Just thought I’d share this with the class.
Way to go, Natrez. Keep it going.
Daily Archives: March 9, 2018
Larry Scott has an idea.
On the Pac-12 task force recommendations for cleaning up college basketball:
“I can’t speak to the specifics of the recommendations now because they have not been vetted yet with our presidents and chancellors, and not formally approved, but I can share is that there are four baskets of recommendations…
“The fourth big bucket will be around NCAA enforcement. The FBI allegations and the revelations from the U.S. Attorney’s Office have certainly brought into focus some of the challenges the NCAA and their enforcement apparatus have. Certainly the FBI’s got powers that the NCAA doesn’t have, to be sure, but I think it’s been a bit of a wake-up call for many leaders in college sports that there needs to be more resources thrown at NCAA enforcement, higher caliber, maybe some outsourcing of what they do, and we’ve got more details around that that will be in our proposals.”
Subpoena powers? “Outsourcing”? Jesus. Extremism in defense of amateurism, just what Mark Emmert’s folks need. What could go wrong?
Filed under The NCAA
“So he’s big and he’s fast.”
Actually, Kirby, he’s faster.
Tyson Campbell already was a very fast football player. Now he’s even faster.
Campbell, who signed with Georgia in February as the nation’s No. 2 cornerback prospect, has lowered his personal-best time in the 100 meters this spring. He competes for the American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) track team.
I’m really looking forward to seeing what a 6-foot-2½ defensive back with that kind of speed can do on the field.
Filed under Georgia Football
Today, in doing it for the kids
I can’t help but juxtapose the NCAA’s stated defense of its transfer rules…
… with this Lebron James quote.
“I do know what five-star athletes bring to a campus, both in basketball and football,” he said. “I know how much these college coaches get paid. I know how much these colleges are gaining off these kids.”
“I’ve always heard the narrative that they get a free education,” he added, “but you guys are not bringing me on campus to get an education. You guys are bringing me on it to help you get to a Final Four or to a national championship.”
You could say that’s a matter of perspective. You could also say there’s a vast difference in the levels of bullshit on display there. In the end, it’s what you get when an organization is forced to defend a system that really isn’t defensible.
Filed under The NCAA
Glad you stayed.
Nah, it’s not as big a deal as the decisions of Chubb, Michel, Bellamy and Carter to return last season instead of opting for the NFL draft, but I have to admit to a palpable sense of relief that Deandre Baker elected to return for his senior season. I’m reminded of that every time I read a projection of Georgia’s defensive backfield.
What to watch: With all the attention Roquan Smith, Lorenzo Carter and Davin Bellamy received on defense, Baker probably didn’t get the respect he deserved. Down the stretch of the season, Baker turned into a lock-down cornerback for the Bulldogs
This was evidenced by his game against Alabama in the national championship, when he was tasked with guarding receiver Calvin Ridley on the outside. While Georgia doesn’t match its cornerbacks against a team’s top wideout, Baker saw Ridley quite a bit. And while Ridley did catch a game-tying touchdown in the fourth quarter, the star receiver was held to four catches for 32 yards.
Baker was a big reason why. The rising senior finished second on the team in interceptions with three and led the Bulldogs with nine pass breakups. Baker will be one of Georgia’s focal points on defense and should return as one of the SEC’s better defensive backs.
As we know, the secondary is going to get a little greener this season (which isn’t to say it won’t be talented). Having Reed and Baker back to anchor the back five I would think is a huge comfort for Smart and Tucker. I know it is for me.
Filed under Georgia Football
Passing the baton at CBS
Nice thoughts from Brad Nessler about Uncle Verne, as he went through his first season as the man on the SEC beat:
Q: How was the SEC season? I know you’ve said you weren’t replacing Verne, but did that get better as the year went along?
A: I talk to Verne all the time. We kept him in the loop a lot. He would know, if we were doing an Alabama game, exactly what time we would be with (coach Nick) Saban, meeting, and when Saban would leave the meeting room, and we’d be eating Dreamland Bar-b-que. Then one of us would call Verne and we’d get him on our phone and include him. We worried about his back surgery. We talked to him a lot.
The last time that I really had a conversation, I had to talk to him about Army-Navy, because I had never done it before. I’m like, ‘Verne, everybody’s hitting me from all sides about Army-Navy, and I don’t get it.’ He said, ‘You will, once you do it.’ We went to West Point for a whole day, Annapolis for a whole day. We were in New York for the National Football Foundation deal, so I spent the whole week on the week on the road with our crew, and by the time I got to the game, I got it. And the game was awesome, and I really got it. Verne helped me on that one a lot.
He’s always been a huge backer of mine and mentor. We try to keep him in the loop, and I can’t wait for him get back to the Masters, hopefully.
I imagine the phone call from Dreamland was a hoot.
Non-Lundquist, but this is pretty funny:
Q: It’s unusual for someone to come back to where they worked before. Had a lot changed when you came back?
A: You know what’s really weird? When I came back for football, my producer was Craig Silver 27 years ago or whatever, he’s still my producer on football. The theme music is the same for football and basketball. When I came back, when you have to do billboards and stuff, pre-taping things, the music comes back, and it just comes back.
I know what he means.
Eight notes, and you know what’s coming on TV next.
Filed under SEC Football
Get The Picture 