We’ll take Samuel L. any day.

Across the South, college football fans are packing stadiums to take in the spring scrimmage: that one morsel of something approximating real football during the eight month famine that is the offseason. Fans, especially in the SEC, bring near-capacity crowds to see how their favorite team has progressed through spring practice.

Georgia won’t be one of those schools.

Don’t let yourself be one of the Georgia fans who get caught up in the ridiculous comparisons of spring game attendance. There’s nothing wrong with a mostly-empty Sanford Stadium. It doesn’t mean we care less about our football. It’s not a statement of waning fan interest in the coach and the program. It might even be a sign of rational behavior, and since when are football fans known for that? Here’s why you haven’t seen anything close to a capacity crowd for G-Day and won’t for any time soon.

We have other things to do. We don’t have the excuse of a scheduling conflict with the Masters anymore, but there’s still no shortage of things to do on a spring afternoon in north Georgia. If you want to catch G-Day, you can still set aside 2 hours to see it on TV and have plenty of time to do other things on an April Saturday. Consider yourself blessed to live in a state where a few hours of watching the third string light it up isn’t your top entertainment option.

You won’t see what you want to see. You’ll find more vanilla at the spring game than at the University Creamery. G-Day is designed to keep the stars from shining. It makes perfect sense – sure, Murray could post a gaudy 400 yards if the coaches structured the scrimmage that way, but they have a team to evaluate and will send multiple units and player combinations out there. Rules designed for safety take some of the wow factor off of an aggressive defense. For those reasons, the stat leaders on G-Day are just as likely to be reserves.

In 2010, G-Day’s leading rushers were Carlton Thomas and Dontavious Jackson. The top passers were Mettenberger and Gray. The top receivers were Wooten and Durham, with reserve tight ends Lynch and Rich weren’t far behind. The leading tackler was linebacker Nick Williams who spent the 2010 season getting Tripped as he moved from linebacker to safety to linebacker.

It’s a pain to go to Athens for football. We do it willingly six or seven times for real games, but the hassles of tailgating restrictions and parking scarcity have soured many fans on the experience. Those issues aren’t as bad with 30,000 people descending on the town, but fans aren’t willing to push it for a scrimmage they can just as easily watch on TV.

Game? What game? No one could call the University hostile to G-Day; it’s not like they hide it or schedule it on a Tuesday. It’s often been a community fundraiser, and it is again this year. But it’s not like the event has been heavily promoted. I think they don’t want a large Alabama-like crowd. It’s not a huge money-maker, so the additional logistics of a large crowd might even cost the University and the city.

Those who care to ask when G-Day is already know when to find the particulars. They’re the ones who looked up the starting date of spring practice as soon as Signing Day was in the books. G-Day is a great chance for those who can’t afford season tickets or the casual fans to see the Bulldogs in Sanford Stadium. But those are also the fans more likely to be out of the loop on Georgia news unless they’re hit over the head with it. It’s better this year with the “It’s Great to Be a Bulldog” Weekend idea combining events involving four sports over three days. There’s an effort to make G-Day weekend bigger than it has been, but it’s still not reaching far beyond the diehards or the Athens area.

Should the Athletic Association put on a marketing blitz across the state to increase awareness and reach those casual fans? Sure, if the goal is a full house. I just don’t think it is. Again, that’s fine with me. I’m much more likely to attend and enjoy the day with some friends if I know I won’t face the parking and traffic crunch of 90,000 fans.

The NFL isn’t the only pro league looking at labor problems. The NBA is also facing the possibility of a lockout as its union and owners try to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. One idea reportedly considered in a new CBA is raising the entrance requirements from the current one-and-done system to two years removed from high school and a minimum age of 20.

Georgia dodged the one-and-done rule with Trey Thompkins sticking it out for three seasons, but incoming freshman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a national top 15 prospect who could very well end up with a decision to make after his first year.

It might not be the best thing from a player’s perspective – especially ones ready for the league out of high school – but everyone else involved in the college game has to like the idea. Coaches, fans, and even administrators would benefit from raising this artificial age limit. Even academicians have to like the fact that two-year players would have to pay marginally more attention to academics and eligibility versus the one-and-done joke. There’s no question that the college game would be better if its best stars stuck around for another year. It might make stories like Butler and VCU a little less likely though – major programs with a little more seasoning on their young stars should become more prominent than they already are.

