Thought this was kind of interesting.
Back in January, before the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, participants in the game were asked to fill out a survey that asked them to name which school had the best athletic facilities. Ninety-four players anonymously filled out the survey and while some gave multiple answers and one refused, the results were revealing.
And the winner? Glad you asked.
Sitting atop the list is Georgia, a program that’s won consecutive national championships and is the favorite to win a third in 2023. Georgia is looking to solidify its spot as college football’s next dynasty and have worked toward that goal with remarkable recruiting.
Crawford: “May 2022 marked the completion of Georgia’s $80 million upgrade, which included 136,300 square feet of new space including a locker room, a player’s lounge, a plunge pool, a nutrition bar, a barbershop, a sensory deprivation tank and a weight room with a double-sided video board. According to a press release by HOK, which helped design the facility per Dawgs247, the design creates three floors of high-performance training experiences for student-athletes and coaches. The modern, amenity-filled space will also support UGA’s efforts to continue to recruit and retain top talent.”
We’ve come a long way from that silly halfassed IPF Richt was saddled with, baby. That’s one way to keep the recruits coming.
Elite
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It was way past time to do all of this. I don’t think our facilities are why CMR didn’t get over the hump, but it did tell a lot of recruits who had an interest in UGA that the administration wasn’t committed to winning at the highest level. That goes from Il Duce to Red Panties to Greg McGarity. It took a soon-to-be 41 year old career assistant to demand the financial commitment to winning. Without the head coaching change, none of this happens with the scale and speed that was necessary (all that told me was that the willingness was there to fund the projects).
Now it’s time to invest in our other programs to make our athletic program dominant again … start with basketball, gymnastics and baseball.
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You want some milk with that cookie, Double E?
😉
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RR, I have no idea if we can spend our way to success in basketball. It’s never been tried. We have to figure out a way to make March matter (and our women’s program has been lapped by a program that had zero winning tradition before Dawn Staley showed up in Columbia). Gymnastics speaks for itself … the former Alabama of the women’s sport has been driven straight into the ground and left behind by programs (especially the Handbags) we dominated for decades. Baseball, baseball, baseball … we have high school talent by the bushel and can’t get past the regionals (even when we host). This year is looking like it’s going to be another wasted year.
I just want a real commitment to win at the highest level across the board. If Alabama can have the tournament favorite (hahahahahaha, Tide!), we should be able to get into the dance more often than not.
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Totally agree. Brooks is accepting poor performance from the baseball and gymnastics programs. He preemptively defended poor baseball performance right after the athletic board meeting by blaming recruiting problems on facilities. Gymnastics is a joke, last in the SEC this season.
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I have no idea if “rinse, lather, repeat” is a strategy for the gymnastics program, but the results speak loudly. With baseball, I have a friend who grew up a Dawg fan and has a top-flight outfield prospect as a senior … he’s going to FSU unless he goes the pro route and never really considered UGA. Foley is a great facility … for a Gwinnett or Cobb County high school program now. Stricklin can’t seem to get the team over the hump.
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“Lather, rinse, repeat” – coffee hasn’t kicked in
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If Metchie and Williams had been healthy, Alabama makes the final four for sure.
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Post of the day, Derek!
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Anyone have an update on how the ceiling repairs at the Steg are going???
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They should have just imploded the place and play over in Duluth for a couple of years while a new arena is being built. Build a 15,000 seat arena that can be a showplace for basketball, gymnastics and volleyball. It can also be a great place for concerts and the graduate school graduation ceremonies.
Done right … in Gwinnett, you could build a north Atlanta alumni following for the teams that could become a solid ticket buying fan base going forward.
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The resistance to building a new basketball/gymnastics/multi-purpose arena remains one of the mysteries of life….
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The building has no real history with it other than Jake Scott’s motorcycle fun and Suzanne Yoculan’s gymnastics run. The AA has slapped some lipstick on the pig over the last 10 years, but the place just doesn’t scream “we want to win.”
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what about tennis?
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Good point. I was just focused on what are “revenue” sports.
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The days of Spartan facilities and, “Take some Motrin, rub some dirt on it and suck it up, cupcake” have ended for elite athletes and Special Operations Forces. I considered it a bit extravagant at first look. Upon reflection I reckon I’m simply envious. Looking after the folks who are working so hard physically with proper health and nutritional care has been a long time coming. I’m glad to see my alma mater at the forefront.
50 years too late for my old ass.
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No ass, bad ass, sorry ass, it’s never to late for your Ranger ass…as always, We thank you for your service…GO DAWGS!!
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I question why these guys need some of the extravagances (doesn’t someone have a koi pond or indoor waterfall or something?) but gotta keep up with the Jones, Sabans, and Swinneys, I guess.
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It seems our facilities focus on what’s important – the well-being (physical and mental) of our athletes. Sure, there are some bells and whistles thrown in (who needs a barber shop in the football facility), but those seem to be the exception and the things that develop connection.
I just want to know if these kinds of debates happen in the barber shop:
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Ladd McConkey is definitely bringing up Joe Louis.
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All of that still makes me laugh. Murphy and Hall … that’s real comedy.
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Not keep up with them…exceed in every way. If a koi pond would help, they should have one. It can’t hurt for the amenities that make for a little respite. These guys lay their body on the line 12/mo/yr. Gotta give them something to be there. It makes all the pain and sweat worth it. They know what The Mouse dumps into the coffers. They are some of the smartest football players on any gridiron in the country. Kirby is very picky.
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We got a goddam Bones restaurant in the thing. We didn’t settle for an outback
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College football just got a shot in the expansion ass, the final four misfits had these words uttered “this is what makes dreams come true tournament”…#WEAREFUCKEDNOW!
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The tournament is a crap shoot now. With the structure of the sport today, the blue bloods can’t keep their best players while the top mid-majors keep players for 4 or 5 years. At some point, it becomes men against boys. Even if the boys are more talented and have a higher upside, the men have matured and have played together longer. The boys are then headed to the NBA 1 or 2 years later, and the cycle starts all over.
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For another shot at the finals, the U core stuck around, they looked in the mirror, liked what they saw, liked the disappointment of the final 8, and made that commitment to themselves of higher expectations and now are in the conversation….so maybe, just maybe that NIL deal let$ some stick out another year, but only if there is a real chance at the title…GO DAWGS!!
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What, no lazy river that meanders through trophy land?!
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Take a tour, see where the money went, and get to know a few of our players (Lassiter, Mims, and Milton) better:
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Thanks for posting this.
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You bet! It’s a fun watch. Saw it with my son this weekend. He’s 10 and is going to Kirby’s youth camp this summer. He REALLY wants to see that facility in person and eat at Bones. Not sure that’s on the docket for his camp, but I was like, me too buddy, me too!!!
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Pretty incredible, but I did note a couple of things:
1) the fun things (e.g., the arcade) encourage competitiveness, resilience and connection
2) the work encourages other things as well to make it easier to get the job done (the screens)
3) the meeting rooms focus on the team
4) there are reminders everywhere of “what’s in it for me”
I would love to see it in person.
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My face hurts from the perma-grin!! Lol
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If fsu doesn’t make the cfp title game this year, then they can look back at this list again.
And notre dame, this is inexcusable
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B-b-b-but the reserve fund!
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I’ve been in that new facility a couple of times. It’s something else.
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Hope for a speedy recovery, Bluto.
Man, I hate it for you.
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