The lower hand shows where Georgia used to be. The upper hand shows where Mark Fox has brought them. (Jason Getz/AJC)
ATHENS – Not that it was some great revelation but Georgia officials were pretty up front with Mark Fox during the interview process in 2009 about the state of the basketball program. It was a mess. So in that sense, he knew he wasn’t stepping into Eden.
But have you ever booked a room in a low-budget hotel, had low expectations and when you arrived wondered if you had just missed the hurricane? That was Fox last season. He expected bad and witnessed something worse.
“I know last year I said that I wasn’t surprised with where we were because they were so honest with me when I got here,” the Bulldogs coach said Thursday. “But as I reflect, it was probably in worse shape than I wanted to admit. We’ve made progress. But there’s still days where you feel like the train ran you over.”
Possibly. But these days, that train mostly runs through Paul Hewitt’s office at Georgia Tech.
Of the two major college basketball programs in the area, only one obviously is going in the right direction. Both open conference play this weekend. The Bulldogs are being talked about as a dark horse in the SEC in only Fox’s second season. The Jackets, after non-conference losses to Kennesaw State and Siena, project as the gum under the rest of the ACC’s shoes.
Fox isn’t in a position to gloat. He is 2-0 against Tech and says, “That’s important. We didn’t come here to finish second.” But he also knows that the stated goal of having a rich basketball tradition in Athens is far down the road.
Nonetheless, the job he has done in a short time is nothing short of remarkable. He took over a wreck of a program, engineered a few upsets, put a scare into Kentucky in Lexington and finished 14-17 — a losing record, but a clear 180 for the team.
Remember where Fox started. Three players forgot their shoes on the first road trip last season. One asked the coach, “Do you really think we can win?” Others blew off tutoring sessions.
“We’ve had some academic battles, some issues in how to work and how to function as an athlete, how responsible you had to be, how much effort it took,” Fox said. “There wasn’t a winning mentality.
“I don’t want to indict [former coach] Dennis Felton. He had his own issues that he walked into here, so I have to be fair to him. But all that being said, it wasn’t in great shape. But I’m not focused on where the program was or even where it’s going to be two years from now. I’m focused on how we’re going to get there, on the present.”
Here’s the present: The Dogs are 11-2 going into Saturday’s SEC opener against Kentucky. Their only two losses came in a tournament to Notre Dame (double overtime) and Temple when a rusty Trey Thompkins was playing his first two games following an ankle injury. Georgia has won eight straight for the first time since 2002-03. Expectations are high enough that Fox laid into his team for poor play after the last win over Eastern Kentucky. (Quoting: “I wasn’t wowed how we played or how I coached.” If only the football coach on campus was so forthcoming after games.)
Fox said he is “making progress” in changing the basketball culture in Athens. More recruits are looking at Georgia as an option (”We’re in more races traditionally than we’ve been in.”). Fan support has been good. But his objective is to grow the program to the point that “everybody has to check the score of our game before they go to bed.”
He likes his team. He likes the chemistry. He likes the fact nobody forgets their shoes any more.
He also likes the sudden high expectations.
“It’s funny because last year I had to tell them, ‘Don’t believe anything anybody tells you when they say you’re not very good,’” Fox said. “Now I have to tell them, ‘Don’t believe them this year, either.’ You still have to do the things that equate to winning. This is not a perception contest.”
If it was, the game is over. Fox has won.
– By Jeff Schultz
♦
Previous posts
– Aaron gets wish: Steroid users kept out of Hall of Fame
– Richt’s plan for change is good, but why did it take so long?
– Playoff rankings and why Falcons can get to Super Bowl
– Fortunes of Georgia, Richt can turn on recruiting Crowell
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167 comments Add your comment
juvenal
January 6th, 2011
1:49 pm
1
juvenal
January 6th, 2011
1:51 pm
if a tree falls in the forest……?
A.J.
January 6th, 2011
1:51 pm
Just think how lucky we are that we didnt hire Bobby Knight now!
Frank Lane
January 6th, 2011
1:59 pm
I love the quote, “this is not a perception contest.”
Eddie
January 6th, 2011
1:59 pm
Been a long time coming. After Tubby left, we’ve been just floating around the bottom. Nice to see us rising again
joe
January 6th, 2011
2:03 pm
Not sure about changing the culture, but sure hope he beats KY this weekend!
gadawgs
January 6th, 2011
2:04 pm
Love the guy. Great job coach! Kind of refreshing to hear a no BS assesment of where you are and where you are GOING to be not HOPE to be. CMF said we did not come here to finish second! Love it!!! Are YOU listening CMR? I certainly hope so.
JB
January 6th, 2011
2:04 pm
Can he coach Football also?
JB
January 6th, 2011
2:05 pm
Looking to change the culture in football also.
Hoops Fan
January 6th, 2011
2:07 pm
God Bless Mark Fox and God Bless Paul Blewitt. I hope GTU keeps Coach Hewitt forever!
Bruce Mac
January 6th, 2011
2:08 pm
I love it. GO DAWGS, fresh and honest coach with an attitude. Let the big dawg eat.
Fish Bisch
January 6th, 2011
2:08 pm
No one cares about basketball.
D A Double U G
January 6th, 2011
2:10 pm
Let’s not kid ourselves.
Even when UGA’s football team is down, and the basketball team is apparently up, I still look MUCH more forward to the next football game, rather than the next basketball game. EVen when it’s in the heart of basketball season.
Try and bring down the UGA football program all you want, ajc. But UGA fans are true and through. GO DAWGS!!!! (football, that is!)
RomeDawg
January 6th, 2011
2:12 pm
I love all the naysayers eating crow now about UGA hiring him. He is a winner, pure and simple.
gadawgs
January 6th, 2011
2:13 pm
Fish…I beg to differ. We just have not been given a reason to care about basketball until now. Coach Fox is going to make a lot more people care in the near future.
Carlton
January 6th, 2011
2:13 pm
Looks like I’ll have to brush up on my collegiate basketball since that’s the only UGA sport I’ll be watching the next few years..
juvenal
January 6th, 2011
2:14 pm
rest my case….d a like every daugs fan i know……..
BIG DAWG
January 6th, 2011
2:15 pm
I think the difference between our BB coach and our FB coach is disposition. Both are fine individuals, but I like the fact that Coach Fox will chew someone’s posterior when need be. I see Coach Richt putting his arm around the shoulder of a misbehaving player and telling him he has to change – done in a calm and nice voice. That would all be fine – if it worked! It doesn’t. Ten, ten yard wind sprints, then some other exhausting and exercise, several times a day if necessary, until lessons are learned.
Abnerish
January 6th, 2011
2:17 pm
The big issue is how UGA can keep this guy. Because that is what is needed most. We need sustained success in order to turn the program around. We started it with Tubby, but that got derailed when he went to UK. UGA cannot let the same thing happen again.
