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Thursday, September 17, 2009
Dawg-gone Vlog
Welcome to the first edition. If you hate it...sorry.


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Journalistic integrity compromised at 7:21 PM.
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Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Stepping Away from the Ledge
Ok, I know I should be happy with winning against South Carolina, and trust me, I totally am, but it's tough to sit back after watching that epic battle Between the Hedges and feel great about Saturday's win. Honestly, it was one of the best games I've seen in Sanford Stadium and I'm thankful for that, figuring I had awesome seats for it, but objectively, there were a lot of things left to be desired. Before we hop onto the bad, let's talk about the good some first.

You have to give props first and foremost to Joe Cox. Aside from him staring a hole through A.J. Green for that pick-six, he played a helluva game. He had decent protection for most of the day, but decent is probably the best word I've give to it. He made great throws, good reads and managed the game quite well. I don't care how good your running game is, you have to have a heads up QB to hang 41 on anybody and he did that with great satisfaction in my opinion.

Secondly, hats off to Richard Samuel. He broke tackles, ran with authority and honestly did a much better job balance-wise of getting positive yardage. I'm a little perplexed as to why he stayed out of the game for a while when Carlton Thomas took over for a few series, considering he had the hot hand at the moment, but then again, I'm not on the sidelines and hopefully there's a good reason for it. Either way, Samuel showed that he could carry the load if called upon.

Next is A.J. Green, who does what A.J. Green does. The WRs as a whole did great, including Michael Moore, who may only have 17 receptions this year, but hell, they might all be touchdowns since that's pretty much the only time the ball's thrown his way. But A.J. stepped it up and bailed Cox out a few times with some very impressive catches. The kid is a natural born playmaker.

Special teams as a whole deserves some credit too, since it kept us in the game, essentially won the game for us and gave us all a huge sigh of relief. I'm sure the people around me thought I was nuts, but I went totally apeshit when Blair kicked the ball deep in the endzone for a touchback. Then, I nearly got my block knocked off from the rabid Dawg fan behind me who almost killed me when Brandon Boykin returned the kickoff for the score. No offense to the guy behind me though. I appreciate that kind of enthusiasm. Then, you can't forget DeAngelo Tyson who essentially won the game for us with a blocked PAT late. I mean honestly, it's been years since the Dawgs have done something like that, and it happens rarely in college football as it is.

Then you have to single out Rennie Curran. I *heart* Rennie Curran. I'd let him date my daughter if I had one. I'd vote for him for President. The only thing I wouldn't do around Rennie Curran is hand someone I cared about a football. Once he got done with them, all that would be left would be a mushroom cloud on confetti. I'd hand Kanye West a football around him, though. He could use a tune-up from one of the greatest playmakers to don a UGA uniform in a long time.


Now, let's talk about some things that weren't so great.

Mike Bobo's playcalling left a lot to be desired. I'm still firmly on the Bobo bandwagon, and the reverse call to Branden Smith was pure genius (nice block by Joe as well), but sometimes I just feel like we find something that's working and then we switch it up too soon in a lame attempt to catch the other team off guard. Samuel was hot and we put Thomas in the game for an extended amount of time. We still don't use the TE as much as I would like, especially with Orson Charles showing now that he can make some plays, and we seem to get conservative when we have at least a 10+ point lead. If Mike Bobo had the mentality that we're always playing from behind, we'd probably really embarrass some folks.

Willie's Soft Zone nearly killed me. With all the injuries last year, I stood behind Willie saying that we should give him one more shot. However, and not taking anything away from Stephen Garcia who had essentially the game of his life, we were dinked and dunked to death last Saturday. I'm sure Petrino is looking at our game film and licking his chops at the WR screens and TE in-routes that he's surely going to try against us on Saturday. I understand that the defense played fairly well, we had some hurt personnel and that Garcia played out of his mind, but giving WRs 5-7 yard cushions every play isn't going to help . At some point, we're going to have to let our CBs do their thing and if we get burnt, we get burnt. However, underneath routes move sticks, keep your defense gassed and eat clock. WE should be doing that to them, not allowing them to do that to us.

Finally, North Campus' trash is an abomination. Please take the time to look at this post by PWD and slap anyone whose trash you may recognize. As PWD noted, it's irresponsible crap like this that screws everyone. I'm fine with folks having a large tailgate, getting bent and then firing it up in Sanford, but I'd much rather see people appreciate the liberties they have on Gameday. Other colleges are much tougher on these types of things than we are and right now, I wouldn't blame Adams one bit if he immediately imposed some new rules on tailgating. Either appreciate what you have or be prepared to have it taken away. There's no middle ground here.


