War Damn Feeble

Remember this?

Coupla things:

• I would complain about Thurman carrying that ball as if it was a loaf of marbled rye, but hell...it was an INT. And he took it back. Didn't we do something similar in Knoxville this season?
• Anyone else amazed that those headphones actually covered Tubs' ginormous lobes?
• Let's do this thang!

Go Dawgs!

Who's That Comin'...week eleven

From the News Desk: Pellet Guns vs PT, Wild Dawg Unleashed??, AND AJ has made the heart grow fonder....

Tailgate Predictions

• Unlike KiffyBaby's eco friendly freshmen...Houston Nutt guzzles gasoline, scoffs at the Prius and then gets Giggity.
• The dookies are getting ten and a kicker against the nerds. And I'm here to tell ya they'll cover!!....going into halftime. Then PJ spreads the jelly.
• I like the moustache over the irish elephant. Navy opened the wound, Pitt pours the salt.
• Kentucky at Vandy...well, who the hell really cares?
• Clempson at NC State after a big Bowden Bowl .5 win...used to be a trap game. But Tommy don't drive that tractor no more...
• Iowa at Ohio State...well, who the hell really cares?
• FloriDuh coming to William's Lice Stadium is the kind of game fans in Chickumbia used to salivate over. Now...they can save their Saturday nights as bath night again. Slurban meanwhile continues to bathe in his own malevolence.

Trivial Update

Q - In 1986 the Plainsmen turned the hoses on us after a 20-16 win. But starting QB James Jackson didn't start since he was at his grandmother's funeral. Who started in his place?

A - Wayne Johnson

Another week, another muscle flexed by @allyugadawg. @JeremyRoyAdams @Shainam and @TNRLM followed suit. @BPMackie and @MikeInValdosta sang pretty good harmony.

So everyone gets their very own 12 inches of hose and a dry towel autographed by Pat Dye and Ally adds a bottle of cough syrup from Toomer's Drugs. Let's hope she doesn't have to loan it to our beloved Dawgs after coughing up the football tomorrow night.

Studio Analysis

This is a game that should end up in the win column. At 5-4 in early November, the emphasized word should carries with it the never ending possibility of turnovers and penalties which continuously shoot my enthoosiasms in the foot.

I expect the vampiric Joe Cox to reemerge and take advantage of a successful ground game to torch an AwwBarn defense for both yards and points. You gotta figure AJs pretty hungry.

Unfortunately, I also expect a lot of scoring from Chizzy and Co. As MaconDawg pointed out earlier this week, there are a number of reasons Malzahn is the equivalent of 'Ol Willie's kryptonite...sorry, bad analogy. I guess in short, I see this closer to the 31-30 tilt in the plainsmen's favor back in '05 than the 17-14 score that went our way last year west of Opelika.

If there's any plus side for Willie it will be that the War Kittens (h/t to all my voters this week) don't steal this one on a 4th down against a please tackle them after they catch the ball defense. In fact, this game is won on special teams. 69 - 13 - 57...separately, just numbers. But put together they're a winning combination.

So...Blair Walsh...choose which biguns you want to carry you off the field. We'll handle the fevered frenzy.

Dawgs 33

War Kitties 31

Let's pack it up early today Reader. Just tell the boss you're heading to Athens Town to see the Bulldogs play. And don't just meet me there...beat me there!!

Bernie

Key Words: In Plain View...Knutheads

While the college football world will undoubtedly focus on what the voWel suspensions will be, inquiring minds want to know...weren't ring-dings and slurpees on special this week at Pilot convenience stores? Why all the hubbub bub?

If you're gonna rob someone at pellet gunpoint...why do you pick a Prius as the get away car? Then again, guess all the HillBilly wagons are safely tucked in the trailer driveways at 2am on a Thursday morning.

That...and I thought Nu'keese (sp??) only faxed in orders. In today's world of online shopping...are guns really necessary?

The official BDB line on how many games these gentlepricks sit is ONE. Place your wagers below.

Locker Notes - AwwBarn

If you're behind on your prayers for absolutely no setbacks in AJs pulmonary contusion, please stop...drop...and send some up.

The Opelika Oppositional Defiants are sporting a new head Chizzy. The thought of no Tommy Long Lobes is more than a little sad, but the game must go on. In the mean time, let's get to some locker notes for the good guys.

• In case Bobo hasn't asked, Branden Smith - how many touches do you need this week to get into the endzone?
• Montez Robinson - What's passed is past. Hope you get my meaning. Athens is a great city and you have many good memories to be made 'tween the hedges. And outside of them.
• Coach Richt - Hope to not see much yellow Saturday night. Otherwise more benches may be needed.
• Uga VII - I once saw your grandpuppy nearly castrate Robert Baker on the plains. Have you ever...jumped...lunged...gotten pissed...walked to breakfast??
• Rennie Curran - I once saw Ben Tate hock a lougie on your car...then laugh.
• Blair Walsh - 69 13 57...Lou Groza. Damn fine season you got going. Kick it thru!
• Fred Munzenmaier - I dig breakfast for dinner. So I'll bring the syrup Saturday night.

