The SEC......Rules Again

No surprises..

The SEC is by far the best football conference in America.  More proof?  We give you the just concluded 2010 NFL draft:

All seven rounds of the 2010 NFL draft are in the books, and there is little doubt or suspense as to which conference caught the most pro eyes over the past three days.

Players from the SEC, winners of the last four BcS title games, were far and away the most popular throughout the selection process as 49 of the 255 players taken were from the league.

The Big 12, after a first-round tear saw them topping even the SEC with nine selections, slowed down significantly over the last six rounds and came in with 30 drafted players, good for only fourth amongst BcS conferences.

Next after the SEC?  The Big Ten with 34 and the ACC with 31, with the Pac-10 ending the festivities with 29.

Meanwhile, the Big East sucked some major hind teat with just 13 players taken the entire draft, and five of those came from one school -- South Florida.

Sunday Morning Headlines

Back by popular demand.......

Click on image for larger view......

An Uprising...........in Athens

In this small, southern, college town......

The natives are circling the wagons......the "Bulldawg Nation".....is up in arms.....the sky is falling....it's doom and gloom.

For their beloved University of Georgia football team.......is 3-3. and has lost 2 games in a row....(to then 4th ranked LSU, 20-13.....and last Saturday to an un-ranked Tennessee team, 45-19.)

"Fire Mark Richt!!!"......."Fire (Defensive Coordinator) Willie Martinez!!!!"......"Fire (Offensive Coordinator) Mike Bobo!!!"........"Bench QB Joe Cox!!!!"......and finally, "Fire the Bulldog mascot, Uga VII!!!!"

These headlines saturated message boards all across the south.

Blind passion...can be a dangerous thing. Expectations can be even more dangerous.

Last year, these very same dogs.......were pre-season #1....in everybody's poll. Losses to Alabama, Florida, and Georgia Tech......rendered them to a 10-3 record.....but still ended up in the top 10 in the final poll.

This season........UGA started out ranked #15......despite losing Matthew Stafford (the #1 pick in the NFL draft), the best QB in the nation....and losing Knowshon Moreno (drafted 7th), arguably , the best running back ....


Still........these blind loyalist.....thought all Georgia needed to do was ..."reload"......and still contend for the SEC championship.......as well as the national championship.

To the "Bulldawg Nation": Take the blinders off. Look to the north.....there is Tennessee, with a young new coach in Lane Kiffin......Look to the west, with that beast of a team (Alabama), coached by Nick Saban......and ....yes....look to the south, with Florida, led by a guy named, Urban Meyer.

The competition in the SEC is brutal......gone are the days where one team beats every opponent, 50-7.......and goes 12-0.

Reality check.........since coming to Georgia, Mark Richt is 85-23....with 2 SEC championships, and 5 top 10 finishes......in the last 7 years.

Mark Richt did not .......get ...."dumb" over the winter. He will assess the season......evaluate the coaching stall........make changes where needed.......and all will be well.....in the "Bulldog Nation".

To Live and Die.......in the SEC

Phil Fulmer? Sylvester Croom? Tommy Tuberville?

All former coaches in the Southeastern Conference this year.......all of the above.......who will not be back next year.

I'm no math major, but that's 25% of the coaches.......

What a league..........Fulmer, winner of a National Championship.....gone.

Tuberville.......an undefeated season 3 years ago..........gone.

Croom.......SEC coach of the year in 2007........gone.

The SEC...........the "What have you done for me lately league".

One bad season and the big bad boosters and the universities will boot your behind out. When is enough..........enough.

Georgia's Mark Richt is now the dean of coaches with 9 years in Athens.......but.......a mediocre season..........say a loss to Florida and rival Georgia Tech next year? I can see it now, "Richt resigns".......date-line December 10, 2009.

And Nick Saban of Alabama? You know how crazy those Tide fans are......Today, he can do no wrong..........the savior........but let 'Bama have a couple of bad years......."Here's the door Saban, don't let it hit you, where the good Lord split you".

Such is the life in the SEC. Win , win, win..........We pay the big bucks.......lose.......and you're out. Who in God's name would want to live this way? Who would ever want to coach in the SEC?

With that said..........this is "big boy" football..........not for the weak.....In this league....you eat....or be eaten.

Nice guy?..........Go to the Ivy League........Family guy?.......Go home and play with your kids........

This league is for but a few........

For this is the ..........SEC.

From Making History ....to Being History

Five years ago.......

Sylvester Croom was named head football coach at Mississippi State University. It marked the first time in the history of the Southeastern Conference, the football program was run by an African-American...........a black man.

But after a 4-8 record this season including the season ending beat down , 45-0, at the hands of arch rival, Ole Miss, Croom has resigned........effective immediately .