Hankie Aron
January 6th, 2011
2:17 pm
Who knows? Might hear”Stick with B-Ball” at Sanford Staduim this fall.
gadawgs
January 6th, 2011
2:17 pm
juvenal..Not all are like D A
Milos
January 6th, 2011
2:19 pm
You haven’t played a good team yet!
Hankie Aron
January 6th, 2011
2:20 pm
Most important point on here Abnerish. You have got to pay the guy before he leaves for a better basketball program.
elderdawg
January 6th, 2011
2:20 pm
I love how jerks from other schools come on here possing as dawg fans, and say basketball doesn’t matter. If they were graduates of GA they would stand behind all UGA sports. If they are UGA football fans, then they are just knuckledragging hicks that have probably never set foot in a UGA classroom.
Hankie Aron
January 6th, 2011
2:21 pm
Exactly gadawgs- D A is just passionate about football like most fans. Basketball just hasn’t been that eye catching until now.
Rebounding Dawg
January 6th, 2011
2:21 pm
I’m excited by the direction of the basketball program, but some of the victories this year against lesser opponents have been far too close. That said, I think when this team figures it out and finds a way to “click”, they are going to be very good. By SEC tourney time, this should be a very tough team to beat.
gadawgs
January 6th, 2011
2:22 pm
A successful hoops program can only benefit our football program. The more our name is out there on a POSITIVE note (and basketball is a major sport) not a negative one is only going to help recruiting. Why because perception is everything to these kids and they want to be associated with a winner. Also, maybe CMF will be the one that CMR is STUDYING. Hope so.
Hankie Aron
January 6th, 2011
2:22 pm
I am proud of all the UGA athletics and academia. Of course football is my favorite like everybody else
Hankie Aron
January 6th, 2011
2:23 pm
Couldn’t have said it better gadawgs
athensdawg
January 6th, 2011
2:24 pm
just hope we can keep this guy.
GTBob
January 6th, 2011
2:25 pm
I like Mark Fox but I think this years record is a little misleading. He is 11-2 but who is their best win against? UAB by 2 points? They have struggled against other terrible teams also like Mercer, Manhattan, and GT. The SEC schedule should be more telling although the SEC is pretty weak this year. I would still rather have him then Hewitt but then again, id rather have a random high school coach then Hewitt.
Paul (You doesn't have to call me Johnson).
January 6th, 2011
2:25 pm
UGA has a Basketball team that the Football team can be proud of!
D A Double U G
January 6th, 2011
2:27 pm
I forgot…..
All you armchair UGA fans who have never stepped foot in a classroom or donated a dime to the athletic cause, think I am suppose to flail my arms around and stomp my feet, while cursing the football program in which I love, because we have hit a rough patch the last couple of seasons.
So sorry. Let me run to my personal blog and write a story about how Mark Richt is soft, and will never win another game in his carer, and why the UGA football program should be exiled to Conference USA for all of time.
Forget the fact that I proudly graduated from the University of Georgia, and have been a VERY proud season ticket holder and Hartman Fund contributor for 7 years now. I should stop finding joy in commuting out to the most beautiful campus in the world 6 or 7 Saturdays every fall to enjoy the fellowship of fellow alums and family. I should probably stop getting goosebumps every time I hear the lone bugler start the Battle Hymn of the Bulldawg Nation. The feeling I get when Larry Munson’s voice reads the monologue during the Battle Hymn should go away as well.
Forget the fact that I have pride in something that has been held so dear to mine, my wife, my father and his father’s heart since birth.
ALL of this should just go away because of 2 subpar seasons, only considered subpar because of the SUCCESS the program has had for the previous 8 years.
I give in. I will turn in my G gear, cancel my season tickets, and dedicate more time to going on the ajc blogs, written by journalists(sic) who have absolutely ZERO understanding what it means to be a Georgia Bulldawg, and only want to bash them because they know it generates more blog hits, upping the cost of advertising.
Is that what every Dawg fan/student/alumni should say????? Not happening.
DawginLex
January 6th, 2011
2:27 pm
I expect Saturday’s game to be close for awhile. Hopefully, the Steg will be full.
But make no mistake, UK is loaded and talent usually wins.
UK 68
UGA 60
juvenal
January 6th, 2011
2:28 pm
gadawgs, talking %, & there are a lot of you, so even a small is a big #, just don’t recall actually knowing one that went unless when a student..omni was always packed, though, i liked that format……Mr. Schultz, think drad will pull the trigger after chan is paid off?
sam
January 6th, 2011
2:29 pm
Fire Paul blewitt!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Josh Smith For 3
January 6th, 2011
2:29 pm
+1 gadawgs
Aside from the miraculous SEC tournament run a few years ago, there hasn’t been anything worth watching in UGA basketball for a while. I’m glad to see that Fox is moving this entire program in the right direction.
Sandman053
January 6th, 2011
2:31 pm
D.A. I agree with your statement 100%, I am not giving up on these Dawgs this year. Football will take care of itself. I remember Zook getting run out of G-ville, the Holtz experiment in Columbia, Chizik getting booed at the airport, and Bama had what? 3 coaches in three months? It is the nature of the beast and it has been announced that Richt will be the coach next year. So be it. Now go out all you so-called fans and suppport him. If not, fine, my season tickets will be much better than last year if you are going to “withold your donations” (which I doubt.)
DawginLex
January 6th, 2011
2:32 pm
JSS,
Don’t rag on the SEC east yet. Vandy is getting better and UT only plays well against good teams. florida is getting better too. There are 5 SEC east teams in the top 60 of the RPI(UGA is 56).
The west is a trainwreck except for maybe MSU now that Sidney is back.
Georgia should win at least 8 conference games. I think 10 will get them a NCAA bid which is what fox REALLY needs to happen.
Tweets that mention Mark Fox succeeding in changing basketball culture at Georgia | Jeff Schultz -- Topsy.com
January 6th, 2011
2:32 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ajc sports editor, Daniel Beaird and others. Daniel Beaird said: Can football culture change too? RT @JeffSchultzAJC: Fox succeeding in changing basketball culture at UGA. #Dawgs #UGA http://bit.ly/hD5mka [...]
Hunting Dawg
January 6th, 2011
2:33 pm
Agree with you elderdawg, the other day I was cheering on the UGA Bass fishing team! I support all UGA Athletics even the ice hockey team!
KevinM
January 6th, 2011
2:34 pm
You’re as good as your record….the Dogs have reeled off 8 straight and are feeling confident. They have some depth in the post, and they have 2 All-SEC preseason selections. Its not necessarily what you do against a certain team, it’s about consistency….win your home games and steal a couple on the road..that gets you to 10-6 in the SEC and sets you for a chance to win the SEC Tournament.
Coach Fox has brought confidence to the program.
I hope his recruiting picks up at the same time.
Sandman053
January 6th, 2011
2:34 pm
@ hunting dawg: what is up with the ice hocley team? Do we have one or is that something that folks want? I thought it was pretty neat when I saw their stand at the bookstore. Ice Dawgs! Great stuff!
