Chipper Jones: A Brave for Life

The Atlanta Braves and veteran third baseman Chipper Jones have agreed on a $42 million contract extension that will run through 2012 and keep "Hoss" a Brave for his entire career. There is also an option year for 2013. Chipper was the first overall selection in the 1990 draft by Atlanta, and he has been a Brave since then. Bobby Cox is the only major league manager he has ever had. Last season Jones hit 22 homers, and now stands at 408 for his career. If he could average just below 25 a year over the next four seasons, he could become the third switch hitter in major league history to hit 500 home runs (Mantle 536 and Murray 504). He is already the only switch hitter to have a career .300 average and at least 300 dingers. But more importantly, Chipper feels that the Braves' organization is on the way back with all the top young prospects in the fold, and he wants to be a part of being at the top again. As a Brave, of course.

Coaches Lose Their Pants...

Hey guys, don't give up your day jobs!

Jordan Schafer: Is the Wait Over?

Jordan Schafer is a "Five-Tool" centerfielder. He can hit, he's showing he can hit with power, he's a tremendous defensive outfielder with an above average arm, and he runs well. Brian McCann says he's "tooled out of his mind". Bobby Cox feels he has all the defensive skills once possessed by the Gold-Glover, Andruw Jones. Schafer is having great spring for the Braves, batting .396 with seven extra-base hits and five stolen bases. The one negative thus far is that he is too much of a "free swinger", much like teammate Jeff Francoeur. He will strike out often, and will have periods where he struggles at the plate. Let's hope he finds an understanding of the strike zone faster than did Francoeur. He seems to be willing to work hard to get better, and carries with that a good attitude. The Braves will need him to mature as a ballplayer quickly and solidify the center field position in order for them to return to contention in the National League East. If he does indeed find himself to be the opening day centerfielder for Atlanta, here's hoping he holds on as the starter for a long time. We're all ready for the wait to be over.

Kentucky's Unemployment Rate Takes Another Hit

The third time is usually the charm. Billy Gillispie will never get to find that out. Today, to the surprise of no one, he was ousted as Kentucky head basketball coach. The NIT, which is an acceptable alternative for many schools, was an insult to the Big Blue Nation. They missed the NCAA tournament field for the first time since 1991. Basketball is king at the University of Kentucky, and the king has lost his crown. All the king's horses and all the kings men, couldn't put UK's program together again. It does a body and soul good to see Duke and Kentucky basketball struggling, especially at the same time!

Duke: Very Average All Year

Duke was pasted by Villanova last night 77-54. They were annihilated, dominated, and thrashed. They were exposed as the average team that they truly are. They have been mentioned highly all year long only because of four letters: D-U-K-E. The error in this is that they are no longer the Duke of old, and they haven't been for several years now. They have lived and died with small guards shooting threes for the past few seasons. The guns came up empty for them last night. They were a pathetic 5 for 27 from beyond the arc. Their "Krzyzewski Luck" finally ran out. He even realized his normal berating and baiting of the officials was not going to be of any help on that evening. He just had to suffer through the Blue Devil's worst tournament loss since 1990, when they lost to UNLV and the "Runnin' Rebs" by thirty. They have not made it to the Elite 8 since 2004. There were a lot of 'worsts' for Duke last night, and the 'worsts' might get worse before its over.

"Dickey V": His Time of the Year!

The time has come to set the Final Four. You know, All the nets were hung from the rims with care, in hopes that your favorite team soon would win there. Oops, wrong time of year, my bad. Nevertheless, can your bracket hang in there a little longer? Dick Vitale has his 'Fab Four' as Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, and North Carolina. He picks the Tarheels to win it all. He'll have all of his crazy descriptives going before the weekend is over. In the words of the incomparable Barney Fife, he's a nut. But he is also a tremendous ambassador for the game of college basketball. In his own words, he's awesome Baby, with a capital 'A'; he's a super scintillating senior adult; he's basketball bonkers. Those are close to what he would say anyway. You catch the drift. For what it's worth, An Opinion On Sports has its Final Four as Louisville, Memphis, North Carolina, and Pitt, with Carolina cutting down the nets! Good luck to all you "bracketeers" as the weekend progresses!

