OK, this is not local, and I would not even care about this team if The Sports Freak and I had not seen the interview. But really, who is going to root for the Georgia Bulldogs in the NCAA Tournament?
The SEC Tournament was delayed during the quarter finals. On Friday night, a tornado struck the Atlanta area, including the Georgia dome, where the tournament was being held. Georgia and Kentucky's game was postponed. After discussing with the NCAA, it was determined the only way to preserve the SEC's automatic bid was to have the championship game done by Sunday afternoon. To facilitate that, Georgia and Kentucky would have to play early Saturday and the winner would have to play a semi-final game on Saturday evening. Essentially two games in one day.
Georgia won both games, advancing to the SEC finals. I would have been happy for them. It felt like a good story. But then, on ESPN, Georgia coach Dennis Fulton decided to lash out during a press conference. That it was unfair to make them play twice in one day, even though it was signed off by both teams coaches and athletic directors. That it seriously damaged Georgia's chances of winning the SEC.
Boy, he should just suck it up and get his team ready. Fulton did and won the SEC Tournament over Arkansas. This is one of those feel good stories. But Fulton left a bitter taste in my mouth. The Sports Freak wanted me to root against the Bulldogs. I didn't. Now, that they won their glorious SEC title, I'm happy they made it. But if Xavier rolls over them in DC on Thursday, I have no problem with that.
I have no problem with them complaining about playing two games in one day. But they made it out like only Georgia was in that position. Had Kentucky beat them in the quarter finals, it would have been Kentucky up to the task. What did Georgia want the NCAA to do? Move Selection Sunday to Monday? Award Georgia an undeserved at-large bid?
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Complaining is what coaches do. Do you really think that any other coach wouldn't have done the same? Maybe there are a handful of coaches who wouldn't complain, but I'd say 90% of them would have handled the situation the same way that Dennis Fulton did.
My question is can you ever remember a team from a power conference being seeded 14 or worse? I can't. We need stat boy to look it up for us.
I don't know if you saw the interview, but basically he complained that his team was set back. He gave no indication that it was a situation that the schools, the SEC, nor the NCAA could remedy without moving Selection Sunday to Monday.
I had no problem with him complaining. It was more that he set it up like it was a conspiracy against Georgia.
Stat Boy is probably busy helping Kornheiser hang that St Patty's Day getup he had on today, so I don't think he can accomodate your request.
Firstly, BMT jumped me on the this article. I prefer to take the friendly route and say I strongly rooted for the opposition.
To say the SEC had a rough go of it during their conference tournament is an understatement. Safety concerns and the determination to have an automatic bid forced either Kentucky or Georgia to play two games on Saturday for the SEC.
The SEC's automatic bid is based on their tournament winner and not regular season title holder. Certainly the selection committee wasn't going to postpone their show later in the night or the following day, so rather than have no automatic bid and all at large bids the conference and teams did what they had to do.
Rumors were rampant that Kentucky needed to win both games on Saturday. This wasn't an event that anyone wanted or desired. It was a random event that everyone had to pull together to do the best they could but let's not get all mushy here.
Yes GA had to win the tournament to make it to tourney this year, but to be honest they were matched up in a late game because they lost so many games. To complain that it was all so unfair when a better way to state it may have been unfortunate.
Win some more games and maybe GA is a higher seed not needing to win the tournament or even scheduled for that continuation game. Before even winning a game GA came in with a losing record.
What's sad is teaching the student athletes the method of weining and complaining to get what you want rather than earn it or be strong, positive, and gracious.
Fulton had a tremendous opportunity after the second win of the night to make a plea to the committe saying that his players have played their hearts out in an unprecedented SEC Tournament to have their one shining moment. He could have said that no matter what they have in the tank they'll give what ever they have to win their way in and for the matter of competing strong to do what no other SEC has had to do and hope that the committe reflects on this when they make their decision. He then could have done what he needed to do which was to motivate and coach a tired team to victory without the tirade.
I'm of the opinion that Arkansas loss to GA kept a qualified team like Va Tech or even VCU out of the tournament. As for power conferences and low seeds in the past year Ill. and Ark. were a 12. When you think of a 14 you think of a mid major or a one bid conference winner like the ivy league. There may have been a 13 some where farther back but post expansion of the tournament.
One thing is for sure. I know that I have six teams to root for - George Mason, AU, and anyone that plays Duke after the sweet sixteen (have to support the conference), and anyone playing Ark. G'town, and GA.
Boy, are you saying that I threw you under the bus? The way you were going about it Saturday, Dennis Fulton and Georgia were dead to you.