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Sunday, March 16, 2008 , 12:00 a.m.

The best part of tourney? Everyone’s finally safe

ATLANTA — See what happens when Tennessee wins a game in the SEC men’s basketball tournament?

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A lot of good stories — and everyone inside was OK, so they’re good — emerged after the tornado hit the Georgia Dome on Friday night.

Mississippi State athletic director Larry Templeton said he was in the tunnel under the portable video board with Alabama athletic director Mal Moore when the storm hit.

“When we looked up, we saw the first hole and we were looking at that hole when the second hole blew through,” Templeton said. “That’s when the stuff starting really moving and swaying. I said, ‘Mal, which way are we running?’”

I kind of experienced the storm both outside and inside. I was walking toward the court when the doors suddenly blew open and sent all the box scores flying through the air. I ran over to help Georgia Dome security try to close the doors, but they took one glance at me and decided they could do it themselves. Well, then. Fine.

I was marveling at the wind when a police officer informed me that, in fact, I was a moron for reacting to a tornado by running toward a glass door. In full agreement, I jogged out toward the court and saw Alabama’s Demetrius Jemison race past me with a panicked expression. I looked up and saw the swaying portable video board, bolts landing on the press table and decided that this would be a terrible way to go.

Then I thought about how the Times Free Press would play the story. Would my death warrant an A1 story? Or the front of the sports section? I sure hope so. Who would write it, Wes Rucker or Mark Wiedmer? I hope that would result in a long, passioned argument instead of someone saying, “Yeah, you take the Darren death story, I’ve got to finish this SEC roundup and I never did get something to eat.”

But seriously, editors, I would appreciate an A1 story.

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Georgia’s Dave Bliss reminds me of the guy at the YMCA who’s playing just a little bit too hard. One reporter suggested to Bliss that his play was like “a bull in a china shop,” and Bliss wholeheartedly agreed, which made me happy.

A perfect example of this occurred during the Kentucky game. Bliss checked in before a Kentucky free throw and positioned himself on the last box. As Joe Crawford’s shot went up, Bliss swung an elbow and drilled Perry Stevenson in the mouth during his box-out. Stevenson ran back up the court holding his lip with an expression that said, “Dude, I was barely going for the ball. Chill.”

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After Stevenson blocked that free throw at the end of the Georgia game, I joked that had to be a technical foul because, you know, that’s just messed up. Turns out, there’s actually a rule, which means someone has done it before.

Rule 10, Section 3, Article 6 states: “Touching a ball in flight (goaltending) during a free throw is a technical foul.” Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie wanted to give Georgia the point so he could set up an inbounds play. He didn’t know it was a technical foul.

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As hail pounded the top of Alexander Memorial Coliseum on Saturday, we wondered, “Would you rather be at the Georgia Dome or here in case of a huge storm?” I voted for Alexander because of the sturdy roof. Watching that Georgia Dome roof start to shake was quite unnerving.

But most people voted for the Georgia Dome because a potential collapse of Alexander’s roof would result in 100 percent devastation. I concurred.

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And, finally, kudos to associate commissioner Charles Bloom, who did not sleep for a single second Friday night and yet answered questions all day Saturday. Sure, he struggled to complete sentences at times, but he was extremely helpful. Thank you, Charles.

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