Good news for local basketball fans

'Tis the season to be jolly about local college basketball. Paine's Ron Spry goes for career win No. 500 later tonight. And a few miles down the road, Augusta State has another reason for excitement.

When the next college basketball poll is released Tuesday afternoon, the fourth-ranked Jaguars should climb one spot. Augusta State, off since last week's poll, watched No. 3 Florida Southern lose twice and No. 5  Northern Kentucky fall twice this past week. Unless No. 6 Central Oklahoma receives major love from the voters, ASU should slide into the No. 3 spot right behind No. 1 Findlay and No. 2 USC Aiken.

We're about 35 shopping days from the monumental matchup of our nationally-ranked Division II men's basketball teams. USC Aiken plays at Augusta State, Jan. 5. Yes, that's a Monday. I'll have to figure our who scheduled that game on that terrible day (a Saturday would have been perfect). Two weeks later they meet again on a Monday.

If the chips fall right, there's a chance ASU and USC Aiken could meet in a first ever one-two matchup. If that happens, ASU officials will have plenty of good things to worry about (adding bleachers behind both baskets, parking, traffic).

As for seating, ASU plays at Paine on Saturday night; Carter Gym holds fewer than 1,000 people. The two schools have two different times listed for the men's and women's games. As soon as I get all the particulars, I'll let you know. 

UPDATE: Just spoke with Paine SID Kimberly May. The ASU and Paine women will play at 6 p.m. Saturday. The men will follow at 8.

Tickets are $10, $7 for students with ID. Tickets will not be sold in advance. Tickets will be sold at Carter Gym, beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday. 

Garret Siler extra, Ron Spry milestone and basketball polls

Here’s some pre-Thanksgiving local basketball news and notes to digest.

SPRY GOES FOR NO. 500: Paine coach Ron Spry will go for No. 500 on Saturday at Lane. What are his chances of winning that game? Well if this is an indicator, the Lions swept the Dragons last season. Let’s all send out good wishes to coach Spry.

POLL WATCH: USC Aiken remained second in the latest NABC/Division II coaches poll released about 6 p.m. Tuesday. Augusta State moved up a spot to fourth. Click on this link to check out the full poll.

PACER POUNDING: USC Aiken picked up a pair of quality wins when it won the Mount Olive Pickle Classic last week. The Pacers defeated Mount Olive and Barton, teams that are picked to finish 1-2, respectively, in the Conference Carolinas.

ONWARD: Pacers senior forward Chris Commons has picked up where he left off last season. Commons is averaging 23 points a game through three games. 

SPEAKING OF POLLS: Why wasn’t Benedict College ranked in the preseason poll? All the Tigers did last year was win 28 of their 33 games, claim the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament titles and advance to the Sweet Sixteen. And they return everybody.
Go ahead and mark it down, Benedict will slide into the top 25 by late January. And that Augusta State win, a quality win by the Jaguars, will look better and better.

GARRET SILER EXTRA: When you write for a living, you almost always get more information than you need for a feature story. That was my case with the Garret Siler story this past Saturday. We spoke on the record for almost 40 minutes. I had a 30-inch hole in the paper to fill.
There’s always two things most writers need: more time and more space. So I'll give you some of the remaining tidbits from the interview.
(And one more thing to give you a better understanding of newspaper writers, we do not write the headlines for our stories. That’s a common misperception. I send the story in and our magical copy desk people craft together a well-worded line or two to sum up the story.)
Anyway, onto the Garret stuff:

LESSON LEARNED: Augusta State coach Dip Metress said earlier this month he has yet to see tape of the Division II national championship game from March. Siler said he’s watched it three times. Augusta State led by 12 at halftime and lost by 11 to Winona State. Siler said he’s found lessons in the loss.

”Come out with more energy after halftime and slow down,” he said. “In the first half, we were balanced and making good passes. And when our shots weren’t falling (in the second half), we panicked. We started running with our heads cut off and trying to pass the ball around.”

SOLVING A PROBLEM: After Siler entered college at 360-plus pounds, he got in shape and dropped 70 pounds. The weight loss helped him with his asthma. He takes half the amount of medicine, now mostly for precaution, he took when he first entered college.

“I knew I had to lose weight,” he said. “In order for me to be effective, and in order for me to feel like I wasn’t going to die on the court, I knew I had to do it.”

HOW GOOD A SHAPE IS HE IN?: Siler ran in the school’s Jaguar Jaunt, a 5K, this fall. Also in individual workouts, Metress gave him a time of 6 minutes, 20 seconds to run a mile around the track inside Christenberry Fieldhouse. Siler came in at 6:21. His punishment? Try to hit that time the following day. Siler missed.

The lesson here is not that he failed, but that he’s improved. Besides, unless you’re in unbelievable shape, you’re not going to run a mile going about 9 mph. Siler can.

“I didn’t know how to run starting out,” he said. “Plus being 70 pounds heavier doesn’t help.”

TUNING UP: Siler said he plans to sing the national anthem on Senior Day, Feb. 25.
 
FIRST, HE NEEDS AN MP3 PLAYER: One of the few bad things that happened to him this year was having his mp3 player stolen from his car. Whoever swiped it, I hope they enjoy his vast musical collection which ranges from rap (T-Pain) to R&B (Mint Condition, John Legend) to country (Toby Keith, Rascal Flatts). On his Christmas wish list, Siler wants an 80gb mp3 player.
 
TOTAL ASIDE: Speaking of music, if anyone’s heard the new Guns N’ Roses album please send along a review. 

Everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving. 

ASU, USCA, Paine basketball notes

Before we get started, thanks to all of you who participated in the live online chats with Augusta State coach Dip Metress and USC Aiken coach Vince Alexander. Look forward to more online chats as the season progresses.

Now here are a few tidbits to whet your appetite until your favorite team next plays: 

POLL WATCH: There's been four national Division II preseason polls that have come out. The one I go by is the National Association of Basketball Coaches Poll, which has USC Aiken at No. 2 and Augusta State at No. 5. The first season poll comes out next week. 

