The lesser of two weevils - losing to the draft or MSU?
by PugetDawg on Dec 29, 2011 2:09 PM EST
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As the sun rises out here in the Puget Sound - albeit much later than a sane human would think possible - I am greeted by the troubling news of more UGA underclassmen mulling the NFL draft question. To date, and I apologize if I am missing anyone, the following players have either submitted paperwork for draft analysis or there is speculation that they have:
Aaron Murray - QB
John Jenkins - NT
Branden Smith - CB
Orson Charles - TE
Bacarri Rambo - S
Sanders Commings - CB
Cornelius Washington - LB
Thankfully, UGA's consensus 1st-team all-American LB has proved himself a damn good dawg by promising another year in Todd Grantham's defense. Also, some of these players have stipulated that it is mere curiosity and not desire to leave that had them requesting draft review. With all of this in mind, I want to open a thread and pose a question to all of the insightful Dawg fans out there:
Would you rather the Bulldawgs bring shock and awe to their MSU bowl opponents - each of these players above having the game of their careers (essentially ensuring their immediate departure for the draft) - or would you prefer a loss to MSU and/or poor individual performances with the assumption (however naive it may be) that all of the NFL deciders will stay for another year?
Now, up-front, I acknowledge that this is one of those depressing "would you rather stick your finger in a light socket or roll on a bed of coals" type questions. I also submit that neither of the two above options represent a foregone set of conclusions. Finally, I concede that the nature of question itself can be seen as self-serving to UGA football fans and does not take into account the welfare of the players themselves - financial or otherwise.
Instead, this question is laid out to leave room for a multitude of potential responses and can lead to a host of additional questions:
Are the assumptions realistic? Is there a best case scenario to keep players and also crush MSU? Do we have players that are already on our roster or in-coming recruits that can easily step into their roles? Are bowl games important enough to the program that winning, therefore starting next season highly ranked, is worth potentially losing these players? Will winning and starting the next season highly ranked doom the Dawgs to a mediocre season as history has shown?
Again, I apologize for the potentially depressing nature of this post. It is more my intent to guage the importance of the bowls themselves as well as the anticipated impact that these players would have towards a 2013 national championship caliber team.
No matter what your viewpoint - I know we are all excited to see the Dawgs on January 2nd and have justifiably high expectations for next season!
Happy New Year and GO DAWGS!
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I would rather lose to MSU
If my choices are limited to losing to MSU and retaining all the above players or beating MSU and having each player leave, then losing to MSU is the only logical option.
Since this season is almost over and we’ve already attained a 10-win season, beating MSU would not affect our placement in the pre-season polls next season, at least not enough to justify wanting our starting NT, S, TE, CB, CB, QB, and LB to leave.
If each of the players left after beating the snot out of MSU, we’d likely be ranked lower at the beginning of next season than if we lose to MSU and keep the players, for the mass exodus of Dawgs, including Murray, would give us way too many question marks.
We’d have Mason at QB, who is largely untested.
We’d have THREE new CBs and a new safety.
We’d have a new TE.
We’d have less depth on the D-Line and in the LB corps.
It wouldn’t be pretty.
Thus, given the two options, and only under the stated conditions, go Sparty!
GATA!
I'd be really surprised if Commings, Smith, Jenkins, or Murray go.
I would still be surprised if Washington gets sufficient enticement to leave (though that would open things up for Ray Drew). Rambo is a toss-up that leans gone, and I’m hoping that Jarvis Jones talks him into staying. Orson Charles is gone, baby, gone.
Murray has said that he ain’t leaving. Commings and Smith haven’t distinguished themselves enough to command a high draft position. Jenkins could raise his stock a lot by staying – and probably promised Coach Richt he would stay 2 years.
Does anyone know
What an evaluation looks like?
Does it show positives and negatives of each player?
If Jenkins gave Richt his word, why even bother with an evaluation?
GATA!
I know where you're coming from -
but it’s not unusual for players to get a draft look to get a “feel” even if they aren’t going pro. It seems out of place, but it’s just prep for the next year. And, for a few players, if they get a bettter look than we may think, it may push them towards the draft.
Editor, "Dawgsports"
"The ball ain't heavy." Herschel Walker
Exactly.
Players ask for evaluations for the same reason presidential candidates conduct polls 24 months prior to the Iowa caucuses.
Manager, Dawg Sports, SB Nation's Georgia Bulldogs weblog.
Go 'Dawgs!
Personally, I would rather stick my finger in a light socket.
That way, if you’re going to die, you just die, and if not, then you just get the shakes for a little while before returning to normal, except maybe with a little gray streak in your hair. If you roll around on hot coals, you probably won’t die, but you’ll get burned like a **********, and recovering from burns is a worse pain than death.
Wait… that’s what we’re taking about, right?
Editor, Dawg Sports.
Go Dawgs!
Not at all.
I find that a touch of grey lends an “air of distinction” to one’s appearance.
Editor, Dawg Sports.
Go Dawgs!
by vineyarddawg on Dec 29, 2011 6:04 PM EST up reply actions
First off
given your choices I will have to root against the Dawgs in the Outback Bowl. I would much better enjoy a a 2012 season with the best quarterback, the most proven secondary in the nation and the best LB Corps in the country returning to rip apart what the rest of the galaxy has assumed to be 12 cupcakes. so instead of my normal GO DAWGS salutation…i will end this post with…wait for it…wait for it
WAIT FOR IT
GRADUATE DAWGS
I HATE ORANGE, and DGNBs
But we don't need those guys
because we’re not playing anybody next year. The underclassmen don’t need any help gobbling up those cupcakes, right?
by Cherokee's Grip on Dec 30, 2011 2:01 AM EST up reply actions
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