Team Speed Kills cites an announcement by the NCAA’s Bylaw Blog that schools may no longer subscribe to Rivals.com or any subscription service that “provides video of nonscholastic competition that is not available to the general public.”

Year2 at TSK is correct that this looks like a reaction to the “scouting service” stories that have popped up over the past couple of months. While a $100/year subscription to prospect film and interviews might aid a program in scouting and recruiting, it’s really not close to an individual shopping around exclusive access to a prospect. Most of these services have affiliates which are credentialed media at the individual schools, and that relationship isn’t likely to change. The “nonscholastic competition” – exclusive combines, workouts, and even all-star games – likely won’t go away either thanks to the demand for content by the recruiting-obsessed fans that fuel these sites.

The NCAA’s rationale is curious. Any content on Rivals, Scout, or other subscription site is available to the general public; the public just has to pay for it. Comp subscriptions would be an issue, but if a coach has to pay the same rate as any other subscriber for Rivals’ content, I don’t quite get the problem. Good to see though that one of the great problems facing college sports has finally been settled.

I wonder if it would be kosher if the prospect can claim that he didn’t know his video was being purchased.

There was a lot of chatter over the weekend about Georgia broadcasts moving to Atlanta’s 680 the Fan. I wondered why Georgia would be terminating their long-standing relationship with WSB, but a reading of the official announcement sort of cleared things up. 680/93.7 FM is not the new home of the Dawgs…they’ve just signed on as “The Official Sports Talk Radio Station of the Georgia Bulldogs.”

I doubt that means you can’t talk about the Dawgs on 790 or any other station, which is a good thing since the Barnhart/Durham show there is the best college football talk in town. But what it does mean is more Georgia-focused coverage and presence in the Atlanta media market. We’ll get…

Bulldog focused primetime programming, to begin on or before July 1, 2011, press conferences and comprehensive coverage of the Georgia Bulldogs and UGA’s various sports programs.

Since WSB doesn’t have much sports programming beyond their news operation, this makes sense. We’ll still have the games, Bulldog Brunch, coaches’ shows, and all of the other current programming on WSB. We’ll just get press conferences and some other additional programming to be determined on 680/93.7. One bit of good news for fans of the Diamond Dawgs:

The partnership will also bring play-by-play of Georgia Baseball to Sports Radio 680 The Fan’s sister station 1230AM The Fan 2 (WFOM-AM), beginning in May of 2011. The Fan 2 is based in Marietta, Georgia and covers Cobb, Gwinnett and most of Fulton County.

That’s great. I hope the deal eventually expands to cover other sports like the Lady Dogs.

I’m also glad to see that Erik Ainge has cleaned up and seems to be on the right path. The story raises many questions, not least of all this, but it takes a lot of guts to go public with such a personal struggle, and hopefully that’s a sign of his resolve to move forward.

Reading Ainge’s description of his senior season, all I can keep thinking about is that this is the guy who put Georgia to bed by halftime in Knoxville in 2007 and finished 17 of 22. I would have hated to see the score if he had been playing straight.

We said that recruiting would be a key part of Brian Gregory’s success at Tech, and Gregory has demonstrated that he’s of the same mind. His first action after being introduced was to pay a visit to Tech’s top 2011 signee: PF Julian Royal. Royal had wavered and considered re-opening his recruitment if Paul Hewitt were let go. Georgia, the other finalist in Royal’s initial decision, would be considered a likely destination if he did decide to open things back up.

The meeting went well, and the Royals were impressed by Gregory’s attention. While Royal still wants some more time to think about it, Georgia fans shouldn’t expect much to come of this situation. According to Royal’s father, Gregory’s system seems like a “good match” for Royal, and he doesn’t “see any reason for Julian to change his mind about the school.”

The story is a little different with Rockdale County’s Kevin Ware. He has confirmed that he will request his release from Tennessee, though it’s still possible that he might ultimately stick with the Vols. If he does start looking around, expect Georgia to be among those throwing their hats back into the ring.

