Trivial Update - Slamming the 'Dore

#ThursdaysRTrivial ep 63 is coming up after this PSA: #BigBadBruce just intercepted another #OleMissyCuddlykins pass & took it back six. Uga VIII 63, Rebel Without Bite 0.


#ThursdaysRTrivial episode 63 "Slamming the 'Dore" It's the Twitter Twivia Show that always knows Home is where the Dawgs play. REPLY back your answer for a chance at a fabulous prize. What former Dawg has a younger brother who is a RS Fr LB on the Commodores' squad?


I don't know about Brannan's brother Blake, but #36 knew how to pancake a nerd...

Congrats (again!!!) to Shan for having the quickest Google fingers on tha Twittah. For being first he gets a big stack at IHOP. Angie came in second and gets free marriage counseling now that the hubby's rented space in the Twitterverse. Or they might choose a weekend for two in NashVegas. Beautiful city, bad intramural program.


Tune in next time tweeps when we discover just what makes a wildcat wild.

Home Sellout Streak in Serious Jeopardy

But still within reach.

Less than one-hundred tickets go on sale tomorrow at 8am. The lawn and laundry can wait. That's why God invented NFL football for Sunday afternoons. Make it happen Dawg nation. Big Bad Bruce deserves a sellout.

@marcweiszer Marc Weiszer

UGA has less than 100 tickets left for Vanderbilt game. On sale 8 a.m. at stadium East end booth $50 each. Home sellout streak is 60 games.

You Will, You Might & You Won't

At the game tomorrow...

You will see a convincing win.

• Georgia will dominate using a good mixture of pass and run that will set up Aaron Murray to have another stellar performance. Ealey has a big game and the defense gets 2-3 more turnovers to help the scoreboard pull away. 

You might see Ken Malcome.

• But I think it would take some pretty dire straights to give fans their first look at the true freshman. Dire as in an injury to Ealey and Munzenmaier missing the team bus from Lake Lanier.

You won't see AJ return punts.

• It was nice last week to see Georgia's best playmaker trot out to get an extra touch on the ball, but shortly after that he was laying on the 10 yard line as the stadium held its collective breath. Plus, it's not like Logan Gray hasn't proven he's the man for the job. He's done waving five fingers through the air and he's ready to score six points.

Depth Desperation and Malcome's Redshirt

I'm curious to see Saturday how desperate we are to pull Ken Malcome's redshirt. If Ealey has the kind of game he wants to (and should have), I'm guessing we don't see #24 on the field. Tucker questioned Georgia's OC about it:

“We’re going to have to figure out a way,” Bobo said. “Guys are going to have to pick up the slack, and Washaun is going to have to be ready to go.”

Carlton Thomas is practicing but has been limited. Right now I put the chances of us seeing Malcome about even with Thomas. If Thomas can't go, I think we'll see Washaun carry the load against the 'Dores with Munzenmaier spelling him. The way our coaches put a premium on blocking and with the game experience both Ealey and Munz have, we'd have to be pretty desperate to put a true freshman in the backfield. (Desperate as in he's already fumbled two times and it's not halftime yet)


Right now, Aaron Murray is the key to the rest of our season. Much more so than back in August. Give Ealey 30 or more carries and use others (Munz, Chapas, and reverses with Wooten, Gray, AJ) to collect the rest of your rushing yards. Not to mention Murray himself.


Of course all of that is guesswork, but there is one thing I'm sure of: if Ealey wants to grab the #1 TB slot at the University of Georgia, it's gonna happen now. King was already pulling away before Monday's arrest. Ealey basically has a two week audition for the starting spot in Jacksonville.

Are You Fan Enough Kid?

Last week I called you out, laid down the law. And for the most part everyone fell in line. Saturday was a great day to be a Dawg fan. I was not embarrassed by those who sat around me. The energy was good. The behavior was near perfect, save some one-toothed wonders scattered about.

