Closing the 'dore on Vandy and douchegate

I rewatched the game yesterday and had a few more thoughts to share. Was it ugly? Oh hell yes it was. But I thought Blutarsky put it best when he pointed out that this was the kind of game we lost last year. That Colorado loss still sticks in my craw, so I find it easier to take ugly wins against Vanderbilt.


Offensively the plan was about the exact opposite of what I thought it should be, run first to open up throwing lanes. It's not that I was afraid of Vanderbilt's secondary, I just don't think Vandy had played a good rushing team. Can't really pin this one on Bobo as he could not  start the game with his leading rusher. So even more praise should be lifted towards Aaron Murray for the game that he had.


But I will point out one thing I think Bobo missed. When we're trying to run out the clock and close the game out, isn't it easier for the defense to read a run play from the shotgun formation? Wouldn't we have been better served in the I-formation where at least the linebackers have to spend at least some mental energy deciding where the ball is going? 


And yet still...the Rambo pick gives us the ball with just 70 seconds to ice and we can only move backwards. Unbelievable. Nearly as unbelievable as using a timeout to gather ourselves before they rush 11 guys towards Drew Butler and we still can't block them all. So glad Butler and Sailors could cause just enough disruption in the ensuing chaos to prevent the Commodores from scooping and scoring.


Also, if not for that 3rd down snap that went over the Commodore quarterback's head, we don't win that game. They were running at will and there didn't seem to be any solution to stopping it, at least that we could come up with.

Somewhat wild, but not so crazy.

In the end I hope the team takes some pride from facing adversity in all directions and still getting out of there with a road win. Because of that there is still much to play for. Great game for Ray Drew, Marlon Brown (actually all of the receivers stepped up big given the game plan), Richard Samuel, Abry Jones and Orson Charles!...to name a few.


I didn't really listen to the broadcast team of Rathbun and Couch Saturday night. Yesterday though my ears bled as I was subjected to Jordan Rodgers being billed as the next best thing in the SEC. I really expected to hear Aaron Rodgers pipe in at some point throwing away all mystery as to whether he was in the booth with them or not. In the debate of what's worse: SEC officiating or SEC broadcast teams...the margin is narrowing. If not for Uncle Verne, well...Penn Wagers would be in trouble.


Now...douchegate. Not surprised at all that Grantham is being billed by some as the villain in the "events" at midfield. I'm not going to link to them because 1) they're easy enough to find if you really have to subject yourself and 2) I'm not going to help these guys get any extra clicks. What really agitates me is that I now know the head football coach at Vanderbilt's name. I miss the days when the Commodores would come up in conversation once, maybe twice a year. And you would simply say "Oh, you know...the guy that looks like Steve Martin...Bobby Johnson! Yeh him."


I had to wiki this d-bag to remind myself where James Franklin came from prior to his stop in Nashville. Last year he was the head coach in waiting...at Maryland! Now he's going to bring Vandy to the top by teaching his offensive line to chop block and yelling at opposing players. Listen to his post game presser if you want to regurgitate your breakfast. The only reason he couldn't "find" Coach Richt at midfield is because he was too busy word tackling Shawn Williams.


You know what other name I know now? Logan Stewart. The Vanderbilt center. This curly red-haired piece of crap was the one aiming for the legs of our defensive line. His dive into the back of Kwame's knee should warrant a suspension and certainly deserves much more than a punch. He and Coach Franklin, I hope they have a long and happy marriage.


There. Book closed. Hello bye week.