With signing day being so close, the anticipation of having the next great player ink his name to your University of choice is almost unbearable for some fans. Me personally, there are kids out there we are very lucky to have and there are kids out there that will eventually be labeled as “busts.” It happens with every recruiting class since we started doing the whole thing and it will keep happening until the end of time. Two-star players will step up and play like blue-chips, blue-chips will fall flat on their face, and some people will live up to the expectations (or lack thereof).

Everyone knows how I like to rail on grown men and women who treat 16-17-18 year old kids with such disrespect when they decide that a school is not right for them. Today, I’d like to rant about something else that bothers me a little bit. Namely, what should a kid be allowed to do when a coach of his choice leaves to go to another school?

Currently, the NCAA allows players to transfer, but barring any redshirting opportunities, the player must forfeit a year of eligibility and then play the subsequent season. The only difference in this is when a player transfers divisions (I.E. Black Barnes), he is eligible to play immediately. I’m not sure if it matters whether a player transfers up or down a division, though. I’ll have to check into that, or if you know the answer already, please leave it in the comments section.

Anyway, I digress. What bothers me is when you have kids like those at West Virginia who are stuck at a school that used to run a system particular to their needs like the Spread, who now face a new coach who may or may not run the same system. The same works vice versa for kids like Ryan Mallet, who ran a Pro Style offense at Michigan and had to transfer, because he doesn’t fit into the beloved Spread that Rodriguez runs.

Is it fair for Mallet to have to sit out a year because he was promised one thing and it didn’t turn out? The kid can’t run, but he’s got the tools to be a great quarterback. Should he be penalized a year of playing time because the new coach basically comes out and says “You’re too slow to be my QB. Find another place to play" when the first coach he was recruited by said "I like your arm, your mental toughness, and your ability to throw in the pocket."

Now I know that life isn’t fair, but sometimes you sign up for something and it turns out to be completely different than what you thought it was going to be. It happens in the real world all the time when people look for new jobs, break up with their significant others, or change majors in college. Some kids go to a school because they care about the school itself. Some kids go to a school for the coaches. When schools hire a well-known coach, it’s naturally assumed kids will join the program just to play under said coach. An example would be South Carolina’s undying assertion that Steve Spurrier is setting them up for a MNC and getting kids in the program that are the next big thing. The Cocks are wrong, but hey, we’re talking about the idea, not the results.

So, when a kid’s coach leaves, should he be allowed to leave as well without penalty? If a coach breaks a contract with a school for a better opportunity, shouldn’t the kid who’s given his word to the school also be allowed to “break the contract?” Personally, I think he should, but I think I’m in the minority here by a long shot.

I ask the question, because I’m also trying to decide where I want to fall on this issue. The problem with this scenario (much like trying to migrate into a playoff system) is that you constantly have to ask yourself, “where do we draw the line?” Do you limit it to when a head coach leaves? If you don’t, is it a major assistant, or just any coach on the roster? With hardcore coaching poaching (that was fun to make up) always happening at certain schools, what keeps a second-teamer from packing his bags and saying “My coach left. I’m gone too” at the drop of a hat?

That leads us to the real crux of the issue when we ask “should the rules be changed to better suit the kids, or hold the coaches’ feet to the fire?” Wouldn’t it be easier to hold coaches to the contracts they sign? If Charlie Weis loses more games next year than he wins, do you really think Notre Dame’s support will be as strong as it was when they signed him to that ridiculous deal when he was an unproven coach leading someone else’s talent onto the field? I know for a fact it won’t, but since a contract was signed, shouldn’t Notre Dame hold itself accountable for inking him into that deal?

The college football landscape has created this monster with the establishment of the “mega coach.” Coaches like Nick Saban, Tommy Tuberville, Bobby Petrino, and Rich Rodriguez have found ways to effectively use their leverage at certain schools to get raises where they’re at, or leave for much larger paydays. In the mad-dog climate we’ve created for college football, what if kids were leveraging schools to see which one gave them the better car or a nicer place to live? Essentially, if the shoe was on the other foot, would we sit idly by and accept what the kids were doing?

