Monday's Anniversary Meatloaf - Lucky 13 Sushi Gordito

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Back in the summer of 1997 if you had asked me the over/under on years a married man could go before finding out his wife could speak enough Japanese to at least introduce herself in a Tokyo sushi bar, I would've gone with 2...maybe 3.

Me...I went a weekend shy of 13 years. If only I would have taken my bachelor party on the road to Vegas and laid down a benjamin on the over...well, I'd probably have enough to buy the lady dinner tonight. Or a nice pair of CZ earrings. Maybe a screwtop bottle of wine.

But if that's the biggest skeleton to come out of Mrs. Bernie's spacious walk-in closet...well, I'm doing alright. After all, I've outlasted Brad Pitt (twice!!) and a dude named Jesse James. I've got two daughters that are beautiful despite my face for radio and intelligent despite...but I digress.

And perhaps most importantly, my Lucky Lady 13 not only accepts my fervent barking but often drowns me out. She can differentiate between zone and man coverages and understands why gators suck so awfully bad. A loss of yards is never acceptable and I love to hear her scream Hold onto the ball!!! whenever a Dawg crosses the line of scrimmage in search of more yards.

She's from Virginia, but she's both a lover and a fighter. I dig her and for some reason she digs me.

Kekkon kinen-bi omedetō hachimitsu!!


(Happy Anniversary Honey!)

Today's Ingredients

• The BIG news over the weekend was the Caldwell commitment. Carvell tells us Kenarious Gates and Nick Marshall did their part to help. (link includes video of Fox's newest Dawg)
• In addition to the hoops recruiting, Dawg Night brought in some elite athletes, two of which committed. Some great photos by Dean and informative analysis ($$) by Chad. 
• It's hard to tell who (if anyone) leads for Carver RB Isaiah Crowell. And that's a good thing. ($$)
• This'll be good to know for the future Uga...before he travels to places like Oregon...tentatively.
• And since there won't be an Uga at Picture Day, will Russ sit in? I posed the question on the Twitter the other night and the general consensus was yes. He'd have to be right? If anyone knows or has read something more definitive than my Twitter Straw Poll, please comment.
• And how long would Russ' line be that day? Holy kibble and bits!!
• Coach Grantham does not believe in sensations of entitlement. Is he running for office in 2012? Regardless, the Senator's office endorses the shift in philosophy.
• While Mike thinks the Braves can help bridge the six and a half weeks 'til kickoff, Streit's found a big time player in Bubba 'n Earl's countdown.
• This year SEC Media Days will have a livecast. And you can pick up the footage right here all three days on the SEC Digital Network widget in the left hand column. Go ahead, put your feet up.
• The big event in Hoover will be another chance for Vandy's coach to prove he's ready to blow the big whistle; Robbie Caldwell's not content being labeled as interim. And the Vandy Dandies may not have much choice in the way of alternatives.
• Meanwhile, Wesizer tells us Coach Belin is settling in just fine now that his family's in town.
• Looks like lamechicken TE Weslye Saunders may be tar heel'd and feathered too.
• DJ Shockley will attend minicamp...in Omaha.
• Here's a new blog called From Hedges to Hardwood.  I like this post on SEC cocktails.
• Programming note: tomorrow we'll have the David Hale Exit Interview. Be sure to come back 'round here and find out exactly who he thinks that pesky annoying blowhard Anonymous commenter is. Plus we find out if the great Hale will be barking like a Dawg this fall.
• If you are a soon to be dad and want a quick glimpse at your perspective when your child is born, read over Rennie Curran's comments from Saturday's fan festival.
• Just one small bone to pick in closing: I'm not the type of person to fly his car flags every time Prez Adams farts...and I realize the Countdown to Kickoff is a small event in comparison to a Saturday in the fall. But why not pimp your ride a little as you mosey down 316? C'mon people!

Since I take interviews very seriously, I don't want tomorrow's post to be watered down with a lot of drawn out goodbyes and unnecessary histrionics. So I'll use this end of the meatloaf to bid farewell to Hale the Rockstar. He's leaving Athens this week to go to PhilDELFya. My parents took me there when I was a youngster. I remember gathering around the Liberty Bell and some kid ralphed what looked to be cream corn all over and around the historic symbol.

