Collage 3
The Dawg-gone Blog
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Thursday, August 24, 2006
I can't begin to tell you how excited I am to be heading towards the Classic City tomorrow. Jonathan owes me $80, which is a huge boost since I lost my debit card about two days ago. It'd suck huge ones to put a $3 Jack and Coke on a tab that is being charged at 8%. That shit does not spell fun.

Before I begin, I'd like to point out this article which I found via Dawgbone.net. Let me say that I couldn't disagree more with damn near anything this asshat says. He makes 5 predictions in the SEC and I think maybe 2 have a legitimate shot. He believes Auburn goes undefeated (wrong answer), UGA vs. UF will determine the SEC East rep in the SEC title game (*DING*), UK will be much better than advertised (wrong answer), Stafford could start by the season's end ("plausible" says the Myth Busters), and MSU will upset USC on August 31 (wrong answer). Anyway, feel free to disagree with me, but I just don't see where any of that came from specifically.

I promised a couple of days ago that I would include a preview of all the teams in the SEC and where I think they'll finish. I've done a little bit of reading, but no where near the amount I should to make a completely informed decision, so I'll just go with the gut on this one.

Also, before you want to dismiss my "feeling based" ramblings, I'd invite you to take a look at this post which previewed the SEC last year. While this preview won't be nearly as long, I will stand by it until I'm proven wrong. Then, I'll place the blame somewhere else other than on my own head.

Let's go West...alphabetically of course and the big, bold letters indicate division champ:

Alabama -- Mike Shula's crimson machine doesn't really seem to be generating that much talk. It's not like they lost a TON in last year's graduating/draft class, but they did lose Croyle, which is big enough...I guess. The good news is they return their entire offense, minus the kicking game, in Tyrone Prothro. The kid is f*cking amazing, but will their new QB (anyone know his name?) live up to the expectations of getting him the ball? Who knows, but I don't expect 'Bama to be back this year...and Shula goes the way of the Dodo as well. The one thing that MIGHT save him is that I expect the Tide to beat Auburn this year. Call me crazy...do it.
Predicted Record: 8-4

Arkansas -- I have always thought Houston Nutt was overrated as a coach. He gets the most out of his guys, but he has still been able to impress me as far as taking a team and making them play above their level. He gets them to their level and expects them to do the rest. The one thing I will give them is that they always tend to upset someone in a big game at some point throughout the season. This year, maybe it's LSU, but I'm not sure. Darren McFadden is a monster and Nutt will be forced to play his new recruit that he loves so much, Mitch Mustain. Nutt will once again rely on his "this is a young team" excuse that he loves so much, but he has one more year, maybe two, before he's canned. Hell, I hope they win the West if you want to know the truth. I remember 2002 very well.
Predicted Record: 6-6

Auburn -- Shit I hope Tommy Tuberville has a great season and gets offered the A&M job. I can't fucking stand the guy. He whines, cries, and seems to dodge the fact that it's not really him being such a damn good coach, but more of him hiring excellent assistants. I mean seriously. Anyone remember Auburn before Al Borges? Now Auburn returns a fantastic running back in Kenny Irons, a good signal caller in Brandon Cox (who looked like the worst idea ever at Tech last year...my how the times have changed), and they always have a good defense. Hiring Will Muschamp in the offseason didn't hurt either. Expect the Tigers to be good, but the SEC is the SEC and I don't see them going undefeated and challenging for the Nat'l Title.
Predicted Record: 10-2

LSU -- Les Miles overcame a lot last year, blah blah blah. I get it. The wins against Alabama and Florida were huge. However, I just don't see Les Miles as being the next guy in Tiger Lore. He just doesn't seem to "get it." I don't know what it is, but the guy just doesn't impress me. The LSU fans make LSU football what it is, which is intimidating as hell at Tiger Stadium. Everywhere else, it's just kind of hit or miss with those guys. The team had a reason to play last year, but this year it seems like the QB controversy, no "superstar," and no hype will keep LSU on the backburner and they'll have to win some tough games in order to get in the hunt for the SEC title. I think they'll finish second in the West, only because no one else has the kind of talent LSU does.
Predicted Record: 9-3