Richard Whitt's 'Behind The Hedges'

Due for release on April 6, Behind the Hedges explores the tremendous power struggles that took place within the university of Georgia. The main principals, UGA president Michael Adams, former athletic director Vince Dooley, and The Georgia Foundation are all openly examined. Even Governor Sonny Perdue is on display for his key role in keeping Adams at the university. One of the most interesting explorations of the late Mr. Whitt's work is the complete separation of the Georgia Foundation from the Board of Regents. The Foundation raises and oversees huge donations from private contributors, now with no official relationship to the University of Georgia whatsoever. This investigative gem should prove to be high on the 'must read' list for the entire Bulldog Nation.

Pete Maravich: Beyond The Brass Ring

The "Big Ring" story was told more than twenty years ago, so I'm sure most of you have read it before. Regardless of that, it's a great life story to get reacquainted with. Pete Maravich was the greatest "skill" basketball player of our time. I didn't say the most physically gifted or the most athletic athlete, but the most skilled in the offensive game of ball handling, passing, and shooting. Michael Jordan gave the game "hang time", shot innovation, and yes, long shorts. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gave basketball the "sky hook". Many other players have put their own special touch on the game. Lebron James is in the process of stamping his own identity on the game as well. But it was Maravich who gave us the no-look pass, the behind the back dribble and pass, the floppy gray socks, and above all, he was the first to give us "Show Time". His father told him to learn the game (from his father, Press, by the way), be good enough to play at both the college and professional levels, and maybe even win it all and get a "big ring". So basketball became his life, literally, at the age of seven, and the rest is, as they say, history. He accomplished all his father said he could, and more, but it just wasn't enough. It all lead to unhappiness and misery. But those two led to Jesus Christ. At that point, Pete Maravich finally got beyond the "Big Brass Ring".

The "Hines Ward" Rule?

The NFL rules committee is seeking to protect defensive players from devastating peel-back blows issued at the hands of offensive players. The "poster boy" example of this type of hit was the one administered by Pittsburgh's Hines Ward on the Bengal's Keith Rivers. Ward peeled back after a Steeler reception and nailed Rivers, who never saw the hit coming. The result was a broken jaw for Rivers, and the ruling of a legitimate hit for Ward. In the future, hits such as this could warrant flagrant, personal foul calls. The rules committee does not want to see helmet-to-helmet hits on players who do not have a chance to protect themselves. The new rule could be in place at the conclusion of the league's annual meetings later this week.

Chief Noc-A-Homa Wants a Tepee at the Ted

Levi Walker, Jr., the most popular of three Chief Noc-A-Homas, says Turner Field needs a tepee. Noc-A-Homas's tepee occupied the left field bleachers from 1969 to 1986. Curiously, the Braves removed the structure in 1982 in order to add more seating. The team then went on a skid losing 19 of 21 games, which prompted a tremendous outcry from the Atlanta fans. Braves management, at he direction of one Mr. Ted Turner, had the tepee put back up, and the Braves reversed the skid and went on to win the National League Western Division. Walker, who now resides in Michigan, would love to come to Turner Field and pass the baton onto a younger Chief Noc-A-Homa. Sounds good to me. After all, it's been a few years now since we won our division. You know what they say about drastic times and drastic measures...

Ed Davis: "Superstar In Waiting"

Go ahead and mark it down. North Carolina's next superstar will be Ed Davis. He has all the tools, now he just needs to refine them, grow, and get better with experience. The 6'10" forward hails from Benedictine High in Richmond, Virginia. The southpaw freshman chose the Tarheels over Virginia and UConn. He had offers from Georgetown, Louisville, Michigan State, as well as many others. This year he has averaged slightly more than 18 minutes per game with a 6.6 point scoring average. He scored a career high of 15 in the 'Heels NCAA tournament opener against Radford.

Ty Lawson: Game-time Decision

North Carolina coach Roy Williams says that Ty Lawson's ability to play against LSU in the second round of the NCAA tournament on Saturday will be a game-time decision. Lawson has failed to appear in the Tarheel's last three games due to a jammed big right toe. If Ty Lawson does not play against LSU, then North Carolina's season will be over. You heard it on An Opinion On Sports first. So, can he play, and then, can he be effective? Hmmm.....

