SEC East Champs!

9 game run gives Richt another bath.

via Sanderlin AJC

Some analysis and thoughts tomorrow. For now....

Go Dawgs!

Kentucky: Gameday edition

Just the 7yo and I heading down 316 this morning. With Nama of course. Can't wait to cheer for these seniors and watch them kiss their mommas.


Goals for the game:

• somehow, someway...fill the stadium by noon
• pressure Maxwell Smith, early and often
• run at will

Bobo should pretty much have his way with this defense. I expect a BIG day for Crowell. If we protect the ball and continue to shore up our special teams play, it should be a great day in Athens.


Bonus misery:
Cannot believe I forgot to include this yesterday. I bet I'm not the only Dawg to feel this way either.


Normally I would look forward to pulling for Vandy to keep the lonesome HillBillys winless in the SEC. But James Douchebag Franklin has turned this into another meteor game for me. As nice as it would be to see lil Dooley go ofer...I hope they trade turns kicking each other in the danglies for three hours until they both pass out.


See you in A-Town Dawg fans. Let's wrap this SEC season up with a nice SEC East bow.


Go Dawgs!

Friday misery, chapter 10: deep battered and Kentucky fried

So here we are, at the cusp of the SEC East title. We've spent the entire week patting ourselves on the back. Making ourselves feel nice and awesome after beating the everlovingshitoutof Abuurn. We're holding elevators for each other. High fiving. Picking up the lunch tab. Handing out contract extensions...


Slow your damn roll son.

This is my bourbon, and my ring.....which is
worth about $49 less than the bottle.

2009's Senior Day
Need I remind everyone? As nice as it was to savor the win last Saturday...the 2009 edition of Georgia/Kentucky tasted like ass. It too was the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Uga VII had just passed away. And just like this year, the students had left the team behind so they could spend some time with their mommies. To continue the trend, that game was also the Sanford season finale so there were seniors to acknowledge.


And we wet the bed.


Randall Cobb helped the Wildcats stretch their paws all over our second half defense then Ealey lost the handle on a toss sweep at the UK 1 yard line. There was much angst in the stands. Rich Brooks threw kitty litter in Richt's eyes. Pissed me the hell off. Ugh.


Blue grass stains
Quick! The only good things to come out of Kentucky?....bourbon...*chirp, chirp*

Looks like fish to me.

I would add Marshall Raylan Givens and his hottie Winona, but perhaps tv characters are a stretch. So I asked some folks last night for anything good that comes out of the blue grass state that doesn't rhyme with smourbon. I got A LOT more answers than I expected. Ranging from I-65 to beer to My Morning Jacket. Thanks to Gary, Kelly, Jen, Hamp, Tyler, Brad, and Shan for kicking Wiki-Kentucky's ass.


Ok...so I'll acknowledge them as a worthwhile and necessary state in our great union. They have good music, horses that are fast enough to take your wallet, and they evidently invented the art of frying chicken. Or at least claim to.


But you know what? Screw that! They're still worthless. My doctor says to eat more fish, my wife has my wallet...and my bar has enough bourbon to last until 2012. I think.


Compare this!
It's also been a week to compare seasons. Richt was asked earlier to assume we win the East and then compare this season to other seasons in which we went to Atlanta. Writers and bloggers have jumped on board, some understandably cautiously and others with the fearlessness of a drunk pissing on a cop's pants leg.


C'mon, let's huddle up here a moment so I can darken the sunshine that's been blowing up your ass...we ain't won shit! You know how sweet that Auburn win will taste if we stub our toe against the Joker? Think back to the South Carolina loss a couple months ago and add about two stadium cups full of piss and vinegar. 


Yeh, that bad. So come to Athens ready to fight Dawgs. Bring a cooler, but put some business in it and let's put our best foot forward. There's work left to be done. 


Go Dawgs!

Countdown to Kickoff - week 12

Hannah Chalker previews this weekend's action.

Pinkel punishment, fair...right?

Full disclosure: I have blogged (repeatedly) while under the influence of both bourbon and beer...sometimes both. If there were a law against that I would accept my fine, suspension or expulsion, whatever it may be.


But what about Gary Pinkel? Missouri suspended their head coach for one game and instituted several monetary penalties. Two Tiger players sat out the first two games of the season because of drunk driving arrests. So the news of Pinkel's punishment seems fair. After all, isn't it a double standard if the head coach doesn't accept some sort of team suspension?


