Four games in: the questions

The opponents have clearly been outmatched. And 4-0 is a very nice perch from which to evaluate things. However, the task ahead is still daunting. Here are some questions/concerns as we head into the bulkhead of the schedule.

• Now that the "suspension era" is over, how will the defense look? As good as Tree and Rambo are, there is sure to be a lot of rust. With Jarvis grabbing plenty of attention Tree stands poised to reap the rewards. But Herrera has proven to be more than ready. If Rambo can step right in, it sure would help moving Commings back down to his natural spot.
• While on topic, can the team stay away from mid season distractions? Are all scooters  accompanied by proper registration and parked away from alleys? Can every campus party clearly identify which plate has brownies and which one has THE brownies? Can the maturity level OFF the field match the level we've seen thus far ON it? 
• Who's the #2 quarterback? Were the coaches sending LeMay a message Saturday? There's no doubt that Mason would pull off the redshirt if something were to happen to Murray. But that nightmarish scenario opens up a motherload of variables and what ifs. Be nice to know who the backup actually is.
• How's the East shaping up? Might be a little clearer and less grainy than it was four weeks ago, but the picture is about the same. The South Carolina game still looms as large as it has for months. But all three teams (Georgia, USCe and Florida) still have a lot to prove. The upside for Dawg fans is that Carolina is a little beat up and the Gators QB is still a couple bad throws away from being in a full fledged controversy, again.
• Does late game focus translate to mid/late season focus? Richt and McGarity have done a terrific job overhauling the S&C staff. You could smell its impact last season. In 2012 you can readily see it. It has lead to an intensity that lasts for a full four quarters. The hope is that the surprise collapse during a game unexpectedly is also a memory. Tennessee has played that role before. Even in Sanford. At night.

All in all not a bad list of questions. Much better than after last year's S. Carolina game. In your view, what'd I miss?

Locker Notes - HillBilly Style

via the Anti-orange Page

I was going to wait until next week for the next installment of this, but I see this as a critical game in terms of maintaining focus. So let's hand out some locker notes before the collective IQ in Athens drops too far.

Amarlo Herrera - I can see an SEC Defensive PotW in your future. It's getting closer and closer, just like those ball carriers you've been hunting down.
Aaron Murray - Every hick in orange overalls would rather have you than the Sea Doo bottle tosser.
Artie Lynch - You're wicked good. Their linebackers can't hang.
Shawn Williams - Really enjoying watching you play. Keep it up and show Mr. Patterson a real nice Sanford welcome! 
Marshall Morgan - Deep breath kid. We're behind ya.
Motel 6 - Give this Bray twerp a new tattoo, of your facemask.

Ok, here's a sharpie. Get after it.

This week in the SEC

"The Lost Files", from the BDB archives

While drinking beer in his lavish studio this weekend, Nama found some lost footage from last season. He says he'll have the finished product as well as the Vandy tailgate video ready soon. For now, here's the Ole Miss preview.

Bulldog Hotline Redux, Vandy

How can you tell the team is undefeated and there's not a lot of controversy to fuel the phone lines? Well, you get a lot of questions/comments about fan participation and PATs. But there's also a lot on Malcolm Mitchell, including how he'll be used going forward.

Walter from Facebook asks about the return of Ogletree and Rambo on defense, as well as whether we’ll start to see more of Malcolm Mitchell on offense. Richt gives the standard response for the suspensions. With Malcolm they are starting to give him structured times with each side during the week. Transitioning back to more of an offensive role. Doesn’t need to be on the defensive side in practice as much now. He’s getting a lot of experience. He wants to do this, has to put a lot of time in on his own due to the 20 hour rule.

And then this vote of confidence on punt returns:

Scott in Buford says its a fun football team to watch. Great guys off the field as well. One thing that worries him is Malcolm’s decision making at punt return. Wants Richt’s ideas on his progress back there. Richt says that is a very tough job. The decisions these guys have to make, and do it so quickly with guys flying down towards them. Richt says the one punt that Malcolm fielded near the goalline is one that was a real long punt that usually you get some room to run. Says he definitely feels good about Malcolm being there still. Pauses a bit, then says they feel like Malcolm is the main guy. “I believe in him.”

Other than that you've got some concerns on the PATs and the usual suspension question that doesn't get answered. Oh, and it's officially a Red Out!

via BassinDawg

HillBilly frat bends over, way too far

Not sure where to start with this one. Glad the kid is alright. But, if you don't like the taste of Coors Light just switch to a better tasting beer. Don't shove a funnel up your ass.

A University of Tennessee student has been released from the hospital after an incident involving potentially deadly alcohol levels at a fraternity house on campus.

Alexander Broughton, 20, was dropped off at UT Medical Center around 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Knoxville Police said.

Hospital staff told Knoxville Police investigators that Broughton was in critical condition and unresponsive when he arrived, with a blood alcohol content level greater than 0.4, which is considered toxic and potentially deadly.