My immediate answer would be “no.” We can’t have kids calling the shots right? Of course not. But shouldn’t they at least have a say about their future? However if we say “ok, a kid can transfer” or “the coach has to sit out a year first,” doesn’t that put coaches and kids on the same level? Is that really what we want to do is empower young men like we empower these blowhards who renege on their signed word?

Again, I say no, but I have no concrete answer for this. It’s not so cut and dry. There are so many x-factors that a true decision is not that easy. I guess that’s why I don’t work for the NCAA and create their rules for student-athletes to abide by.

I do know one thing, though. Fair or not, I don’t think the current system we have in place works. Kids should not be penalized because the coach decided that $4 million was better than $3 million, regardless of what contract is in place. Contracts should be legally binding documents. Not recruiting tools for coaches on the hot seat.

Just my thoughts. What are yours?



Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Labels: College Football

So lately I’ve been waiting on some news. Some good news. I got that good news today. There’s a time and place to discuss it, but right now is not that time. Soon, though.

Anyway, I got good news today and for everyone that said prayers, thought good thoughts, or spoke 1-on-1 with Xenu on my behalf, please accept my thanks. It means a lot.

However, my waiting on news got me thinking about what UGA fans have been waiting on. Since I’ve been so slammed lately I haven’t had time to write another List, so I figured a List about what we, as die hard fans, have been yearning for would be kind of cool. If cool even exists anymore that is.



The Ten Things UGA Fans Have Been Waiting On:

10. A winning streak against Florida – Yeah, we’ve been waiting for this one for a while, but I think we’re on the cusp of it happening. Our team is young and NOBODY on the current roster knows what it’s like to have never beaten Florida. That’s a recipe for confidence, which is exactly what we have always needed going into the WLOCP. It’s almost unheard of to think this team has the talent to go 5-1 or 6-1 the next few years, but it DOES.

9. Main-stream media love – USC and LSU still have the market cornered on this, but our time is coming. We have recruited well over the past four or five years and it’s showing in spades. Already, the preseason polls are coming out and the Dawgs have some nice real estate near the top for sure. Now all we have to do is back it up with about a three or four game winning streak to start next year (including a defeat of Arizona St.) and we’ll start being mentioned with every other breath when the pundits choose to speak.

8. A dominant receiver – We’ve had Bulldogs who have stepped up and become playmakers such was Reggie Brown, Fred Gibson (his freshman year), Hines Ward, Sean Bailey, Mohammed Massaquoi, etc. but we have yet to have a receiver like a Calvin Johnson or Early Doucet. Our dominant running game has always hindered our ability to get a top-tier wide receiver…until now. A.J. Green and Tavarres King are just two of the new breed of wide receiver that is going to light it up for the Bulldogs in the near future. Also add Israel Troupe and Walter Hill to an already talented veteran group and you have a force to be reckoned with on the receiving end of the passes. Whether or not we will have one dominant guy that consistently demands double-coverage is yet to be seen, but I do know we’ll have a group of guys that can be dangerous at any time and it will bring fear and respect to what looks to be a very balanced offense.

7. Larry Munson’s next legendary call – This one may NEVER happen again, but it’s been nearly six years since the Michael Johnson vs. Auburn call and I think the fans are dying for some new stuff. Unfortunately, Munson is getting up there in age and his health isn’t wonderful. Our voice of the Bulldog Nation still has some of the fire left in him, but listening to him call games just isn’t quite what it used to be. However, I have faith that he’s got one or two more great calls left in him before it’s all said and done. My money says that one of those calls will be in the final seconds of our MNC victory.

6. A “Junkyard Dawg” Defense – Willie Martinez did a great job this past year and schemed beautifully for the Hawaii game. Now fans are just waiting for that to become the norm. It’ll be interesting to see if the sack-happy Dawg Defense is back next year, but if it is, I imagine that the Junkyard Dawg image will come right along with it. And remember, defense wins championships, kids.

