Parity in the SEC

So far this year, many of my predictions regarding the SEC have been true. I missed LSU losing to Florida and winning the rematch in the SEC Championship. While the second part of that could still be true, the Gators and Tigers still have a lot to overcome. However, I nailed, probably as many of you did, South Carolina upsetting Alabama. Now, when I said Alabama would lose at least two games this year due to the bye weeks and their schedule, many people out there thought I was crazy. Well, that's one of six for them. It was even more nuts when I said LSU would win the West. Well, right now my predictions are on track in those areas.

So far, the West Division is holding true to form. Alabama, Auburn, and LSU are fighting it out on top. Arkansas is right there with modest improvement from Miss. State. As predicted, Ole Miss is at the bottom. It's the Eastern side that has this blogger confused. What the hell is going on in Athens and Gainesville this year? Mark Richt and Urban Meyer do not have their teams ready to play. Both have stumbled a lot. 

Let's be clear about one issue, while I didn't predict  South Carolina to win the East (who would with their history?), I did say they would be a factor. Like many of you, I figured this to be Spurrier's best chance to win an Eastern crown at South Carolina and to go play in Atlanta. I just thought they would choke. Who knows, it's still early. I just don't see them losing to Tennessee at home. Even if they lose to Florida, which will probably happen, Florida could still lose one more themselves. 

Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee have fallen back this year. With the Vols, that was expected. All the freshmen they have played is taking a toll. Look out next year and the following years. Dooley will have this team ready. Urban Meyer has questions at Florida to answer as well. People are getting very upset over the offense. Personally, I think the Gators are going to be fine. If Meyer really felt like he needed to make a change, he would do it. Fans were rumbling five years ago as well with Chris Leak and they won a BCS Title a year later. The fans in "The Swamp" need to relax. As far as Georgia is concerned, keep stocking up on Tums. Mark Richt is in a lot of trouble there. The win over Tennessee still does not mask a 2-4 record. Just making it to a bowl game is unacceptable in Athens....period! 

Either way you look at things, no team is running away with this conference. I just hope all can rebound next year or the SEC will lose its number one power ranking.

The End of an Era

Last night, in front of a sellout crowd of 52,000 at Turner Field in Atlanta, Bobby Cox walked off the field for the final time as manager of the Atlanta Braves. So significant are his accomplishments, no one will ever take his place as the most beloved figure in Atlanta history. That's right, Hank Aaron, Chipper Jones, and maybe even Matt Ryan will never match Bobby Cox. He took a team that rivaled the Cubs as the biggest losers and took them to the top of the division 14 years straight. How fitting an ending that he does something he never did before - win the Wild Card to close out his career.

However, this season, baseball fans are indeed witnessing the end of an era. That's not just in Atlanta. It's in LA, Chicago, and possibly St. Louis. At no other time in history will we ever witness such a quartet of successful managers leaving the game of baseball together. Bobby Cox, Lou Piniella, Joe Torre, and Tony La Russa will go down as four of the greatest managers of all time. All are in the top fifteen among most wins in history, with La Russa, Cox, and Torre in the top five. Combined, they have eight World Series rings between them and many more appearances. Yet, at least three, possibly all four will not be in dugouts when the first pitches are tossed out to open the 2011 Season.

It's going to be strange next season. There is no question about it. All four are certainly Cooperstown-bound. I wish La Russa would call it quits now so all four could go into the Hall together. Wouldn't that be something to see? Four of the greatest standing together in five years, celebrating not only a rare and extraordinary accomplishment, but the end of one of the most successful baseball eras of all time.

Here is to you gentlemen....thank you!

Can the Braves Hang On?

Well ladies and gents, here we are a week away from the MLB playoffs. Two spots are still up for grabs: the NL West and NL Wild Card. Between the Braves, Giants, and Padres, two of those three will be playoff bound. The Braves will play host to the the Phillies this weekend in the last ever regular season series for Bobby Cox. The Giants and Padres will do battle against one another to decide the fate of the NL West, and possibly the Wild Card.

For the Braves, it really is as simple as "win and your're in." Their magic number to clinch the Wild Card, something that Bobby Cox has yet to do, is down to four games. It's quite remarkable actually when you think about it. While the Braves have stuggled mightly in September and blew a good-sized division lead, the fact that they are this depleted and still have a shot at postseason is a huge accomplishment. Bobby Cox is once again showing us what we will miss come next year.