UGABugKiller
January 6th, 2011
2:36 pm
Everything is on the up and up with Georgia Basketball.
We have practice facilities to match Kentucky and Arkansas. We have an arena that’s been renovated and looks amazing from the outside for the first time, well, ever… while inside, the concourses are as wide a pro arena and the inner bowl is still as intimate (and loud when full) as ever.
What you REALLY should have said, Jeff, is how the Georgia Basketball program hasn’t just passed the Bug basketball program on the ladder, but how Mark Fox has passed Mark RICHT and the Georgia football program.
People have hope and expectations now for Georgia basketball.
People have expectations for Georgia football, too, but NO hope that Richt can meet or exceed them.
JTDawg
January 6th, 2011
2:38 pm
I watched UGA’s tv games this season, and watched two of KY’s. We barely beat tiny teams, so I’ll be suprised if we beat them Sat . . .unless, unless Fox isn’t showing everything he has. UGA will be better later in the year, when thompkins is 100%.
But there’s no denying Fox is an excellent coach. We’ll see how good he is next year without Thompkins and Leslie.
Go Dawgs!
JTDawg
January 6th, 2011
2:39 pm
Sad, but true, Bugkiller.
Dawg Boy
January 6th, 2011
2:39 pm
It’s nice to see an article about UGA that is positive for once! Sure the football team is struggling, but it is still great to be a Georgia Bulldawg! Here is another article I found a little uplifting- except it’s about the football team.
http://www.dudeyoucrazy.net/cfb/dude-you-crazy-originals/january-2011/01-05-2011
D A Double U G
January 6th, 2011
2:40 pm
Now that I’ve had my football rant, I will acknowledge this is about Mark Fox and the hoop-dawgs….
I hope as much as any true Dawg fan that we beat Kentucky this Saturday. But, it’s basketball. There will not be 1/3rd of the disappointment felt if we lose that would be felt after any football loss.
If we win this game, perhaps we will see interest in the program and cause increase. Then we will be able to hear disgruntled Tech fans tell us we do not deserve the success because we haven’t been there for the basketball team through thick and thin.
So it’s kind of a lose/lose situation if you ask me.
How many days until G-Day??
DawginOH
January 6th, 2011
2:41 pm
Congrats to CMF for all his remarkable accomplishments! Keep it up, Coach!
Abnerish
January 6th, 2011
2:44 pm
I wish it was only about the money. For some reason, these coaches think it is great to work at places that other coaches made great. IF Mark is as smart as I think he is, he will learn from Tubby and the great mistake he made and stay at UGA and make a legacy for himself, a la Donovan. Of course, I am getting a bit ahead of myself, but I think it is pretty clear from watching his team play that this guy can coach.
JTDawg
January 6th, 2011
2:49 pm
I don’t know, D A Double, I was asking when does basketball start after the infamous Colorado game . . .
Dawg Tired
January 6th, 2011
2:49 pm
Great job Coach Fox. Honest, direct, humble and willing to roll your sleeves up. You are honest with the fans about the plan to get the program to the next level while not dwelling on the issues of the past. I am sure that you will receive your just reward as well as will we UGA fans. No arrogance on your part. Simply put- you are working the plan with your sleeves rolled up. Great Job! We appreciate all that you are doing. Now- can you please go TRY to help CMR with proper fan protocol. We appreciate honesty but to have a coach that we have supported 100% talking to us like we are total blind idiots? I just didn’t think CMR really had this pompous arrogant attitude. Sure is what has shown up lately
Alex
January 6th, 2011
2:50 pm
Finally, some Mark Fox love. The man is doing a great job in Athens and we aren’t hearing much about it.
D A Double U G
January 6th, 2011
2:50 pm
CONGRATS to Andrew Luck for deciding to STAY AT STANFORD dspite knowing he would be the #1 pick in the Draft.
He just became my second favorite QB in College Football.
Evansdawg
January 6th, 2011
2:50 pm
Can he coach football too????
gadawgs
January 6th, 2011
2:50 pm
LMAO.. JTDAWG
D A Double U G
January 6th, 2011
2:52 pm
My guess would be since Andrew Luck is staying, that Carolina needs a QB REALLY bad….. so they will pick Josh Nesbitt as the #1 overall pick…….
GTBob
January 6th, 2011
2:52 pm
DawginLex, keep in mind that Tennessee is not going to have their head coach for the first 8 SEC games this season. That should hurt them pretty bad and they have already lost to some bad teams. Florida just hasn’t looked all that great yet this season. They will probably turn it around in SEC play though. Vandy is looking pretty decent though.
Mark Richt
January 6th, 2011
2:54 pm
2010 season?
It is what it is . . .
gadawgs
January 6th, 2011
2:57 pm
Wow, on the Luck news. Very admirable but stupid. Either he really likes college football or he did not want to play for Carolina. I do admire him for his decision but he is one defensive lineman away from pissing away millions…………..
Fair and Balanced
January 6th, 2011
3:08 pm
Jury still out. Ga finished just where it was expected to finish last year. 11 – 2 this season does not say anything yet. The real season begins Saturday!
Herschel Talker
January 6th, 2011
3:08 pm
Schultzie:
Very well written. This guy is nothing but a winner, and we need to lock him up big time. This guy has the potential to build a long-term winner. At least one coach in Athens named Mark is worth something. The other guy is a joke.
FIRE MARK RICHT
HT
UGA Insider
January 6th, 2011
3:09 pm
The BIG news today for me is the word out of Tuscaloosa that Kirby Smart is staying on another year as DC of Bama. This has major significance if you are a UGA fan because someone is telling him if he will sit tight, he will be the front runner for the UGA job in 2012 or 2013. I think that person is Nick Saban who would know better than anyone about the inner workings of an athletic department. I fully expect Kirby Smart to be the head coach of UGA within the next 2-3 years.
Ted Striker
January 6th, 2011
3:12 pm
Let’s give a little credit to Damon Evans for this hire. Just sayin…
collegeballfan
January 6th, 2011
3:17 pm
When Georgia hired Fox they hired a keeper.
If he can truly get the Georgia grads to support the team by attending games he can build something special there. The SEC is a conference not dominated by anyone.
Ted M
January 6th, 2011
3:20 pm
I hope it works out for him and he doesn’t get hurt but Andrew Luck is an idiot for staying.
Ted M
January 6th, 2011
3:22 pm
UGA will be an 8 seed in the Tourney.
Ted M
January 6th, 2011
3:22 pm
GT won’t make the NIT.
Dawg Gummit
January 6th, 2011
3:23 pm
As a UGA fan I have spent the last twenty years checking scores of the BB team with no interest in the office with other UGA FB fans. Hopefully CMF will get UGA BB to the point that interest at least half rivals the FB fans. Also, for what it is worth I did not attend UGA but bleed red and black and went to a smaller college in state. That said there are NO graduates from the school slive that care more about the UGA athletic teams. I hope in FB CMR can turn things around this year and will proudly wear the “G” next year regardless. This is a great state and UGA is the flagship school.