“Five years ago, Mississippi State gave me the unprecedented opportunity to be a head football coach in the Southeastern Conference and to build a program based upon a strong foundation,” Croom said. “I want to thank (then-president) Dr. Charles Lee and (then-athletic director) Larry Templeton for that opportunity. I also want to thank the assistant coaches and all the players who had faith and trust in me. We have tried to build a program the right way that can compete for conference championships. I believe the foundation has been set for those goals to be reached under the leadership of someone else, and it was my decision to resign.”

Mr. Croom is a good and honest man. Very sincere.......very dedicated........well respected.

But..........3-8, 3-8, 3-8, 8-5, and 4-8.......just don't keep the alumni happy. Bottom line? Croom was another nice guy with great morals who was a mediocre coach who happened to be black. One winning season in 5 years will not get you any extended contracts.

It is still sad though.......we are down to just 3 black head football coaches in division 1.......

Randy Shannon of Miami, Turner Gill of Buffalo and Kevin Sumlin of Houston are the only remaining black men in charge among the 119 teams that play at college football's highest level. Washington's Tyrone Willingham and Kansas State's Ron Prince were recently fired, with Willingham finishing up with the Huskies next Saturday.

Croom's coaching record.......courtesy of Wikipedia:

Head coaching record

Year	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Bowl	Coaches#	AP°
Mississippi State Bulldogs (SEC) (2004–2008)
2004	Mississippi State	3–8	2-6	6th (West)
2005	Mississippi State	3–8	1-7	T-5th (West)
2006	Mississippi State	3–9	1-7	6th (West)
2007	Mississippi State	8–5	4–4	T-3rd (West)	W Liberty
2008	Mississippi State	4–8	2-6	T-5th (West)
Mississippi State:		21–38	10–30
Total:		21–38
National Championship Conference Title Conference Division Title
†Indicates BCS bowl game. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll of the season.

Finally...........UGA......Makes a Statement

Blow out in the Bayou........

52-38

This is the game the "Bulldog Nation" has been waiting for .........

52-38

As in scoring a half a hundred....plus 2..........against the defending national champions...on their home field....(Death Valley)........in Baton Rouge.......

52-38

Georgia has made a statement. The "Dawgs" soundly beat LSU Saturday on the road. This is what the pre-season #1.......was supposed to be.

After getting slammed by Alabama a month ago........the Bulldogs........with a make shift offensive line........dominated the Tigers...

Knowshon Moreno rushed for 163 yards.......scored a 68 yard touchdown.......And Matthew Stafford and the defense did the rest.

Next up? Florida..........The Gators tuned up by dismantling Kentucky, 63-5........I think that score got Georgia's attention.

So here we are..........Georgia - Florida..........again.......With the winner almost guaranteed to play in Atlanta for the SEC Championship.

The worlds largest "Outdoor Cocktail Party"......In Jacksonville......

A "neutral" game........though Florida takes a bus..........and UGA has to book a flight.....

Yes, UGA has made a statement.....

Saturday is a new day........

But this past Saturday........these "Dawgs" showed why they were so highly ranked..........

52-38

Now.....go finish the drill.

Hump Day News & Views

If it's Wednesday....it must be Hump Day....

In this southern college town, the leaves are turning, the temperatures are dropping, and fall is in the air. Feels kind of nice.

The election....the most important election in our life time so far....is less than two weeks away.

Stories we are following:

Meet the Rays.....

As in the Tampa Bay (Devil-less) Rays. Who are these guys? And where did they come from? Well, first off....they play in St. Petersburg(across the bridge from Tampa).....in a stadium called Tropicana Field.

The Rays first season was in 1998, after years of unsuccessfully trying to lure other teams to Tampa, Major League Baseball finally granted the city an expansion team.

It has been ugly thus far. But finishing in last place for virtually their entire existence, has meant a ton of number one draft picks......and the Rays have used them wisely.

For years these Rays have been a laughing stock of baseball. Even we here a 5 on Five have stated major league baseball has no business being anywhere in Florida. We were wrong....who's laughing now?


Going hunting in the Bayou .....for a tiger.....

This Saturday, the University of Georgia will go down deep inside the Louisiana bayou.....to hunt, fight, and try to kill a tiger. As in the LSU Tiger football team. The dawgs of Athens are a 2 1/2 point underdog. Georgia is ranked 9th.....LSU 11th. LSU is the defending NCAA National Champions.

The winner will still have a shot at the title..........the loser? The season is all but lost. Two weeks ago, LSU lost to Florida by 30 points. Three weeks ago, Georgia got blasted by Alabama.

Both teams are big and fast..........Both play in the rugged SEC......Should be a knock down drag out .....old fashioned slug-fest down in the bayou....

We say the dogs of Georgia will find a way to win. Say ........23-20?


Happy trails.....Pete Van Wieren....


As part of the Atlanta Braves broadcast team for 33 years.....Van Wieren announced today....he is retiring.

We will miss you .......Pete (the professor) Van Wieren....



Happy trails.......Rudy Ray Moore....