Broughton has since been discharged from the hospital, according to UT Medical Center.

KPD investigators went to campus Saturday morning and found several other people, including three men, passed out at the Pi Kappa Alpha ("Pike") house.

After conducting several interviews, investigators determined the fraternity members had used rubber tubing to give each other alcohol enemas. Police said the practice heightens and speeds up the process of alcohol entering the blood stream because it bypasses the liver's filters.

W.T.F.

And in related news, I think these ladies misspelled "LOSER".

h/t AHD

Karma and the village idiot

So I asked you to complete an assignment for me over the weekend. I asked that you read this piece by Emerson on Richard Samuel. I've made no secret that the guy is a favorite here. However there's no getting around the fact that much of what I like about the guy is due to actions off the playing field: changing positions for the good of the team, doing everything he can to lead by example, staying out of trouble, changing positions for the good of the team, waiting his turn for however long behind others that create headlines for their behavior off the field as much as on it, changing positions for the good of the team...

I'm not going to get too lengthy about a history that we're all pretty much aware of when it comes to Samuel. Suffice it to say he'll go down as a Damn Good Dawg more for his visits to Coach Richt's office (<- - - probably one of my all time top five posts, IYAM) than he will the yards he accumulated and the tackles he never had a chance to make (except in Missouri, fistbump!).

Which leads me to one little story and one quick point. In Missouri we were right in the middle of the Georgia section. On the row directly in front of us were two Mizzou fans. Directly in front of them was a Georgia fan that was doing his best impression of a dumbass. I mean he had it down. Making fun of the hometown fans, especially a lady nearby that could've been old enough to be his momma. Telling them they're not worthy of being in the conference. Their stadium sucks. Their town sucks. It came to the point where I was wondering which village had given a plane ticket to their local idiot.

Finally he shut up long enough to make nice, disappeared a while and then came back in time to give a Richard Samuel impression. Pretending to run clumsily in place confirmed he was missing from a Georgia village somewhere, but really grated me the wrong way. We probably all have our own stories of embarrassing ourselves. Lord knows I once used twitter to rant my own dumb ass way over the line. But why pick on a guy that's done everything he can to help the team? Why call out a player at all for wearing the "G" and pouring their heart into the program? This guy struck me as someone who was probably upset when we cut Ealey loose.

And then it happened. Key point in the game and DICK SAM IV makes a key tackle. Since the 2006 Sugar Bowl the fake punt has slowly been becoming Richt's achilles heel. Facing three blockers Richard Samuel must have shouted, "Not on my watch!"

I don't know how the fan's serving of humble pie tasted. If it was anything like the slice I forced myself to eat year's ago, it was cold and humiliating. But I learned from it and moved on. And I hear there was a similar idiot across the stadium spouting off about Marlon Brown even as the receiver made clutch catches and scored points.

Don't get me wrong, I know I can't control people's behavior. And I learned long ago it only takes one bad apple to embarrass a group of fans. Deep down I know Karma will smile on people like Richard Samuel, who continually and quietly do the right thing even in the midst of abject stupidity. I know that she will reward him and those like him just as richly as she exposed this guy in the stands in front of me.

If not, I may just have to punch him next time. Just kidding. Not really.

Monday's Meatloaf - a decent, and courageous proposal

I can't seem to put my finger on it, but I've always felt some kind of connection to offensive lineman Chris Burnette. I've never crushed a defensive lineman's ego into the Sanford Stadium turf and I didn't come close to being my high school's salutatorian. But I can say that he and I now share the privilege of having asked our best friends to marry us.

Burnette proposes at Athens Church

Best wishes to the happy couple. I wish I could also say that I was brave enough to get to one knee and pop the question in front of a congregation and YouTube cameramen. I mean now that he's done that, the actual exchanging of vows should be a piece of cake. But in actuality I barely summoned the courage to form the words for my proposal while sitting in my truck outside the Virginia Welcome Center. Not nearly the drama, but the answer to the question is all that truly matters. Right?


So Mrs. Bernie and I would like to wish Chris and Arielle years and years of happiness. The best is yet to come for y'all, we're sure of it.