RING-ING IN THE NEW SEASON: The Augusta State women will receive their Peach Belt Conference championships rings before they play Benedict at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Christenberry Fieldhouse. The Augusta State men will receive their national finalist/South Atlantic Regional champion rings before their 7:30 contest with Benedict.

PAINE WATCH: Coach Ron Spry said guard Thomas Broughton is out until January with a shoulder injury.

CHRIS COMMONS WATCH: USC Aiken senior forward Chris Commons was named preseason Division II player of the year by Basketball Times magazine. Commons transferred into USC Aiken before last season. He averaged 22 points a game on 54 percent shooting.

“It kind of gave me a lot of a hope, especially coming of the situation I came from," Commons said. "All year I stressed being lucky and being blessed. Going from the bottom and being a nobody to people throughout the country thinking I’m one of the best players in the country really made my day.”

Atlanta Falcons game = Heidi Bowl 2

The Atlanta Falcons led by two touchdowns over the New Orleans Saints late in their game Sunday. The Saints drove down to the Falcons 11-yard-line. Then WRDW-AM 1630 went straight into the "Augusta Lynx pre-game show."

Like the famous "Heidi" game, when NBC interrupted the game to broadcast the children's movie with the New York Jets leading their 1968 contest (Oakland came back to win),  the radio station cut off the football contest with five minutes remaining. Today, WRDW sports director Ashley Brown explained why his station cut off the Falcons.

"The game was already decided," he said.

Brown explained it wasn't an easy decision. The Lynx are priority No. 1, because they pay to be broadcast while the station pays to broadcast the Falcons.

There are four remaining Sundays when the Lynx and Falcons both have games. On Nov. 23, the Lynx and Falcons each play at 4 p.m. Brown said the Lynx will have their game broadcast, while the Falcons game may not be on the air in the Augusta market. When asked about moving the Falcons to another station within the Beasley Broadcast Group network, Brown said that's something that has to be discussed -- especially with Atlanta in the playoff mix with a 6-3 record.

"That's something we'll certainly tackle with the Falcons doing well," he said. "We want good programming, and that's good programming."

As for the other three games, all in December, Atlanta plays at 1 p.m., while the Lynx play at 4 (twice) or 5 p.m. The Falcons will get interrupted again, which is disappointing. Why even broadcast the game at all? It'd be like listening to a seven-inning baseball game.

It'd be nice if WRDW-AM 1630 can figure out a way to move the Falcons games to another station - whether it's for 60 minutes or just the final five. Of course, that's easier said than done. The radio station is in a tough spot. Obviously, if the Falcons broadcasts brought in more revenue the team would climb up the totem pole of importance. Until then, enjoy the Augusta Lynx.

UGA-UF reflections, gas prices, politics, etc.

Just a few post-weekend, pre-Election Day thoughts still on my mind:

1) Why are gas prices in Augusta as high as gas prices in Jacksonville, Fla.? Better yet, why is gas cheaper in Statesboro than it is in Augusta? It used to not be this way (maybe this is why 20 area gas stations are being investigating for price gouging). On Sunday in Kingsland, Ga., gas was as low as $2.05 a gallon.

2) The Georgia-Florida game will be in Jacksonville through 2010 before a new deal must be struck. I'm willing to bet with Georgia's 16th loss to Florida in the past 19 years, some Bulldogs fans will knee-jerk react and want the contest moved to a home-and-away series. Some Georgia fans will say the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party is an away game and the Gators have a built-in advantage.

Here are a few thoughts:

a) While there are plenty of Gator fans living in Jacksonville, the school's location is still 72 miles away. The game is held on a neutral site. And the ticket breakdown is 50-50 for the two schools. Florida has no more advantage than Georgia did when it used to dominate the series.

b) Location doesn't matter when one team has bad coaching and worse execution. Besides, the last time the game was played in Athens, Ga., Florida won 52-17 in 1995.

c) Georgia controlled this series until 1990, when coach Steve Spurrier returned to his alma mater and turned the tide for Florida. In a 19-game stretch from 1971-89, the Bulldogs won 15 of those meetings. How many Bulldogs fans had a problem with Georgia playing in Jacksonville then?

3) Neither coach would come out and say it, but clearly Florida coach Urban Meyer called two timeouts in the final minute to get under the skin of Georgia's Mark Richt. When questioned about the move, Meyer said he called the timeouts because running back Emmanuel Moody was "running the ball real hard. He deserved that right."

Richt's response: "It's within the rules. They had a right to do that."

The two coaches will not be sharing eggnog at Christmas.

4) Florida's 49-10 win over Georgia was closer than the game's score. The Bulldogs had two chances to pull within four late in the first half. One play that sticks out is Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford missing a wide-open Tripp Chandler in the end zone. Stafford faked a handoff left and rolled to the right. Instead of setting his feet, he threw the ball - badly - on the run. Why do coaches let their quarterbacks (in college and high school) do this? Had Stafford stopped and thrown the ball off his front foot, he would've thrown an easy touchdown pass.

5) With Georgia falling out of the national title chase, I wonder if this gives the Bulldogs a better chance of keeping underclassmen Stafford and tailback Knowshon Moreno. Draft gurus predict Stafford to go in the first round of next year's NFL Draft, and Moreno could leave as well. But will Stafford and Moreno think of returning next season to take care of some unfinished business?

6) So NASCAR legend Junior Johnson has endorsed Barack Obama for president. And this comes as a surprise? Johnson is a lifelong Democrat. NASCAR's greatest champion Richard Petty, aka The King, endorsed Republican John McCain. Now if the other King (Elvis Presley -- The King of Rock and Roll) made an endorsement from the grave, we'd have a story. But we all know dead people don't vote. Or do they?

Florida 14, Georgia 3, Halftime

Richt need not say sorry to the Gators

".... Richt never needed to apologize. When your program is the nail to a rival's hammer - 15 losses in 17 years - you owe it to your players and fans to try every stunt imaginable to give the team a psychological boost.

No apologies or regrets necessary."

We've heard all the political rhetoric about this being the most important election EVER! Well this is the most important Georgia-Florida game EVER!!!! OK, since 2002 when the Gators defeated the Bulldogs and denied their rival a national title bid.

