Aaron Murray finds himself on a list where he aptly belongs...

...which is among the nation's most underrated players. He was number 3 on the list of five nominees. This came after Murray has been left off Phil Steele's four, count'em FOUR, All-SEC teams (behind Newton, Mallet, McElroy and Hartline), the AP All-SEC teams and mentions, and the AP Freshman All-American First Team (behind Taylor Martinez). Not only that, but he was completely shut out of the voting for SEC Freshman of the Year (though Lattimore did have an excellent year). He has has been essentially ignored despite his record-breaking year for an SEC freshman quarterback and his unbelievable stats in light of a woeful season from the rest of the UGA offense (sans AJ Green and Orson Charles). So, this is a list where he clearly belongs: among those who have quietly, and without much praise or acknowledgement, had phenomenal seasons. Kudos, Matt Hinton.

McGarity stops short of giving an ultimatum for 2011...

...but make no mistake about it, he wants to see improvement. Though he specifically said it wouldn't come down to winning 8 games, or 9 games, he did say the team would have to improve on 6-6, "or 7-6." But, of course, as any good AD does, he spoke about seeing the team improve in other areas that aren't as clear cut as the scoreboard or the win/loss column. The pressure is on Mark Richt, and Greg McGarity will be watching.

So, UGA put five players...

...on the Pro Football Weekly All-American team, which is based on NFL skills and projections of college players. Georgia had the most, by a long shot. The list included WR AJ Green, OL Cling Boling, OL Cordy Glenn, LB Justin Houston, and P Drew Butler.

Though some people, including the Senator, don't think this type of All-American team says very much about Georgia's record or season, you have to wonder what this says about Georgia's knack of underachieving the past few seasons given the talent on the field. We all expected much better than 6-6, despite having a new defensive scheme and a young QB. At least we appear to be getting and developing some high-end talent, we've just gotta get better at using it to win ballgames.

UGA's running backs...

...love the headlines. Unfortunately for them, it seems to be negative headlines most of the time. Ealey and King are a frustrating pair. They both came in with such promise, and yet they always find a way to underwhelm. Caleb King will apparently not be able to play in the bowl game due to academic ineligibility. Color me not surprised.

So, we've seen King suspended for two games for an arrest, missing two games for an injury, fumble issues, and now he's academically ineligible for a bowl game. Then there's also the rumor-run-rampant about the NCAA investigating a "loan" he received from his girlfriend, and did not repay, but - as it turned out - nothing came of it. So in the spirit of Cam Newton, he's innocent. Then you've Ealey, who was also arrested for hit-and-run and suspended, fumbling issues, that full-on punch he took at his own teammate in front of the home crowd at the spring game, and a very public missed block in the Arkansas game. Many thought these guys could be a monster tandem that accumulated 1,000 yards each this season with a young QB at the helm. But they've only totaled 1181 yards between the two of them.

These guys just can't seem to get it together, despite some fleeting bright moments in both of their college careers.

McGarity is keeping us on our toes...

...with this whole football scheduling bidnizz. After coming out and not-so-shyly stating that the football program would be adding many lesser programs and FCS teams in an effort to make the schedule easier and filled with more home games, he busted out and scheduled the Boise State* opener next season at a neutral site. I assumed that, despite the Boise scheduling, we could typically look forward to a yearly slate of OOC games that would include a FCS school (GA Souther, Citadel, etc.), two far lesser FBS opponents (Florida Atlantic, Louisiana-Lafayette, etc.), and Georgia Tech. This would give us at least 3 home OOC games per season, and 4 home OOC games every other year. It would also secure an average of about 3.9 wins per year, among OOC games. It's yawn-inspiring, true, but you can't deny there is some logic in the athletic department wanting to take advantage of the financial benefit of having 7-8 home games per season, 4 guaranteed wins, and not having to travel across the country for the sake of attempting to market a "national" brand.

On the other hand, it looks like McGarity has, again, decided to throw a curveball to UGA football fans - this one far more exciting than the change-up regarding playing lesser programs or even the slider that is the Boise State game. It appears that McG is currently talking to some big midwestern teams about the possibility of a home/home series in the near future. Specifically, he's trying to drum up a series with Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State or Notre Dame.

I love this idea. First, it makes more sense than setting up games with Pac-10 teams because there is half the time spent traveling and no jet lag for the players. Second, it helps with the "national brand" aspect of the Georgia football program, because all of those teams are larger national brands than any of the guys we had played on the road or were scheduled to play (Arizona State, Colorado, Louisville and even Oregon, which is still somewhat new on the "national" stage). Finally, it gives Georgia a chance to prove its meddle among national powerhouses outside of the SEC. Sure, the SEC conference and schedule is the toughest in the world, so we don't HAVE to go out and play other national teams in order to enhance our profile, blah, blah, blah. But it doesn't hurt to have the confidence to go out and whoop up on the media darlings and traditionally overrated juggernauts dwelling in Big Ten country.

Of those four, who would I like to see a home and home with? Ohio State. They are perceived as the best of those four right now. And nothing is more fun to watch than SEC pwnage of the Buckeyes. Not to mention, red helmets and silver britches against red jerseys and silver helmets would be pretty. Michigan would be my second choice, though I doubt they would want to schedule a big SEC team right now. Notre Dame just got through with a series with Georgia Tech, so I don't wanna look like we are merely following in Tech's footsteps. Not only that, but they aren't Big Ten (and I wanna beat a Big Ten team), so it is not as attractive to me. And Penn State, frankly, is just sort-of boring right now. Not as attractive as the others. Ohio State would be my dream match-up.

I was worried that with the very quick and surefire announcement by McG that we would be looking to soften the schedule, the UGA schedule may get very boring, bland, and too regionalized. But I love the fact that McG has come out in support of some marquis match-ups for the Dawgs in the future. This is some great red-meat to which the fans can look forward. And I really believe that Dawg fans would travel well to a game at Ohio State or Ann Arbor. Should be fun. I hope he can follow through.

(* - Let's face it, the attraction of a Boise match-up is unique because it will essentially be a "home" game, for all intents and purposes, and this was a thinly-veiled attempt for Richt and McG to combat big BCS programs getting a free weekend to show off for Peach State recruits on our turf.)

Fratlock's 2010 Movie List

Here is the most recent Top 10 list with Tron: Legacy included. 

1. Inception - 9.75/10
2. The Town - 9/10
3. The Social Network - 9/10
4. Shutter Island - 8.25/10
5. Tron: Legacy - 8/10
6. Kick Ass - 7.75/10
7. Winter's Bone - 7.75/10
8. Robin Hood - 7.5/10
9. Hot Tub Time Machine - 7/10
10. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - 6.75
...
Iron Man 2 - 6.5/10
Centurion - 6/10
Shrek Forever After - 5.5/10
Get Him to the Greek - 5.5/10
Clash of the Titans - 4.5/10
Alice in Wonderland - 3.5/10

Movie Review: Tron Legacy

Okay, so I saw Tron Legacy last night.  Despite being a big movie fan, I've actually never seen the original Tron.  Admittedly, I should have seen it.  Not that you have to, but it would have probably helped with some of the lingo and back-story.  But this movie was made knowing the biggest segment of its audience wasn't born when the original was released.  So, they had some flashbacks and narrative to explain the back story.  It sufficed. 

Overall, I thought it was a lot of fun.  This movie was more about the experience rather than the story - sort-of like Avatar.  So, you can forgive some of the plot-holes, unexplained "givens," the random "isn't that convenient" moments, or inexplicable devices akin to the age-old "deus ex machina." This movie is, in effect, one big "deus ex machina."  That's essentially what it's about. You have to somewhat expect or surmise that going in.  So, knowing that, you can merely accept the unexplained and enjoy the ride.  I had no problem with it. 

About that "experience," it was awesome.  It didn't quite integrate the viewer into the "world" like Avatar did, but it was pretty darn close.  Where in Avatar the viewer was submerged into a natural, sublime, and virgin utopia called Pandora, which glowed with effervescence, The Grid was more like a dark, violent and spartan world pulsating with electronic, yet subtle, neon trimming.  "Perfection" is a key theme to the story - and this world, like Pandora, was stylishly perfect.  Being lifted from the sticky theatre floor into this efficient and shining world would be undeniably therapeutic to a viewer suffering from OCD. 

