Drew Bonner from WEGL joins me to discuss the SEC Championship and the keys for an Auburn victory.
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James Kratch of the Daily Gamecock in South Carolina returns to the podcast to preview the SEC Championship game this Saturday.
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The Football Jesus returns on during the holidays for a big week in the SEC and looks to add to the 8-3-1 free pick mark with a team not quite in the SEC.
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AJC’s Jeff Schultz joins me on his drive to Tuscaloosa to discuss the states of Georgia and Georgia Tech and a preview of what’s to come in the game next weekend.
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Even after the midterm elections this November, Washington D.C. continues to exhibit uncontrollable spending habits. However, I am not talking about the Republican Party, and not even the Democratic Party. The irresponsible spending can be summed into a few front office moves made by multiple franchises in the D.C. area. The Redskins, Wizards, and Nationals explain how money is no object in the nation’s capital. Let us begin with Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins. When Snyder purchased the Redskins in May 1999, it was the most expensive transaction in sporting history, setting the record at $800 million dollars. However, Synder can only add to the debt of his transaction by acquiring Albert Haynesworth for 7 years at $100 million. This deal once again was a record breaker, but for the highest contract ever received by a defensive player. I am not a NFL head coach, but if you are planning to pay someone over $10 million a year, he should start in at least 1 game during the season (especially if he is healthy). Let us also not forget about Dan Synder locking up Mike Shanahan for 5 yrs. at $35 million. Shanahan has been constantly picked fights with Haynesworth, whom he won’t start, but he also benched starting quarterback, Donovan McNabb, who was acquired early in the season for a 2nd round draft pick. (Side note: Nate Allen, the selection of the Eagles with the 2nd round pick, currently is 2nd in INTS for NFL rookies these season). But back to Shanahan and the McNabb controversy. After the benching of McNabb, Shanahan then commented on McNabb as “not having the cardiovascular endurance to run the 2 minute drill.” You may be wondering why I am explaining all the McNabb and Shanahan drama, but it is because I failed to mention he new contract he signed with the Redskins for 5 years for $78 million ($3.5 million guaranteed: originally reported as $40). For a quarterback who was benched mid-season and essentially described as “fat,” it is extremely hard to justify resigning McNabb for so much money. In a time where most Americans have experienced a strangle hold on their wallet in recent years, the Washington Redskins have demonstrated a lack of fiscal responsibility. Is it justifiable to invest $100 million in one person, and then deny them playing time? Or is one of the moves just a sunk cost and you need to take a loss on?
The lack of monetary accountability has also seeped into the Washington Wizards front office. Gilbert Arenas, the face of the Wizards franchise has also disappointed the citizens of the District of Columbia. In the summer of 2008, Arenas signed a contracted for 6 years worth over $110 million. However, since the 2007-08 season, Arenas has only appeared in 47 games, only slightly over half an NBA season. Aside from Arenas nagging injuries, an incident during last season landed the NBA all-star in a halfway house and on 2 years of probation. Luckily, for the Wizards they still have a few more years to get the most out of their star. It is hard to predict the future, but for the years Arenas was with the Wizards before the new contract, could no one see his selfish and immature attitude? Gilbert Arenas clearly has character issues, but I believe the Wizards have issues that are more serious. This is for failing to prepare themselves properly in the event of future adversity with an unfortunate investment, such as, number 0.
Lastly is the Washington Nationals, arguably the best team out of 3 very underperforming and undisciplined sport franchises. Most recently for the Washington Nats, they signed Stephen Strasburg, a baseball prodigy, a student of the game who single handedly sold out baseball games. Strasburg, and rightfully deserving of the money he earned ($15.1 million, also another record), ended up on the disabled list very quickly this year. His record contract passed Mark Prior ($10.5 million) who also was managed by Rob Riggleman who quickly ran Prior out of baseball with multiple injuries. Mark Prior is harder to find today than George W. Bush during Hurricane Katrina. The Nationals also found themselves a new home in 2008, constructing Nationals Park for $611 million. Nationals are 23 out of 30 of MLB attendance. Need I say more? It is evident that the owners of the Washington sports franchises are as irresponsible as our leaders in Washington. With that, the Nationals are a young franchise with multiple young stars that will eventually reach their potential. Yet, the problem remains with the leaders of these young stars, and unfortunately leading them nowhere. The term, “fiscal responsibility,” is constantly thrown around like a $20 bill at Spearmint Rhino club after a congressional meeting. In addition, the trend in Washington of economic recklessness has reached all the way into our homes; for example, football fans are forced to watch the Washington Redskins endure a beating while McNabb has multiple interceptions after signing a contract extension and Haynesworth has recorded 1 tackle. If we can question our government, we should be able to object to the transactions our teams are making. These teams were created for fans, constructed in locations with strong “fan bases.” The fans deserve rewards like our glorified and merchandized players are rewarded. Not unlike the midterm elections, I think we need to see a change in ownership in Washington.
This is just a little image to put things into perspective.
Dave Tarter
Welcome to Stegeman Coliseum as the Dawgs take on the Colorado Buffaloes. Georgia’s coming off an eyebrow-raising 2-point win vs. Mississippi Valley State in which a Jeremy Price explosion in the final few minutes saved Georgia a loss that would have been like losing to Kennesaw State. Colorado comes in a much better opponent than MSV with one of the best guard tandems in the country starring senior Corey Higgins and sophomore Alec Burks. The two combined to average 36 points per game, good for the third-best duo in the NCAA. Higgins was also named to the All Big-12 preseason team. Georgia will again be without Trey Thompkins who return date is still uncertain but Coach Fox hoped he may return for the Old Spice Classic during Thanksgiving break.
