Goals

Mark Fox thinks Georgia is ready to make a run at the tournament:

“We have enough back to make that a very realistic goal for this team,” Fox said. “We finally will return lots of productivity.”

I agree with him, of course, but I hate the implication that this is the first year that's been the case.

Wasn't there enough to make the tournament with a sophomore Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the freshman trio of Mann, Gaines, and Morris?  There was clearly enough to make the tournament this year.  It was a few uninspiring and mismanaged non-conference games along with a worst-case showing against Vanderbilt that prevented the Dawgs from dancing, not a lack of productivity.

Assuming, however, that Fox is right about next year, there is one nagging concern:

But who will join them? That’s the key question for Georgia’s offseason.

Georgia has two scholarships to give for next year but has not signed anybody yet. Fox said the Bulldogs could save one of those scholarships for next year.

“We’ll just see how it works out,” Fox said.

Some may view this as Fox being tactical, developing some young talent, and saving space for a loaded 2015 class.  The cynical will see a coach who couldn't sign anybody and continues to make excuses.

If Fox does survive this offseason, as it now appears he will, the bar cannot be set lower than an NCAA tournament berth next year.  Period.  Some convenient excuses have popped up in the form of early-entries and bad breaks (the 2012-13 season had more than its fair share), but there can be none in 2014-15.

With that said, Fox does have one intriguing statistic on his side:

Fox is only the second Georgia men’s basketball head coach since World War II to have a winning record after five years in Athens.

Pretty amazing, right?  Perhaps it is fans like me that are setting the bar a little too high?  I hope not.

h/t Seth Emerson