The reader that can conveniently spill their "coke" in Lowder's lap Saturday night gets a bonus locker note next week. Until then, feel free to finish the drill.

Tight and UpTight

I'm on record as being a pretty big homer when it comes to UGA Athletics, especially football. And part of the reason I felt so good coming into this season was that the reports gave us a team that was closely knit, up to its ears in leadership and ready to play loose.

Coming off a season where the expectations were so high, it set up to be quite a relief to watch this team tear through the 2009 schedule.

Then Stillwater...LSwtf?!?...Knutsville's Kiffy Vengeance...and the Nightmare on the St. Johns.

There's been plenty of ammunition for fans to use whether they wanted to blame the coaches, the defense, the weather, the flu, the offense, the special teams, the players, the schedule, the fans, the refs...well, you get it. And we've got a few weeks before we even entertain any ideas about what (if any) coaching changes actually happen and what personnel shifts the off-season brings.

But two areas that have consistently weighed against us, week in and week out are penalties & turnovers. Those are the one common denominator each and every game; the two ton anchor desperate to sink the ship. Whether every flag flown was an actual transgression is a debate for another post. But the fact remains that we are not a team that can allow teams free yards...unless it's Homecoming against Tennessee Tech. Similarly, we have yet to win the turnover margin this season. That used to be an aberration, so it seemed.

Now...well, that's reality that's been rapping it's knuckles against our forehead (h/t Senator).

Hale has a great run down of bowl scenarios up today. Maybe you don't wanna put the cart before the horse with three to play Reader. But I'm always intrigued by bowl selections. You know, watching as things shake out on the field and in the luxury suites.

To Hale's post I'll only add that this team needs to loosen up if we're gonna make a run away from Shreveport and closer to the A T L, or (bite my tongue) Tampa. I'm sure with the mixture of upperclassmen and new talent it has been hard to find a comfort level. But it's November and there's a couple of rivalries looming. Now'd be a great time to get back to Georgia football.

That lump of coal ain't turning into a diamond...so just release it. And let's maybe pick up a loose ball instead.

As the Mumme Poll Churns...

Click HERE to get this week's Mumme Poll. Just remember that the results may not be released as of the time of this post.

I would imagine we should see some changes in this week's Mumme, college football's only unbiased poll. Here's what I stewed over:

Top Five

Florida

Texas

Alabama

Cincinnati

TCU

The Next Seven

Georgia Tech

Boise State

Pittsburgh

Miami

Houston

LSU

Oklahoma State

Folks, watch out up there at the top. I would consider Florida, Texas and Alabama's resume' more impressive to this point. But TCU and Cincinnati have stated their case and appear to be more resolute in their execution. Coach Kelly is using a second team QB for goodness sake. I give TCU a slight edge based on their resume, but Cincy has an opportunity to finish pretty strong with a home game against Illinois sandwiched by West VA this Friday night and a December 5th showdown at Pitt.

Now, I would have to say that both Florida and Bama will finish undefeated except that they will play each other for the SEC crown. What a quandry for the referees. If Florida or Bama drop one, then come back to win the SECCG...watch out! Then again...that won't happen will it?

Georgia Tech and Boise St. survived and advanced. The nerds could logistically play themselves in by running the table, but Clean Old-Fashioned Hate is played on Historic Mark Richt Field this year. Boise St. on the other hand has no chance to move any further...on my ballot at least.

Despite an offense just north of anemic, LSU has only lost to two of the best teams in the nation. And they were in both of those contests late. So I keep them in my next seven along with Houston. I drop Penn State and Iowa after losses. The Big TehlevTen is pretty weak, which means this year's Rose Bowl should be pretty authentic. Ha ha...

For the last spot, I was choosing between Oregon, Ohio State and Oklahoma State. I resisted the urge to put Navy in and went with the team that I left off last week

Monday's Meatloaf - A Saturday for All Ages

The Golden Eagles laid an egg...but got paid handsomely for it. Everybody wins...right? And the biggest winners may be the Dawg fans.

The list of young pups to produce plays 'tween the hedges was as long as a Blair Walsh kickoff. Both sides of the ball...big plays, small plays, just about everything but some takeaways.

Georgia's running game is developing nicely as we stare into the teeth of the stretch run. I remember ol' big ears gloating after the men from the plain left Athens with a 24-17 win in '01. Tuberville relished in the fact that CMR had not run the ball enough, a necessity in the SEC.

Maybe we can teach that lesson to Chizzy Saturday night.

Cuz King and Ealey can lay quite the 1-2 punch I think. It was Tennessee Tech, but Saturday was an encouraging sign for Dawg fans that are in need of some pep in their step. A little more confidence just as the preps for AwwBarn begin is just what the doctor ordered.

