On furloughs, hoops and an injured center
Athens – Another interesting day on the Dogs beat.
I went to the Tate Student Center – great building, by the way – to hear Michael Adams present his “campus budget update” to faculty, staff and students. The UGA president outlined the state’s and school’s dire budgetary challenges, revealed the six dates UGA employees will take unpaid furlough days (Oct. 30, Nov. 25, Dec. 24, Jan. 4, March 8 and April 30), and said afterward the Athletic Association will be a full participant in the furloughs. Details here.
From an athletics perspective – this is, after all, a sports blog – the bottom line is:
– Six unpaid days off for all Athletic Association employees, including coaches.
– Some flexibility on when those days are taken, so the coaches can coach and the necessary support staff can provide support when the teams are playing or practicing, then take alternative days off within the same calendar month.
– Six days in which the Athletic Association offices will basically shut down.
And this will be an interesting situation to watch: Workaholic coaches are going to be ordered not to work on their furlough days.
Adams was clear on that last point, saying: “By Regents’ policy, furloughed employees are not to report to work or do work on behalf of UGA on furloughed days.” Asked later if he can imagine offensive-line coach Stacy Searels taking a day off in mid-season, tackle Clint Boling said with a laugh: “I wish. But I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
Of course, in the interest of context, we should note that the impact on athletics is a tiny, tiny piece of the budget/furlough story.
“The University of Georgia has gone through some really tough challenges in the last 220-plus years or so,” Adams said near the end of his address in the Tate theater. “We’ve survived wars and plague and pestilence and all sorts of things, and we will get through this. We’ll come out, I believe, leaner and cleaner. I hope we are not leaner and meaner.
“But with the exception of the post-World War I Great Depression, this is clearly one of those economic times you will look back and talk to your children and grandchildren about. . . . I am certain that, a year or two years or five years from now, we will look back at this as a serious bump in the road but one we survived and managed and learned from.”
A couple of other things of note from yesterday:
– The men’s basketball schedule is finally set. (Full schedule here.) Mark Fox’s first season as the Dogs’ coach will be a test, to say the least.
There are five non-SEC games against teams from power conferences, only one of those in Stegeman Coliseum (Jan. 5 vs. Georgia Tech). The others are: vs. Illinois (Big Ten) at Gwinnett Arena, vs. St. John’s (Big East) in New York’s Madison Square Garden, at Virginia Tech (ACC) and at Missouri (Big 12).
Plus, there are home game against Rick Majerus-coached St. Louis of the Atlantic 10 (Dec. 2) and against Pepperdine (Dec. 30).
The SEC schedule opens on Jan. 9 at Kentucky, which, as you know, also has a new coach (John Calipari).
– And finally, at football practice, Chris Davis was working at center with Ben Jones sidelined by the ankle injury sustained the day before. Still not known how long Jones will be out. More here.
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74 comments Add your comment
dawgfan1970
August 21st, 2009
7:12 am
How do you furlough someonw that is covered by a contract?
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
8:45 am
Good heavens people, the man’s name is Michael Adam, there’s no s on the end. sheesh.
Saint Simons
August 21st, 2009
9:04 am
45 – 42 !!!!!!!!! hahahahahahahahahahahah
GeoffDawg
August 21st, 2009
9:09 am
Good question dawgfan – maybe for those employees, they’re asking for their voluntary cooperation.
BruffDawg
August 21st, 2009
9:25 am
The legality of furloughs in general is quite questionable. But, if you have people who agree to it and the govenor mandates it; i gues it works. Thank the lord for the depth we have on offensive line this year. Any word on Robinson’s hamstring?
Stinger
August 21st, 2009
9:29 am
Oh no, our record of 222 points against Cumberland is in jeopardy. T. Boone Pickens has picked the Cowboys to defeat the Dawgs by the score of 397-24, a whopping 363 point loss for the Dawgs. We can’t let the Cowboys out do us so if this happens, we will have to score 398 pts. on you. It’s doable.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
9:32 am
Teachers are covered by contracts too. Same as College football coaches. I don’t think it’s voluntary when you get cut 2 days of pay.