Of course, we must take into account the fact that when the home team sprints out to a 17-0 lead, it's hard for even the drunkest of dillweeds to find reason to boo. So maybe they were there, just suddenly feeling less strength in their numbers...less virile and more sterile.

Or perhaps they just all moved to Slurban's Swamp.

I could be working an algorithm.

However, while my bone to pick with the boo-birds is no where to be found, I do have one for those lazy, pampered, snot-nosed students whose seats remain empty. No, not those of you matriculaters that show up really early, just as Sanford is opening; rising with the early tailgaters to make sure you get a good seat. I'm referring to the ones who just can't seem to drag their lazy ass out of bed on a Saturday morning, slap on a t-shirt and a pair of flip-flops so they can walk down Baxter to cheer on their classmates.

At the Tennessee game I was sitting next to this old guy who was telling me of a couple students that told him it's just too much to have a game at noon the Saturday after a night on the town. As he said, IT'S SIX SATURDAYS A YEAR!! Are you kidding me? And like Derek n Ol' Dawg pontificated, back in our day nearly all the games were at 1:00. Plus, beer downtown Friday night back then was practically free which made Saturday mornings about as pleasant as waking up on the floor next to a used trash can. And yet, we still marched up the hill to Guthries for a remedy cure and then back down Baxter to Sanford (yes, through three feet of snow, barefoot) in plenty of time to see the team warm up.

But not you. Your week was way too stressful between the Biology lab on Wednesday and that Philosophy paper you barely avoided. Much too taxing to go over to the stadium and actually be required to cheer. God, if you actually had to get up at 6am to drive over from Atlanta or further...YOU...JUST...MIGHT....DIE.

Well, take a moment away from your daddy's crackberry to listen up. This is your time. Soon, getting tickets will be even more difficult for you. UGAA will actually require a significant monetary commitment. Currently, you're unable to even commit to light beer. So your future attendance is highly suspect. It might be a good idea to actually take advantage of a good athletic program, brush your teeth...learn to bark. 

They've got spirit, how about YOU?

When I was your age I was so committed I gave 5 years to my undergraduate experience. Maybe your parents won't bankroll you that long. Hell, if you were my kid I woulda already cut you off when I found the first unused ticket to a glorious Saturday afternoon just outside the hedges. Consider yourself lucky. Then, do me and the rest of the Dawg Nation a favor...give your ticket to someone who has aspirations that begin before noon on a gameday Saturday. Someone who is just as disgusted by empty aluminum stadium seats as yours truly. One of those spirited kids who'd love nothing more than to paint himself red, affix a black mohawk to his head and stand in line with the rest of the abled student body. Someone who would like nothing more than to hear an alarm clock on a Fall Saturday morning cuz it means another chance to spend the day with 94,000 Dawg fans. A person who simply has more bite to his bark than your no good, yellow bellied, worthless, might as well be orange butt.

Saturday's Homecoming. Not only are your classmates playing in the game, they're also performing in the stands, walking as part of the Court. Plus, the alumni who have laid the groundwork before you are coming home to cheer, play and revisit old memories. AND ON TOP OF THAT...there's a changing of the collar ceremony Saturday. Uga VIII Big Bad Bruce gets to meet his extended family, frolic on the turf, then straddle a bag or two of ice.

If you'd rather sleep than be a part of that...well, then I don't know you son. You might as well be some engiNerd pounding away at his Ti-85 in the library at 2 o'clock on a Saturday afternoon in the Fall. That's how they roll on North Avenue kid. This...this is Athens G-E-O-R-G-I-A. This red and black Nation will go on, we'll continue to thrive in fact.

But please God...please help this country with sorry souls like these. For they'll never truly be FAN enough.

Big Bad Bruce...this is your Nation

Per UGA release, Uga VIII officially unveiled to Dawg fans:

Uga VIII's registered name is "Big Bad Bruce" in honor of Dr. Bruce Hollett of the University's School of Veterinary Medicine. Hollett has been instrumental in the care and treatment of the bulldog mascots over the years and will also be present for the Saturday ceremony.