Mississippi State -- Man I really like Sly Croom, but I just don't know if the Faux Bulldog faithful have the kind of patience to let him fix what Jackie Sherril fucked up. He's definitely not getting the monetary support and he's yet to win that defining game that has turned the program around. You would think the game two years ago when they beat Florida would do it, but it hasn't and they need another option. Maybe a win against Alabama would get the spark to drive momentum into getting a good recruiting class. I don't know, but a class act like Croom deserves a chance to really show his ability. I just think it's a shame he won't get it at MSU.
Predicted Record: 6-6

Ole Miss -- Man I gotta be honest. I don't think these guys are going to be worth shit. They have some studs on defense, but on offense you've got Brent "Screw Ainge" Shaeffer who hasn't had NEARLY the time he needed to learn the playbook and gel with his team. This is another wasted season for Ole Miss, who is full of great people and good looking women, but just can't seem to get that whole "football" thing down. I think firing Cutcliffe will come back to haunt them.
Predicted Record: 5-7


Now the East..shit, this will take a while:

Florida -- I don't get it. I just don't get it. How Urban Meyer can field a team whose offense got gradually worse throughout the year can be ranked so high this year boggles my mind. History has showed that in the second year of his system his teams are better offensively, but history also showed that he COACHED IN SHITTY CONFERENCES. Sometimes teams can look indestructible on paper only to fold against bigger and badder foes who have the fundamentals down first (see: Boise State vs. UGA). I still think Florida is loaded with talent from top to bottom, but their schedule is brutal. Meyer can get all the WRs in the world, but until Leak starts actually running in the offense (instead of sliding down), he just isn't going to be effective in the spread. Tim Tebow looks to be a talent and could see a LOT of playing time by the season's end. I always predict us to win in Jacksonville and I will do it again.
Predicted Record: 9-3

Georgia -- Let the bias show. I really like this very young Dawg team. Our freshmen are ready to contribute meaningfully and once we get the offense ironed out (it's not going to be as complicated as people make it seem), the rest will fall into place. Our defense is salty and the running back stable, which is probably the best in the nation, will keep the heat off whatever QB has growing pains. While I don't see us going undefeated, I do see us having a chance to win every single game on our schedule. Speaking of which, our schedule is a CAKE WALK. Watch that come back to haunt me.
Predicted Record: 10-2

Kentucky -- UK has sucked in the past. They'll suck again.
Predicted Record: 4-8

South Carolina -- Steve Spurrier was a helluva ball coach. But he can't seem to undo the damage that was left of South Carolina. With no O-Line, no defense, and no playmakers on offense, they will be slightly better than last year. I think they upset a few teams again, but lose the games they should probably win. They'll be average at best. Sorry, but it's the truth...I think.
Predicted Record: 7-5

Tennessee -- I've heard NOTHING about Tennessee in the offseason. That's good and bad. It's good in that there's not much hype, which leaves the Vols with an uphill climb to regain their confidence, but it's bad because that means not that many players were arrested in the offseason. The addition of David Cutcliffe will help in leaps and bounds in terms of getting the QB situation stable, but I still don't see a solid workhorse or WR to get the job done. UT's always had a capable defense, so I don't expect that to change, but make no mistake when I say that the Vols are just as overrated this year as they were the last...and they're not even really that "rated" to begin with.
Predicted Record: 8-4

Vanderbilt -- I secretly cheer for these guys. I wasn't all that much into football when Vandy was ruining our homecomings and making a total mockery of UGA, so my desire to hate the 'Dores really isn't there. I like Bobby Johnson (see: Steve Martin) and I think he's quite able to put a good QB on the field each and every game. They're going with a more athletic quarterback this year and apparently he was rated a 3-star prospect coming out of high school. Let's just be honest and saying that is a huge plus for Vandy. If the QB can scramble out of bad situations and create openings downfield by doing so, they might surprise some people. They ain't winning the conference any time soon, but hell, let's all hope they make it to a bowl.
Predicted Record: 6-6


More importantly...SEC Champ -- Dawgs!!! (Auburn has a legitimate shot though)

Well, there you have it. I hope it wasn't too long or boring, but it is what it is. We'll revisit all this mess on Sunday when I make it back from Athens.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.





Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Since the QB situation still hasn't shown itself to be any clearer over the past couple of days, I thought I'd throw just a random post in to keep stuff interesting.

Apparently, I couldn't do that.

A long post is on the horizon about the SEC and how it will unfold throughout the season.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.





Sunday, August 20, 2006
Well, it all came down to exactly what we thought it would be.

Joe T III has been named the starter for the WKU game (link is to Dawgbone.net since they have multiple articles on it). I conversed briefly with The Song Writer via AIM over what this means and I think our conclusions came out to be a very solid "I don't know."

For the WKU game, Joe T. should have been a lock. Richt is known for putting the best guy on the field versus the competition (see: David Greene vs. Cory Philips OR David Greene vs. DJ Shockley). However, Richt has also been known to reward those that have waited their turn (see DJ Shockley after Greene left).

So who knows as to who will start against USC. That could be as up in the air as anything else. Hell, Joe T. may play like a champion the entire year. He certainly didn't have an awful game against Florida last year and he has the time in the system to know what is and isn't a good idea.

However, it does speak as to the lack of talent of Joe T. or the multitudes of talent of our younger guys to know that this is still very much a lively QB race. I hate it for Joe T. if he throws a pick or fumbles the snap in that he might feel as if he lost his job. One has got to think regardless of what he says or how he plays, he has to feel the breath of the younger guys on the back of his neck. That's just human nature.

So now that we've covered our #1 guy. Here's how the rest of the guys shake out...

#2 Joe Cox -- I think this has to scream from the top of the mountain as to the talent of this kid. He had an atrocious G-Day, which apparently wasn't reflective of the awesome scout team work he did last year, as well as the good spring and fall he had. The kid has been proven to be a winner, since his record coming out of HS was 31-0. If you ever have the chance to check the stats on this kid from HS, I would encourage you to do so. They were ridiculous. All in all, I like this choice since Cox is more mobile, already has chemisty with the WRs, and from the talk on the Dawgvent, is pretty well respected already within the team.

T-#3 Blake Barnes -- This quasi-surprises me since all I've read from the past two weeks is how comfortable this kid looks in the system. However, before this whole QB race began, we never saw nor heard from him and it didn't look like Richt was very high on him either. This could very well be a placement that will make or break his involvement in the system. Either he pushes himself more and rides the momentum he has created up the depth chart, or he falls to the wayside and we never hear from him again.

T-#3 Matt Stafford -- Damn this has the Dawgvent up in arms. So many people wanted him to be the guy because of his hype. However, previous reports have him as beeing sort of hot/cold in the pocket. His arm strength is uncontested, that's for sure, but his decision making has got to go leaps and bounds ahead of where it is now. Mechanics doesn't win games. Taking the sack, throwing the ball out bounds, tucking and running, and checking to your second and third receiver, does win games. Stafford is getting there, but isn't there yet when it comes to the little things. I like the decision to put him here.

Now, here's the real question. If Stafford hasn't proved himself to be #2 by now (remember, he enrolled early for this chance), do you waste a year of his eligibility to get him some playing time? Will he become the starter by the season's end? What exactly does CMR see in this kid for the future?

If it's me, I throw a redshirt on him. Of course, it's not going to look good to kids like Logan Grey who are counting on coming in 2007, redshirting, sitting a year, and then taking over when Stafford's gone. If Stafford redshirts this year, that puts Grey waiting two years for his chance instead of one. On the other hand, Logan Grey is not the end-all-be-all in Georgia QBs. Hell, if he was smart, he'd still come and play no matter how it shakes out, just to learn from CMR who has proven he can put QBs into the NFL.

The next few weeks will be very interesting in terms of how it is all going to play out.

