"Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah!"

Willie McClendon was the workhorse and Rex Robinson kicked the whatchamacallit out of it.

via Dawg19

When Dawgs don't bite..

...this is what happens.

Kentucky - what to look for

Finally. It's finally the day we can take a step away from that travesty in Columbia. It's been stuck squarely in our craw for two weeks. It won't likely remove itself completely for some time. But tonight we actually get to focus on something else.

And this matchup against Kentucky should provide plenty to cheer for on the field. I'm sure there's some people who will just sit there casually and say things like "Of course we're winning, it's the worst team in the conference." And they're right, but for the rest of us who aren't completely full of piss and vinegar, we should have a good time.

Even Ashley knows what's up. (h/t BassinDawg)

• The Wildcats are not only dealing with the fact that they are undersized and not as talented as their conference compatriots. They are also dealing with an injury riddled season that has freshmen playing prominent roles on the team. Many of them. Their secondary resembles a pre-K playground. Their quarterback has gone from his high school lunchroom to the SEC feeding table in a few short months. That's like learning to drive a go-cart and then suddenly being behind the wheel of a semi on I-285 during rush hour in Atlanta. If I didn't want to beat them into oblivion so much I'd actually feel sorry for this team. They're pathetic.
• Jarvis will be on the sideline. All night.
• There's been word out of practice this week that Mark Beard has been working more at left tackle. I think we see some of that tonight, but I would expect Gates to still start there. Next week could be a different story however.
• It's been a few weeks since Marshall Morgan has attempted a field goal. Would be nice to see a late first half drive across mid field to set one up.
• But other than that I expect to see a lot of touchdowns. Like at least eight. If Bobo wanted "momentum" during the SC game, he should have it neat or over ice or both, anyway way he wants it.
• And while he's at it, I think he should throw some wrinkles in there. Show Gurshall in the slot just for kicks and giggles. Hell, put Malcolm Mitchell in the "Wild Dawg" just to get Muschamp's head to spin a little.
• Defensively is where the lights should go completely out. Jordan Jenkins should go off and our secondary should have a feast. One thing to watch for, Damian Swann is now ahead of Branden Smith on the depth chart. Would love to see him get a pick six after their QB Whitlow throws a gimme with Kwame's hand in his face.
• Against the run I want to see our defensive ends force backfield adjustments by the ball carrier. This Kentucky team shouldn't even threaten to score. If they get more than one first down Grantham should make wholesale subs.
• Kentucky's punter should be their MVP heading into the 4th quarter when suddenly Deas gets another block.
• Overall, I just want to see us put this game away early and then see a lot of the backups. If Murray sits most of the second half I'll be happy. 

Ok, I know some of you are saying to yourself "But this is the same Kentucky team that had South Carolina down 17-7." Well, no. They're not the same team. The Gamecocks avoided a trap game because Kentucky is so bad. And the team we're going to see tonight is a shell of the one that put a scare in the chickens.

Seriously, injuries, youth and lack of talent have long sealed the Wildcats' fate in 2012. Joker ain't laughed in months.

Countdown to Kickoff - Kentucky

Hannah Chalker sets the stage for tonight's matchup in Lexington.

Friday Misery - defining KenSucky

Scene: Tuesday evening, after dinner conversation as the family jockeys for a position of not doing dishes.

8 year old: Dad, who does Georgia play this week?

Me: It's Kentucky week honey. And we're away.

8 year old: You mean KenSucky.

*fist bumps*

Bennett bloodline:
Dickie > Hal > Doyle > Coover

Don't take it personal wildcats. It's not that we think of you on the same level that we do gators, or wardamntiglesmen. You're a nice people. You cheat like hell at basketball while the rest of us concentrate on a sport that actually matters, but no one's perfect.

And unlike the state of Florida, we don't wish you'd secede from the union and all die an unmerciful death. No, we like your state. You have ponies that race and you give us all great bourbon. US Marshall Raylan Givens would just be a redneck Magnum PI without you all. I mean look at you, with your apple pie moonshine and your "hollers" and your pretty mouthed cousins. Fascinating!