Tennessee hired their Dennis Felton in Cuonzo Martin. I’m not predicting that Tennessee will fall off the map as Georgia did from 2003 to 2004. They’re not going to gut the roster and force Martin to start from ground zero, so he’s already well ahead of where Georgia was. I mean that Tennessee got a mid-major coach on a bit of an upward swing who will take the job knowing what’s hanging over the program. Martin and his agent are smart enough to build insurance for that mess into his contract. But he’s still following a relative success who could recruit and who had led the program to five straight NCAA Tournaments. He has a tough job.

Brian Gregory at Tech has a different job. Few Tech fans are sorry to see new blood. Though the program is free and clear in terms of NCAA interest, Gregory will still have a few constraints. The program isn’t necessarily flush with cash. Tech’s not a large program to begin with, and now they’re paying Paul Hewitt on top of financing a renovated arena. They weren’t going to break the bank on a new coach; the bank was already busted. The arena situation, though a positive once it’s done in a year, will put a time constraint on Gregory’s progress. If fans aren’t excited about the state of the program heading into the 2012-2013 season when the new arena opens, the new building won’t have nearly the impact.

Success or failure for Gregory is more than likely going to come down to recruiting. You could always have a Pearl-like flameout, but that’s unusual. His coaching background and roots answer most questions about technical competence. So it’s down to people. Hewitt recruited well – maybe too well as the revolving door of one-and-done players disrupted much long-term continuity for the program. Gregory will have much the same issue Mark Fox did: he’ll have to lean on his staff to establish local recruiting ties at first. Gregory stocked the Dayton program with kids from Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, and he’ll have a good footing to get more players from that area like current Tech star Iman Shumpert. An interesting question is the future of the New York / East Coast pipeline that has formed the identity of Tech hoops for so long. `

The biggest adjustment for Gregory, the returning players, and the Tech fan base will be Gregory’s style and system. No one is going to accuse Hewitt of running his program the wrong way off the court, but Tech hasn’t exactly been known for structure and discipline on the court. Gregory will (or will try to) change that. Most any coach is going to talk about work ethic, but Gregory is known for a fairly intense system that traces its roots to Izzo’s Michigan State program.

That system and its rigidity came to a bit of a head this year as two skilled Dayton newcomers decided to transfer, citing discontent with Gregory’s offense. I tend to side with the coach when a player whines about the system holding him back, but it’s fair to say that the outcome of this season with no NCAA Tournament bid and two key transfers left Dayton fans a bit ambivalent about Gregory and the future of their program. Gregory might be a good fit for Tech, though there’s also a sense that it was the right time for him to leave Dayton.

I know this is supposed to come off as some sort of redemption story leading into Mett’s first spring practice with LSU, but it’s also a nice long exercise in passing the buck. I know He works in mysterious ways, but groping a bar waitress is a new one on me.

If the $230 all-session ticket price was a little too steep, single-session tickets for a much lower $77 are now available. You’ll still have to order through TicketMaster online, or you can call the arena at 704-688-9011. Georgia plays in Friday’s evening session, and you get to watch North Carolina’s backups play a lot in the other game.

If you’re getting up to Charlotte on Thursday, all teams will be holding open practices for the public. Georgia’s the last, so head over if you get into town this evening.

2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Open Practice Schedule
Open practices are FREE and open to the public
Thursday, March 17 – Time Warner Cable Arena
12:00-12:40p.m. — Tennessee
12:45-1:25p.m. — Hampton
1:30-2:10p.m. — Michigan
2:15-2:55p.m. — Duke
4:25-5:05p.m. — North Carolina
5:10-5:50p.m. — Washington
5:55-6:35p.m. — Long Island
6:40-7:20p.m. — Georgia

A year without sports in Duval County?

State budget cuts are leading the Duval County School Board in Jacksonville to consider eliminating all sports for the upcoming school year. According to the school board president, they’re not the only county considering the idea.