Uga VIII is a white male English Bulldog born Sept. 12, 2009. He weighs 55 pounds and is the grandson of Uga VI.

We're dealing with a lot of (crap)!

Maybe Ealey's eyelids are jammed...or we should sacrifice a live rooster...or maybe Millie or Jimmy didn't get their candlesticks. (NSFW...)

h/t epitaphster

But somehow we gotta get the monkey off this kid's back. Ealey's got a case of the hiccups. And now we really can't afford it. I know towards the end Saturday we were desperately trying to get him in the endzone. Kinda wish we had. The kid needs some confidence and what better way to do that than to let him change the scoreboard by 6.

Fred Munzenmaier was supposed to take some snaps at TB yesterday. A lot of fans are clamoring for the freshman Ken Malcome now that Caleb King is out two games. But that will certainly depend on how much the kid has progressed in pass protection as much as hitting the holes. In case he makes it into the game, he'll be #24. Maybe Knowshon and Washaun left some mojo in that jersey.

But if I'm Bobo I'm coming up with a way to get Ealey across the goalline early Saturday. He's our best option at success and I think he's capable of carrying it four quarters if necessary.

But y'all be ready with the rabbit's feet just in case.

Locker Notes - Vandy not so Dandy

They can ace their SATs all they want. I'll be impressed when they block Justin Houston.

• Washaun Ealey - Goals for Saturday: protect Murray, protect the ball...and run for 150.
• Logan Gray - You get closer and closer to breaking one. I can't wait.
• Trinton Sturdivant - I think I can speak for all of us when I say, It's great to have you back!!
• Russ - I sincerely hope retirement is as good to you as you have been to us. Thanks Dawg! 
• Aaron Murray - You think you're happy with your progress? An entire Dawg Nation is on the edge of its collective seat.
• Blair Walsh - Saw your tweet yesterday. Just when I think you've reached the bar, you set it higher. I like that.
• Kenarious Gates - Goals for Saturday: help Ealey achieve all of his.

Go ahead and add your own Homecoming Locker Note. That sharpie's somewhere around here...

Stepping Out, Ready to Work

I'm not gonna pretend to know enough to predict that these players will start going forward. But here are a few guys I'm paying attention to. The coaches as a whole have caught a lot of flack this season, but they've shown more than a willingness to shift and rotate personnel. Here are four players I saw take a step forward Saturday.

courtesy ABH

• Alec Ogletree - To my knowledge, #9 saw his first meaningful defensive action of the season Saturday. But we've known for a while the kid loves to hit and is good at it. It's obvious that coaches are looking for ways to get him on the field. If he can prove that he covers as well (or nearly as well) as he hits, we should see him start at safety soon.
• Kenarious Gates - I would classify Gates' first start as solid. While many will argue that Tennessee is one of the weaker opponents on the slate this season, they also blitzed enough to make Joe Lee Dunn smile. Gates held his own for the most part, and ended up playing most of the game. I don't know if he will be an immediate long term solution to getting this running game started, but he's proven he's ready for the challenge.
• Sanders Commings - With Branden Smith out and Cuff struggling, we needed someone to step up and Commings was ready. I think he's vastly improved since earlier in the season and should continue to challenge for snaps the rest of the way.
• Rantavious Wooten - This kid defines versatility. And with AJ set to draw more and more attention in opposing secondaries, Wooten should find space to work. And he's already proven that space is all he needs.

Georgia fans are desperate for a safety to remind them firsthand of Greg Blue. So I'm most excited about Ogletree's progression. He should bring pain and suffering to teams the rest of the way. 

Who'd I miss?

King Update - UPDATED

UPDATE: King suspended two games.

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Weiszer has an update on Caleb King's possible consequences for his transgression. We should learn more today since Coach Richt is actually available to media on Tuesdays. King practiced Monday.