Bobby Cremins: Good For The Game

When Bobby Cremins decided to coach college basketball again in 2006-07, basketball should have stood up and applauded. The College of Charleston did a good days work in bringing Cremins back into the game. After all, there's a limit to how much an old basketball coach is willing to put in to lowering his handicap. Cremins had reached that limit. After all, it had been six years since he left Georgia Tech and he had planned to be away from the court just one year. He was tired of living the good life. Because he didn't have his life back. His heart and soul. He needed the rigors of college coaching again. He does not have his C of C Cougars at the level he aspires for them, but he realizes it is a work in progress. He desperately wants to coach in the NCAA tournament again. He longs for "the thrill of victory", even if it means enduring "the agony of defeat" to get there again. He will rebuild the Charleston program. He will again compete in "the big dance". He'll get it done, because he has the time. And most importantly, he has his life back, along with his heart and soul.

Pro Day On A "Dawg Day Afternoon"

Georgia held its Pro Day today in Athens for its draft eligible former players. The main focus of the workout was, of course, quarterback Matthew Stafford. Since he elected not to throw at the NFL combines, all the coaches and scouts wanted to see his skills up close and personal. He did not disappoint those in attendance. Although he was a little pumped up and overthrew a couple of balls early, he settled into his workout of 5o scripted passes under the direction of Georgia offensive coordinator, Mike Bobo. He displayed accuracy, velocity and touch as he progressed through the impressive exhibition. The Detroit Lions, who have the first selection in next month's draft, declined to comment on Stafford's day. That isn't so unusual however, and the closer it gets to draft day, the less we'll hear from any of the teams due to the fact that none of them will want to let out too much information regarding draft strategy. Also working out today for the pros were former Bulldogs Knowshon Moreno, Mohamed Massaquoi, C.J. Byrd, Asher Allen and Dannell Ellerbee among others. The NFL Draft is April 25-26 in New York.

Tyler Hansbrough: All-Time ACC Scoring Leader

North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough passed Duke's J.J. Reddick to become the ACC's all-time leading scorer in today's opening round of the NCAA tournament. Hansbrough came into the game needing three points to surpass Reddick's record of 2,769 career points. He scored 22 points in Carolina's 43 point victory over Radford and now stands at the top with 2,789 points and counting. In December, Hansbrough broke the thirty year old North Carolina scoring record previously held by Tarheel great Phil Ford. Just last week in the ACC tournament, Hansbrough passed Sam Perkins to become North Carolina's all-time rebound leader.

Bobby Bowden: Cry Me A River...

Florida State has been placed on probation by the NCAA for academic infractions. It seems staff members helped athletes on a music history exam, as well as one occasion when an athlete took a test for another. The probation is for four years and includes the loss of scholarships in ten different sports. The NCAA also stated that as part of the penalties, FSU had to forfeit wins in games involving these guilty players in all of those ten sports. The total number of games for football is fourteen. As you would expect, Coach Bobby Bowden claims the sanctions are too high for the improprieties committed. His university is appealing the possible reversal of the victories, and Bowden supports that completely. After all, he'll never catch back up to "Joe-Pa" in overall wins if he has to give up fourteen. I'm sure the NCAA will look very favorably on Bobby's "killing a flea with a hammer" analogy as they consider the appeal. The reason I am apparently showing no sympathy for the Seminoles can be summed up in two words: Jan Kemp. Jan Kemp sued the University of Georgia for wrongful termination after she accused the university of preferential treatment of athletes with regard to academics. And she won. Her success in that case forced Georgia to compete in the recruiting wars at a very big disadvantage from their competition in the Southeastern Conference. Georgia had to raise its academic standards above the requirements of the NCAA, thus loosing out on kids to other schools simply because they could not qualify under UGA'a tougher restrictions. The University of Georgia paid a tremendously high price for its accused indiscretions. I guess that's why I'm not very concerned with how tough the NCAA comes down on FSU. And by the way, the Seminoles have slipped by with a lot for a long time. What ya gonna do when they come for you.....?

All Pro Dad

Former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy was in Athens to introduce 'All Pro Dad' onto colleges campuses. The University of Georgia is the first college to sponsor an "All Pro Dad Day", on a yet to be determined date. Previously, the program had been sponsored completely through the professional ranks. 'All Pro Dad' is a way to use the allure of football as a way for dads to spend more time with their children. Dungy, having known Georgia coach Mark Richt for years, thought that Georgia would be the perfect campus to launch his program into the college ranks, because of Richt's family oriented values.

