The Georgia Sports Blog distrusts men in bowties. Especially this one.
Cleverly couched by Adams as a decision by the "Athletic Board" and the "Regents," there is a motion to name the South Campus athletic facilities the Vince Dooley Athletic complex. In addition, there is proposal to erect a statue of Dooley near Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall--virtually off-campus. Wow! Thanks...for nothing.
I am convinced that Adams wants to pre-emptively name the decidedly unpresitigious Lumpkin Street athletic facilities in Dooley's "honor" so that if anyone ever suggests naming something on Sanford Drive for Dooley, Adams can say "we've already done enough to honor him." He tellingly revealed his true thoughts on this issue by telling the press "the stadium already has a name." Frank Ros responded by saying he’s doubtful Dooley’s name will ever be placed on the stadium as long as Adams is UGA’s president. “He’s made that clear on a number of occasions,” Ros said. “He’s made the statement before that ‘the stadium already has a name.’ But I think you have to be respectful of a person’s accomplishments regardless of your politics.”
"I am not a crook." [See, he's lying again.]
Several former players seem to have caught on that this honor is more like a slap in the face. Some honor. Dooley is a football coach. There is a Southeastern Conference tradition of naming football facilities for legendary football coaches. There is no football stadium on South Campus. The traditional honor for legendary college football coaches is to have something connected to the stadium named in their honor. (See, Bryant, Bear; Dodd, Bobby; Jordan, Shug; Neyland, General; Vaught, Johnny; et al).
We're not banging the drum for St. Vincent here. We're not even advocating our stadium should be Sanford-Dooley. We're personally hoping to name it Sanford-Richt in about thirty years and half a dozen national championships from now. But for crying out loud is it too much to ask to put the statue of Dooley near the stadium? What about on the renovated Gate 6 with all that bricked-in open space? I mean, to put the Dooley statue further away they'd have to put it next to the Iron Horse.
Make room for Dooley's statue.
It would be nice if the Board of Regents did something besides kiss Don Leebern's ancient ass for a change. They could start by voting down this "honor" and proposing something that is more fitting for a guy who dedicated his entire forty year professional career to the University of Georgia.
Update: Chip Towers chimes in on the controversy here.
Dawgnoxious
