Posts tagged BUI
Dr. Adams is Supportive, but Winds Change
Jul 2nd
I am pretty sure Doc Mike said this about Harrick at one time. I may be wrong, but Harrick was HIS guy.
Nevertheless, I don’t think “Dr.” Adams support is anything that can be counted on. Ever the politician, “Dr.” Adams’s support is like a sail, supported by the ever-changing wind of public opinion. In this case, the wind will be directed by the press. Muckrakers crave change, they will not doubt call for his ouster.
Hopefully, public opinion will wait for the winds of information, or lack there of, and rely upon serious journalists, before coming to conclusions. In either event, I do not like Damon Evans’ chances. A DUI is awful. A DUI with a female passenger that does not appear to be a family friend only magnifies the shame.
The muckrakers are going to get their licks. Mark Bradley already has scored points with the evidence already compiled. I know I am in the minority of Dawgs that respect Bradley, but this one is hard to refute.
Others, not near as friendly, are lurking. Bianchi and Finebaum are certain to take their swings at the piñata Evans has made himself. Opinion scribes can only go so far, hopefully.
It is the news journalists Evans need fear most.
The “passenger” is going to be a problem. An enormous problem, no matter her weight. Damon Evans claims she is a friend, not a family friend, just a friend. His responses to questions, and statements regarding his family already cast doubt upon the “friendly relationship.” The proverbial duck resonates, in terms of look, smell, and sound.
Whose opinion will matter? Not mine. Probably not yours. Adams will wait on the “winds” to formulate his.
Given the economic downturn, and the subsequent drop in Athletic Association donations, the polling group for Adam’s decision has been dramatically reduced. I believe this is a good thing for Evans. The borderline, church-going, God-fearing, contributor has been hurt most by the recent economic troubles and has no “say.”
The “say” has been left to generational money, politicians, and Georgia Crown (Don Leeburn). Generational money is not known to have a morality bent, the creator of wealth thinks one way, the decedents another. Politicians,m like Adams, go with the wind. As for Leeburn, say what you will, but I believe the man to have UGA’s interests at heart. Leeburn may be the hero of the situation.
I cannot fathom that Damon Evans would have arrived at his high post without the support of Mr. Leeburn. I certainly do not expect Mr. Leeburn to judge Damon Evans through any prism other than his on the job performance. If I am correct, nearly half the battle has been won for Damon Evans. Still, the irony of a liquor man rescuing a drunk driver is worthy of a Lifetime movie, at least.
As for the others that matter, the small handful of Georgians that dictate so much of what goes on, do you expect any sanctimonious outcries from them? I don’t, and for good reason. Damon has not perpetuated any crimes, of law or morality, they have not themselves been guilty of. The difference is at one end, being caught, at the other, expensive council.
Like “Dr.” Adams, the money will follow public perception. Sure, the money has its opinion, but the money wants to retain its “say.” Just like in politics, you don’t throw good money after bad.
Just like in politics, a skilled politician can survive a scandal. To maintain “say”, one must back a winner. Despite his arrest, by a State Trooper on Roswell Road, Damon Evans is still a winner. Damon has elevated himself to the political class. I mention Roswell Road due to its relevance. Roswell Road will be part of Damon’s survival, if the powers that be want it so.
Damon Evans has proven himself to be skilled at his every endeavor (even if that includes picking up skanks).
Firing Damon isn’t going to teach him any lesson he hasn’t already recently attended, very recently. Firing Damon only cements the story of Georgia’s Athletic Director. Giving Damon another chance exposes UGA to hypocrisy charges.
Hypocrisy is an American way of life. If you were not aware, I am sorry to break the news, but Georgia’s administration is full of cheaters. The higher the salary, the more likely the infidelity. Power is the strongest drug know to man.
Mortal men believe power is no good if not utilized. Similar to having AJ Green lined up wide, if you have him you might as well throw the ball to him. If Herschel is in the backfield you give him the ball. In the 21st century, if you have power you use it. No one is more susceptible to a man’s power than a woman, and vice a versa.