5. Celebrity Endorsements – Every year a big to-do is made about some famous person’s love for a particular university. Will Ferrell is a huge USC fan. Matthew McConaughey is a big Longhorns fan. We broke the mold this year when Andre 3000 from Outkast showed up with a full crew at a home game this past year (was it OSU or Auburn? I can’t remember). Now I’m just waiting for some more celebrities to follow suit. So, Keira Knightley, dust off your UGA cap (or I can send you one) and be sure to sport it on the red carpet for all the Dawg fans to see.

4. A last-second heroic to win the big game – Not since Auburn 2002 have we had a last-minute play to really seal the victory in a crunch-time moment. Sure, Coutu’s kick against Vandy was nice, but the only thing it really saved us from was being humiliated. You could argue that it saved our season, and it probably did, but I’m talking about a last-minute-legends-are-made-of play that seals the deal to send us somewhere like the SEC Champ. or the MNC. With the talent we have coming back, and the brutal schedule we’re facing, I’d expect to see one of those come our way really soon.

3. Another Blackout – Yes, this is something that we’ve already seen twice in one year and I’m on the same bandwagon with everyone else that Blackouts should be held for special games/bowls only. However, it fires up the team and the fan base so greatly that the rumors are already circulating about next year’s Blackout game. Possible candidates include Florida (we are the home team), LSU (they wear white at home sometimes), and Tennessee (a dish best served cold). Personally, I think that if we go into Tennessee undefeated and the Vols are highly ranked and undefeated as well, then it will most likely be a night game and a perfect opportunity for a Blackout. The next option would be Florida IF we’re undefeated and eyeing an SEC and MNC shot. After that, I’d say that only a bowl game is likely because I don’t see us going into LSU wearing black jerseys. We won’t have the fan base there to feed off that energy, so it might end up being a paper tiger, no pun intended.

2. A Heisman contender/winner – After the years of recruiting well and having some truly remarkable players (Garrison Hearst, Hines Ward, pre-“thumb injury” Quincy Carter, David Pollack, etc.) we still have yet to have a serious contender for the Heisman Trophy. The Heisman to UGA fans is nearly as important as a MNC because we have the tendency to really harp on “legends” and “tradition.” I guarantee you that there are Dawg fans out there willing to see Herschel suit up one more time and have Dooley carry the clipboard around again for us for a little while. We would take Pollack and Ward back in a heartbeat for sure. We love our legends and hold them in a high standard, but it’s been a while since we’ve had that one remarkable person that has solidified his position in Bulldog lore. Thankfully, we have two guys who could be legitimate contenders should the time come. The only thing hindering Matt Stafford and Knowshon Moreno’s bids at Heismans would be 1) We don’t throw it enough and 2) We use a 2-back system to keep legs fresh. Can Knowshon get enough carries to be “the man?” Can Matt Stafford sling it around enough to get the statistics to warrant a Heisman run? No one knows right now, but my guess is that it’s tougher for one man to win the Heisman when his competition also plays in the same backfield.

1. A Mythical National Championship – We talk about the 1980 season like it happened yesterday. The pictures of Herschel going up top and Dooley being carried off the field are still prevalent in any conversation about our magical season. Hell, Buck Belue made a career out of being associated with that team and all he did was just hand the ball off. Since then we really have been a good-to-great team (sometimes downright crappy, though) and have yet to really reach that “elite” status. But fear not, Dawg fans, I think the time is coming. Granted, we’re ranked very high for 2008, and it would be great to reach the title game next year, but I really think our year is 2009. We’ll have senior leadership, a veteran OL, and the schedule that could possibly allow us to make a solid run at the title.


Well, there you have it. What are you guys waiting on?



Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Labels: College Football, The List, UGA Football

So the coaching carousel from this year is slowly coming to an end. Before it died out, however, it hit UGA when it took David Johnson, our then TE coach, and moved him to West Virginia as their OL coach. This was followed up rather promptly when Mark Richt made another good hire and stole John Lilly from FSU as our new TE homeboy.