No, we love Kentucky and everything y'all have to offer. It's just that your football sucks. And not like Tennessee in a downward trending hillbilly kind of way. You suck like, real bad...in an Adolph Rupp sold your soul to the devil for a Depression Era point guard kind of way. So just give us our win and we'll be moseying along the bourbon trail.

A sugar coated altercation
During the off week I had a chance to sit down with Coach Grantham at a local pastry shop he frequents and chat a little bit. What follows is a brief transcript of the conversation; everything that was said before the scuffle. Evidently he doesn't take too kindly when you gave him the choke sign in reference to his defense. Luckily we didn't ride scooters or Jimmy Williamson woulda surely thrown our asses in the pokey.

Grantham: Hey Bernie. Love the blog. How's it goin'?
Bernie: Pretty shitty. Especially since Columbia. Your defense is a pile of crap man. I'm embarrassed to have helped lobby for that raise.
Grantham: Whoa now son...
Bernie: Whoa nothing! That's how they're playing. Truth hurts, so don't get your panties twisted dude. Strap on an actual jock and start coaching like a man. Do that and maybe, just maybe you won't choke against the gators in Jac-----

All of the fisticuffs. Now I'm not only banned from Butts-Mehre but also all Dunkin Donuts within a 60 mile radius of Athens. But it was worth it though. Had to be said. And if nothing else, Todd's coconut cream filled pastry was smashed on the bottom of my shoe. That should help with the pass rush I think.

But y'all come on back here next week when we really waller around in some misery. WLOCP style!

Looking ahead to the 2013's Fall Saturdays

I know what you're thinking. I've been preaching about not looking ahead, and now I'm about to take you through next season's schedule. I don't know what to tell you. Except maybe save this post for sometime in January if you must.

Here we go.

2013 Georgia Football Schedule
August 31	at Clemson	Clemson
September 7	SOUTH CAROLINA	ATHENS
		Open
September 21	NORTH TEXAS	ATHENS
September 28	LSU	ATHENS
October 5	at Tennessee	Knoxville
October 12	MISSOURI	ATHENS
October 19	at Vanderbilt	Nashville
		Open
November 2	Florida	Jacksonville
November 9	APPALACHIAN ST.	ATHENS
November 16	at Auburn	Auburn
November 23	KENTUCKY	ATHENS
November 30	at Georgia Tech	Atlanta

- I like the big game to start. Following Clemson up with Carolina though makes this schedule jump out at you. A young defense will be tested early.

- LSU comes to town. Hopefully without any late excessive celebration calls.

- Nice not to have back to back trips into Tennessee. Looking forward to welcoming Mizzou to Athens.

- Always like having the open date before Jacksonville. But when's the last time both Georgia and Florida had an open date the week prior?

- If the front end of the schedule brings sexy back, the back end fizzles with a second consecutive trip to the plains, wildcats even deeper into basketball season and a trip to N. Avenue.

- A quick look at away trips: I'll definitely be going to defend Lake Hartwell, then either or both of the Tennessee trips and likely help the Dawgs out in the loveliest little village.

- the 14 week window is also intriguing to me as we get the two open dates. That should help cut into the wear and tear of tailgating week after week. Am I right?

Auburn...loveliest village of idiots

As a blogger it's difficult impossible to resist the temptation to show Auburn football players practicing their hearts out in blue and orange striped hot pants. Like Coach Chizzy says, you have to respond to a challenge!...fashionably.

LSU in 2013?

Next season's SEC schedule should be coming out this afternoon. If this is a credible leak, then look who's coming to town.

h/t Sicemdawgs

Of fear, hammers and storm clouds

Fear haunts my dreams; losing wrecks them. As Franklin Delano Roosevelt said so many years ago - "...the only thing we have to fear is...fear itself..."

Right now the Georgia fanbase is in a state of turmoil. The number of people who've lost faith in the program's leadership (read: not just the coaches, the leadership) is at an all time high. The South Carolina debacle is like the Lewinsky blue dress of the Clinton administration: a permanent stain that even the most ardent supporters can't fully ignore. It's the "read my lips, no new taxes" failed promise and dip in the approval ratings for Daddy Bush voters whose faith begins to waver and then slip. 