Then again, is it best for the team that their head coach remain on the sideline? Missouri is trying to gain bowl eligibility. Perhaps players should be held to a different standard because a university is designed to teach them, and sometimes that includes right from wrong. Pinkel on the other hand is a grown man. His consequence will also come from the courtroom.


In the end I think this is a private matter within the walls of the Mizzou football program and I think Missouri made the right decision. I mean, what are the precedents here? What other coaches have gotten DUIs? Mike Price had a massive alcohol induced brain fart. And everyone knows Eustache prefers PBR. They lost their jobs over their indiscetions. But those are oranges and this is an apple.


I think...? What say you? Is Pinkel's punishment enough...too much...fair?

As far as coaches gone wild, Larry still carries the torch.

Woerner in the Red Zone again

For Immediate Release: Scott Woerner Still Popular with Bulldog Fans Today / Event this weekend.

Scott Woerner was very popular with Bulldog fans from the late 70's till 1980, when he helped the Bulldogs win the National Championship.  "It was Scott Woerner's style of play that we loved to watch.  He was one of those football players who always played incredibly hard, giving it his all on every play" said Mike Moss, Producer of the new "1980 Dawgs" Film,  www.1980dawgs.com .  "When Scott was in the game at defensive back or returning a kick, we always had the expectation that something exciting could happen at anytime and it often did.  Scott almost single handedly won the Clemson game in 1980 with a punt return for a touchdown and a 97 yard return after making an interception that was key in the Georgia win. He also made an interception to seal the fate of Notre Dame on the last play of the National Championship game."  The tradition first started in 1980  when the fans in Sanford Stadium started yelling "Georgia" on one side and "Bulldogs" on the other.  Shortly after,  they also started yelling a few of the more popular players names.  I can remember clearly the day they were yelling "Scott" and "Woerner".  In the "1980 Dawgs" documentary,  Woerner  speaks of how incredible it was to have his name yelled out like that in Sanford Stadium.

Woerner is still very popular with fans today.  He has recently been on a promotional tour, promoting the "1980 Dawgs" documentary, with Film Director Lenny Daniel, and Producer Mike Moss.  "I've really enjoyed seeing Scott interact with all the Bulldog fans" says Moss.  "You can tell he really enjoys it.  He's outgoing and has a winsome personality.  He loves to tell stories to fans, and often gives his feelings on issues which are very candid."  Moss continues "It's amazing to hear the various stories from passionate fans"  One young man in his early 20's came up with a big smile and said "Mr Woerner, I just want to shake your hand.  I played football through high school.  When I was little, my Dad used to show me films of you because he liked the way you played.  You played hard.  Throughout youth football and high school ball, I wore the number 19 out of respect for you."  A lady came up to the table with misty eyes.  She says: "I just want to shake your hand Scott Woerner.  You were my Dad's favorite player of all time.  He passed away a couple of years ago.  I just wanted to thank you for the joy you brought him, while he was watching you and his Dawgs! "   Scott said later: "Wow, that one blew me away!"  One professional looking middle aged man bought 4 DVD sets for gifts when Scott was doing an event in the Hotel Indigo.  After Scott signed them, the man walked through the lobby of the hotel yelling "Woerner, Woerner, Woerner"  He would look at people he knew, held up the DVD's and yell "Woerner "  You could hear him going out the doors of the hotel, still yelling "Woerner!".  "It was hilarious" says Moss.

Before and right after  this weekend's Kentucky game, (the final home game this season) Scott will be signing autographs again and talking with fans at the popular Red Zone Store in Downtown Athens.   With the holidays approaching, it will be a great opportunity to stock up on a great autographed gift for Bulldog fans.

Details:  Scott Woerner Signing Copies of "1980 Dawgs" DVD's and talking with fans.  Where: The Red Zone, 155 East Clayton Street, Downtown Athens When: 9:30 am to 11:45 before the game and for two hours starting right after the game.  More info www.1980Dawgs.com

2011 Seniors have been through the valley

They came in on top, either during a 2007 redshirt season in which we won the Sugar Bowl or during the 2008 season that finished with a 10-3 record. Then they saw how dark the depths of mediocrity can be in the SEC with the 8-5 and 5-6 seasons that followed.

Saturday they will emerge from the tunnel one last time...as a small group of seniors that helped Coach Richt turn the Georgia football program around. And are one small step away from getting the team back to where it hasn't been since 2005.

"Right now they are very optimistic about how their senior season can finish," coach Mark Richt said. "We all know it wasn't a tremendous start, but through their leadership and their play and perseverance, we've found a way to battle back in this thing and turn this thing into a season that might be one that everybody will remember real fondly. I'm proud of them.