Not only was the setting breathtaking, but so was the music.  I loved the electronic soundscapes, which was supported with some retro-80's synthesizers in parts.  We actually got some more epic music in the first trailer, and so there were parts where I felt like it could have been louder and bigger.  But the music was definitely pitch-perfect to the world that Disney created, even if my personal preference would have been to have had even more.

The acting was solid.  Garret Hedlund did what he could with a character that had little depth due to the fact that he had to spend so much time reacting to the characters around him, as opposed to developing his own arc.  Jeff Bridges was vintage Jeff Bridges.  As he successfully does in almost every movie, he managed to effortlessly infuse his character with his real-life, laid back, dude-like personality.  The scene-stealer, however, was Olivia Wilde.  By the end of the movie, I did not really care what happened to anyone as much as I cared for what happened to her.  Granted, her character was written to have a child-like devotion and innocence that would make any audience fawn over her well-being.  But she did a fantastic job of carrying it out.  Everything from her movements, expressions, voice inflections, and flawless beauty succeeded in making the audience fall even more in love with the character.  If you come away disappointed in anything about this movie, it won't be Olivia Wilde.  Not only that, but she's incredibly hot.  The same could also be said for the character Gem, played effortlessly by Beau Garrett, who was also a magnet for the audience's eyes in every scene she was in. 

Some people criticized the reverse-aging affects applied to Bridges in his portrayal of the villain Clu, but it didn't bother me.  Sure, at times, if you were looking for it, it appeared stiff and animated.  But for the most part, it was solid.  It didn't take away from the overall effects and never appeared too fabricated. 

I guess the biggest gripe would be the story.  I was there to SEE Tron and the world of the Grid, and some action in between.  I was not there to be moved or enchanted by story-telling.  So, I didn't come away disappointed in that regard.  But I will admit that the story was not as strong or complete as Avatar, which was also admittedly weak (in relation to other Oscar-calibre narratives and the high quality that went into the presentation of the film).  There were times in which the story may have gotten in the way of the real reason we were there - to "see" and "experience" this world.  But I think it is hard to balance a great story with the complications and machinations that go into presenting a world like Tron.  It is rare that a producer/director/studio is able to bring a story up to the same level of its vaunted effects.  Spielberg was able to do it in the 80's and 90's and Christopher Nolan is doing it now, but they will probably admit that it is very difficult.  I think those guys are effective because they build the effects around the story, as opposed to the other way around.  But knowing the difficulty of creating a fantastic story in this type of genre, I had no problem forgiving this aspect. 

Other critiques: I wish they had done a little more with the actual "Tron" character.  He was pretty much relegated to less than window-dressing.  I also thought that Michael Sheen's character was a little TOO much of a homage or nod back to the David Bowie "Ziggy Stardust" days.  A little over the top.  We also didn't have an idea about how "programs" actually LIVED in The Grid.  I wanted to know more about the world.  It was as if we were thrown in and then instantly looking for the first train out.  It's was like a layover on a plane trip.  Sure, the characters definitely wanted out for whatever reason, but I think the audience should have been treated to a little more of what's there.  The physics and implications of it were all way over my head, but I did want to know a little bit more about the make-up of the programs, whether the ISO's could be "real boys" (a la Pinnochio), and how they would exist in the "real world," if they could at all.  This may have been explained in the original Tron or maybe I just missed it in this movie.  Given my inability to compute some of the lingo, etc., I won't fault the movie for my inability to understand it.  But that was just some stuff that, as a casual movie-goer, I was curious about.  

They are already working on a sequel to Tron Legacy.  So, some of these questions or concerns may later be addressed.  But all in all, I really enjoyed it.  And I look forward to seeing in on Blu-ray to try to pick up on some of the story that I missed.  I highly recommend seeing this in the theatre, if for any other reason than to experience the visuals and the music on the big screen (in addition to Olivia Wilde).  

PS - As for the 3D.  This was a better 3D experience than most of the converted stuff, as much of it was "shot" in 3D.  I'm careful about criticizing 3D because I don't know if sometimes it is simply my weak eyes.  But last night I kept feeling like things could be out-of-focus.  It was as if the right-hand lens was making things slightly more blurry than the left.  I think that sometimes we sacrifice color and sharpness for the 3D effect.  Anyway, I just don't know how much 3D actually added to this movie, given I worried with the glasses a few times to try to get it perfect.  Again, it could just be me.  And I didn't have this problem with Avatar. But I find that sometimes 2D can be more crisp and clear than 3D, and this was no exception.  Just something I thought I'd throw out there. 

2010 Movies: Awards and Top 10 Lists

Below are two things from Metacritic.com.  Keep in mind that, even though there are a number of movies that haven't been released to the general public, the critics have seen everything that will be released for the award season of 2010.  So though you may be asking, "Tron's not up there because it was only released this weekend, right?"  Don't worry, the critics and award groups have already taken it into consideration.

First, there is the rankings of how the movies of 2010 are doing in terms of the various awards that have been nominated or presented.  Each movie is given three points for winning, two points for finishing second, and one point for being nominated.  Most of the awards and noms so far are from the various critics circles (most of them in certain cities) as well other groups like the Golden Globes or the Screen Actors.  It is sort of a snapshot of the years best movies, through the eyes of the Oscar watchers.  Granted, most of these are from the critics, who can band together and be somewhat repititious.  More will develop as various industry guilds begin to consider nominations.  Remember, the Academy is not made up necessarily of critics.  There are more movie people - actors, movie makers, etc. - involved with the Oscars.  So, it is not set in stone, but it gives you an idea of the movies to look out for as the award season nears.

Second, there are the rankings of the films based on individual critics Top Ten lists.  This aggregation is not limited to which ones were nominated, but rather how individual critics ranked each movie in their Top Ten.  Therefore, it is a little more accurate than merely the awards list above.  A movie gets three points for being #1, two points for being #2, and one point for being #3 - #10 or otherwise appearing on an unranked list.  The number in green is the movies Metacritic rating, to the extent one has been given, which is based on an aggregation of all of the critical reviews of the film.

The conclusion from both of these rankings are that The Social Network is absolutely kicking ass with the critics and early awards.  Meanwhile, the three "next best" are Inception, Black Swan, and Winter's Bone, in no particular order.  Though The King's Speech isn't doing as hot on Top Ten lists, they have shown up for the critics' awards and other awards, thus far. 

If I had to make an early Oscar prediction on the ten movies to be nominated for Best Picture, it would go like this (in order of likelihood of nomination):

1. The Social Network

2. Inception

3. Winter's Bone

4. The King's Speech

5. Black Swan

Those are easy, here are my next four:

6. Toy Story 3

7. 127 Hours

8. The Fighter

9. The Kids are All Right

The next one is tricky, as I think you've essentially got a dog fight between True Grit and The Town.  Though The Town isn't prominent on the lists above, I think Affleck & Co. will get a lot of support through people in the industry, and it was a solidly acted movie.  The Fighter and The Kids Are All Right are close to being in this fight, but I think they have so many nominated and acclaimed acting performances in each to lift them into one of the 10 slots.  Based on what I've seen so far, though, I think the Coen Bros. will get the last spot with True Grit.

10. True Grit

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. 

Oscar Season Heats Up: 10 Movies to Watch (UPDATED)

UPDATE:  This list is pretty much obsolete based on the information I compiled above.  So, consider it a "dead thread."

....
When I say "watch" I really mean "look out for."  I've read a good bit this year about movies that are poised for Oscar.  I read a lot of blogs that discuss the top movies, as well articles and reviews on which movies have the most buzz or best ratings.  There are also Top 10 lists that are starting to be published by the critics and the various circles.  Based on what I've heard so far, these are my Top 10 movies to be on the lookout for this Oscar season (in order of how I rank them in terms of Oscar "buzz"):

1. The Social Network
2. The Kings Speech
3. Inception
4. Toy Story 3
5. Winters Bone
6. The Fighter
7. Black Swan
8. The Kids Are All Right
9. True Grit
10. 127 Hours

Others to watch for: The Town, Shutter Island, Another Year, Blue Valentine, Rabbit Hole

Trailer Time!

Here are some great previews for movies I am looking forward to in 2011.  London Boulevard didn't get great reviews, but I enjoy the genre.  Tree of Life, Water for Elephants, and The Beaver are three of the most highly-anticipated movies for next year.  I'm a sucker for Evangeline Lilly, hence the Read Steel trailer in which she appears for only a fraction of a second.  Then there's Thor, for the Marvel fans. 