I'd like to draw on that memory as a parallel to how I feel about his decision to leave. But no real ill feelings. In fact, it should be quite the contrary. Hale has set the bar high for his colleagues as well as his successor. 

Yes, like a good comedian Hale has left his readers wanting more. He made blogging about UGA Athletics easier, just as he made being a UGA fan a truly knowledgeable endeavor. Despite the refinement (ahem!) that you experience here daily Reader, it hasn't always been easy. I'm only two years into this gig, but Hale's blog (and more specifically his coverage) has been a vital resource and an essential stop for all things inside Butts-Mehre. 

To be honest, there are days when I just want the news from the sunny side of the hedges. But most days, the truth is what we really need. David Hale always provided the story first and foremost. But as a sports fan himself, he also recognized that Dawg fans wanted more than the daily report and occasional feature. And it is for that reason that I will miss that yankee doodle dandy.

Farewell Hale! You are at liberty to make a run for the border. But you're always welcome at my Festivus table.

You are too Reader. But please pass the mashed taters. I think I've worked up a shokuyoku.

Bernie

Countdown to Kickoff '10

A pic and a video from yesterday's Countdown to Kickoff. You may remember that this is the event put on by the Stinchcomb brothers and David Greene.

7 weeks...




It took more than a few reps...but Ainsley finally finished the drill

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Fox gets Caldwell

Sometimes seemingly small headlines are big waves. And this one should tower over your head.

Kentavious Caldwell has decided Athens is where he wants to play basketball next ($$). He's the biggest get for Coach Fox of his short tenure. Which makes it all the more impressive.

This guy is a big-time basketball player. He is a significant piece because he's very likely going to be a McDonald's All-American. He's an elite offensive player, an in-state guy and the first guy that Mark Fox went to see when he got the job at Georgia. You can't possibly underestimate this guy as a recruit.

- Dave Telep, national recruiting director of Scout.com 

The 2009-10 season proved that Mark Fox could flat out coach. Now he's very quickly proven he can flat out recruit. I mean, Fox has only been paying taxes in Georgia since last spring and he's already pulling in future lottery picks.

Since January, any doubt about this hire has been erased. Coach Fox is more than a hard wood hero. He's the real deal.

Welcome to the Dawg Nation Mr. Caldwell. A feverish, hungry Stegman awaits your smooth stroke.

Casual Friday - Climate Controlled for Your Reading Pleasure

Dressed down, but not so far as to make you uncomfortable.

• I was part of a funeral procession yesterday complete with 5 policemen on motorcycles, about 20 cars and one hearse, all with lights on. I find it a sad commentary on our society when the only person who pulled to the side of the road was a jackhole who tried to blend in for about a mile and half. Cop zipped up beside him and yelled at him as he pulled him over.
• I mean failing to recognize a funeral procession is one thing. Using it to get to the Dollar General before they run out of the cheap beef jerky is another.
• I hope the dillweed fights the ticket and faces a judge who just lost his dear momma. I miss small town USA...*sigh*
• Onto lesser news...a Big Ten (the new one) championship game in Lambeau Field...? Actually...yeh, that sounds about right. 
• I mean that can't be any worse than an ACC Championship in Jacksonville/Orlando/Charlotte (or wherever the hell that thing is now) in the rain in front of John Swofford and his family.
• Interesting point raised yesterday by Ollllddude...is Georgia actually Safety U rather than Tailback U? The safety bloodline may run thicker and deeper.
• But what separates the S and TB positions I think is that one relies even more on it's supporting cast. A running back can play more instinctively on most plays. If a safety gets too creative the risk is greater than a loss of yards and a punt.
• And having a disciplined defensive coordinator certainly doesn't hurt.
• Which brings me to my last point: I'm so eager to see Grantham's defense unleashed I'm having dreams on INTs at night. Last night I even saw Brandon Boykin level Alshon Jeffery at the line of scrimmage and I shouted "Hellz Yeh!!!"

Don't work too hard Reader. In fact, take a two hour lunch. I'll see you all tomorrow at the Countdown.

Trivial Update - Woerner Picked a Homer

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Cockadoodledoo!! #ThursdaysRTrivial episode 51 coming up right after this PSA: Orange juice after toothpaste is bad.


#ThursdaysRTrivial ep. 51 "Woerner the Returner" It's the Twitter Twivia show that's 13 interceptions shy of having 13 career INTs. REPLY back your answer for a chance at a fabulous prize. In 1980 versus Clempson, Scott Woerner returned a punt for a TD and an interception for 98 yards getting tackled just shy of the goal line. Who was the QB Woerner picked off?