I am sure the coorperation part is not showing thier faces for those days, so that the appearance is that even (football coaches) are affected.
Saint Simons
August 21st, 2009
9:40 am
(((((45-42)))))hahaha and we actually held a Tickle Pile on “your” campus!!!!!
Question?
August 21st, 2009
9:41 am
Most teachers worked (at schools opened by administrators) on the furlough days. Why is it that coaches are not allowed to work but teachers were? I would imagine there will be some off-campus coaching going on.
TommyP
August 21st, 2009
10:15 am
Altamaha: What? Get your facts straight before you start correcting people on how to spell the president of UGA’s name.
Copied straight from the UGA homepage:
President
Michael F. Adams
Telephone: 706/ 542-1214
You are the first person I’ve ever heard screw that simple name up.
Concerning the furloughs, the coaches will just take their work home and do it from there.
RAMBLE ON!!!
August 21st, 2009
10:28 am
What happened to all that money the AD was making?
Bernie Madoff investments?
Lars Taint
August 21st, 2009
10:33 am
TommyP,
Altamaha was just trying to be funny. He is running a joke from yesterday into the ground about Richard Samuel because I asked people to stop calling him Richard Samuels.
Kendawg
August 21st, 2009
10:54 am
15 days and counting.
Judge Dawg
August 21st, 2009
10:56 am
BB team will be improved and get better. They beat the gators and wildcats (up there) at the end of the season. Look for team play and increased scoring.
Too Easy
August 21st, 2009
11:16 am
Richard Amuel.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
11:19 am
Tommy, I am going to just cut the leader off as far down as I can. That hook ain’t coming out.
Cuz
August 21st, 2009
11:25 am
TommyP, Altamaha was using the ancient practice of sarcasm. Well Lars. I thought it was funny.
Of course if you really want funny watch this reading from the first book of Sam.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPxPciXcJvc
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
11:27 am
I figured Lar would appreciate it the most.
Paddy
August 21st, 2009
11:27 am
I will take UGA and the points.
LONG DAWG
August 21st, 2009
11:34 am
Stinger has smoked more sausage than Hickory Farms… UGA had 551 yards of offense on Teck last year and you had three defensive guys who went to the pros. They are gone and your D will sux this year. One or two injuries and teck will win maybe 6 games. We can’t wait to get a hold of your ass you punk.
dawgstephen
August 21st, 2009
11:34 am
Concerning the ankle injury to Ben Jones. He is day to day. Will probably be out a week from practice. The x-rays were negative. This just allows the depth to be shown. havent lost him for the season, and no expectations of missing any games. He will be fine. Looking forward to this years version of the dawgs. The basketball schedule will be a challenge, but Mark Fox is the man for the job. he will do fine.
http://www.dawgstephen.blogspot.com
shane#1
August 21st, 2009
11:36 am
Alt run a joke into the ground? Never! Let’s call the coaches’ furloughs what they are, Adams’ lame attempt to be politically correct. At least UT was honest enough to lay the instructors off while paying assistant coaches 1,000,000 bucks a year. Most of the academic stars only teach one course a week anyway, they are too busy bilking taxpayers out of research money to study the mating habits of the South African Dung Beetle to actually teach young people.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
11:45 am
shane, I have his phone number now if you want to call him.
TommyP
August 21st, 2009
11:46 am
Sorry, guys. Wasn’t around for yesterday’s happenings.
Cuz
August 21st, 2009
12:04 pm
TommyP, it is all in fun dude. Welcome to the huddle.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
12:07 pm
No big deal, it’s not like you missed anything informative or thought provoking. BTW, we suck and tech is on the verge of a dynasty. Now you are all caught up.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
12:10 pm
shane saying all college students are Dung Beetles is brand new.
Cuz
August 21st, 2009
12:29 pm
Alt, shane was referring to the professors vaunted research skills.
shane, I did take Entomology 101, Bugs and you. Great class.
