Monday's Meatloaf - "Off and On" day is HERE!!

"Get OFF the sofa and On the field! Run Run RUN!!" - Erk Russell

Coach Richt,

Congratulations on the advent of another new season in Athens. Glory awaits us again this fall as you and your team stand at the precipice of summer camp. We're eager to cheer you as you run onto the field...or casually stroll. Whichever. Easy on that new hip man.

I wanted to let you know that I will unfortunately not be able to attend tonight's function at the Gwinnett Center. Doggoneit! Life is happening and I just won't have a chance to swing by and hobnob with you and the others.

I know, I know. I was so excited back in March and even offered up my own backyard (an offer that still stands actually) as an option for UGA Day. But you know how things are when you're kinda a big deal. When you walk down Prince Ave. in mid-afternoon, that's kinda the way it is for me around these parts. Pulled every which way and the other. You know.

So my apologies. Please tell Greg and Jere to go easy on the scotch and give Coach Stricklin my sincerest welcome. I'll see you in Clempson in a few weeks. But if you need any help during practices you can hit me up on the twitter. I'll come running.

And of course, if it runs late tonight you are welcome to stay here at "Bernie's House of Estrogen". Do you prefer Italian linen or Egyptian cotton?

(AP Photo)

Later dude.

Today's Ingredients
- Congrats to Big John! And to all who were able to survive another ho-hum three sets/three tiebreakers kind of win.
- As we draw closer to the 2013 tackle football campaign, I hear more and more chatter about Jay Rome having a break out season. Kimberley shares her thoughts on that very subject.
- Steele ranks the positions and Blutarsky breaks it all down in terms of the opener.
- Some reason for optimism regarding the 2013 defense from Garbin.
- Corbindawg would like Richt to "pop" Kolton Houston into the starting lineup September 7th.
- Tyler spinning the hits with this "oldie goldie".
- If you missed it (like I did), Macondawg looks at the biggest disasters in UGA Athletics the last 20 years. Luckily me spilling two stadiums cups of bourbon and Coke at the 2010 USCe game didn't make the ballot.
- In need of some Dawg porn today? Try Andrew's post on Aaron Murray that includes some wicked highlights.
- Remember when I told you about T Kyle King's new book "Fighting Like Cats and Dogs"? Well, I got mine in the mail. Have you ordered yours yet?
- Lastly, you'll recall last year when we used Erk's motivational calendar to prepare us for the 2012 season. Thanks to Scott, we'll have another one begin to make an appearance later this week. GATA. Always.

Build a BIG neck!

So yeh, camp opens tomorrow. Football is finally upon us! Sure there's still 33 days to wait for the toe to meet the leather, but for hotshot bloggers this is like Christmas Eve, or walking out of the classroom after your last exam before spring break, or your 21st birthday, or your first visit to a strip club, or your 21st birthday at a strip club, or shopping...for a new tv!!

It was a long, arduous and, to be quite honest, awkward off season. There was a lot of hurt and pain and "what might have been" to swallow and digest. We all ran out of Tums before the calendar hit February and we just wallowed in our own self-pity and loathing. Some of you haven't even showered since Christmas. C'mon now.

But tomorrow the sun rises on new opportunities. The horizon will fill with aspirations and goals aimed at building on last year's success. You trudge along, stumble, learn and keep moving. From Woodruff Practice Fields we'll get updates about which defensive player is making strides towards the top of Grantham's empty depth chart. Some freshman will spark message boreds to fire off unbridled enthusiasm. Perhaps if we're lucky, a scuffle or two will break out between some linemen.

Buckle your chin strap Reader and stop hanging your head. Time to get after it. Here's your fork!

Bernie

Talking pad level in Death Valley

While we're celebrating the addition of Kolton Houston to our already deep offensive line, over on the other side of Lake Hartwell they're pretty proud of their defensive line's progress at pad level.

"When we got into the mentality that Coach Brent (Venables) brings us, which is attacking our keys, I felt like we got better at playing the run, getting off some blocks, and getting some pressure and some sacks. All of them just got better as they went along. They know what they're doing and they're confident in themselves."

Brooks said that the players, over time, "bought into what we teach."

"I've been doing this a long time," Brooks said. "My job was to make what I'm teaching fit into Brent Venables' scheme. Once we got that going, it was good."