Just like Clinton couldn’t brag about Lewinsky, Evans can not brag about this one. She probably was all too willing to acknowledge Damon’s perceived power. Nothing is harder for a man to resist, I guess. Yet, the powerful man must resist in order to retain his power, and all that made him powerful in the first place.
Criminals often get acquitted in Fulton County, especially those of accomplishment. If one can knife a man in Buckhead, in full view of witnesses, during Super Bowl weekend, and get away with it, one can certainly beat a DUI wrap. Thus is the politics of Atlanta.
Guilt, or innocence will not matter. Politics, electoral, or some other sort, will prevail. Damon will survive prosecution.
Donations will determine Mr. Evans fate. It should be expected the AJC will come after the Georgia Athletic Director. He may not be responsible for Tech’s basketball coach’s contract, but he is still Tech’s foe. The AJC will not be forgiving, and will be constant in their calls for Damon Evans removal.
The University of Georgia will not win, no matter “Dr.” Adams decision regarding Damon Evans, in the AJC’s eyes.
The cards are stacked against Damon Evans. The same deck slants against the school.
I say we double down on our man. Support Damon Evans. Michael Adams probably has yet to develop the spine to do so. We can help by voicing our support. We will not gain by firing Evans. Certainly, in the short term, we will not gain by keeping him.
Two years from now, assuming Evans has learned from his transgressions, this whole episode will be ancient history. If Evans is fired, two years from now Georgia will be viewed with the same tinted glasses it is today.
By giving Damon Evans the chance at redemption, the university is given the same chance, as is the State of Georgia in the liberal media’s eyes.
The man has performed his professional duties with aplomb. He has fallen short in his personal life. Most of us have. I understand there are degrees of failure, he may yet lose his family. Should he lose everything? Should the university be made to suffer? Will we all feel more self righteous for the act?
The damage has been done. Will we set about a path of furthering the damage, or will we choose the path of redemption? Only Michael Adams and the shifting winds know.
The Life of David Hale
Feb 20th
David Hale is the Georgia beat Writer for the Macon Telegraph and the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. I grew up reading both the Columbus Ledger and the Columbus Enquirer. Yes, this bloggin fool is that old. Hale is the genesis of the forthcoming rant.
I figure a rant in this blog is preferable to flying an airplane into one of the state’s printing presses. I will leave it at that.
I can pretty much give you a good assessment of every sportswriter to ever grace the pages of the Columbus papers. I can even pan Tim Chitwood. Guerry Clegg is my favorite, as he is the only surviving sports writer to ever write a story mentioning me as an athlete. Mr. Clegg even saw fit to award me some sort of Bi-City status.
I bore you with this information to stake my claim as a relevant evaluator of the journalistic talent to write for the Columbus paper, especially where it concerns the Dawgs. I am pretty sure Lewis Grizzard never wrote for the Columbus paper, but I believe he considered it. I am not much of a fact checker.
When I was growing up the amount of coverage the Dawgs got in the paper was inverse to the amount of advertising Tire King, Freeway Ford, or Bill Heard Chevrolet was willing to spend. The more they spent, the less column inches the Georgia stories received.
Charles Odum, who writes for the AP these days, was the guy in the Ledger and Enquirer back then. Business must have been good back in those days. I don’t know how many words Odum typed, but few actually made it to print in Columbus.
Things are different today. The internet has transformed coverage of sports. Especially for mid and small-market dwellers. I don’t actually purchase today’s Ledger-Enquirer or Telegraph, although I would if it were in a box at my gas station or waffle house.
The Valdosta paper has given up on covering major college sports in the state. Sure, Loren Smith has his column, but the real coverage of the Dawgs is left to the AP and unsold space. The Blazers of Valdosta State and the highly successful high school programs are the only profitable beats.
What does any of this have to do with David Hale? It is just my point of reference. Atlanta, and Athens, may have experienced better coverage of the Dawgs in the past, but no more.