Several Georgia players have come from Jacksonville, and one current and one recent Bulldog would have been affected by this decision. Current Bulldog defensive back Derek Owens graduated from Andrew Jackson. Former safety Bryan Evans attended Ed White. Shaun Chapas and Brent Benedict were also from Jacksonville but attended The Bolles School which, as a private school, is not a part of the Duval system.

Fundraising for a postseason

The coach of Southern’s women’s basketball team made a tough call last weekend: the team could not accept a WNIT bid because they had no money for travel. Over the past couple of days, boosters and fans have stepped up and raised enough money for the team to reconsider. Thanks to those donors, they’ll play on.

Cutting a champion

Remember Trev Alberts? After torpedoing his on-air career, he took the job of athletic director at Division II Nebraska-Omaha. Over the weekend, Alberts and the school announced that they’d be cutting the successful football and wrestling programs. Why? So that they can position the program to move to Division I for basketball.

Alberts and the university are taking a lot of heat for the decision, especially since the wrestling program was one of the best in Division II. They had won their third consecutive national title just a day before the announcement, and they’ve won six of the last eight national titles. The decision has cost the program one of its largest boosters and athletic board members, and a planned facilities project is now on hold after the withdrawal of that booster’s support.

The AJC is reporting that Milton forward Julian Royal would consider asking for a release from his letter of intent from Georgia Tech if Paul Hewitt is replaced.

Royal, a 6’8″ PF, is a Top 100 prospect according to Rivals.com and is #63 on the ESPNU 100. He committed to and signed with Tech over Georgia in October.

The Yellow Jackets enter this week’s ACC Tournament as the #11 seed after finishing with a 5-11 ACC mark this year and an overall record of 13-17. Though he led the Jackets to the national title game in 2004 and brought a long list of talented prospects to Atlanta, Hewitt has been under fire for several years. Since 2006, Tech has a losing record both in conference play and overall. They are the only ACC school to have a losing overall record over that time span, and no ACC program has done worse than their 31-63 league mark.

So why is it even a question whether Tech will make a change?

• The contract. You probably know all about the deal by now. In order to lock down Hewitt after the 2004 NCAA run, Tech signed Hewitt to a contract that renews itself each year and provides for a buyout equal to the five remaining seasons – over $7 million. But with fans staying away in droves, we now start to see an opportunity cost rising next to that $7 million. The value of that lost support will add up quickly, especially for a moderately successful basketball program that doesn’t necessarily have a lot of football money with which to sustain itself.
• Next year. Here’s where the timing gets interesting. Tech’s win over Miami on Sunday was the last game at what we know as Alexander Memorial Coliseum. Tech will spend the next year gutting and rebuilding – and renaming – the arena on the same site. Meanwhile, the team will become nomads and play at Philips Arena off-campus. Is a year leading a gypsy team attractive to potential replacements? On one hand, he’d have a year to right the ship and head into year two with a lot of buzz (as Mark Fox did this year). On the other hand, Tech would run the risk of a lackluster ’11-’12 season with a lukewarm and dwindling fan base that they’re trying to re-energize in time to pack their new facility. Would Tech get a bigger impact by introducing a new coach and new arena at the same time in 2012?

We should know one way or the other soon. Hewitt’s contract rolls over on April 15th, and they’re required to give him a month’s notice of any change. March 15th is next Tuesday, only two days after the end of the ACC Tournament. If Tech does make a change, we can be sure that Mark Fox and the Georgia program would welcome a second chance to talk to Royal. Georgia’s frontcourt takes some big losses after this season, and it’s doubtful that anyone in the current class is as ready to make an impact as Royal would be.

I’m off to Nashville for the SEC Women’s Basketball Tournament this weekend, so it’s preview time again.  The big story this year has to be the down year for the conference.  There are only two SEC teams ranked, only one with fewer than five conference losses, only five teams projected to earn an NCAA bid (one of them by the skin of their teeth), and only two teams projected higher than a #8 seed.  Tennessee is strong as almost always, but even they’re having to compete for attention among national pundits. 