Currently, the Braves are without Prado, Jones, Jurrjens, and Saito. Those are four big pieces to the puzzle. Derek Lee, like I predicted earlier, has struggled. Nate McLouth is producing well and I think he will start all three games against Philly this weekend. Make no mistake about it though, the Braves may be one-and-done in the playoffs in terms of series. I am just not sure they can overcome other teams. Yes, they have played well against all the NL playoff teams, but postseason is a different beast all together. Throw out the book.

Before we discuss the postseason though, can the Braves hang on in the Wild Card? I think they can just by the mere fact that the Giants and Padres play each other this weekend. Someone has to lose out there. Plus, the Phillies will probably rest some of their starters. So, the Braves will have those two factors working in their favor.

I will make this prediction though. Eric Hinske, yes Eric Hinske, will be the glue that holds this team together. He is the one I want up in a big-time situation. Let's go Braves!!!

Admitting I Was Wrong

Well folks, in the words of Oklahoma State Coach Mike Gundy...."I'm a man!!!!' I can admit I am wrong. Earlier, I wrote that all of the talk about Les Miles and Mark Richt being on the "hot seat" were wrong and premature. So far, Les has held up his end of the bargain. LSU is off to a 4-0 start and my prediction of them being in the SEC Championship is still alive. They need to get their offense going though or that will not last much longer.

However, Mark Richt, after this weekend's loss to Miss. State, is seriously on the "hot seat." Georgia fans are livid! Rightfully so. This team is downright pathetic this year. Aaron Murray is the only player, outside of Walsh and Butler, that have done anything. All of his production is despite Mike Bobo, the "offensive coordinator." Georgia looks worse this year than at any other time under Mark Richt.

To be clear, I do not blame Todd Grantham yet. He needs time to recruit and teach the new defense. Nick Saban struggled mightly his first year at Alabama with a similar defense. However, the special teams and offense are downright atrocious. This is supposed to be Mark Richt's specialty. Bobo's playcalling is so predictable, a blind man could see it. I am so sick of the "they don't have AJ Green BS." They still have 3 awesome tight ends, 4 four-star receivers, and 3 "okay" RBs.

For Georgia though, the real problem is their toughness, or lack thereof. Simply put, the Dawgs are weak. They always get pushed around up front. Their o-line can't block and their d-line couldn't sack a scarecrow. The RBs always fall back and Ealey needs the jelly used my Gene Hackman on Orlando Jones in The Replacements. The Dawgs are slow and thin. The strength and conditioning of these players sucks. They always look tired and are out of shape.

Look, the solution is simple. Why not toss-sweep the ball and get someone like Carlton Thomas out in space. Mark Richt needs to mix up his offense like Saban and Meyer. I am so sick of watching this team. It's funny, every time I watch UGA play now, I always feel something bad is about to happen. Take the other night when Miss. State punted and the ball hit Rambo. It's that kind of crap that happens to you when things are not going your way.

Either way, Mark Richt is on the hot seat and he should be. You were right out there earlier when you told me I was crazy that he should not be at least feeling some heat. He should after the way his team keeps setting new lows each week. It's about being a champion. This UGA team is not that kind of group. That is the bottom line. I just hope Richt has not completely lost this team. One thing is for sure, he is losing the Bulldawg Nation!

SEC Week 3 Predictions

Week 3 gives us even more excitement around the SEC. For certain teams (UGA), it's due or die. For others, it's a chance to prove something to the people of the SEC (Arkansas and Tennessee).

Here we go:

ALABAMA v. DUKE: Kudos to both Alabama and Duke for playing this game at Duke. Duke had the chance to move it to Charlotte and make more money, but they did not so Duke could get football exposure. Good move I think. Unfortunately, it won't help with the outcome. I guess the Duke crowd could intimidate Alabama for about 10 seconds until the 30,000 Alabama fans there overtake them. With the return of Ingram and the lack of defense at Duke, only Nick Saban will stop this slaughter. My prediction: Alabama 48, Duke 7


FLORIDA v. TENNESSEE: This could be a possible upset if Tennessee had a better offense. I think they could and will hang with Florida on defense. Unfortunately for the Vols, the Gator D has played lights out so far, especially on pass defense. Look for Florida to force the Vols into 3rd and long situations. Make no mistake about it, I am predicting this to be Urban Meyer's last win in Knoxville for quite a while though. Derek Dooley will have his boys ready to play now and in the future. It will not be enough this day though as Florida will pull away late. My prediction: Florida: 27, Tennessee: 10


