Chip Towers from the AJC caught up with former Georgia Basketball coach Hugh Durham over the weekend and he had some interesting commentary about the Georgia Basketball job and the current situation involving the Bobby Knight rumors.

(3) A lot of people think Georgia is a tough job, hard to recruit to. Durham believes Georgia is not only a good job, which it was when he had it, but “a great job.” He said it still has its unique set of obstacles to negotiate but, with Stegeman fixed up like it is these days and the $30 million practice facility, there should be nothing holding them back. (4) Said he likes Bob Knight and thinks he would create a nice buzz for Georgia but he doesn’t believe it’s what’s best for the Bulldogs in the long run. (5) Of the candidates we discussed Anthony Grant seemed to be the only one he was real enamored with but he didn’t want rate candidates, not right now anyway.

This is a good read. It’s nice to hear Hugh is still pulling for the Dogs and following the program. I’d say Durham’s legacy is aging well considering the facilities and the “football first” mentality of an SEC program (excluding Kentucky) during his tenure.

Of course, I also think he is spot on about Knight and articulates the case against him coming to Georgia perfectly in a single sentence.

Hugh Durham… DGD.

Image: ESPN

Georgia players expressed their enthusiasm in the potential hire of Bobby Knight, the Indiana coaching legend, as their head coach.

Georgia freshman Trey Thompkins…

“Coach Knight is a legend,” Thompkins said. “I’d love to have him coach here, and I feel like he’d make me even better than I am now.

“That would honestly be a tremendous thing to me. I’d be really happy.”

…and Albert Jackson…

“I would love to have a coach of that caliber, that stature,” Jackson said. “You have a Hall of Fame coach, you have somebody like that, all you can do is be happy.

“If Bobby Knight wants to come in here, I’d be more than happy.”

…and who could blame them? Love him or hate him, Bobby Knight is a sports icon and coaching legend. If you were down and out over your coach being fired and presented with the possibility of having the position filled by the winningest coach in NCAA history, you’d probably be excited too.

You’d always be able to tell your grand kids you played for “The General”. You’d benefit from the increased media exposure, etc…

I have been surprised by the amount of support that Knight has received amongst Georgia fans though. My own brother, who’s never really followed the basketball team that closely, is crazy about the idea. He really just wants to see the lightning bolt of media coverage that will descend on Athens if he’s hired.

In other words, he’s excited by the novelty of it.

It’d be neat! And if it didn’t work out, basketball never meant that much to him in the first place.

Fortunately for the future of Georgia Basketball I believe Damon Evans will take a longer view and hire someone that will be able to begin work on building a winning, and sustainable basketball tradition.

Mark Schlabach of ESPN just identified Jeff Capel (Oklahoma), Sean Miller (Xavier) and Anthony Grant (VCU) as Georgia’s A-list of candidates to replace Dennis Felton.

If so, that is good news, as each one would be capable of building the tradition of which Georgia hoops fans have been deprived, without the baggage that may just drag us further down.

Furman Bisher breaks the news that Bobby Knight has expressed interest in being the next head coach of the Georgia basketball team.

If you are one of those Bulldogs deeply distressed about the course of basketball at the University of Georgia, I have promising news for you. How would you like to have Bob Knight coaching your team?

No thanks.

I mean, I get it, Bobby Knight is a legendary college basketball coach and would turn the national media’s eye towards Athens for next year’s basketball season and beyond. He lifted Texas Tech into basketball respectability and could possibly do the same for Georgia. He’d build the foundation for the next coach to build on.

But, he is 68 years old. How many years could he give us? Granted, while grumpy old curmudgeons tend to live well into their 90′s, can they coach college basketball much past 70?

He doesn’t seem like a candidate that a young AD like Damon Evans would gravitate towards. It seems like Evans would want to bring in a fresh energy to the program. Someone who would take advantage of modern technologies in coaching and recruiting and who could relate more closely with today’s student athlete. Knight seems like the opposite.

Also, when is the last time he made a championship run? Sure, older Dawgs like myself appreciate his accomplishments made during the 70′s and 80′s but today’s student athlete knows Knight for his ill temperament and being a jerk while hunting on someone’s private property.

I admit there is something inherently fascinating about a person who speaks his mind in such a blunt and dramatic fashion. If he is hired, it could be a fun ride for Georgia Basketball. I just think there are many younger candidates like Jamie Dixon, Jeff Capel and Anthony Grant that match the profile that will serve Georgia Basketball well now, and forward into the future.

Image: AP/Tuscaloosa News

UPDATE 2: Hale has published some notes from tonight’s game.

