It’s a great day to be a Georgia Bulldog
The Dogs got clutch play from Ricky McPhee. (Curtis Compton / AJC)
Say this for Mark Fox: It didn’t take the new Georgia basketball coach long to get his first signature win.
To be sure, the men’s basketball Dogs are still an undermanned unit that faces a long, tough slog in the SEC wars beginning Saturday at No. 3 Kentucky. But facing No. 17-ranked Georgia Tech, a heavily hyped team with the nation’s most celebrated freshman class, Fox’s team played smart, hung tough and, most importantly, showed good coaching. The fact that the Dogs currently are the SEC’s best free throw-shooting team is an indication of that.
Georgia’s lone quality player, Trey Thompkins, came up big with 20 points in the 73-66 upset win, but here’s the key to what kind of night it was for the heavily favored Jackets: The Dogs’ Ricky McPhee, a former walk-on, hit two key baskets near the end of Tuesday night’s game at Stegeman Coliseum and scored 16 points, twice as many as Tech’s much heralded Derrick Favors, who many expect to be the latest in the string of talented players putting in a year at the Institute before going on to the NBA.
So the Dogs won their 13th consecutive game against Tech at the Steg, setting the tone for a great evening for anyone who favors red and black as the football Jackets learned the hard way that before you start talking about making a run at the BCS title next year, you first have to win this year’s bowl game. And the list of folks Paul Johnson would like to punch continues to grow.
If it weren’t Tech, you could almost feel sorry for them. First major bowl since LBJ was president, and they come up short. Again.
But it was Tech. So you’ll see a lot of smiling Bulldogs fans today.
With the Lady Bulldogs also having beaten their North Avenue rivals recently, the stars definitely seem correctly aligned of late. As the final seconds ticked away in the basketball game in Athens, those students in the “Wreck Tech” T-shirts who made it to the game despite school not being in session yet started chanting, “Just like football!”
OK, Diamond Dogs, it’s your turn next!
RENNIE NOT READY YET
As expected, Reshad Jones made it official Tuesday that he’s leaving school a year early to go pro, but reports from ESPN and elsewhere that Rennie Curran would join him in the announcement proved premature.
Apparently Curran is still undecided, which at this point can only be viewed as a good thing by Dogs fans. Odds are he’ll still skip his senior year for the NFL, but perhaps he’s waiting to see who Georgia’s new defensive coordinator will be.
Curran told Marc Weiszer of the Athens Banner-Herald Tuesday afternoon that he “definitely” hasn’t made up his mind. Curran said “it’s pretty funny to read newspapers reporting that sources close to me [say that he’s leaving]. I’ve told people many times that before I make a decision I’m going to talk it over with Coach [Mark] Richt and my family and we’ll go from there. I don’t know what information they’re getting that I’ve already decided to leave when they haven’t gotten it from me.”
I still think Curran will leave. But my fingers are crossed.
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162 comments Add your comment
GT Money
January 6th, 2010
4:26 pm
I thought we werent your rival? I make more money than all of you. Go back to your hourly jobs selling insurance and get off this message board. Losers
Big time?? Not
January 6th, 2010
4:35 pm
Four tickets, four hot dogs, four cokes
My Son
January 6th, 2010
4:36 pm
wanted to go to tech. They turned him down. Said he didn’t have enought zits (stolen from Lewis Grizzard many years ago)
Little time?? ...5 LOSSES, UNRANKED, TACKY SHREVEPORT TROPHY
January 6th, 2010
4:54 pm
Enter your comments here
Lady Dog
January 6th, 2010
5:14 pm
Bill, you forgot to mention Andy Landers’ 8th ranked Lady Dogs have tied the UGA womens’ record of 14 straight wins this season, and will go for a new record of 15 straight tomorrow night against Kentucky in Athens.
Billy Jack could fight
January 6th, 2010
5:19 pm
Lady Dog….this years Lady Dogs weren’t given much pre-season hype….how good are they..?? Can they play with Tennessee, Vandy, UConn.???? I hope so…just don’t know so I am asking you….
DawgNation
January 6th, 2010
5:25 pm
GT Money,
It is going to be so nice to see all you haters from Tech come on the blogs and try and I mean TRY to insult Bulldog fans with your asinine money BS. Just remember, and if you do forget we will be more than happy to remind you, that you are a LOSER!!!
24-14
30-24
superDawg
January 6th, 2010
5:34 pm
mo money mo money mo money.Get your ass back to work or it will no money no money no money.
superDawg
January 6th, 2010
5:36 pm
gt classes cancelled due to shortage of kleenex.
Urban Meyer & John Caliparri
January 6th, 2010
5:36 pm
Le’s hear you brag again. Did you say something. We will see your sorry bb ball team in Lexington and I will read your posts after that game
“Urban do you have a comment”
Yea, with or without me in the sidelines in J’ville in 2010, it will be another pitiful performance for UGA!
