What WAS a Plainsman?

Some scenes from last week's tailgate...

You tell me what Rusty was drinking..smelled like a cup of knowledge!

Don't know what today's festivities will bring, but can't wait to see these seniors take the field.

Go Dawgs!!

Who's That Comin'...week twelve

Prologue

When the news broke yesterday I was on my way to Athens to meet some friends. Phone went crazy, which was a good thing. I had to turn the radio off. When I sent a last text and pulled back onto 316 I simply tuned the iPod to some tailgate music.

It soothed the soul.

You see, some jackholes just don't understand. I'm convinced the only people who can understand the passing of our mascot are Dawg fans and dog lovers. The idiots with a mike at 790thezone who continually cater to their ITP bug lovers barely have a signal that can reach Perimeter Mall....they neither have the capacity to understand or the soul to care.

Enjoy hell Mike Bell.

Yesterday was a thoughtful day for dog lovers, a difficult day for Dawg fans...but a painful day for the Seilers. Everyone else can take their mascot envy and shove it!

Studio Analysis

I had this nice write-up about how much Randall Cobb means to the Joker Phillips' offense and whether or not Hale would be correct in his suspicions about Cobb's questionable status. Xs and Os, personnel groupings, brief look back at history...it was all there.

But when word spread of Uga's passing...well, to be honest...Kentucky doesn't stand a chance in hell.

We've got an embattled coaching staff, a baseball player going through the fight of his life, enough seniors bringin' mommas to fill a two-deep and an empty Dawg House with a funeral wreath. The great Bear Bryant could return to the north sideline in a blue leisure suit with Coach Brooks propped on his shoulders and it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference.

Throw in the fact that it's a night game and there's a FAN Black-Out...puh-leeze! Take your Adolph Rupp lovin' round ball heads back to the bluegrass.

DAWGS 34

kitties 3

Tailgate Predictions

• California at Stanford is the only game between two ranked opponents this weekend. And from what I can tell it's not televised. That means no one will really see some ridiculous blunder by Tedford that allows Stanford to keep that healthy buzz going.
• The most notable SEC game however is LSU in Oxford. Missy gave Kiffy a stick-up and are feeling pretty good. LSUs been here and done that. They'll do it again.
• Meanwhile Alabama and floriDuh lift a finger and get the W.
• Want more tradition? Well, Ohio State visits Meecheegan just like old times and leaves RichRod even more uncomfortable in his latest hue of blue and gold.
• Turtles in Tallahassee. Ann lets Bobby wear the pants for the afternoon and he runs Ralph outta town, no small feat, right? Then Diddy plays the role of turtle and retracts his neck again.
• NC State brings the basketball team to Blacksburg and actually comes closer to covering the spread against the Hokies.
• The Wahoos visit Death Valley...Al Groh's still the coach right? Ok, I'll edit this one out later.
• Texas destroys Kansas. But Mangino eats 5 and a half more burritos than Mack Brown. But hey, it's better than chewing some 18 year's ass.

Trivial Update

Q - Joker Phillips is the mastermind behind the Wildcat offense. He was also a WR for Big Blue back in the early/mid '80s and helped the 1984 Kentucky team to the Hall of Fame Bowl where he had 6 catches for 55 yards. Who was his QB?

A - Bill Ransdell

Just when you thought he was out, he pulls himself in. @BPMackie may breathe exclusively through his mouth and have eyes that don't quite line up, but the kid can google (for you old fogies, that's current for mastery of the dewey decimal system). And yesterday he pulled into the BDB Tweetdeck just ahead of Ally.

Congrats Mack. Enjoy the Kentucky blue football pants, size 56. They were reportedly worn by J-Load hisself. Maybe you could use them as curtains.

For the rest of you, when you set our your clothes out tonight for tomorrow's main event...just go black. Uga VII will never be back to sit lazily in his house or to lead his team onto the field. But he'll always be there in the Southwest Corner, with his elders. Together they'll watch the heroes who grace the field before us. The men with hearts, bodies and minds of which the entire BullDawg Nation can be justifiably proud...

Thank you seniors. TEAM VEAZEY!! RIP Uga VII.

Now let's go bark like hell!

Bernie

From the Southwest Corner...

Clint Eastwood once said to Uga, I'm gonna make you a celebrity. To which Cecilia Seiler responded, Excuse me, Mr. Eastwood...but Uga is already a celebrity.

That one little story from the making of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil explains a lot about the gap that exists between those who understand what a dear mascot Uga truly is and those who have no clue.