Florida has to be thinking retaliation for last year. What will the Gators try to do? Expect something early. Georgia has to be thinking counterpunch.

Richt can't go into this game wearing kid gloves. Make no mistake, this is his most important game of the year.

If Georgia wins, it should climb to fifth in the BCS standings with No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Penn State the main obstacles. A win also means the Bulldogs likely will get a rematch with Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. How huge would that game be?

On the flip side, if Georgia loses, the season's over. It'll be hard for the Bulldog Nation to swallow yet another loss to Florida and a trip to either the Capital One Bowl or Outback Bowl. But those are the consequences. By the way, Georgia is currently a 5.5-point underdog to Florida.

If the Bulldogs do lose, maybe then Richt should say sorry.

Monday afternoon quarterback

If you missed Saturday night's performance, too bad. Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt had their A+ games at Bell Auditorium. Who would have thought two guys with just their acoustic guitars could have been that entertaining? And did I mention they were outstanding?

The same cannot be said for Georgia. As matter of fact, the opposite can be said for the Bulldogs. Time to shelve the Blackouts until Georgia learns how to play football.

Of course, it was a bad weekend across the board. Clemson choked. Florida couldn't convert an extra point. South Carolina won ugly -- again. Georgia Southern fell short in its comeback bid. And Georgia Tech fans sat back and laughed, enjoying a bye week with rivals falling by the wayside.

Let's analyze a few teams:

CLEMSON -- I can't find a Tigers fan in the Augusta area who likes Tommy Bowden. His approval rating seems lower than that of Congress. Here's the problem: he seems to lose at least one or two winnable games a year -- i.e. the Maryland game.

Clemson held leads of 10-0 and 17-6, but it couldn't close the deal in the second half. And why can't the Tigers find ways to get the ball more to C.J. Spiller more (14 carries, 98 yards; 1 catch, 17 yards)?

Clemson is off this week but returns to play a difficult four-game slate against Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Boston College and Florida State. If the Tigers go 4-0, they're back in the saddle. If they win three of four, they still may be in OK shape in the Atlantic Coast Conference race. But going 2-2 or worse is unacceptable.

GEORGIA SOUTHERN -- The Eagles are (put your thumb and index finger as close together as possible without touching) this close to be great. But with two losses by a combined three points to Elon and Wofford, Georgia Southern will have to win out to have any shot at postseason play. It may be another year for the Hatch Attack to fully take flight, but the Eagles are headed in the right direction.

SOUTH CAROLINA -- Finally, Steven Garcia played. And he looked good. He passed. He ran. He looked a little like Tim Tebow. The Gamecocks may have finally found an answer at quarterback. 

GEORGIA --  This will take a little while, but here goes. The Bulldogs' prevent (OK, zone) defense finally got crushed by a good team. This is nothing new, but prevent defenses NEVER work. Opponents are connecting on 59 percent of their passes against Georgia, and the Bulldogs have just three interceptions through five games.

Of course, the defense got little help from the offense against Alabama. What exactly was the game plan? Heisman Trophy candidate Knowshon Moreno received all of four carries on Georgia's first four drives. He ended the game with nine carries for 34 yards.

So that left most of the burden on quarterback Matthew Stafford, who ESPN NFL Draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. has been hyping as a top pick in the 2009 draft.  Despite decent numbers against the Crimson Tide (24-for-42, 274 yards, two touchdowns, one interception), Stafford failed to keep his team in the game in the first half.

Though Georgia's offensive line is not filled with All-Americans, Stafford is starting to receive a new nickname from some observers: Overrated. He'll have a chance to prove his naysayers wrong in the coming weeks against Tennessee, LSU and Florida. But if the Bulldogs fail to win the Southeastern Conference this season, and he leaves early for the NFL, what will his legacy be in Athens?

Does Stafford rate the among all-time Georgia quarterbacks? Here's who he's behind: (in no particular order)

David Greene (2001-04): Set an SEC record with career passing yardage (11,528). Also, led the Bulldogs back to their glory days with the 2002 SEC championship and key wins over Tennessee and Florida.

John Rauch (1945-48): Led Georgia to a 36-8-1 record (11-0 in 1946) and four bowl games. He was named SEC Player of the Year in 1948. All-American.

Fran Tarkenton (1959-60): In 1959, he led the Bulldogs to the SEC championship and Orange Bowl victory.  The following year, Tarkenton led the SEC in total offense. All-American.

Zeke Bratkowski (1951-53): All-American in 1952 and 1953, he was the nation's leading passer in 1952.

Eric Zeier (1991-94): Set the SEC record for career passing yardage, which was later broken by Tennessee's Peyton Manning and then David Greene. Zeier finished his career with 67 school records. All-American.

Buck Belue (1978-81): Two words: national championship. Also, final three years went 8-1 against Florida, Auburn and Georgia Tech. And one more: Belue represents half of the most famous play in Georgia history.

Fortunately for Stafford, he'll have two weeks to get back on track, and so will Georgia. Bulldog fans will find out more after the Tennessee game.

UGA Blackout = Funeral?

So let's get all this sorted out. First, the UGA blackout for Saturday night's game with Alabama was announced. Then, longtime broadcasting legend Larry Munson stepped down. The Bulldogs seemed to have plenty of emotional fuel with those two items.

Then, the Crimson Tide added the proverbial log to the fire. A YouTube video shows an Alabama assistant coach stating that the Bulldogs will be wearing black because they're going to a funeral. Check it out at about the 1:05 mark. WARNING: There are some expletives. SECOND WARNING: That guy's voice is almost annoying as Fran Fine's nasally pipes in the TV show "The Nanny."

In 2002, former Georgia standout and Auburn coach Pat Dye gave the Bulldogs plenty of motivation. He said his former team wasn't "Man Enough" to go into Tuscaloosa and knock off Alabama. Georgia won 27-25.

Now this funeral comment. Las Vegas opened this week with the Bulldogs as a 6-point favorite. As of Thursday afternoon, the line had moved to 7. The oddsmakers have a way of being right most of the time.

