GameDay Blog - WLOCP

Nice night on St. Simons, as usual. Even though we nearly had to mediate an argument between a spoiled frat kid and a waitress at Bubba Garcia's. Luckily she eventually told the kid to just "go to f@$!ing Taco Bell.

Yup, good night. Now it's time for business.

- I've chosen to go back to the red gameday shirt, even though the black one seems to have helped pull us out of the rocky mtn lows.
- Cuz today isn't about gimmicks, superstitions or fake juice. It's about reclaiming what is ours - Jacksonville. The rest of the state of Florida can slip away into the Atlantic for all I care.










Leaving St.Simons

- It's a little weird, the feeling for this game. I'm trying to remember the last time we came into this game favored and with the momentum. Who was favored in 2004?
- Nama wants me to pass along his "Nugget of the Night" courtesy of Bubba's. Since he's driving this morning I'll oblige.

Natural Light with lime...hard to believe it's not Corona

- Life changing, I know.
- Back to the feeling going in, I'm anxious to see how we respond. The opening drives are big in this game.
- We score first, easier to settle in. We force a three and out, hold them on third and long...that's big.
- On the Twitter? Follow ugakerri and use the #FUF hashtag.






- Don't stretch the leash too far too soon #Dawgs. We need everyone's best bark today. Focus. Determined to win. #FUF #WLOCP #gatorhater
- Great story on GameDay about Rodney Scott and Zac Ethridge. Remarkable. College football, I love it.
- Pollack picks Dawgs and Corso picks go gaytuhs. Sounds about right.






Go Dawgs!!






- Just walked in from tailgate. It's so easy to distinguish between Georgia and Florida fans. They so Fugly.
- it's hot!
- Ahmad Black vs AJ Green...or Orson.
- Not a surprise, Dawg fans here early and ready to bark!
- Pardon me while I put a gator back in his place.



- Sorry, I just didn't hate them enough. That and we got really (darn) careless with the football.
- On a positive note...I made it out of Jax without being arrested....and the beer is still cold.

- Posted using BlogPress from Bernie's iPhone

DON'T GIVE UP!!

One of few recent fond memories in Jacksonville. Hoping the Dawgs create another good one today.

Go Dawgs!

BDB Programming Note

I'm heading down to St. Simons today, the game tomorrow and back home Sunday in time for trick-or-treating. It's hard being a Full-Time Dad and Full-Time Dawg at the same time. I'm sure a lot of you can commiserate.

But given the constraints of 24 hours in the day, I'm not sure how much Thoughts I'll have for Sunday. I mean, I'll have plenty of thoughts, just probably not enough time to post them. We'll see.

I do plan on doing some live blogging from the tailgates adjacent to AllTel Saturday...and maybe even during the game if cell towers (and phone batteries) cooperate. I'll also have the meatloaf up sometime Monday. It might not be as plentiful as usual, but it'll be there for you...win or lose.

Anyway, enjoy the weekend wherever you happen to be. And Go Dawgs!!

What's Special in Jax

Other than the cocktail party...

Caleb Sturgis is out tomorrow after reaggravating his back injury. Since the Florida kicker went down, freshman Brad Phillips has handled most of the load. With him the Gators lose an average of two yards per kick and he has yet to get a touchback. I'm sure Boykin is aware of this.

Chas Henry is having another stellar year punting the ball in Gainesville. He's averaging over 49 yards and opponents have only been able to return 5 of his 22 punts. Georgia on the other hand has its full complement of punt returners back for this game. And between Gray, Smith and Green we're averaging about 10 yards a return.

Between having two scholarship placekickers (you think Corch would love to have the little used Bogatay about now?) and a solid KO/Punt coverage team, you have to give the edge in special teams easily to Georgia. The names Boykin Blair & Butler should be enough to make Gator fans cringe.

Getting Defensive in Jax

This is Grantham's greatest test. And it's one he's been preparing for since he arrived in Athens evidently.


I think we can pressure Brantley. I think we can contain their running game. Perhaps most importantly, I think we can create turnovers.


But...

• Can we cover receivers (plural, as in more than one)? If so, things are only gonna get harder for Brantley. If not, we're going to need Florida to be just as generous as Kentucky with the ball and the field position.
• Can we get some push up the middle? Geathers can eat space. And Tyson had a big hit on Hartline last week, one that I think took a half sack away from Houston on a fumble. If Robinson and Dowtin can roam unimpeded, the more havoc we can wreak on Adazzio's offense.
• Will we fall flat on third down? The last couple games we've been aggressive, but some of that has been lost on third down. Tackling also isn't as good on third. That needs to change against an athletic offense looking for anything positive to hang its hat on.

Wildcard question...after getting his first start (on offense) last week in Lexington, is this the week Alec Ogletree breaks out?

Previous post on offense in Jax

Next - what's special

Taking Offense to Jax

As usual, AJ Green doesn't have to have a huge game for us to win tomorrow. But he has to have the same impact he's had on our recent three game winning streak. Create coverage problems...demand safety attention...open up the middle of the field for the run game and the intermediary routes.


Murray's got the game to do what we need. He'll also have a full compliment of weapons at his disposal, not to mention a line that is hitting it's stride in protection and lane making.