Fratlock's 2010 Movie List

More movies to add to the old Top Ten list. 

Get Him to the Greek - This was okay.  I actually didn't enjoy the spin-off as much as I did the original "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."  It has some funny parts to it, but was not on my list of top funny films I've seen in recent years.  I think Russell Brand's character is great as a supporting role for loads of laughs, but for an entire movie it starts to run a little thin.  Rose Byrne's turn as Brand's ex was the highlight. 

Centurion - This was another of those stylized period action flicks in the wake of 300.  Some people liked it better than 300 because it wasn't quite as stylized.  I actually think that with these stylized movies, you either go hard or go home.  So in enjoyed 300 better.  But this one had its moments.  I think in the end I wanted to see Fassbender's character kick a little more ass, instead of being on the run most of the movie.  But the shots were exquisite, and Dominic West dominated the segments he was in.  Not much character development or plot, but it was better than I was anticipating. 

Shrek Forever After - I enjoy the Shrek movies for what they are - a creative and clever way to put pop culture into the fairy tales we all remember from when we were tykes.  It makes for good laughs.  Unfortunately, they begin to run out of ideas as the franchise continues.  But if you are a fan of the franchise, you will probably enjoy this movie.  The villain is great, as they've been in all the movies. 

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World - This is an uber-stylized take on another popular graphic novel series.  It's a lot of fun, especially at the outset, as it is a take on the Japanimation/Nintendo style.  The Universal intro may have been the coolest thing to me.  All the young people in the movie were fantastic, especially in the supporting roles.  Great, hilarious performances.  I liked Mary Elizabeth Winstead, but her character may not have had quite enough "cuteness" for me.  She reminded me of a perfect Lisbeth Salander from the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  And Michael Cera may have been a bit too Michael Cera for me.  It did tend to drag a bit at the end.  But all in all it was a fun, clever, and innovative movie.  Good for something different. 

The List - I've made some adjustments to the list.  This is one of those things that happens as you think back on what you've seen over the year and start to see how movies compare.  Not only that, but you think more about which ones are more memorable and have more of a lasting impact, if at all.  Robin Hood and Iron Man 2 I've dropped a little, with their ratings.  As much as I wanted Iron Man 2 to be good, even after I saw it, it just wasn't.  Same with Robin Hood, after seeing it a second time, even though it was better to me that Iron Man 2 and I enjoyed it.

1. Inception - 9.75/10
2. The Town - 9/10
3. The Social Network - 9/10
4. Shutter Island - 8.5/10
5. Kick Ass - 7.75/10
6. Winter's Bone - 7.75/10
7. Robin Hood - 7.5/10
8. Hot Tub Time Machine - 7/10
9. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World - 6.75
10. Iron Man 2 - 6.5/10
...
Centurion - 6/10
Shrek Forever After - 5.5/10
Get Him to the Greek - 5.5/10
Clash of the Titans - 4.5/10
Alice in Wonderland - 3.5/10

I am going to see Tron tonight.  I will update this list to include it.

Uggla Extension Talks Heating Up...

Apparently the Braves are close to an extension for Dan Uggla. The projections are in the neighborhood of 5yrs/$60M.  That would be $12M per year.  That would run through the age of 36 for Uggla.  That is close to Chipper money (roughly $14M per year).  I assume the team anticipates moving Uggla to 3B as soon as Chipper is done, which could be another 3-4 seasons if he is able to come back strong.  Uggla turned down 4yrs/$48M from the Marlins.  Obviously, the 5th year is important for him.  But this a good bit less than the 5yr/$70M he was reportedly asking from the Marlins.  I don't have a problem with it, as this kind of power from a RH infielder is rare.  But we've got a lot of young guys, specifically pitchers, who will be in line for some extensions in the next couple of years.  So, we need to hope that the budget will increase over the next few years if we want to ink some folks like Heyward, Hanson, Jurrjens, Venters, Kimbrel, Minor, Teheran or Prado long-term. 

As for Uggla being worth $12M per season, he was already in the neighborhood of $10M for arbitration.  His value isn't coming down, given his ability to consistently put up power numbers and in light of the Werth deal.  We just have to hope we will sign the .280-hitting Uggla, and not the .220-hitting Uggla who has dotted the map at times in the past few years.  If that is the case, it is a good signing.  But there is some risk involved. 

Aaron Murray gets disrespected...

...again.  A Dawg in Exile puts it best in his blog:  There's no way Nebraska's Taylor Martinez should beat out Aaron Murray for Rivals.com's First-Team Freshman All-American.  But, alas, he did.  Despite the wide discrepancy in the stats, Martinez beat him out. 

I asked Seth Emerson yesterday about the Martinez/Murray All-Freshman debate, and he published his thoughts in the mailbag.  He essentially says that it came down to the success of the teams. 

I just think that, in this case, if you are giving an individual award - which they are - then you at least look at the individual's stats to see what he accomplished and not entirely rely on what the team accomplished.  Nebraska was successful this season, despite Taylor Martinez's poor play and attitude at times.  Georgia was not successful this season, but what success it had was substantially due to Aaron Murray's play.  That, combined with his stats, should put him on every First Team All-Freshman Team published. 

And for those that claim Taylor Martinez's stats were only down because of injuries...  Give me a break.  In that case, AJ Green's stats were only down because of a sold jersey.  So...give him the First Team All-American Award based on what his stats woulda/coulda been.  Injuries are part of the game.  If you get hurt, so does your team, your stats and you ability to play.  So should your standing with awards. 

Rivals.com got it wrong.

Here's an update on Georgia's recruiting "Dream Team"...

...over at ChuckOliver.net.  I discuss the "Dream Team" concept, where we are in recruiting the Top 40 and Top 10 Georgia Prospects, and some recent news from the past week.  Check it.

Big Ten Fail

So, the most pompous and unjustifiably arrogant conference in America decided to name their divisions "Leaders" and "Legends."  Has there be anyone, just ONE PERSON, who has come out and said that they like this idea?  ANYONE? 

There's also been universal criticism of the new logo, which - again - looks straight outta 1976.  I don't mind the retro logo as much as the division names.  But I am going to absolutely hate hearing Fowler and Herbie talk about the leaders of the... Leaders... division, etc.  Oy.

Muschamp is A TRAITOR!!!!!!!

Just kidding.  Just wanted a little drama in my headlines.  I don't necessarily think he is a traitor...yet.  We'll see how it all plays out.

I have to admit, I didn't see Muschamp anywhere on the Florida radar. I was thinking they'd go after an established head coach (Stoops, Peterson, Harbaugh, Petrino) or they would try to maintain the continuity of Urban Meyer (Mullen, Whittingham, Strong). At the very least, if they were going to go with someone young, I thought they'd take their chances with someone who was offensive-minded.

If you had told me they were going to focus on defense with their head coach, then I would have been thinking Strong or Gary Patterson first. Hell, I may have thought to put Kirby Smart ahead of Muschamp only because Muschamp has been turning down jobs left and right, he's the Texas coach-in-waiting, and Texas has had such a bad year. Smart would have naturally come to mind ahead of Muschamp, for me.

I'm not nearly as afraid of this hire as I would have been of Petrino, Harbaugh, or Peterson (or even Stoops - as he is such a mega-name coach and already employs a variant of the spread in his system) as any of those coaches could have probably taken the athletes and recruits at Florida and created a smooth transition to a very potent offense. Not to mention, those big names would have probably resurrected the recruiting class (not that Muschamp necessarily won't, but the other guys have a track record as a HC to show recruits).

Now things will get interesting. What type of offense will Florida run, do they have the personnel to fill it out and how long will it take to adjust to it? Many people are saying Muschamp will more than likely run a pro-style offense to mimmick Saban's success at Alabama. We shall see. I just think there are a lot of questions to be asked about this hire, and lots that we just don't know about what the team will look like in 2011. With some of the more established guys, I don't think they'd be as many questions.

So, I think it was a questionable hire, and there are risks... However, I think Muschamp will successful at UF. It'd be hard not to be successful at UF.

Damn. Phils got Cliff Lee.

Yeah, so... How does Wren even respond to this? Not only did Cliff Lee sign with the Phils, but he took far less money than was offerred from the Yanks/Rangers. People believe that he left around $50M on the table in New York to play with the Phillies. Wow. That reminds me how the Braves used to be - a place where people would take a pay cut just to be part of a great team and great clubhouse.