Some don’t find this to be an extravagant hire. As far as TE production, he’s not too sexy of a pick, but I think it’s his recruiting skills that make this a good pick up for the Dawgs. Regardless of the fact that FSU has been an afterthought since CMR left, Lilly has put together stellar recruiting classes since 2001 and can only bring more experience to an already solid recruiting staff.

With a limited number of scholarships available next year (I think we’re only going to have 18 barring any dropouts/transfers), it’s crucial for us to make the most of the ones we have available. Lilly brings not only the experience of organizing recruiting efforts, but also the relationships developed with numbers HS coaches in the state of Florida. We have set a strong pipeline out of Independence HS in N.C., as well as put a lock on nearly the entire state of Georgia. As UGA becomes more prominent nationally, it’s going to be critical for us to tap into the wealth of talent that Florida has to offer and grab some of those kids that UF/Miami/FSU would normally get.

As far as TE production, I’m not worried about our guys. Figgins, Ward, and White all have great ability with Bryce Ross and Dwayne Allen coming in this year (but most likely redshirting). We’re DEEP at TE with guys who are naturals at the position. Some would argue that Lilly has failed to put a dominant TE on the field at FSU and ultimately the NFL (which could hurt recruiting at the position), and they would have a valid argument. However, I would counter by saying that FSU features an offense that doesn’t use the TE a lot and even in that offense, Lilly has had record production out of the position the past two seasons. In the CMR/CMB offensive scheme, Lilly will have an opportunity to prove his worth by working within a system that prominently uses the TE. Besides, even if his results were slightly less effective than what David Johnson was able to accomplish, he would still bring a wealth of knowledge recruiting wise.

Let’s face it folks, Rodney Garner is with the Dawgs for the time being only, and probably will stick around until we win a MNC, but don’t expect him to be here forever. His intentions of coaching his own team are well documented and the right opportunity will come along for him sooner or later. That can also be said for guys like Mike Bobo, Stacy Searels, Willie Martinez, and John Eason; though Eason is a little too up there in age to really be considered a candidate a lot of schools. When you have the talent we have on the field producing at a high level because of the talent on the sidelines, you will get poached. With a hire like Lilly, I believe CMR is reloading our staff instead of rebuilding, when the time comes.

The one problem I have with Lilly’s hiring is since he is the recruiting coordinator for FSU and signing day is only two weeks away, I would’ve figured the hiring might have been delayed some. However, I guess it’s probably best to go ahead and announce the move BEFORE the kids signed their LOI and then were told afterwards that the guy who recruited them is leaving. It sucks for FSU either way, honestly, but I’m sure CMR and CBB were cordial about the process.

So there’s my $.02 on the whole thing. The Bulldog Nation seems to be all over the radar on this, but there was a strong list of candidates to choose from, and much like our recruiting class, we picked up the guy we thought was best at the time. We’ll see in the next couple of years how solid he really is; not just on the field with our production at the TE position, but off the field when we hopefully get some more face time with game-breakers out of Florida.



Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Labels: College Football, UGA Football

Embarrassing things happen to people. It’s funny. We all love it when it happens to others and when served over drinks with friends, it even makes great stories when it happens to us.

Well, welcome to my embarrassing story. From the same guy that brought you “The Centipede Incident,” you have “The Walgreens Bathroom Fiasco.”

Welcome to Masterpiece Theatre.

Picture me in Walgreens aimlessly walking the isles as I look for a protein bar to accompany my attempt at a diet. A couple of steps here, a couple there, and I think to myself, “Self. You have to take a piss.” So I say, “OK, me. I’ll do that right now. Why not? It’s not like I have to drop a deuce in here. No one’s gotta know.”

So I walk to the restroom and as I walk up to the door, I notice a lock with a number pad on it. A twist of the handle confirmed my suspicion that the door was locked and I had no way in.