"They've been through a lot. They've been through some rough moments, but they're here and they're in a good place right now."

If there's one solitary group of guys that deserve to go out on top, we need not look any further. 


**I omitted Trinton Sturdivant as he has yet to make a decision about 2012. Once that decision is made, either way #77 will get his due here at BDB. You can bank on that.

UK tickets on sale this morning

*Warning: old man post...

Back in my day as a student we would forgo Thanksgiving dinner for a chance to smack a nerd. I recall going to one game on North Avenue the day of Thanksgiving (that's right, that's when the game was...Turkey Day...at noon...in the snow...), getting food poisoning and having to pull to the side of the road to puke while on the way home to eat the leftovers.

By the way, Kanon Parkman won the game on a last second field goal. Go Dawgs!

Nowadays, students can't even stay in town ONE EXTRA DAY for the Kentucky game...FIVE DAYS BEFORE Thanksgiving. Are you kidding me? Dorms are closed? Well then, sleep on a floor! Anxious for Mom's home cooking? Bring Mom with you! Preferably to my tailgate!

Their loss, your gain Reader. Snatch these up so we can honor our seniors, win the SEC East and ring that bell! Then get the hell off my lawn.

CLICK HERE NOW!!!

Murray vs the other Richt QBs

Purely for your discussion, as Page intended I'm sure.

Tongue in cheek, I asked Fletcher to compare Murray to Belue. Let's just say it wasn't too favorable.


Sorry Buck.

SEC Today - 11/16/11

Georgia - Auburn, from 2010 to 2011

Enjoy.

h/t crytebow

Robert Nkemdiche, the next chapter

Surprise! Not only will 8-2 get your seat to cool significantly, but it will also put you back in the recruiting conversation with the state's nation's top player. Evidently Georgia is back in "the sweepstakes" for Robert Ndkemdiche.

They aren’t part of his top five, but UGA still has a spot in the sweepstakes for the No. 1-ranked junior in the country, Robert Ndkemiche of Grayson High School.

The 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive end made a rare unofficial visit last weekend, traveling to UGA with a couple of teammates to watch the Auburn game. The only other trip that Nkemdiche has made this fall was to rumored frontunner Alabama for the LSU game.

Despite the Atlanta suburb of Grayson being located only 35 miles from UGA, the Bulldogs haven’t been able to crack Nkemdiche’s top five, which consists of Alabama, LSU, Florida, Oregon and Southern Cal.

However, his coach told the AJC on Tuesday night to not count the Bulldogs out.

“I’d put Georgia in the mix; he may decide that’s where he wants to go,” Grayson coach Mickey Conn said. “Georgia is playing really well right now, and they are playing good defense. They are probably going to play in the SEC championship game. Robert hasn’t ruled out Georgia.”

Conn is a Bama guy through and through. That being said, Grayson is a stone's throw from Athens. Ndkemdiche would have to be a fool not to consider UGA at this point. Plus, his brother Denzel rolled the dice on Houston Nutt and things are so giggety there any longer.


As much as I would love to get Ndkemdiche (not to mention Dillon Lee, another close to home prospect) to come to Athens, I'll wait to hold my breath. Then again, Maybe Grantham will arm wrestle Conn for him.

Crowell: at the edge of dominance

Heading into the Kentucky game, Isaiah Crowell needs just 179 yards to eclipse 1000 for the season. He's averaging 91 yards a game, which I think is third best among freshmen in the nation. He's been every bit the playmaker we hoped he would be at this position.


Yet there's a feeling of unfulfillment with this guy. Crowell's best game as far as carries and yardage was Ole Miss (30 for 147), but he didn't cross the goalline. Then Saturday against Auburn he had 24 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown. Those are two very big games for a freshman...but with his talent (and to be quite honest, his recruitment) we've come to expect something even bigger.


He missed a quarter against Vandy and then an entire game against New Mexico State. That last suspension may have led many to dampen their expectations for Isaiah Crowell. Despite having only 4 carries for 15 yards, it was Brandon Harton who got the biggest cheers Saturday, just as Samuel got all the attention from the WLOCP. Fans want more than statistics and moments of brilliance. They also want dependability, and heart. That's been missing in the Georgia backfield for some time and sitting a game, even though it was New Mexico State, brings back painful memories.