FURMAN v. SOUTH CAROLINA: Spurrier has his team on high alert for this one. There are two reasons for this. South Carolina got a big win over UGA last week and three FCS teams have won over FBS - BCS teams this year already. Furman is one of the elites in the Southern Conference (I-AA) where App. State, GA Southern, and others reside. This is the kind of game South Carolina could struggle with and I think Stephen Garcia will a little. Still, South Carolina will get it together. My prediction: South Carolina: 41, Furman: 14


ARKANSAS v. GEORGIA: This is the SEC game of the week in my opinion. It's really two "ranked" teams with a lot on the line. Is it just me or is UGA constantly in these positions? Arkansas brings its high expectations and six-game losing streak against UGA to Athens where one of those will fall. We know what Ryan Mallett can do with the offense, but the Arkansas defense will need to show its true self. It will have a chance this weekend. Aaron Murray and the predictable offense of UGA should be an OKAY test. The real challenge will be for Grantham and the UGA defense. Can they tackle better and win what is for sure a "must-win" game? For Mark Richt, this a sign of his team's character. I don't think they have it in them and this game will not be that close. My prediction: Arkansas: 35, UGA: 17


CLEMSON v.  AUBURN: This will be a great game and has even attracted the Gameday crew. The Auburn offense, led by Cam Newton, will be a force in the SEC this year. Clemson has Kyle Parker leading their offense and he has this Clemson team on the verge of the Top 25. However, this is their first true test of the year and it is coming in very hostile territory. Both offenses can score, so it will come down to defense. I think Auburn gets it done at home. My prediction: Auburn: 31, Clemson: 27


MISS. STATE v. LSU: Alright folks, here it is. This is my upset pick right here. Why not? LSU has not looked that good so far this season. This is the type of game that can give them some trouble, even at home. Dan Mullen's team does not want to fall into a 0-2 conference hole with UGA looming for them the following week. Can Manny Diaz's defense slow down Jefferson enough? Can Chavis stop an offensive scheme he has had a lot of trouble with in the past? I don't think he can. In an upset....My prediction: MSU: 21, LSU: 17


VANDERBILT v. OLE MISS: Something tells me Houston Nutt will tell his team to see Jacksonville State across every uniform they see for the rest of the season. This game right here will interesting. Ole Miss should win this at home. Yet, these are the types of games they seem to have trouble with under Nutt. Teams they should blow away and games that somehow end up being closer than they should be or Ole Miss will lose them. Vanderbilt is struggling on offense. They can never seem to get it together on that side of the ball. I see Ole Miss pulling away late. My prediction: Ole Miss: 28, Vandy: 10


AKRON v. KENTUCKY: I think it's safe to say Joker will be 3-0 after this game. This is a solid Kentucky team that is ready for the big game. Unfortunately, this is not it!  My prediction: Kentucky: 51, AKRON: 13

Rhetoric the Problem for Mark Richt?

Prior to this season, speculation roared out there that Georgia Coach Mark Richt was on the "hot seat." Indeed, the past two seasons at UGA have not lived up to expectations. Of course, a lot of that is Mark Richt's fault in the way that he talks about his team. Many of us saw last weekend what we suspected all along: South Carolina has good team this year. However, all offseason, Spurrier was dogging his team and Steven Garcia. As a result, South Carolina was not ranked for whatever reason going into the season. Now they 13 or 16, depending on the poll, and have proved they can win the East.

However, the opposite seems to be true with Richt. He and the team always talk about how they have some chip on their shoulders and how this season will be different. Going into last season, all we heard was that Bryan Evans found a home at safety and special plays would be called for Logan Gray. The defense was going to be a lot better and there would be less penalties. Oh yes, and the o-line would be the strength. Well, Richt was 0 for 5 on those predictions. The only one of those that made the slightest improvement was the o-line, and that was just the last four games.

See, my feeling is one that people probably haven't thought of much. Listen to Spurrier, Nick Saban, and Urban Meyer. They are constantly challenging their teams. For better or for worse, the criticisms fire up their teams. Their players strive week in and week out to get better. That's why they have a national championship or championships and Richt will never win one. His players always look unmotivated. They look like they were told that it's okay to take a game off here and there. Every year, UGA gets blown out of a big game. Afterward, UGA faithful listen to what went wrong. Well, I know what's wrong!

Every offseason, the UGA staff comes out and says how much better this team is from the previous year. Yet, the three years at least, that has not been the case. Fundamentals are clearly lagging. The strength, conditioning, and mental preparations are terrible. Those boys get rocked physically and knocked off the ball every game, even by inferior opponents. Of course, I don't blame the players entirely. Richt makes remarks each week about how sluggish practice looks on any given day. Well Coach, it is your job to challenge those boys and to make them line up and run the drills properly! That's what champions do. They put forth maximum effort and do it right. Alabama, Florida, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Texas, and even Boise State now do all of that. That's why those teams win their respective conferences or are at least in the hunt each and every year now and UGA is not. 