A couple of middling towns in Georgia scarfed up a talent from the Albany paper and are absolutely kicking the Atlanta and Athens papers’ asses. It is evident in season and out. David Hale simply outworks the competition.
I had heard of blogs, but never read any. David started blogging, I started reading a blog. He even introduced me to fan blogs, in turn that inspired me to start my own. David Hale started Twittering I signed up. If the competition between beat writers were like a little league game, Hale would have been declared the winner after the fourth inning.
I don’t know David Hale personally. I know a little about him. We may have shopped in the same Happy Harry’s or dined from the same Wawa.
David is a Yankee. He went to Delaware and Syracuse. Joe Bidden can argue, during a primary campaign, that Delaware is not a Yankee state, but nobody can argue that Syracuse is not a Yankee school.
I “lived” in Wilmington, Delaware for four years. I can assure it is a Yankee state. They know unions, they know chemicals, they know corruption, they know nothing about grits, even less about college football. Breakfast consist of something called scrapple. It is kind of like the hotdog of breakfast.
From these environs cometh our David Hale. The newspaper guilds back home are surely sore with his work ethic.
I poke fun at Hale’s home in my drunken ravings merely to point out how pathetic our home-grown sports journalists have become. Hell, I am not sure any of them are home-grown anymore. I have no idea how a socialist organization like the AJC goes about assigning its beats, workloads, or expectations.
The Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Constitution were once pillars of sports coverage. The combined AJC appears content to treat sports coverage as it does actual news, editorially. They offer twice the quantity of opinion as they provide reporting.
I was too late to experience the glory days of Athens journalism. The current commercial paper in Athens does nothing to represent or continue the heritage of sports journalism that preceded it. They are satisfied to measure themselves by the ever dissipating standards of the AJC.
The Red and Black has emerged as the source of local sports information and opinion in Athens.
I would love to hear Lewis Grizzard’s opinion on the state of coverage his beloved Bulldogs receive from the State’s mighty newspapers. I can only imagine, accompanied by the greats, he looks down in shame.
From this darkness, Hale separates himself, providing light for the blind Bulldog faithful.
When the editors and publishers limit his column inches, his redacted words find readers on the digital press of his blogs. I would not be surprised to learn his blogs are more widely read than the copy that escapes the printing presses in Columbus and Macon.
In today’s world of copy-cat journos and aggregating blogs, David Hale is a provider of original content, a reporter, a honest to goodness journalist. From my seat in south Georgia I can only discern he writes for the story. While he contemporaries write for the requirement with a constant eye on their word-count, Hale leaves the minimum to the editors’ concern. He delivers the maximum.
Eye on Sports Media recently lavished praise on Mr. Hale in the form of a newly created award. Many of my fellow Bulldog bloggers have offered their congratulations to Hale. I echo those sentiments.
In recognizing Hale I feel compelled to sound an alarm. As a provincial sort, I only follow beat writes from the SEC. I can not state with certainty there are not others out working Hale. I will state confidently, no beat writer within the confines of the SEC is grinding harder than our guy.
Not since Mark Schlabach have we been privilege to such excellence. In fact, Hale’s blog efforts far exceed anything we ever absorbed from Schlabach. To be fair, blogs were nothing near mainstream in Mark’s time on the beat.
My alarm, clarion call if you will, is focused on the future. Despite the misfortunes of print media, opportunities are going to open for the under-paid Hale. I am not privy to such information, but it is not hard to imagine the AJC is paying far heavier coin than the Macon-Columbus consortium. Of course, the AJC’s hiring practices are beyond logic.
ESPN? CBS? Certainly some SEC-centric purveyor of sports information and reporting will come knocking. Is Chris Low really the high-water mark for ESPN’s SEC coverage? How much money did they spend? Is there a bigger joke than CBS Sportsline?
Hell, Hale is qualified to jump right to columnist for CBS and The Sporting News. He is far more contemporary and relevant in his analysis than any of the clipboard licking coach-coddlers in their current employ.