Dawgs73
January 6th, 2011
3:28 pm
(Quoting: “I wasn’t wowed how we played or how I coached.” If only the football coach on campus was so forthcoming after games.) Jeff, you couldn’t have put it any better. It’s refreshing to hear a coach ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS. If Richt had an ounce of Fox’s accountability maybe he would do the right thing and resign…if only.
DawginLex
January 6th, 2011
3:29 pm
Insider,
I have a family member that works at the school and he is hearing rumor of some big announcement.
Everyone is assuming it is about AJ.
Any thoughts?
Bruce Mac
January 6th, 2011
3:33 pm
UGA Insider (not). First, this is a basketball blog. Second, you have about as much inside information as St. Simon. Why in the h e double ll would UGA hire Kirby Smart when they can hire a real head coach? By the way a football is not made out of a PIG, now you know one fact about the game.
Ted M
January 6th, 2011
3:35 pm
Yep, Fox does sound like a winner.
Richt really sounded like he took winning for granted in his news conference. So now I guess he’s going to try.
Buckeye
January 6th, 2011
3:36 pm
Sorry to see Howard ( Yes, that’s his name) Thompkins tatted up over the summer. Hope he paid full price.
Always been a fan and watched most of his Wesleyan games in person. He is the only reason I root for anything Georgia.
I hope he spent extra time in the weight room too. He’s always been big but soft. Needs to aquire an NBA meanstreak IMHO.
Ted M
January 6th, 2011
3:40 pm
Leslie is great.
GTBob
January 6th, 2011
3:46 pm
Ted M, i’m not entirely sure that GT will win another game this season, let alone make the NIT. We can hopefully beat Chattanooga, and can probably have a good game against Wake. Other then that we are pretty much done.
D A Double U G
January 6th, 2011
3:54 pm
I am hearing rumors of a big announcement as well.
Presumably about AJ.
What people need to know about AJ, he is a different kind of kid. And he is VERY much still a kid. I wouldn’t be surprised either way, if he stays or leaves.
Hoping he comes back!
master blaster
January 6th, 2011
3:56 pm
Umm Jeff:
Quick question, how many teams has UGa beaten this year who are in the RPI top 100? Yes, a grand total of 1 (UAB who is not very good, or well coached). UGa, with the level of talent in this state, should be in the NCAA tourney every year…massive under performance and the fan base is still not there…
Gatormeat
January 6th, 2011
3:58 pm
Don’t fool yourself dogs, someone will take Fox from you within a year or two. You are nothing but a stepping stone school, no one wants to be there. It also explains why you get stuck with a sorry bunch of football coaches and a sorry team. Champions prefer schools like Florida, where character and honor still count, unlike georgia. We have won back to back titles in basketball and won three NC’s in football in the last couple of decades, you have none. The only thing you are winning is the rap sheet contest, you have players getting arrested all over the place and having panty incidents and all kind of goofy stuff. You should be ashamed of yourselves. If it were anyone else we would feel sorry for you, but because it is the dogs, we mock you
robodawg
January 6th, 2011
4:14 pm
Fox has done a heck of a job. I hope expectations aren’t so high that fans lose interest if we don’t make the tourney this year and support withers when Thompkins and Leslie leave. Fox is a great coach and his recruiting success so far has been promising. Recruiting woes have killed any momentum in the past. At some point we’re going to need a good run in the NCAAs to create a real buzz (like Tubby did) and elevate the program. And then we’ll need to keep our coach from leaving to build something lasting. So we’re not there yet, but things do look promising.
Our goals
January 6th, 2011
4:16 pm
During the 2010 SEC Tourney, I stated here that UGA’s goals for this year 2010-2011 are “to win around 22 games pre SEC Tourney, including continued success vs a GT team that is down, and then, go maybe two deep into the SEC Tourney. If we do that, then the goals will have been met. 24 or 25 total wins would be fabulous for the UGA and the kids.
If we accomplish this track, then UGA can expect an invite to March Madness. There, it would be fabulous to win one game, then bow out. To win more than one would be beyond comprehension.
With that record, then continued recruiting successes will allow UGA to within a total of 2 or 3 or 4 more years to be a nationally respected, established program under Coach Mark Fox. UGA will need to pony up so me major, major bucks to keep him, if he achieves all of this.
UGA grads and real UGA hoops fans hope to one day return to the Final Four and that could happen with luck and some breaks with this coach. Maybe it happens in two more years.
Let us get ready for the SEC ……………… cause it could change fast for UGA.
Go Dogs.
wxwax
January 6th, 2011
4:17 pm
Fox and UGA basketball is one of the feel-good stories in sports.
Calm down about UGA hoops
January 6th, 2011
4:23 pm
The newness of Mark Fox just hasnt warn off yet (remember Paul Johnson at Tech?).
UGA has not beaten a top 50 team this season. They aren’t getting any great recruits. The SEC is still Kentucky and then everyone else. UK will roll over them Saturday and that will change our toon.
Leslie and Tompkins are solid, but Brandon Knight and Terrance Jones are lottery picks.
FREE ENES!!!!!!!!!!
Delbert D.
January 6th, 2011
4:48 pm
Are basketball revivals played in tents?
Marlon Barefield
January 6th, 2011
4:48 pm
Wow, nice, positive article about something at UGA, but you had to take another shot at Richt didn’t you? I really do think it’s personal with you and the UGA football coach.
blazerdawg
January 6th, 2011
4:55 pm
Dawggummt – well said.
JS – Not that it has anything to do with UGA Basketball, but I have listened to alot of CMR post game press conferences and a few call-in shows and never found him to be less than forthcoming.
atlvol55
January 6th, 2011
5:03 pm
Not to throw cold water on UGA, but lets wait until they actually beat someone decent. UGA has been sqeaking by some crappy teams. Lets wait and see until they play some big boys.
“Calm down about UGA hoops” I beg to differ the SEC is KY and no one else. Vandy and TN are pretty good too. All of those first round draft picks got you exactly the same place it got Tennessee last year..
Even though the Vols have been up and down this year; we do have wins against Villanova( Madison Sq Garden), Pitt (on the road), and dominated Memphis, I wouldn’t quite count out the Vols just yet? Who is KY best win this year???
"Chef" Tim Dix
January 6th, 2011
5:03 pm
Dogs will go dancing this year.
Paul Hewitt does the “Ikey Shuffle” at every ATM he uses.
re: master blaster
January 6th, 2011
5:05 pm
To Master Blaster – Clearly you didn’t watch any UGA basketball last year. We beat Tech, Tenn, Vandy (who was ranked), SC, Alabama, and Florida at home. We also took a ranked Vandy team into overtime on the road. Maybe our record wasn’t great in the end, but clearly we are capable of beating talented teams. You must be a tech fan who is still bitter about losing to us.
"Chef" Tim Dix
January 6th, 2011
5:08 pm
“everybody has to check the score of our game before they go to bed.”
A statement of relevance. Culture changer for sure.