Now, some quick hits before I leave y'all be for the night:

1. Thanks a ton for all the kind words in regards to the last post. I didn't set out to write something like that, but from the response, it was a pretty decent one. I know one thing's for sure, I miss those days and am looking forward to the first game. It was also great having those old-school guys comment.

2. The King has his newest preview up where he discusses the arch-rival Florida. It's a lengthy one, but a helluva read. I think he's dead on when he says we are matched quite evenly with UF. The "Dawg Food" section with the Urban Meyer hot dog song is classic.

3. Jeb and I were discussing Larry Munson earlier and I thought I'd pose the question to everyone as to when they think he would retire. I know the "Who would replace CMR" question drew a lot of controversy, but there is no doubt that Larry is finishing his tenure as the voice of the Bulldogs. My question is not who would replace him, but how much longer will he go? Discuss.

Well, there you have it. Should be an interesting week and hopefully we'll see some things shake out along the way that will shed some more light on the QB thing. I don't think this whole deal is over at all....

Until next time kids.

Be safe.





Thursday, August 17, 2006
Before I begin, The King has a good post on the Jim Donnan era in quasi-comparison with the Mark Richt era. I would have to say that I completely agree with everything in that post. Including being a guy who was a very big fan of Donnan. It's definitely worth a look.

I keep gushing like a giddy school girl every time i think about Gameday in two weeks. It's almost childish how i feel like it's the night before Christmas EVERY SINGLE DAY. This could quite possibly be the longest two weeks I've had in a VERY long time.

I was perusing through Youtube.com earlier and came across a couple of videos that gave me the chills. The first would be an introduction done by CBS for the UGA/AU game in 2004.



The second would be the ESPN version (narrated by Larry Munson).



No particular reason why I watched the UGA/AU videos other than the reason that I think they are remarkably well done. Usually by the time we face off againts the Tigeagleplainsgoats, the game not only has SEC implications, but in recent cases it has had national title ones as well. Last year's game was a classic regardless of how you look at it. We had our Cinderella ending in 2002 and Auburn had theirs last year.

After some more digging, I found some random Redcoat videos of the Sousas in China. Needless to say, I've never been a fan of the sound of a Sousa since most Sousa players tend to not play solid in my mind and instead just try to put their balls through the horn. Even though there was some of that in this clip, it was good to see the Sousa section getting back to those days of old, like in 1999 when they, as well as the drumline, ruled the Redcoats. A big thanks to whoever loaded that up on Youtube.com.



If you're not a Redcoat of the past or present, that clip probably doesn't mean shit to you....

However, this clip should.



I don't know who played that particular solo and I don't care to know, but I do care about all the traditions that I came in contact with during my years as a Redcoat.

Here are the things I miss greatly...

1. Friday night rehearsal -- Watching the people wander in to catch 45 minutes of practice on a clear, crisp fall afternoon will never EVER cease to amaze me. At a cool 65-70 degrees I could play as high as I wanted to for hours on end and never get tired. The hill (when practice was held on the astroturf field) would be littered with old UGA alums who'd retired in the Classic City and wanted to catch a glimpse of southern fried football before the hustle and bustle of a busy Gameday.

2. Saturday morning practice -- Everyone stumbling in after a pre-game party with their hair all matted and eyes glazed over, only to catch an emotional high right before we played Battle Hymn to officially begin the day.

3. The Dawg Walk -- Thankfully Mark Richt joined the university and implemented this tradition that Jim Donnan chose to ignore. I used to live for night games because that would give more people more time to get to Tate and line up on both sides of the Redcoats just to catch a glimpse of the young men who would hopefully play like champions that day. By the way, I've never known what it has felt like to be a UGA football player, obviously. But, I do know what it feels like to be a Redcoat on a Gameday and to high five little kids, take pictures with older ladies, and be given a beer for playing Glory. At UGA on Gameday, Redcoats are not band nerds.

