Monday's Meatloaf - Vampiric Kool-aid

Something has to give. We're still weeks away from football and yesterday I actually stopped clicking the remote once it hit a channel with major league baseball on. I kept yelling at the players for being offsides.


Like many Dawg fans, this weekend I read this article about the "energy vampires". If you haven't read it the synopsis is that if any football players are viewed as hurting the team with a bad attitude, poor choice of words or detrimental behavior they are called out by their teammates. For 24 hours they are subjected to embarrassing pictures of themselves plastered around the locker room after being doctored up with fangs and red eyes.


The message is clear: get on the bus or get off of it. Simple, easy and to the point.

ONE win...TWO wins...

For the Dawg Nation however the water is a little muddier. While it's always great to be a Georgia Bulldog, that doesn't mean one should go blindly into each season. Especially with a 6-7 stinker in the rear view mirror. On the other hand, just because the play has been well below SEC standards recently, that doesn't mean one should chunk rocks at the driver while refusing to acknowledge one's own alma mater.


I've tried the kool-aid at this time of year before. I found it comforting and pleasant until the calendar turned to September. This season I hope we all take a show me first attitude. Again, it's not the win totals at the end of November that truly matter. It's the fight in the dawg once the junkyard's fence is rattled. 


In short, don't assign a number to this season Dawgs. It goes deeper. A bus is useless without a destination. We need our junkyard back. No other stop will suffice.


Today's Ingredients

Uh...what's the point?

• "Volvos don't beat Mack trucks. They just survive the crash." Ladies and Gents, Kit addresses a letter to Boise BS.
• Danny adds his thoughts from yesterday's practice while Genxdawg runs down some hot reads from Fall camp so far.
• This week on #IsaiahWatch: ahead of the curve but still behind Samuel...for now.
• Whether it was Mason having an off day or Branden Smith's 5HourEnergy was at its peak, I like that the DB had a career (practice) day.
• Speaking of defensive backs, Big Muddy was excited to see Nick Marshall's name mentioned as a practice standout.
• And...speaking of Nick, he made H2H's countdown yesterday.
• Kyle says we need to step up our game before the season begins and provides a quiz. I'm proud to say I passed.
• Tyler thinks a number change will take place, a change that will make it easier for playmakers to share the field.
• Bill King remembers the "original" Chipper. Sounds like a Damn Good Dawg to me.
• the Senator has a couple more SEC drinking games ready. Here and here.
• Kimberley updates us how that kid AJ is doing.
• Audience analogy participation: "________ is kind of like watching fireworks in the Opelika daylight." I'll go with "Making sense of AwwBarn's mascots'.
• When sandwiches fail: I love BBQ, but you'll never catch me grabbing one of these from a Subway "sandwich artist".

I don't know Reader, I'm just not worried much anymore. There were a few weeks there that I thought the roof was caving in a bit, like when we were suddenly down to two scholarship backs and realized the offensive line depth is reliant on some freshmen. But I think those things are working themselves out.

I don't mean that to read that I think we're already world beaters. No I'm simply referring to my state of mind. The offense is going to be fine. There's plenty of talent there, just as there is on the defensive side of the ball. What will make or break this season is our attitude. And I'm not just talking about the team. The Dawg Nation is in waters that have been charted before, but it's been awhile since the boat has been this unsteady.


We need to proceed with caution. We all need to be excited with a win, but not so much so that we help create another atmosphere of entitlement. Beating top ten Boise would be spectacular. But it would still just be one plugged hole on a ship that has many structural flaws. It won't be until November that we can take a full scale assessment of the program as a whole.


So slow down a bit. Don't suck the energy from other fans. But also be mindful that you don't just blow it around haphazardly. Tempered enthusiasm not only gets you on the bus but also assures you are ready for a season's worth of 60 minute football games, just as we hope the football team is. For better or worse...and whether it's sooner or later...once the ship is done pitching and rolling, it's a lot easier to drink the kool-aid again.


That's your meatloaf Reader. Take it one bite at a time please.


Bernie