Now in every man’s life there is a moment of choice. “Do I do this? Or do I do that?” Everyone has this turning point in every embarrassing story. Well, I could’ve easily walked away, went back to my office, and just did #1 there. But no, I decided that my need for satisfactory urination was something that could (and rightfully should) happen now. This is where I made the wrong choice.

I walked to the pharmacy and asked the nice pharmacist “What’s the number code to the restroom?” To which she replied, “I’ll get someone to help you.” She picked up the phone and I thought to myself “Lady, you don’t need to page a manager just to help me out. I can wait.” But a manager she did not page. It was the entire store. Two punches of the phone and all I heard was:

CODE FIVE. CUSTOMER NEEDS HELP WITH THE RESTROOM. CODE FIVE. CUSTOMER NEEDS HELP WITH THE RESTROOM.



And that is where I started crying.

Just kidding.

Actually, what happened was this other lady, who apparently never uses the restroom, turned the corner and sized me up. I could’ve swore she was thinking “Oh yeah, this dude is definitely taking a sh*t.” At least that’s what her cold stare said to me. So, now that I’m in full panic mode, I try to hide my embarrassment and tell her “I’m sorry you had to come back here. All I had to do was pee.”

OH MY GOD, I JUST TOLD THIS LADY I HAD TO PEE. WHAT THE F*CK WAS I THINKING THERE?

So she said “No problem.” She didn’t mean it. She was pissed off (pun intended) that this slightly chubby, big-eared bastard just interrupted her job of stacking shelves so she could help him “release the hounds” in her store. It was one of those moments where I just had to laugh. I could already hear every friend of mine snickering at me through some kind of f*cked up space-time-comedy-continuum where they already knew anyway, so I just had to sit back, take the ego beating and lock it up.

So I walked into the bathroom, the door shut, and I just unzipped my pants and giggled throughout the process. Usually every time I unzip my pants, women giggle anyway, so I felt totally comfortable doing this.

And that’s when I was very thankful there was a lock on that bathroom door. At least no one was in the restroom with me.



Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Labels: Damn It, General "Kit" stuff, Stupid People

Let me first start off by saying this: I am not perfect..not even in a remotely, half-assed, kinda-coming-close way. I am to perfect what TMZ is to respectable world news. It is what it is.

However, lately I’ve seen a lot of talk on message boards that bothers me. I’m not preaching; just voicing my completely biased opinion.

You see, it’s OK to be a homer. It’s completely in your right and my right to love the Dawgs as much as possible and to believe that no matter what, we can win every game. It’s OK to think that every Dawg is an All-American and is the greatest of all time. You’re completely wrong, but it’s OK to think it.

What really ticks me though, is when grown men attack kids. Things have really been set off over the continuing A.J. Harmon saga, but it happens all the time in and out of football season, but it really gets heightened when either 1) we’re losing or 2) we’re not getting the recruits we want.

I will never condone booing players. I think it’s as classless as a Tubberville-ordered Code Red, and there’s no room for it in our program. It would do us all a lot of good to take a look at Mark Richt and not only celebrate his success on and off the field, but emulate his passion and understanding in regards to how we speak about our team. It’s not our position to boo our players when we feel they are underperforming, and it’s certainly not our right to speak negatively about a kid who is waffling in the midst of making one of the biggest decisions of his entire life at the ripe old age of 17.

In early February, I’ll be 27 years old. You know how long it takes me to decide things? I absolutely gruel over decisions that require any thought whatsoever. If it’s not clear-cut, I’m taking my time and deciding when I want and when I feel comfortable. Heck, I even agonized over whether or not to really go to Georgia and it was my DREAM. I always wanted to go to school there, but it was still tough for me as a small-town kid to go to a school that literally had a student population that was four times the size of my entire town. Sometimes even the most desired decisions are the not the easiest ones to make. Ask any lottery winner.