We'll see whose funeral it truly is Saturday evening.

Munson: A legend steps down

It came as a shock, something the Bulldog Nation knew was coming but still not completely prepared for. When Larry Munson stepped down Monday, a golden era ended. The book he wrote with such a classic tone, his over the top pessimism infused with unique phrasing, closed after 45 years.

A legend, Georgia's legend, retired. God bless, Larry Munson.

It's a sad day for Bulldogs near and far. It's one that reminded me of what former coach Ray Goff, who replaced Vince Dooley, once said. To paraphrase, Goff said it's tough to replace Dooley but he'd really hate to be the one to replace Larry Munson. That will go to Scott Howard, who will do a fine job. He will never replace Munson; and that's OK, because he'll be his own man. No one will ever replace Munson.

I imagine the UGA Bookstore will be packed Saturday. If you're going to the game, get there early. There are plenty of Munson DVDs to purchase. And don't forget the Munson bobblehead. Is there any announcer in America who has this much merchandise based after him?

There's a reason why Munson sells. He's endeared himself to Georgia fans by clinging to every Eric Zeier pass, every Herschel Walker run. He was Georgia's 12th man on the radio for almost five decades, pulling for the Bulldogs when the cause seemed lost.

Most of all, Munson described action in only a way he could. In the Tuesday edition of The Augusta Chronicle, there is a listing of some of his memorable calls. There are too many to print in limited space.

Some of his calls of interest that weren't listed include:

1978 -- Scott Woerner's 72-yard punt return against Georgia Tech.

"Woerner on the 28. Ran by one. Ran by another. Ran by another. 50, 45, 40, 35, 30! Scott Woerner, Woerner, Woerner, Woerner, Woerner, Woerner! 

2002 -- David Greene's pass to Michael Johnson in the back corner of the end zone late in the game to lead Georgia to a win over Auburn to lock up the SEC East title.

"Got to get to the 4 for a first down. Crowd roars at us. Three wideouts. Man, we've had some shots haven't we? Snap to David Greene. There he goes in the corner again. And we jump up. Touchdown! Oh God, a touchdown ... in the corner with 85 seconds."

1997 - Mike Bobo to Corey Allen on a 14-yard touchdown to shock Georgia Tech.

"Here we are only 14 seconds for eight yards. We spread four men out, the ones on the right are kind of wide. ... Shotgun, Bobo. Bobo going to take it and look and throw it on the corner. And a touchdown! Oh my God! A touchdown in the corner! My God! In the corner! Oh my, it couldn't have happened! ... Our heart that was torn out and bleeding, we picked it up and we stuck it back inside! I can't believe this! We won, 27 to 24, and at the end we had no business winning this game!"

There's probably 10-15 more calls I could list. He had so many good ones through the years. If you want more go watch the Larry Munson tribute video on YouTube and check out larrymunson.com.

What are your favorite Munson calls? What are thoughts about the man Georgia knew as Larry Legend?

Larry Munson will be missed. Hopefully, the University of Georgia will do the right thing and appropriately honor him. How about a statue inside the stadium? Or naming a building on campus after him?

Whatever the Georgia people do will likely be fine. But Georgia football still will not be the same without him. God bless, Larry Munson.

Wake me when the Braves are over

With two college football games on tap Saturday evening, my older brother jokingly mentioned watching the Braves. I think he was joking.

A lifelong Atlanta Braves fan, I stopped watching them soon after the All-Star Break. After the Mark Teixeira trade, the Braves packed it in, and so did I. 

Atlanta entered Monday night's game against Philadelphia with a 69-87 mark. The Braves -- even if they win their final six games -- will finish with their lowest win total in a full season since 1990.

So let's discuss a few items:

THE GOOD

Brian McCann: Atlanta's catcher proved to be the best player on the team this year. His continued growth behind the plate, as well as at the plate with bat in hand, makes him one of the premier catchers in baseball.

Chipper Jones: The Braves' third baseman is on track to win his first batting title. He did, however, missed 33 games with injuries -- a yearly theme with him. Jones seems to be a little less fragile than former Falcons quarterback Chris Chandler.

THE TERRIBLE 

1) Jeff Francoeur: Frenchy had a chance to sign a long-term with the Braves before the season, but he and his agent couldn't get a deal done.  WINNER: Atlanta. The Braves right fielder owns a slugging percentage that is actually one point BELOW Jones' batting average (.362). Francoeur is batting a smooth .239 with 11 home runs (as many as 2B Kelly Johnson, despite 50 more at-bats) and 68 RBI.

On the flip side, Frenchy still has had a better year than former Braves center fielder Andruw Jones, who is batting .158 with 3 homers and 14 RBI in 209 at-bats. With the two-year, $36.2 million free-agent contract he signed after last season with the Dodgers, Andruw Jones will go down as the biggest bust in baseball history.

2) The Mark Teixeira for Casey Kotchman trade: This is the worst trade the Braves have made since obtaining pitcher Len Barker from Cleveland in the 1983 season for OF Brett Butler, 3B Brett Jacoby, P Rick Behenna AND $150,000. General manager Frank Wren got schooled on the Teixeira trade. Call that Strike One.

3) Tom Glavine: For goodness sakes, retire. It's time for the left-hander to call it a career. His best days are behind him. He had a 5.54 ERA before his season-ending injury. This marked the fourth year in a row his ERA has gotten worse.

4) John Smoltz: Like Glavine, he needs to retire. I'm tired of watching his greatness for two weeks before he exits Stage Right due to injury. Retire with Glavine and Greg Maddux and all go into the Hall of Fame in the same class. It'd be the classy thing to do.

THE FUTURE

The Braves need plenty.  They're solid at catcher, shortstop and third base and OK at second base. That leaves three OF positions and first base. Also, the team needs one, maybe two solid pitches. Milwaukee's C.C. Sabathia will be a free agent. The Braves should have plenty of cash to go after him. He could give the team a solid ace to go along with up-and-comers Jair Jurrjens and Jorge Campillo and Tim Hudson (whenever he returns from elbow surgery).