Let's hope the running game can continue to gain ground to make things easier on Bobo and Cox. For now, let's mix these up and let em chill in a bowl for awhile. Then form into a nice loaf and set in a 400 degree oven.

Today's Ingredients

• Speaking of Coach Tubs...Battle Hymn Notes looks back at his first hate in a classic story about growing up in the south with football, coaching changes and an encounter 'tween the hedges.
• Weiszer summarizes the Homecoming victory.
• Branden Smith made the most of his opportunities. Dawgcast ep. 216 contemplated the idea of a switch at some point. And while the allure of another Robert Edwards is tempting, Smith is the kind of DB I think we've been waiting for.
• Hale also gives readers a tip at which RB Coach Richt was most impressed with Saturday.
• The Senator offers his observations of the game and raises a fine point about the future of Logan Gray...and more importantly, the QB position as a whole.
• Rex passed on the opportunity for a free ticket when he came home, but had a great homecoming nonetheless. I'm sure #19 and a couple chili dogs helped.
• Randy thinks we came up golden and gives out some DAWGBEASTS to some deserving young pups.
• Cocknfire at TeamSpeedKills offers up some topics for discussion. If you're doing any sports betting online, this should be an interesting month as the bowl execs make some travel plans.
• To describe Jahvid Best's fall into the endzone as terrifying is an understatement. But I'm glad he has already been released from the hospital.
• Something's gotta give in the Georgia Dome. My guess is it'll be the officiating. Cuz they been giving all season.
• BWAHAHAHAHA!!...sorry Charlie. And not to be a rumor mongerer, but I heard Slurban's already accepted the HC position in South Bend and PJ has agreed to be the OC.
• And PWD has some thoughts on Coach Fox's debut in the exhibition Friday night. If you're like me, you had forgotten that a pass was legal in college basketball.

It is usually with a relaxed anticipation that I attend games like Saturday's. The good guys are all but assured of a win and you expect to see a lot of different players.

And while both of those things happened, the true beauty of the game Saturday was just being there. They say it's the little things in life and while getting to see my girls tailgate, pet Sugar the baby bulldog and share some cotton candy with Nama's daughter are indeed little things. They are all memories I'll carry along for many years.

And it was just icing on the cake in the middle of the first quarter when Conner turned to me and asked, Daddy...can we stay for the whole game?

I don't mind tellin' ya Reader, I choked back a tear and answered, Yes honey. Yes we can.

Saturdays in Athens. You just can't beat it. Now go load that up into a sandwich with a slice of provolone and call it lunch.

Bernie

Sunday Thoughts on Coming Home

Some questions on my mind as I drove to Athens yesterday morning:

1. How will we look between the thumping in Jax and the next big rivalry?
2. Are the freshmen ready to play (more impactfully)?
3. How does Cox respond as he prepares for another night game?

Two quick (negative) comments to get out of the way:

1. I could just say Penalties...rewind and pres play to repeat. But to have 11 infractions for 80+ yards against an FCS team is beyond embarrassing.
2. Why is Bobo so Godblessed enamored with the toss sweep? The fact that it was so unsuccessful against a middling team should illustrate that these days, LBs are just too fast. Especially when the field shrinks.

That being said, the Dawgs basically just pressed the Staples button...that was easy!

Offense

• The RB position is obviously down to Caleb and Washuan from here on out. I wanted to see how they complemented each other. Clearly, Ealey needs to learn how to block...quick! Cuz having two RBs who can both run and block to shuffle in and out will be quite a luxury to have during the homestretch.
• Ealey ends up with 89 yards on 7 carries, King 71 on 12.
• Branden Smith showed that lightning can strike twice...on the same college football field. Should give Coach Roof something to think about this week.
• Joe Cox did well, but never really had to check down much.

Defense

• 55 total yards and a goose egg. Good afternoon for the defensive front.
• Geno Atkins and Jeff Owens had great days. And it was good to see Washington and Robinson get plenty of action with Houston sitting out.
• Robinson should grow into a beast. And I think the same of Christian Robinson at LB.
• The only downside to the defensive performance is that they didn't force any turnovers.

Intangibles

• Against a middling opponent, the intensity ebbed and flowed throughout...as expected. The fact that it was Homecoming helped to a small degree I guess.
• I always enjoy seeing the alumni band, the older cheerleaders, Prez Adams in a bow tie...not!
• The crowd was impressive for an FCS opponent after a really bad loss in a disappointing season.
• They were quiet, but Sanford was mostly full. And not many left until the 4th quarter.
• My girls are awesome Dawg fans in the making. It was a pleasure to escort them to Homecoming in Athens Town.

Lastly, man did Drew Butler have an off day - just over 40 yards a punt... ugh!* Well, those are my thoughts, feels free to add your own. See ya tomorrow for some meatloaf. This is the week we try to figure out just who the hell AwwBarn is...eagle...tiger...plainsman...WarKitten!!

* This comment was made in jest and does not affect the author's vote for Butler as team MVP for the 09 season.