DamnGoodDawg
August 21st, 2009
1:04 pm
Maybe the Techies can pawn their rings for $10 a piece and make a contribution to the coaching staff during their furlough days. Just a thought. The rings have probably already turned their fingers green anyway. You can always count on nerds to be nerdy.
shane#1
August 21st, 2009
1:15 pm
Cuz, Bugs and You! No wonder you are so hip to the Techies, and Alt, I was not refering to the students as Dung Beetles, though some of the Tech students qualify as Fruit Flies! I confined my college research to the mating habits of Co-eds, even though I recieved no grant from the goverment. Science truly is it’s own reward.
DawginLex
August 21st, 2009
1:20 pm
Stinger,
You have the same math skills as Mark Bradley.
397-24=363??????????????????
I guess engineering doesn’t include math?
How about Clempson 38 GT 35 in double OT?
Wouldn’t that be a kick in the old stinger?????????????????
bug
August 21st, 2009
1:31 pm
Alt, you got that right! @12:07
Now if you guys could just spell dogs…..sheesh! LOL
I took a furlough a few times…30 days a year. Still got paid too. About $93/month. Was not from prison though. Sometimes felt like…
Fort Worth Dawg
August 21st, 2009
1:36 pm
Oklahoma State game questions: Where are some good places to park? Is there a standard place to go to buy tickets? My OK co-worker said there’s no scalping laws in OK – is that a safe assumption?
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
1:41 pm
Nobody *sniff* gets me.
Cuz
August 21st, 2009
2:14 pm
Nobody wants to sniff you that is for sure.
Cuz
August 21st, 2009
2:17 pm
Fort Worth, look up Stillwater on Wikipedia. It won’t tell you where to park or score tickets but it does mention the area where all the pre-post game festivities will occur.
TybeeDawg
August 21st, 2009
2:28 pm
I don’t know why everyone is worried about Ben Jones. Who IS Ben Jones??? It is Ben Jone, our starting center we should be worried about. There is no s at the end of his name. Cmon people get your facts straight.
Lars Taint
August 21st, 2009
2:59 pm
Ok guys, you got me. Sorry for saying anything about people saying Samuel’s name wrong. I will never make such a mistake again. Wow! I thought it was just the Tech fans that make the same annoying posts over and over again.
Darindawg
August 21st, 2009
3:06 pm
Hey Saint Simons….I asked a Tech friend of mine what a “tickle pile” was because I seriously had no clue. He said it was when a bunch Tech GUYS (NO GIRLS) get together at night and take off their clothes and bunch up in the street and begin tickling each other’s….and I stopped him right there and said…uh…thanks, but uh…I don’t think I want to know. Man I don’t think I would be bragging about that.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
3:31 pm
At least Chris Davi is getting some good work in.
TybeeDawg
August 21st, 2009
3:59 pm
I dont think we will be hearing any more from aint imon after Thanksgiving weekend.
JaxDawg
August 21st, 2009
4:05 pm
Tim – Nice story on Carlton Thomas. Sounds like his heart and desire more than make up for his lack of size.
Voice of Reason
August 21st, 2009
4:13 pm
I’m just ready to see the freshmen Orson Charle, Shawn William and Abry Jone play.
Voice of Reason
August 21st, 2009
4:15 pm
….. And now the joke is officially in the ground.
Burdell
August 21st, 2009
4:16 pm
I have 3 degrees from GT. I am now a member of the research faculty and I have NEVER heard of these darn tickle piles. We may be nerdy and a bit international as a student body but C’MON!!!
Here’s to all the Dogs and Jackets staying healthy this year….
See you on the Flats in November. And PLEASE take care of the cowpokes in Stillwater.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
4:34 pm
How about some Jethro Tull?
Cuz
August 21st, 2009
4:35 pm
Thanks Burdell from this toothless, Wal-mart apparel wearing, tobacco spitting, trailer park living, illiterate, illegitimate(my parents could not read), red-neck Dawg fan. I think I covered most of the bases. Oh yeah, insert drunk somewhere.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
4:36 pm
Burdell, have you ever done any work with Dung Beetles?
NewnanDawg
August 21st, 2009
4:37 pm
Would they consider being on a plane to Jacksonville taking the day off?
