“Long dreads. Girls with hairy armpits. Where there’s hippies, there’s weed.”

For those of you fretting over Bacarri Rambo’s recent brownie run in, let me introduce you to Oregon’s “code”.

At Oregon, there is a long tradition of players policing themselves. Several Ducks reference a “code” followed by teammates who handle weed-related matters in-house on a case-to-case basis. “Some guys who use marijuana go out and ball because they’re relaxed,” says former QB Akili Smith, “but if it affects his play, you sit him down and tell him, ‘Yo, it’s not for you.’?” Today, that code still stands. “If you’re not hurting the team, everyone’s cool with it,” says a current Ducks player.

That’s just like Saban’s Peer Intervention Group!  Except for the terrible case of the munchies they get later, of course.

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Spurrier drinks deeply from the Garnet and Black Kool-Aid.

I can hardly believe the OBC has sunk to this level.

… He thinks the SEC should choose its division champions in football based on division record instead of overall conference record. “Your division champ should be decided on division games. Last year, it wasn’t fair for Tennessee and Florida,” Spurrier said. “They both played LSU and Alabama. Us and Georgia didn’t. So, us or Georgia almost had to win the division simply because of the schedule.”

Spurrier isn’t only taking up the plight of the Volunteers and Gators, who must play Alabama and LSU, respectively, every season. His motives are likely much more selfish. If division record had decided the champions in 2011, the Gamecocks would have won the East by virtue of their 5-0 record. (South Carolina went 6-2 overall, losing at home to Auburn and at Arkansas.) Georgia, which went 4-1 in the division — the loss came in Athens to South Carolina — won the East by virtue of its 7-1 overall record. “I give them credit for beating everybody after they lost to us,” Spurrier said. “But they had [0-8] Ole Miss, and we had [6-2] Arkansas. That was the only difference in the SEC schedule between us two.”

Funny how that never bothered him at Florida.  He’s become as insecure about winning as his fan base is.

If Georgia wins in Columbia this season and goes on to win the East again, maybe he’ll need to lobby for a rule next season requiring that game to be played in the second week of the season.  Or whatever ‘Cock fans think will fix the problem…

Guilty as charged.

I’ve given Richt grief for his “in the arena” comment, so it’s only fair to admit he’s got a point here:

Richt said Tuesday “… Every year somebody’s going to ask a question…One year, I can’t remember when it was, some guy had something in his craw from like three years ago. He just had to get it out, he got it out and I think he felt better and it was good. It’s kind of like the call-in show. A lot of people have got an opinion on how things need to go.”

Word.

AFCA, spring games and making money: an offer the NCAA can’t refuse?

Well, well, well.  Look what’s popped up on the radar:  the American Football Coaches Association is going to discuss spring football between programs.

“Based upon the buzz about this within the profession the last couple of months, I’m sure we’ll be talking about this when we meet,” AFCA president and Harvard coach Tim Murphy told The Associated Press. “I think the NFL model would be a good way to do it, going through drills with another team. If you wanted to hold a scrimmage, you could do it, but it would just be more complex.

“It wouldn’t be unprecedented, though, because other college sports do it.”

There will be a debate, of course.  It’ll be pitched around development (“You can really focus on trying to develop unknowns in your players, which I think is really important,” Saban said. “I think that’s the real value of spring practice.” ) versus competition.  But David Cutcliffe may have hit on the deciding factor.

“That’s an old idea, that’s a good idea, but that’s very difficult to get the NCAA to move in those regards,” Cutcliffe said. “Your best chance is if you can prove you can make some money because then you have a chance for the presidents and the ADs to vote in favor of it.”

Hmm… making money.  That’s always been such an easy thing for the NCAA to ignore.

Wednesday morning buffet

It’s raining outside.  You don’t have anything better to do right now, do you?

• Also from last night’s talk in Augusta:  “Richt said coaching staff is “thrilled” to see what incoming freshman John Theus will do at offensive tackle. He said he has a chance to play and even start.”  Anyone who watched the G-Day game wouldn’t be surprised to hear that.
• Seth Emerson takes a stab at a post-spring defensive depth chart.  For a team with so many returning starters, there sure seems to be a lot up in the air.
• At Auburn, they’re talking about getting an “NFL mentality”.
• Missouri’s offensive line coach came from LSU.  His opinion about the difference in conferences:  “You’ll see as good top-end players in the Big 12,” Henson said. “The biggest difference [in the SEC] is probably the week-to-week depth.”
• Speaking of that change, this is embarrassing.
• As an immature freshman last season, Isaiah Crowell still managed to become the SEC’s freshman of the year.  He ranked sixth in the conference in rushing.  So if he’s grown up this year, it sounds to me like we ought to be pretty excited about what he can do in 2012.
• Shakin the Southland compares Clemson to some other schools (including Georgia) over the results of the last recruiting cycle.
• Looking at Tennessee’s skill position players, I’d be throwing the ball around a lot more than running it, too.
• Oh, and in case you care, Jessica Dorrell is no longer employed by the University of Arkansas.

“When you have that philosophy, you’re gonna see some of your dirty laundry.”

Last night at the Augusta Bulldog Club, Mark Richt was asked about (naturally) discipline and suspensions.  A lot of his response wasn’t new, but this sure was:

“When I first game to Georgia, there had been some issues. You don’t get a job unless there had been some issues. And the thing that I said to our staff and to my administration is if something happens, we’re gonna clean it up, we’re not gonna cover it up…”

I’ve never heard him speak so bluntly about the events leading up to his hire.  It sure makes you wonder what Richt heard about the program before he met with Vince Dooley.  Or what Dooley had to say to Richt about Jim Donnan and Quincy Carter.  And what Richt had to say to Quincy shortly after taking over as head coach.

Needless to say, it doesn’t sound like losing to Georgia Tech three times in a row was all there was to why Georgia changed coaches then.

The key to Georgia’s first month of the season…

may very well be Malcolm Mitchell’s hamstrings.  Think I’m kidding?  You shouldn’t – Mark Richt had a meeting about ’em.

… The concern for Georgia at this point is making sure Mitchell’s conditioning will be good enough to play a lot. Richt said they met with the strength staff and nutritionist on Monday morning on things they should do to increase Mitchell’s stamina, as well as guard against hamstring injuries. Mitchell couldn’t play in the spring game because of a hamstring injury, a malady that also knocked him out of five games last year.

“So now you just don’t want to overload him, is the big thing, because if you do you don’t get him on either side of the ball,” Richt said. “But he absolutely has got to focus and concentrate on being the best defensive back he can be, and keep his skills up as a receiver. Again, as the season rolls on, I got a feeling with the temperature change and with the guys coming back, I think he’ll be more freed up to make more plays offensively. But in the beginning he’s gotta be ready to play DB.”

By “play a lot”, they’re talking about offense, defense and special teams.  (“Oh yeah. We’re gonna give him a chance to be the kick or the punt returner,” Richt said.)  That’s a helluva lot to ask from what have been so far some fairly fragile body parts.

Reading between the lines there, I wouldn’t expect to see much at all of Mitchell on offense against Buffalo and maybe a little more against Missouri.  After that, it’ll be play it by ear.  Sure hope his hammies are up to the challenge.