Isaiah Crowell: Tough Enough or Toughen Up?

Isaiah Crowell spends a lot of time on the Georgia sidelines when his offensive teammates are on the field. The freshman tailback has had a succession of nagging "injuries" since his indoctrination into college football this fall. I'm not implying that his injuries aren't legitimate, or even serious, but he does take himself out of ballgames with some frequency. He has said the hardest part to being a college football player is time management. I understand his point completely, especially coming from a high profile athlete as Crowell is now and was coming out of high school. I'm sure he meant this comment to mean off the field management more so than on the field. However, I think his biggest adjustment on the field has been the fact that a tailback playing in the SEC gets hit hard and often on every play, with 'hard' being the key word here for Crowell. Isaiah Crowell is a tremendously gifted and talented running back. He has all the natural ability a player needs to be a great and special collegiate tailback. However, you cannot be a great player standing on the sidelines. Dare to be great, Isaiah. Toughen up.

Georgia -vs- Vanderbilt: Can't We All Just Get Along...

He said, we said, they said, yada, yada, yada. A couple of football coaches yell at each other and probably represent their respective institutions in a less than flattering manner. Not the best of situations but not all that uncommon in the football arena. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just that it is. Vanderbilt believes Georgia's Todd Grantham went berserk for no good reason. Georgia believes Grantham was provoked. It won't matter for long who thinks what, because now all that matters is what the SEC Commissioner's office thinks. That's where this incident is headed now. On the UGA front, Grantham has had to meet with head coach Mark Richt on Sunday and athletic director Greg McGarity today regarding his behavior after Saturday night's hard fought Georgia victory (or hard fought Vandy loss, depending on your perspective). My hope here is that he does not have to meet face-to-face with Commissioner Mike Slive, nor have to be on the receiving end of a hefty league office punishment. I for one don't want to face Florida without defensive coordinator who was serving a one-game suspension.

Dan Wheldon: 1978-2011

It is always said that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. I wish Dan Wheldon had not been killed in Las Vegas, but I hope a catastrophe like this one never occurs in racing again anywhere. Wheldon died of unsurvivable injuries he suffered when his race car clipped another car and burst into flames after literally flying into a catch-fence. If I were a race car driver, fire would be my greatest fear. When the 15 car pile-up occurred, fire was the mitigating factor. IndyCar was very fortunate that it lost only one driver in such a terrible mishap, but one driver is far and away one too many. The two-time Indy 500 winner is survived by his wife and two young sons. Godspeed Dan Wheldon.

Barbara Dooley: That Rile Might Stay Up...

I think Derek Dooley is a good guy. I don't know what caliber of football coach he is because he hasn't been operating at the SEC level long enough to prove himself. There is one thing for sure, the "Hillbilly Honeymoon" won't last forever. That proving period will probably end this year, past program problems and transgressions not withstanding. Mama can defend her "Precious" all she wants, but he's a Big Boy now coaching in a Big Boy conference. The vultures will soon begin circling if he doesn't restore the Volunteer program back to its days of glory. Take all the shots at her baby you want, but just remember Mama's listening. Oh yea, take a hint from Bobby Bowden, she's "not too old to find you, son"!

Stephen Garcia: The Straw That Broke the Gamecock's Back

This can't be baseball, because you only get three strikes in 'America's Pastime'. It has to be the 'Ole Ball Coach, because he's the only one who allows anyone to tempt fate five times. It appears that even six times is one too many transgressions for Steve Spurrier. Thus a failed alcohol test and one Stephen Garcia is permanently booted off the South Carolina football team. And we all thought he had has many lives as the old feline, only to come up three short. But wait, knowing Garcia will partake of an adult beverage is just as sure a thing as the preacher man praying. So what's really going on in Columbia? I think that Connor Shaw's performance against Kentucky on Saturday finally convinced Spurrier that he is now prepared to be the 'Cocks number one signal caller. Shaw finally gave the "Evil Genius" the assurance he needed to rid himself of Garcia and all of his excessive baggage. It was Shaw who helped Spurrier put the noose around the neck of Garcia, not a failed alcohol test. But you all knew that anyway, right? Of course you did. But be careful Coach, it was 'Kensucky' that Shaw excelled against...

Tennessee Nike Pro Combat Uniforms

You can take the Volunteer out of the hills, but you can't take the Hillbilly out of the Vounteer! Rock on 'Rocky Top', they're playing your song. But you'll be seeing an awful lot of RED before Saturday night is over.