When the inevitable happens, what will become of us? Where will our needs be met? Who is going to go above and beyond for us?
I can assure you the AJC will never make a priority of our passion. The Banner-Herald allows the AJC to set the standard. What happens. Does ISP fill the gap? Please!
Hale has not transformed the industry. He has only set himself apart from it. Our only hope is those that have toiled under his watch. A mighty force of two. Tyler Estep and Fletcher Page. How long before these two succumb to the journalistic solidarity of the lowest common denominator.
We read the AJC because it is the AJC. We read it because we are programmed to think we have to.
I may continue to give the Banner-Herald the benefit of the doubt for sentimental reasons, but they need to step their game up. Institutionally!
As consumers, we must demand more. We have grown complacent. We accept the minimum. We must not any longer. We must demand more from our press. Eyeballs, clicks and quarters must be withheld until they live up to their end of the deal.
David Hale has broken the 21st Century’s 4-minute mile of Bulldog beat journalism. We must demand the same from others. They have given up and this must not be accepted.
Hale is worth more than he is getting. His publishers have Cotillions and Coming Out parties to pay for. They are gonna let him get away.
We must act now. We must voice our dissatisfaction with the media in our state over the lack-luster coverage they are content to publish under their masthead. We must invoke the market forces which we control and demand more.
As the name suggest, I am BUI to the max. I enjoy reading. I crave reading about sports. When I can’t watch the Dawgs I want to read about them. Please, do not allow the coverage of our Dawgs to regress to the mean as established by the GD AJC.
Victories and Championships Pale When Compared to Being a Dawg
Jan 14th
Continuing my ongoing self-therapy, and affirming my standing in the most righteous Nation of people. The Bulldawg Nation.
I was not born a Dawg. I was born a Seminole.
As a youngster my first introduction to Hugh Durham was not as a Dawg, but as the Coach of the Florida State Seminoles. Coach of an FSU team that would go to the Final Four, beating Adolph Rupp and Dean Smith in the process before finally losing to John Wooden. That would be my first, all be it belated, introduction to the DawgNation.
My generation knows, Coach Durham came to Georgia from Tallahassee. It is not relevant but for the fact that tonight’s basketball game brought back memories of how I became a Dawg.
Tonight’s basketball game against the #23 Ole Miss Rebels kind of defined my experience as a Georgia Bulldog. The Dawgs were in it all the way, but ended up losing 80-76. Close, but no cigar. The chorus of my Dawg song. A chorus I never mind singing along to.
The Georgia Bulldogs of Herschel Walker, Buck Belue, Lindsay Scott, and Rex Robinson won the National Championship in 1980. Vince Dooley and his Dawgs followed this with two more SEC crowns.
Hugh Durham and Vern Fleming took the Dawgs to the Final Four in 1983. Durham went on to win 633 games as a NCAA basketball coach, the eigth most of all time. They won the regular season championship my senior year in Athens.
I met Coach Durham, and Coach Dooley, when I visited The University of Georgia as a senior in high School.
My cousin, who was a writer for the Red and Black before signing on with the USA Today, introduced me to both of the UGA coaching legends. At the time, I was stricken more by the smell of live stock than the coaching genius before me. The impromptu meeting had taken place in the halls of Stegman prior to today’s version. I was young and foolish.
My mother, a dyed in the wool Seminole, had experienced many encounters with Coach Durham. She worked for Tom’s Foods, a supporter of the Dawg’s program back then. She and Coach Durham often spoke of the FSU days.
As a junior in high school I had been accepted to all of my college choices. Mom approved of Georgia and FSU. Dad approved of “all of the above”. Dad went to FSU, though his degree says “University of Maryland” thanks to the Army and Vietnam, or the draft.
I enrolled at FSU in the fall of 1986. I liked the Dawgs, I rooted for them often. I attended many of their games. I hated Auburn. I always envisioned going to Florida State so I did. My father probably would have preferred otherwise being a landowner in Georgia and Alabama.
