Are You Ready for Some Women's Gymnastics?

There are just 32 games remaining in college football season.

The prospect of entering the long void between New Year's Day and Labor Day chills me even more than the chilly weather here in Henry County (which, as Jason Pye notes, is "soooooooo cold"), but it is time to begin turning our attention towards the secondary sports . . . namely, all those that are not college football.

At this point, I have a confession to make: I don't follow basketball.

No offense, Coach.

I have nothing against basketball. In fact, I readily acknowledge that basketball is a fine game and I believe fans of the sport have perfectly valid reasons for finding it interesting, entertaining, and exciting.

However, there's only so much maniacal zeal one person can pour into sports. I am a lifelong Georgia Bulldogs football fan and a relapsing Atlanta Braves baseball fan, so there is only a limited amount of time within which basketball even could compete for my attention . . . and, frankly, I need a little down time between the B.C.S. championship game and the day pitchers and catchers report. (Plus, there's that whole tournament thing.)

I'm not saying I intend to ignore completely the efforts of everyone's favorite clothes horse and his team, but I'm warning you up front that, if Georgia basketball is your thing, Paul Westerdawg has you well and truly covered. If you want basketball coverage, read Paul. In fact, you ought to be reading Paul, anyway, but that's a separate conversation.

This, though, brings us to the question, "What will Dawg Sports be covering during the offseason?"

First of all, I take the view that any time is a good time to talk about college football, so the attention paid to the Red and Black will be diminished only marginally by the incidental fact that no games are being played.

Even in the offseason, Mark Richt is still the Man.

Secondly, though, I plan to direct your attention to women's gymnastics.

Don't laugh. Suzanne Yoculan is the Bear Bryant of her sport and the Georgia Gym Dogs are coming off of a national championship campaign that was almost certainly the greatest season in intercollegiate gymnastics history. Besides, a Georgia gymnastics meet is a fine place to take a date.

If you're going to be in Athens on Sunday, get by the Ramsey Center at 2:00 p.m. for the annual "Sneak Peek" at the two-time defending national champions. The Gym Dogs lost just one letterwinner from the 2006 squad and they will be joined by six incoming freshmen, including two former U.S. Elite Team members and 2004 Olympic silver medalist Courtney McCool, for whom you will want to root just 'cause her name is "Courtney McCool."

With a name like "Courtney McCool," you might expect her to be a cartoon character designed to give subliminal encouragement to teenagers to begin smoking, but, instead, she's entering her first year of competition in the nation's premiere college gymnastics program with an Olympic medal in her trophy case. (Image from M.S.N.)

Georgia begins its title defense on January 6. Stay tuned to Dawg Sports for the latest updates on Coach Yoculan and her squad as the Gym Dogs attempt to capture a third consecutive national title.

Go 'Dawgs!