Somewhat busy weeekend of athletics for Georgia.
First, congratulations to the Gym Dawgs for winning the SEC Championship at the Gwinnett Center, in front of a record crowd. The beautiful ladies in red and black have maintained their number one standing after losing star Courtney Kupets earlier this season to injury.
Other impressive items worth mentioning: Cassidy McCombs becomes the SEC Freshman of the Year, Suzanne Yoculan becomes the SEC Coach of the Year, and Katie Heenan becomes the all time leading scorer in Gym Dawg history.
Congratulations to these fine individuals for their accomplishments, as well as a congratulations to the team. This is Georgia's 16th SEC Championship. Very impressive.
Come home to Athens, girls. A potential 4-peat awaits.
Other items worth mentioning:
-UGA wins the Southern Equestrian Championship
-UGA softball picks up two wins over Arkansas
-Sophomore Chris Hill moved up to number 4 on Georgia's all-time top-10 list in the javelin as he won the event at the Yellow Jacket Invitational in Atlanta on Saturday
-As of press time, UGA baseball had split 2 games over Mississippi State. Friday's contest was lost by the (good) Dawgs in 10 innings. UGA then won 5-1 on Saturday. Georgia is playing one of (if not) the toughest schedule in America. The team seems to be doing really well, especially offensively. The one weakness is the bullpen, which has had moments of flirtation with not holding leads late in games. This problem is much improved over the same issue that plagued the team last season.
-Sebastien Rouault and Chris Colwill recorded 2nd place finishes as UGA set 2 school records on Friday at the NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship. Great job on the silver guys!
It's great to be a Georgia Bulldog!
Chili
Update: The baseball team won on Sunday to take the series against Mississippi State, the softball team swept Arkansas, and both the Mens and Womens tennis teams won their events.
Go Dawgs
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Friday, March 28, 2008
Students: forgot about basketball?
Well, I hate to make my first post somewhat of a bummer, but I haven't really been able to come up with any more ideas.
Something that society plays off of a lot and is something that I cannot stand is a "bandwagon" fan. Someone who didn't give two hoots in the wind about things when it was rough, but they are "oh...my...God...I am, like, your HUGEST fan!!!!!" when it comes time to play on the big stage. Suddenly, all those students who had more important things to do during the week, suddenly became ardent supporters of Felton's crew, fighting for their lives in D.C., but I digress.
I don't think it's any secret that UGA is a football school. Period. Nothing else even really comes close. The debate for the number two sport, however, could be a heated one. Men's basketball probably gets the moss press and recognition, but the Gym Dawgs are a VERY tough ticket on most days. The Gym Dawgs have had unparalleled success on the beams, and I love it. Women's basketball has been, over the course of time, more successful than perhaps the men. Georgia baseball has had a new run of success under skipper Dave Perno.
UGA students, and in some ways fans, really mostly care about football. This isn't really a bad thing, I'm just saying. Demand for UGA student tickets and season tickets are high. This 2008 upcoming season is already being talked about in hushed tones, bridled excitement ready to bust out in open song, that this could be a very special year. It certainly has all the makings too. That schedule is a tough one, but do you believe in the silver britches?
For the casual UGA student, football dominates your athletic interests during your time on campus. Hell, even some folks made football their selling point to come here to this fine academic institution for higher learning. So the typical UGA student makes the fall flings with no question. They will catch a Lady Dawgs game every once in a while, definitely baseball since it's free, and will be doing the Pink Out with the rest of them while they cheer on the Gym Dawgs.
But where does men's basketball come into this? During the season, turnout was sparse at several of the games I made it to. I went to as many as I possibly could. If I have my figures right, the only sell out was Tennessee. Florida may have sold out once I got inside, but when I walked by around 7:15, they still had tickets. Matter of fact, Tennessee still had tickets on Saturday for sale. Kentucky may have been a sell out as well.
Point is, why do the students only feel the need to show up when the Dawgs REALLY need them? I believe students should show up for as many games as they should. Yeah, yeah, I know a winner on the court will put fannies in the seats, but for us, we are STUDENTS. Where is that school spirit?!?! You only get to go to college once, and when you are out and want to make a trip to watch the hoops team, you will miss those $2 tickets.
I was out of town during the SEC Tournament/North Avenue Trade School invitational, and missed the thrill of a tourney berth in person. When I got back to campus on Monday, I was really surprised at the lack of buzz surrounding the improbable run the Dawgs had made the few days before. Many worried over their bracket, but not so many over the matchup with Xavier.
Thursday, the Tate Student Center held a viewing for the opening round game. I was down in front, yelling and screaming with some of the loudest supporters of UGA hoops on campus (those crazy guys who paint). Of course we were front row. Of course we were loud. Of course we were jumping around. The Dawgs gave us a lot to cheer about until about 10 minutes to go in the game. I was numb at the way the others acted. We were told to "sit down" and "shut up" on multiple occasions. That's like going to Sanford Stadium and yelling at a guy to be quiet.
If you don't like it, keep your ass in the dorm. You can make your own rules there.
How many times in your life have you watched UGA in the NCAA tournament? And who is to say when it happens again? (I hope very, very soon). Enjoy the moment. It was a gathering of students. It should have been about making Tate the home of Felton's Fanatics. They should have been able to hear us up in Washington. Instead, it was up to about five or six of us.
I hope that we as students can make a more collective effort to back the basketball team next season. I know they love to look up and see a full student sea of red and black. (Which leads me to another thing: WEAR SCHOOL COLORS TO A UGA EVENT! Would you wear your green t-shirt or nice blue polo to a Saturday afternoon between the hedges? I didn't think so. So what makes you think the hoops boys deserve any less of our support? They are busting their rear ends, representing YOUR school, and for the natives, YOUR state, as well as trying their hardest to put a product on the floor that YOU would be proud of).