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After all the posts related to alcohol, I've noticed more than a few GoogleAds related to sobriety lately. It's nice to know Google's concerned about me. If any of you have clicked on them, first of thanks for the monetary support. Second, the first step is admitting you read too much of my blog.

Hopefully a day of Scott Woerner eases some concerns. Most of all, I really appreciate the great comments. We had a couple readers who met Woerner the Returner on the floor of the old Omni (for you young whippersnappers, that's where the Hawks used to play) and we had a former schoolmate of #19's chime in as well. Obi's Sister says Woerner was just as awesome back in high school.

All in all I guess it was a good break from the fallout of Damongate and DJax leaving campus. Here's how it played out:

Stuff_of_Legend 

  

@BernieDawg Homer Jordan


The_Real_Paige 

  

#earlybirdgetstheworm RT @Stuff_of_Legend: @BernieDawg Homer Jordan


Stuff_of_Legend 

  

Thats what happens when @BernieDawg blog is one of your first stops in the am RT @The_Real_Paige:#earlybirdgetstheworm


Rex_Robinson5 

  

RT @BernieDawg: #ThursdaysRTrivial ep. 51 "Woerner the Returner" RR: HJ...


namaman  

  

@BernieDawg Homer Jordan was the Clempsum QB...


Pretty impressive that Scott was able to beat out an oversleeping Dawg and a former teammate. Scott is the proud new owner of a subscription to a handful of better blogs than mine (and there's more where that came from). Appreciate the morning visits, but that's pressure my friend!


Rex gets a chauffeured ride up to Rabun County to visit his old teammate from yours truly (sure, there's an ulterior motive, but it's my gameshow...), Nama gets a cigar for being close and Paige...gets a new alarm clock. One of those sweet jobs with the LED display.


For the rest of you, who has even more interception return yardage than Scott Woerner?

GATA Woerner

There are a number of reasons I am a Dawg fan. Scott Woerner may be the first. Nowadays, just about every game is on television, but back in the late 70s/early 80s only a few were each season. Woerner always seemed to make the big plays at big times and I remember trying to recreate them in the backyard.

Case in point - many remember the fact that Herschel had a dislocated shoulder on his way to 150 yards in the 1980 Nat'l Championship game. But it was Woerner's interception at the end that sealed it in the Dawgs' favor.

One of my favorites is a game that helped pave the way for the Dawgs in that 1980 season. My dad (a Clempson alum) likes to bring this game up anytime I mention Woerner. It always ends with dad shaking his head in disbelief. Here's why...

h/t ghostoferkrussell

Just because I am a Cedar Shoals grad...yeh, that's Homer Jordan with the big completion there to Woerner...D'oh! I can sense dad shaking his head again. 

Last I heard, Woerner is a middle school PE teacher and football coach up in Rabun County. If you're interested in learning whether the former Dawg defensive back ever knocked Herschel on his tail during their USFL playing days, check out this Dawg Post interview from a few years back.

If Erk Russell instilled the GATA attitude in the Georgia defenses, #19 embodied it.

GATA Scott Woerner! Damn Good Dawg.

Dawg Walking in Boulder

Lately my posts have ingested so much alcohol, it's a wonder my laptop isn't slurring it's typing. But this post is designed as a public service for those heading west in early October.

First off, if you are heading out to Colorado for the game this fall you really need to be following the posts at UGA at CU 2010 and bookmark the site Colorado Dawgs. I found them while we were planning our trip. They're informative sites put together by the Colorado UGA Alumni Association and have some great info, especially where to stay.

Yesterday's post I found especially timely given the recent news of Dawgs behind the wheel south of sober. Mrs. Bernie and I decided to rent a car while we're out there, but luckily we're staying close enough to downtown I think that we'll only need it to get to and from the airport in Denver. And that may be a good thing:

FYI– For your own good stay away from drinking and driving around Boulder. Not that I’m saying it’s okay to drink and drive anywhere, but usually a person is under the limit with one drink. Not in Boulder. Their police are notorious for giving out DUIs and DWAIs. (Many people could get a DWAI with one drink.)  Also, they are sticklers on the speed limit. They don’t know about the free 15 MPH that ATL drivers are used to getting.