Ted Striker
January 6th, 2011
5:09 pm
@ JSS — I am still laughing at the “whole lot of praying!” comment. Truer words were never spoken.
Hunting Dawg
January 6th, 2011
5:17 pm
We do! I don’t know if hockey is a college sport that is recognized but they play teams from all over. I even think Florida has a team.
SimpleDawg
January 6th, 2011
5:22 pm
@D A Double U G
What an arrogant idiot you are. You don’t have to be a UGA grad to support UGA athletics. You would support Richt all the way out the door and beyond you are such a blind homer. You’re too delusional to even admit that we have serious problems that are NOT going away. It’s fans like you that are the problem; it’s fans like you that prevent change when EVERYONE knows that change is needed. Being a blind homer is not better than other fans just like being an alumnus is not better than other fans. What an arrogant fool.
Mike
January 6th, 2011
5:28 pm
some UGA fans on here don’t know how to comprehend an article. I’m a UGA fan myself.
I have watched many many UGA hoops games…and this year I’ve not missed one yet.
the ajc is not talking down football. the basketball team is something to watch.
JohnsCreekDawg
January 6th, 2011
5:32 pm
SimpleDog, I cannot agree with you more. DA Double whatever it is needs to wake up…and I think Richt should get this year to fix the problems as well…
Coach D
January 6th, 2011
5:32 pm
JB 2:05 pm post- haha!
Fox is a good coach, I hope he stays around for a while!
crapsandwich
January 6th, 2011
5:40 pm
You just have to love coach Fox. If anyone……I mean if ANYONE, can turn around the dawgs he can. He deserves our full support, especially in the Steg, and he will get much better recruits in the years to come.
LakeDawg
January 6th, 2011
5:43 pm
UGA is a basketball school now!
Hugh Durham
January 6th, 2011
5:49 pm
Yea…good luck with that! If UGA ever took basketball seriously, there’s TONS of talent in the Atlanta area to cherry pick.
UGA basketball
January 6th, 2011
6:04 pm
1. Pulling for the Dogs BB team and the Dogs FB team are not mutually exclusive. Having a good basketball program does not detract from the football program While I love UGA football, I also enjoy basketball, tennis and baseball.
2. Sure, Georgia has been unimpressive against lesser competition in many of those 11 wins, but if last year is a guide, Fox will have them showing constant improvement as the year progresses.
Dawg'88
January 6th, 2011
6:08 pm
Even in a basketball article, Schultz takes a shot at CMR. You are lower than scum JS and a coward. Go and say the say thing mentioned in your article…but do it face to face with CMR. You would never do that…too much of a coward. And BTW…CMR has always been forthcoming after games and practices…what rock have you been hiding under?
GEEZ>>>>LAY OFF THE MAN…Wimp!
KevinM
January 6th, 2011
6:14 pm
Calm down, its all about Enes right now for Cat fans! Let’s win 2 on Saturday and good luck to Coach Pope on Coach Fox’ staff. I hope he’s taking good notes so he can rise up in the coaching ranks.
You know how Pope can excite the local fan base? Let everyone touch his championship rings…..
KevinM
January 6th, 2011
6:27 pm
Nevermind Dawg fans, didn’t know Pope actually moved on to Wake Forest.
That picture of Fox and Pope confused me!
Lagdawg
January 6th, 2011
6:36 pm
Fox is a great coach and I wish the local kids would give him a chance instead of commiting to out of state programs. I followed Coach Fox while he was in Nevada and he did and excellent job. Given the chance to build the program, we can be a national power house in Bball. I hope UGA has enough sense to pay him properly and sign him to a long term contract. Coach Fox was a great hire. Now we need the same for the football program.
D-MAN
January 6th, 2011
6:37 pm
DA what the hell did you see this season to get fired up about G-Day!
PHIL
January 6th, 2011
6:52 pm
Love CMF, but I think we should temper expectations. The reality is that the team is probably no better than the football team. A couple of excellent players and a few good players and a few walk ons. We will begin to play teams with 6-7 excellent players. Consistently winning basketball is even more about having sheer talent than football. You can coach ‘em up a season or two and get lucky, but to be a consistent winner you have to have top talent 6-7 deep. Not there yet. I think we will get there but it takes time to go from the outhouse to the penthouse.
One other thing Dadoubleudawg is hereby banned from ever posting on the ajc because he makes too much sens to fit in with the rest.
PHIL
January 6th, 2011
6:59 pm
@SimpleDawg I’d say one your name fits you well. Two yes being a “blind homer” as you so eloquently (look it up) put it, is indeed better than other fans, especially those like you who hurt our reputation with recruits and I would totally agree with the poster you denigrate (again, look it up) that an alum is much better than a trailer trash beer guzzler in a wife beater. It’s obvious it’s you that are what you called the target of your manure spewing.
CrackDaddy
January 6th, 2011
7:14 pm
Know how to do the “Rocky Flop” (Tn)? Trail in the game for 50 mins., then go up 3 with less than 5 mins to go. Then get 3 15 yd penalties while allowing the opponent to drive 80 yds in 31 secs. Then throw an interception in OT. That folks is called the “Rocky Flop”.
Belcher
January 6th, 2011
7:15 pm
It was all Damon “Red Panties” fault!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Billy Jack aint no wimp
January 6th, 2011
7:17 pm
@Dawg’88 dude we only scored 6pts against Central Fl. we stunk this year our program is in serious trouble..you didn’t know that.???
@PHIL..I think you are underestimating the BB team..I see them going 10-6 in SEC play and being a 6 seed in the dance
PHIL
January 6th, 2011
7:21 pm
@Simple dawg First your name seems to fit you well. Just want you to know that I and many like me disagree completely with you. It is nut jobs like you, as opposed to the poster you referred to, that is a major problem to this university. Kids who are being recruited are just that, and they don’t realize that indeed no one cares what you anbd those like you think. They believe you speak for the fans of the university when you spew this manure from your mouth. In that vein a “blind homer” as you so eloquently (look it up) put it is indeed better than so called “fan” such as yourself. And there are hundreds of thousands of us who do indeed believe that being an alum is indeed better than being a beer guzzling moron in a wife beater who’s only tie to the UGA is that he gets his total ego and pride in life from a game played by kids .
This is for you and those like you. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3GbAq9mNI4
It’s a video of a flying saucer over Stone Mountain. It’s obvious that you don’t know a football from a flying saucer so I thought this might help.
PHIL
January 6th, 2011
7:23 pm
Billy Jack I hope I am underestimating their record. Hope you are right. Hope they can upset some people. But to win against UF and UK plus elite teams outside the conference it will take a while as the talent level isn’t at elite level yet.
St. Clarkston
January 6th, 2011
7:33 pm
I think the techies are too hard on Hewitt. It’s a tough conference and there ate more good teams than ever…the parity thing.
As for Fox, he’s was a great hire and I look forward to the conference play.
