HD-TV seems petty

Well alright SEC along with other conferences are going get HD-TV in the replay booth. Maybe that helps out the ‘09 LSU/ Ole Miss game, toe in or out call (That is over shadowed by Les Miles Lunacy at the end of the game). But honestly the $50k spent on the upgrade emerges as petty to me in light of a news event I first missed.

Dateline, Oxford, MS; February 19th: Ole Miss walk-on Bennie Abram collapses during workouts, and 6 hours later is pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital. Chilling, cold as the table he laid on awaiting an autopsy. Being a 5’9”/ 186 Safety, Bennie is not a bloated behemoth that gives rise to immediate suspicion. No his Achilles heel is a recessive gene, which is more stealth, more sinister, much more a silent killer.

Factoid: Since the 21st Century began THE LEADING KILLER of College Football players is …..drum roll please….. Sickle Cell Anemia. Not violence, not drugs, not on field vicious collisions like Bacarri Rambo did during the Auburn game that caused ear padding to be dislodged as well as the football from the WR. If Abrams death is ruled as being attributed to Sickle Cell, there will have been NINE deaths this century, for the non-math mentalist that averages out to almost 1 per year. For those more technically inclined, approximately 75k players in college football, approximately 60% are African American, of those the disease is in roughly 8%, so 1 out of 3,600 players will die. You have a slightly better (worse) chance of cashing out on a Mid-Day Pick 3. However, if your three picks are training, for college football and African American, you may not get another chance to roll.

The fact that the NCAA will begin to test all participants in August of this year, a FULL 35 YEARS after they were first acknowledged the problem, comes a bit late and disingenuous. (To be completely fair to Ole Miss there are reports that Bennie Abrams was tested for the disease and history of the illness disclosed to the medical staff, and furthermore the autopsy report is still pending.)

Yes serious physical injuries as a whole need further examination – Head Injuries, Concussions, Heat Stroke, and Cervical Spinal Injury. Prevention and detection of any precursors (like cardiac and sickle cell testing) of those issues should be at the forefront - not bickering over a bad insurance policy and the outcome.

Why football? Why so frequently? Notwithstanding Hank Gather’s death, which was a Cardiac Arrhythmia and not due to Sickle Cell trait, I can’t recall of another player dying from training or participating in basketball. Many of you may recall running Suicides in High School – until your coach got tried of resetting the clock or blowing the whistle. Wrestling, track and field are sports that also require training with exertion – no deaths. Why is TRAINING for college football MORE deadly THAN PLAYING?

As internet furry and criticism continues about UGA S&C program being soft/ sub-standard, as The State gravels with an estimated $1B budget short fall, and looks towards higher education to make up over a 1/3 ($350M) of that projection, as the beginning of Spring football starts, I pray that priorities and promises are kept.

Melancholy b4 Madness

This time of year stinks for the sports fan. Football’s calendar has ended. Stale slam dunk competitions can’t hold more than 20 minutes worth of intrigue. College hoops captures 2 hours of evening, but the fact remains that they are still playing a bunch meaningless games before the madness begins. Only harden gym rats are discussing conference standings, RPI and who’s in right now. It’s the dead of winter and spring football, the draft, the Final Four, the Masters, MLB seem so remote, just like the program I’m Lost and alone on an island, except colder.

Yearly, these doldrums devour me- Seasonal Affect Disorder, perhaps. I prefer to label it Sports Addicted Depression or SAD. Being an addict, I’ll try anything to get my “February fix” – I’m a junkie. NASCAR – give me a toke of Smoke. What Bowling on Sunday’s?! Sure give me a hit of Pete Weber for an hour. Bass Masters, I’ll drink that up. Kevin VanDam – You da Man! Even though I know that it is going to be unfulfilling, it is all about staving off the craving.

Don’t know what it is, but in February nothing satisfies my sports pallet. Hoops, absolutely love it during other times, but Hearth Month – not so much. My wife tried in vain to help me beat that blah feeling. To cheer me up, she reminded me the Winter Olympics were next. Are those real sports? Can’t anyone go out, find a hill, hop on sled, cardboard for Southerners, and go down? I know that it is not good for my psyche, but I’ll probably be tuned in, which is the VERY reason I got even more depressed because I remembered what happened 4 and then 8 years ago. The anticipation of more agony is just killin’ me. (I wrote the following piece four years ago, trying to break through this cycle. It compares Ice Skating to professional Wrestling. Humor yourself at my misery back then.)