4. The Rooster Call -- I actually never earned this honor, but instead it was given to me as a quasi-peace offering. If you ever want to know the story, feel free to ask me or The Song Writer since it was his call to say "OK, Kit can go up there." However, I didn't know at the time and I did everything I could to lose my voice every Gameday. The biggest rush of adrenaline I've ever had was the first game after September 11th when we played Arkansas. I printed out an American Flag and stapled it under my uniform only to take my jacket off to a wall of cheers. I remember looking down at William 0wen$ who gave me a thumbs up so vigorously that he damn near fell off of his ladder. That next year I wasn't able to do it for political reasons, but I was back up there in 2003 with my boy Jarrod and I think we formed the first tandem in Rooster Call history. Our shining moment came at the Auburn game (where we kicked AU's ass by the way) when we said "And he cheered for the Tigers, and he cheered for the Eagles, and he cheered for the Plainsmen." *pause, drink of water, crowds laughs like hell and then goes apeshit* Good times.

5. Pregame -- I never liked Pregame. Ever. And then we started doing the....

6. Battle Hymn -- Probably the coolest idea anyone's ever come up with. I take great pride in knowing the person who fostered the idea to do it and I believe also wrote the script that Larry Munson reads. If I'm correct...and I think I am since I'm never wrong. In the days before the Pregame Battle Hymn, UGA fans wouldn't trickle in until RIGHT before the Dawgs ran out while we played "Kryptonite." Now, the Dawgs running out ALMOST takes a back seat to what I feel is a tradition that will live at UGA for a long, long time.

7. The game -- You really take for granted how much you are able to do during a football game that no one else gets to do. I should preface all this by saying I never liked the halftime show either. Let me be honest in saying that I enjoyed playing music, but I never enjoyed marching it. I just liked UGA football and Redcoats gave me an all access pass for five years. That being said, it is VERY odd to go from being involved in nearly every single play to being just a fan. I had no idea what words to say during cheers, what to do with my hands, NOTHING. It takes some getting used to. I will say that it is extremely fun to be on the sidelines. I was right there when Sean Jones picked up Jabari Davis' fumble at UT and took it to the house. He ran right in front of me. To put it bluntly, it was one of the coolest things...ever.

8. Postgame -- I have a propensity for night games. I really really enjoy them on a level that is probably unhealthy, but I LOVE UGA Football at 65 degrees in October and sometimes November. After a solid Dawg win and a classic game, your bones hurt from standing and you are physically exhausted. However, a few things must be done. You must play Georgia on My Mind, and you ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO WITHOUT EVEN QUESTIONING take your hat off when you play Tara's Theme. Glory Glory Dixieland is fun, but Tara's Theme makes it special. On a clear and peaceful southern night, you can't beat the reverb throughout a near empty Sanford Stadium after your last home game as a Redcoat. I remember standing next to Amos, who was crying, and tears were streaming down my face as well. My dad came up to me with tears in his eyes and said "How you feel, bud?" and all I could do was just say "I want to go home." UGA never forgets those who has played its soundtrack, but when you walk out of that stadium after your last game as a Redcoat, it's like breaking up with the love of your life. It's a very lonely stroll.

I would get into the bowls and what is so fun about them, but I never went to a bowl that would beat any classic SEC showdown. The traditions are too steep and the bragging rights have a longer expiration date.

Well there you have it. Sorry it was so long.

14 days.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.





Wednesday, August 16, 2006
First of all, for those interested in learning more about the Vegas "incident" with the Asian kid with fucked up hair, please click here to go to Russ' page and read the full story.

Secondly, it's getting more and more close to college football season with every day that goes by. That's obvious just in a literal sense, but my whole outlook on my day to day activities is changing.

Every day that comes and goes I cannot wait to banter with someone on who should be #1, why the Dawgs are getting some respect here and very little there, how we could easily be SEC champions should we find a little rhythm, and why our defense is as good as it has been in a long time.

I'm anticipating a Sunday at the Blind Pig Tavern after a good Saturday containing a Dawg win and someone else getting upset. The consistent shakeups of who's playing like a champion and who's playing like a chump. What coach has got his team believing in itself and what coach couldn't keep his team from believing its own hype.

Who will be this year's Tennessee?

Can the Dawgs roll into the Florida game undefeated? If so, I think we lock up the SEC East crown in Jacksonville. I remember 1997.