It's true that the Tigers did much better against the run down the final stretch last season; something they'll have to continue to show improvement on against Georgia for sure. But said improvement was against the likes of Wake Forest, Duke and Maryland. Against South Carolina they were pounded mercilessly for 45 carries. Even though Spurrier was only getting three yards per carry on average. And in the bowl game against LSU the Venables defense only surrendered 99 yards. Of course, inexplicably, Les Miles' cats only ran the ball 25 times.

I bet if Bobo can get four yards a carry or better we'll see a greatly skewed rush/pass ratio in order to try and keep Tahj Boyd and Co. off the field.

Walker your Dawg! THIRTY-FOUR!!

Yesterday I hit a countdown snafu on twitter and incorrectly displayed the amount of time til the kickoff against Clempson. To make up for that...

GATA!

Where is your "acceptance" of being five yards short?

In 1969, Elizabeth Kübler-Ross introduced five stages of grief in her book "On Death and Dying". In theory, it was proposed that people work through a process that takes them through the following: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. It's a fluid process, but nonetheless a theory that has been widely accepted and used for decades.

Tonight my friends, you have another chance to work through your own grief over last year's loss to Alabama. As Logan reminds us, ESPNU has finally counted down to the best game of the 2012 season. They've worked through all of the other tackle football conferences with merely epic games and semi-dramatic finishes. And now they've come to the only game that could possibly be labeled as the best game of 2012. It airs tonight on ESPNU at 9:00pm.

I know some one or two of you have already re-watched the SECCG. And I know many of you have no plans to subject yourself to the misery. As Logan explains, this is a personal choice. I just felt compelled to re-submit to you the following links:

• The SECCG Rewatch post
• Some pictures from re-watching the game
• The talking points I used to prepare for the re-watch

If you are still in the doldrums...if you can't get past that game even seven months removed from it...if you're not ready to even think about the 2013 campaign yet...then I strongly urge you to watch the game again. See the purpose and determination in Richt's team. See the amount of fight in the Dawg. See the way we stood toe to toe with one of college football's greatest teams ever.

Then you can click the off button...delete the game from your DVR if necessary...and go to sleep. 

Thirty four days y'all. Don't get stuck in the past.

James Franklin impersonating Coach Richt

h/t AHD

A "10"?? Really? That was a half-assed entry. Plus, where's the flip? And I bet the Old Vandy could've jumped off a real cliff. 

Yeh, I'm looking at you Coach Widenhofer.

Kolton Houston emerges from Emmert's purgatory

When I read the news last night I had to do a double take. We are Dawgs after all and are not used to receiving good news and fair pardons from the NCAA. Did my eyes deceive me?

Of course, the answer is thankfully no. On his birthday Kolton Houston tasted the cake of eligibility. I bet it was the sweetest celebration he could've imagined. An exhausting battle is finally won and to the victor go the spoils of football, between the hedges!

Ron Courson surely celebrated too. Or perhaps he just collapsed into a deep slumber after putting up a seemingly endless and senseless fight against the NCAA for years in Kolton's behalf. All the tests administered by him and his staff...all the analysis and advocating. UGA is lucky to have Dr. Courson in its corner for sure. Well done good sir!

And Mark Richt...what could he possibly be thinking? A good omen? Fair news from the NCAA? The same organization that once indicted his all world receiver by means of a TMZ report, one that was about as factual as a George O'Leary résumé. I bet our coach is still pinching himself!

Yes. Things have a way of working out sometimes, even if the watch says it's half past about damn time. As I laid my head down last night I had a vision. On September 7th, in Sanford Stadium, Jadeveon Clowney is going to meet a man who's been waiting three long years to hear his name called over the loud speaker. A man who's been held captive and stripped of the game he loves. He's been caged up and away from the opportunity to prove his skill and earn a spot on the depth chart. I don't know if a mere mortal can stop Clowney, but I'd wager he's never lined up against someone as eager to play in Sanford as Kolton Houston.

Can you hear the cheers, the chants? Can you feel the love and the eagerness? Can you see the tears of the frenzied crowd?!? I can.

"It's time to TEE it up BETWEEN the HEDGES!!" #KoltonisFREE

Innocent until proven filthy

The University of Florida has removed the last visible connection between the school and celebrated former player Aaron Hernandez. During his time in Gainesville, Hernandez collected many awards (All-SEC, the SEC's first Mackey Award winner given to the nation's top tight end) and recognition for which the Gators set in stone so that visitors, fans, recruits and alumni could remember the star for years to come. A permanent semi-permanent reminder of his excellence.