Ok, now that I got all those things out, I feel much better. I'm going to try a new thing this week if I can get around to it. Even though I'm not camera savvy, I might try some video or audio blogging this week, depending on which works and is easier to upload. I had some friends mention to me that as much as they love my writing, I'm much better at talking football. I'd really love to dedicate some time to a podcast if I can, but I don't have the means or the avenue to do something like that AT THIS POINT. If that changes, though, you guys will be the first to know. A small video or audio blog though? I think I could handle that.

Now, let's get healthy (thoughts and prayers to Rod Battle), rested and ready for what I'm sure will be a really tough test against Arkansas on Saturday. I was looking at the schedule today and if we can go 5-2 or even 6-1 through these first seven games, it actually eases up a LITTLE after the Florida game following the bye week. If we could somehow go 6-1 through the first half of the schedule, 10-2 isn't out of the question. However, a slip up here and there could easily put us at 8-4 or worse. It's all about how we play from week to week.


Until next time kids.

Be safe.

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Journalistic integrity compromised at 1:26 AM.
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Sunday, September 06, 2009
An Open Letter to Fairweather UGA Fans
The following is an open letter to anyone dumb enough to think that Coach Mark Richt (CMR) is no longer the right guy for this program. Proceed with caution.

You have been warned.


Dear Dumbasses,

Yep. That's what I called you. I know that starts us off on a bad foot, but at this point stupid is as stupid does, right? I mean, would you rather me called you "Dear Concerned Citizens Who Are Without Intelligence?" I mean that'd be like calling Megan Fox "adequate looking."

Beginning yesterday and leading into today, the message boards have lit up with you morons thinking that after one game, which if I need to remind you was a loss to a higher ranked opponent, CMR and everyone associated with him need to be dismissed. Now, I'm not claiming to know everything, but I do know Georgia Football and I'm quite sure that at this point, I know more than you.

I was always taught to dance with the girl you came with. Well, after losing two top 15 draft picks (namely a QB who I've learned to appreciate more since yesterday and a RB who I wish would've never left....ever), you seem to think that we'd be better this year than we were last year. Don't get me wrong, I read the practice reports too. I heard the offseason workouts were going well. I heard our RBs were looking good and that Joe Cox had come into his own.

You think it's a good idea to fire the coach who got us two SECC rings and consistently puts a top-20 team together? You think it's good to fire the coach who brought us back into the national picture? You think it's good to fire the coach who gave us a team in 2007 that might have been the best overall team we've seen since 1980? Sure, that team didn't win the SECC, but did you watch that team filled with CMR's recruits?

Here are some of your comments to a post on the Dawgvent labeled "If Not CMR, Then Who?", with the posters' names removed to protect those who may face retribution from others with brain cells:
"I'm all for it...how about Muschamp for HC?"

"we seem to go to SECCG when UF and UT are down...well, those days are pretty much over, and I believe he will be continually outcoached by the teams with equal talent...ready for some new blood myself."

"No coach can ever be bigger than the program. Richt and his staff are seriously underperforming and sooner or later we must have accountability. Richt is fast going from one of the top twenty coaches in the country to middle of the pack or worse. We have looked poorly coached for a while now and it doesn't look likely to change anytime soon."

How has Richt fared since graduating the last of Donnan's players...the same players that were key to him winning two SECCs??? He's done less with more than any coach I can recall at Georgia including Donnan. Donnan's problem was that he was too stubborn to make changes that were best for the team (sounds familiar to me). He also could not catch a break with his DCs. Bottom line...there are better candidates out there than Richt. It's not up to me to find them...but they exist.

"John Gruden"

Each break in the paragraphs was from a different poster. Now I'm not going to claim to be the end-all-be-all in UGA football, but out of all that hot air, I didn't see one good point. In fact, out of every coach that people could've chosen, the best the came up with was Will Muschamp and John Gruden? John F'N Gruden? Hell, he won a Super Bowl with Tony Dungy's players, took over as GM and ran the Bucs back into mediocrity. In fact, if there's anything he CAN'T do, it's run a team effectively from top to bottom. Look, the best part of John Gruden's regime is now the DC at Tennessee. Besides, do you a-holes really want to experience Lane Kiffin part two? Let's hire another NFL guy and deal with THAT ego.

I could give a damn if you think I'm being harsh, or cruel, or dumb, or anything of that nature. I could also give a damn if you think I'm wrong, because I'm not.