On Saturday we'll pay our respects to a dog that transcends the term that defines his role in college football nomenclature. A mascot is simple, common...a side show. Uga is the University of Georgia. His passing is forever etched in our minds as it is the stone mausoleum in Sanford Stadium. When we look towards the Dawg House, our hearts will sink.

For a football game inside Sanford Stadium is to be played not just between the hedges, but on Uga's turf. There should always be opposing players just outside of his leash's reach. But on Saturday evening, Uga VI's Loran's Best will be playing upstairs with Uga V's Whatchagot Loran. Perhaps Erk will even throw down a bag of ice. There'll be a tussle.

And we'll smile. Cuz our mascot is adored. The Uga lineage has posed for more pictures than any Hollywood star on the supposed walk of fame. Each interaction is cherished. Each casual glance rewarded with that lovable wrinkled countenance. How else could you explain the fact that Uga's line in August is longer than all others...put together?

Sonny Seiler once described Picture Day as Santa Claus at the mall - times 100. Fitting of a dog who has both a family...and a nation.

RIP Uga, you DamnGoodDawg!

Prosecuting Charlie Brown

Dateline - October 10th, 2009

Unlike KiffyBaby's players I don't normally like to return to the scene of a crime, but as the Dawg Nation gets frenetic about the future of Willie Martinez on the Sanford sidelines it seems the best place to start collecting a frame of reference.

In Butts-Mehre the case is being made to keep 'Ol Willie. It would thrill me to no end if the case is made on the field these last two games as well. Just like the players and coaches, I'll never be satisfied with eight and four...but...

• second in the East in '09 (I can find a way to live with that...this season)
• a win over KenYucky on Senior Night
• and a win over the Level 300 wizards of North Avenue

However, if all of that happens...the utter debacle that we witnessed in Knutsville hurts even worse. Crompton has turned out to be more than a one game wonder, but it was the game against our defense that made him Heisman discussion worthy in just one afternoon.

That may be overstating it a bit. But you get my point. You get it because your stomach turns every time you think of that afternoon too. Losing on the road in Stillwater sucked. The loss to LSwho blew. Getting schalacked by Slurban was like Tyson biting Holyfield's ear - unnecessarily violent and ear wax bitter.

But getting lick'd by Lame Kitten and adding the brah to his false bravado...inexcusable.

Sure, not all Willie's fault. Receivers dropped balls. Cox brought a couple of gifts for the UT secondary. And thinking back, I'm not completely sure Bobo even got out of bed that morning.

But the one question that game begs is why the (bleep!) couldn't we adjust to the play-action bootleg? Our front seven was steadfast in their trust that a running back was coming up the middle with the football...and continually was sent ass over tea-kettle for the fake handoff while Lucy grinned.

Credulous, stubborn...duped.

And don't gimme that crap about players needing to make plays. The players were the guys on the field getting smacked in the mouth. However, the coaches were the ones who dropped the ball. My intramural flag-football team coulda out-schemed Willie that day. And I'm not talking about back in the day either. I'm talking today, with beer guts and bum knees.

It was as if we were saying any minute now they're going to stick to what their game plan should be and run the football...THEN we'll be ready.

So with some simple adjustments the case might be stronger. Bring a d-back off the edge on a blitz. Have the d-ends expect to met Crompton out in the flats instead of in the backfield.

In truth, those adjustments wouldn't erase the memory of Arkansas receivers running through wide open pastures back on September 19th. It wouldn't even delete the canned footage of Brandon James getting three, maybe four chances to catch a pass in Jax before a defender enters the picture. And it evidently wouldn't force our DC to play the better personnel over the ones with seniority. But, it would make the case stronger. And the jury in this case could use a very strong argument. For this prosecution will never rest.

If only Martinez's defense played with such junkyard Dawg-like tenacity...instead of such dogged determination that this will be the time Lucy is true to her word.

Some who say it better:

• Mike's 12 Ounces of Courage
• Sports Dawg is feeling Blue
• Hale's Sunday Teleconference Notes
• Leather Helmet Asks and Answers
• Rex Kicks it Around
• Catfish & Cornbread flips the coin

Locker Notes - KenYucky

Wish I had room for each and every senior. Actually, I guess I do have room...but not so much time. However, I'll be in my seat ready to bark Saturday night when the red carpet rolls out for these Dawgs who have played their time out 'tween the hedges. I hope you're there beside me Reader.

Until then, let's give out some locker notes.

