[su_spacer size=”20″] As the old saying goes, there are two types of people in the world, those who are good at math and those who aren’t. Also, there are two types of UGA Hoops fans, those who avidly follow the program and those who purport to. I would consider myself in the former since I’ve either listened, watched, or attended all but three hoops games in the last five or so years. This by no means makes me an expert, but it does qualify me as a fan. By the way, for anyone else who’s occasionally stuck listening to the radio, don’t you miss Jeff Dantzler? He made the radio fun. But I digress. Since I’m an avid fan, I always want what’s best for the program. I’ve made no bones about the fact that I think Mark Fox is probably the best man for the job at UGA. That said, if you know that someone else would do better and that we could get that coach, then I’m on board if it’s better for the program. Up til now, the main criticism of Mark Fox is he couldn’t recruit. While I think that assessment is wrong, let’s deem it true for the moment. That brings us to the question: Did Mark Fox just learn how to recruit?
[su_spacer size=”40″] Before we answer that question, let me explain why I think Mark Fox has done a decent job recruiting. First, UGA has landed one McDonald’s All American in the last twenty years and Mark Fox got him. That’s one more MickeyD’s AA than Dennis Felton, Jim Harrick, Ron Jirsa and Tubby Smith added up. Secondly, UGA has been in the final two or three for several big names in GA under Fox. I know the Fox hating mantra is “How can he not keep these kids in state” And “If I were a kid from GA, I’d only want to go to UGA”. It’s comical that’s the response I hear all this time because those are two of the most inane statements I’ve ever heard. While I love UGA with all my heart and wouldn’t want to go anywhere else, I’m not a 17 year old phenom that has been put up on a pedestal all my life. If you are a 17 year old from the state and you can play ball anywhere in America, you’re going to visit a lot of schools. When you visit UNC, UK, Duke, Louisville, etc, you’re going to games that are standing room only. The atmosphere is electric. The crowds are raucous. People camp out for tickets. You’re recognized all over campus. You’re idolized and adored by the masses. These are basketball schools. At UGA, about 3,500 show up to a game on average. We sell about 6,400 per game but most season ticket holders don’t show up. That’s why the lower bowl is generally looks empty. But we do have Sweater Guy! We were 84th in the country in average attendance in 2014. The fact that Mark Fox has us in the conversation with most of these kids is amazing in itself. When your best selling point is how much fun football games are, you’re already in trouble. Also, when you play your games in a facility that once doubled as a horse barn, you also understand that you might could use more some additional support. While the remodel of the Stegesaurus looks great, it’s still lipstick on a pig. He, and any other coach, is swimming upstream when it comes to recruiting. While I think he’s done an admirable job so far, it appears to be getting much better. However, let’s again act like he’s done as horrible a job as others would have you believe.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Getting back to the two types of UGA Hoops fans, the one’s that really pay attention and develop their own opinions seem to laud Coach Fox. That’s not a shot at anyone, just what I’ve noticed based on conversations with people. Plus, at least three separate analysts doing UGA games this year said they would name him SEC Coach of the Year if not for Kentucky’s undefeated regular season. However, the folks that tend to complain about Mark Fox most are much more causal observers. These are the same type of people that usually get their political news from Entertainment Tonight. Now I’m not saying that intelligent, well-informed people can’t have educated complaints with Coach Fox. I’m just speaking to what I see when I discuss the topic with others. So if you’re a supporter of Coach Fox and you let your opinion be known, the next sentence out of most any dissenter’s mouth is “The guy can’t recruit”. Unfortunately for them, Coach Fox may have just learned to recruit. The Dawgs have three 3-Star recruits signed for next year. One of the recruits, Will “Turtle” Jackson is a legit 4-Star talent. Turtle can fill it up and I can’t wait to see the Athens, GA product in the Red and Black. The second guy may be just as good. Our third recruit is considered more of a project from what I’m being told. If I’m wrong, please let me know. And then there’s Jaylen Brown. The number one player in the country from Wheeler HS. He’s got to sign by April 15, I believe. Recruiting can be so taxing! He says UGA is still in his top six, along with Kansas, UNC, Kentucky, Michigan, and Cal. Seen any of those names before? While landing him is thought to be a longshot, Fox is in the conversation. We also have two other guys that Fox is talking to and both seem to have some talent. For the next year’s class, Fox has landed two 4-Stars that could play right now. If he can add one more talented big man, it could easily be his best class so far. If so, we have a dilemma!
[su_spacer size=”40″] If Mark Fox never could recruit but now has learn to, we’re faced with two major problems. First, all of these Mark Fox haters, or the casual observers if you will, are going to have to find another reason as to why he stinks. And quite frankly, it’s slim pickings. Let’s look at history and facts. He’s gotten UGA’s only MCD AA since 1992. He’s gotten UGA in the Big Dance twice in six years. Since our first appearance in 1983, we’ve been twelve times. So while you could say he’s underperforming a little bit there, don’t forget UGA had more early NBA departures than anyone else in the SEC from 2011-2013 save Kentucky. Plus, while he’s had back to back twenty win season for the first time since 1998, I think the job he did in 2013 was his best. With any luck at all, the Dawgs could’ve been 13-5 in conference that year. While that season was probably the low-water mark for the SEC, Fox willed those guys to wins with great coaching. We were outmatched almost every time we hit the floor. Even this year with all the injuries, turnovers, and missed layups, he got the job done. While I think we did underperform this year, it’s not on Coach Fox. You start off behind the eight ball when your best player gets mono in October. At the start of SEC play, your best freshmen gets punted by a car on campus and suffers a concussion. Four more guys that give you quality minutes miss multiple games. We were never healthy and we just couldn’t put it together. Our second big problem is how long will Mark Fox be around. If he starts bringing in talent, then he’s most likely going to win because he’s a such a great X and Os coach. Once he starts winning, he’s a hot commodity. Other schools that care about basketball will want Mark Fox. Will UGA be willing to match Syracuse or Indiana or K-State even? Also, you can take the other side of the coin and say he doesn’t do well with the new talent he just learned how to recruit. What then? He gets fired by Butts-Mehre and we bring in a new guy and start this entire process over? Where does that leave an overall fragile program that has historically taken one step forward and two steps back.
[su_spacer size=”40″] Succeeding in March is a blast. While just making the tournament is currently labeled an achievement for our program, we can only dream of days when that’s the rule and not the exception. Mark Fox is building a program like that. While I don’t think we’ll ever be UConn or Kentucky, I think we can be a program that makes a deep tournament run every three or four years. Let’s embrace what Fox is doing rather than take pot shots about what your brother-in-law told you at the Christmas Party. You really don’t like you’re brother-in-law anyway. He’s just some guy that attends two games a year and he thinks he’s a sage. So just let him and his opinions go! However, if you do want to continue the petty complaining, you better start looking for Plan B because it appears the recruiting train has left the proverbial station. How bout you moaners hop on as well? Going forward, this train is all positive. Unless the criticism is deserved. Then, of course, we will strike down on Coach Fox with great vengeance and furious anger! But for right now, he’s our Dawg and he will hunt. Go Dawgs!