a bunch of people got together and really wanted to do it, instead of talk about it …”

Oh, this was a “largely lighthearted” suggestion?  Tee hee!  Then let’s turn to the naked self-interest part of the discussion, shall we?

“… I’m not concerned about NCAA, and our rules are not social programs,” Stern said. “We don’t think it’s appropriate for us to lecture kids as to whether they should or shouldn’t go to school. For our business purposes, the longer we can get to look at young men playing against first-rate competition, that’s a good thing. Because draft picks are very valuable things.”

To quote Robert Quarles from last night’s episode of Justified:  what a dick.

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UPDATE:  Then there’s this development.  I guess if agents are outlawed, only outlaws will contact underclassmen.  Or something like that.

Wednesday morning buffet

Lots of tasty morsels to sample:

• Jeff Schultz thinks it’s just dawned on Mark Richt that defense is important.  Hmm… wasn’t there some VanGorder fella whom everyone in red and black was sorry to see go a few years back?
• Judging from Will Friend’s comments, the offensive line has a ways to go.
• Ricky, I’m shocked, shocked to hear that academic fraud is going on in test taking.
• In case you’ve wondered, here’s the list of Tyler Wilson’s potential receiving targets for this season.  No offense, but right now that looks like a step down from Adams, Wright and Childs.
• It sure sounds like there’s a tug of war on the coaching staff over Malcolm Mitchell’s services.
• Could the Gators do a better job marketing the football program?
• ESPN isn’t helping ease SEC envy with headers like this one.  Stupid.
• After reading these sales pitches, all I can think is that if Mark Richt ever loses an in state recruit to Paul Johnson, he ought to be embarrassed.
• I think I’m gonna let this one stand on its own.
• Put a fork in it:  Mike Slive says that SEC is having “significant meetings” with its television partners and that there is no interest in moving to a nine-game conference schedule next year.
• Georgia had to spend $273,385 on unsold tickets for the Outback Bowl.

Name that caption: he’s still got it edition

A Corch and his finger…

Seat 37F is over there. (Photo via US Presswire)

Lay it on me in the comments.

It may not be revolutionary, but it would be fun.

Despite its over the top header (and who doesn’t feel the need to choke back the snark upon seeing any piece which starts “Dabo Swinney’s plan to revolutionize…”?), the AJ-C‘s story about Swinney pitching spring practice games between D-1 programs is a good read.

It’s not the first time the Clemson coach has pushed it, but that doesn’t mean I’ve grown to like the idea less.  The only downside I can really see is that there would be one less spring game on campus every other year, but you’d have to figure it would end up on TV anyway.

What do y’all think?

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UPDATE:  Adam Jacobi is offended.  My only question about his post is if the problem stems from the risks of competition, why have spring games at all?