• First and foremost, Bacarri Rambo - simply, Thank you!
• Jeff Owens - Perhaps after you're done doin' your thang...you could lend our locker room your halftime voice.
• Israel Troupe - Hot Damn! I like your timing. And you should find plenty more yards in the next two secondarys. Get after it!
• Fabris - You should take it as a challenge to go get whoever leads the SEC in touchbacks to come be a Bulldog instead. Let me check that for you.....hold on, I have it here somewhere...oh, wait! WE ALREADY HAVE HIM ON OUR ROSTER!!
• Marlon Brown - Suddenly we could use your height out wide. It'd be a great time to step up. Nothing better than a proud grandmamma.
• Demarcus Dobbs - You saved us in this game last year up in Lexington. In fact, your hand seems to continually get in the way of things offensive. And I really dig that.
• Joe Cox - Just go nuts Joe. Then add the cherry on top.

Three days until our last trip to Sanford for a while. I know it's tempting to spit and spew about what next year could be like and who could be around to see it...but just remember, these seniors deserve our attention.

Saturday would be a good day to make it undivided.

Now, feel free to add your own...

Running With Purpose

Coach Richt alluded to it in his weekly tv show - Georgia's running game has gotten progressively better ever since the Vandy game.

We were all cautiously optimistic back then of course since a lot of those Nashville yards were in garbage time. But we gained more ground against Florida and then gained some more credit against Tenn Tech.

Then came the War Kittens -

Coming into Saturday, I didn't realize how small the Auburn defensive front was. But regardless, we did what we were supposed to...lined up and moved them around. Finally the O-line is playing as if they actually enjoy run blocking. All that's left is for King and Ealey to make the most of the holes.

Unless they're blocking...holy crap Caleb!

For the record, I've never done that on any diet...liquid, limited or otherwise.

Together King and Ealey look very good. Ealey is brimming with confidence and King wants the ball each and every play. If I were Bobo, I'd be trying to sneak a second ball on the field. It may be the only way to keep these guys from starving.

Mumme Poll - shaking out the wannabes

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.

Didn't watch too much football this weekend due to the long tailgate. But spent Sunday catching up on scores, highlights and analysis. Here's my ballot for this week:

Top Five

Florida

Texas

Alabama

TCU

Cincinnati

The Next Seven

Georgia Tech

Boise State

Pittsburgh

LSU

Oregon

Ohio State

Oklahoma State

Cincinnati-West VA was a game I was looking forward to, partly because I'm amazed at how Brian Kelly handles his team's depth. But also because I expected it to justify my placement of a Big East team in the Top Five these last couple weeks.

It was a good game. On a side note, last season I did not feel the hype surrounding Kelly to School X was justified. I do now. And I expect Tennessee et al. to one day be sorry they passed. On another side note, if Cincinnati ever were to meet TCU this season I'm convinced the Horned Frogs would wipe the turf with them.

Houston and Miami played their way out after losses. Houston's loss subsequently damages Okie State. But I was just at a complete loss of who to put there in the last spot. While tradition says another Big 11 team should be in the next seven, the truth is that Penn State is not good enough and Iowa is a toss up for me. So I stuck with Oklahoma State in the last spot. Lesser of two evils I guess.

Over them jumped Ohio State and Oregon. The Buckeyes deserve an ounce of credit for winning their conference...right? The Ducks are waddling with a swagger in what has been a competitive Pac-10 this season.

Upcoming games with implications - really only one this weekend, LSU in Oxford. Ole Missy put a whoopin' on Tennessee while the Tigers struggled against an inspired La Tech team. Other than that...phmmph!

Monday's Meatloaf - A Cushion for Your Fall

Two games over .500. Staring at a Senior Night that should be something special. And counting blessings...

On Sundays during the season I always try to consider carefully what the pulse of the Dawg Nation is, win or lose. Saturday was emotional, gut wrenching. Save for a breakdown in kickoff coverage (or two, maybe three), it was the most complete game of the season for our Dawgs.

The offense was focused and the defense was determined. It was exactly what was needed to ease the pain of what has been a tumultuous season. As a fanbase, we're not going to work this morning licking our wounds. We're ready to see that guy down the hall in the blue and orange office who's always screaming "WAREAGLE!!" on Fridays as we leave for the weekend. We're contemplating bowl scenarios with something just north of a grimace.

The win over Auburn cushioned what has been a desperate Fall. But just how big of a cushion is it? And was it the same for the fans as it was the coaching staff?