During the '70's ..........Rudy Ray Moore was "Dolemite".........and "Dolemite".....was the bomb. Moore died at the age of 81.




Things I think I think......

If I see one more political TV ad........I just might puke.

I think Matt Drudge........and his Drudge Report.......both have run their course...and are becoming increasingly a non factor.

This roller coaster known as the stock market is getting bleaker by the minute.

I bank with Wachovia..........they just announced a loss of $23.9 billion....should I be worried?

My home page is Yahoo.com........they just laid off 1400 workers....again.....should I be worried?

Aaaahhh........this world in which we live.......can I just find a deserted island....or an uninhabited mountain ....to live the rest of my life?

Have a great Hump Day.

So.......Whose Funeral will It Be?

This is getting interesting........from the Augusta Chronicle...

UGA Blackout = Funeral?


And then...........from ESPN....

Georgia's man in black fires back ... sort of


This Georgia "Blackout" thing is getting rather testy.


You remember........The Dawgs will don their black jerseys against Alabama on Saturday and will urge their fans to all wear black....in.......the "black out".


Well........an Alabama assistant coach was caught on video (and of course it made its way to YouTube) saying, "They (Georgia) will be wearing black........because they're going to a "motha fuckin" funeral"......Their own!


Ouch!


Ain't SEC football ..........fun?


And who's funeral ....will it be?


ESPN........7:45.......EDT........Saturday....

Hump Day News & Views

Go west......young men!

It has been nearly 50 years since the University of Georgia has traveled to the western part of this nation to play a regular season football game. Their last trip to the left coast was in 1960....(a 10-3 loss at Southern Cal)....

This Saturday, the Bulldogs will make a trip to Tempe, Arizona to take on Arizona State in a match up of the SEC and the PAC 10. The 3rd ranked dogs are 3-0.....while the Sun Devils are 2-1.....coming off of an upset loss to UNLV.

It is nice to see Georgia scheduling real teams .......instead of the usual Division II victims in their non-conference games.



Something is wrong here....

The Milwaukee Brewers fired manager Ned Yost earlier this week. That is their right.....their prerogative .......Last year, the Brewers were in position to get in the play-offs via the "wild card".....but faded down the stretch. The decision for Yost's firing is justified. The Brewers had just lost 11 of 14 games and are in danger of missing the play-offs , yet again.

But .......with the season two weeks from being over.....and only 12 games remaining....Why now?

Seems like a move made out of desperation ..........




Can you say "deja vu" again? ....


Oh.......those amazing Mets!.......Those Mets.....who last year........lost a 7 game lead with only 17 to play.

Those Mets......who fired manager Willie Randolph in the wee hours of the morning this past summer.

Well........they're up for an encore! Last nights 1-0 lost to the Washington Nationals (the last placed Nats' ) knocked the Mets out of first place...........again......

I kind of feel sorry for the fans......but wait...........It's New York.....

Never mind........let 'em suffer.








5......in 10.......

We may never see this again.......It is definite we won't see it again this year.

For the first time ever, the AP college football poll, has 5 teams from the same conference ranked in the top 10. The SEC has Georgia (3rd), Florida (4th), LSU (6th), Alabama (9th), and Auburn (10th).

From Yahoo Sports:

AP Top 25

Sun Sep 14, 2008

1. USC
2. Oklahoma
3. Georgia
4. Florida
5. Missouri
6. LSU
7. Texas
8. Wisconsin
9. Alabama
10. Auburn

Finally........

In this southern college town, the temperatures will be in the 50's tonight. After a long hot summer, relief is finally here.......in the form of fall. Could the leaves be turning next?

Let's hope.

Have a great Hump Day.......

Things We Learned From the Weekend

Southern Cal.......is good, really good. The men of Troy destroyed Ohio State, 35-3 to strengthen it's hold on the number 1 spot in college football's two major polls.


South Carolina........is not "USC".......The local Columbia papers still refer to this school as USC. You are not. You are the university of South Carolina..........that's it. You have lost this year to Vanderbilt. Saturday, you lost for the 45th time against Georgia versus 16 wins in the series history. "USC" is Southern Cal.........South Carolina is .....just South Carolina.



3-2..........No, this is not a baseball score. This was the final score of an SEC football game between Auburn and Mississippi State. But , I heard the game itself....was very exciting.....(yawn).


Speaking of baseball........they are still playing the summer classic. The Atlanta Braves took 2 of 3 from the first place N Y Mets over the weekend........Carlos Zambrano of the Chicago Cubs pitched a no-hitter.......and the Milwaukee Brewers fired their manager, Ned Yost.


The Atlanta Falcons.......are.....well.......the Atlanta Falcons, again. After a historic first win last week for rookie QB Matt Ryan, the birds laid an egg against Tampa, losing 24-9. That running game? which garnered 300 yards against Detroit? Yesterday they gained 105. And Ryan threw 2 picks. Well........the Kansas City Chiefs come to town next week. And that can't be all bad for the Falcons.