Burdell
August 21st, 2009
4:47 pm
No work on Dung Beetles here. I’m sticking to biofuels. We actually work very closely with UGA’s Complex Carbohydrate Research Center. There are some top notch scientists at UGA, especially in the biochemistry field.
Wow, did I just type that?
shane#1
August 21st, 2009
5:00 pm
I guess Obama stopped all the Dung Beetle research. That man will be the ruin of this nation, first the F-22, and now the Dung Beetle! Hey Burdell, have you done your annual enrollment at Tech yet? BTW, biofuels? I would think that Dung Beetles would be experts in the field.
Voice of Reason
August 21st, 2009
5:52 pm
Yeah Shane, I think he diverted all of those funds into researching why pig poop stinks and other need to know questions by Barack Obama.
AltamahaDawg
August 21st, 2009
5:53 pm
ACORN is heading up the Dung Beetles now. They want to include them in the 2010 census.
Cuz
August 21st, 2009
6:20 pm
I hear the Scarab beetles want to be registered also.
One of my fraternity brothers is working on biofuels at UGA Burdell. Nick Chammoun. Great all around guy.
Lilly Munster and Edith Bunker
August 21st, 2009
6:30 pm
Its Herman Archieeeeeeeee time!
ACORN dawg
August 21st, 2009
6:43 pm
I’m entitled to see the dawgs defense give up a lot of points this year!
shane#1
August 21st, 2009
9:57 pm
Easy Guys, according to PETA, a Dung Beetle is a cat, is a dog, is a child, is a Tech fan.
Big time?? Not
August 22nd, 2009
7:22 am
Four tickets, four hot dogs, four cokes
Sad Richards
August 22nd, 2009
8:58 am
Looks like the dawgs are getting close to start the 7 – 5 football season. Stay tuned for more injuries, fumbles and excuses……. BTW I Told You So!
dUMb dAwG
August 22nd, 2009
9:04 am
i tHOuGhT mR oBAma wAS pREsiDeNt. wHo iS mR aDAm?
AltamahaDawg
August 22nd, 2009
9:05 am
Shane, don’t be silly, tech fans don’t have feelings.
And you certainly couldn’t study thier mating habit.
dUMb dAwG
August 22nd, 2009
9:08 am
i rEmeMBeR nOW! mR aDaM wAS oUR 2Nd pREsIdeNt aFter GeOrgE W. bOth aRE dEAD liKE oUR dEFeNcE.
UGA goes green..
August 22nd, 2009
10:43 am
They are conservationist. The turn off the scoreboard immediately after a loss!
They are for sustainable energy and will install a giant wind turbine over sanford (of course to capture all that hot barking).
They recycle. It’s either a rebuilding year or injuries. Same every year.
They are local. They seldom travel past Nashville (until this year-which is a mistake lol)
shane#1
August 22nd, 2009
10:47 am
Alt, there you go again, habit is a nuns attire, you left the s off habits! On a more serious note, it seems that the NCAA went into that Florida courtroom with their usual overbearing attitude and the judge would have none of it. He ordered the NCAA to cease all threats against FSU and produce the “secret” documents within two days. The judge called the NCAA “an iron fist in a velvet glove”. The NCAA went as far as making a thinly veiled threat against FSU from the stand. A little unsought advice for the NCAA, don’t take on Pappa Bobby in the court of public opinion. Bobby has that “aw shucks” folksy grandpa act down pat. He has been playing that role for years! That sound you hear is Dale Brown, Bobby Knight, and the Tark laughing up their sleeves.
Charles Bishop, Ph.D.
August 23rd, 2009
6:28 am
I really don’t understand this ‘furlough’ consternation–anyone who has ever been in business knows that you are committed to an outcome…you just get the job done. I have never taken all of my vacation, certainly not ’sick day’ as some feel like they are entitled to–is it not just cutting your pay for six days?
Why in the world would the Regents dictate the specific days? Sounds like over-control and meddling to me. This makes you wonder how much time this debate took in their agenda to resolve which days people could not work. I am glad that they are focusing on the important issues.