The Braves need to re-sign closer Mike Gonzalez and setup man Will Ohman, if he's affordable. Casey Kotchman is a free agent. Let him and his 1 home run in 128 at-bats with Atlanta go bye-bye. Unfortunately, there's no standout free agents at first base. Except OF Adam Dunn has played 1B in the past. He'd be a good fit. Move him to the infield. He's going to strikeout a lot, but when he hits the ball it's going to Peachtree. Dunn's numbers this season: 38 HR, 98 RBI, 115 BB, 157 SO, .238 average. Say what you will, he's a huge improvement over Kotchman.

There are some minor league options for the outfield. The Braves need to bring up speedsters Josh Anderson (Triple A) and Matt Young (Double A). Also, keep an eye on Jason Perry who hit .271 with 23 HR and 66 RBI at Mississippi and Richmond. And don't forget hot prospect Jordan Schafer, who put together a solid season at Double A despite a 50-game suspension for using HGH.

The Braves can immediately improve their staff by dumping pitching coach Roger McDowell and re-signing Leo Mazzone. The Braves need the man behind the team's success from 1991-2005. (Ironically, after Mazzone left after the 2005 season, the Braves have not been back to the playoffs. Coincidence?) While he didn't work out in Baltimore, Mazzone could provide sage advice for young pitchers like Jo Jo Reyes and Charlie Morton. Besides, Atlanta is 13th of 16 National League teams in ERA. That's the reason the team is tanking this season.

There are plenty of holes for the Braves to plug in the offseason. What are your suggestions?

Steve Spurrier is no longer Evil or Genius

In the smothering heat Saturday afternoon, South Carolina had its chances to defeat Georgia. Forget the Mike Davis fumble on the 1-yard line. That was one play. What about the three other second-half drives inside the Georgia 35-yard line? The Gamecocks came away with nothing on a day when their offense was, well, boring.

What happened to Steve Spurrier, the Evil Genius? This was a trash-talking coach who routinely put points on the boards against Southeastern Conference rivals in the 1990s when he led Florida. He was also known for turning around programs like the aforementioned Florida and Duke (he led the Blue Devils in 1989 to their first conference title in almost three decades). He led the Gators to six conference titles and a national championship.

He was expected to do the same when he took the reins in 2005 in Columbia. Since then, the Gamecocks are 22-18. South Carolina has defeated rivals Clemson, Georgia, Tennessee and Florida -- just not all in the same season. That's one reason the Gamecocks have been to two mid-level bowl games under Spurrier.

This isn't exactly why the school is paying him more than $1.7 million a year. South Carolina expected to see that high-flying passing attack that made Florida a force on the national scene. Instead, Gamecock fans are seeing games like the one Saturday, when USC showed little offensive creativity.

After the game, one Gamecock fan -- he may have had one or two adult beverages -- went into an expletive-laden tirade. I guess a 1-2 start will do that, especially when you consider the year is shot. Unless a major turnaround occurs, South Carolina is headed to another mediocre year with five or six losses -- the Gamecocks still have to play Clemson, LSU, Tennessee and Florida.

In his previous three seasons, Spurrier has led South Carolina to records of 7-5, 8-5, 6-6. That's Brad Scott-type seasons.

So let's ask the obvious: Why can't Spurrier win? Is it the athletes?

Consider this: The majority of players he recruited are on the team. The Lou Holtz leftovers are few and far between. Quarterbacks Tommy Beecher, Chris Smelley and Stephen Garcia are all Spurrier recruits.

Is it the Chicken Curse? As one of my friends pointed out, if Spurrier can't win at South Carolina, who can? That sounds a bit defeatist. Surely some coach out there can turn the team into an SEC champion.

Has the game passed Spurrier by? Sports writers who regularly cover the Gamecocks have asked him the same. That's up for debate.

Will this tarnish his legacy at Florida? Unsure. He was the best coach in the land when he worked in Gainesville, Fla. But after a failed stint with NFL's Washington Redkins, and with his average performance at South Carolina, it's clear he is no longer the best in the business.

Go to Google's search engine and type in "Steve Spurrier." One of the results will take you here: http://www.coacheshotseat.com/SteveSpurrier.htm

Spurrier is not on the hot seat. If he leaves, it'll be on his terms. The question is when he does will South Carolina be any better?

Georgia 14, South Carolina 7, final

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Well neither team can get anything going on offense. Tight end Tripp Chandler has dropped two passes for Georgia. South Carolina's biggest play came on a late hit by Georgia defensive back Bryan Evans, a 15-yard penalty.

Even the officials are out of sync. They've called off two delay of game penalties already.

Chris Smelley isn’t making a great case to remain quarterback of the South Carolina Gamecocks. He started the game by connecting on two of six passes … for -4 yards. At least he didn’t throw and interception.

It took a late hit (roughing the passer) by Georgia’s Bryan Evans to knock Smelley out of the game for one play.

With 8:26 left in the first quarter, fan favorite Stephen Garcia ran for six yards on a quarterback sneak – his first play at the helm South Carolina’s offense.

So far, it is his only play.

Smelley returned immediately to a chorus of boos from Cock fans.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Georgia ended the first quarter with two first downs. The Bulldogs gained one on pass interference by South Carolina, a huge break for Georgia. So far, the Gamecocks have been able to slow down Knowshon Moreno.

So far, so ugly.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Georgia's Blair Walsh connected on a 42-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead. The Bulldogs put together a 59-yard drive, their longest of the game. Matthew Stafford barely missed throwing a touchdown pass twice.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Smelley found his main man Moe Brown for two key receptions - a 19-yard play on third down and later a 34-yard touchdown play. Georgia put no pressure on Smelley with its 4-2-5 defense. Keep an eye on that for the rest of the game. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Halftime

Georgia should be up 10-7. Instead, freshman Richard Samuel caught a Stafford pass and went 4 yards to the 1. He cut outside at the 1 when he should've gone inside for the touchdown.  Freshman mistake.

South Carolina now has held Georgia eight consecutive quarters without a touchdown. If the streaks goes to 10, the Gamecocks likely will pull the upset over No. 2 Georgia.

