Monday's Meatloaf - Staring Into Reality

In big boy football, there's no such thing as moral victories. So although there have to be worse things than getting beat by the #4 team in the country, it's a game we should have won. Period.

The easiest thing to do after a loss is to take a coach, player or both to task. And there are coaches and players who could use it. But I'm gonna avoid the temptation. Cuz quite frankly there are more fans who need to take a long, lasting glance in the mirror.

Glance #1: Fire Willie Martinez I've been critical at times when I felt it was necessary. There have been games I felt Martinez was completely outmatched and unprepared. Saturday was not one of those times. Those that blame that loss on the defense clearly were absent the first half. We went into the locker room down 6-0 at half. We coulda gone into the locker room down 28-0.

And what exactly do fans want to see happen once Coach Richt gives his buddy the ax later today? Dick Lebeau may be one of the greatest defensive minds in football right now. He ain't coming to Athens. Garner would be the guy tapped in this disastrous scenario. And how awkward of a transition would that be between the 5th and 6th games of the season?

Glance #2: Bench Joe Cox This one suits the common theme among football fans since the game was invented, the most popular guy on a team is the backup QB. Folks, if Logan Gray were ready to run the offense...he would be. He's not, so Joe's our man. If you came into this season expecting the only change to the Dawgs' QB would be his hair color, well you obviously hibernate during the off-season. I've said it before, but it bears repeating: Cox needs the help of a good running game. So this glance falls squarely on the shoulders of a poorly performing offensive line.

Glance #3: Fire Mike Bobo I think Bobo is a good OC. Not great, good. He's best when the components of his offense are all doing their job. When they are not I believe he struggles to make the needed adjustments. Right now our running game is dreadfully awful. The line can't create holes and Samuel and King have not been able to take the load on their shoulders. If Ealey has a good week of practice and improves enough to where Bobo and Richt can trust him in the backfield in passing situations, his energy could provide the spark this offense needs to be good, maybe even great again.

Last Glance: Reality Stares Back In the end we're 3-2 (2-1) heading up to Knutsville. If you're like me you wouldn't have just taken that back in August, but in the back of your mind you would've thought, "That sounds about right...unfortunately."

Today's Ingredients

• There's a glance that should be in there relating to Fabris...but I think I'm on record with that guy. The bottomline is we made a really bad kickoff return team look really, really spectacular.
• I haven't rewatched the game...and I doubt that I will. But is it just me, or did Evans play a LOT more than Rambo?
• I remember at some point after the '07 victory in J'ville someone saying that officials were holding that endzone celebration against CMR. At the time I thought, that's a buncha bunk. (pause) Hmmm....
• Congrats to Rennie Curran for setting a new career mark with 16 tackles. But it's the one he missed on Charles Scott that he laments. True leader.
• Cocknfire over at TeamSpeedKills is just as dumbfounded as we are at Saturday's officiating. And Weiszer examines just how costly the flag was. Meanwhile CBS' Tim Brando just went off... (it's about 5 minutes in.)
• Rex has a word for some of you folks.
• Get the Picture wraps up the what was from Sanford Stadium.
• Speaking of The Senator, the first Mumme Poll (corrected link, sorry...) is due this week. I cast my first ballot in the name impartiality yesterday. I feel liberated. Hope you followed suit.
• Mike has a gameplan for the kickoff team. I don't know...kick, cover and tackle just doesn't sound challenging enough.
• Since I came back to him - one more thing on Fabris, that was a pretty damn important kickoff there. Looking back, do you think it was a good time for the twirl and whirl huddle? I mean what is the freakin' point of that anyway?
• Hale's notes on last night's teleconference where CMR broke wind and his piece on AJs rude behavior.
• PWD has the kickoff and tv schedule for this weekend. Toe meets leather in Knutsville at 12:21.
• Big shout-out to Cohen Bryan for making his first trip to Athens on gameday. No word yet from Callie or Chris if their 9 week old was indeed offered a scholly while in town.
• And off the gridiron and onto the diamond, Perno's Dawgs are practicing and getting ready for some spring action at Foley.

So...we are what we are. The mirror doesn't lie. Five games into '09 and we're just about right where we should be. Sure, it hurts that we're within a few plays of being 4-1 or maybe even 5-0. But we're also within a few plays of being 0-5.

But steer clear of the load of crap some fans wanna dump. You know, the ones who might say things like Start Aaron Murray, let's get ready for next season. I mean, do they actually think decent athletes are gonna want to come play for a coach who gives up on his team, his veterans who've worked so hard to get to where they are?

No, there's some fight in these Dawgs. And I'm ready to see them tear KiffyBaby a new one.

Bernie