Upstate Dawg
January 6th, 2011
7:51 pm
Nice article…the team still hasn’t really clicked for 40 minutes. Free throws and turnovers have been problems at times along with some poor outside shooting. The good news is the team doesn’t panic in close games and has already won three games on the road. When you add that Coach Fox is on the sidelines, the future is indeed promising. Go Dawgs!
Billy Jack aint no wimp
January 6th, 2011
7:53 pm
@PHIL….we have a great front court, something UGA has often never had..plus we finally have a guard that can push the ball up the court this is our best team since the Harrick coached team that got screwed because of Tony Cole..(I loved that team..all Georgia boys) they could have gone deep in the NCAA tournament that yr…and Harrick I think his half court offense was good as anybodys….he could flat out coach….
girldawg
January 6th, 2011
8:36 pm
I am a avid football fan but I am also a B-Ball fan especially the Dawgs… Looking forward to opening SEC Game. Mark Fox is impressive in what he has done so far. Great job team!!!
Go Dawgs… Beat the Cats!
Nate
January 6th, 2011
9:06 pm
This program will be okay as long as Fox or some other coach decides the GA basketball coaching gig is a final destination and not a temporary vacation. Tubby did well here obviously. A missed shot by Syracuse and they would’ve gone to the Elite Eight. Harrick took the team to at least one sweet sixteen that I remember. If Fox stays here for two decades he MIGHT be able to do for Georgia what Denny Crum did for Louisville, what Jim Boeheim has done for Syracuse, and what Mike Kryzewski has done for Duke.
BG
January 6th, 2011
9:17 pm
Mark Fox is the man!!!!!
Hit A Single
January 6th, 2011
9:23 pm
UGA has cleaned up themselves on the court in appearance, effort, and knowledge of the game. That is a credit to Coach Fox.
Paul Hewitt's Buyout
January 6th, 2011
9:41 pm
Just give Fox a contract like mine. I promise you will never regret it….
Paul Hewitt's Buyout
January 6th, 2011
9:43 pm
St. Clarkston, personally, I think Tech is a lot easier on Hewitt than he deserves. One winning season in the ACC in ten years so far (it will soon be one in eleven). A career conference record of 67-93. Basically, one year of leading Tech to the runner-up finish in the nation saved his job for years to come. Did Mark Richt’s one season of finishing #2 in the country save his job for six seasons of mediocrity or worse? Of course not. One season of mediocrity (previous years were short of expectations but definitely not mediocre) and there is talk of canning the guy already. If Georgia goes 1-7 in SEC play, would you want him fired? (note: see Paul Hewitt 2008-2009) Well, that is what Georgia Tech is dealing with. If he didn’t have a golden contract (which he has far from lived up to), he would have been gone a few years ago.
As for the state of UGA basketball, they are definitely a team on the rise. If Fox can continue bringing in skilled players to compete in the national scene, Georgia should increase their basketball reputation. Unfortunately, I don’t see him staying long. He is a good coach, and I will be relieved to not have to see him on the other bench. But Georgia is not where a guy dreams of being the basketball coach. Heck, with fans like some of the guys on here, it obvious why. He will do his job and bring Georgia back to relevance, but don’t expect him to become a savior and coach the team for the next twenty years. Good luck this season though. Hopefully we will give you guys a better fight next year without Hewitt (fingers crossed) Otherwise it could be another ugly game.
Coffee Bluff DAWG
January 6th, 2011
9:44 pm
Mark Fox was a great hire for UGA. Win or lose this weekend (and this will be tough) against a UK team that looks better than their team last year Fox has this program going in the right direction.
I like what he asked every player when he arrived “Why did you come to UGA?” Every player except one gave him a different answer than what he was looking for, which was “I came to UGA to win”.
Fox is a winner and is on a mission to make UGA a winner. I’ll be there on Sat. and am optimistic about BB at UGA.
Outside Observer
January 6th, 2011
9:44 pm
St. Clarkston, personally, I think Tech is a lot easier on Hewitt than he deserves. One winning season in the ACC in ten years so far (it will soon be one in eleven). A career conference record of 67-93. Basically, one year of leading Tech to the runner-up finish in the nation saved his job for years to come. Did Mark Richt’s one season of finishing #2 in the country save his job for six seasons of mediocrity or worse? Of course not. One season of mediocrity (previous years were short of expectations but definitely not mediocre) and there is talk of canning the guy already. If Georgia goes 1-7 in SEC play, would you want him fired? (note: see Paul Hewitt 2008-2009) Well, that is what Georgia Tech is dealing with. If he didn’t have a golden contract (which he has far from lived up to), he would have been gone a few years ago.
As for the state of UGA basketball, they are definitely a team on the rise. If Fox can continue bringing in skilled players to compete in the national scene, Georgia should increase their basketball reputation. Unfortunately, I don’t see him staying long. He is a good coach, and I will be relieved to not have to see him on the other bench. But Georgia is not where a guy dreams of being the basketball coach. Heck, with fans like some of the guys on here, it obvious why. He will do his job and bring Georgia back to relevance, but don’t expect him to become a savior and coach the team for the next twenty years. Good luck this season though. Hopefully we will give you guys a better fight next year without Hewitt (fingers crossed). If he is still here, expect another victory…
He Hate Gator
January 6th, 2011
10:08 pm
Mark Fox is a breath of fresh air after all the smog surrounding the football program. The basketball program IS in the right direction…now for the football…
Jeff Schultz
January 6th, 2011
10:08 pm
Master Blaster — Check back at the end of the season.
SoCal Dawg
January 6th, 2011
10:20 pm
Love the Dawgs no matter the sport! I’ve watched a lot of games over the past few years just because it was the Dawgs. I’m glad now to watch them because it’s good BB. By the way I’m not an alumni but I love UGA as much as any alumni. (didn’t have my major)
chaddy daddy
January 6th, 2011
10:21 pm
All you single interest football only homers need to accept the fact UGA hoops will win a conference title before UGA football will. Now go talk about ‘recruitin’ Cletus while we enjoy some quality hoops.
rm
January 6th, 2011
10:42 pm
dude can coach!
rm
January 6th, 2011
10:47 pm
And if I remember correctly, Damon Evans hired Coach Fox. Great hire and he deserves the credit regardless of the other BS that the techies want to dwell on.
Jeff Schultz
January 6th, 2011
11:03 pm
JSS — Agree, Paul Hewitt is not a “clueless” coach. For whatever reason, it’s been an epic fail lately and I don’t know why.
misconceptions about Fox
January 6th, 2011
11:07 pm
Fox left Nevada because he and his wife are involved in a major corruption scandal. Fox was a bad boy in Nevada. Story slowly unfolding. Hold your breath it does not leak to the Georgia media.
Gen Neyland
January 6th, 2011
11:50 pm
You may not wish to hear it but Fox is at least twice the honest, moral man that CMR is…A dam good hire and will elevate the Mens BB program that the last dude couldn’t. I expect UGA will do quite nicely with Fox…
Coastal Dawg
January 6th, 2011
11:50 pm
I am extremely proud of the changes brought about thus far with UGA BB.