It is tough times for all–just call it like it is and leave it up to the individuals. There are other things to take care of.
Mark Richt and his staff,if they want to work… should be applauded–being ordered to stay away on specific days–just absurd.
Charles Bishop, Ph.D. —ex UGA faculty…who left academia because of issues like this and the fact that I could not stand to attend another ‘faculty meeting’.
Cuz
August 23rd, 2009
9:46 am
Preach on Brother Charles.
shane#1
August 23rd, 2009
12:59 pm
This is my take on the running back situation at UGA. I was reading about Murray’s older brother, a walk on safety at UGA. The elder Murray quit baseball after knocking around in the Brewer’s farm system. He said that he no longer had a passion for baseball and without the passion one can’t take the grind of the minor leagues. I started thinking about Caleb King. I wonder if he still has the drive to make himself the starting tb for the Dawgs. Caleb is probably the most gifted of the backs in Athens, at least right now. He is the best blocker and an excellent reciever coming out of the backfield. But it seems that he may be third on the depth chart, behind a natural lb and a guy that’s “too small”. When Ealey catches on to the offense, Caleb could be looking at fourth string. IF he wants to start for UGA he had better redouble his efforts and become the leader he should be, as the Dawgs most experenced tailback.
AltamahaDawg
August 23rd, 2009
4:16 pm
shane, not sure where you are reading in that he is lacking drive right now.
shane#1
August 23rd, 2009
5:42 pm
Alt, hopefully King has the drive. However, he failed to cement his hold on the starting spot in spring practice or the off season when he was the only healthy tailback with real game experence. I think Samuel is big, strong, fast, smart, and hungry. Thomas has been told all his life that he is too small. He has a chip on his shoulder and something to prove. King is a very talented back, but if he wants to start he had better show some of that hunger. Samuel and Thomas are hungry, that’s for dam sure.
Denver Dog
August 24th, 2009
12:22 am
Get of of Caleb King’s case. He has an injury, a pulled hamstiring, which if it is not properly treated, it will not get well. I think that he has proven himself worthy of whatever role he is given. He was # 1 when he got hurt. The others are good too! Do not be surprised to see King take the role back. Then again, do not be suprised if he doesn’t.
The others are good and talented too! It wasn’t that long ago that we had Brown, Lumpkin and Ware, and they all started and they all were good. They all made pro teams. Just remember that.
I like the way the little guy carries and hustles. If he keeps that up, he will get his share of reps, and for a young man going to a top notch school, in the best conference in the country, that is not too bad.
I’m sure these young men have TEAM on thier minds, and that will be better for us in the long run. No pun intended.
BS Patrol
August 24th, 2009
1:51 am
Caleb King is just another bust in a long line of wash out RB’s at ga. Want to see some running backs? Go to a Tech game. The only RB ga has ever had that anyone would even recognize would be Herschel & that guy who played for Denver.
You doggie fans have used the word “talent” so much it is completely worn out. When are you going to do something with all this “talent”?
AltamahaDawg
August 24th, 2009
7:11 am
Why do you say he failed to hold his spot? Every report I saw from spring till now was that he was the #1 guy till he hurt his hammy.
It’s actualy working out pretty well, I think. Caleb’s not thrilled to be hurt, but putting pressure on the other guys is a good thing. Frankly I am glad to see that nobody can blow the other guys away, because we know they all should be good enough to start if needed. I’m betting they are holding him out a bit longer than completely required to get the other guys in, and feel comfortable with him already.
Every word from the coaches since last year has been how much drive and hunger Caleb has been showing. Just not sure why that is in doubt.
DawginLex
August 24th, 2009
10:06 am
Herschel and Knowshon the only RB’s any good at UGA?
WOW
Musa Smith
Rodney Hampton
Tim Worley
Lars Tate
Keith Henderson
Garrison Hearst
Thomas Brown
Kregg Lumpkin
Just to name a few. The haters are really amazingly dumb with the stuff they post as fact.
BS patrol you do have the correct internet blog handle.
AltamahaDawg
August 24th, 2009
12:36 pm
BS, write those down and see if your husband recognizes any of them.