I always knew that Ice Skating was fixed. Now you have “Icegate” to prove it. For some Ice Skating is that beautiful tale of romance. Of the dainty, damsel in distress saved, lifted up by her handsome hero; her head spinning with dizziness until she collapses in his arms at the end. To me the “sport” resembles more closely old school wrestling than it does classical ballet.

Even before the action can take place you need a hawker…I mean promoter. Skating has NBC, and the WWF has Jim McMahon. They once collaborated to give us “football on the edge” (I feel breakfast coming up). At any rate, you have two teams of seasoned professionals, who are excellent at their craft. After the “exhibition”, you still have more required “elements”.

In figure skating, the performer moves on to the staging area. They’re meet by their coach, who whispers something in their ear and they begin to cry. The judges also watch this performance, too. They cry when they’re happy. They cry when they’ve fallen or disappointed. They cry over the fact that they are indeed crying just like they are supposed to cry. But make no mistake about it, the required crying comes next. Ensuing the emotional outburst comes anxiety. Skaters must demonstrate proficiency with this skill as well. They must wring their hands, their coach’s hands, and if applicable their partner’s hands or the obligatory stuffed teddy bear may be substituted for a partner. They are critiqued on level of tension created from all of the wrenching and overall facial expressions. Fans cheer and throw things. Ushers pick up.

In the WWF the exiting performer comes to the staging area. On his way he meets his “trainer”, given a towel to wring, who whispers something in his ear. Then he lets the audience and the announcer know how unstable his emotions are. One of the three things consist of the next element: 1) he just wrings the towel with unintelligible groans, 2) he wrings the announcers neck, quickly broken up by the handler or 3) fisticuffs breakout & the bell rings (usually this option happens at the end). But in any situation something has to be rung or wrung out, increasing the tension. Also in all cases, the performers are judged on level of angst produced by the antics and overall facial expressions. Fans jeer and throw objects. Ushers sweep up.

Both have the event, staging, an emotional eruption, and both have either animate or inanimate things that need to be wrung. As a result there is fan participation, tossing occurs and clean up is necessary. All must happen, in order, before the long program can proceed… Please stop pushing the silver, piece of bamboo you are slowly sliding underneath my finger nail before it reaches my knuckle.

Least we should forget the main event fours years ago between the two most infamous combatants. Imagine Gordon Solie with the call. “In this corner you have the unheralded Tonya “THE UNDERTAKER” Hardin. In the far corner, dressed in purple sequins with red feathers, whining about it, you have Nancy “CARRY A GUN” Kerrigan. Both land a double, followed by a “SOW COW” (Sal chow). OOOOOO that’s gotta hurt. Can you believe this action? Nancy pulls off a triple axel. Wait! Wait a minute! It looks like THE UNDERTAKER has gotten some foreign object inside the ring.. rink, excuse me. Tonya lands a beautiful tire iron. OOOOh did she nail that one. Nancy GOES down!”

Just like in “rastlin’”, the guy from “parts unknown” ain’t going to win. The same is true in skating. You have to be among the elite before you’re in gold medal contention. No matter how much better the understudy is. Most importantly as recent events with the Canadian couple point out, IT WAS FIXED, and the only people not in on the take of the predetermined outcome were those millions of spectators who are passion about it. Like WWF when the popular guy does not win the first time, he wins the next round, just to keep mayhem at arms distant. The plot thickens even more, you have the once rivals kiss, hug, make up and become a tag team. The announcers rave on and on about the spontaneity and joyousness of the moment. Everybody cries.

That sight, that depiction, indeed tripped my gag reflex. Now the rest of my body aches as much as my head. It has been a very long winter. Have you finally figured skating out?

To quote Tom Hanks’ one liner: “THERE IS NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!” Need I say more!

I thank GOD I heard those 5 little, magical words….”Pitchers and catchers reported today.”…..Hope springs eternal.

The Daytona 500, conference tourneys and the NBA All Star game the NBA And 1 contest will have to carry and comfort me this last half of February. ‘Til then, Keep Hope Alive!

Recruiting Update

ESPN's Chris Low weighs on the high school rating debate by reviewing the SEC First Team Defense and the national ranking of each member. Chris Low uses Scout.

Nine of the eleven (82%) were NOT ranked nationally. Astonishingly 3 of the 9 were NOT even in the Scouts Inc database (27%). Those were Antonio Coleman, DE Auburn, and (2) DT Terrance Cody, Alabama and Dan Williams, Tenn.

Other "misses" were: Rolando McClain, Rennie Curran, Eric Norwood, Joe Haden, Javier Arenas and Mark Barron

The two that were ranked nationally were: Eric Berry (#4) and Carlos Dunlap (#15)

We are such tools for hanging on to every Recruitnik update. Gotta Go! I need to get another fix before bed---that will hold me over 'til morning.