Before we get too far ahead though, can the Dawgs overcome the atmosphere in Columbia? There's no way I believe USC is better than us. We have them dominated in nearly every category, but that is a tough place to play for a very young Dawg team. Can we handle an away ESPN primetime game?

Who in the F*CK is going to be our QB?

What freshman will make a Mo Mass type impact this year? (My money is on Asher Allen)

Will Kris Durham actually be a good white WR? And if so, will the apocalypse follow shortly thereafter?

I ponder questions and scenarios like this multiple times a day now. It's almost the kind of habit that you call "Intervention" about. My family is worried about me. They ask me how my day was and all I can muster out is "GO FUGGIN' DAWGS!!"

I can't wait. It's mean machine time.


A couple of quick hits before I let you go:

1. Big shout out to Hometeamblogs.com. Yet another great resource to check out other blogs from schools around the nation, much like the great CollegeFootballResource.com. I've had very little time to get really in depth with their (HTB) site thus far, but I plan on visiting them as well as CFR much more often as we approach our out-of-conference games. If you're getting rabid like me, you want to check those two sites.

2. The King has his MSU preview up and promises to have his Florida preview up soon. Since he's getting them out of the way now, I'll go ahead and do mine a few days before the game, but don't expect anything like what he does...I just ain't that damn good.

3. The first BlogPoll is up. In case you have no idea what in the hell I'm talking about, please click here to learn what it is. If you're too lazy to do that, just know it's basically all of the pundits out there who said "man I could put together a better poll than that shit" and turned it into probably the most realistic poll I've seen.

4. Florida has lost one of their stud new linemen to an ankle injury (see: broken) and another one seems to be having some major shoulder trouble. I think the Sun-Sentinel really downplays the injury and from what I've heard, it's actually much worse. I can't confirm or deny that since I'm not the injured kids, and it also might be a case of UGA fans blowing steam. Either way, it seems that damn near everyone in the SEC is having issues with the OL. Somewhere, Charles Johnson and Quentin Moses are high fiving each other.

5. Finally, a big welcome to the Georgia Bulldog Blog which is written by David Ching, a beat writer for the Columbus paper the Ledger-Enquirer (link is to their UGA page). If you have any interest in getting some good information that goes deeper than what the papers print, then I would DEFINITELY check his site out. Of course it's well written since he's a journalist, but the information provided really lets you see that we're not just a talented team in a few spots. We're a damn good team that just happens to have a lot of guys that are on the same level. All in all, it's a great water cooler blog.

Well, that takes care of me for today. More updates coming soon as I get them. Until then, you know where to go for all the best Dawg news out there.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.





Sunday, August 13, 2006
You're wondering about the title. We'll get to that in just a few.

Vegas was fun. I hesitate to say blast because truth be told, I was out there for such a short time that it was tough to see and do everything I wanted. However, I spent a great amount of time with two great friends and THAT was a blast.

Here's how the list from the previous post shakes out...

1. Place some type of bet on the Dawgs. -- No go. Apparently, they expect us to beat WKU.
2. Win SOMETHING at poker. -- I did on the last night, but proceeded to lose it all about 2 hours later.
3. Drink a lot for free. -- Mission accomplished. This was on Friday, which has its own paragraph below.
4. See hot women. -- Holy shit. I have proclaimed for years that Athens is the most beautiful town in America. I was wrong. Not by much, but I was wrong.
5. Sleep with at least one of them.*** -- No go. I can't do that kind of materialism. It was absolutely awful.
6. Try not to get pick-pocketed. -- This didn't happen. It's a plus in my book.
7. Try not to get pissed when I take a bad beat in poker (I write this after I put my door knob through my wall merely 10 minutes ago after a VERY bad beat.) -- I did take a bad beat. I didn't get angry.
8. Don't think about work at all. -- I called the office at 08:30 on Wednesday. Past that, I didn't think about it one time.
9. Have a drink with someone famous. -- I didn't have a drink with him, but I did shake the hand and say hello to Chuck Liddell of UFC fame. Thankfully, he didn't kick my ass for bothering him.