I have always wondered if the team gets a little disheartened, looking up in the stands and seeing that maybe 500 or so students care about basketball. (And at some of the games this year, 500 is a generous number). How do you think that makes them feel? To know that some freshman has more interest staying in Russell, surrounded by World of Warcraft and Chemistry homework, instead of yelling and screaming for the Dawgs for a couple of hours with friends, then grabbing some Snelling on the way back.
The homework will still be there when you get back. While as a student, take the time to support the other teams on campus. I believe they appreciate it, and it makes a difference.
Go Dawgs,
ChiliDawg
Something that society plays off of a lot and is something that I cannot stand is a "bandwagon" fan. Someone who didn't give two hoots in the wind about things when it was rough, but they are "oh...my...God...I am, like, your HUGEST fan!!!!!" when it comes time to play on the big stage. Suddenly, all those students who had more important things to do during the week, suddenly became ardent supporters of Felton's crew, fighting for their lives in D.C., but I digress.
I don't think it's any secret that UGA is a football school. Period. Nothing else even really comes close. The debate for the number two sport, however, could be a heated one. Men's basketball probably gets the moss press and recognition, but the Gym Dawgs are a VERY tough ticket on most days. The Gym Dawgs have had unparalleled success on the beams, and I love it. Women's basketball has been, over the course of time, more successful than perhaps the men. Georgia baseball has had a new run of success under skipper Dave Perno.
UGA students, and in some ways fans, really mostly care about football. This isn't really a bad thing, I'm just saying. Demand for UGA student tickets and season tickets are high. This 2008 upcoming season is already being talked about in hushed tones, bridled excitement ready to bust out in open song, that this could be a very special year. It certainly has all the makings too. That schedule is a tough one, but do you believe in the silver britches?
For the casual UGA student, football dominates your athletic interests during your time on campus. Hell, even some folks made football their selling point to come here to this fine academic institution for higher learning. So the typical UGA student makes the fall flings with no question. They will catch a Lady Dawgs game every once in a while, definitely baseball since it's free, and will be doing the Pink Out with the rest of them while they cheer on the Gym Dawgs.
But where does men's basketball come into this? During the season, turnout was sparse at several of the games I made it to. I went to as many as I possibly could. If I have my figures right, the only sell out was Tennessee. Florida may have sold out once I got inside, but when I walked by around 7:15, they still had tickets. Matter of fact, Tennessee still had tickets on Saturday for sale. Kentucky may have been a sell out as well.
Point is, why do the students only feel the need to show up when the Dawgs REALLY need them? I believe students should show up for as many games as they should. Yeah, yeah, I know a winner on the court will put fannies in the seats, but for us, we are STUDENTS. Where is that school spirit?!?! You only get to go to college once, and when you are out and want to make a trip to watch the hoops team, you will miss those $2 tickets.
I was out of town during the SEC Tournament/North Avenue Trade School invitational, and missed the thrill of a tourney berth in person. When I got back to campus on Monday, I was really surprised at the lack of buzz surrounding the improbable run the Dawgs had made the few days before. Many worried over their bracket, but not so many over the matchup with Xavier.
Thursday, the Tate Student Center held a viewing for the opening round game. I was down in front, yelling and screaming with some of the loudest supporters of UGA hoops on campus (those crazy guys who paint). Of course we were front row. Of course we were loud. Of course we were jumping around. The Dawgs gave us a lot to cheer about until about 10 minutes to go in the game. I was numb at the way the others acted. We were told to "sit down" and "shut up" on multiple occasions. That's like going to Sanford Stadium and yelling at a guy to be quiet.
If you don't like it, keep your ass in the dorm. You can make your own rules there.
How many times in your life have you watched UGA in the NCAA tournament? And who is to say when it happens again? (I hope very, very soon). Enjoy the moment. It was a gathering of students. It should have been about making Tate the home of Felton's Fanatics. They should have been able to hear us up in Washington. Instead, it was up to about five or six of us.
I hope that we as students can make a more collective effort to back the basketball team next season. I know they love to look up and see a full student sea of red and black. (Which leads me to another thing: WEAR SCHOOL COLORS TO A UGA EVENT! Would you wear your green t-shirt or nice blue polo to a Saturday afternoon between the hedges? I didn't think so. So what makes you think the hoops boys deserve any less of our support? They are busting their rear ends, representing YOUR school, and for the natives, YOUR state, as well as trying their hardest to put a product on the floor that YOU would be proud of).
I have always wondered if the team gets a little disheartened, looking up in the stands and seeing that maybe 500 or so students care about basketball. (And at some of the games this year, 500 is a generous number). How do you think that makes them feel? To know that some freshman has more interest staying in Russell, surrounded by World of Warcraft and Chemistry homework, instead of yelling and screaming for the Dawgs for a couple of hours with friends, then grabbing some Snelling on the way back.
The homework will still be there when you get back. While as a student, take the time to support the other teams on campus. I believe they appreciate it, and it makes a difference.
Go Dawgs,
ChiliDawg
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
A little acquaintance
Well, SlawDawg has made a dream come true. I am now blogging on LarryMunson'sHead. Much thanks to slaw for making this happen. I'm flattered to be contributing with my thoughts and insights. I'm still getting acquainted to this whole thing, but maybe I can get it all figured out soon and have more insights headed ya'lls way.
More later.
Chili
More later.
Chili
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