An Opinion On Sports: Off With The Diapers...

Happy Birthday! An Opinion On Sports is one year old today. We've been around 12 months, offered up more than 400 posts, and seen the hits to our site go over 12,000. We've settled into our niche of posting about sports in general. Those UGA Bulldogs continue to be our passion, but we can't write about the Dawgs everyday. There are too many other things going on in the wonderful world of sports! So basically, we just offer up an opinion on the topics that capture our attention, topics that we have an interest in, and topics that we feel like we know a little about (hopefully). Even though we are a site that doesn't get a lot of comments, we feel we have developed a few loyal supporters who drop in regularly. We are especially appreciative of that. Thank you very much. This is just a hobby. Perhaps it is an outlet that allows us to escape the trials and tribulations of the 'real world'. It's enjoyable for us, and we trust all of you are able to find a little pleasure in it as well. We will continue with our goal of around 30 posts per month, but we can't allow An Opinion On Sports to interfere with the responsibilities of the real world (I still haven't figured out how to make money with a blog!). But it is true that the more time we have to reference and research a particular topic, the better the post is for that subject. And then there are those days when it really is tough to come up with a subject matter that churns up a lot of interest for us. But not often. Thanks again for your support. I hope all of us are around for birthday number two!

"The Dawgs of Spring"

The Georgia Bulldogs opened spring practice today in Athens, as they begin to prepare for life without Matthew and Knowshon. Not to worry, however. The cupboard is far from bare. Joe Cox will be just fine at the quarterback position, and Caleb King and company will be more than able to handle the tailback duties. It will be an important time on the defensive side of the ball as well. The defensive ends must step up their game by improving their pass rush, and defensive backs must get more physical and aggressive. Georgia must get healthy before summer camp opens also. A total of twenty players are wearing green, non-contact jerseys this spring. It looked great for St. Patrick's day, but not so great to celebrate the depth chart. The Bulldogs will cap-off the rites of spring next month with the annual G-Day game, which will be televised live on ESPN.

New Options For the Lions...

The Detroit Lions have the first pick in this year's NFL draft. It has been highly speculated that they would use that selection to draft former Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford. However, now that Denver has damaged quarterback Jay Cutler's feelings reportedly beyond repair, the Lions might take a serious look into acquiring Cutler by trade with the Broncos. It makes sense.
After all, the Lions have a total of 5 picks in the first 81 choices. That's a good thing, because coming off of an 0-16 season, drafts choices are about all they have to trade with. They could trade for Cutler, not have to go through the growing pains with a rookie quarterback, and still have draft selections left to rebuild with. At least Detroit has some options, and they will need them. One would expect teams like the New York Jets and Tampa Bay Bucs, both who are "quarterback needy", to join in the Cutler sweepstakes before all is said and done. It will be interesting to see the Lions approach as they attempt to get back to a competitive level in the NFL. It will also be interesting to see if Jay Cutler gets more than he bargained for.

"The Last Great Race on Earth"

The Iditarod. A race of more than 1,150 miles over some of the roughest and toughest, yet most beautiful terrain our earth has to offer. Not to mention temperatures that give new meaning to "sub-zero", winds that decimate visibility, and unusually long periods of darkness. All of this is Iditarod, and it can only take place in Alaska. Where else to have the ultimate test of man and animal against nature? One musher, a team of twelve to sixteen dogs, and eight to fifteen days to cover more than 1,100 miles of distance that will test not only stamina, but the very basic senses of survival. To compete and to conquer. There is only one winner of the Iditarod, but there are no losers. To survive and ultimately finish is victory.

Taxes and The Tournament

It's time to talk about both: Tax brackets and tournament brackets. Here we go again. We're only two days from "Selection Sunday", which is much more thrilling than April 15th "Weeping Wednesday"! Who's in and who's out? Who gets a refund, and who pays out of the snout? Don't not to be like the guy above and "bust" your brackets! Good Luck...

This Date in Time

March 12, 1985, Larry Bird hangs a cool 60 on the Atlanta Hawks. Bird's 60 points set a francise record as the Celtics cruised to a 126-115 victory on...this date in time.