Some important points to consider:

• Despite what you may hear on the radio or in the AJC, Coach Richt does NOT have a "zero tolerance" policy. Groo spells that out best here.
• Ultimately it is King's responsibility, but I stand by my statement yesterday that he was under the impression that this was a done deal. Whether there was a break down in communication in Butts-Mehre or the Walton County Sheriff's Office, I don't know.
• To compare what Caleb did wrong to what Baker or Montez did wrong is to compare actual investigative journalism to what some of you read and hear each day. Rex puts that best in his post Irresponsible vs. Criminal.
• Let CMRs words from last night's call in show sink in a moment...Not a responsible thing, but not an awful act. While the lunatic fringe is desperate for the head coach to make an example of someone, how hard would it be to explain an overreaction to a kid's parents, family? For that matter, any future student-athlete and their parents?
• The media has made the arrests of UGA football players into a monster that can't possibly be fed enough. Sure, some cases were legitimate headline material (and to be fair, were handled as such by Richt himself). But writers and shock jocks have played fans into such a state that Caleb's career at UGA was being closed by social media outlets and over the airwaves before we even knew the reason he was being detained.

In the end, King may sit as much as a full game. Richt has said it was irresponsible of him to let this go without taking care of it. However, King was out helping a friend and a family member when his tags were run. Tavarres King got one game for having a beer. The nefarious scale is even lower for this King in my opinion.

The Caleb King Situation

The Twitterverse and message boreds exploded this morning with a wrath against Caleb. He was arrested. He had stolen something. He needed to be kicked off the team!!!

I'm just as frustrated as the next guy about the number of (mostly petty) arrests. But this deserves a little perspective. Here's what happened the way I understand it.

Caleb was asleep this morning when he agreed to take a teammate to get his car from AC-C. They checked his name and a hit came up from Walton Co for a speeding ticket in July.

Is it Caleb's responsibility to make sure the fine is paid? Yes. But he was advised by people he trusts that everything was in order, no problem. If your own position coach assures you there isn't a problem, it's second nature to rest at ease. So he does a friend a favor and ends up getting held in jail.

From what I can gather the only thing Caleb is guilty of is having a brother who has gotten into some trouble and being a good friend to a teammate. So let's slow our roll a bit.

If we as fans want our players to have high expectations for themselves, we have to recognize that that is a two way street.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Monday's Meatloaf - Jill and Boss, a couple of rolling stones

Last week up was down, right was left and bourbon had nearly lost its flavor. Today, not all of that is fully corrected. But at least no off duty cops were harmed in Da'Rick Rogers' one catch for -4 yards.

Pretty good weekend overall. The Mad Hatter continues to mesmerize his opposition with bewildering decisions that seem better suited for a PlayStation than an SEC playing field. Luckily Slurban's hand held controller's A button is stuck. And if only Darth Saban had a better defensive coordinator he could've held the Visor to under 21 points. Then we really would be smiling.


But like Mick used to say, you can't always get what you want...but if you try sometimes, you might find...you get what you need. And the Dawgs needed a spark, a jump. Jill in Hoschton began the sentence. Boss Bailey completed the statement. The rest simply fell into place.


It's not gonna erase the last four games, but it's given us a start.

“I think I’ll do that (lead the team out of the tunnel),” Richt said. “I actually had a little fun. That’s the first time I’ve done it. When I got to the big G there—the breakaway flag or whatever you call it—it just caught me off guard because every time I’ve been to that point there was nothing there. I didn’t realize what it looked like until I broke through it. It was fun and it got my blood pumping a little bit, too, so that was good.”

It was good. A good start. Now let's get after it.




