Marshall and week one is here!

Plus, episode 19 of 4th & 3 Dudes at the bottom, where Nama and I discuss how we think the team shapes up against last season's stats and the 2025 schedule. (Cord had a shit week and couldn’t join us. Not sure what that means for his Oregon State Beavers as they go up against Cal tomorrow night. We’ll see.)

But first, a few additional thoughts on our Dawgs as well as the weekend slate.

Special teams. I make this point in the episode below, but wanted to emphasize it a little more here. Hopefully it doesn’t happen often tomorrow, but when we line up to punt it won’t be a good time to leave your seat to go to the restroom. I’m going to play close attention to who the coaches are trusting in this phase of the game. Same for the return game.

Special teams can make or break a game, as we know. There are a lot of position battles to pay attention to tomorrow: OL, CB, Safety. Really every position has a depth chart to be chiseled out during these first two games before the trip to Knoxville. We need to include special teams in that focus for the sole purpose of flipping the field at keys moments later in the season, getting the offense in better field position with punt returns, protecting our kickers to do their job, etc etc.

The weekend looks glorious too. I'm looking forward to GA Tech at Colorado tonight. Tomorrow I'm excited to see what Fran Brown's fightin' Orangemen can do against Tennessee. Our Dawgs in the middle of the afternoon along with Bama going to Tallahassee. Tomorrow night Clemson hosts LSU in the fight for the rights to the term Death Valley. And Sunday I'll be watching both VA Tech at South Carolina and Notre Dame at Miami. I'll Monday night's tilt between TCU and North Carolina on hold and see if something better opens up.

What game(s) has you excited?

Okay, now on with show! Little longer than usual. But Nama and I are excited to talk about Georgia football again!

Game week thoughts - Marshall

I'm not one to typically dabble in week zero tv watching. But we've had nothing but rain down here and that meant that our usual Saturday golf game was cancelled. That probably saved me $10, which is the usual buy in for the Saturday game, but meant I needed to find some things to do around the house. 

So I turned on ESPiN as background noise. It was the Aer Lingus Football Classic, live from Dublin Ireland where Big 12 powerhouses Iowa State and Kansas State both struggled to keep a handle on the football in the first half. In the second half the teams erupted for 31 points. In the end it was a Kyle Konrardy field goal and a long game ending drive for the Iowa State win.

Not a great week zero of college football, which is tradition in itself. But was enough to lead me to just a few thoughts.

• First and foremost, I'm reminded that this is our second season without the Great Senator Blutarsky to lead us. Still the best college football blogger that ever has been. I'll continue to miss his words and insight.
• Secondly, the second season of 4th & Three Dudes is set to start this week. We had our official podcast planning session last week and are looking forward to entertaining as many as three or four of you weekly. You can watch us here, or search for us by name in your podcast feeder's search bar.
• Of course there's a lot of talk about how the SEC finally moving to a 9 game conference scheduling format affects Georgia. Most favor our permanent three as Auburn, Florida and either Tennessee or South Carolina. Too bad it won't be Texas since we always find a way to beat those bastards.
• Reports out of camp are mostly encouraging. Hope you're hearing the same. In general it sounds like Gunner is really stepping into his role and the talent is rich. Still pretty young and raw overall, but sounds like they will be ready to hit someone wearing green ASAP, and should be ready for that first road trip test up yonder by week three.
• Someone asked me yesterday what we are ranked. I answered that I think we're around 5, but the truth is not only do I not know for sure but I don't really care.

And I'm willing to bet that is about where you are too. I've never worried about preseason rankings, because the subjectivity is not just obvious, but it's rampant. Plus, winning two very recent National Championships has a way making college football a little less stressful.

Saturday, toe meets leather. And the rest will be sorted out with Coach Smart steering our ship.

All aboard!

Talking season blues

Still reeling over Sunday's Failure at Foley. Coach Johnson has me ever hopeful. But we have to be able to find better pitching than that. Ugh.

But a CWS run was a needed break from CFB talking season. It's a tough time to be a fan. Gone are the days when you just had to worry about how many days were left until kickoff. Now there's that, and all of the many and varied opinions about what is best for the sport we so dearly love.

Coach Smart took aim last week at the transfer portal. And rightly so. Like him, I hold an SEC Championship in very high regard. And while his staff and players were preparing for the 2024 SECCG, they were also dealing with players, both publicly and privately, readying to jump ship.

Can your Coach Goff era mind even imagine such a thing?! The playoff bracket hadn't even been dealt with and players are looking for "better" opportunities elsewhere.

Let's be honest with ourselves. We know Kirby Smart isn't leaving Athens for the NFL, much less any other program. But I can totally see the 24/7/365 recruiting of both future and current players, managing all of the egos, NIL deals, etc....driving him away. And I wouldn't blame him.