Mike Singletary's Fantastic Performance

Mike Singletary scored 43 points, 29 of them consecutively, as he led Texas Tech back from 21 points down to upset Texas A&M 88-83 in the opening round of the Big 12 tournament. Let me repeat, he scored 29 consecutive points. No one else on his team scored during that streak. That is almost unbelievable. Talk about being in "the zone". He literally put his Red Raider team on his back and carried it to victory. It has to be one one the greatest individual performance in NCAA history. But think about this, Singletary, a sophomore, didn't even start the game. He did all of this coming off the bench. His previous game high was 25 points, and his 43 points were a Big 12 tournament record.

Jay Cutler: The Bitter Comes With The Sweet

I like Jay Cutler. I really do. I think he did a super job at Vanderbilt, and he's an above average NFL quarterback. He will not have any problems with continuing to earn a living by throwing the rock as a professional. He knows how to play the game at that level. But he is going to have to get more adjusted to the business side of the league. It can be unfair. It can be cut-throat. It was a game in college, but it's a business in the National Football League. You better get used to it. The Broncos tried to trade you. So what? Bigger fish have been traded in the league before.
It really shouldn't matter which team initiated the trade talks. Don't take it personally. Roll with the punches. You might not get the long-term Bronco commitment you're seeking. Just hope the league wants you long term, regardless of whose uniform you wear. Go ahead and show up for the team's off-season conditioning program. Don't make this situation worse on yourself than it needs to be. You have a team, and you have a job. Not everyone is that fortunate right now.

Georgia Bulldog Baseball: Ranked #1 Nationally

Dave Perno's undefeated Georgia Bulldog baseball team has been named the number one ranked college team in the country by both the Collegiate Baseball as well as the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) polls. The 12-0 Dawgs are off to their best start in school history. They are followed in the polls by North Carolina, LSU, Texas, and Arizona State to round out the top five. Georgia is hitting an average of .364 as a team while scoring almost 12 runs per game. Their team ERA is 2.42. The Bulldogs begin SEC confrontations on March 13th against Alabama in Tuscaloosa.

The Netherlands Shook Up The World...Indeed!

It wasn't as big as the U.S. hockey team's 1980 victory over the Soviet Union in the Olympics. Probably not as prolific as Cassius Clay's(he wasn't Ali then) startling knockout of Sonny Liston for his first heavyweight title either. But it was perhaps as shocking as New England's loss to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl a year ago. Now that I've set the perspective, I'm alluding to the Netherlands stunning, extra inning defeat of the star-studded Dominican Republic baseball team in the World Baseball Classic last night. The Dominican squad was heavily favored and stacked with super talent. The Netherlands guys were either "washed-up" or too inexperienced. Yet they pulled off the gigantic, unimaginable upset. The beauty of sports at its utmost, and a reminder of why we play the game regardless of the spread or the odds. Because anyone can win and anyone can lose on any given day. The Netherlands' team might have just put the WBC on the map by making it a legitimate showcase for baseball competition for all national teams across the entire globe. They indeed shook up the baseball world for the benefit of the WBC, and demonstrated to all of us again that "that's why we play the games"!

No Sugar in This "Loaf"

Michael Vick's suburban Atlanta mansion went on the auction block today as part of his bankruptcy settlement. Only two bidders showed up for the prospective sale, neither of which made a qualifying offer. The opening bid was $3.2 million. The 20,000 square foot mansion features eight bedrooms, eleven baths, a theater, a pool room, an indoor golf driving range, and a four car garage. The house, one of Sugarloaf Country Club's most prominent estates, has been on the market for more than a year.

NASCAR Gets An "Eye-Opener"

Tony Stewart said Detroit is doing a great job and Americans should start spending money again. Jeff Gordon stated he was a little "baffled" by the crowd size at Atlanta Motor Speedway yesterday. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. hinted that Atlanta could lose one of its two races because of poor fan support. At least Carl Edwards admitted that NASCAR is not recession proof. Hey Tony, its tough for Americans to spend freely again when jobs are being terminated, hours cut, and no large, looming optimism in our economic near-future. And Jeff, don't be perplexed. A guy isn't going to a race after he's been in the unemployment office trying to save his family, not to mention his dignity. Give me a break, Junior. It isn't Atlanta's fault the track was said to be only two-thirds filled. You're going to see other venues at less than capacity before we pull out of our economic doldrums. Thanks, Carl. Your insight is refreshing because your sport is certainly not exempt from the economic downturn the majority of the taxpayers in our country are experiencing. NASCAR gets no immunity on this one, and it had better be cautious. It's expensive to attend a racing event, the popularity of the sport has declined to some extent, and in most cities it's certainly not the only game in town. Furthermore, GM's own internal auditors said last week they didn't see how the corporate giant could survive. How devastating would the eventuality of that possibility be to the auto racing industry? That yellow caution flag that NASCAR loves to wave in order to insure competitiveness might just be waving at the sport itself.