I think these guys will come out ready to make a statement. As long as Coach Bobo has the same attitude we should get off to a good start, which is imperative.


Wildcard question...can we finally utilize our TEs efficiently? 

Hate ain't a strong enough word

One rival believes the birth of college football began when Stephen Orr Spurrier slithered south about 550 miles and nested in Gainesville back in the late 1980s. The other prefers Robotics Club over gridiron greatness.

Which do you think is our biggest rival?

I'll begin by typing that I don't think it's at all necessary that the entire Dawg Nation agree that Florida or GA Tech is our biggest rival. Afterall, America is made up of Democrats and Republicans...(Ahem!...unfortunately).

Anyway, from my experience the older Dawg is staunchly in the corner of the North Avenue pimple poppers being our biggest rival. They're in-state, they're the last game of the season and our workplaces, streets and neighborhoods are littered with them. Yet, they're mostly pathetic in the series (which Georgia owns 60-37-5) and take any occasion to point out problems (scooter mishaps and speeding tickets) in Georgia's athletic program while using their revisionist history wand of power on their own misdeeds (read: Reuben "Ganja Felon" Houston and Joe "Doobie Haze" Hamilton).

But the biggest argument against the engiNerds is that the road to the SEC Championship doesn't traverse down North Avenue. It goes along the St. Johns River.

So enter the Gayturds. If my level of hate for Yech registers a seemingly perfect 10, my animosity towards floriDuh is additionally sprinkled with a hint of proximity and jealousy (read: MNCs, recent SECCGs...not fashion sense, hair styles or lightning quick, angst ridden, text-typing thumbs). UGA and NATS may only be separated by 60 miles, but Slurban's minions are altogether much closer, divisionally speaking.

Of course in the history of college football, the FU Gaytors are merely recent contributors to the sport. But Bobby Dodd and John Heisman still don't stokes the fires of disgust and revulsion like Steve Damn Spurrier and Urban Crier. No there's not one thing clean or old-fashioned about this rivlary we have with the go gaytuhs!

Hate just ain't a strong enough word. 

But by Thanksgiving, I'm sure it will be once again.

Some Links to Stir into Your Large Cocktails

As we draw closer and closer to the WLOCP, here are some things I've found enlightening, thought provoking and down right funny.

• The Real Story Behind Jorts - h/t @DorseyHill
• Not surprisingly, Kit's been all over this rivalry all week. Here's his post on the mascots and the roflmao funny things more dangerous than Chris Rainey.
• Good piece by Clarkson on Aaron Murray's return to his home state. And for the other side of the ball, Loran Smith looks at the example Akeem Dent is providing.
• At least one gayturd is tired of being embarrassed by his jort wearing cuzzins. You make your nest, you slither in it dude. h/t Dawgtoons
• You've probably already read Gregg Doyel's (UF Alum) piece on Meyer's handling of Chris Rainey. Well, now the corch is also catching flack for not keeping AwwBarn star Cam Newton.
• Pulpwood...not fond of Corch, Rainey, uniforms or John Brantley's skills. (NSFW, as usual)
• It's not ready as of this posting, but I have it on good authority that the latest Dawgcast Post Kentucky/Pre WLOCP podcast will be up this morning around 9am. Click HERE.
• Dr. Strangedawg gives us the latest on floriDuh's new unis and Chris Rainey's new deal.
• The Georgia-Florida game is special to AD McGarity.
• Nick Williams has moved back to LB, and seems upbeat about it.
• Lastly, Coach Richt doesn't seem worried about Ealey's knee...so I guess I shouldn't be either.

Some Recruiting Nuggets

Some bits and pieces gathered from here, there and yon.

• Kelin Johnson says Saban has offered Zach Mettenberger. Here's his tweet and here's the main story on his website. Remember that Johnson has spoken to Mett several times since he left in the spring. Also reported first I believe on Mett going to Butler CC.
• While he's updating us on the progress to Stegeman, PWD summarizes hoops recruiting after Nick Jacobs chose Bama yesterday.
• And Chad Simmons interviews and updates us on Damian Swann ($$).
• Speaking of Swann, he told his teammate Marcus Caffey "I'll go to Georgia if you do". Caffey, a 6' 190 lb running back, is still waiting on a call from Coach Richt.

Even More Red & Black Douchebaggery

Fact: Caleb King was cleared of any wrong doing by UGA and the NCAA in terms of a loan he received from a friend.

You won't see that on many big Dawg beat pages today because it truly has always been a non-story. A non-story for everyone except the campus newspaper's Zach Dillard. He's the only one who should spend some print on it, because he's the one who's been beating the drum on this "story".

In fact, UGA Greg McGarity cleared Caleb before he even sat out the first game for his suspension related to the failure to appear. Yet Dillard has seen a chance to to kick dirt on a fellow student and just couldn't resist.

Fact: Dillard writes today that King has been cleared. BUT passes on the chance for contrition.

I didn't major in journalism, but it doesn't take a Peabody to realize that Dillard's use of quotations around the word friend is classless and not at all good practice.

I hope your investigative journalism got you a free beer among your buddies Mr. Dillard. Because the truth is it should get you kicked out of 540 Baxter Street.

- Posted using BlogPress from Bernie's iPhone