Speaking of the CFB playoff bracket, we do see one positive change. Unfortunately the talk of expanding the format from 12 to 16 seems to gain more traction, but at least they have fixed the seeding problem. Now the top four teams will get the top four seeds (hard to believe it took even this long to figure that out). 

Many years ago I wrote here that I just wished the SEC would secede from the NCAA and have it's own championship. Why does it need the Atlantic to Pacific conference or that diluted mixture of midwestern powerhouses and downright wannabes? Bring a nice cupcake in mid-season, keep any cross-conference rivalries if you want. Then make a 10 game gauntlet by GOD! schedule and rake in all the Mickey money you need want.

Oh well, just some words to dream by...

I am excited about the 2025 version of our Georgia Bulldogs that is shaping up. I bet Kirby already has the right message for them to start the season. Keep striking through those summer calendar days, then let's get after that ass!

My Mom made a Life Path worth following

As many of you know, my mom passed away back in January. Jane Hutchison Burnette was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister in law, aunt, cousin, and friend to hundreds of us on this Earth. She liked to cook, for others. She steadfastly prayed, for others. She taught many years. First as a social studies teacher, eventually at what was way back then Burney-Harris Middle School off of Broad Street in Athens before stepping aside to be a full time mom. Then later, as an ESOL teacher before retiring to be a full time grandmother.

She could sew, cook, bake, and was as religious about walking for exercise as she was about her faith in our God. She liked a good old-fashioned, a crisp martini, a chilled glass of wine, a good book, an endearing British tv show...and even read her eldest son's blawg on occasion. 

Which is why this tribute will be housed here. Not sure if God foots the bill for Wifi (and in so many ways I'm hopeful and certain He doesn't), but if not I know there are many who may enjoy some words about her. 

Just know, this is mostly for me.

In a great way, my Mom is the reason I enjoy writing. I can't type that without paying tribute to Dad. After all, he is the retired English teacher. Some of you may have had him for English class if you travelled through Cedar Shoals High School as a teenager. Eventually he settled in Clemson and tortured upstate kids with British Lit and writing workshops. He's published one book and is currently working on the sequel!

But it was one summer break as a seven year old when Mom had me making homemade books and then filling their pages with stories. My days as an only child were soon to end. And it's safe to assume when a woman is 8 months pregnant she wants to stay indoors and avoid that Georgia heat and humidity as much as possible. So, we'd make bread pizzas, pitchers of sweet tea and Kool-Aid, make homemade hardbacks, and then I'd fill them with words.

The last few months I've found many moments reflecting back on my memories of Mom. There's a LOT of recipes of course. I'll never use another lasagna recipe that isn't hers. There was our first Christmas in a house with a fireplace. It was 75 degrees outside, but she insisted on a fire to gaze at and hear the pop! Having a roaring fire while the windows are open is a memory that'll never fade. (sidenote: Mom loved Christmas! So much so that as I sit here typing I have Christmas Carol earworms on repeat.)

I had my first (legal) margarita with Mom. She took me to La Fiesta on College Station Rd. Not sure if it is still there, but they indeed carded me. Speaking of margaritas, when I took the future Mrs. BernieDawg home to meet the parents, we entered the kitchen just as she was slurping a spilled margarita off of the countertop! No surprise, she often was the life of the party.

Mom took to parenthood with open arms, literally and figuratively. She was instrumental in forming us into who were are today, especially my younger sisters as they have entered motherhood along their mother's path. And of course she adored being a grandmother, the littles' Ya-Ya. A woman who could do so much, I truly believe she was put on this Earth to be a mother and grandmother, first and foremost.

As the oldest, I have 55 years of memories with Mom. I feel lucky, even though I wanted more. Along the way, there were so many walks, celebrations, happy hours, Sunday dinners, laughs, tears, strife, hugs, beach chair chats, and life lessons. I'll miss sharing those things with her. 

I'll miss our phone chats too. Long ago I snuck into her phone and changed my name in her contacts to The Dude. All these years and she never changed it back. So when I'd call she'd pick up, "Hey Dude!" Then she'd update me on any comings or goings since our last conversation. Her last text to me:"Have a good weekend!! Love you back again and more 💓💓💓 Love to Jenn & the girls!"

Occasionally I have moments when I pick up the phone to send her a text., share a picture with her. I suppose that will fade with time. But our family is big on passing down important things, like southern recipes, traditions, and of course precious memories.

Rest easy dear Lady! Your work on Earth is done. And know that I have already started one of your treasured Prayer Lists, and will do everything I can to carry on, close to your path. 

Love ya Mom!

Tshirt blanket, Mom's last Christmas gift to me

Mom and Dad bookending the grands