Orson Charles: Tight End & Number 7!

National signing day is more than a month old, but it took that long for Georgia to cap off its 2009 recruiting class with the signing yesterday of hybrid tight end Orson Charles. Only Herschel Walker held the Bulldogs in suspense longer, waiting until April to make his college choice known. Charles, who is a senior at Tampa's Plant High, will join teammate and quarterback Aaron Murray in Athens. His long recruiting process left him with three finalists that included Georgia, Southern Cal, and Tennessee. He is ranked as the number three tight end in the country, as well as the number seven wide receiver. Incidentally, he has been promised Matthew Stafford's number 7 jersey, his high school number. Charles is a great addition to an already strong Bulldog class. It seems that many times when Georgia goes down to the wire as a finalist with a particular prospect, the Dawgs lose out. Not this time, however. Orson Charles may have taken long, but he certainly did not pick wrong!

And The Winner Is...?

They could not have timed this any better even if they rehearsed it!

Dawgs Skin Cats at Rupp

Georgia defeated Kentucky 90-85 Wednesday night at Rupp Arena in Lexington. It was only the fourth victory for the Dawgs at Rupp in the past thirty two years. The loss probably keeps the Wildcats from securing an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament as well. If that is the case, it will be the first time since 1991 that the 'Big Blue' will not be a participant in March Madness. Terrance Woodbury(above) led Georgia with 30 points as the Hoop Dawgs earned just their third conference win, and their first on the road this year.

Kurt Warner: Too Much is More Than Enough...

Think about this for a moment: Kurt Warner initially was asking for $14 to $16 million per year to re-sign with the Arizona Cardinals. He then meets with the San Francisco 49ers who offer him more money and more guarantees than Arizona. However, Warner would much rather remain a Cardinal, so he drops his asking price to $11.5 million per year. Plus, he says he will take $1 million less per season if Arizona re-signs receiver Anquan Boldin. So, he and the Cardinals agree to a two-year, $23 million deal. I suppose this is a win-win situation for 'Kurt and his Cards'. But now I clue you in on the part of this entire negotiation that caught my attention. If a player tells a team he will take $2.5 million to $4.5 million less than he asked for before the team even turned down his initial numbers, plus another million less if the team signs a certain receiver, isn't he so much as saying he's over-paid to begin with? The NFL commissioner just took a cut in pay and trimmed his staff by more than 160 employees to weather our current financial crisis, yet the owners continue to throw out these astronomical bucks to the players. What's wrong with this picture? It sounds like to me the owners could have chipped in and kept those 160 employees at work for the league since they have all the money. Heck, the Cardinals could have done that easily with the dollars Warner left on the table. Go figure...

Jason Taylor Not Dancing With The Skins

Defensive end Jason Taylor has been released from the Washington Redskins after only one season. The decision not to bring Taylor back to the Skins apparently stems from his refusal to participate in off-season workouts at Redskins Park. Taylor and his family reside in Florida, and he prefers to be with them between seasons. He was slowed by injuries this past season, and never acclimated himself to the Redskins 4-3 defensive scheme. Perhaps Taylor could fit in as an Atlanta Falcon? He can still play the game, and Atlanta is much closer to Miami than Washington is. The Falcons continue to look for defensive help, although it's more in the area of the defensive backfield rather than the line. Nevertheless, it could work...

Memorial Gym & End-Of-The-Floor Benches...

Memorial Gymnasium at Vanderbilt University is unique among college basketball venues in that the respective team benches are on either end of the court, as opposed to being on the

sides of the court. The gym floor is also built up higher than the floor of the arena, thus giving it a stage effect. Advantage Vandy? Some opposition coaches maintain that it is since it is the only facility with such different circumstances for visiting teams. However, the setup of the facility is not likely to change since renovations to 'Memorial' have not addressed the issue. The seating capacity for basketball is 14,168.