Smith expected to play in opener

Whew!

"Cream or sugar with that crotch kick Mr. Sheridan?"

Had the pleasure of seeing Paul Finebaum and Danny Sheridan blabber on about nothing on ESPNs "Outside the Lines" yesterday. Basically all that Bob Ley managed to get out of them is that they are Bama alumni and that has nothing to do with the reason they are at the forefront of of the witchhunt fact finding mission...whatever this is.


A short while later, saw this:

Danny Sheridan continues to make vague, unsubstantiated claims without backing them up with proof. Contrary to his claims of having an inside source with details on the Auburn investigation, the NCAA has not provided information to Sheridan or anyone else.  As a matter of due diligence, the NCAA spoke with Sheridan this week to determine if he had any facts pertaining to the investigation. Sheridan, however, did not provide any information to the enforcement staff and certainly did not provide a name. Instead, he unsuccessfully attempted to gather information for his own use.

This might be the clumsiest game of chess I've ever seen. But Danny Boy...I believe it's your move.

"Our field is blue"

I don't know why I find videos like this amusing. I guess it's the computerized voices that cuss and say crap Idohoans would say. 


Like, "We are proven"....and "Our field is cute."

NSFW

Let's be clear

This is just plain news, not actual sports news.

A former NBA player and Georgia Tech standout has been charged with shooting a 23-year-old woman to death, Atlanta police said Friday night.

Javaris Crittenton faces a homicide charge in the death Jullian Jones, according to Carlos Campos, APD spokesman.

Let's all cut the AJC some slack. It's not like a UGA player emerged from an alley, or a recruiting assistant left the program.

Trivial Update - Just SMUrfy

#ThursdaysRTrivial ep 71 coming up right after this PSA: despite nat'l opinion, it has been confirmed that BSU broncos are just bucking idiots.


#ThursdaysRTrivial ep 71 "Go you Red Britches!" Welcome to the Twitter Twivia Show that is never stylish, but always trendsetting. REPLY back your answer for a chance at an "actual prize" this week. (Wahoo!) In '87 UGA and Clempson squared off in an "alternative" pants game, Dawgs in red and tigers in orange. In that game senior Mark Vincent grabbed his first INT as a Dawg. Where did Vincent play his first three years of college?


Is this week's episode more proof that history is destined to repeat itself? According to many 40+ year old men with fashion degrees and a DVR full of Project Runway, the Dawgs and horsies are in a clothing crisis. In news with more of a national flair, Miami has tiptoed the Death Penalty line. So what does a top notch blogger do? Tie the two together WITH a season from 24 years ago.


Folks, you just don't get this kind of crap out in Boise.


Nice read over at Garbin's spot about the history of red pants in Georgia football. In 1987 the fallout from the SMU death penalty was as real as a $.90 gallon of gas. Georgia reaped the rewards of getting Vincent. And nearly a quarter century later a blogger would use him in a trivia contest.


Only in America folks.


The stakes were high in this one as this is the first of three episodes that Skelly has agreed to provide the swag. Google was friendly to each contestant, but Matt was just a little faster with the fingers and takes home some tunes for his tailgate season. On the other hand Mike, Sean, Nama and Shan can't go home empty-handed...so they get some Eric Dickerson hair gel, circa 1982. Hey! At least it's not a mirror from Craig James' bathroom.


Thanks for playing y'all. The rest of you...Follow me! And tune in next week when things get really Smurftastic!

Not deep, but wide

Georgia's offensive line may not be the deepest, but they might be most talented unit on the team.

Georgia has had several defections/injuries to its offensive line since last season and may be short on depth, but according to the ESPN Scouts Inc. staff, the Bulldogs enter the 2011 season with two of the highest-rated NFL draft eligible offensive linemen in college football.

The Scouts Inc. guys have Ben Jones as the top-rated center in the 2012 draft and Cordy Glenn as the top-rated guard in the 2012 draft. Glenn will play left tackle for the Bulldogs this season. 

Prez Adams is growing on me?

Really? I mean, maybe. Bear with me here.


As I read more about the aftershocks down in Coral Gables...

As a result, the depth chart for Week 1 is still anyone's guess.

"We'll make sure we practice enough guys because we really don't know what the future brings," Miami coach Al Golden said. "Hopefully we'll find out pretty quickly here in the near future if there are any penalties or suspensions, and we'll adjust accordingly."