And there's also a feeling that the best is yet to come. Crowell said all the right things post-suspension. Even better, he let his feet do even more talking Saturday. He ran with a hunger, an eagerness for the open field. So here's what I think: Crowell really wants to be the guy. He's taken his lumps this season, literally and figuratively. He took a shot against Auburn where I could tell his body desperately needed a play or two from the sideline, but his mind desperately wanted to go back in that huddle. I think the transition from high school star to SEC running back is nearly complete. After a full off season in the S&C program he'll be more prepared, seasoned and ready for the weight his position carries.


To be a dominate SEC tailback you have to be as strong off the field as on it. Crowell loves practice and he has more than enough talent to leave plenty of tacklers in his wake. I think he's at the edge of dominance. The sooner it comes, the louder those cheers will be.


All stats courtesy of CFBstats.com

Rambo...you had me at JUGS

I'd complain about this more if our receivers were having trouble catching footballs.

“Sometimes the receivers are going over to get on the JUGS and he beats them to it,” freshman receiver Chris Conley said. “So we’ll go and do another drill after practice until he gets off the JUGS.”

Rambo says the after practice time catching balls out of the machine and extra time watching game film have contributed to his rise as one of the nation’s top ball hawks in the secondary.

“It’s just the small things that I’m trying to improve on,” Rambo said.

Rambo leads the Southeastern Conference and is second nationally in interceptions.

The redshirt junior from Donalsonville has seven interceptions in nine games this season, making up for lost time after being suspended for the opener for an unspecified violation of team rules.

“Missing that first game made me hungry,” Rambo said. “I had a lot to prove this year. I let a lot of people down and I wanted to show them I’m sorry for what I did and just go out there and ball out and just give those guys my all.”

Don't burn the cart before the horse Dawg fans

If you want to put the cart before the horse and talk about the return to Atlanta on December 3rd, go ahead. I'll hope to catch up later this week. I've gotten by this season pretty well by not making predictions and assumptions. I'm not going to break from that habit now. Even though it appears Kentucky fans have lost all hope and would rather see us beat them Saturday than Spurrier return to the GA Dome.


However, I would like to address a point. Many have said that while they would love to return to the GA Dome in the SECCG, there is little hope that little ol' Georgia could pull the upset against mighty Bama. It's doubtful we'd contain Petrino's offense either. And don't even get them started on how badly LSU would slaughter us.


For shame Dawg fans. For shame. Have you learned nothing? Is it the schedule of 8 wins that unsettles your stomach? Because the truth is that it compares pretty well. Do you bark about Grantham's defensive statistics and rankings on Saturday...only to prattle with the masses about them being overrated and inflated during the week?


Don't embarrass yourself. More importantly, don't embarrass the rest of us. And most importantly, don't abandon your team that got you into this conversation. No, all would not be lost should we be strong enough to return to the SEC's big party. I'm pretty sure Grantham has a holocaust cloak.

Mumme Poll - week eleven

 LSU and Bama stay the same. Everyone else moves up a spot or two. I struggled some with the last two spots. In the end I think Boise State and Georgia are better than South Carolina, Stanford, KSU and Houston.

And the prophet Mark said...

It seems ages ago, but looking back on Richt's post-South Carolina words they ring really true.

“I think the Eastern Division is going to be decided way down the road, and I think we’re going to be right in the middle of it,” Richt said in the wake of a 45-42 loss to South Carolina on Sept. 10. “I think everybody needs to wait and see what happens because I think we’re going to become an outstanding football team before it’s over.”

I wasn't anywhere close to ready to think about SEC East races at the time. But I'm sure paying attention now.

SEC Today - 11/14/11

Hannah Chalker fills us in on the weekend's action and where things stand.

Tech game is another Nooner

The SEC slate is below. I don't see how our game against the nerds is less attractive than the "Egg Bowl" et al. 


But whatevs.

Monday's Meatloaf - like leaves, conversations turn

Destitute. Despondent. Hapless. Winless. In September we were a pitiful lot. We hadn't experienced a win in football since the nerds came for their post-Thanksgiving beating. And although we played better in week two than we had in week one, we just seemed to be cursed. How else could you explain a defensive lineman scoring two touchdowns against us?


By the end of September there was reason to suspect that 2011 could be better than 2010. But we were still holding our breath. We spoke to topics such as there's still much to improve and not really sure how good these teams are. After October ushered in a sweep of the teams from the hills there was a temptation to get excited. But during the bye week most talk centered on James Franklin's penis envy over Coach Damn Grantham.


Then a rare win in Jacksonville not only put 9 or 10 wins within reach but also gave the Dawgs an outside shot at a return trip to Atlanta. Those dry, brittle deciduous leaves from September had turned a brilliant red. And the only thing more brisk than the early morning Fall air is the liveliness of our Dawgs' gait.