Anyway, it's sort-of like the Braves and Phillies are in an arms race similar to that of the Yankees and Red Sox. The only difference is that the Braves have about half the payroll of the other three teams mentioned in that previous sentence.

Apparently, the Phils will trade away Blanton. That means this will be their starting five:

1. Cliff Lee
2. Roy Halladay
3. Roy Oswalt
4. Cole Hamels
5. Kyle Kendrick

And don't look down on Kyle Kendrick, Braves fans, because the kid is 4-1 with a 2.28 ERA in 8 career games (7 starts) versus the Braves. We have hit .237 against him.

You remember that era when Maddux, Smoltz, and Glavine all pitched on the same team and it was considered the best pitching staff of all time? And the players all wanted to stay together and maintain the continuity, which caused other guys to want to come be part of what was going on in Atlanta? Well that era has returned, only with the Phils.

Some bloggers/writers want to caution the Braves fans from panicking, saying that Hudson, Hanson, Jurrjens and Lowe can hang with the Phillies "Big 4." I don't see it. There's no way. Jurrjens was bad last year and had recurring injuries. Hudson isn't getting any younger and is on a plane with Oswalt, at best. Hanson has had mixed results. He's young, and solid, but he's got to get his walks and pitch counts lower. Then you've got Lowe - the disappointing $60M man. I don't mean to bad mouth our rotation, because there are positives there, too. Hudson finished Top 5 in Cy Young voting, Lowe's September was the best among all MLB pitchers, Hanson is still very young and has shown flashes of dominance, and Jurrjens was brilliant in 2009 when he was healthy. But relatively speaking, there just isn't the question marks on the Phillies staff that there are with the Braves. And given how the Braves struggled against the Phillies in 2010, it could be a very long 2011 season.

The Braves just don't have the budget to add any more pieces as part of any arms race with Philly. What the Braves have now is pretty much what they've got to run with in 2011. So, we'll see how it turns out.

The silver-lining to all this "great pitching staff" madness in Philly is that the Braves do have the consensus top minor league pitchers. So, to the extent Philly can enjoy it now, it may be the Braves who have the last laugh as they've got at least 3 guys who have not pitched in the majors yet and will probably all be ranked in the Top 50 prospects in all of baseball prior to the next season, which would mean they'd be Top 20-25 pitching prospects for all of baseball. That's incredible. I'm talking about Julio Teheran, Arodys Vizcaino, and Randall Delgado. That doesn't include Mike Minor and Craig Kimbrel, who've already made their debuts and will be on the major league roster next season. They'd probably both be in the Top 50 as well.

So... we can't lose hope for the future, although 2011 may be a struggle against the Phils.

So, Urban Meyer is...

...stepping down again.  Not too shocking. Here's the biggest kicker:  I guess this means Dan Mullen will be the next head coach at Florida.  This sucks for my Dawgs, as I was fully expecting us to make a run at him after the 2011 season (when Richt will either be forced out or will take a page out of Meyer's book and resign).  Now that Mullen is likely off the Dawgs' head coaching wish list, who is next?

Braves Update: Winter Meetings, etc.

1. Current Roster - Here is a chart of what the Braves opening day roster looks like right now. This can be found at Capital Avenue Club which is a fantastic Braves blog. Add them to your Google Reader or Braves sites you like to visit (along with Talking Chop, another fantasic Braves blog).

The current roster brings the total budget to approximately $81M.  The italicized numbers are the expected amounts the players will get through the arbitration process.  Jurrjens and Prado are eligible for arbitration for the first time.  Additionally, Uggla is eligible for arbitration for the 2011 season for the last time.  The $10M number is what he is expected to get in arbitration.  However, word is that he and the Braves are diligently working on a contract extension.  If it gets done, this $10M will probably go up a little bit, depending on the salary increments.  The Braves may want to start him offer lower toward the beginning of his salary, then have his salary go up as the numbers for Lowe, Hudson and Chipper's salary slowly come off the books in the next few years. 

The opening day payroll is expected to be about $88M.  That means there really isn't much room to add any more salary, despite there obviously being a few more gaps to fill.  This is because right now Kenshin Kawakami's $7M salary is still on the Braves' books.  However, the Braves are actively trying to move Kawakami and some of his salary, though the team will still probably have to eat half of the salary and maybe a bit more. 

If the Braves can move Kawakami, then they'll have roughly $3M to spend on the 4th OF spot and utility player that can play SS.  (HT: CapitalAveClub)

2.  Uggla Extension - This has been a topic discussed at Winter Meetings.  It was said that, in his negotiations with the Marlins, Uggla was not budging off of his demand of 5yr/$71M ($14.2M per year).  However, it was reported earlier that he was wanting something in the neighborhood of 5yr/$55M ($11M per year).  The latter demand is probably more reasonable and something the Braves would be interested in.  Given Atlanta is close to his family and Nashville home, he reportedly loves the Braves, and he also loves playing for Fredi Gonzalez, many think the Braves will get more of a discount than the Marlins.  Uggla has already gone on the record in saying he wants to sign long-term with the Braves. 

The Marlins are reported to have offered him 4yr/$48M ($12M per year).  It sounds like the 5th year is important to him.  I would bet the Braves give it to him as he is only 30 years old, especially in light of the Werth signing, so long as it is in the neighborhood of $10M-$12M per season.  I wouldn't be surprised if something got done soon, so the Braves could have a better idea of their budget for next season and beyond.

3.  Hinske re-signed - The Braves re-signed their best pinch hitter and clubhouse leader last week by penning Hinske to a 1yr/$1.45M contract with an option for a 2nd year.  This gives him about a $450K raise from last season. I think he is well worth it.  He was a clubhouse favorite and is a clutch pinch-hitter.  He chose the Braves over a similar offer from his hometown team - Milwaukee.   

4.  Diaz non-tendered - In an expected move, clubhouse favorite and all-around great guy Matt Diaz was not tendered a contract.  This made him a free agent and means he will not be with Atlanta next season.  Some were disappointed with the move, but it is understandable.  From a business standpoint, he would have demanded too much in arbitration that the Braves could afford.  It is also well-known that the Braves covet a better defensive OF for their final spot.  Diaz wasn't bitter about the deal, and understood.  He is quoted as saying to Wren, before leaving, "keep me in mind down the road." This is another testament to the Braves organization.  The beat writers and guys who constantly came in contact with Diaz had nothing but great things to say about him, especially in his departure.  He will be missed, but it was the right decision.  But keeping either him or Hinske for clubhouse purposes was a priority for the Braves. 

5.  Linebrink trade - Scott Linebrink is a guy the Braves had coveted for a long time.  He was the set-up man in San Diego for Trevor Hoffman for a time and considered to be the next closer for the Padres.  This is when the Braves were gunning for him, as - at the time - the Braves did not have an established closer.  But he was traded to the White Sox with the emergence of Heath Bell and the Braves got Gonzalez/Soriano around the same time.  But they obviously still kept him on their radar.  The White Sox had one of the best bullpens for the past couple of years and Linebrink was a big part of that.  He has signed to stay there and was originally owed $5.5M for this next season.  But given the number of arms in the Sox 'pen, they were willing to trade him to dump some salary.  They didn't dump much.  The Braves were able to acquire him WITH $3.5M in cash, which means the Braves only have to pay him $2M this season.  Not sure about whether his contract is beyond 2011, but we only had to give up a middling prospect to acquire him.  He will take the place of Saito as a veteran 7th/8th inning guy.  He will also mentor the young guys, a la Billy Wagner.  He and Venters are expected to share the 8th inning role.  This was another solid move to shore up the loss of veterans Saito and Wagner in the 'pen.

6.  Winter Meetings rumors - Right now, all the MLB executives are in Florida for the Winter Meetings.  This is when a lot of trade action takes place. They started yesterday and will last until December 9th.  The priority for the Braves at the WM was to add a back-up IF and 4th OF.  Additionally, they are looking to possibly add one more LH bullpen arm (which would theoretically send Marek back to the minors).  The other priority is to move Kenshin Kawakami.  Here are the Braves rumblings thus far:

Kenshin Kawakami - There is reportedly some MLB interest in Kawakami, even though it was initially believed he may have to be sent back to Japan.  However, make no mistake about it, no matter where he ends up, the Braves will probably have to pay half his salary for 2011 (final year of contract).  The Pirates are rumored to be the most interested. 