Look, I watched the same game you saw yesterday. I saw Joe Cox play a very vanilla game with bad playcalling, poor running after first contact (I'm worried about Richard Samuel's balance and ability to break tackles), a horrible injury to a good kid, and a defense that was doing every damn thing it could to redeem itself from last year.

Yes I'm also worried about our kickoff coverage. Yes we lost seven points to a horrible call and probably cost ourselves another seven by a bogus block-in-the-back call on a punt return. Yes, I saw what you saw and no, I didn't like it one damn bit either.

But some of you folks have your heads so far up your own asses that if I pushed you, you'd roll all the way to Gainesville, FL and I'd hope to hell you stayed there. And if you think that because you're a booster or some type of fundraiser it makes your erroneous opinion correct, you are high off your ass.

Please put your tickets on eBay. I'll be heading to Athens this weekend and if you're going to spend your time booing and/or pouting, you don't deserve to be there. Obviously you have no idea what this is about and where we are as a program.

Sincerely (and no, I don't mean that),

Kit



Until next time kids.

Be safe.

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Journalistic integrity compromised at 11:36 PM.
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Wednesday, September 02, 2009
Mike Gundy's Pregame Refusal
There's been a lot made of Mike Gundy's latest refusal to take part in the AFCA's idea of a pregame handshake between teams on opening weekend as a show of sportsmanship. It should be noted that CMR is totally behind the idea, but Gundy has openly refused the idea fearing that a brawl may break out should the teams meet before kickoff.

My take on the whole matter sort of sides with Gundy, but not for the lame ass reason he's listed. While Gundy says he fears a brawl, what he's really saying is that he's getting his troops amped up and he wants nothing to do with anything that will quell that fire he's trying to light inside them. He wants his players amped up and ready to hit from the time the football gets kicked off. While that energy COULD lead to some type of altercation, an altercation is more than highly unlikely. Those kinds of things only happen when USC and Clemson play each other and any time a team from Florida plays another team from Florida (see: Florida vs. Florida State, Florida vs. Miami, Miami vs. Florida Atlanta, etc.).

I don't side with Gundy, but I see his ulterior motive in not bringing his players down. I side with the fact that TRUE sportsmanship happens AFTER the game when one team leaves as a loser and the other as a victor. Think about it. How many times did any of us when playing little league sports shake hands BEFORE a game?

None.

However, after the game, it's customary for the teams to high five and say "good game" to the other squad, regardless of whether or not they actually felt that the game they played, or the game the other team played, was good. When you can take that loss like an adult, hold your head high and wish the other team well, you've practiced TRUE sportsmanship.

What Gundy's gotten himself into is a mess where he looks like the villain in a shitty PR stunt by an organization trying to do something to gain attention. The AFCA has concocted this idea that doing this will somehow make the sport look better, when we all should know that, yes it's just a stupid handshake, but no, it means jack shit.

We already have a pregame handshake between the captains of the different squads at the coin toss. We already have the coaches go out and talk to each other during warmups. We have all of these things in place already and now the AFCA is asking for some type of PR stunt in the middle of opening weekend?

You want to see true sportsmanship, then go watch any game after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. We played Arkansas that year and not one player on the field put their own agenda above that day. In fact, that's the day I cared the least about UGA football and the day I cared the most about being lucky enough to attend an event of such magnitude.

So, don't side with Gundy, but in my opinion, don't side with the AFCA either. If they want sportsmanship, they should request something that actually puts the sport on the back-burner. The best way to do that is make both teams swallow their pride and wish the other team the best for the rest of the season.


Until next time kids.

Be safe.

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Journalistic integrity compromised at 10:02 PM.
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New Munson Mix!
Ok, so it's been a busy month, but I've finally caught the football season bug and in return, have created a new Munson Mix for you guys' enjoyment.

It's another tune by Wolfmother called "The Joker & The Thief" and was most recently made famous by the movie "The Hangover." However, I saw it as a good excuse to make Mike Gundy the Joker and the Dawgs' win in 2007 as the Thieves.

It's a good blend of Munson's calls (the last game from which I've found any audio recordings) and Mike Gundy's "I'm a man! I'm 40!" rant from a few years back.

I hope you guys enjoy and as always, you can shoot me an e-mail at KitZeus99 {at} gmail {dot} com and I'll get this one and any others you'd like over to you.




Preview coming soon along with a new article on Examiner.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

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Journalistic integrity compromised at 1:10 AM.
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