This Saturday will reveal the character of this Mark Richt team as they attempt to do something that UGA football hasn't done in three years: WIN A BIG CONFERENCE GAME!! Saturday, the Dawgs will play Arkansas in Athens. This is the type of game Richt easily won in his early years but has lost a lot of in recent years. Personally, I don't think UGA has a chance if they play the way we have witnessed since 2008. Winning at home for Richt is harder than winning on the road. Sanford Stadium has a reputation of being one of the quietest stadiums in the land. Yet, what scares me the most is that I don't see any sense of urgency from this team. Granted, I have not seen practice this week, so I don't know. I highly doubt though that we will see much difference this week against Arkansas. Sure, we are told the playbook will be opened up more for Aaron Murray. Does that sound familiar? See above! I guess we will see one more play-action pass than last week. 

Look, I like Coach Richt and I think he is a excellent and passionate coach. However, the UGA faithful are clearly tiring of all this talk and no walk. The Dawgs are a loss away this weekend from having their season all but over. That is unacceptable to any team, especially UGA! If Mark Richt and this team really do have pride and motivation, then they show up to both practice and the game this week, play as hard as they can on every play, and show the nation they are not going away this season.

There is the challenge boys!

Horrible Week for Georgia Sports

What the hell was in the water in Georgia this past week? The Braves are about to go from being in first place to losing the wild card. The Falcons once again proved me correct in that they cannot beat a "big-named" team (Steelers, Colts, Patriots, Cowboys, Packers to name a few). You know, the traditional powerhouses. Georgia State lost to a NAIA team in Lambuth, who might have to close because their finances suck. Georgia Tech lost to Kansas team that scored three points against North Dakota State the week before. Georgia couldn't have tackled a dummy standing at the fifty yard line in its game against South Carolina. I guess the only "bright spot" was Georgia Southern hanging in there for a while against Navy. Good Lord, could it be more depressing? Next thing you know, the Hawks will sign Starbury. That would do it!

Now I will explain what I think is wrong with each one:

Braves: The bottom line here is the loss of Chipper Jones has caught up to them. They aren't hitting right now, which is putting a lot more pressure on the pitching staff. If this sounds like a familiar story, it should. See their record of success using this formula back in April where they lost 9 in a row. Hell, they just went 3-4 at home the last seven games and lost 2 of 3 to the damn Nationals or Natinals, whichever sounds better.

Falcons: Look, I am not a diehard Falcons fan, so I can be objective here. The Falcons cannot beat big-named teams. That's the bottom line. Their history suggests as much. I think they are going to be fine and will rebound to win 10 games. Of course, they do play Green Bay and Baltimore, not to mention NOLA twice. They better be close to perfect the rest of the way against other teams.

Georgia State Panthers: They are a new team. That's all I can say on this. They are still growing and it was only their second game out. I was at their first game and they really didn't look as impressive as the score would indicate. They will improve though.

Georgia Tech: GT got caught with their pants down. No other way to say it. It was a classic trap game. They travelled a good ways to play a team with talent that got upset big time a week earlier. Their new defense under Al Groh is still taking shape. I am not worried as much about Tech and I think they will still be in the race for the ACC crown. They really need to cut down on penalties though.

Georgia: Surprisingly, there is not much that can't be improved in a hurry with this team. Their defense was in position all game against South Carolina to make plays. They just didn't! Baccari Rambo, who many love from last year, is clearly pulling a Randy Moss on several plays and he needs to quit that stuff now. Obviously they need to quit Willie Martinez's version of tackling and go low. On offense, Richt and Bobo need to let Aaron Murray play. The o-line needs to stop sucking so much and dig in like men. They have to hold better and run block better. Another loss this weekend and the season is gone!

Georgia Southern: The Eagles played well against Navy this weekend. Two triple-option teams going at it in the "Paul Johnson" cup. New Eagles Coach Jeff Monken is doing a great job so far reinstalling what was major key to success for the Eagles under Erk Russell and Paul Johnson. It will take some time, but the Eagles should be coming back soon.

I guess the lesson to take away from this past week is that we need to have patience. Yet, let's be real. That's not going to happen. I will say that Mark Richt and Todd Grantham better have those boys ready to play Saturday. Make no mistake Coach Richt, the UGA faithful are tired of the excuses on play-calling and lack of execution. DELIVER!!!