4th OF - Many bloggers wanted the Braves to sign former San Diego player Tony Gwynn Jr., who was non-tendered.  He apparently has speed, defense and can hit for average.  However, he was signed today by the Dodgers.  There were also rumors yesterday that the Braves were talking to Milwaukee about Valdosta-native Lorenzo Cain.  Cain is another speedy and defensively gifted CF who hit for some pop in the minors and a career minor league average of around .290.  Last season in 45 games in the bigs, he hit over .300 and had 7 SBs.  However, he is said to have more upside than Gwynn and could be a good prospect.  So, the Brewers are reportedly asking for too much for him.  But, no doubt, he would make an excellent 4th OF and could also be a solid started in the event the McLouth experiment fails yet again. 

Utility Man - I haven't heard anything on this front.  No idea where the Braves are headed. 

Zach Greinke - There were some rumors Sunday and Monday about Zach Greinke getting shopped and the Braves being among the suitors.  The Braves are thought to have always coveted the young Cy Young winner.  But due to his contract extension with KC, he will make $11.5M in 2011 and $13.5M in 2012.  He absolutely does not fit into the Braves budget without moving Lowe or Hudson.  The Braves won't move Hudson and can't move Lowe.  The rumors were quickly shot down late Monday.  I think this is one of those deals where the Braves were included in the conversation only because they've had interest in the kid for several years. 

Frenchy and Diaz - Though neither player will be with the Braves next season, they are both rumored to be drawing lots of interest, especially Diaz.  The Phillies are a team attached to both their names. 

7.  Big contracts - It is worth mentioning here when some of the Braves big contracts will roll off the books.  The biggest contracts are Derek Lowe, Tim Hudson, and Chipper. 

Hudson has a 3yr/$27M contract that runs through the 2012 season.  There is a club option for a 4th season at $9M.  He will be 37 yo at the end of 2012.  The last time he entered into an option year, the Braves worked out a lower yearly salary to keep him on board.  He did the hometown discount thing to secure it.  I imagine the same thing will happen in 2012, depending on his health and abilities.  But this is a great contract for the Braves and he won't be a financial burden.

Derek Lowe has a 4yr/$45M contract that runs through 2012.  This is a big contract.  Because he is already 37 and has been disappointing (until late 2010), will never be able to trade him.  So, we will have to ride this out through 2012. 

Chipper has a very tricky contract that is laden with incentives based on games played.  Essentially, he is guaranteed a base salary of $14M for seasons 2010-2012.  He can get up to $15.5M in each season depending on how much he plays.  Moreover, assuming he plays enough in those years, he gets an option for 2013 of up to $14.5M.  If he doesn't play enough, then the Braves will hold a $7M club option for 2013.  So, he has two more seasons (same as Lowe and Huddy) of guaranteed contract money. 

McLouth is at $6.5M for this season, and has an option for 2012 that the Braves likely won't pick up.  Combined, you could be looking at 4 players and $44.5M less on the payroll after 2012.  That's over half.  That will be around the time will be extending guys like McCann, Heyward, Hanson, Prado and/or Jurrjens, or at least be able to start shopping around for some decent free agents depending on which of our young guys we extend/sign (including Uggla).  Hopefully, by this time we will be free of the clutches of Liberty Media, and safely in the warm, rich arms of Arthur Blank. 

That's it for now, stay tuned...

SEC Freshman of the Year: Lattimore vs. Murray

Please check out my discussion on who is most deserving for SEC Freshman of the Year honors over at ChuckOliver.net. In particular, I compare SC's Marcus Lattimore and UGA's Aaron Murray. Feel free to discuss it here!

A 10+ minute preview and featurette on HBO's Game of Thrones...

This is a great featurette of HBO's upcoming show, Game of Thrones. I've already raved about this show here. But the above clip put together by HBO is a great, in-depth preview of the show. It contains footage, back-story, character introductions, actor interviews, producers interviews, and also a look at the set and art design for the show. But most importantly, you get to see several clips from scenes and you get to see what the show looks like.

I'd advise you to please take a look at this clip if you have liked shows like Sopranos, Rome, Deadwood, The Wire, and Boardwalk Empire, or movies like The Godfather, Gladiator, or Lord of the Rings. Also, it is a great primer for those who haven't read the books and aren't too familiar with what this is all about.

Enjoy.

Found this tweet...

...regarding Mettenberger's commitment to play QB at LSU.  He is apparently enrolling for next semester, so I believe he can participate in bowl practices, in addition to spring drills. 

On to the tweet... Really?  First of all, Metts doesn't run.  So, his game isn't multi-dimensional like Newton's.  Having said that, to have the impact at LSU that Newton has had at Auburn would mean he'd essentially have to make the numbers put up by Mallet and Murray this year look like season totals for high school JV quarterbacks.  I don't see that happening. 

Calling Mettenberger the next Newton is doing so after one spring game and a season at Butler Community College.  Sure, Newton impressed at Blinn before coming to Auburn.  But, again, Newton is multi-dimensional and a perfect prototype for a Malzahn offense.  I just think it is premature to call a non-running QB on a low-scoring team who has never played in a D-I game a player who will have the same impact as Cam Newton.

Again, the hate on Aaron Murray.  Already getting surpassed in love by the SEC media types for a guy who hasn't even taken a snap yet.  You'd think they'd learn their lesson from the John Brantley talk. 

Meanwhile, this does set up an interesting scenario in the SEC moving forward.  Mettenberger will be a red-shirt sophomore next season, just like Murray.  So, they will have three years in which they are compared to each other on opposing sides of the conference (assuming they stay that long).  Even more interesting, UGA begins playing LSU again in 2013.  That would mean Metts gets a shot at UGA in his senior year (assuming he stays that long). 

Georgia goes to Liberty Bowl to play Central Florida...

...and I just can't get excited about it. I called it a "lose/lose" game, to the chagrin of a few "rainbows and sunshine" UGA loyalists out there. And that may be harsh. But I just don't think we benefit as a program, perception-wise, by winning this game.

It's kind-of like the Hawaii game in 2007, but on a much smaller scale. Meanwhile, if you lose, it is catastrophic. People who see the box score or the headline the next day will laugh. I don't think the laugh would be as hard or as deep in the event we lose to a UNC or Pitt. Moreover, I think the national/regional "perception" of beating a BCS team would be more positive. And in college sports - perception is everything. The media and voters decide who plays where based on how a team is perceived - many times they vote having seen nothing but who they played and how much they won by. Recruits look at the state of the program and how the program is perceived. Sure, a win over UNC or Pitt doesn't mean THAT much more than a win over UCF. But every little bit counts, and UGA needs all the help it can get.

And a loss to UCF would be "huuuuge" - as a friend likes to say. I just think I'd rather play any other possible bowl opponent, including UNC and/or Pitt. But at 6-6, we get what we deserve. So, we'll take the X-Boxes for the players, the payout for the school and the fifteen extra practices. And, of course, a win would be great, but mainly because it helps us avoid catastrophe that would result in a loss.

No disrespect to UCF, and I'm not saying we deserved better considering we went 6-6. All I'm saying is that a win in this game doesn't help us much with the fanbase, on the recruiting front, or with the perception from the media. And a loss would definitely be a scar. I just would have been happier with a different bowl game and/or opponent. I've admittedly been spoiled by what we've gotten used to and come to expect from the UGA program over the years. I remember when I was disappointed in going to the Capital One Bowl or Outback Bowl instead of a BCS bowl. Man, those days are a distant memory. But I should be more thankful, I guess. At least we get the 15 extra practices. And at least UCF is ranked (AP only). We can at least add that win to the "wins over ranked teams" column, IF we win.

Another thing about the Liberty Bowl is that it is in Memphis. The Compass Bowl in Birmingham is a "lower tiered" game, but we'd get to play a BCS opponent and the game is only an hour or two from Atlanta. I think we'd get a lot more fans to that game and I think it is a more attractive opponent. Not to mention, we'd be playing on Alabama's soil, which would be better recruiting wise (though not too meaningful). Many bowls are selecting teams, not on merit or record, but rather on which teams send fans to bowl games (see Music City choosing Tennessee over us). I'm guessing we'll have a poor showing in Memphis, which sends a bad message to other SEC bowls in future years.

There, I've said my say... Other interesting things about this game?

1. Quarterback Match-up: One thing to look forward to in this game is the quarterback matchup. Aaron Murray (UGA) and Jeffery Godfrey (UCF) are probably the top 2 freshmen quarterbacks in the country. Godfrey ranks #1 among freshmen in QB rating and yards-per-attempt. Murray is #2 in both categories. Moreover, they both ranked in the Top 10 in the country, overall, in both categories. So...there's that.