Conventional wisdom says it should be a pretty easy go of it for Tennessee, but fortunately tournaments always seem to have a few surprises in store.  There could be some interesting Thursday games as even the #11 and #12 seeds have little reason to fear their opponents. There are also the stories of teams trying to play their way into the NCAA Tournament.  LSU simply can’t afford an early loss.

We’ll have updates throughout the weekend from Nashville on Twitter.

Georgia has lost three in a row after posting a 10-3 start in conference play, but they can easily regroup and earn another shot at Tennessee on Saturday.  We’ve seen them play outstanding ball at times, but we’ve also seen consistent and repetitive mistakes that makes almost any game they play a toss-up.

Several Lady Dogs were recognized this week in the postseason conference honors.  Senior forward Porsha Phillips was named to the All-SEC first team.  Guard Jasmine James merited second-team honors, and Meredith Mitchell was selected for the All-Defensive team.  It’s also no surprise that impact freshman guard Khaalidah Miller was named to the All-Freshman team.

Georgia’s path through the tournament

• Friday:  7:30 PM vs. #5 South Carolina or #12 Ole Miss (FSN)
• Saturday: 4:00 PM Semifinal (ESPNU)
• Sunday: 5:30 PM Final (ESPN2)

On to the teams (get the bracket here):

Runaway Favorite

1. Tennessee (16-0): Tennessee might be just short of UConn or Baylor as national contenders, but there’s no questioning their dominance of the SEC.  UT has lost just once in conference play over the past two seasons, and the gulf between them and the rest of the field has only widened in this down year for the league.  That’s not to say the Lady Vols can’t be upset along the way.  LSU, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt came within single-digits of beating Tennessee during the regular season.  But those were all true road games for UT, and the crowd in Nashville figures to be as partisan as ever for the ladies in orange. It’s also worth noting that Tennessee wouldn’t face any of those teams until the final.

The Pips

The next three teams are decent backup acts to Tennessee’s headline act, but it would be a big surprise if any of them ended up with top billing on Sunday. Each of these teams has been ranked at some point, but currently only Kentucky merits a top 25 spot.

2. Kentucky (11-5): It was a big surprise when Kentucky stormed to the #2 spot in the league last year with an 11-5 record, but no one is doing a double-take this year.  They’ve followed up last year with another solid season featuring a win over #7 Notre Dame and a sweep of Vanderbilt. They also have a few questionable losses that had them lower in the standings until they finished with three straight SEC wins. UK’s stars are familiar names by now:  forward Victoria Dunlap is a perennial player of the year candidate, and they get backcourt scoring from A’dia Mathies.  The Cats need help from another player if they’re going to go far in the tournament, and they’ll look to Keyla Snowden for that extra punch.

3. Vanderbilt (10-6): For as young as this team is, it wasn’t a bad year for Vandy.  Nine of Vanderbilt’s 14 players are underclassmen, and it took them a while to get going.  They had some bad early losses to the likes of Denver, Virginia Tech, and Ole Miss, but they got it going during an early February stretch that saw five wins in six games.  Despite the young roster, the team is led by its senior duo of guard Jence Rhoads and forward Hannah Tuomi. Rhoads is a calming presence who always seems to have the offense under control, and the undersized Tuomi won’t back down from anyone inside.  Even if they’re outclassed in terms of talent, Vandy is well-coached, playing in their home town, and should be in any game they play in the tournament – even against Tennessee.

4. Georgia (10-6): We’ve followed the story of Georgia’s rough final week, so we won’t rehash it here.  This is a team that build a decent record by getting it done against the bottom half of the league. Thanks to the sweep of Kentucky, Georgia is a shaky 3-4 against the top six seeds. 

The Logjam

Four teams finished the year 8-8 or 7-9.  In most years, that would qualify them for the NCAA Tournament with the strength of the conference on their side.  That’s not the case this year.  Only a couple of these teams have a prayer of earning an NCAA bid, and it might take a deep run in Nashville for that to happen.