Afterward, Herrmann seemed like a guy who was just happy to be coaching basketball, a game he truly loves. While Felton was clearly a fiery and competitive coach, it really never quite came across as enthusiasm. It does with Herrmann, and given the struggles of this team, a little excitement about their jobs might be the best possible medicine.

If Felton didn’t seem like he was enthusiastic maybe the game was slowly drained of it’s fun for the players?

UPDATE: AP write-up available at ESPN.

Georgia was defeated by Alabama 75-70.

Trey Thompkins led all scorers with 22 points on 8-17 shooting from the field while going 3-7 behind the stripe. Terrence Woodbury contributed 15 points while Dustin Ware scored 11 points in 29 minutes of play. It’s the 8th loss in a row for Georgia Basketball.

Pete Hermann is now 0-1 as Georgia’s head basketball coach.

Chip Towers gives us a look at how the aftermath of the decision to fire Felton was handled as it relates specifically to the players.

I’m not saying the decision to fire Dennis Felton was right. Time will tell on that one. I’m talking about the protocol they used for informing the players was right this time. They handled it flat-out wrong when Jim Harrick was let go in 2003.

You probably would have tried to handle it worse than the Harrick fiasco in 2003. Still, giving Coach Felton a chance to address the players directly, before the players could hear in the media was the right thing to do. There is some great young talent on this team and it’s important they feel like they’re “in the loop” so to speak, and being dealt with in a direct, straightforward manner.

Of course, Georgia gets some props for improved handling of such a negative situation but Towers has a small bone to pick with how Coach Felton handled it personally.

On a separate note, Dennis Felton also was “not available.” He didn’t attend the press conference and he didn’t issue a statement, which I don’t think was the best way to handle it. I made a separate trip out to his beautiful house in Bogart and his wife Melanie answered the front door. She went into another room to ask if he’d come talk to me but came back and said he’s “not available.” Very kind, very cordial, just “no comment.”

Yeah, I don’t think I can blame the guy for not wanting to answer questions the very day his life is turned upside down. It’s smart on his part not to put himself in a position for his emotions to bubble up and turn an already difficult situation worse.

Even though it didn’t work out for him at Georgia, he is no doubt a fine coach with his own future to look out for.

UPDATE: If you don’t want to fool with the GXtra video player The Red & Black have posted video of Evan’s press conference.

Part 1:

Part 2:

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The video of the press conference announcing the dismissal of Georgia basketball coach is freely available from GXtra.

It requires the latest Windows Media plug-in so I was unable to watch on my Mac but your mileage may vary.

UPDATE: If you’re on a Mac you’ll need the Windows Media Components for Quicktime to play the video.

Image: georgiadogs.com

Mark Bradley has published his recommendations.

And now the Bulldogs are seeking their sixth head coach in 15 years. Were I Damon Evans, I’d look first toward Virginia Commonwealth’s Anthony Grant, who was once a Florida assistant and who is believed to look favorably on the Georgia job, and then toward Brian Gregory of Dayton and Mike Davis of UAB. (As for the rampant speculation that Tubby Smith might deign to return to Athens … I’m sorry, but I don’t see that happening. It’s my belief he’s having too much fun at Minnesota.)

Anthony Grant and Tubby Smith seem to be the names that pop up the most. If I were to venture a guess right now, I’d say Anthony Grant. As much as I like Tubby and would love to call Stegeman “The Tub” again I just don’t see it happening.

Related links:

• Anthony Grant – VCU Profile
• Mike Davis – UAB Profile
• Brian Gregory – Dayton Profile
• Tubby Smith – Minnesota Profile

Some interesting stuff to watch if you’re not familiar with the major highlight in UGA hoops history; the 1983 trip to the Final Four.

This is the semi-final game in the 1981 SEC Tournament in Birmingham, AL vs. Dale Brown’s LSU TIgers.

This, of course, is two years before the big event but this team had ‘Nique. The year after he went to the NBA is when Georgia made their run.

The 1983 Final Four run by Georgia also has some historical significance:

A historically significant run in the tournament was that of Georgia, who became the last team to date to advance to the Final Four in its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

Nice!

Still, this is fun viewing even if it is to just see those ridiculous shorts and to be reminded that the three point stripe wasn’t always a part of a basketball court.

It may… just may take your mind off of the current state of UGA hoops and remind you that we’ve been there before and can get there again.

Via Dawgrun.

Do you believe in Miracles?

Well, as soon as I go and make a post Tennessee has a shot at a three point play.

Trey Thompkins is a beast.