All I’m saying is part of being a die-hard fan is respecting the people that allow you to be what you are. There’s not a bone in me that thinks Mark Richt would take $1 million more a year over having 30 hours in a day during the season so he could spend more time with his family. That bone is right next to another one that says Kregg Lumpkin would’ve gave his left arm to have not been hurt for most of his final season. And THAT bone is next to another that understands when recruits enjoy the attention given to them by men who are well-respected and well-known throughout the entire country.

You mean to tell me that if Joe Paterno calls you tomorrow, regardless of who you were committed to, that you wouldn’t listen? Heck, if I was the best ever at my position and committed to UGA, I’d still talk to Joe Pa. I’d stick to my commitment (key phrase), but I’d still listen. He’s f*cking Joe Pa, man.

I read the Rivals.com and the Scout.com message boards (though I never post) and there are a few cats on there that need to shut their mouths but they are outweighed by the many, many more great fans that love their team and respectfully show it. Thankfully, those that need to shut up have been dealt with by the Rivals staff and have been blacklisted from the site. To the Rivals folks, I applaud you. Well done. I know The Good Senator is a Rivals member and I think PWD posts on Scout, so I’d be interested to see their takes on this, but for me, I’m glad to see bad Dawg fans get what they deserve.

And I’m sorry if I’m rambling, but all I’m saying is that when you run your mouth or show your ass, it hurts our team more than you can imagine. Many recruits (especially this year) have openly admitted to reading the message boards and listening to the talk that goes on both during the season as well as during the off-season. Also, those within the Athletic Association read what is being written over all message boards and blogs as well. Just remember that the next time you feel the need to vent your frustrations.

So the next time you want to run your trap about a current player or recruit, remember that you’re helping them decide not to play for us. Loose lips sink ships and all that.

Just some food for thought. Sorry for the rant.



Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Labels: Stupid People, UGA Football

I've just been busy as hell lately. Lots to write about and discuss, but I don't have the time right now unfortunately. I've got two posts typed up and I think I'll be able to post one tomorrow after some editing to make sure I don't sound like a complete moron.

Sorry for the lack of posting. I'll make up for it in spades soon, I hope.


Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Labels: Damn It, General "Kit" stuff

Man I have missed my recaps. I usually hate doing the previews and recaps towards the end of the season, but I was really looking forward to both of them this time around.

So after the absolute destruction of Hawaii last night, there’s a ton of stuff to touch on. Let’s get to it.



The Exceptional:

Coach Willie Martinez – Seriously, this guy schemed a perfect game last night. I said that it would be beneficial to stunt a bunch of players, but only rush 3 or 4 and drift the rest into coverage. I turned out to be pretty right, except that we didn’t even need to stunt. Our D-line was so much bigger and quicker than their smaller O-line there was no reason to play possum. We were going after the QB every play and we succeeded. What resulted was 8 sacks and 3 interceptions by the “superb” QB in Colt Brennan. Helluva job by CWM. Schemed a masterful defensive plan.


Coach Mark Richt – Is it just me, or do you love Evil Mark Richt? He tried to get as many seniors involved as possible (though I was disappointed to know I had to wait until the 4th quarter before I saw Kregg Lumpkin) and really let Mike Bobo go out there and put us in a position to dominate. Regardless of what those clueless announcers were saying in some of his calls being “classless,” I think it’s pretty safe to say that Mark Richt is tired of being nice and waiting for good things to come to him for it. He wants a MNC as much as the fans and the players do, and he is going to start playing the game to put us in that position. He wanted us to dominate them and he got his wish. I have no problem with it at all.

Marcus Howard – Damn.



The Good:

The Running Game – Cut 2nd and long into 3rd in short multiple times to keep crucial drives going. TB got most of the carriers for a number of reasons, but Knowshon again looked solid as a rock on some of those runs. Again, I was a little disappointed in getting KL in so late, but I’m sure there was a good reason for that. He’s a good kid and Richt wouldn’t hold him out as punishment. Brennan Southerland and the entire O-line need to be credited with solid blocking efforts as they continually created opportunities for our guys to break one.