5. South Carolina (8-8):  Dawn Staley’s program took another small step forward this year and notched wins over Georgia, LSU, and Kentucky.  Their 8-8 finish could have been even better if not for a pair of overtime losses in the final week of the season.  SC’s season is more impressive considering the offseason transfer of dominant center Kelsey Bone. That transfer left South Carolina very thin inside, and they were dealt another blow when sharpshooter Valerie Nainima was lost for the first half of the season with a knee injury.  You look at South Carolina and don’t see any real standout players or dominant stats, but they find a way.  Their games are likely to be low-scoring and grinding, reflecting the tenaciousness of their coach. Guards Ieasia Walker and La’Keisha Sutton lead the way.

6. Auburn (8-8): Auburn struggled with a tough early schedule, and it seemed to pay off as they started SEC play 5-1. They hit a wall soon after MLK Day and have won only three games since late January.  The Tigers don’t have an especially strong frontcourt, but they are carried by senior guard Alli Smalley. They might have enough to get by Mississippi State, but the two teams split during the regular season.  If MSU’s backcourt can frustrate Smalley, Auburn could be an early exit.

7. LSU (8-8): Few teams in the tournament have as much to gain as LSU. At 8-8 and 18-12 overall, the Tigers – regular Final Four contenders just a few years ago – are in danger of missing the NCAA Tournament. They do have a nice win over UCLA, but there might be too many losses if they can’t win a couple in Nashville. All-SEC forward LaSondra Barrett leads the Tigers in scoring and rebounding in league play, and guard Adrienne Webb has knocked down 70 three-pointers.  LSU is known for lockdown defense, but they struggle to score at times themselves.  They’ve lost 3 out of 4 heading to Nashville.

8. Florida (7-9): Florida notched big wins during the final week against Vanderbilt and Georgia to separate themselves from the bottom tier of the league.  They enter the tournament winners of three in a row and have to be feeling good about a rematch with Arkansas in the 8-9 game. Only one Florida player, guard Jordan Jones, is averaging double-figures.  But the Gators have an astounding nine players averaging at least five points per game.  It’s truly been a team effort for Florida this year, and it’s starting to pay off at the end of the season.  Their late-season surge has probably earned them a spot in the WNIT.

Long Shots

9. Arkansas (6-10): It’s about as predictable as anything can get in sports.  Arkansas runs out to an impressive record in December, maybe even earns a spot in the rankings, and then tanks as the conference grind wears on them.  The Hogs started the year 14-1 and boasted wins over Oklahoma and Kentucky.  A close home loss to Georgia started a slide in which they lost 7 of 9.  They ended up losing 10 SEC games, but they have had a number of close calls.  Both losses to Georgia could have gone either way.  They have two overtime losses and four others by five points or less. Wing C’eira Ricketts leads them in scoring, but to advance they’ll have to have big games from versatile forward Sarah Watkins and three-point specialist Lyndsay Harris.

10. Alabama (5-11):  It looked as if Bama was again headed for the SEC cellar when they started league play 0-9.  But they’ve finished with five wins in their last seven games to enter the tournament as one of the hotter teams in the league.  First team All-SEC selection Tierney Jenkins has raised her game this year and leads the team in scoring, rebounding, blocks, and steals.  McDonald’s All-American freshman Kaneisha Horn has made an impact, and guard Ericka Russell can do damage from outside.  Bama lost by 29 in their only meeting of the year with first-round opponent LSU, but that was two months ago and long before Bama found their stride.

Probably attending class on Friday

11. Mississippi State (4-12): The Bulldogs were the #3 seed a year ago but had a massive talent drain leading to this season’s rebuilding effort.  Interestingly though, MSU draws an Auburn team that they’ve played very evenly this year.  Auburn won in Starkville 45-41, but Mississippi State controlled the rematch 57-45.  If they can hold Auburn in the 40s again, the potential is there for a first-round upset.  MSU leans heavily on its senior guard Mary Kathryn Govero, and her outside shooting can keep the Bulldogs in a game. 

12. Ole Miss (3-13): Ole Miss likewise lost several key players highlighted by All-SEC star Bianca Thomas.  This year they’re led by one of their few experienced players, senior guard Kayla Melson.  Melson gets help from All-Freshman team guard Valencia McFarland.  As with MSU, Ole Miss’s first-round opponent isn’t necessarily an automatic loss even for a team at the bottom of the standings.  They beat South Carolina only a week ago.