Billy Jack could fight
January 6th, 2010
5:44 pm
John Caliparri …..you’re a scum bag… a cheater…
Urban Meyer…you cry too much…like a little girl….
wildbill
January 6th, 2010
5:44 pm
Note to AJC, your popups SUCK!!!!
Go Dawgs!
MB
January 6th, 2010
6:04 pm
Bill you’re a sad little man
Bill King
January 6th, 2010
6:20 pm
Lady Dog:
Actually, I mentioned the Lady Dogs’ record earlier this week.
Buddy El
January 6th, 2010
6:27 pm
Being A She She Champs is about like getting honorable mention in the County Fair Swine showing.
shane#1
January 6th, 2010
6:27 pm
Too bad for Tech. I was hoping they would pull out a win. The biggest problems that I see for tech are the O and D lines. Lose the battle in the trenches and you will usually lose the game. Tech has some very good skill players on D but needs a bigger and stronger D line. The key to the Tech O is Nesbitt. I like that kid, he reminds me of Hines Ward, tough with a capital T, but stop Nesbitt and you
you stop Tech. Again the line is the key, stop the dive play and lead draw and don’t let your ends overpersue and Tech can be beaten.
WonderDawg
January 6th, 2010
6:28 pm
Dang, you go Grinch…. you forgot:
11. No lines in the men’s room
Tech sucks
January 6th, 2010
6:29 pm
UGA owns Tech at everything.
8-1.
Tech sucks
January 6th, 2010
6:29 pm
lol @ GT Money.
WonderDawg
January 6th, 2010
6:32 pm
Good job Urban & John (5:36), typical nerd – trumpet other programs’ feats so to as to ease your shortcomings …..
Muir-Falcon
January 6th, 2010
6:33 pm
Good luck coach Landers.
Does anyone know if an Atlanta radio station carries the Lady Dawgs B-Ball games?
TUCK FECH
January 6th, 2010
6:37 pm
Way to start the new Year Tech….Get use to Lossing!
GO DAWGS!
WonderDawg
January 6th, 2010
6:37 pm
BUZZ!, in taking up for Bill, I could write, “go F YOURself.” But, really, that’s probably the only time you ever have sex, so what’s the point?!?!
Coaches Hewitt & Johnson
January 6th, 2010
6:40 pm
We have bigger fish to fry!!!!
Billy Jack could fight
January 6th, 2010
6:43 pm
Coaches Hewitt & Johnson ….that’s a moronic post….the fish never get fried..!!!!????
Georgia in 2010!
January 6th, 2010
7:05 pm
Georgia will win the SEC east in 2010—take it to the bank! Florida will be way down, tennessee will have nothing and the Dawgs are loading up with quality on both sides of the ball!!!! With Kirby Smart, the Dawg D will be the best in the SEC!!! Dawgs upset bama in the SEC title game, Dec 2010!
That70sGAdawg
January 6th, 2010
7:30 pm
Bill,
Thank goodness for you, and Tim Tucker. You are fair to UGA.
If only bradley would join hummer.. I might buy the AJC again… just for Sports, not op/ed.
Alabama Jack
January 6th, 2010
7:31 pm
Hey, dawgs – this bud is for you.
http://www.neuticles.com/
GT fan ...
January 6th, 2010
7:38 pm
Way to “Stay Classy” with your blog there Bill. You’re a professional journalist I must assume b/c your blog is part of AJC.com, so I don’t think you’re supposed to “stoop” with some of your comments. But I guess it’s what you need to do to get lots of responses. Hell, I’m even responding.
GT embarrassed the State of GA last night is what lots of people have said. I guess the same could be said for GA for losing to Kentucky (football) and WOFFORD (basketball) eh?
Billy Jack could fight
January 6th, 2010
7:39 pm
Georgia in 2010! …..would you bet on it..???? or are you just in the bleachers…????? no shame in that…just asking…
BIRDDAWGONE
January 6th, 2010
7:40 pm
GT Money:
If you make soooo much money, why didn’t you go to Miami? Do you use all that money to wipe the tears from your eyes everytime GT loses to UGA?— you really sound like a pathetic crybaby!
TUCK FECH
January 6th, 2010
8:11 pm
What a pleasure it is to read these GEORGIA Blogs with out all those Teches on it! I guess they finally now they suck!
DawgNation
January 6th, 2010
8:17 pm
Enter your comments here
DawgNation
January 6th, 2010
8:17 pm
Sorry……
DawgNation
January 6th, 2010
8:20 pm
I’m loving the peace and quite here with all the bugs grounded and their stingers pulled.
FJR
January 6th, 2010
8:32 pm
LOL Bill,
When Tech fans talk about UGA losing a game that had nothing to do with Tech, its a case of “tech is obsessed with UGA”, yet you guys do it every time too. Can’t you guys just admit that you’re just as obsessed with Tech as Tech is with UGA?