Today's Ingredients

• First of all, Happy Birthday to Mike "Big Dawg" Woods. 
• I've come to really enjoy Battle Hymn's week by week run downs. Take this nugget: I would pay a decent bit to see video of Boss Bailey's pre-game speech to the team. He may not be in his prime anymore, but I still wouldn't want to cross him. Amen.
• You can dismiss this performance, you can dismiss this team, you can dismiss these coaches, but you cannot dismiss the effort we saw on Saturday. Up in Exile, hammer meets nail.
• DannyDawg has some spectacular photos included in his recap of the game Saturday.
• Speaking of photos, Rex thinks AJ looks good, even wearing orange.
• Each week I get a little more excited about Aaron Murray's progress. His play Saturday was just shy of spectacular. The Senator reminds me that I should give credit where it's due.
• Big Muddy finds one play by Aron White to keep him smiling...and smiling...
• The Dawgs picked up their first 2012 commitment after the game, wideout CJ Curry.
• ecdawg uses snarkasm expertly amid the release of Bryce Brown's affadavit.
• Reptiles can regenerate; Tim Tebow snips little children. But this just in - John Brantley can't just heal himself.
• Les Miles may be lucky, or damned to Hell for all eternity...but his use of the two-QB system is hardly flawed.
• Lastly, despite beating AlaDamnBama...is it possible there's still a QB controversy in Chickumbia?

Saturday the changes were noticeable. The leverage in the trenches, the stiff-arms, the coach leading the team onto the turf for a battle. What ensued was a contest to determine who remained in the divisional cellar. There's no getting around that.

But the week leading up to it was one full of little tweaks, adjustments that all seemed to lead us in the right direction. When difficult times arise, I've always tried to focus on what I can control, for to spend time and energy attempting to change what isn't going to is fruitless. And that is why Jill from Hoschton deserves some credit here. With all the focus on X's and O's, she called in Monday night with a suggestion high in simplicity and value.


We can't control the opponent's X's or O's, but we can control how we prepare for them by kicking practice up a notch. We can give the floor to Boss Bailey Friday and let him show this team what it means to bleed Georgia red. We can play Alec Ogletree more, and send him in on offense simply to block a HillBilly out of his boots. Coach Richt can not just meet his team on the field, he can lead them there.


Because in the end, having our head coach's blood pumping a little more might just get everyone's doing the same. Have a great voyage into Monday Reader. After all, that Columbus fella didn't just wait on the sidelines either. Here's your napkin, now go to it.


Bernie

Sunday's Redcoat'd Thoughts

First off, the band played their spit valves off yesterday. Excited about the new era of less blaring hip hop through the PA and more brass!

- Let's be mindful to temper the HillBilly stomp down with the reality that they are a really bad team.


- Still, it was nice to see the Dawgs keep them down where they were supposed to be. There was a time when we could've let them off the mat, but we didn't. And that credit goes to the coaches. Coach Richt had his team prepared.
- And it was also nice to see another team shoot themselves in the foot as much as we have. Tennessee helped us a lot, and we capitalized when necessary.
- Aaron Murray has a lot of want to. Kid just wants to score each and every play. I've requested a Heisman ballot. His name will be on it sooner rather than later.
- I thought Kenarious Gates played well. Somehow, some way...we have to find a running game by the time we leave for Lexington.
- Think back for a moment to the point in the game after Ealey fumbled out of bounds and King got the crap knocked out of him. Suddenly Bobo had to find a way to move the ball through the air only. It worked yesterday. Against teams like Florida and Auburn, probably not.
- Ogletree seems to slowly be gaining the confidence of his coaches. The sooner the better.
- Blake Sailors' obviously listens pretty well when Boss Bailey speaks. Very glad to see him make such a big play.
- More on this later, but the crowd was better than I expected. That's the good news. However, the truth is it's sad that our students can't get their lazy asses to the stadium. Stop whining about the early kicks and come support your team.
- Lastly, how funny is it that after all that controversy down in Baton Rouge last week, lil' Dooley borrowed that snap the ball 20 yards downfield play right from the Mad Hatter's playbook?

And so glad Russ gets to go out a winner. That Dawg deserves every point scored yesterday.


- Posted using BlogPress from Bernie's iPhone