The Entire Defense – We did everything right. The only problems I saw was where we missed a couple of tackles late, but seriously, that’s as nit picky as it can possibly get. We played our most solid defensive game I’ve seen all season and just GATA the whole way through. Since Hawaii can’t run to save their lives, we had three weeks to prepare a pass rush and zone scheme that would confuse Brennan and it worked to perfection. Great, great, great, great job by these guys.

Kickers – From Brandon Coutu nailing a 52-yard kick that would’ve been good from 65, to Brian Mimbs throwing down some ninja-justice on a Hawaii player, these guys had an exceptional night. We still kick really short on kickoffs; which bothers me, but as far as the kickers go, we couldn’t have had a better night. One thing I like about Mimbs’ sneak attack…he looked for the ref first so that he wouldn’t draw a penalty. Welcome to the SEC.



The Bad:

Stafford’s throwing -- His audibles last night were the best plays he made. He was largely off target for a majority of the evening; making only a couple of really tough throws. I’m not sure if his mechanics just weren’t working or what, but he was high, wide, and short all night long. Seriously though, to be on the stage that he was on at his age (yes people, he’s still only a sophomore) and keep the poise that he kept all night long, it confirms he’s a leader. Once he lets his talent catch up to his mental understanding of the offense, the kid is going to be unstoppable.

Kregg’s Late Substitution – Sorry, but KL has always been my boy and I wish he could’ve gotten in with the first team. It would’ve been nice to see him break off a decent run or two before he had to hang up his “G” laces.




The Ugly:

Colt Brennan – I mean ungodly ugly at that. Every time I saw him throw a pick, I could hear Keanu Reeves’ monologue from “The Replacements” about quicksand. It was like watching a train wreck and when the backup came in and led a drive ending in a touchdown, it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I kind of felt bad for old Colt 45, but then I remembered how cocky he is. Sometimes you just need to be humbled and this time, he got it in a big way. I read a quote that said he took some tips from Tebow about Georgia and if he beat UGA whereas Tebow couldn’t, Brennan said “it would validate a lot of things for him.” One thing absolutely validated for sure were the eye-witness reports saying that he was losing it on the sideline crying and being consoled by about 10 different players. Rumor has it, he learned the crying trick from Tebow as well. Let it flow, Colt. Your mental meltdown cost you a few million in signing bonuses for sure.




Mommy is it over yet?

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Labels: College Football, Game Recaps, UGA Football

This whole situation seems a lot like that 2002-2003 season. The roles are a bit reversed with UGA being the Goliath this time (FSU took that honor last time) and Hawaii being the David.

Now, let's call this match up for what it is. Yes, it's the little guy versus the big guy, but this was the plan all along. All season the pundits have pined for Hawaii to crash the BCS party and see what happens. They view this as another experiment instead of a game. If Hawaii wins, it's the biggest thing to happen to them since statehood. If Hawaii loses, then "they shouldn't have been there with their weak schedule."

But for Georgia, it's totally different.

This isn't our chance to beat up on the little guy. It's not our opportunity to go crack skulls on the fourth grader who lives next door. We have something to prove against a very capable team. A win here means we deserved more credit leading to the National Championship game. A loss means we didn't deserve any of the love we WERE getting before the last week of the regular season. It's as much about proving people wrong for us as it is for Hawaii.

And let me tell you; there's nothing more dangerous than two teams playing like there's nothing to lose.

So let's see what we have to do (in my mind of course) to walk out of NOLA with a "W"...



When Hawaii has the ball:

Apparently they have an offense. Someone told me that they throw it a lot or something and we shouldn't expect them to run it too much. I guess they're right. Whatever.





Man the next season of "Prison Break" is going to suck.

In all seriousness, I think Dawg fans are going to see a different UGA Defense than what they're used to. Over the past few games we have pressured the QB, forcing him to make bad decisions and turn the ball over. That's not going to happen against Colt Brennan. He is way too good and his receivers are way too dialed in for him to not recognize a blitz and throw a quick slant for five yards. If we put eight men on the line, we're toast. Plain and simple.