2. O'Leary vs. Georgia: Also, many fans will remember that George O'Leary helped lead Tech to 3-game win streak against Georgia from 1998-2000. This Tech team was lead by Ralph Friedgen as OC and Joe Hamilton and George Godsey as the QBs. This is really the only time since the Bobby Ross era that Tech has been competitive against UGA (though the rivalry has, again, gotten close in recent years as Paul Johnson has taken over at Tech). O'Leary beat UGA in 3 of his last 4 years at Tech. So, this is an opportunity for the Dawgs to get a little revenge.

My UGA Podcast at ChuckOliver.net...

This podcast from last week includes my thoughts on the Georgia Tech game, recruiting, thoughts on next season and the Boise game, and the defense. Check it out here at ChuckOliver.net. We are getting better at this.

The Oscars are being hosted by...

...Anne Hathaway and James Franco. They are obviously trying to go "younger" and bring in a younger audience for ratings purposes. Not bad choices, though I'm wondering if it will appear too scripted and less improvised. These are polished actors. The comedians are usually good at coming across as less scripted and less formal than actors. It will be tough to beat Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin from last year. They were great. But I like both of these "kids," so it should be entertaining.

Netflix problem solved...

I thought there was some problem with Netflix over the past several weeks. There were several titles that I put in my queue, and I kept seeing expected Netflix release dates that were about a month later than the advertised DVD/Blu-ray release dates on TV and other websites. So...who was right? Were Netflix's release dates off? Or was there something I was missing...?

I did a little Googling and figured out that earlier this year studios started cracking down on Netflix rentals. In fact, the studios were blaming Netflix for losses in DVD/Blu-ray sales over the past couple of years. Warner Bros. was one of the first to start cracking down, by entering into an agreement with Netflix in which the studio's titles would not be available on Netflix until 4 weeks after the DVD/Blu-rays were made available for sale in stores and online. This explains why Inception, which is getting released on DVD/Blu-ray in stores December 7, is not available on Netflix until "January 2011."

This is interesting, and I'm surprised I didn't hear about it before. I don't think this is the case with every title released, but maybe with the titles that have the best chance of generating DVD sales.

I noticed that Knight & Day was given the same treatment, and that The Pacific is only available on Netflix in DVD (as opposed to Blu-ray). It's a pretty smart plan from the point of view of the studios, but this probably has some movie fans angry.

Some interesting stats I compiled...

...from our friends over at Rivals.com. Don't ask me how I did it. This is a ranking of the top states by Top 100 recruits. Essentially, it ranks each state by the number of Rivals Top 100 recruits it has produced over the past 5 years (classes of 2007 through 2011). Interesting results:

1. Florida - 84
2. Texas - 68
3. California - 58
4. Georgia - 34
5. Ohio - 22
5. Alabama - 22
5. S. Carolina - 22
8. Louisiana - 20
9. N. Carolina - 15
10. Pennsylvania - 14
10. Michigan - 14
12. Virginia - 13
13. Mississippi- 8
...
Tennessee - 5

Trends over the past 5 years: Trending up - Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Louisiana. Trending down - Pennsylvania, Virginia, Alabama. Steady as she goes - Texas, California, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, and Tennessee (with exactly one in each of the 5 years).

Fratlock's 2010 Movie List: Kid Movie Edition

Over the Thanksgiving week, I saw three kids movies.  Here you go:

1. Prince of Persia - This is another Disney franchise in the vein of Pirates of the Carribbean. It has a similarly murky and hole-filled plot with lots and lots of deus ex machina elements. But, outside of the weak story, there is some pretty good action and fantastic imagery. It reminded me a little of the Mummy. Gyllenhaal was better than I envisioned, and Gemma Arterton is fantastic. She steals the movie, in my opinion. It isn't a good movie, but the leads were entertaining. I'd probably see anything with Gemma Arterton involved. Better than Clash of the Titans, but the plot just can't hold up. 6/10.

2. Harry Potter 7, Part I - I enjoyed this movie, but that is probably because I read the books and have enjoyed the franchise. I think you have to be more invested in these characters to dig this one. The reason is because this is merely a set-up movie to the conclusion. I honestly was a little surprised at how little we got in this movie. The last one is gonna have to be huge. It was slow, but this part of the book moved slow as well. There is more character development in this part of Book 7, less exposition. But it was dark, and it was very well made. They have made this a more mature movie, with more mature characters (and acting, for that matter). 8/10.

3. Toy Story 3 - Pixar does a fantastic job of upping the ante year after year. I haven't seen either of the previous Toy Story movies in years, maybe since they came out. But I didn't feel like I needed to. And I was right. This one stands alone. It was phenomenal. It was funny, but it also packed an emotional punch, especially with the ending. This is right there with WALL-E, Up, and Monsters Inc. on my list of greatest Pixar movies. Highly recommended, even if you think Pixar movies are for kids. 8.5/10.

My updated list:

1. Inception - 9.75/10
2. The Town - 9/10
3. The Social Network - 9/10
4. Toy Story 3 - 8.5/10
5. Shutter Island - 8.5/10
6. HP7, Part I - 8/10
7. Robin Hood - 8/10
8. Kick Ass - 7.75/10
9. Winter's Bone - 7.75/10
10. Iron Man 2 - 7.5/10
...
Hot Tub Time Machine - 7/10
Prince of Persia - 6/10
Clash of the Titans - 5/10
Alice in Wonderland - 3.5/10

Mark Richt's past four seasons at UGA...

...were almost identical to Tommy Tuberville's. My new post at ChuckOliver.net has all the stats and comparisons. So, I ask you, if Auburn dismissed Tubs, should UGA dismiss Richt?

I old-fashioned hated that game...

...last night. But a win is a win, I guess. Now, our prize is that we get fifteen extra days of practice to prepare for next year. Unfortunately, with that prize comes the obligation to dress out and scrimmage either SMU or Central Florida on December 31 in freezing cold Memphis. If it were 95 degrees and a noon-kickoff, McGarity'd be creaming himself over that game. But, oh well... Here are a few points from last night's game:

1) Defense - When are things going to turn around for the defense? Miami, who - by the way - fired their head coach last night, held this Tech offense to 10 points. And, yes, we've seen this defense just as much as Miami has. Sure, Grantham is in his first year, but does it take a good shellacking before a defensive coordinator figues out how to stop it? "Ohhhh... I didn't really GET IT when watching it on tape last off-season or in the TWO WEEKS prior to this game, but now that they've stomped all over my face with it, I understand what we need to do next year to stop it... I got it..." This is the twelfth game for Grantham with this group of guys and this defense. How much patience are we supposed to have? Tech was playing with their back-up quarterback on the road, and their first quarterback wasn't even all that good (tough - yes, solid runner - yes, but "good" QB? not really). And yet they still put up 512 yards of total offense. Schlabach says that it is not the x's and o's, but rather the Jimmies and Joes. But can we really lay the failure of this defense at the feet of one out-of-position DT? Really? The 3rd highest paid defensive coordinator in the country can't find a way to work around that? After an entire off-season and 11 games? And does that mean we are going to have to rely on a true freshman DT to carry our defense next year? Whether it is the coaching/scheme or personnel within the scheme, Grantham gets a "D" for what we've seen this year. And an "F" for last night's debacle. Our cherished, sound-byte lovin, choke-sign givin "head coach" of the defense goes only so far as Richt does. If Richt is gone in a couple of weeks or a month, then so should Grantham, for any of those who actually thought we could/should try to keep our DC when finding a new coach (which would have never worked anyway).

2) Running game - Ealey looked okay last night. King still looks slow. I will give him credit for being shifty around at the line of scrimmage and able to slide off people, but the kid has no breakaway speed or open field play-making ability. He really looks like his wheels are spinning when he runs. He is just not an explosive or threatening back. Oh, and he fumbled. Ealey had a good night and some good runs (though his stats are a bit misleading thanks to the run he had when Tech let us score, which was brilliant, BTW, and something Richt would have NEVER, EVER done - unfortunately). But we simply do not have an explosive, dependable running back. High school RB Isaiah Crowell was on the UGA sideline last night wearing UGA gear. The 5-star recruit is said to be deciding between Georgia and Alabama. I've had someone who knows someone with an "inside source" tell me that he's going to commit to UGA, but wants to play the recruiting/attention/decision hat game first. That's fine. But we need him. And we need Richt to play him as a freshman in place of King.

