Archive for April, 2009

Favorite ones are #8 and #2.

Three former Georgia Bulldogs had the good fortune of being selected on the opening day of this year’s NFL Draft.

QB Matthew Stafford, to noone’s surprise, went at No. 1 to the woeful Detroit Lions. Knowshon Moreno went higher than most predicted at No. 12 to the Denver Broncos and WR Mohammed Massaquoi was selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 50th overall pick.

All three are DGDs who will be sorely missed. Personally, I think back to the two signature wins of their careers, 2007 Auburn and 2007 Florida, and how instrumental each were in those wins. It’s then that I realize what a tremendous loss it will be for the offensive unit next year. There is nothing to do but savor their time here. How long will it be before a Dawg QB and RB go in the top 12 picks?

Knowshon talks with Colbert on ESPN.

ESPN NFL crew discuss the Stafford pick. Cameo by Herbstreit near the end.

More video of Stafford being selected No. 1 overall.

Kevin Seifert explains the Lions’ infatuation with Stafford.

And since there isn’t much punditry happening on the 50th overall pick, I’ll go with one of my favorite Massaquoi moments.

After that throw and catch I thought, “We can do this.” They did.

So what Dogs to look out for during the draft’s second day? CB Asher Allen and FB Brannon Southerland are the Dog’s highest rated prospects. Then there is DE Jarius Wynn, LB Dannell Ellerbe and S CJ Byrd.

This is Erin Andrews interview with Stafford after being selected number one.

Image: AP

It seems like today is a day Matthew Stafford has known was coming since he was a 16 year old junior at Highland Park High School in Texas. The day he’d go in the first round of the NFL Draft. Did he have the swagger to think he’d be the first overall pick? Maybe. Likely even.

Well, his day is here. Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions reached a deal worth 41.7 million guaranteed, ensuring that he will be the first player taken in this year’s NFL Draft.

There will not be a holdout with the top pick in the 2009 NFL draft. The Detroit Lions and agents for Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford reached an agreement on a record-setting contract that will pay Stafford a guaranteed $41.7 million.

Stafford becomes only the third Georgia Bulldog selected first overall in the NFL draft. Following the all-time greats Charlie Trippi and Frank Sinkwich.

UPDATE: NFL.com has disabled embedding for this video. You have to go watch it here.

It looks like Stafford to Detroit is becoming more of a certainty every day. The Lions are still negotiating with Wake Forest LB Aaron Curry for leverage during the negotations.

Interesting comments from the talking heads comparing Stafford to Ryan. The consensus being Ryan was better prepared for the NFL. Hard to disagree with that considering Matt Ryan was a fifth year senior compared to Stafford who is entering the draft as a true junior.

More from the AJC.

DGD

After leading the Gym Dogs to a fifth straight national championship Courtney Kupets returned to the floor in Lincoln to collect three event titles for herself, thank ya very much.

The Georgia gymnast and 2004 U.S. Olympian won three event titles on Saturday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, making her the NCAA’s all-time winningest champion with nine individual titles.

After becoming the first NCAA gymnast to win a title on every event she earned the ultimate praise from Gym Dog Coach Suzanne Yoculan.

“There’s no question she’s the greatest college gymnast of all time,” said Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan. “She’s the Muhammad Ali of gymnastics. The greatest.”

Despite such high praise Kupets keeps still sees herself as someone fortunate to do something she loves.

“I don’t really believe that because, I don’t know, I just do what I do and I love it,” she said. “It’s kind of crazy for someone to say that about me. It’s really an honor. I just don’t believe that people would think that about me. I just have fun with what I do.”

Coutney Kupets, Champion.

Image:Lesley Onstott

Matt Cerione, the hero of the first game of the series with Arkansas, put on the cape again to deliver a walk-off double in Georgia’s 4-3 win over Arkansas.

With the score tied at 3-3, pinch hitter Chase Davidson drew a one-out walk in the ninth, and was lifted for Starr as a pinch runner. Cerione then hit a rocket past Jacob House, the Arkansas first baseman, and Starr narrowly beat the throw home to give Georgia its third straight one-run win in league play.

The Diamond Dogs go for the sweep today at 2:00 p.m at Foley.

Matthew Stafford is everywhere. Here is a great clip of him doing some damage to the fine china on Jimmy Fallon last night. This time last year he was winding down from spring practice at UGA. What a difference a year makes.

Image: Athens Banner Herald

Hah, I guess Lane Kiffin thought he’d let the situation cool a little bit before going after released UGA commit Dexter Moody.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound Moody said he was invited to Tennessee’s Orange and White game on Saturday by the Volunteers. ”Me and my dad are planning on going up there,” Moody said. “They talked liked they were going to offer me a scholarship. I don’t know. I guess we’ll see. They just want to meet me in person and everything.”

At the time the thinking seemed to be that a guy released from one SEC school for a dust up with a teacher probably wouldn’t be offered a scholly from another SEC school.

But alas, this is the age of Kiffin! Really, isn’t he just conforming to Tennessee’s already subterranean standards?

Mr. Moody spices things up a little more.

“Coach Thompson said they need some linebackers really bad,” Moody said. “I’m definitely very interested in Tennessee. It wouldn’t be bad to go there and be able to play against Georgia every year. That would be something, taking out some of my feelings against the team that released me. I think it would be fun.”

A little sour grapes? It’s too bad Moody couldn’t walk the straight and narrow long enough to become a Dawg but it is starting to sound like he was just saving us some trouble later on.

Who knows? I hope he gets it back between the lines and has success against every team but Georgia… the team he most wants to be successful against.

On the morning drive this AM the fine fellows at 960 The Ref replayed an interview they did with the late voice of the Philadelphia Phillies Harry Kalas back in late January.

It was a great interview by Dave Johnston and Dave McMahon. The guys at 960 do a great job in general and especially at covering UGA athletics.

Until this week only folks in the Athens area were able to enjoy their content. Beginning this week though they began live streaming over the Internet (Opens live stream).

For the best UGA radio coverage by a mile tune in to The Morning Show with Dave Johnston and Stephen Hartzell from 6:00 a.m to 10:00 a.m and The Home Team from with Jeff Dantzler and Chris Brame.