Why Not???

I got to thinking….

Chaos reigns in Knoxville. Spurrier is successful as Ray Goof. Jasper’s new in Kentucky. Vanderbilt well is “Vandy-land”. Cryer is acting like a wet dish rag. He can’t make up his mind whether he’s coming or going, and finally verbalizes what has been apparent.

So if winning is about coaching. CMR is one of the best based on win % coaches this past decade. So if winning is about leadership, and leadership is about weathering storms, standing in the face of adversity. CMR is the dean of the ultra competitive SEC coaches.

I simply ask “Why not us next year?”

Review of Season stats

Before the ink dries on the contracts for the new coaches and NSD comes around, I thought it would be a worthwhile endeavor to look at the season ending stats, and from an “inside the numbers” and recap specific categories.

Rushing
Much was made early in the season that Bobo wasn’t going to the ground often and early enough. That appeared to get corrected as the season went along. On the year, The Dawgs averaged 161 yards per game, and had an average of 4.7 per attempt. While not outstanding, those statistics are more than enough to create space for AJ Green & Co. In the end the trio/ quad group of RB’s came through.
On the other side, despite opponents rushing for 33 MORE times, than UGA, they gained 553 yards LESS, and only had a 3.4 per attempt average or approximately a buck and quarter per game. The scoring stinginess of the ground D was felt too, only yielding 12 TD all year. In addition, the ground D had TOL totaling 369 yards (~ 20 yd/ gm doing mental math). Finally fumbles, while opponents ran, we created 18 of them, but failed to recover 16 times. More scrum techniques need to be taught? Pinch and Pull method emphasized? – and I’m not talking about the leather ball either. (I wonder how the numbers look without Tenn Tech game? But on second thought, I guess the GT game evens out that indicator??) It will be interesting to see if UGA keeps those goods numbers switching schemes and taking a man off the point of attack. Although historically 3-4’s have done well against the run.

Passing
Cox & Gray had a season QB rating of 81.98. They had a 55% completion percentage; however, the 17 going to the wrong jersey is woefully. When considering the long droughts of ineffectiveness that the offense suffered from (Tenn game. Last ½ of Okie St., LSU for the 1st 3+ Qtrs, the WLOCP) much of that rest squarely on how well the QB is performing.
With pass D, first for the superlative. As much of a question mark that pass rush was coming into the season, the Dawgs managed to get 30 sacks, most of that coming later in the season, but developing nevertheless. Per pass attempt, Yards per completion, Pass yardage and most importantly TD’s, were virtually equal to UGA’s output. You ask “Well if UGA passing attack stunk, why didn’t UGA pass D play “well” considering both had the same output and held the opposing QB’s under 90 for  a QB rating (89.41)?” The key statistic is interceptions and UGA’s pass D inability to “cover” their own offense. The Dawgs had only 10 picks all year long. Breaking it down to per 100 pass attempts, UGA D had 2.5, but we turned it over with twice the frequency (4.9). Picks, not getting more and throwing them twice the rate, arguably cost the Dawgs in all “L’s”; Not getting ‘em – LSU, Too many – Vols & Gators, Preventing comebacks - Kent & Okie St.
Scott Lakatos, we need your "A" game.

Miscellaneous
Time of Possession. By the seasons end, TOP came out to a virtual wash, within 32 seconds of being equal. Note to self: should have kept up with W/L TOP variance. Thru the 1st half of the year there was a chasm that existed with TOP for W, being positive and TOP being negative for L. I doubt that it changed, but still would like to know for certain.
Kickoff returns. While the per average rerurn variance looks miniscule 22.1 to 25.7 yards per return, The Dawgs GAVE UP 113 More yards than opponents allowed, despite having 4 more return advantage. That’s gotta be worth 1 or 2 scores on a cumulative basis. IF you take out “The Brand of Bros” long returns, it highlights two issues. One we need to be consistently good at our own returns and not to belabor the point, but Kickoff coverage has got to get revamped.
Red Zone. Scoring TD, the Dawgs hit pay dirt on 62% of their opportunities. They settled for FG 11 more times to give them an overall rate of 94%. The overall rate is impressive; however, the TD rate is mediocre, but an improvement for CMR historical struggles.
On the other side the D held opponents to only 56% scoring TD; however, the D allowed 5 more trips, and thus opponents scored 1 more TD than UGA scored. Overall, opponents scored only 87%. (Thanks ASU, who had a hurt kicker.)
3rd Down conversion. It certainly doesn’t seem that UGA was slightly better (2%) converting 3rd down attempts.