Golden said the depth chart may take until Tuesday to complete. He also said that in accordance with Atlantic Coast Conference policy, the Hurricanes will divulge their plans to the Terrapins before releasing anything publicly.

"Any projections or anything like that, all it is is speculation," Golden said.

Spence and Harris are among two of the biggest names wrapped up in the scandal -- Spence is considered by many to be Miami's best defensive player and one of the top linebackers in the ACC. Harris has played 36 games at quarterback for the Hurricanes in his first three seasons, and he's far-and-away the ACC leader among active players in passing touchdowns, yards and wins.

...the more I cringe at the thought at something similar happening in Athens. It terrifies me. Shakes me to my core. 


Setting aside sympathies for Coach Golden (which admittedly run pretty deep), it's true that most coaches are still adjusting depth charts and making starting the season opener decisions. But there's a big difference between what Miami coaches are dealing with 11 days before they play Maryland and what say, Coach Richt's staff is dealing with 9 days before the opening of the season.


Back to the beginning of this post...this just wouldn't happen under Adams. I understood his decision relating to North Campus tailgating. Didn't agree with all of the rules that hurt the rest of us, but you gotta protect one of the University's greatest attributes. And now I appreciate Adams' hands on approach to adminstration.


Now I'm sure he has aspirations of his own he's protecting as well as UGA's best interests. And he's an awkward dude to be closely aligned with to say the least. But when you get right down to it, which picture would you prefer your Alma Mater's president to pose for:

THIS...or...

THIS?!?

Head butting, with words

Whether he was pointing a finger or just protecting his own guys, your heart just has to skip a beat when Coach Grantham speaks like this:

“Not on defense,” Grantham said. “It ain’t happened on defense. When you look at the Central Florida game, I thought the guys on defense were busting their tail. Now we didn’t finish the game the way that we wanted to, but to say that those guys outworked us, that ain’t right. That didn’t happen.”

Richt's coaching staff staff as a whole hasn't been a well oiled unit in several years. Some years you can get away with that. We. Just. Haven't.


I hope the animosity is gone amongst the staff. More directly, I hope the coddling of certain members never returns. Because we do need to shed the memory of that UCF loss in Memphis. And to fully do that we're going to need coaches that are willing to not let their players take credit/blame that is undue. Whether it is because they did poorly, or because they did well. 


In the end (at least I hope) Grantham is not as much calling out a fellow coach as much as he is protecting his players who did their job.


In my mind the latter is much more important on the actual field.

Channeling their inner Battle

Yesterday's scrimmage became so wrought with turnovers, the coaches had to keep pulling mulligans out of the bag.

“It got to be interception mania for a minute,” Richt said.

Two pick sixes by Boykin. Both 1st team safeties, Williams and Commings had a pick. We haven't seen that kind of performance since Brandon Cox was slinging bullets on the plains.

When it's time to call the Dawgs

Local artist and Damn Good Dawg Scott "Skelly" Kelly has been gracious enough to share a couple tunes with us here. You may have heard them last season. If not, I'm sure you'll want to add them to your tailgate for this season. 

Take a listen:

Call the Dawgs

How Sweet it is 

Now...you can purchase them through Skelly's Facebook page where he also has two more of his originals.

Go Dawgs!

"You can leave...

...but it never leaves you." Well done. Very well done.

UGA Chapel Bell Facebook Page

UGA Chapel Bell Facebook Page

Shame on me, the Kwame Geathers edition

I know I've waited too long for this post, but I'm disappointed in myself for doubting such a big apple that fell from the Geathers' family tree. I suggested to you all back in January that it was Jonathan Jenkins that was the prize recruit in the 2011 class. He would have as much impact as the stylish teenager holding up that adorable puppy.


And in many ways he has, even though Big John has spent much of camp and preparations on the side. But Kwame was transforming his body and mind well before Jenkins signed on the dotted line. He was the Spring MVP and we cheered. Once his counterpart joined him on campus we began to dream of the two behemoths side by side.


And that will likely still happen. But somewhere in the expectations and the giddiness of having two capable nose tackles I lost sight of what the truth was. And that is: Jenkins has a pretty big adjustment coming from the JC ranks to the SEC grind, Kwame was well ahead before camp started, and he's only distancing himself each day that Jenkins is sidelined. They'll both play come a week from Saturday. But it'll be Geathers leading the charge against those cute little horsey linemen of Boise.


