The Red and Black

Issue date: 3/17/09 Section: Opinions

Swansey splits

Georgia point guard decides to leave Athens only hours after the final loss.

After a 79-60 loss to Mississippi State last Thursday ended the Georgia basketball team's unspectacular season, point guard Zac Swansey told a reporter he wasn't sure if he wanted to continue to play in Athens.

The comments sent angry fans to the Internet message boards to demand an apology.

Although Swansey later explained his comments were not meant to be disrespectful, he officially asked for his release from the program on Monday.

Call it "Swansey's Swan Song."

Whether or not he intended to disrespect his teammates and fans, Swansey's comments were inappropriate. A player should not voice his decision to transfer mere hours after a season-ending loss.

It's a shame Swansey's tenure as a Bulldog ends this way. Just a year and two days ago, Swansey provided one of the most memorable moments in recent Bulldog basketball history. His 3-point shot in the waning seconds of an SEC Tournament game sparked the team to its first conference tournament title in a quarter-century.

Swansey struck again this past December when his last-second 3-pointer gave Georgia an overtime win over Wofford.

Although few expected Georgia to repeat as SEC Champions, the team's 3-13 record in conference play was disappointing. Swansey, who began the season as the starting point guard, did not start a single game after interim coach Pete Hermann took over.

We don't blame Swansey for wanting more playing time and the opportunity to play for a winning team: we'd expect nothing less of a competitive athlete.

But he should have handled the situation a bit more delicately and kept his comments to himself. It's a lesson many athletes have to learn the hard way.

We respect Swansey's personal decision and wish him the best of luck wherever he winds up. The point guard certainly has talent and a knack for producing in the heat of the moment. We just hope he learns to watch what he says in the heat of the moment as well.

- Drew Wheatley for the editorial board

Luck o' the Irish

How to celebrate St. Patrick's Day on a recessioned, college-student budget.

Let's face it folks: America's economic recession has left plenty of us feeling unlucky this St. Patty's Day. For those of you who would be willing to settle for a $5 bill at the end of the rainbow, we have devised 10 dirt-cheap St. Patrick's Day activities.

1. Start off your morning with Lucky Charms cereal. It's available at all four dining halls on campus.

2. Try to find a four-leaf clover. In the event that you cannot locate an actual clover, refer back to activity No. 1 and dredge through your breakfast to find a green marshmallow.

3. Make a St. Patrick's Day playlist. U2, Flogging Molly and Sinéad O'Connor are all solid choices.

4. For the low, low price of $5.35, you can rent the vast majority of the "Leprechaun" horror series on DVD from Vision Video. Treat yourself to cinematic marvels such as "Leprechaun in the Hood and Leprechaun 4: In Space."

5. Take full advantage of your St. Patrick's Day pinching privileges. We all have "that friend" who is completely oblivious to calendar dates.

6. Throw rubber snakes out of your window in commemoration of St. Patrick banishing serpents from Ireland. This one is a little more obscure but sure to get a reaction from hapless pedestrians.

7. Openly mock people who attempt to fake an Irish brogue.

8. Make your own green beer. Those of you who are 21 and over can simply buy green food coloring at the grocery store and add it to the cheap, watery beer (i.e. PBR, Keystone) of your choice.

9. Build a shrine devoted to Pierce Brosnan - the former Bond actor is Irish, after all.

10. Eat FunDip. The candy has absolutely nothing to do with St. Patrick's Day, but it will give you a green tongue.

- Marcus Crawford for the editorial board

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