Overall
29 points per game is ‘good enuf’. Allowing 26 points per game is too many. ---Bottom Line.

GA SO MBB lands on Probation

Synopsis:
A former assistant coach, Nolan Myrick, and a former basketball operation coordinator, John Miller, took test, wrote term papers and did on-line assignments to keep a couple of players legible. Former HC, Jeff Price, who resigned due to the incident, was not implicated. Athletic Director, Sam Baker, still, skates.

Penalty Summary:
2 year probation, but are legible for post-season play (fat chance w/ Davidson & COC)
Lost 1 scholly for 3 years
“Vacate” wins
Myrick has a 5 year “show-cause” penalty individually

Here is the full copy of the findings: http://multimedia.savannahnow.com/media/pdfs/GSUfindings.pdf

The Athletic Director, Sam Baker, may have avoided consequence, but check out the ire of one unidentified NCAA Infractions committee member (Page 8 bottom and Continuing on Page 9), and they throw him under the proverbial bus and reads to me:
1) AD, you can’t raise any funds.
2) AD you’re an idiot! – “Red Flag”
3) AD you’re a big idiot for not providing academic over site.
4) “Then, finally,” AD you are a slacker. Why weren’t you doing what was right from the beginning?
5) “So I guess my question” is ‘Why are YOU still there?’

Then the former University Prez speaks b/c the Sam Baker can’t formulate a response.

Sports prespective on today

Today is Martin Luther King Holiday. As I reflect upon the civil rights movement, for me some of the most vivid images of the discord and progress are pixel in, colored in, by athletics.

I am not a keen observer of politics, but my interest was piqued by the argument that writer Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez sets forth that the last presidential election was swayed by the Huxtable Effect. In her book she theorizes that Clair and Heathcliff Huxtable were the catalyst for a dawning of a Different World. She argues that America was forever changed by the break down of social barriers that occurred by coming into your den every Thursday evening for nearly a decade a generation ago. I don’t disagree with her conclusion of the power of the television; I do disagree on the genesis. Indulge me a moment.

Play. Yes play period was and still is far more important to break down of stereotypical beliefs. It helps when by decree that play was legitimized, like the Supreme Court did in the Brown v Board of Education decision. In 1954, you had a rule that now kids in the United States of America would play together, learn together, for 8 hours a day for 180 days of the year, which was a precursor for the civil rights movement and the ignition switch for the upheaval that occurred in the ‘60’s. As schools integrated one of the first avenues of commonality that was discovered, was on the playgrounds and in athletics. Remember the Titans?

When play is deemed important, it is called sports. Because of sports you had blacks coming into ‘white houses’ far sooner than the mid-‘80’s. Notwithstanding the controversial attention from the frozen fists salute when Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood on the medal podium while the national anthem played in Mexico City, much of the TV coverage was widely popular and positive.

It was not in the sitcoms where equality was depicted first thru the media. It was sports. A sport’s - made for TV- themed movie, Brian’s Song (1971), captured hearts as well as a relationship struggle and ultimately the bonding between Brian Piccolo and Gayle Sayers. In 1975 it was sports media where Irv Cross, the first African-American national sports analyst, came into my house every Sunday on the NFL Today show for nearly 15 years, immediately following the Vince Dooley show. It was sports executives who fired Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, Howard Cosell, Al Campanis and Rush Limbaugh after each made insensitive remarks. (Ironically for Jimmy The Greek, Irv Cross, a co-host, still considered him a friend until Jimmy’s death; however, he was fired from the NFL Today show based on his comments that he made when a reporter asked his feelings on MLK Day in 1988.) It was sports media that birthed Bryant and Greg Gumble on the American landscape. Bryant, after years at NBC sports, became the first African-American to do national news, when he hosted the Today Show, for 15 years (started prior to The Cosby Show beginning). Greg Gumble was one of the first African-American anchors on SportsCenter on ESPN, before it was the world wide leader. From the thousands of celebratory, integrated, scenes broadcasted, from the clips of the 1936 Berlin Games and Jessie Owens, from Texas Western in 1966 beating Kentucky for the NCAA Men’s basketball championship, from the '70 USC v Alabama football game, it has been sports shots through TV that have warmed minds and chilled ignorance, first. Sports have taught the performance matters the most.

Play, not a prime time skit, set the stage for the promotion of progress. Play and sport teach us those valuable lessons, not learn elsewhere. I have ingrained my U-10 football coach barking out “Life is a field marked off in one yard segments!” Athletics have tenaciously, through television, struggle with and for civil rights from virtually the inception. What a Different World it would be without sports being the show piece for social justice to stand on!