Instant Classic: 2012 SEC Championship Reaction, A Dawg Fan's Take

I know it's been a while, and I'm glad to be back!  Here's my postgame reaction to one of the greatest college football games ever played:

Go Dawgs!

The SEC is the Best Football Conference! Alabama is the Best Team in the Nation! "Any Questions?"

 

No Question

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It seems like a no-brainer, but the media every year tries to play up other conferences and teams. The SEC is the best football conference in the nation! Any Questions?






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Will The Diamond Dawgs Make The Postseason?

Finally Some College Baseball Talk on DBTH!

So here's the deal:  I started this blog two months ago, in the spring, and I'm finally writing about college baseball.  Don't worry, there will be plenty more as we near the postseason on the road to Omaha.

If my beloved Georgia Diamond Dawgs are to start the journey, they must do some work here in the next week.  To make the regionals as an at large team, you must be at least one game over .500, which is where the Dawgs stand now at 27-26.  After playing the toughest schedule in the nation and being in 4th place in the SEC, Georgia is assured a berth in the SEC Tournament next week in Hoover, AL.  With an RPI of 25, conventional wisdom says if Georgia could finish one game above .500, they would be a near lock for the field of 64. 

Therein lies the hard part.  Georgia's regular season finishes with a three-game series against Top 5 Vanderbilt tonight at 7:30 on ESPNU.  They will face a sure-fire top 10 pick in next month's MLB Draft, Sonny Gray.  Since the SEC West winner would get the #2 seed in Hoover, Georgia could draw the #5 seed and be in a bracket with Vanderbilt, the SEC East winner, and either South Carolina or Florida, both of which are top 5 in the country. 

For Georgia to make it in, they need to do at a minimum:

Scenario 1: 
1.  Take 2 of 3 from Vandy
2.  Win 1 game in the SEC Tournament (double-elimination)
This would leave the Dawgs at 30-29 and should make them a lock.  Two wins versus Vanderbilt and possibly another in the first game of the SEC Tourney would boost the Dawgs into the RPI Top 20 with ease. 

Scenario 2:
1.  Lose the Vandy series (either 1-2 or get swept)
2. MUST WIN the SEC Tournament (and get the automatic bid)
This would be tough as well, because Georgia has never won the SEC Tournament and has gone two-and-out on many occasions, even the College World Series teams.  This scenario is much less likely in comparison to Scenario 1.

My Take:  As much as I've appreciated the job Coach Perno and the players have done in righting the ship this year, even under very difficult circumstances, I just don't see either scenario above playing out.  I don't put anything past the resolve of the Diamond Dawgs, and wouldn't be shocked if they made a way, but I give them about a 30% chance of making the NCAA Regionals.  I'll be down at the game tonight, so let's see if we can increase that percentage against one of the best teams in the country.

Travis Leslie Stays in NBA Draft, I Hope This Works Out For Him

There is no doubting Travis Leslie's athleticism

Travis Leslie said today that he will officially be entering the NBA Draft, ending his career at Georgia.  I, along with rest of Bulldog Nation, enjoyed watching Leslie play.  His athleticism led to many highlight reel dunks, and his floor game improved tremendously under the tutelage of Mark Fox.  He became an above average midrange jump shooter and was a hard-nosed rebounder, especially on the offensive glass.  I know I sound like bitter Dawg fan, but I don't think this is a smart move by Leslie.  He could've used another year in college.

The biggest knock on his game is his outside shooting, which is kind of a big deal since he will have to play the two in the League, due to the fact he's only 6-4.  His ball handling needs major improvement as well.  I think he is a very good player, but there are many very good players who don't pan out in the Association. 

Keep in mind, in the NBA, only 1st round drat picks are guaranteed contracts.  Most every NBA mock draft has Leslie as a 2nd rounder at best, which means he will have to fight hard for a roster spot, or live down low in the D-League.  Other mock drafts like this great one had Leslie as a 2nd rounder NEXT YEAR.  Leslie has improved so much in his last two years, that I believe he could have improved his status and possibly have made himself a lock for a guaranteed contract with one more year of college.  

On the other hand, maybe his status will improve with superstars like Jared Sullinger and Harrison Barnes coming back to school , who knows?  I think this quote from his mother describes the situation best, "He just decided to stay in and take his chances."

If there's one thing everyone can agree on, it's the fact that he's taking a HUGE risk here. 

What do you think?  Should he have stayed in college or is the Draft the right move?