I am proud of CMF and hope he enjoys Athens and UGA BB AND that he is fully appreciated and rewarded by them so he will remain there. If so, I believe the sky is the limit.
Folks, it is the beginning of his 2nd year….give him a break.
Tdawg
January 6th, 2011
11:53 pm
Sorry dawg fans, but the dawgs are not even as good as they were last year. Expect a dead last finish in the SEC this year. I mean who have we beaten this year? A bunch of nobodies, and we barely beat them. All fo the top talent still deserting the state, nail biting victories over teams that we should be blowing of the court. To me and I hope that I am wrong, it looks to me that last year we simply over achieved. This years version just seems to be average at best.
KakNiqueTree
January 7th, 2011
1:26 am
Ah, an article about how good things are starting to get in men’s bball, and football STILL has to come up in this…wouldn’t be UGA otherwise.
BoWeevil
January 7th, 2011
3:40 am
Here are the Top 10 Football Recruits in the state of Georgia :
Scout.com Top 10 state of Georgia :
TE 1 Jay Rome (Valdosta HS) Valdosta, GA 6-6/240/4.68
RB 2 Isaiah Crowell (Carver HS) Columbus, GA 6-0/210/4.43
CB 5 Malcolm Mitchell (Valdosta HS) Valdosta, GA 6-1/190/4.40
CB 6 Damian Swann (Grady HS) Atlanta, GA 6-0/175/4.50
DT 7 Gabe Wright (Carver HS) Columbus, GA 6-4/300/4.98
MLB 7 Shannon Brown (Cook County HS) Adel, GA 6-2/237
DE 8 Ray Drew (Thomas County Central HS) Thomasville, GA 6-5/248/4.74
MLB 9 James Vaughters (Tucker HS) Tucker, GA 6-2/232/4.55
DE 10 Xzavier Dickson (Griffin HS) Griffin, GA 6-4/248/4.90
We have zero -0- of them.
NONE.
Scout.com Team Rankings
1. Texas 23 Big 12 4826 11 7 9 7 13 10 0 23 0 4.00
2. Ohio State 20 Big Ten 3918 5 3 11 6 9 11 0 20 0 3.85
3. Florida State 22 ACC 3688 7 3 8 11 10 12 0 20 2 3.64
4. Alabama 21 SEC 3628 7 2 11 8 9 12 0 18 3 3.71
5. USC 23 Pac-10 3282 6 4 5 9 8 12 3 19 4 3.35
6. Stanford 22 Pac-10 3119 0 0 7 15 13 9 0 22 0 3.32
7. Arkansas 26 SEC 3045 1 1 6 17 15 11 0 23 3 3.23
8. Notre Dame 19 Indep 3020 4 0 9 10 8 10 1 19 0 3.47
9. Oklahoma 18 Big 12 3017 3 2 6 10 10 8 0 18 0 3.56
10. Clemson 23 ACC 2937 3 3 4 13 14 9 0 23 0 3.30
11. Auburn 16 SEC 2811 2 0 10 6 8 8 0 16 0 3.63
12. North Carolina 21 ACC 2751 3 2 4 12 9 11 1 20 1 3.24
13. LSU 19 SEC 2723 4 2 5 10 10 8 1 18 1 3.32
14. South Carolina 28 SEC 2695 1 1 3 19 13 15 0 27 1 3.00
15. Oklahoma State 23 Big 12 2645 4 1 6 13 10 12 1 19 4 3.13
16. Oregon 18 Pac-10 2534 3 1 7 8 11 7 0 16 2 3.39
17. Virginia 24 ACC 2477 0 0 3 17 10 14 0 24 0 2.96
18. Florida 16 SEC 2474 2 1 6 9 8 7 1 16 0 3.50
19. Georgia 16 SEC 2452 1 0 8 6 8 7 1 16 0 3.38
Rivals, no different :
2011 Team Rankings
Rank School
#1 Alabama 22 2 15 5 3.86 2,482
#2 Texas 23 1 16 6 3.78 2,410
#3 Florida State 22 2 9 11 3.59 2,074
#4 USC 23 2 7 9 3.09 1,822
#5 Oklahoma 17 2 8 7 3.71 1,805
#6 Ohio State 20 0 9 11 3.45 1,787
#7 Oregon 20 0 10 10 3.50 1,703
#8 Clemson 23 1 7 12 3.26 1,687
#9 LSU 19 1 7 10 3.42 1,669
#10 North Carolina 21 0 8 12 3.33 1,577
#11 Stanford 22 0 8 12 3.27 1,450
#12 Texas Tech 21 0 6 15 3.29 1,445
#13 Nebraska 16 0 10 5 3.56 1,414
#14 Mississippi 24 0 5 19 3.21 1,370
#15 Florida 16 0 8 7 3.44 1,366
#16 California 15 0 9 6 3.60 1,342
#17 Notre Dame 19 0 6 12 3.26 1,336
#18 Auburn 16 0 7 9 3.44 1,326
#19 Georgia 16 0 8 7 3.44 1,261
This is the “DREAM TEAM”
BoWeevil
January 7th, 2011
6:18 am
Mark Richt vs SEC
LOSS Auburn
LOSS Florida
Win Kentucky
Win Vanderbilt
Win Tennessee
LOSS Missy State
LOSS Arkansas
LOSS South Carolina
LOSS Kentucky
Win Auburn
LOSS Florida
Win Vanderbilt
LOSS Tennessee
Out of the last 13 SEC games, Mark Richt has Won 5.
pricedawg
January 7th, 2011
6:29 am
I never went to UGA (graduated from GCSU), but I support all UGA sports. Please don’t be ignorant about who is supporting UGA. I have probably donated more money and time than most UGA grads. By the way, all you “true UGA grads” are not supporting the basketball team because I have been to every game and there are about 4,000 fans per game in the Steg.
BoWeevil
January 7th, 2011
6:35 am
pricedawg,
Don’t worry about them sir; those vocal minority only make up 39 percent of the fan base, while you and I make up 61 percent of the fan base – and it is THEY who are MARK RICHT FANS, not UGA fans.
Sloan
January 7th, 2011
6:50 am
I love what Mark Fox is doing in Athens. I am a UGA season ticket holder for football and for the first season since Ray Goff was our coach, I chose NOT to make a single 4.5 hour drive from my hometown to Athens this fall for a football game. But I do have plans to come to Athens for a basketball game in February and I was able to make it to the win over Tech earlier this year. I think that says it all about the state of those two programs at my alma mater.
Buzz
January 7th, 2011
7:17 am
Enjoy him while you can ….. just like Tubby.
Big time?? Not
January 7th, 2011
7:33 am
Sold out tomorrow. tech running specials.