3) Offensive line - If your offensive line can't hold up against a 1st year, 3-4 Georgia Tech defense, then it can't hold up against anyone. The OL failed, and couldn't help UGA on some 3rd & inches and 4th & inches situations. Not only that, but Murray was getting pressure especially late in the game. Again, I'm not sure if this is coaching or personnel. I'm not sure of anything with this UGA team anymore.

4) They're gone, by the way - Green and Houston had big nights for their last game in Athens. Houston had a touchdown and the game-winning interception. Green had 8 catches for 97 yards. Good luck, boys. Have fun sitting out the first half of your first NFL season due to a lockout.

5) Oh... So THAT'S why Logan Gray returns punts...

6) Superman - If you had known Murray was going to be this good, this soon, would you have thought we'd finish this season 6-6? Nope. He's a superstar. 15-19, 271 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTS... Holy passing efficiency, Batman! He won us the game single-handedly, as he's done before. He's sure gonna miss AJ next year.

7) State of the Program Address - Overall, that was an embarassing near loss to Tech. I got into a little bit of a twitter discussion with @CollinsDrew last night about the state of the Georgia program. Schlabach made an interesting point: "UGA/GT series so much better than UGA/UF. Actually competitive and compelling." I piggy-backed on that and pointed out that, as a program, Georgia is currently more on the same playing field as Tech as opposed to Florida. Over the past several years, we are just more comparable to Georgia Tech. Our results, our actual play on the field, and where we stack up in the national picture is more similar to Tech than Florida. With Tech, the game is always close and rarely is there a blowout. With Florida, they almost always blow us out, and rarely there is a close game. We are just closer to Tech. Sure, Florida has had an awful year... so bad that some UGA fans content themselves by saying, "Their program is at a place similar to UGA's..." Florida has had the worst season they've had in nearly three decades. And yet, they still beat Georgia. Ouch. This is a blip on Florida's radar. They lost their great OC, DC and starting QB all within the 18 months prior to this season. That's big. What excuses have we at UGA? What can Richt point to? Nothing. At least Meyer has excuses. Not only that, but in the 4 years prior to this season, Florida won 2 national titles. And we want to say the state of the Georgia program is similar to Florida's? Rrriiiigggghhhtttt... Truth is, Georgia is more like a Tech right now, in the national picture. Sure, we can give Richt one more year. But in my heart of hearts, the only thing that will accomplish is losing out on a shot to hire Dan Mullen. Sorry, but me saying Richt may deserve another season at UGA is not the same as saying that I believe he will turn it around. We're polishing the brass on the titanic, and wasting a hell of a talent at QB in the process. At least Tech can say they aren't squandering talent. They don't really have any. And yet they still almost beat us every year. Oy.

UPDATE

8. One more that I forgot: According to the ESPN timeout count, we used our final timeout of the 2nd half in the final minutes of the 3rd quarter. Par for the course. We've been doing that all year.

Okay, so Boise State lost...

...and as much as fans of the BCS and opponents to the mid-major movement are cheering after that game (which included many UGA fans), I have mixed feelings about it. As a fan of a BCS-conference team, I guess there's some contentment to come from seeing an upstart mid-major lose after playing a slate of unimpressive conference opponents and rising to #3 in the nation while arguing they get no respect. But here are my two problems:

1) Though I am not a fan of a large, wide-format playoff in FBS college football, I am a fan of the plus-one format of BCS bowls. In other words, I like the idea of seeing the top 4 teams play in major bowls at the end of the season and then seeing a championship game a week later from the two winners. I know it is problematic. One problem will be how to get fans to the semi-final game across the country knowing that they have to spend a ton of money and time to get there and knowing that they could be missing out on "the big game" in favor of (what will end up being) a more forgettable consolation game. In turn, the "consolation" bowls won't like this set-up as it reduces the significance of the game and may mean they don't get many fans out to the game. Second, to the extent there is now controversy about a 3rd or 4th team deserving to be in the national title game, but being left out unfairly, there will also be controversy about a 5th or 6th team who get left out of the "Final Four" unfairly. That is a given. But that is an argument for another day. The truth is that, more often than not, there is a controversy over who deserves to be in the final game, and whether or not the final combatants are truly the best teams in the country. And I think a plus-one format will give us a "truer" national champion without having to overhaul the BCS or bowl formats and without diminishing the importance of the regular season.

However, with Boise eliminated, there seem to only really be two, maybe three, teams that have an argument that they deserve to be in the national title game. Thus, it lends more credence to the argument that no playoff, in any shape or form, is necessary and that the system works. With two undefeated and impressive mid-majors loudly protesting their cause, a plus-one system gets more attention and actually looks like a perfect fit. But TCU (as a twin of Boise in almost every shape and form - except perhaps in the x's and o's) loses just as Boise loses. It hurts their credibility when a similarly-situated mid-major takes such a severe blow. And now, who would get the 4th spot? The 5th (now 4th) team is LSU (assuming they beat Arkansas, and if they don't - it throws an ever bigger wrench into things), but they won't even win their conference and they already lost to one of the other 3 teams in the regular season (Auburn). Is that right? Same with Stanford, who already lost to Oregon. Then you've got Wisconsin, who - again - may not even win their conference unless they get the right votes.

In the end, Boise's loss hurts the plus-one movement. So, in my opinion, that is one negative.

2) The other negative is unique to Georgia fans. Boise NOT going undefeated brings the big Chik-fil-A Kickoff Classic down a notch. Though Boise is truly a better team than they were when Georgia beat them in 2005, they will now, fairly or not, be called "pretenders" on the national stage. So, instead of Georgia facing the mid-major juggernaut that, despite going undefeated, was unfairly trampled on by "the man" at the end of the 2010 season, they will be facing the "pretender" that was exposed as being simply another, cute, upstart lower-tier team that clearly has no place among the big dogs. Fair or not, hyperbole or not, that will be the general feeling in the offseason. In other words, no matter what, I don't think a Georgia win will be considered an upset. I don't even think a win over a #9 Boise State (just guessing at their preseason ranking) would be as impressive to most pundits as a win over a #22 Mississippi State or a #18 Florida. If Boise had gone undefeated and started the year in the Top 5 again, I think it does. At the least, it would be considered far more impressive.

It is still a big game to start the season for Georgia. But it won't have the same feel and anticipation as it would if Boise had been undefeated this season. If Nevada can beat them, what's the big deal, right? So, that's a little bit of a bummer. But I will still be fighting for tickets and will love getting a chance to go to that game!

Iron Bowl thoughts...

Having sat and watched the entire UGA-Auburn game, I should have learned my lesson about Auburn. No lead is comfortable in the first half against that offense. A 21 or 17 point deficit for Auburn in the first half - against anyone - is more like a tie. And after Auburn came out in the second half down 24-7 with the prospect of getting the ball first, I was very nervous.

You see, I was pulling for Alabama to win the game because I am an emotional, vindictive UGA fan who was still fuming from the perceived Auburn "antics" at the end of the UGA/Auburn game. And for the first time ever, I was more dedicated to seeing Auburn lose than I was to seeing an SEC team in the national title game. So, though I made the mistake of getting comfortable and excited after seeing Alabama completely destroy Auburn for the first 1.8 quarters of play in Tuscaloosa, I pulled a 180 and was convinced early in the third quarter that this second-half star of a football team in Auburn would find a way to win. Alabama seemed to take the same form as UGA in the second half of the game (granted, UGA took this "form" sooner in the game): Playing not to lose, cruising with a seemingly comfortable lead, not capitalizing on mistakes, and trying to force a possession/field goal battle in what would certainly turn into a touchdown-for-touchdown battle.

And can you really blame UGA or Alabama? Convential coaching wisdom says that you don't risk points when they present themselves in certain situations. But after seeing how Auburn was playing - and how they had played all season - in the second half, I knew when Alabama kicked that FG at 1:25 in the 3rd that Auburn would win the game.