Today's Ingredients
- Last week I laid the foundation for what I hope to be an accountability series on giving Coach Bobo some respect. Later this week I'll provide the numbers to finish that foundation, as we draw near to the heart of the schedule.
- It's still very early, yes. But by the end of the season we should have something to look back on and make some quality judgments. 
- Speaking of owning our own words, PWD extends a hand to another coach that has taken some criticism.
- Looking back to Saturday, Travis sounds cautiously optimistic. I think Tyler was heading the same direction, but I also think it's safe to type that he's a little giddy.
- Meanwhile, Cranford has just gotta support em with this complete recap.
- And if you like complete recaps, hard to beat what Danny has here.
- Georgia's red zone defense is definitely trending in the right direction, as Blutarsky points out.
- During the rewatch yesterday, Mrs. Bernie was putting the freshman kickers on notice. Instead vineyarddawg aims for the goalposts.
- And right on cue, Kimberley examines the kicking game. As she points out, it's certainly not all on the kickers. But it's gotta get more consistent. Quick.
- Spurrier doesn't throw his visor any longer. But a headset is fair game. And as ecdawg points out, hanging up on the media is becoming par on his course.
- Saturday was a day for some second half meltdowns. And it appears Clemson isn't getting the same results with Brent Venables as they have enjoyed with Chad Morris.
- Lastly, if you're a fan of the tailgate videos Nama produces from his lavish studio, he has found some lost footage from last season. I'll have the preview up tomorrow, then he'll get us that and the Vandyriffic afternoon from this past weekend.

If you've been coming here for awhile you know that these meatloaf posts are the heart and soul of this operation. When I started this little blog the best thing I could come up with to do was to read what those other guys were writing. The more I read the more it made sense to share some of it. Plus back then I thought it would impress my friends that I knew how to "link" another web address within my finely constructed sentences.

Layin' the wood, tailgate style.

They're easily amused. Trust me. And I'm easily amused as well. That's why this "end of the loaf" is devoted to a shout-out for Tanner, Matt and Dustin. Those guys made actual meatloaf for Saturday's tailgate. I think Tanner made it, but they helped dress it up and check temperatures at least. I'm a sucker for a plate of pulled pork and I've never met a pot of collards that wasn't calling my name. But meatloaf has always translated to "home cooked meal" for me. And with Tanner's secret sauce and wife Hillary's "tamato jam", it was some good eats!

Everyone has their own recipe for meatloaf. Mrs. Bernie and the 10yo once even made individual loafs using muffin pans. It's a simple, yet diverse main dish that always hits the spot.

That all being said, if them HillBillys come to town serving up their own meatloaf, please contact the authorities. Once you're south of Chattanooga it's no longer legal nor socially acceptable to serve "varmints" as meals. Yep, one-third of the season is complete. We've only just begun. Don't let up now. Grab a fork and go give Monday a Very Gurley Stiff-arm!

Bernie

Closing the Dores

You can't judge a book by its cover, but the James Franklin era of Commodore football is the same dull, monotonous read. And not to put too much emphasis on what we'll likely eventually look back on as just another dominating performance over a pretty crappy opponent. But here are a few more observations from the game after the rewatch.

via Sanderlin AJC

When contrasting Saturday night's bloodletting against last season's nail biter, the biggest reasons this one went much differently:

• the running game is hitting on all cylinders. Last year we had the star sitting out because Richt loved him too much. As a result the rushing attack never got its feet under it. This game featured a consistent attack that battered and bruised Vanderbilt from start to finish.
• Jordan Rodgers was completely contained. Last season he ran effectively and dinked and dunked just enough to keep the Georgia defense off balance. Saturday night he rushed for only 35 yards and netted only 9. Compared to last year when he netted 79, that's a big difference in how things played out.
• cleaner and more polished. The only thing that would've helped Vandy Saturday night would've been miscues and trick plays. That is what helped them stay in the game last year. But Georgia is smoother around the edges and polished in all areas. So much so that even a successful trick play would've only delayed the inevitable.

via BassinDawg

Now it's on to lil Dools and the all pass, all HillBilly attack.

Sunday Thoughts - on being Easy

Yep. Vandy...they were who we thought they were.

- the Dawgs had played a full game coming into last night, but nothing like what we saw against the Commodores.
- definitely the offensive line's best, most complete game so far. Plenty of holes and great protection. Only one sack by my count.
- Great game for Murray who looked as comfortable running things as I've seen him.
- Can't ask for a better balance on offense. Bobo really had a decent defensive unit off balance all night and had two touchdown drives that started inside our own 20.
- When you can average that many yards per rush it certainly helps. Forty-seven carries for over 300 yards. If I was a smoker I would've needed a cigarette after that kind of performance.
- Every single running back average over 5 yards per carry. Right down to Samuel.
- My only complaint on offense was Lynch's drop (originally I thought it might have been tipped. Maybe someone who watched on tv can say for sure). That's the kind of play call that can take this offense to the next level. On the play action boot Murray had both an open target and plenty of room to run. He chose correctly, Lynch just didn't corral it.
- Meanwhile Vandy never caught any kind of rhythm on offense
- there aren't enough words to describe what the defense was able to do. Vandy only complete 2 of 14 third downs. Just didn't give anything to Vanderbilt without making them earn it.
- Gutty performance by Shawn Williams. Was definitely playing hurt.

Looking forward to watching this one this afternoon. It was a thing of beauty. Although it had to be embarrassing for Coach Franklin, to have his ladies undergarments exposed on national television like that.

But I certainly didn't lose any sleep over it. How bout y'all?