Today's Ingredients

• I think Streit hits on just about everything in his thoughts from the Woodshed.
• PWD summed up Saturday in one word - Domination.
• Before we begin to hear this week's din of discontent about Georgia's lousy schedule strength, arm yourself with the facts in this post by ecdawg.
• As the Senator points out, if you are only losing minor ground statistically because you are simply only passing the ball for 30 minutes...times are good.
• After a Saturday QB rating of 255.64 and four more touchdown passes, Aaron Murray is finding himself among some elite national company
• The DawgPost's Chad Simmons says Jordan Jenkins was impressed ($$) Saturday by everything about his trip to Athens.
• Plus, Faton Bauta's Richt's 15th commitment.
• In today's Tweet of the Day, Martin Van Dawgin and Crob shed some Heisman light on Murray.
• Coach Fox's HoopDawgs improved to 2-0 with a win over Bowling Green eysterday.
• Lastly, Coach Boom summoning his inner Oz: Pay no attention to that win-loss record behind the curtain. We're making %$!# %#&*! improvements!!

Hey war tigers, domination is spelled with a D.

A few things I took note of on my rewatch yesterday. First was the violence with which we played, both offensively and defensively. From the stands you can see the big hits and enormous holes, but getting the luxury of televised replays and DVR buttons allows you to really take everything in. By halftime you can see Auburn ball carriers actively looking for safe places to lie down before getting pummeled by Grantham's defensive personnel. Anyone else notice at the end of the game when CBS cameras caught our defensive coordinator running down the sidelines to share a celebratory moment with Coach Friend? It was those two coaches' units that set the tone for the game. I hope their beer was plenty cold post game.

I have to agree with Coach Richt that my favorite play was the big "Cootie" hit. Which brings me to my second point. Tracy Wolfson looked more than a little miffed when Richt wouldn't talk about the things she wanted him to discuss after halftime. She gave him a softball question about how well Murray was playing and he said something to the effect that "well, it's just one half of football so far." Her look after that was priceless. I mean, it wasn't Evil Richt material. But it made me lol.


Lastly, thanks for the noise level. I'm sure practically scoring at will helped, but the atmosphere definitely left the in-laws impressed. As a reward, please have an extra helping of the meatloaf. Here's an extra napkin as well in case an Auburn ball carrier fumbles your plate. And should a conversation near you turn to the SECCG and someone dares suggest we give up any hope of beating a West representative, don't follow suit Reader. This team hasn't given up. Any conversations we have should follow their lead.  GATA.


Bernie

Reflections from the Ol' Ball Coach

He's not exactly waving it, but it looks as if Spurrier is at least unfolding the white flag.

"It looks like Georgia is going to win the East now," South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier said on a conference call with reporters on Sunday. "Give Georgia credit for regrouping; it looks like they're going to win seven straight [SEC] games. You always hold out a little hope [for a Kentucky upset], but Georgia is playing awfully well now.

"I really thought before the season if you did go 6-2 and you beat Georgia, that would probably be good enough. But it ...  doesn't look like it is."

SEC Rewind

A look back at the weekend's action.

Dawgs "All in" your endzone

h/t BassinDawg

Sunday Thoughts on being "all-in"

We're all-in this SEC East thing. Hey gamecocks...try to keep up!

• I lost count of the number of times he looked to the bench for Cam Newton, but welcome back to amateur tackle football Coach Chizzy. 
• Grantham made Malzahn bark like a Dawg y'all. 
• Nice opening drive for Auburn. But you could tell they kind of shot their wad with the trickeration in getting into the endzone.
• This was a blackout beat down without the costume change. As impressive a win as we've seen in a long time.
• We had this game won before our star tailback even got into any kind of rhythm.
• We could've named our own score in the second half. Instead we demoralized them by running the ball down their throat, taking it out and then running it down their throats some more.
• Along those lines, nearly 41 minutes time of possession for the Dawgs. War Damn Feeble!
• This offensive line is flat out dominating. Two rushers over 100 and 304 yards total. Nice pocket for Murray. 
• BTW...Hello Ken Malcome.
• Michael Bennett is so clutch even Kris Durham is in awe.
• If there's been a more impactful defensive player than Jarvis Jones in the nation I haven't seen him.

I haven't heard renewed complaints about our lack of a real schedule, yet...but I'm sure they're still coming. That's okay. This team just keeps on keeping on. 

Come on down Kentucky! You're the next contestant. Bring extra padding.

Georgia-Auburn highlights

The short of it is, Auburn sucked. But if you want the highlights...