I think the thing I would have really like to have seen was what kind of defense would we have played all year long if we weren't constantly turning the ball over deep in our territory or throwing the pick-six or having the kickoff returned for a touchdown...But right this minute, (the defense is) playing really well.

That's Coach Richt taking his due liberties. You can read the entire quote from Hale's Teleconference Notes. For another great read on the subject of Coach Willie, Rex believes he ain't going anywhere. So it would appear the cushion that was a pile of plainsmen was a lot fluffier for the coaching staff than it was the fans.

Then again that's my pulse. What's yours?

Today's Ingredients

• Four straight over AwwBarn. So nice let's say it twice. Four straight over AwwBarn!!
• Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? No, Bluto...it's not over 'til Jeff Owens says it's over!!
• Scout's Chad Simmons tells us that Saturday night's crowd left quite an impression ($) on Warner Robins' Jeffrey Whitaker, who's visit to Athens was somewhat of a surprise.
• Speaking of the recruits in attendance, was it just me or were there a lot of Bulldogs in the NFL slides up on the jumbotron? Moreso than usual that is...
• Proud Uncle Rex takes a complex game full of plots and subplots and summarizes it by simply asking to spread the love.
• Meanwhile, Mike hands out some bones.
• What's worse than the toss sweep? The toss sweep to Branden Smith.
• However, I agree with Exhile. This was one of Bobo's better games this season. Especially considering he was without his greatest weapon for much of the game.
• Before Saturday night's game, the thought of playing the stretch run without Adriel Jeremiah Green woulda made me curl up and cry in a corner somewhere. But I like the resolve in these Dawgs. And it made the biggest impact in two very special stats: turnover margin and penalties.
• But given the choice of playing with or without #8...I'll always take the Beast.
• And like a nightmare that continues to give you both a sweaty brow and an accelerated heartrate, directional kicking visits our pillow all too often. I'll try and stomach my way through more of that later. Ugh!

I checked yesterday and again this morning...the AwwBarn billboard that claims they're fearless and true is still hanging along 316 about two tee shots from my house. But I'm working on it.

I'm sure you've seen them too....around Atlanta and other necks in the woods. If they actually were fearless then we might be seeing them sprout up around Athens too. This school west of Opelika is desperate.
And if you have one near your residence, you're probably gonna need a blow torch to go along with the rachet set. Not speaking from experience. It's just my educated guess.
Come back 'round here now Reader. We're gonna have our tailgate'N footage where we asked any and everyone just what a plainsman was and also some locker notes as we get ready for KenYucky.
Here's your napkin. Enjoy your Monday.


Bernie

Sunday Thoughts

I'm convinced that there is nothing more eerie than being in a full Sanford Stadium yet hearing specific voices from across the field amid a deafening silence. From a minute 16 left until I reached the car and officially heard Bacarri was ok, being 6-4 or 5-5 didn't matter a damn.

• So first and foremost, prayers for a complete recovery for Rambo and AJ. And while we're bending a knee, thanks to Gordon Beckham for making Chance Veazey a household name in the Dawg Nation.
• Georgia/Auburn is always a hard hitting battle. As Rambo lay on the field near the goalline, how many of us must have been thinking back to Reggie Brown in '04?
• And yes, I checked...Rosegreen is still the biggest d-bag to ever play in the SEC.
• As bad as the defense looked in the first 10 minutes, they looked close to its polar opposite in the final 50.
• All of that credit goes to Willie. Something clicked. And we are thankful.
• However, I should garner some props for having the courage to throw my hat down after Abuurn's second TD. There it stayed until Cox took his final knee.
• I haven't checked the film, but my guess is the defensive turnaround had less to do with schematic adjustments than it did just tackling the guy with the ball.
• And listening to the call in show, what's up with the one guy asking about why Rennie had an off night? Was he watching the same game as the rest of us?
• While the Tiger D is not its usual stout self, the Dawg running game continues to impress.
• The offense play disciplined, determined football. When a player of AJs caliber leaves the game for good, you can't just tweak and expect to win.
• Joe Cox and Co. protected the ball and focused on not moving backwards.
• That being said, that pass to Orson Charles was perhaps Cox's worst of the season. What a game changer that play was. Should've been an INT that (at worst) set Auburn's offense in prime field position. Ended up being a big gainer on a third down.
• After that play I turned to the Plainsman behind me and just grinned. We finally had a break go our way. Deep down I knew then it would be a good night.
• Speaking of a good night, wonder if Jeff Luc had a good time...??

Have a great Sunday Reader. I'm going to wash my hat.