Stress Tests and Rehearsals...

...it's enough to make a Georgia boy wanna drink.

Played golf with Uncle Bucks and Cousin Colin. I figured as the in-law, I was being pretty hospitable. By the 10th hole birdie putts had been overshadowed by chest pains and all of a sudden Uncle Bucks is simply driving the cart...not driving the fairways.

But any worry was summarily subdued. The Outer Banks stress test was passed with flying colors and Bucks was smokin' stogies and draining cheap beer as fast as a HillBilly could stammer the words - EKG.

Now Bernie just has to hope his girls perform as well as Bucks during Cousin Wes' nuptial ceremony. Jenn and I have bribed them with their own Coca-Cola at the reception should every flower petal find its correct place on chapel floor.

If not...at least the bar should be stocked with enough Beam to call it even.

Friday Feedbag

• TeamSpeedKills labels LSwhos trip to Athens as a possible loss....for the Hat. Hmmm...2004 comes to mind. Suck it Saban!!
• Meanwhile, Mackie doesn't have the Dawgs going undefeated, but at least he has us beating those overall'd nitwits. Of course it always helps when they exhaust their fingers as tools for keeping score and are forced to use feet digits.
• Tim Tebow completing a pass to AJ Green is about enough to make one spew a pair of jorts...but Hale provides us with all the pre-season SEC selections. Jeff Owens as a third-teamer sounds like bulletin board material to this blawgger....just sayin'.
• Maybe the fact that UGAs lacrosse team has NEVER committed any crimes would weigh in favor for this kid comoing to Athens.
• Exhile's in rehab evidently. And after a week of doing this %$#@ on the road I can honestly say I don't blame the bastard. But still not sure what he means by Grand Tetons.
• PWD rounds up the news that FoxSportsSouth will air some tackle football under the lights. As KY_Dawg explains...it means some of us will need to change some carrier subscriptions. Damnitalltohell!
• Senator Blutarksy has what has to be one of the only ways to reference the best phone call scene from Seinfeld to college football. If you too laugh your rear end off...you're on your own.
• If you've ever uttered the phrase "trailer park style"...this post at Dawg Bloggin' Under the Influence will ring true to heart.

The third episode of Thursdays R Trivial was about as anti-climatic as the birdie putt I missed on #15 yesterday. Still, @MikeInValdosta escaped with the win by (unsurprisingly) knowing that Brew Thru was the franchise best known on the Outer Banks for their libations on location.

For his trouble, Mike takes home three and a half kegs of Keystone Light while @alanashley pockets a consolation prize for knowing that the beer store chain has sold millions of t-shirts since the mid-70s. Enjoy the swizzle sticks Alan. There's a difference between slightly used and experienced.

And please pray for me Reader. After partying hard with Wes and Allison in the wake of their nuptials this weekend, I have agreed to celebrate my 12th anniversary by driving 12 hours home Sunday. I suggested to Jenn that this is not what the preacher meant when he said "honor and obey"....she sharply reminded me that we (conveniently) left that traditional phrase out of the ceremony.

Crapnockers! Well, I trust you will honor your weekend Reader. Enjoy it as if it obeyed your every whim. Just remember that mine will be partially comprised of an open bar.

Suckers!

Bernie

Much More than a Namesake

Given the injury to Tanner Strickland, it's a good time to take a look at one of the heralded offensive line signees from the '09 class. We share little more than a name, but true freshman Chris Burnette is one freshman I will definitely be looking out for come the cooler temps of fall.

Out of Troup Co., Burnette has the skills and the smarts to crack into Searels rotation early. And we all can agree after last season's injury riddled line survived the 13 game schedule one snap at a time, that depth is so very important.

So here's some video of Troup County's most recent salutatorian...and Searels newest stud.

Talking about his decision to go to Athens -

Another focus feature...but with some dazzling special effects -

Here's what some recruiting sites had to say about Burnette. TotalUGA Scout Rivals

Lastly, Hale's Get to Know piece.

Monday's Margarita - Safety in Numbers

Good morning from beautiful Nags Head, NC. The weather's here...wish you were beautiful.

Big commitment over the weekend in Jakar "Hitman" Hamilton. Hamilton is a JUCO All-American from Georgia Military College and chose the Dawgs over the Sabanites, as expected. He should graduate in December and enroll at UGA in January. That could give him a jump start on another couple safeties expected to sign with CMR, Deas out of Florida and GAs own Alec Ogletree.

With the departure of Knox this off-season, the depth at safety has evidently rebounded well.

Here are some links for those who still need to read up on the Dawg's 14th commit:

• DawgPost's workup. Legge's video of the announcement.
• TotalUGA's posting.
• ABHs story.

After a slow start, it's looking like CMR and staff are gathering some steam towards NSD '10. I can almost smell the doughnuts!

Mix em up and CHILL!!

• Trey Tompkins helped lead his teammates to some GOLD!!
• John Isner exacted some revenge on an old foe...and grabbed some good cash in so doing.
• In between cold frothies...Mike spent the weekend profiling and following former Dawg golfer Jean Reynolds' US Open run. Unfortunately she came up short this time. But Mike's glass is always full.
• Ain't nuthin finer in the land....Our beloved Redcoats are getting their own space. And here's a great post from Roughing the Kicker containing a neat story and some great comments from actual redcoats.
• Over at TeamSpeedKills cocknfire argues that despite CMRs success, hoisting the crystal ball matters....allusion to fate intended.
• Quinton takes a closer look at some swiss cheese...er...Okie State defense. The numbers he crunches bode well for CMRs Road Show, which the Senator points out has been pretty impressive.
• RedCrake at DawgSports provides an extensive and optimistic post about CWMs pass rush. Stuff of Legend adds his take.
• And the Anti-Orange Page gives you a chance to say your peace on the issue of black jerseys.

Many thanks to cousin Wes and his soon to be bride Allison for picking the beach as their location to wed this coming Saturday. It's gonna make throwing dried rice in your eyes so much more fantastic!

But this week's biggest shout-out goes to the inventor of earphones for car DVD players. I used to be mistaken that car DVD players were the jackest of all crap. How my parents put up with us for hours in the car with nothing else to do but touch each other provokingly, I'll never effin' know.

Then some Japanese teenager constructs a magic box that plugs into your car's cigarette lighter and boom!, instant civility....with never ending Disney audio to drown out your KISS and Scorpions.

But now the Bernie progeny is splendidly silent for almost 65% of the time we're locked in together. All I have to do is make sure all of Jenn's Motley Crue is loaded and iPod ready. Otherwise the little lady gets really cranky.

So I'll be spending the week with a bunch of Wahoos from Charlottesville, as well as a handful of Hokies from Blacksburg. Despite their ACC affiliations, they're hardly the wine and cheese type; good people that I've spent the last 12+ years indoctrinating into the SEC culture.

They live for the Chick-Fil-A Bowl...we live to aim higher. Yin...yang. Ebb...Flow. Donnan...Welsh. We share bourbon, bloody marys and plenty of laughs. I guess somewhere in there we'll mix in a wedding this time.

When it comes to these in-laws, there's always safety in their numbers. Sure am glad their JP came south for her edumacation. And glad you bellied up to the bar for this Margarita Monday Reader. Enjoy your week. You can keep the little umbrella.

Bernie