And somehow...someway...I'd forgotten just what a great thing that can be.

Geathers comes from a family of defensive linemen who have proven to be disruptive.

His older brother Robert played end for Georgia and is now in his eighth season with the NFL’s CincinnatiBengals. Another brother, Clifton, is on the Dallas Cowboys’ roster.

His uncle Jumpy Geathers totaled 62 sacks in 14 NFL seasons.

“My uncle is tough,” Geathers said. “Every time you see him, the first thing is football. ‘Let me see your stance.’ It’s not even, ‘Hey, how you doing?’ It’s, ‘Get down in your stance, let me see it.’ ”

And now, ladies and gentlemen...you're starting nose tackle...out of Georgetown SC...6 feet, 6 inches...three hundred and fifty pounds!!...a BIG apple straight from the family tree...

Humpday Hilarity: when enginerds turn on their own

For today's post, I present to you two entomology engineers simultaneously impressed by the size of a wasp's stinger and the death dance of a spider.

My only guess as to what could throw them into such a fitful rage that they would rip the wings off their own mascot and throw it into a deadly spider's web? I don't know. Maybe the dining hall ran out of chicken nuggets.

Damn Good Dogs, new edition

UGA Press announces:

The name Uga is synonymous with the Georgia Bulldogs, a perennial powerhouse among the top college football teams in the country. These English bulldogs are so revered that when they die, they are buried in a mausoleum at Sanford Stadium. But Uga is also a family pet, and Damn Good Dogs! gives readers a rare glimpse into the personal history of these nationally acclaimed mascots.

Filled with colorful anecdotes—such as Uga V’s famous lunge at an Auburn player, his appearance in several Hollywood films, and Sports Illustrated’s decision to put him on the cover of its 1997 college sports issue—Damn Good Dogs! provides the backstory to more than fifty years of collegiate sports history.

Wherever Georgia plays football, its famous mascot is there. At home games he stays cool in an air-conditioned doghouse or sits perched atop a bag of ice. When Herschel Walker won the Heisman Trophy in 1982, Uga IV became the only four-legged attendee at the Heisman banquet. And that—believe it or not—is just a small part of the history of the Georgia mascots.

Lavishly illustrated with more than five hundred photos and images of memorabilia from the Seilers’ private collection, this edition features more than eighty new pages of material on Uga VI, Uga VII, Uga VIII, and Russ, the super sub—including an Uga VIII photo album that is sure to be a fan favorite.

Additionally, you can attend any of these events to get your book signed:


- Saturday, Sept. 3 / 10:00 a.m. / Decatur, GA
Decatur Book Festival talk and signing at the Decatur Presbyterian Church. For more info on the festival click here.

- Friday, Sept. 9 / 11:00-1:00 p.m. / Macon, GA
Signing at the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame

- Saturday, Sept. 10 / 12:00-1:00 p.m. / Athens, GA
Signing at the University of Georgia Bookstore

- Tuesday, Oct. 25 / time TBD / Savannah, GA
Signing at E. Shaver Books

- Friday, Nov. 4 / 3:00-5:00 p.m. / Athens, GA
Signing at the Georgia Center in the Pecan Tree Gallery

- Friday, Nov. 18 / time TBD / Athens, GASigning at the University of Georgia Bookstore for UGA Alumni Night 

CFA Kickoff Classic: it's all in the details

Details for the opening game against Boise State are emerging as we near single digits in the countdown. I guess some we already knew, like that Georgia is the home team. But the Broncos get the home locker room.


Ok. No offense taken Mr. Blank. Additionally, the east endzone will be orange and blue. The west, red and black. Midfield is for Mr. Cathy. Eat mor chiken!


I guess CFA officials didn't want to appear to give UGA too much of an advantage. Case in point: I guess I missed it when the game was first announced, but it appears that SEC officials will be <quote>refereeing<unquote> things in the Dome for Boise State vs Georgia. SEC refs HATE us. We couldn't get a set of Big 12 guys? Texas A&M is desperate for our attention over here, they couldn't sweeten the pot with some guys who actually understand NCAA tackle football rules?


I suddenly feel ill. Sick to my stomach with worry. I have a vision of Aron White catching a pass as time expires to win the game. He turns and hands the ball to Marc Curles...and gets a flag for excessive sportsmanship. TD negated. Game over.