Photo: The Iceman fears the Notorious One.

10. Have one of the best vacations ever with Stacy G. and Russ. -- Two thumbs up.

I scored 8 out of 10. Not too shabby.

Ok, so Friday gets its own paragraph. Stacy G. was unfortunately sick for most of the trip and Russ and I decided an evening with Dian Diaz was in order. Russ tells me to meet him at the Bellagio so we can see her (she plays the Fontana Lounge) and I beat him there. While I'm walking through the hotel lobbey, I bump into Chuck Liddell and shake his hand, then I bump into Russ.

Dian has the night off for some reason and so Russ and I decide that cheap Let It Ride Poker is the way to go so we haul off through each casino looking for a $5 game so we can sit and drink for free for a long time. We finally fall into Casino Royale (which looks surprisingly like Toppers inside) and after many Jack and Cokes, Let It Ride Poker and Switch Blackjack, we head back to The Mirage.

We hit the No Limit $1/$2 table where the vibe is good and the people at the table are quite nice. My bad beat was when the trip 10s I was holding lost to the only other 10 at the table, who happened to have a Q kicker behind it. I got another $100, and went back. I proceeded to turn it into $250.

Well, there was an "altercation" involving me at such table with some asian kid who wasn't even playing. I'd give you the details, but Russ has promised to blog it. He's a much better story teller than I am, so if he doesn't, I'll fill you in later. All in all, I loved every second.

After the No Limit table (it's now around 05:00), we head to the bar where Russ went the night before. His boy Jose is behind the bar again. I throw Russ' $20 into the video poker machine at the bar when all of a sudden I hear "SHOT OF PATRON" from Russ.

Hell no.

Jose then tells me with a straight face...

"It's ok my friend. Tequila...es like meat."

After that compelling argument, I have to take the shot.

Then the Gentleman Jack (STILL FREE MIND YOU) starts flowing and I proceed to get more and more and more drunk. Then, Russ and I agree that regular Blackjack is the place to end the night. I end up dropping another $100, Russ ends up winning more money and so we call it a night.

A plane ride and I'm home.

So there's Friday. It may not come across on paper that great, but it was a damn blast. I just still feel bad for Stacy G. who felt like shit that night.

Anyway, a couple of quick hits for all those that tend to not frequent the Dawg sites that I'm so notorious for going to...

1. T.J. Gartrell is out for the season after rupturing the patella tendon in his knee (shoutout: Dawgbone.net). This is obviously not good for us regardless of T.J.'s ability to contribute in a meaningful WR role. He's not our number one guy, but we need all WRs to step up and fill those backup spots.

2. In good WR news, the Dawgs got their 14th verbal for 2007 when they locked down Israel Troupe (shoutout: Dawgbone.net). This kid seems like a solid contributor from what I've read. He's not a speedy guy, but I like that he's 200 lbs. I wish he were a little bit taller (6' even) but he's beefy, which might make him a good possession guy.

3. GT sucks my ass. That's not breaking news, but I figured I'd throw that in there.

4. Auburn has cleared the athletic department of any scandal (shoutout: PWD's Georgia Sports Blog). They couldn't fire any of the professors because of tenure, but they did demote them significantly. I hope the NCAA fucks the whole school up bad, but that's just my opinion.

5. Some people think Richt will drop the QB race down to three after this week's practices. I hope he does, but I don't know who he'll cut. Joe T. is not separating himself from the pack and Blake Barnes (who I thought had no shot) is appearing to be stepping up his game. It's as wide open now as it's going to get. Stafford's arm is ridiculous though, so I expect him to still be in it. I think Cox might be the guy on the outside looking in at this point. He's still forcing too many throws.

6. I saw Shockley play while in Vegas. Damn he looked good and his arm is strong as hell. If the NFL is a business like EVERYONE proclaims it to be, then they will cut Randall who has no marketability in Atlanta. The Dawg faithful showed too much support for Shock, who received an overwhelming response in relation to his great play. I still don't even see why they have to cut one guy figuring Matt Shaub is trade bait anyway. My guess is someone will go to the practice squad and then be activated after the trading deadline.