The Bulldogs' last two drives of the half went 59 and 74 yards for all of six points.

The announced crowd of 83,704 is larger than any crowd at Williams-Brice last year. It is the ninth-largest home crowd in school history. The crowds at the 2002 and 2004 Georgia games were larger.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Halftime stats

Georgia 

Moreno 10 rushes, 50 yards

Stafford 10-17-0, 106 yards

A.J. Green 2 catches, 51 yards

South Carolina

Garcia 1 rush, 7 yards

Smelley 8-15-0, 67 yards, 1 touchdown

Moe Brown 3 catches, 65 yards, 1 touchdown

Time of possession: UGA 20:49, USC 9:11

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Non-football chatter

So we're talking here in the press box about worst movie sequels. One vote came in for Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo. I'm splitting my vote between Caddyshack 2 (Jackie Mason, really) and Major League 2. Another vote for Caddyshack 2. Another vote for Dumb and Dumberer. One more vote for Blues Brothers 2000. Another one for Jaws 2.

Now how about the best sequels: Godfather 2, Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back,  Karate Kid II (wax on, wax off).

Your thoughts???????

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BREAKING NEWS: Georgia scored a touchdown. Repeat, Georgia scored a touchdown. Moreno's three-tackle-breaking 4-yard run gave the Bulldogs their first touchdown against South Carolina in nine quarters.

Georgia is dominating time of possession. If South Carolina cannot establish a drive, the Bulldogs are simply going to wear down the Gamecock defense. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Georgia begins the 4th quarter with the ball, needing 90 yards for a touchdown. If the Bulldogs go up 21-7 it'll be hard for South Carolina to come back.

Random stat: The Gamecocks, under Spurrier, are 1-13 when trailing entering the fourth quarter.

------------------------------------------------------------

South Carolina running back Mike Davis just fumbled away the Gamecocks' tying touchdown. Rennie Curran caused it. Asher Allen fell on it in the end zone. Georgia escaped.

Georgia at South Carolina pre-game notes

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Let's start off with this. Everyone at this game must be going to Heaven. We all just sat through Hell. That 90-minute stop-and-go traffic jam from the interstate. Ugh!

The cock is crowing now at Williams-Brice Stadium. How much will we hear the Gamecock during the game? Las Vegas says Georgia's going to win by 7. Media people are saying it'll be more. But with Steve Spurrier at the helm for South Carolina anything can happen.

It's 92 degrees right now. How will that affect play? How many players will leave with cramps?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

A few lineup changes: Georgia will start Kris Durham at flanker in place of freshman A.J. Green. Also, Jeremy Lomax will replace defensive end Jarius Wynn, while Prince Miller will start at defensive back ahead of Bryan Evans.

For South Carolina, Freddie Brown will replace the injured Kenny McKinley at wide receiver.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  

Keys to the game

For the Gamecocks: Must put pressure on Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford and must put together a running game. Go ahead and assume RB Knowshon Moreno is going to get his 100, 150 yards. Shutting down the Bulldogs' passing attack will be crucial. Also, the Gamecocks can wear Georgia down on defense if they can get Mike Davis going.

For the Bulldogs: Attack early and often. If Georgia can put points on the board early, it may be able to break South Carolina's spirit. Also, pass defense will be key. If the Bulldogs can stifle the Gamecock passers and make Spurrier play three quarterbacks, this game will not be close.

Dooley, Obama and other college football musings

Here's a few mid-week college football thoughts to whet your appetite:

THE GREATEST EVER? When Georgia head coach Vince Dooley retired after the 1988 season at age 56, he had done more than many other coaches ever will. He finished his career with 201 wins, 77 losses, six Southeastern Conference titles and a national championship.

Florida State's Bobby Bowden (78) and Penn State's Joe Paterno (81), who are tied for most career victories by a Division I coach with 374, are still active. What if Dooley had kept coaching as well?

In 25 seasons, Dooley averaged a shade more than eight wins a season. If he had not retired, and kept his average of eight wins a season, he would've added 152 wins in the following 19 seasons. Dooley then would be 2-0 this season. So a conservative estimate: he'd own 355 wins.

Now consider this: Dooley is almost three years younger than Bowden, who turns 79 in November. Dooley would be on pace to pass both Bowden and Paterno by the time he turned their age.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BORDER BASHING

WHY GEORGIA WILL WIN THIS WEEK: The Bulldogs have won three in a row in Columbia and are 16-6-2 all-time at Williams-Brice Stadium. In 2006, Georgia posted an 18-0 shutout.

Also, the Bulldogs lead the Southeastern Conference in rushing. South Carolina is 10th in run defense.

WHY SOUTH CAROLINA WILL WIN THIS WEEK: Coach Steve Spurrier owns a 12-3 record against Georgia (11-1 at Florida, 1-2 at South Carolina). The 'Ol, ahem, Head Ball Coach irritates Bulldog fans worse than a bad case of poison ivy, which they'd rather have than another loss to Spurrier.

Also, the Gamecocks  have defeated the Bulldogs 14 times. Ten of those wins have come in back-to-back years. South Carolina won last year in Athens, Ga., 16-12.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

OBAMA AND THE 'NITTALY' LIONS: Appearing at a campaign stop in Pennsylvania earlier this month, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama mistakenly called Penn State the 'Nittaly' - instead of "Nittany" Lions. As one observer mentioned, at least he didn't call them the Detroit Lions.

To see the gaffe, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQLTekcur-E

Georgia 56, Central Michigan 17, final

Georgia tailback Knowshon Moreno is creating more magic than Harry Houdini did. Moreno is making the Chippewas miss on the ground. And he just converted a key screen pass out of the end zone for a first down.

Defensive tackle Corvey Irvin fooled us. He's wearing No. 95 for injured teammate Jeff Owens instead of No. 99 on the roster. 

------------------------------------------------------------------

Georgia's playing a Nickel-type defense, spreading out either 3 or 4 men on the line to defend Central Michigan's spread. So far it's worked. The Chippewas ended the quarter facing a fourth on 1 from their 17. It'll be their second consecutive punt -- unless they decide to gamble. 

