Does Fire Fox Still Hold Water?

In January, I wrote what was, for me, the hardest post I ever wrote, the removal of Coach Fox. And in fact, I went on Ludakit's podcast soon thereafter to discuss it. Before I commit to kill myself to honor my ancestors, we need to remember where we were then. Here it is: We all liked Coach Fox. We all wanted him to succeed. My issue at the time was the abysmal loss to the worst team (one of them) to MSU and the incredible lack of basketball IQ, which fully falls on Coach Fox. You think I ain't giving myself an out? Hell naw. We went through about a trillion line ups before settling on the last week's starters, and it's one that involves starting a senior, only to take him out (this happened) within a minute. Coach Fox has failed to lay it on line and not start seniors who are terrible. So, no, I won't fully give you a mea culpa. But that don't mean I hate on Fox, or the Fox Hounds. Or will fail to state where I am wrong. Quite the opposite.

We are 4 close or stupid losses from being a top team in conference. In the NCAA? no. Hell no. But we had wins at hand against MSU, Ole Miss, Vandy, and Bama. We didn't win, no, but they caught the fear. In fact, they fell off the dagum cliff after us. What I can't figure, because ESPN owns the narrative, is no one noticed that our big losses were so long ago that I was making Thanksgiving plans. This is not the same team now as then. And media love child Kentucky paid that price.

So now, I look at that post I wrote, what I consider my deepest, most heartfelt, hardest post ever, and I think, was I wrong? We all think so much on football. If you need me to breakdown the 3-4-5 or the pistol, I got you. I will X and O you to death. But I care about UGA athletics. And I remember watching UGA - LSU because it was LSU. That was 20 years ago. I remember my Dad teaching me more about basketball than football, because, by G*d, I am 4th Gen Bulldog, and we don't need to worry about my innate football acumen. I was mad and I was reasonably mad, about the state of our basketball program. The "number 2 money maker", at a school that cares so, so much for the money. And, likely for the good, I find myself at a cross-roads. I find myself obligated, unlike the AJC or ESPN, to be responsible for my editorials.

I like Mark Fox. He's doing the impossible. I want him to win and do well. In fact, he is the best DGD we have had since Durham. His weakness - recruiting. IF we had just one KCP freshman right now, it's a whole different game. But I liked Morris in November, and now Fox likes Morris. Coach Fox does have an eye. It's, frankly, our sorry seniors that have hurt so much. However (sorry NCT), in a one and done basketball world, you better get quality freshmen. Right now we need just one more KCP. For what's it's worth "football school", Mark Richt was at the game tonight. 'Cause he knows. Winning breeds winning.

It's sad, that in the last home game against one of the most formidable national opponents, we still didn't sell out, we still weren't that loud, we still had 1000s of opponent fans. So before we look at the speck in Fox's eye, we may perhaps should look at the log in ours. We are sitting on the doorstep of a real basketball team, and it's only administrative and fan support away from returning from the ashes of the 80s. We are one superstar this next year from an SEC contender. Can I tell you this is a 2008 miracle? No, or else it wouldn't be a 2008 miracle. But what I can tell you is being a good team in the position of underdog is a great position. How we handle Alabama tomorrow will say a lot. I really, truly love our underclassmen. That's not the worse thing. I didn't like Kentucky's underclassmen all that much.

Coach Mark Fox will not be removed this year. I'm ok with that. I'd rather get rid of that waste of time Perno. What we do know is now AD McGarity needs to start being the big man on campus, take assessment of the abysmal basketball advertisement and support, and the baseball team that is about to fall fully off the axle, and start being the man. Oh, and I am not done on this point. Until the next rant...

GO DAWGS