I Give Up. You Do, Too

And this time, I guess we'll stay that way.

Resigned to embarassing displays on the football field. Dreading ESPN replays. Wondering what happened to the once-proud Dawgs team.

There will be no Belue to Scott, "Lindsay Scott, Lindsay Scott" miracle. No Greene to Hayes hobnail pass over the middle. We're losing the games that we used to somehow find a way to win.

We are so bad that I actually laughed. When Caleb King fumbled the ball, I got up, turned the t.v. off and just kind of chuckled.

We are finding creative ways to lose. Roughing the kicker penalties. Late-game fumbles, a missed field goal.

Gaffes on defense. Receivers for opposing teams, once again running wide open.

When we just have to have a stop, we couldn't do it. Colorado played smash-smouth football with us. We knew the run was coming, but the Dawgs couldn't hunker down. We got a sack to finally keep them off the board, but they controlled the ball for over eight minutes.

We look boring and totally predictable on offense. In the meantime, Colorado was unveiling options, misdirections, surprise two-point conversions. All manner of cool offensive plays to keep our defense off-balance.

If there's any consolation, it's that Larry Munson doesn't have to call these pitiful outings.

Wilkins willing to help

Damien Wilkins has consistently kept an ear out for what is going on in his home town of Washington, North Carolina.

Wilkins has been involved in sports camps and activities for the city's youth, and more recently, he has expressed his willingness to help restore the court on which he developed his game.

Good effort by Damien.

Very Optimistic on Dai-Jon Parker

I could see him coming in and getting minutes at the point guard position with Kentavious Caldwell playing the 2. That would give Georgia a big line-up at guard, something we haven't had in a long, long time.

It would be great to see a fast break with Parker and Marcus Thornton as options.

As readers of the Blog know, I love guys who have played both football and basketball. They bring to the hardwood a sense of toughness that the hoops-only players sometimes lack.

This AJC article recounts how Parker starred at wide receiver and at cornerback and received 11 scholarship offers for football, including Georgia, Oklahoma State and Mississippi State.

I love the quote from Milton High's coach that says that Parker is a "great shooter, great athlete and great defender." He gladly takes on the other team's best player. Add to the above superlatives the fact that he carries a 3.2 gpa and you've got a rare student athlete indeed. Parker would be perfect for the kind of team that UGA is building in Athens.

I'm optimistic that at the end of the day Dai-Jon Parker will choose the Dawgs.

Five SEC East Teams to Dance?

Athlon Sports predicts that 5 SEC East teams will make the NCAA Tournament. Everybody but South Carolina.

I don't see how the SEC East can get that many teams in. Even with the slight tournament field expansion, the SEC West will send somebody, the ACC is bound to have a number of teams in the tourney, and there are just a lot of good teams out there, not to mention the surprise teams that win their conference tournament and get an automatic berth. Besides, one of the SEC East teams is bound to disappoint, if for no other reason because they get knocked off by the other good teams in the Division.

Still it's hard to poke too many holes in Athlon Sports' analysis. If you just look at the talent on the rosters, the East is stacked. Florida brings everybody back and adds Patric Young and Casey Prather. Vanderbilt lost some talent in A.J. Ogilvy and Jermaine Beal, but they will be plenty tough if their point guard play holds up. Kentucky has all those talented freshmen. And for all his troubles, Bruce Pearl has been able to hold things together. Even South Carolina has size and athleticism. The Gamecocks will miss Devan Downey, for sure, but Coach Horn will throw some teams out of whack by using his traps and pressure defense.

Basketball is definitely back in the SEC, and especially so in the SEC East. Are you ready to get started?

Sundiata Gaines to Jazz Camp

One of the things that I appreciate about Sundiata Gaines is his attitude. Guy doesn't quit, complain, or showboat. Just works hard.

I think the Utah Jazz and Coach Jerry Sloan feel the same way, too. Asked to work harder in practice, Gaines has responded and he's in the mix of competition to make the roster.

I tell you, if the Jazz cut him, there are plenty of teams who would love to have a pass-first guard, tough defender, team guy, and all for the minimum contract.

I hope he somehow ends up playing for the Atlanta Hawks. That would be perfect.

Gaines

Picking a Dawgs Victory

The turn-around starts Saturday.

I expect for the defense to still struggle, but the offense will do enough to get the Dawgs the W.

Trey Thompkins, Athlon Sports' Pre-Season First Team All-American

Athlon Sports has published its 2010-20ll College Basketball Preview and Thompkins was named to its Pre-Season First Team All-American list. He was picked along with Jimmy Fredette of BYU, Kyle Singler from Duke, LaceDarius Dunn of Baylor and Jajuan Johnson at Purdue.

Great honor for Thompkins.

Congratulations, Trey!

This Article Makes Me Sad

Not really, but sure wish we could have closed the deal on Dwayne Polee. St. Johns came in at the last seeming minute and snatched him away.

I still think that if we could only have one, it was better for us that we get Marcus Thornton.

Not saying that Thornton is better than Polee, even though he might be. Polee has incredible hops but Thornton has the bigger frame that might suit him more to SEC play.

The point is that Thornton is a Georgia kid, and for the sake of short and long-term recruiting, it's more important to get a Mr. Basketball than someone from clear across the country who may end up as a one and done.

But boy, if we could have gotten both...