» BBL: Could Enes Kanter case come to a close today? John Clay’s Sidelines
January 7th, 2011
7:39 am
[...] Jeff Schultz: Mark Fox succeeding in changing the basketball culture at Georgia. [...]
suwaneedawg
January 7th, 2011
7:53 am
Felton took over a program in a mess and added to the mess. Fox took it over and started the process of cleaning it up. I don’t know if they will beat Kentucky this Saturday but, it would not be a huge upset if they did. This team is 1-2 years away of being a power house in the SEC and a solid tournament team. GO DAWGS!
A Big Dog
January 7th, 2011
7:56 am
Think McGarity can get Fox to motivate the football coaches and team?
charliecole
January 7th, 2011
8:22 am
http://www.secsportsworld.blogspot.com
NewnanDawg
January 7th, 2011
8:32 am
I just know that not only have I had a lot more fun at the basketball games since Coach Fox arrived, the players have too. It’s a completely different atmosphere. They still have lapses, and we’ll know shortly after 4pm tomorrow how far we’ve come, but I’m excited about where this program is going. To the crowd that has to try and tear down anything good happening at UGA by saying things like “He’ll be gone in a year or two,” think again. Tubby didn’t have the $30M practice facility, new coliseum upgrades, or the upgraded academic facilities that Fox has to help with recruiting. Fox can also bring recruits to sold out games, something that didn’t happen in the past. He also knows he can be a legendary figure for taking an afterthought program and turning it in to a perennial tournament contender. Have no doubt, if he brings the program to national prominance and keeps it there, UGA will pay him every penny he’s worth and there will be no reason to “move on.”
Go Dawgs! Beat the Cats!
hmmm
January 7th, 2011
8:35 am
Just found this:
“Devil Went Down To Georgia”
Letter from a reader:
I have been reading up on your case and am astounded by the number of criminal acts committed by Cindy Fox. Some of her actions certainly meet federal jurisdiction as they have crossed state lines.
I cannot believe for the life of me that the administration at the University of Georgia is aware of what she has been doing. Her behavior while married to one of their high profile employees is very dangerous to UGA.
I could not help but think of the song “Devil Went Down To Georgia” as I reviewed the evidence against her. In the end Charlie Daniel’s said, “The devil bowed his head because he knew that he’d been beat”.
Keep the faith and engage the Fed’s. Fox made it their jurisdiction.
NewnanDawg
January 7th, 2011
8:49 am
Good Grief, unless some of the people on this blog are federal investigators with a bunch of concrete evidence about all of the veiled accusations they are making here, can we just not allow this little witch hunt? I’m certainly not going to the Kentucky and Tennessee blogs listing all of the rumors about their coaches. Heck, it would take too long anyway. They all may be as dirty as some people think, but they are the coaches, and until somebody gives concrete evidence that they shouldn’t be, let’s just talk about the coaching part.
Go Dawgs!
NewnanDawg
January 7th, 2011
8:52 am
Because when it come to the pure coaching, tomorrow will be a battle for Fox. Calipari is as good as they come when it comes to gametime and preparation.
Go Dawgs!
boots
January 7th, 2011
9:03 am
I am very proud and happy for what CMF has done. Great job to the entire team. It shows how well the program is being run that the players are sticking around, working together and excited. And, coach, I listen to all the games and certainly want to know more about how things are going. There is a strong buzz about the program, and excitement is building. UGA can and will have a top 20 program year-in year-out. Excellent work!
Buzz 2010
January 7th, 2011
9:06 am
Dawgs basketball, is this a joke!!! It seems the Dawgs were 2 and 20 last year and the last place team in a weak SEC Conference.. Let’s see the records at the end of the season..
Go Jackets………………..
Friday Links « The Grit Tree
January 7th, 2011
9:16 am
[...] columnist Jeff Schultz is very impressed with head coach Mark Fox and believes he’s changing the culture of UGA [...]
A.J. Green could be No. 1 overall pick in NFL draft | Jeff Schultz
January 7th, 2011
9:17 am
[...] – Mark Fox succeeding in changing basketball culture at Georgia [...]
PMC
January 7th, 2011
9:20 am
It was mostly on hiatus anyway. Tubby and Harrick had the program energized. The scandal and subsequent poor and or dull basketball killed all the energy.
It doesn’t make any sense for any Georgia top level programs to be down for long ever really.
Georgia, Georgia Tech and Georgia State…Kennesaw State etc… should all be able to have good competitive basketball programs.
DawginATL
January 7th, 2011
11:02 am
You know something is going right with BBall up in Athens, I can’t find a ticket to the game Sat. against UK. The Steg should be rocking!
Jeff Schultz
January 7th, 2011
11:22 am
DawginATL — I heard the game has been sold out since November.
Lakedawg
January 7th, 2011
2:41 pm
D A Double U G—————Amen Brother, my feeligs exactly
Lakedawg
January 7th, 2011
2:49 pm
Bo Weevil–You need to find another boll to crawl in. You profess to be a Dawg fan??????????
real dog gone dawg
January 7th, 2011
3:01 pm
DA IF YOU ARE A REAL DAWG ….. U SUPPORT EVERY THING FROM UGA … EVEN WOMEN VOLLEYBALL …….
hmmm
January 7th, 2011
3:27 pm
Patraw and Johnson worked together for a few days. They don’t know each other. What has she ever said about him or Ault? Nothing. You ignored the fact that her case has been remanded due to the fraud. You hate her because she is right. Please tell me where the whole department was under investigation? Please tell me where Patraw was investigated because if she was she came up clean! She was never investigated. Your false accusations are sad when you probably never met her or Johnson or Ault or anybody else involved.
hmmm
January 7th, 2011
3:34 pm
Sounds like the department supports Patraw:
Note from a reader:
Since we all know that Cary Groth reads your blog, will you please tell her that the gig is up. She is filthy corrupt and everybody (athletic department staff) knows it.
….Only Groth’s “Northern Illinois posse” is buying any of her b.s.
Speaking of the “posse”, the exposure of the Tekla Martin academic credential fraud was spot on….Just the type of (dis)honest person one wants to donate their money too. (Sarcasm)!
It is not a coincidence that Nevada Athletics had a substantial budget deficit with Tekla leading the development (donor relations) office. Another example of the incompetent hiring by the incompetent A.D.
You have a lot of fans on campus. Keep it up!
Belcher
January 7th, 2011
6:33 pm
Coach Fox should be advising Mark Richt!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dogs are ranked for first time in eight years | UGA sports blog
January 10th, 2011
1:42 pm
[...] Jeff Schultz column: Mark Fox succeeding in changing basketball culture at Georgia. [...]
Pope UGA XXIII
January 10th, 2011
2:34 pm
A positive article about a Georgia team from Schutlz ??????
Ohhhh, this is the big one !! Hear that Elizabeth ?? I’m coming
to join you !!!
PT
January 10th, 2011
2:47 pm
Do you think there is a Mark Fox type football coach willing to inherit the same type situation.
Dogs are ranked for first time in eight years « Totaluga.com
January 11th, 2011
9:12 am
[...] Jeff Schultz column: Mark Fox succeeding in changing basketball culture at Georgia. [...]