Looking ahead. And then a little further.

About the new SEC schedule, and particularly, Georgia's. A few quick bullets and then some devil's advocacy.

• I was a big proponent of the SEC moving on to a nine game scheduling format. Ultimately, they stayed at eight. But looking over that gauntlet, hoo boy!
• Here's to hoping Kirby's boys can use that CFA Kickoff as a jumping off point the way they did in 2022 vs. Oregon!
• But even if we do get the best of the Tigers in Atlanta, that SEC slate is tough! 
• The road games look especially daunting, and not just with the trips to Tuscaloosa and Austin. Ole Miss got a thumpin' in Athens and they'll be looking for some home cooking with Jaxson Dart returning for his eighth season.
• But hey! Two off weeks!

A lot has been said since the 2023 CFB Playoff was set, as to whether a 2-3 loss Georgia team would make the new 12 team format in 2024. As Seth Emerson pointed out in last week's mailbag ($$), it would depend on how things were playing out, both regionally and nationally. It's hard to imagine the top three SEC teams not making the bracket. Maybe four if the media deems the conference "tough" enough.

But what if we ran it through and beat them all? I am intrigued by an expanded playoff, and I'm definitely looking forward to experts like Desmond and Kirk not helping a committee form the best (or most deserving) (whichever) (whatever) four team bracket. Twelve feels like what expanded playoff advocates have been saying all along, "Let it play out on the field!"

But to be honest, I'm still concerned. What does the Georgia Tech game look like if we know that we're in? Personally, I've been more than pleased to see the way Kirby and Staff have handled their personnel late in the season. We didn't need Brock Bowers to beat Tech this year, but we knew we needed him the next week.

I trust our coaches to do what is best for the team, short term and long term. It's just all those scenarios where an expanded playoff adversely affects the regular season (and possibly even conference championship games) are not only still there, but now they're looming right around the corner.

In short:

• Tough schedule = 👀
• ESPN personalities' value = 💩
• 🤞 expanded post-season doesn't devalue the regular one!

the Friday Misery is home for the Holidays

“I am at the moment writing a lengthy indictment against our century. When my brain begins to reel from my literary labors, I make an occasional cheese dip.” - Ignatius Reilly

John Kennedy Toole’s protagonist was pretentious, arrogant, and bloated - both by brain as much as stature. But in times like these…I just wish Mr. Toole had more than one novel to delve into.

Crimes by Committee

Because if you replace just a few words in the quote, it explains our state of discontent these last few days. 

century Committee

occasional frequent

cheese dip Old Fashioned

There we go! Because a gluttonous group of glory holes can’t have it both ways. Best or most deserving…? Can we add another subgroup here - cheaters or non-cheaters? How about GOATs or wannabe-GOATs? Oh wait, they actually covered that one pretty well.

No, I’m not going to harp on it too long. Because you’re tired of rehashing it too. But to punish a team that did everything they could do, won every game including their conference, but because their defense wouldn’t be as good without its star injured quarterback…sorry ‘Noles. And to reward one team SO much for beating your week to week #1 as to elevate them fours spots, all while dropping said #1 team five spots??

That’s enough. My brain is reeling again.

I’m just thankful to have one.

On the other hand, pass me a pacifier

We sure got greedy quick didn’t we dear Reader? I seem to recall in the not too distant past, a time when we would’ve given an appendage just to be in last Saturday and Sunday’s discussion. And not like a Mr. Mays’ pinky digit either. Like a full on, non-dominant or dominant, God-given limb!

Sorry momma, but them aughts and such was Hell!

So yeh, I knew when I woke up Sunday and recalled the final SECCG score, that we had about as much chance of making it into the College Football Championship as Bama did of converting a 4th and 31 for a tuddy on the final play of the game on the plains as an internet wanderer has of going surfing for an hour without stumbling on another 7-8 articles about the NFL’s new wonder couple. 

So, like you most likely, I was resigned to stop whining and reflect on the unprecedented 29-0 run. What a time! We brought back a trophy and Bama-Covid from Indy, and just kept rolling! How many games were there the last couple seasons when the team was not playing to their standard, that we thought we’d actually lose? At Missouri, nah. Homecoming for Kentucky, nope. Hell, the regular season closer against Tech with an interim coach had my 1990’s self in awe!

Peach Ball dropped wide short!

It wasn’t until last year’s Peach Bowl that we finally broke a sweat! Whew.

And then this season? Can you imagine being down at half to the gamecocks and not being bent out of shape? Two weeks later on the Plains…okay, had to get on our knees and pray to dear Ol’ Munson’s Ghost that Abuurn’s secondary got a sudden case of dyslexia and thought that was OWBRES lining up in the slot.

Again, whew!

Anyway, all that to say it’s been quite a run Dawg fans! And despite what those kissin’ siblings up on rocky top, and those toothless reptiles down in the swamp might think…hell, throw in the 2023 SEC championship gumps…just like Kirby told ‘em, “We ain’t going NOWHERE!”

Now, please bow your heads…dear layin’ in a manger Baby Jesus, please keep the lights bright this Christmas. For both those with 5 stars and those without. (Don’t let the tithing plate keep passing you by Vandy.)

Enjoy the Army/Navy game ya filthy animals! Go Army! #beatNavy

Epilogue

Yes, I found the keys to this thing somewhere around the intersection of Inspiration Ave. and Got a Lil Time on My Hands Cir. I’d like to keep posting somewhere between frequently and weekly. But most likely we’re coasting into a “let’s see how this goes” time period.

Full disclosure, we have moved to coastal Georgia and I won’t get to as many games as I used to. With the move, a new gig, a rebuilt engine and a cracked tooth, I managed only two this season. But rest assured we watch every game, relish any game we can get in Jacksonville and any opportunity to tailgate with our old crew, as well as see some of y’all OG readers in red and black!

Now I’m off to clean some things up around here. Somehow since I last logged in the spam filter caught tens of thousands of spam comments. Blessing and a curse and all that. So I’ll first try and get commenting figured out, but it’ll be regulated to some degree to start with. 

Until next time, I’m putting the keys in my pocket this time. Then I’ll text the daughters to remind me of how to drop on of those “pins” from my iPhone so I can keep finding that intersection. Go Dawgs!

"Coach, did you hear Bernie may be bloggin again?"
"Oh he is is he!"