We’ve got a 7pm tip here in Athens and I’ll be keeping you posted on the action.
Here are tonight’s starters:
Dawgs
Dustin Ware
Gerald Robinson Jr
Travis Leslie
Connor Nolte
Jeremy Price
Colorado
Austin Dufault
Nate Tomlinson
Marcus Relphorde
Alec Burks
Cory Higgins
The Dawgs win the tip and we’re off in Athens. The crowd’s a lot louder than this time a year ago. Price with the 3-point play. Boomtown.
Great sequence from Georgia after giving up a couple of easy baskets. Leslie with a three, Nolte with a three and Price with the Powerslam in the paint from a perfect alley-oop pass from Gerald Robinson. Dawgs up 11-4.
Off the timeout, Robinson grabs a rebound and hits Colorado with a little sauce takin’ it straight to the rim freezing a couple of defenders on his way. He follows that up with a 3 giving the Dawgs a 16-4 lead. He did, however, pick up his second foul. Sharrard Brantely enters.
Coach Fox emphasized that he wanted an improvement on the defensive side of the ball this year. The Dawgs are certainly accomplishing that thus far, leading 22-8 and grabbing 8 boards.
You know the drill, Price gets open down low and goes with the Powerslam in the paint. When he plays within himself and does what he does best, as opposed to trying to be a shooter, he can be one of the most effective players on the team.
Everything just looks faster for Georgia. Passing, moving on defense. And this is all being done with out Trey (obviously) and Gerald Robinson, who has sat for the last 10 minutes with foul trouble. Georgia is now up 31-16 limiting Colorado to 5-18 shooting with 6 minutes left in the first half. The Dawgs also have 15 boards, 8 assists and just 5 turnovers. The lone negative is the fouls, as Georgia already has 10 now with 5 minutes left in the first.
Jeremy Price picks up an offensive foul giving 3/5 starters 2 fouls along with Donte Williams. Nolte and Leslie are the only starters safe from the bench and Colorado has slowly but surely chipped away at the lead by knocking down foul shots. The slow pace of the game does not suit the Dawgs.
Barnes picks up his second but Fox is forced to leave him in the game with 4 minutes left because everyone else also has 2 fouls.
Travis Leslie was close to giving us our first Thunderdunk of the season on a breakaway. Everything went as planned, he rose, he flew, he went to throw down…and destroyed the back of the rim sending the ball way back over halfcourt. Really, that perfectly describes the tale of this Georgia first half. It started off so well and now they’ve blown a 20 point lead as Colorado pick up two quick baskets and have narrowed the lead to just 2.
Georgia hit a free throw but Colorado answer with a 3 to tie the game at half. Georgia crowd sits down a bit stunned. But the second half does mean that those in foul trouble are no longer in foul trouble. Yet.
Jeremy Price is back to doing Big Dawg things. He’s been a menace in the paint, moving well, getting open on transition. Unfortunately, you know the bad news that has come along with any positive play so far: he picks up his third foul. Georgia’s up 45-42 and looking much better than the end of the first half but a rejuvenated Colorado is now playing with much more confidence.
Though Georgia has picked up a lot of fouls, the refs have been calling some very ticky-tacky fouls. There hasn’t been a whole lot else to report unfortunately. The fouls have continued to be a part of the game which has sucked the life out of the game and the crowd. It’s 48-45 Georgia with 13 left.
Leslie finally gets the breakaway Thunderdunk we’ve been waiting for. Leslie opts for two hands this time and throws it down. Poor rim. 52-46 Dawgs.
Play starting to pick back up again as the fouls have dissipated a bit. A great look from Nolte finds Leslie open under the basket (last time that may happen all season) but Colorado answer with a full court pass for an easy two. It’s 59-57 Georgia with 8 left.
Chris Barnes isn’t having his best night. Offensively, he’s turned into a stiffer Albert Jackson. Still grabbing boards, but a liability offensively at this point.
After surrendering the lead with some very sloppy defense, Gerald Robinson and Dustin Ware fire down a couple of threes to reignite the crowd and go up by 3. Nolte takes a charge and Stegeman finally has their energy back. Colorado halt the momentum by fouling Chris Barnes down low. Brilliant strategy.
The rampant fouls continue as Leslie fouls out on an over-the-back call. One of the worst foul calls I’ve ever seen made much worse by removing Georgia’s top scorer. Crowd rightfully lets the ref know how they feel about it. Luckily, Price is back in for Barnes and hits another layup. The Big Dawg has been a beast these past two games. Imagine the looks he’ll get when teams have to worry about the preseason SEC POY. Dawgs up 71-65
Georgia can ice this game by hitting free throws. Gerald hits one with 40 seconds left giving Georgia a 77-72 lead. Colorado miss and Marcus Thornton gets the rebound with 30 seconds left. He hits one as the Georgia crowd heads for the exits. Robinson gets a steal, makes a layup and with 10 seconds left, Georgia leads 80-74.
After Colorado coach Tad Boyle picks up a T for complaining about the calls, Ware hit’s his free throws and Gerald tacks on one more. Dawgs win 83-74
Drew Bonner of WEGL returns to Heatin’ Up to preview the game between Georgia and Auburn on the final podcast of Thunderous Thursday. No mention of Cam Newton whatsoever. Just kidding.
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A big win with Tennessee last week has the Football Jesus filled with “swagger” as he breaks down the SEC and talks about his top 5 teams in the NCAA.
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Seth Emerson from BulldogsBlog (among many other places) comes on the show to preview the Dawgs this basketball season.
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Gary Parrish from CBS Sports joins me to celebrate the start of basketball season by dissecting the SEC
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