What I'd expect CWM to do is to put four men on the line and possibly only rush three. Sure, there will be instances where we blitz, but I think our soft zone is perfect for this type of offense. If it were me calling the schemes, I'd stunt like crazy and actually blitz only 10% of the time. I'd do my best to try and get in Brennan's head and make him wonder who is drifting into coverage and where they're going to do it. We know that Hawaii has no ground game, so there's no point in worrying about them trying to pound it out on the ground.

However, Hawaii is going to get their yards. In every game this season, they've put up monster passing numbers. Trust me, they will score on us, and it will look easy once or twice. As long as it doesn't look easy four or five times, I think we win handily.

So the idea is pressure with your D-line and everyone else drops into a soft zone. If we can get QB pressure with our hosses up front, then it's a recipe in the making for a turnover fest. Trust me on this one.




When UGA has the ball:


More of the same please. We should be able to throw handily and run wild on Hawaii's Defense. I don't expect too many offensive problems, but I do want our Offense to control the clock. Playcalling is going to be crucial here because we're going to have to move the chains two or three downs at a time, eat up as much clock as possible, and score.


The temptation is there to throw it deep often, but we have to resist it. Sure, a quick score is perfect if we can get a stop against the Rainbow Warrior Offense, but if we get into a "you score, then I score, then you score and I score" game, our chances greatly increase for us to lose this one. We need to eat up as much time as possible with a 70% run and 30% pass game, keep the felons off the field, score, and then stop Hawaii every third series or so. If we do that, I see us winning by at least 10 points.

The real key to our game is clock management. Their Defense shouldn't pose much of a threat to our Offense, so the real person to watch is Mike Bobo. I'm positive he'll let it all hang out in this game, but he has to have the wits about him to stay calm and think about the clock.



Special Teams:

You know what we've got here. Mikey, Mimbs and Coutu are a deadly special teams punch and can provide us a spark, great field position, or a clutch kick at any time.

What you don't know is Hawaii's stats. Punting wise, they rank 108th nationally. Yeah, that's brutal, but the real key to the stat is how they've only punted 32 times this season. For a comparison, UGA has punted 55 times. That says two things. 1) Hawaii usually goes for it on fourth down, and 2) They score a lot when they have the ball. So, not only is it crucial for us to make Hawaii stare at a fourth down, but we have to have them do it from about five yards or longer or they will go for it.

Kicking-wise, their FGK hasn't attempted enough field goals this season to make the list of top 50. So there you have it. Hawaii ain't kicking...they're too busy scoring touchdowns to do that.



What I think will happen:

I'm not expecting the complete meltdown of 2005 Boise State had against us if that's what you're asking. I AM expecting Hawaii to come in with some jitters, however. It'd be only natural for them to feel a little nervous. Hell, I would.



We miss you Big Z.

But don't expect them to wet the bed either. They will go deep on the first play and try to set the tone like WVU did when we played them in our last Sugar Bowl. Hawaii knows our Defense is talented and they will utilize every opportunity to get in our head.

UGA, however, won't let that happen. When Hawaii does see the field, the points will be hard to come by. We have too much to prove ourselves to let Hawaii just run all over us and we're good enough on Defense to allow them yards, but not the points. Once the ball turns over on downs, it's all #7, 24, 20, 6, 4, 1, 27, etc. Our Offense will be clicking and ready to whip some Rainbow Warrior's ass.

I'm not worried about this game. Just merely intrigued by it. Don't get me wrong, it will be a good game and will have moments of frustration just like most our games tend to have, but I believe in a Dawg victory today. I just do.

Haka or Ha'a....meet Soulja Boy.

UGA: 45
Hawaii: 31




Until next time kids.

Be safe (and Go Dawgs!).

Labels: College Football, Game Previews, UGA Football

UGA wins. To hell with Hawaii.

More coherent analysis later. Until then, I'm going to enjoy this kickass buzz I have.


Until next time kids.

Be safe (and Happy New Year F*ckers!).

Labels: Fun while drinking, General "Kit" stuff