One thing I can credit the Auburn coaches for, besides taking advantage of the Cam Newton "purchase," is having a very well conditioned team. Just like in the Georgia game, Auburn was beating Alabama on both sides of the line easily in the second half, after getting beat early in the game. Auburn kept a solid pace and wore Alabama down. Alabama was able to get into Auburn's offensive backfield easily early in the game, tackling Newton and Dyer for loss play after play. That changed in the second half, as Newton & Co. were seemingly able to lean forward behind that line for at least 5 yards each play. On the flip side, McElroy was able to stand back and pick apart the Auburn secondary behind solid line play in the first half. Meanwhile, in the second half, Auburn's defensive line was able to mash the Bama OL and McElroy. And for the second time in two games, they knocked their opponent's top-flight QB out of the game.

It was deja vu. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the Auburn games against UGA and Bama were exactly the same. Alabama is clearly better than Georgia and put up way more of a fight. And they achieved and kept a bigger lead and stayed in the game until the end, unlike UGA. But the pattern was the same. Auburn played flawless in the second half and every little mistake by Alabama turned out to be huge. The team that plays Auburn has to remember that Auburn will play perfectly and score a touchdown at every opportunity in the second half. It is a given. Their defense will be stronger, and the entire team will play mistake-free in the second half. To the extent a team scores or goes up against Auburn in the first half, they have to keep doing it and at the same pace in the second half. No first-half lead is insurmountable when it is pitted against the Auburn offense. This is something South Carolina and Oregon will have to remember.

I predict Auburn will easily beat South Carolina. The Oregon game will be touted as a prime match-up between similar teams: explosive offenses who tend to start slow and finish strong. But if I were Oregon, I'd want to change that first half culture that exists on my team, because Auburn is a second-half juggernaut like no one has seen before. Should be interesting...

This sort-of stuns me...

I was expecting to hear at least a few more "no, I'm definitely coming back's" than this. Nearly every single junior on the Georgia football team is weighing their options and considering turning pro at the end of the season. Even Blair Walsh and Drew Butler. Says Walsh, "I think I've had a pretty good career.... Been there, done that." Ummm. How about an SEC championship? Have you done that? Even a division title? A BCS game?

Who else? Cordy Glenn, Ben Jones, Brandon Boykin, Justin Houston and AJ Green. Boykin has had a dismal year. Glenn and Jones are interior linemen that won't get picked high anyway.

If these guys are sort-of non-committal about sticking around and putting it together for a great run next year, then I can't imagine why AJ would have any desire to stick around. I'm sure that I am exaggerating all this a little, but it isn't exactly what you want to hear when you're already playing and preparing for the 2011 season.

The latest UGA scheduling rumor... (UPDATED)

...is very juicy, to say the least. But color me skeptical.

The rumor is that Georgia will play Boise St. in the Chik-fil-A Kickoff Classic at the dome to start the 2011 football season. I like it. What better way to boldly enter a "new era" for UGA football after two sub-par seasons than to challenge the upstart national Top 5 ranked giant slayer? The game would garner UBER national attention. For instance, the VA Tech/Boise St. kickoff game was the most talked about game to start the season. Imagine the attention the game would get if it involved an SEC team? Especially if Boise St. finishes this season undefeated and misses out on the BCS title game. Especially if an SEC slides into the national title game instead. Especially since UGA is the only SEC team that has played them in recent memory, and we beat them a few years ago when they had just been put on the map. It would be huge. And it would be good visibility for a UGA program in terms of recruiting. Moreover, as The Senator points out, taking on the Boise State game in 2011 could allow UGA to drop the now unattractive home/home series against Louisville, which begins in 2011. This would free up a later opening in the schedule to fit in another home game that comports with McGarity's new philosophy.

Why am I skeptical? Let's face it, a win over Boise St. - even in Atlanta - is no sure thing. And after what happened against Oklahoma State in 2009, does Richt really want this sort of pressure to start what will already be a high pressure 2011 season for him? Moreover, this sort of game would almost directly contradict McGarity's recently, highly publicized philosophy regarding out-of-conference games, ie, getting "easy wins" against lesser teams and playing the games AT HOME so as to maximize financial and fan support. As with Oklahoma State, a loss in that game to start the 2011 season could severely deflate the hopes of a fan base with high expectations and could put the distracting hot seat talk back to the fore front.

Given the more conservative philosophy of both Richt and McGarity, I wouldn't bet on UGA moving their schedule around for the 2011 season in order to schedule a high-risk game like Boise State to start the season - unless they really, really want to get rid of the Louisville home/home and this is the best and most financially beneficial way of doing it.

UPDATE:

Well... My skepticism was misplaced. Glad I was wrong. Georgia will indeed play Boise State at the dome next season to start the season. Looks like McGarity is going all-in next season, and putting Richt on notice. I think this sends a message that big things will be expected from the team next season. I like it. Finally... some guts. Let's see if Richt can match it.

HBO's Game of Thrones...

This is the first time I've discussed this topic on this blog. To seemingly switch gears from talking Georgia football to talking dungeons and dragons sounds like the typical conversation pattern of a Georgia Tech student. But hear me out...

Though I like to read, and I enjoy fiction, I've never really been a fan of the science fiction (except some Michael Crichton here or there) or fantasy genres. I have enjoyed the classics (Hemingway, Fitzgerald, etc.) and some more modern day writers like John Grisham and Cormac McCarthy. I had never read stuff like Lord of the Rings and was never a huge fan of movies in that genre either. As a kid, I tinkered with Arthurian legend a bit, but it didn't lead me to explore the fantasy genre.

Jaime Lannister, HBO's Game of Thrones, HT: Entertainment Weekly

One day, a friend of told me that he had just finished re-reading the best series of books he had ever picked up. This friend was well-read and very smart, and I generally trusted his decisions, so I asked him about the books he read. He described the series to me as being the best character development he has ever encountered. Several dozens of characters that fit into this vast and brutal "kingdom" and participate in a struggle for political power. He said if you liked HBO shows The Sopranos, The Wire, Deadwood, and Rome, that you'd like the books. He said there were strong elements from all those shows in the series. He also said that it had intrigue like Kapur's 1998 Elizabeth or Ridley Scott's Gladiator. However, it also had the chivalry and sense of fealty that went along with the Arthurian legend. But he said what stood about about the series was that the character development, the political intrigue, the complex and ever-changing factions and alliances, and the constant plot twists all transcended the genre. In other words, you could have put this "story" in any historic or contemporary setting and it would still be amazing. Oh, and there just so happens to be a lot of sex and violence as well. AND, most importantly for genre skeptics, it has little to no magic. The very small supernatural elements are in the background, and aren't game changers. It very realistic and gritty, and grounded in a sense of realism.

(NOTE: To see more photos like the one above, go to this Entertainment Weekly exclusive, which also features photos of Sean Bean as Ned Stark and Mark Addy and Robert Baratheon.)

So, because my brother was more into the genre than I was, I bought him the first book of the series. And then he started raving madly about the books as well. Then, I encountered some other guys who weren't really "dungeons and dragons" types, and they raved about the series as well. So, I finally picked it up about three years ago and I concur - it is the best piece of fiction I've read.

As of now, there are 4 completed novels in the series. The author, George R. R. Martin, has said there will be 7 or 8 total books in the series. The first book is entitled 'Game of Thrones.'



Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister, HT: Entertainment Weekly



Now, a couple of years ago, as I was reading the series, I caught wind of a rumor that they would make a movie about the series. But I laughed that off, because there's no way they could do a movie, or even a trilogy or something, that could encompass all the characters and complex story-telling contained in these books. Then, the rumor shifted to a mini-series, and I essentially said the same thing. Not only that, but this story couldn't be put anywhere other than premium channels, given the content (which is important to the story).

Finally, I caught wind that HBO was developing the series for an actual drama serial, in which a season worth of 1-hour shows would encompass approximately one novel. Perfect. Both content-wise and length-wise, this would work. And now, as is obvious, HBO is filming the show and it is getting ready for a Spring 2011 release.  The show stars Sean Bean (LOTR, Troy) as Ned Stark (the main character) and also features Lena Headey (300), Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent, Elf), Mark Addy (A Knight's Tale), and Aiden Gillen (The Wire, Shanghai Knights). 

Fans of the series have been monitoring and following the production very closely, and many of the industry experts and writers have commented on this being the most highly-anticipated series ever brought to television, based on the internet buzz following production of the show.

Anyway, I'd highly recommend reading the books. No matter what your genre or literary preference, it is something all adults - IMO - can get into. But, if you decide not to read the books, you should at least check out the TV show.

Here's a trailer from the series...

"Raven" Preview

And here's a clip of some "behind the scenes" footage and interviews...

In Production

Some more photos and production stills after the jump...