Brad Lambert was a defensive position coach at Georgia during the Jim Donnan years of the late 1990s. He mainly coached linebackers but also had responsibilities at one point for defensive ends, special teams, and even the secondary. Lambert headed to Wake Forest after the Georgia staff was replaced in 2001, and he eventually rose to become their defensive coordinator. While at Georgia, Lambert played a role in one of the best linebacker recruiting classes you’ll ever see. The 1998 class featured Boss Bailey, Will Witherspoon, Jessie Miller, Kawika Mitchell, and Tony Gilbert. Here’s a nice look at how Lambert convinced Witherspoon to come north to Georgia from Panama City rather than play for one of the in-state powers.

Lambert is moving on from Wake Forest to tackle a new challenge: starting the new football program at Charlotte. Charlotte (you might know them as UNC-Charlotte) has been on the map in hoops for a while, but they plan on launching a football program in time for the 2013 season. It’s a tough challenge: not only is it his first head coaching job, but he’ll also have to build a program from the ground up. It’s a tremendous opportunity, but it won’t be easy.

Lambert’s former boss, Donnan, thinks he’s up to the job. We remember Lambert being a genuinely good guy when he was here at Georgia, so we wish him good luck and success in his new role.

Bernie asks a good question: why are we just now finding out about the early February DUI arrest of a Tech baseball player?

The answer is probably a lot simpler than you think, and it can be summed up by this web page. Athens is a small enough town that media (or a random, bored message board denizen) can glance at the county and UGA arrest logs each morning and, without doing much work, see who got booked. Not much is going to get missed.

Try that in Atlanta. Does the Atlanta police department even offer a web page that logs who gets booked? How many people are ticketed or arrested on a given night in Atlanta? The city is big enough and the police active enough that an isolated DUI is going to have a lot of places to hide. That seems to have been the case here where it took several weeks for the story to come to light. The Damon Evans story broke as the result of media checking into a rumor and not as the result of someone hovering over the Atlanta city jail’s web site. Add in the many surrounding and overlapping jurisdictions in the metro Atlanta area, and it’s next to impossible to sort through. Athenians can keep up on a single handy, dandy web page.

Even the motivations of the local police and newspaper are different. You won’t get the AJC to cover the Tech beat unless there’s been another armed robbery. UGA dominates the Athens news. Both schools have their own police forces, but certainly the Clarke County police spend a lot more time dealing with student-related crime and patrol than the Atlanta police. I don’t suggest that either the Banner-Herald or the local police are out to get UGA students and athletes. But you do have a newspaper more likely to find smaller incidents newsworthy and a police force paying more attention than they would in a much larger city with a lot more going on.

A separate issue is one of policy. By now, most serious Georgia fans are unfortunately very familiar with the department-wide alcohol policy. The first offense earns you a suspension equivalent to 10% of the season. The second offense used to result in an automatic semester-long suspension from the University but now allows for some discretion based on the nature of the offense. A second offense now usually means a half-season suspension.

You might feel a little indignant that Skole’s public discipline to date is a one-game (less than 2% of the season) vacation against Georgia Southern. Let it go. There’s nothing that says that Tech or any school has to do anything. Is it right that Georgia student-athletes operate under a different and more strict set of rules? Fine. Until you codify student-athlete discipline across the NCAA (good luck with that), you’re going to have variation based on the priorities of the schools.

The surprising element to the story is that “Georgia Tech’s code of conduct for student-athletes doesn’t have any rules specific to DUIs.” You might think Georgia’s policy is excessive, but at least you know what it is. It’s an area into which the athletic department, with close cooperation from the University, put some thought. You might smirk and remark that Georgia has had a lot more experience in this area. Two responses – first, do we know? We just discussed how easy it is for individual incidents that are even matters of public record to get lost in the massive volume of Atlanta police activity. Tech has no obligation to release or comment on arrests or other disciplinary matters. Second, the present Tech athletic administration has had to deal with issues of drug abuse and DUI among its student-athletes and staff. There still doesn’t seem to be a unified policy, and that tends to leave things up to the individual program and away from public scrutiny.