7. Finally, Dawg Sports has listed the preview for the UT game(editor's note: Vandy is up as well and looks to be hilarious). I tend to do my previews a week before the contest, but after reading his, I don't know if I want to put myself under that kind of scrutiny. If you want an information overload, PLEASE check out his previews. They're some kind of good.

Well, as promised from here on out it will be big on UGA, low on Kit. Let's have one helluva football season.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.





The plane took off from Atlanta, landed in Vegas.
Then the other plane took off in Vegas, landed in Atlanta.

All is safe and sound. Sadly, I took VERY few pictures so you guys will just have to do with what you're given.

New blog tomorrow after I get my body clock back on track (it's currently 05:00 now).

Until next time kids.

Be safe.





Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Starting tomorrow The Dawg-gone Blog goes on a short hiatus so that it's proprietor can go do stupid shit in Las Vegas.


Photo: Your mom has either thrown her
drawers at this man or would like to before she dies.

I have goals on this mission and I share them with you now:

1. Place some type of bet on the Dawgs.
2. Win SOMETHING at poker.
3. Drink a lot for free.
4. See hot women.
5. Sleep with at least one of them.***
6. Try not to get pick-pocketed.
7. Try not to get pissed when I take a bad beat in poker (I write this after I put my door knob through my wall merely 10 minutes ago after a VERY bad beat.)
8. Don't think about work at all.
9. Have a drink with someone famous.
10. Have one of the best vacations ever with Stacy G. and Russ.

***optional due to sharing a room with Stacy and a tremendous fear of children and STDs.

I'd love to have someone step in and take the keys to the blog while I'm gone, but:
1) I'm only gone until Saturday
2) Not enough people read this shit to warrant such a thing.

So, hopefully I'll come back with kickass stories and some money in my pocket (WHICH I KNOW WILL NOT HAPPEN) but here's to being drunk on a plane since I'm terrified of flying, drunk in a hotel since I get to drink for free as long as I gamble, and....well there ain't much else. If I die, please refer to this post to see who gets what.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.





Sunday, August 06, 2006
Just got back from watching a little Ricky Bobby action in the latest summer flick that hasn't sucked.

I'd give it an 8 out of 10 on pure comedy alone. It ain't the greatest Will Ferrel movie to date, but it's a damn good flick. How that man keeps coming up with funny shit to say and do time and time again is beyond me, but I know who I'm going to be for Halloween this year.


Photo: This man pisses excellence.
Until next time kids.
Be safe.





Saturday, August 05, 2006
I'm writing to you from the grand metropolis known as Perry, Georgia. I'm spending the time at the old casa before Wednesday when I pull a PWD and go all "Spies Like Us" to Vegas. Also, in quasi-related news, Russ has promised to pop my Vegas cherry. I'll make sure he wears protection.

The title of this post is anticipation because all of the Dawgs successfully reported to campus (article from GeorgiaDogs.com, linked by Dawgbone.net). However, this excludes those that didn't qualify academically. I'm talking to you Ben Harden and Justin "Bean" Anderson.

I'm on the edge of my chair in anticipation on the developing stories at DB, OL, WR, and of course, QB.


Photo: They're pissed because they all wore the same thing to the photo shoot.

Me personally, I think we're going to be a good team this year. I'm not sure if we'll be GREAT, but we should definitely be good. A 9-win (and possibly a 10-win or more) season should not be out of the question.

We've definitely got questions we must answer, and it would suit me fine for Richt to pick one QB before practice is over and stick with that QB. However, that will most likely not be the case and my PRE-PRE-season pick is for Joe T. to start the first two games, with Stafford taking over afterwards. I hate for so much talent not to see the field, but it has been proven time and time again in college football that you just can't win with two QBs.

Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to the next 3 weeks, with it all coming to a head on September 2nd.

Let the hype begin. A lot is going to happen in a short amount of time.

I live for this.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

(Shout out to ABH for the photo)