Froggy Dawgy
January 6th, 2010
8:47 pm
2002 – Head coach Mark Richt’s second team won more games than
any team in UGA history–13–and won Georgia’s first SEC championship
in 20 years. ONLY A 7 POINT LOSS IN JACKSONVILLE TO FLORIDA KEPT THE DOGS
OUT OF A SHOT AT THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. The 13-1 Bulldogs, after
defeating FSU in the Nokia Sugar Bowl, still finished the season ranked
No. 3 in all major polls.
Boo Hoo, Sad Story……………………………….41-17
The Truth
January 6th, 2010
8:52 pm
GA Tech’s program has always been a big joke. Everyone knows that Tech Lies and Cheats. Everyone!
Paul Hewitt is the worst coach in America. If Tech people were very smart, they would have already fired him.
Paul Johnson runs a high school wishbone offense. Any school that runs that offense admits that it can’t compete with the big boys so they agree to run a “gimmick” offense to try to steal a few wins. Great players will NEVER want to go to GA Tech as long as Paul “Gimmick Offense” Johnson is the head coach. Plus, Paul Johnson has to be the ugliest coach in America. He looks like an old women if you look very closely. He has at least 3 chins. He’s perfect for the ugly GA Tech fan base. LOL!
No other school will ever want to hire Paul Johnson or Paul Hewitt. Ga Tech is “stuck” with those two coaches for years. I love it! LOL!
How many people do you know that is named Paul? LOL! The Georgia Tech Institute of Paul. LOL!
TechFan
January 6th, 2010
9:37 pm
I’m glad the dawgs beat us, hope they do it every year while we are tied to this horrible coach. UGA had the guts and sense to fire there’s, but Tech’s administration isn’t that tough. They’re afraid all of the democrats will transfer, and they will have to forfeit a whole year of play. We have nothing now, so why would another year make a difference. What if UGA had 3 blue chippers on their team, wouldn’t you expect to win most every game?
AltamahaDawg
January 6th, 2010
11:23 pm
OK Bill, the wording on TT was off but this has to qualify as your best line of the new year:
“And the list of folks Paul Johnson would like to punch continues to grow.”
FJR
January 6th, 2010
11:34 pm
Tuck Fech:
“What a pleasure it is to read these GEORGIA Blogs with out all those Teches on it! I guess they finally now they suck!”
Wait, from the subject matter, I thought this was a GT blog?
AltamahaDawg
January 6th, 2010
11:35 pm
Paul Johnson is very good at what he does and and he will win many games at Tech, but he needs to get over this inferiority complex that he has, and just stop with the nonsense of calling for the forward pass. Yea, we get it coach, you’re a big boy.
techdweeb
January 7th, 2010
12:10 am
I want to go to a school with girls and a real athletic program.
john smith
January 7th, 2010
12:22 am
its a good day to be a dumb redneck?
arrh
January 7th, 2010
1:49 am
GaGator- Harvin is on a much better team than Stafford & Moreno, which believe it or not has somthing to do w/ what kind of season a player has sometimes. Don’t get me wrong….Harvin’s great, but considering that Staff was drafted by a team that was the worst in football before he arrived…they didn’t win any games before he arrived, & they won 2 this yr. I know that’s not great, but it’s improvement. A lot of QBS wouldn’t be good on that team. A lot of times the kind of season a skill player has…especially at QB & RB…has to do w/ how good the blocking is on the OL. That does make a difference folks. If you want to single out one incident like that. I could say that Champ Bailey is probably the best DB in the last decade…so there!
BuLLdawg
January 7th, 2010
3:36 am
That was not a bad day for GA tek yesterday. Who cares ? GA tek fans are not disappointed. So what if it’s been since Ike Dwight D. Eisenhower was President since GA tek last won a Major Bowl Game
Go sit on the hobnail and rotate flea bags
January 7th, 2010
7:18 am
I’m sure you pathetic mutts will be crowded around your black & white TV’s tonight with your case of PBR’s bragging about how Kirby Smart is leaving Alabama for Georgia and how great UGAg is. Seriously, you people need to look in the mirror and realize how PATHETIC you are.
Hmmmm
January 7th, 2010
9:00 am
Jones = 3rd round money
Wait one more year, idiot. You might just get 1st round money.
GT Alum
January 7th, 2010
9:17 am
Yeah, way to keep it classy Uncle Jessie. Why don’t you take your Sally Jesse Raphael glasses and shove them where the sun don’t shine?! I just got back from Miami and agree with the others that we got dominated AGAIN in the trenches. It was painful to watch in person and disappointing to say the least, but we’re still ACC champs. Bill- I think its time to start writing about next year for your Dawgs. That seems to be all Georgia is good at lately, that is, talking about how good they’re gonna be next year! Tell us about all the 5 star recruits that Richt is going to coach down next year..
Jacket Man
January 7th, 2010
10:10 am
Hey Mr. White Trash Redneck “writer” when did you go to UGA? I didn’t think so….