Sports Daily: Bulldogs embrace the Madness

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KEN WEIGHS IN

Credit: Wade Payne/AP

Credit: Wade Payne/AP

Every Thursday, Sports Daily checks in with AJC columnist Ken Sugiura.

This week he’s in Wichita for Georgia’s NCAA tournament game against Gonzaga (4:35 p.m. on TBS), so we asked him about the Bulldogs, March Madness memories and … food.

🤔 I loved the March Madness memories Blue Cain and Silas Demary Jr. shared in your recent column about Georgia basketball. How would you describe the vibe among the team out there?

I might describe them as eager to play and optimistic about their chances. I think they feel tested by having gone through a rigorous regular-season schedule and, while they don’t have the NCAA Tournament experience or history of success that Gonzaga does, I don’t think they’re going to be intimidated by that.

🔮 The quote from Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, about hope, caught my eye too. Do you think simply appearing in the tournament for once helps Georgia really get the ball rolling?

It could. This is trite, but to become a tournament regular, you first have to make it once. And I think there is something to what Sampson said about establishing credibility and creating hope.

But, as Georgia fans know well, it’s not the program’s history. One thing I included in that column is that, since Georgia last won an NCAA Tournament game, every other SEC team has won at least one and nearly all of them have won many, many more than one.

And, barring big successes in the transfer portal, the job next year will be tougher after freshman star Asa Newell (presumably) declares for the draft.

The encouraging thing for Georgia is that Mike White did have Florida winning consistently, though not on a grandiose level. If he could get UGA to four tournaments in seven years, like he did with the Gators, who wouldn’t sign up for that?

I feel like Georgia fans have probably said that before about past coaches.

Credit: AP file photo

Credit: AP file photo

😲 They have! Shifting gears: Do you have a favorite March Madness memory, either personally or professionally?

When I was in college at the University of Michigan and writing for the school newspaper, I had the great fortune of covering the Fab Five in their sophomore season. Before the national championship game against North Carolina in 1993, I called my mom from the Superdome, sharing my excitement that I was at this event that I’d grown up revering and recognizing what a privilege it was as a college student. And that it might be a while before I got back.

On top of the game turning out to be one of the most memorable ever — the Chris Webber timeout game — I have thought back to that conversation on the handful of occasions (including this week) that I’ve had the privilege of covering the tournament. I’ve been really lucky to be able to do in large part what I set out to do way back then.

🌶️ That’s sweet! Got any spicy bracket takes for us?

You’ve likely heard/read that the SEC set the record for most bids from a single conference with 14 and the accompanying bravado about how SEC teams are battle-tested. (I referenced it in the first answer, actually.) But it didn’t entirely work out as planned for the conference whose record the SEC broke.

In 2011, the Big East placed 11 teams into the tournament. Four of them were out in the first round (including a 4 seed and two 6 seeds) and nine were out by the end of the second round (including a 1 and 2 seed). I should note that two of the second-round losses were to other Big East teams.

A Big East team did ultimately win (Connecticut), but the Huskies were the only league representative in a regional final.

All this to say, sometimes conference hype is just that.

🍽️ Wild card question: You’ll also be at the Masters next month, right? Defending champ Scottie Scheffler just released the menu he’s got planned for this year’s ceremonial dinner.

What would be on the menu for Ken Sugiura, Masters champ?

I’ve wondered, is this your favorite meal or is it more something that represents you (to the degree that those are different)? Like, for instance, being of Japanese heritage, the representation approach would mean something standard, like sushi. Which I like enough, but my favorite Japanese meal is probably fried pork cutlet with rice and curry, which is more like comfort food and not “fancy.” (I usually get it at my favorite restaurant in Atlanta, Sushi Yoko in Doraville.)

But, being from a suburb of Chicago, I also love deep dish pizza. And I also really like baby back ribs.

And do you go for something unusual that the other Masters champions probably haven’t had? Or, do you play it safe and go with something that you know most everyone will like? And it’s multicourse, too, right?

Sorry for the paralysis by analysis for a meal that will never happen. I can at least tell you without doubt we’d have an option of a sundae bar or French silk pie for dessert.

Yum. That’s it for Ken this week. Make sure to follow him on social media for all the latest from Wichita and beyond.

And for the record: Tyler would commission a queso fountain for his Masters dinner.

CRUSHIN' ON KIMBREL

Credit: Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

Credit: Stephanie Scarbrough/AP

Braves manager Brian Snitker spoke to reporters for the first time since the club signed former Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel to a minor league deal.

He seems a tad excited: “Hopefully he can be one of those guys, like we talked about earlier, like three weeks go, we said, ‘Somebody might have a big influence on our team that’s not even in camp yet.‘ It’d be great if he’s that guy.”

👀 Spencer Schwellenbach struck out 10 Yankees over six scoreless innings last night. Here’s video proof.

👀 More good news: Outfielder Jurickson Profar may return to the lineup today after bruising his wrist. First pitch against the Phillies is set for 1:05 p.m. on FanDuel Sports Southeast.

QUICK HITS

🥰 Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King wrote a children’s book. About himself!

😬 Netflix announced the roster for Season Two of its documentary-style show “Quarterback” — and it includes the Falcons’ Kirk Cousins. Reliving this past season should make for some … interesting viewing come July.

🤔 Beat writer D. Orlando Ledbetter isn’t sold on mock drafts suggesting the Falcons will select Marshall edge rusher Mike Green in the first round.

😮 Holy Innocents' star Caleb Wilson (a North Carolina commit) is one of three finalists for Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Credit: Charlie Riedel/AP

Credit: Charlie Riedel/AP

Georgia men’s basketball posed for a group photo during NCAA tournament practice on Wednesday in Wichita. Promise that’s them!

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Thanks for reading to the very bottom of Sports Daily. Questions, comments, ideas? Contact me at tyler.estep@ajc.com.

Until next time.