-------------------------------

2nd quarter

Caleb King scored on 1-yard run shortlay after Moreno went down with an injury. After the Bulldog defense held Central Michigan to three-and-out, Georgia has the ball and Moreno's back in the game.

Moreno scored on third-and-goal from the 1. But Georgia's goal-line offense is a concern. The Bulldogs have struggled near the end zone. It took King three tries to get in from the 3. Then, it took Moreno three tries to punch it in from the 1. He finally scored on a pitch to the left side. 

With Central Michigan deep in Georgia territory, defensive end Demarcus Dobbs just livened up this wake. The sophomore caught a tipped pass and barrelled 78 yards, with a convoy, down the left sideline for his first touchdown. The crowd is LOUD. The players are dancing. Big MO has swung to the Bulldogs.

So much for Big MO. Central Michigan just shredded Georgia's prevent defense. Joe Bockheim, wide open in the corner of the end zone, caught a 12-yard pass from Dan LeFevour. Note to budding defensive coordinators: Prevent defense never works. If Georgia tries this 3-man line stuff against Florida, the Bulldogs are going to get eaten alive.

------------------------------------------------

Halftime

Georgia's offense has looked as exciting as grits, sans salt and butter. As exciting as peas and green beans without the fatback. As exciting as .... OK, I'll stop.

Anyway, you get the picture. Maybe coach Richt is keeping it boring on purpose, not wanting to show South Carolina or any other teams any new wrinkles.

I don't have the stats in front of me, but Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford hasn't exactly been burning up the Central Michigan secondary. And the Bulldog offensive line is struggling to open holes for Moreno. There's adjustments to be made in the second half.

The oddsmakers say Georgia should win 23.5 points. Right now, they're not far off. But the Chippewas get the ball first in the second half. The consolation prize is the Bulldog defense has been on today.

-------------------------------

Halftime stats

Stafford 14-for-22 passing, 134 yards, 1 TD

Moreno 14 carries, 65 yards (4.6 average)

King 5 carries, 23 yards (4.6)

----------------------------------------------------------------

3rd quarter

We have ourselves a ballgame. How huge was that Dobbs interception for a touchdown now? Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour is starting to gain confidence. He hit receiver Jean Pitts in stride for a 32-yard score. Defensive back Prince Miller scorched on the play. Georgia applying no pressure up front either.

The Bulldogs are in disarray. They just got the ball on offense and called timeout before running a snap.

-------------------------------------------

Moreno for Heisman. Man he can turn it on when he wants. The sophomore tailback took a handoff around the right side, stiff-armed a man at the 30 and got pushed into the end zone. The 52-yard run, his second touchdown of the afternoon, put him at 117 rushing yards so far. 

------------------------------------

Stafford finally looked good on the deep ball. He hit Mohamed Massaquoi in stride on a 54-yard bomb. How much of that is South Carolina going to see next week?

--------------------------------------

Holy Superman! On a 29-yard run, Moreno hurdled Central Michigan safety Vince Agnew like he was trying out for a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. My God, a sophomore! The cable channels will be replaying that one again and again.

-----------------------------------------

4th quarter

Sanford Stadium is rockin' and rollin'. Moreno just scored on another run, his third touchdown of the day. He has 168 yards on 18 carries. Moreno for Heisman.

-------------------------------------------------------------

The backups are in. Quarterback Joe Cox engineered a long drive capped by a 1-yard Richard Samuel touchdown, his first career score.

Wonder if this blowout will resonate with the AP voters?

Georgia vs. Central Michigan pre-game

ATHENS, Ga. -- A little less than an hour to play here and it's 212 degrees in the press box alone. How is Central Michigan going to handle this heat and humidity? We're talking about Cramp City, baby. Expect many delays today.

Another pre-game thought: How will being No. 2 this week sit with Georgia? I don't believe coach Mark Richt has run the score up on an opponent, but will today's game be a statement to Associated Press voters?

Augusta's Corvey Irvin is a defensive captain for the Bulldogs. He is starting in place of Jeff Owens. I expect him to turn in a solid performance.

Will freshman defensive lineman A. J. Harmon (Jefferson County) get a chance to play today? Or will he be red-shirted? If he doesn't play today, look for the latter. The same goes for freshman defensive back Sanders Commings (Westside).

Ohio State is currently having fits with Ohio of the Mid-American Conference. Yes, the Ohio that lost to Wyoming last week. And the same Ohio that plays in the same conference as Central Michigan -- another reason UGA has a chance to shine today and grab some national respect.

We've already had a 15-yard penalty. I'm not 100 percent certain, but I believe it was a former UGA quarterback who violated one of the main Man Rules -- which is don't stand next to another man at the urinals if there's another vacant urinal down the line. That ain't cool. The next time he does this, we'll have to revoke his Man card.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GET THE PICTURE: Freshman A.J. Green will get the start at flanker today, his first start of his collegiate career. Expect him to have a huge day. 

Time for Munson to retire

The post-game analysis came soon after Georgia's win Saturday over Georgia Southern. Friends, family, co-workers and even my pastor all agreed on one thing -- Bulldogs play-by-play announcer Larry Munson sounded horrid. To give the legendary "Voice of the Dogs" the benefit of the doubt, I was at Sanford Stadium. I didn't hear a single word. But if you can't trust your mother and your pastor, who can you trust?

Before the game, I saw Munson in the press box walking -- albeit slowly -- to his booth. Physically, he looked OK. But that gravelly voice, that famous voice that's churned out decades of memorable calls, is obviously on the decline. My pastor said he didn't think Munson would finish the game.

At 85, Munson (who turns 86 later this month) has put together a remarkable career behind the mic. To Georgia fans everywhere, he is one of the all-time Bulldog greats. If there were a UGA version of Mount Rushmore (Stone Mountain?), it would have four faces -- Herschel Walker, Vince Dooley, Mark Richt and Larry Munson. But while his greatness is clearly indisputable, Munson's skills are deteriorating. And if what everyone is telling me about Munson is true, and I have to believe so (Hey, it's my mom and my pastor), then it's time for one thing.