Fans are grumbling, frustrated and dissatisfied. Message boreds are hot, Twitter is aflutter and even the Mike in Columbus Show Bulldog Hotline has some uneasy callers. All this while the team stands at 5-1 on the season and still within reach of a 2nd consecutive trip to Atlanta in early December.

By now I'm sure most of you have seen the message board post from a former player a couple weeks back about how there's no fear in the football program. It harkens back to Richt's glory days when there were certain coaches that no one wanted to be around. They made everyone uneasy and kept the players on edge. Not by design mind you, but because that's who they were - hardcore assholes. Grade A sumbitches. They made elevator rides just as uncomfortable as gassers in the cold, early morning rain.

I certainly don't know everything it takes to be a competitive program at this level of tackle football. In fact I can only assure you of one thing - I personally fear losing. The idea of it haunts me, as I'm sure it does you as well. We hate it! I don't want to fall short of any goal, personally or professionally. And I transfer that feeling on to my alma mater.

No, I can't pass along great insight into what specifically Richt is not doing now that he might have been doing back then. I can't even tell how much of it is his burden to carry and how much is McGarity's or Bobo's or Grantham's or the equipment manager's. But I can tell you what I see. And that is a team that doesn't have an edge to it. Too often the fake juice is exposed for what it is and too often the swagger only lasts through warm ups.

Ultimately that lies at Mark Richt's feet. And many of you are probably reading this as a shot at him. I guess that's fine. But I'm also a realistic man. And I know that he's not only our coach this Saturday, but he's our coach the rest of the season and surely again next year and probably beyond that. I'm not looking ahead to next season anymore than I'm looking ahead to the WLOCP. Any argument otherwise is futile.

Richt has been at Georgia for 11.5 seasons now. And still there are fans expecting him to grab a player's face mask or bite Penn Wagers head off and kick it through the goalpost. They want him to storm onto the field after every missed extra point and rip Marshall Morgan's jersey off. My answer to that (including myself on occasion) is that's not who he is. We should know by now that there's no Mr. Hyde to his Dr. Jeckyll. He's closer to Saturday night Lawrence Welk than he is Saturday Night WWE. Let's get real. How many of us can change our personality as easily as Dr. David Banner?

However, I also believe people can evolve. They can recognize certain patterns and institute changes and adjustments to rise the a new occasion, a new era. And that is Richt's challenge. The frustrating part is that it's been his challenge the last few years. The team needs an edge. They need to fear more than losing. They need to fear for their role on the team and their very presence in the huddle. They need a fear that is - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. If Richt needs help in instituting that level of fear then the administration needs to get out of the way. Get out the checkbook instead of sitting on it. Take the leash off Grantham if that's what's holding us back. 

But if it's Richt's stubbornness that is an additional obstacle, then he needs to look longer in the mirror. A 5-1 season ain't broke, but that doesn't mean it doesn't need some fixing. A few years ago we needed more than spackle and paint to fix what was wrong. It took an extra season or two for it to dawn on Richt to cut bait and get out the hammer and nails. That was being stubborn. And despite the fact that those changes were eventually made doesn't mean he can keep shifting into cruise control. Continued losses to actual ranked teams might not call for a bulldozer, but it certainly suggests you might want to strap on that tool belt. 

And that might be true as well for the fans.

In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.

For those of us who are truly outside the arena, just support the program. In my mind, supporting the program means supporting the coach. Don't misinterpret that to mean doing so blindly. Y'all know I'm big on accountability. But if I'm cheering for my team on Saturdays, that includes the guy who leads them out of the tunnel.

The road ahead ain't gonna be easy. It never is. But wear your G proudly and let's not put the cart before the horse. There could be more storms ahead. If so, we'll weather them together. Just like we do the sunny days when there's nothing to fear, but the word itself.

Richt on keepin' it easy

Wife and I were having a discussion on this just last night. Can anyone keep things at an even keel better than Mark Richt?