I don't know about you, but some of the people I hang out with can raise your BAC high enough for a DWAI just breathing the same air they do. So good to know. Sounds like the police force out there is especially vigilant. It's been many moons since I've been to Boulder, but I remember it as a very nice, super clean city. Not surprised that they wouldn't take kindly to someone coming into town, barking at the locals until all hours and then barfing on Main Street. You know, unlike in Starkville where it might actually improve the scenery. (I'm kidding...no not really)

So if you're going, follow the link up there. I've also put it down in the DawgBowl. Cheri's also posted some info on renting buses and shuttles if you're interested. And she promises to keep working on other ideas to make our stay more pleasant in the Rocky Mountains.

An Alcohol Town with a Red and Black Problem

The news Saturday was bad. The news yesterday was worse. Just as the police report removed the mask Damon Evans was hiding behind, it also cast Dontavius Jackson as both an impaired driver and a liar.

It's embarrassing. It's dangerous. It's a millions times both given the fact that the Athletic Department's head was just fired for similar behavior. Ugh. It's awful. It sucks. I'm pissed. I'm red-faced for all the wrong reasons.

But Michael Fitzpatrick...put down your pitchfork that you have leveled against Coach Richt. Take a deep breath. You're living in a glass town. Stones are not a wise option.

Let me explain. No, better yet...let Kim explain:

In the end, the football players who are stepping outside the lines and behaving badly are not above reproach. They deserve to be punished and they are responsible for their own behavior—no question.

However, at what point does the at-large-community (bar owners, patrons, etc.) start to take some of the responsibility for fostering this sense of entitlement and allowing it to continue?

See, what Kim gets that Mr. Fitzpatrick of the Red and Black simply does not is that this is an Athens problem. The media creates the circus around the football players getting caught doing things that thousands of students (and adults) in Athens are also doing because it sells print and creates clicks. Coach Richt is the easy target. The liquor store owner and the bar owners are harder to square in the cross-hairs. They take too much digging.

Lazy writers like Fitzpatrick would rather throw a gas can on the fire, even going so far as to irresponsibly link Jackson's name to a DUI victim. Obviously, Fitzpatrick would prefer to intern with Dennis Dodd rather than at Get the Picture. Not that The Senator needs one anyway. (And in case any Red and Black readers are wondering, a lady named Christa Scott killed Jordan Griner when her super impaired driving failed to acknowledge a red light. Should Dontavius Jackson have considered such consequences before cranking his Chevy...absolutely. A million times over. But should he be linked to a death he had nothing to do with...no. A million times over. Fitzpatrick doesn't even point one of his greasy fingers at Scott.)

But while that's the most irresponsible part of Fitzpatrick's load of crap, it's not the laziest. That comes when the sports reporter tries to offer a solution:

A start would be bringing in more high-character players. Could you imagine these shenanigans happening during the reign of David Greene or David Pollack? They would not have allowed it.

That's some fancy typewriting dude. But...just to beg to differ...ummm...when did Odell Thurman play football 'tween the hedges? It may be hard to imagine, but 2004 was also after Prohibition. There were bars in downtown Athens back then that served alcohol just as eagerly and feverishly as they do now. I guess fact checking is for reporters without hair stylists.


What about you Reader? If you are like the sports reporter for the campus newspaper, by all means...go ahead and blame the one guy who's doing what he can to control the problem. Would I like to see some stiffer discipline, yes I would. But that also goes for the guys living in Russell Hall and the lovely ladies just north on Baxter Street. CMRs players have weekly lessons on this stuff from the day they set foot on campus. (I didn't get that, did you?) The football players have instant big brothers even before they suit up for August two-a-days. Rest assured, they hear the right messages consistently.

But kids do dumb things, even with the right guidance. And like Kim says, these guys should (and will) be punished. I'd be surprised if Jackson plays for Georgia again. And to give Fitzpatrick some credit, he's right that something needs to be done. I'm with him for stiffer punishment.

But please...don't castigate the one guy who's working on solutions. That's low-handed, short-sighted. More importantly, it's missing the point entirely.

If you really wanna win a red and black Pulitzer, find the guy that gave Jackson the shots. Find the person who made Mettenberger's IDs. That's plurality at its finest my brother! Then...then you have a real guilty party. And you're a lot closer to the truth: this isn't a football problem. It's an Athens problem. The guys who wear red and black just make the headlines bolder.