Larry Munson needs to step down. Not at the end of the season. Now.

It hurts me to write that. Sincerely. My mom turned me onto Georgia football at a young age. Soon after, I became a Munson addict. I was too young to remember Rex Robinson or Lindsay Scott or Herschel Walker. But I enjoyed listening to Munson's calls of the Bulldog greats delivering Georgia from the perils of defeat. Thousands of times I've listened to Matt Robinson hand the end-around to Richard Appleby, who threw a bomb to Gene Washington who, Munson exclaimed, "thinking of Montreal and the Olympics, ran out of his shoes right down the middle 80 yards. The Gator Bowl rocking. Stunned. The girders are bending now." The 1975 Georgia win over Florida is a favorite.

His calls are instant classics, ones I still enjoy and play for my 2-year-old triplets. We watch on YouTube as Buck Belue tosses a pass to Lindsay Scott and we listen to Munson (and my daughter Hannah) yell "Run Lindsay." Munson never said "touchdown" that fateful fall day in 1980 when the Bulldogs defeated the Gators on that last-minute miracle. He didn't have to. He was too busy trying to celebrate, his chair -- the one with the 5-inch cushion -- he broke it.

Munson's voice still can be heard at multiple tailgate parties held throughout Athens, Ga., on gameday. Through Munson, Herschel Walker ("My God a freshman!) is still running over Tennessee's Bill Bates. Georgia fans still hear Munson fretting over the Bulldogs' chances with one second on the clock just before Mike Bobo tosses a Hail Mary pass to Corey Allen for a game-tying touchdown at the end of regulation against Auburn in 1996; Georgia later won in four overtimes. And Munson makes everyone wonder "What's a hob-nailed boot?" after David Greene's last-second touchdown pass to Verron Haynes in 2001 crushed Tennessee's face.

While Munson's calls still bring a smile to Georgia fans, his current voice does not. It's time for Munson to pass the baton to color analyst Scott Howard (who does play-by-play on the road games). Howard admitted -- if and when he does get the job -- he will not be the next Munson. Howard will be his own man, and he'll do a fine job.

I suggest Munson and Howard switch places. Let Munson slide into the role of color analyst. He won't have to fumble around trying to quickly (and correctly) get names of players. Let Scott Howard carry the load. Munson can provide insightful commentary -- not just for this season but for years to come.

Chances are I'll be at this week's Georgia game. I will be unable to listen to Larry Munson. I wouldn't want to anyway. I like to remember the Munson who once screamed into the mic, "Look at the sugar falling out of the sky. Look at the sugar falling out of the sky."

Hours after this week's game, I expect to hear from family and friends. They'll give me an update on Munson. My pastor will probably pass along a few honest words as well. Unfortunately, I don't expect a good report. And when we talk about the Georgia legend I think I know where the conversation will drift: It's time for Munson to step down.

Georgia 45, Georgia Southern 21, final

Georgia looks like a well-oiled machine. The defense has stifled Georgia Southern on its first two drives. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs offense has looked good for the most part.

Matthew Stafford found freshman A.J. Green on a 36-yard post pattern, setting up Knowshon Moreno's 2-yard touchdown run. Later, Blair Walsh drilled a 52-yard field goal that would've been good from 62. 

Georgia Southern just put together its best drive of the game, advancing to the Georgia 9. But on third and 3, Jarius Wynn and Roderick Battle sacked Eagles quarterback Antonio Henton. Then, Jesse Hartley missed a 36-yard field goal attempt.

Georgia coach Mark Richt inserted Joe Cox into the game at quarterback for the team's third drive. It appears Richt just wants to get Cox some playing time. Stafford is on the sideline. True freshman Richard Samuel just entered the game at tailback to spell Moreno. On his first carry, Samuel fumbled the handoff and the Eagles recovered.

2nd quarter

Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe snuffed out a potential Georgia Southern scoring drive with an interception in the end zone. The Eagles were on the 1, but an illegal procedure penalty pushed them back to the 6. The mistake led to Georgia Southern's second failed red-zone opportunity.

Georgia made the Eagles pay for their mistake. Stafford hit split end Kris Durham on a 61-yard bomb, giving the Bulldogs a 17-point lead.

Georgia Southern red-shirt freshman Darrell Norman is listed as a flanker on his team's roster. But he's emerged as the Eagles' main rusher, gaining 19 yards on five carries in the first quarter.

Tim Camp, a Harlem native, is Georgia Southern's leading receiver with 26 yards on two carries. 

Just before halftime, Stafford gave a hand signal behind his back to Moreno, who went in from the 3 to stake the Bulldogs to a 24-0 lead.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Third quarter 

Georgia's defense still is harassing  the Eagles. The Bulldogs went up 31-0 on Moreno's 24-yard run, but he left the field holding the back of his leg. It's likely either a cramp or hamstring injury.

Red-shirt freshman tailback Caleb King's now in the game for Georgia. He just broke off a 27-yard run. He added another 9-yard run. The Bulldogs are on the 5. Stafford faked to King and found Demiko Goodman in the back of the end zone. 38-0.

Norman set up Georgia Southern's first score with a 26-yard run off a broken play, moving the Eagles to the 1. On the ensuing play, quarterback Lee Chapple faked to Norman and crashed into the end zone.

--------------------------------

Entering the fourth quarter, Georgia's locked up a win and done everything it's needed to do so far. The running game's looked solid. The passing game's looked solid. Ditto for the defense. The final quarter will be about the Bulldogs getting second- and third-stringers playing time.

Georgia Southern's Camp and Norman continue to play significant minutes. Maybe one, or both, will score a touchdown. 

The Eagles scored again on Samair Baker's 3-yard run. The unlucky Norman got a first down carry inside the 5 but got stuffed by Augusta's Corvey Irvin. Two plays later, Baker punched it in. 

Highly-touted freshman receiver A.J. Green just made an incredible diving catch in the end zone on a 4-yard out pattern pass from Joe Cox. At 7:46, Green scored his first of what is expected to be many touchdowns in his Bulldog career.

ASU Division II Championship game updates