The next morning, Curles awakes from a deep slumber. As he shakes the recurring dream where Coach Paul Damn Johnson is carrying him off the field after he kicked the winning field goal in late November...

6-7 equals Adult Swim

It's been kind of expected, but yesterday Coach Richt made it official that he's likely keeping the kids on the outside of the pool.

In all likelihood, the team will not head to the pool at the Ramsey Center this fall camp.

“I doubt we go to Ramsey,” Richt said. “This might be the first time that we’ve gotten all 29 practice opportunities in. We haven’t gotten there yet, but we’re on track.”

Or maybe CMR has just skipped out on too many of Coach T's workouts:

This discussion brought forth a funny moment when the Banner-Herald’s Marc Weiszer jokingly asked Richt:

“Does it say something about your ability to do the high dive anymore?”

“It might have something to do with my physique,” Richt answered laughing.  

You ain't the only one Coach.

"The pitfalls of drunken gear shifting"

What else could Leonard Little have spoken knowledgeably about to Derek Dooley's team?

What we know is that Dooley said this about Little's visit, per theKnoxville News-Sentinel:

"Leonard's got his picture on the wall, he was an All-American, he was a part of one of those banners in there," Dooley said. "That's what we're playing for. He's a guy who lived it, he breathed it.
"I think he lost about four games in his career and then he went on to be a great NFL player. So, he represents everything to me that Tennessee is all about. The more guys like that come back, I love it when they get in front of the team."

What we also know is that in October 1998, Little left a birthday party drunk, ran a red light, and crashed into the vehicle of a woman named Susan Gutweiler. Gutweiler died, leaving behind a husband and 15-year-old son. Little registered a blood-alcohol level of .19 and was setenced to probation. Six years later, Little was pulled over for doing 78 in a 55-miles-per-hour zone. He failed his roadside sobriety tests and was arrested and charged with DWI again. 

Oh yeh, banners. I guess Britton Colquitt was busy. Then again, in Knutsville...Opportunity is Nowhere.

2011 Statistical Leaders

No meatloaf today. Weekend was just too busy; I was Mr. Mom while Mrs. Bernie was away. Should she return today to our cozy household of marital bliss I'm sure regular weekday programming will return to its normal structure.


But the busy weekend didn't keep me from pondering some thoughts. As the team transitions from a camp mindset to game prep, I've begun wondering who the statistical leaders will be come season's end. I think it's been the continued typeprint given to Marlon Brown that has prompted this. Regardless, I thought I'd throw it out there for your consumption. 


Here are my thoughts right now, excluding some obvious choices like kicking and passing. We might do a poll next week. So tell me where you think I'm off.

Lightning. Bottle. TD.

Rushing - Crowell. He's been the guy for this category since early February.


Receiving - King. Not a lot written on him so far, but he edges out Brown, Wooten and Mitchell here I think.


Tackles - Robinson. Although I'm fine with anyone as long as they're in the front seven.


Sacks/TFLs - Tree. Narrow margin over Jarvis.


INTs/PBUs - Torn here between Commings and Smith. I think I'll go with Branden. 


Punt returns - Smith again. I think by the end of September they'll be aiming for the water coolers to try and avoid him getting the extra touch.


Kick returns - Boykin's the easy answer. But I think this one is up for debate in case we do send two guys back to return. Could this be Smith as well? Or Mitchell? Still, gotta stick with Boykin. Hands down.

Video of the Nike Unis

h/t Dawgtoons


In case you're one of the few who think it's pretty cool, this video goes through the uniform from locker room to endzone.

If nothing else, it's pretty easy to see why the players are excited about wearing them.

Little margin for error

When you face a senior QB in your opener who has 38 wins already, the task is going to be a tough one. But perhaps Sanders Commings put it best on just what the pressure is like facing Kellen Moore:

"If we make any mistakes in our coverage or take one false step, that pass is going to be completed unless the receiver drops it," Georgia junior defensive back Sanders Commings said this past week. "This guy is deadly with his arm and can make every pass. We've been watching a lot of film on him, and you can see why he's a Heisman candidate."

Let's hope Moore spends a lot of time on the bench as we move the chains and eat the clock...and looking at the Dome ceiling from the discomfort of his backfield.