Disgraceful Parade of Reporting

I'll post more thoughts on this later, probably tomorrow. So call this your homework.

But regarding the arrests this weekend, this is one Hefty bag short of a complete waste.

This Fitzpatrick clown has aspirations of Doddism. For a (much...much) better display of perspective, check out what Kim wrote.

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]

Monday's Meatloaf - Ohhhh, That Smell...

Whiskey bottles and brand new cars...oak tree you're in my way.

It happens once a year, almost always in the summer. When else, really? You're minding your own business and it hits you...you're ready for football season. For me it happened Friday just as I was rounding the big oak tree in our neighborhood that stands as the beginning of the homestretch for my cardio routine.

Of course, we end each season ready for more, we are Dawgs after all. But I'm talking about truly ready. We've all uttered the words God would football season finally get here? and we've all passed the Weber grills and the cornhole boards in the garage and sighed, audibly.

And we've all perked up a little when we hear our own Battle Hymn ringtone. Or we've paused a little longer than usual as we pass that picture in the office of Sanford Stadium. Double sigh.

But this feeling brings with it an uncanny sense of joy; a very real pep in your step. You can smell the tailgate heating up, can hear the thwump of the bean bags on the boards. You can hear a gathering of fans wonder who's that comin' down the tracks. You can see Uga...er...I mean Russ settle the family heirlooms on a bag of ice. AJ Green catches every ball in warm ups. 

Then suddenly the trumpet rings out from the southwest corner. I can hear it now. Clean, crisp...clearly amplified and full of Georgia Glory...

Nearly down to 50 days Reader. Can you smell it?



Today's Ingredients

• Of course, my elation at smelling some gridiron Friday turned into stomach indigestion Saturday morning with the news from Athens Clarke County jail.
• Coach Richt doled out the bad news for his players' turbulence this weekend. As long they don't get caught emerging from any alleys...Jackson would be back in the middle of October for Vandy and King would be ready for the trip to Chickumbia. UPDATE: news gets worse. More later.
• Having already picked Georgia to beat Arkansas this fall, former Dawg baller Steve Newman goes more in depth into how the game will play out.
• AuditDawg took a seat at the DawgSports desk and told us where he comes from.
• Earl counted down to one of Georgia's all-time best athletes yesterday, Robert Edwards.
• Bill King wants to know which game will be the hardest for the Dawgs this season...you know, other than floriDuh.
• I agree with The Senator that Georgia has nothing to be ashamed of in Phil Steele's decade analysis. We should be even more impressed by what Richt has done in December and January.
• Every night is Ladies' Night at Bar Knoxville. So was Da'Rick wearing pumps or heels? Meanwhile the investigation continues.
• Paschall tells us that the coaches are gonna have to kick it up a notch in Hoover if they're to keep up with the players this summer.
• That sound you heard yesterday was the vuvuzela dying a slow death. The end of the World Cup means two things: Justin Beaver can re-assume his place atop the Twitter Twending Twopics...and Paul becomes calamari.
• It's usually a good practice to keep one's distance from the media. But does this mean global warming talk has officially cooled off? h/t Bluegrass Pundit
• Lastly, some good stuff coming up on the blog as we go through our own summer workouts. Plan to have a month by month break down of the season as well as some positional exploration. There's surely some good stuff to come out of Hoover next week. And we'll also have an exit interview for David Hale as he packs up his Bulldogs Blog. That should at least get us to two-a-days...

Last Monday we were embarrassed by the image of Damon's mugshot and the police report that read too close to a penthouse forum (...or so I'm told Honey...). Today, embarrassed again by a story that has become all too familiar. Football player arrested...DUI...indefinite suspensions.

For Damon, the next step will certainly come. Last week I prophesized and (after placing my tongue in cheek) suggested Evans might end up at Southern Miss with Eustachy...they could share a Pabst. Well, Weiszer uses juxtaposition much better than I do in this nice story. 

Wherever Damon ends up, the grass may not be greener at first and it probably won't be outlined with english privet. But it'll be a start. And as for Jackson and King and their next start....that ball's in their court. Hopefully they (or anyone else for that matter) don't give Richt reason to wield anymore discipline.

As for you Reader, use a disciplined fork and enjoy your lunch.

Bernie