Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Ga/Fla: Rivalrous during the dark days

The common era of football in Jacksonville hasn't been kind at all to the Georgia Bulldogs. Ever since Spurrier took his evil genius from Tobacco Road to the swamps of Florida victories in Jacksonville have been as rare as a mud puddle in the Mojave. So...why? Why can't we compete with Florida anymore with any consistency?


Yesterday I pointed out that the 1966 and 1976 contests were two games that Florida should've won but failed to. Then I asked if that sounded familiar. I did that because it should sound very, very familiar.


1993: Soggy Timeout
After withstanding the ridicule of Spurrier for a couple years, Goff seemed to have the Gators beat in 1993. But Zeier's touchdown pass to Jerman with 1 tick left was waved off by a timeout. 





And keep an eye on Spurrier's defensive coordinator in this video, he returns to haunt us more...here....


2002: gettin' Zook'd
This was the season we were finishing the drill, knocking the lid off the program. Richt's team was on their way to the SEC Championship game for the first time and the Sugar Bowl. We went into Jacksonville with an unblemished 8-0 record and the Gators came in at 5-3. To set the stage in three simple words: Spurrier was gone.


But after starting the season owning the entire state of South Carolina...and after going to the trouble of proving we were "man enough" in Tuscaloosa...then completely obliterating two lesser opponents leading up to the trip to Jacksonville...Zooker's squad grew more and more confident as the game went on. The end result was a 20-13 loss.


Nothing worked that had all season. The Shockley experiment was a complete momentum killer and not the change of pace, keep them off kilter plan that had been working pretty well most of the season. The defense played tough, forcing punts and field goals until late in the game when Rex Grossman finally connected on a TD pass that ended up being the difference.


2009: Fake Juice


AYFKM???*


In all honesty, this post should be about ten times as long. There was the Half and Hundred 'Tween the Hedges...the 2008 Revenge game...dropped passes...missed blocks...Shockley's knee giving way to Joe T3...and plenty of heartache to go around. I am just not physically or emotional able to relive the last two decades in their absolute misery. 


Out scored 685 to 380. 18 losses, 3 wins. Please pass the bourbon.


*further comments withheld for obvious reasons

11 comments:

Dawgfan17 said...

That one in 1993 was one of the most painful to me. Don't know if it would have helped break the current curse that is on us now before it got started but have to wonder if it would have prevented a bit of the mental block that has been on us. That game hurt like few I have ever watched.

Anonymous said...

That timeout in '93 was B.S. As soon as I saw the "fake juice" walk out of the tunnel in '09, I took 2 steps toward the t.v. to turn it off but didn't. I wished I had.

MikeInValdosta said...

I sure hope you are out of salt. My wounds cannot take anymore.

namaman said...

I still remember being there in the end zone section that Zeier threw that TD pass toward in '93... Heartbreaking...

Cojones said...

If you aren't going to drink enough for oblivion, why go to the game? Cheeez! Only insane people and misologists need attend.

zenarcher said...

My first cocktail party was in 1968, i was well under-aged, my mom and dad had the cocktails while i sipped coca-colas! it was similarly bad weather, a deluge!I had a streak from 1968 till 1989! It ended after a gaytor next to me said:"Y'all Bulldogs better enjoy this, 'cause it be different when #Stevie comes home next year!" Well I avoided the '90 game per her advise! LOTS OF GREAT MEMORIES FROM THE DOOLEY YEARS!!! Only less than a handful since... in 2011, let's get one for the pinkie and in 2012, one for the thumb! #Gata

zenarcher said...

rivalry or not? to me that is a question i can not answer honestly or objectively. since I was a wee little man I was taught to be a: "Gator Hater" and unless i have some sort of "re-birth" i shall hate the U of F till my last breathe! #Truth So I guess you might say this is kind of a personal thing for me! #Gata

zenarcher said...

bernie, the lizards were heavy favorites in 1975! Their wishbone was pushing the Junkyards up and down the field... until: "Appleby to Washington" OMG that play caught my hair on fire! Jeez,so many in the moment moments! Thank you for the props and for re-lighting, stoking my cold-blooded quest for #GatorMeat man, i could really go on and on... #GatorHaterSinceBeforeYouWereBorn lol

zenarcher said...

There is a reason nothing rhymes with #Orange ... No other word wants anything to do with it! #GaytorsFoulsTiggersAndBroncos

zenarcher said...

after the 1990 game, i felt like we were going to lose every year! I still think of what that gator fan said in 1989, it was coming true! Then, finally, in 1997...

Cojones said...

The picture that comes to mind when the buses pull into the parking lot and little kids giving the finger to Florida players makes my eyes tear up. THEIR LITTLE SCRAWNY FINGERS STABBING THE SKY RELENTLESSLY....

When are we going to teach these children that such a gesture is folly and wrong? If they are 6 yrs or older they should be able to write "F*** U" on a sign and hold it up. It conduits them early into the proper initials for that institution.