Growing up in close proximity to Auburn, I was afforded the opportunity to witness several Georgia-Auburn games. Heck, I was able to attend many Alabama and Auburn games no matter who they were playing. Still, I chose Florida State in large part due to their football prowess at the time.
After a year at FSU, in state residence took on a new meaning. My grades were, to say the least, poor. My father had a way of calculating grade point average per dollar. It did not calculate to his desire. Yes, I could have achieved residence in Florida, but how much was it going to cost him? It no longer mattered that he went to FSU, finances now ruled.
Truth is, Dad knew I had been partying. He knew I had spent as much time in Athens and St. Simons, Auburn and Gulf Shores, as I had in Tallahassee. Mom still has not heard, nor seen any evil, but the verdict was rendered. I was no longer going to be a student of the Florida State university. I had to say good bye to Sally Beach and it’s sun worshipers.
Auburn? Tuscaloosa? Hell no! I never even applied to Tech. Georgia was the only school I had a welcome mat at. Georgia here I come!
Having witnessed so many Georgia games over my life, always rooting for the Dawgs (or rooting against their foe) I took to Athens lke a fish to water. I got Athens. Athens got me.
Tallahassee was full of Yankees with tans. They were not my people. I ate biscuits for breakfast, they wanted bagels.
Tallahassee had been overtaken with transplants. Metallica blared in the dorms. Despite my birth, Tallahassee was foreign. Athens was home. The Allman Brothers were always readily available in Athens. I never experienced dorm life in Athens, but I can still say confidently musicianship and vocal skills are a prerequisite for our music aficionados.
All of this is my long way of saying I missed out on the glory days of UGA Athletics. Sure the peripheral sports have accomplished much. The Diamond Dawgs even won the World Series my senior year. I got to watch Durham, Kessler and Willie Anderson as a a student. The basketball Dawgs even won a regular season championship my senior year, beating the Shaq led Bengal Tigers.
I am proud to be a Georgia Bulldog, but I was not a Dawg in the Hershel years. In my time, Georgia has never been the best, Not as far as pollsters are concerned. This shouldn’t matter so much.
The University of Georgia has contributed much to our nation academically and athletically before and since my time. Sadly, I have missed out on the halcyon days of men’s sports.
I will not bore you with the Grady graduates that have made their mark on our society or the other academics, I know it is sports that you crave. In sports we have made our mark to be sure.
I remember when Rodney Hampton was named a future all-pro by sports illustrated during his freshman season. I am too lazy too look up the details, but they predicted greatness for the running back from Houston. He was great, but it did not translate into greatness for the Bulldogs.
Perhaps that conditioned me for the unfulfilled promise of one Matthew Stafford.
Since my time as an official Georgia Bulldog, greatness has never been accomplished on the gridiron or the hardwoods of basketball. Still, I have always felt great, and always been treated as such by my peers.
Wherever I go people revere The University of Georgia. When I travel to football games, our foes act envious. Should they win the game, they still hold reverence for The University of Georgia. In their eyes, we are special, even if we sometimes forget.
That respect, or animosity, is granted to only a select few. Uga and his many offspring have received a lot of adulation. It is the University of Georgia, the oldest public university in the land, that has achieved that recognition. Uga is but a beloved symbol of our school.
I may have missed the National Championships and the Final Fours, but I still walked the prettiest campus in America. I heard the best music, ate the best pizza, and threw my cup in the finest football stadium in the land.
Tonight, as with last weekend, victory alluded me.
Kirby Smart refused my offer to come home.
Still, I am a Georgia Bulldog. I will always be a Georgia Bulldog. You can’t take that way from me. You can’t take that way from my parents.
They, those that would mock us, can never be the University of Georgia. There is only one.
Enjoy your victory tonight, Ole Miss.
Enjoy your championship, Alabama.
Bid Tebow farewell, Florida.
None of their accomplishments puts you on a scale with my University of Georgia.
We have the next game, the next season to redeem ourselves athletically, you have no course of action to match The University of Georgia. For that, I am forever proud.
Secured by