"We didn't feel it was appropriate to celebrate Aaron Hernandez. We put together an immediate plan after the initial news broke to remove his likeness and name in various private and public areas in the facility, such as the South Endzone team area, locker room, football offices, Heavener Complex, Kornblau Lobby and the brick display entrance to the football facility," the school said in a statement.

Hernandez's likeness and his name will no longer tarnish Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Really, what other choice did the school have? After all, they're just following suit.

After Hernandez was charged with murder, he was released from the Patriots. Several other organizations have also distanced themselves from Hernandez.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Canton, Ohio, removed an award-winning photograph of Hernandez from public view after receiving complaints from visitors. Electronic Arts said it took Hernandez out of its "Madden NFL 25" and "NCAA Football 14" video games. Panini, a trading card and memorabilia company, also removed Hernandez stickers from 500,000 of its sticker books, which were already produced but had yet to hit the shelves. 

Receiving high praise

Mike Bobo's been in Athens a long time. He's seen quite a few talented receivers over the years, both as Georgia's quarterback and as a coach on Richt's staff. And that's why this stands as pretty high praise:

Bobo certainly likes this group of receivers.

“It’s a complete group,” he said.

He was on staff when Georgia had Reggie Brown, Fred Gibson and Terrence Edwards at receiver.

“I wouldn’t trade this group for any group that I’ve had since I’ve been here just because you’ve got so many guys who can do so much,” he said.

Is Coach Bobo blowing sunshine? After all, Terrance Edwards holds numerous career and season receiving records including career receptions and career yards. But as it turns out, the statistics support Bobo's statement.

Last season Georgia tallied a whopping 3991 yards receiving, 3,150 of which came from the receiving corps. The 2002 squad, headlined by Edwards, Gibson and Brown, totaled 2,818 yards receiving. In 2003, the receivers lost Edwards and gained 2,298 yards. In fact, the 2008 season which featured AJ Green and Mohammed Massaquoi, is the only season that comes close to last year with a combined 2,887 yards from the receiving corps.

So it becomes easy to see why Bobo is excited about the talent and the depth for this group. His excitement might only be exceeded by Aaron Murray's.

*Receiving stats taken from various sites and then adjusted to reflect actual receivers' total.

USCe investigating Clowney link to Jay-Z

First off, full disclosure: my wife had to explain to me who Jay-Z is. Yes, I'd heard the name enough times to know he's a music (if y'all can call it that, big on ya) high roller. But she explained his influence in greater detail.

Like did you know he's also into being a sports agent? And evidently Clowney is "about to turn up" with him.

Jay Z, who's real name is Shawn Carter, recently started a talent representative agency for athletes called Roc Nation Sports. He made a splash this summer when he signed Kevin Durant of the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.

A report from "Inside the League," a football insider website, claimed Clowney was in "regular contact" with Jay Z about possibly signing with the rapper's company. The report did not include any sourcing for that claim.

An Instagram account believed to be operated by Clowney posted a link to an article discussing the report. Below the post was written "You kno (sic) we about to turn up. Dream coming true."

A spokesman for the South Carolina athletics department said the school's compliance office was looking into the report.

During a live interview with ESPN's Chris Fowler on Tuesday afternoon, Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier was asked about the report.

"All of our conversations (with Clowney) are 'Wait until you have played your last game at South Carolina,' " Spurrier said. "When the bowl game is over this coming season, he's free to accept any amount of money anybody wants to give him. But until then he has to be a student-athlete like all the other guys or he's not going to be eligible. He's done a good job of knowing that."

So Clowney will likely face a few questions and then they'll all meet Weslye Saunders for drinks at the Whitney Hotel. I mean it's not like the guy sold a jersey through BookFace or anything.

Penn Wagers in the crosshairs

It appears as though some defensive players were given the lay of the new land yesterday as far as the targeting rule. Many of them took to twitter to voice their displeasure. I thought freshman Ryne Rankin's were especially cogent.

I can't stand the thought of one of these calls changing the course of the game. I can't stand the thought of one of these penalties costing us a suspended player, per the new rule. And I certainly can't stand the thought of one of these flags costing Georgia the game completely.

But you know what, I can't stand the thought of our defense playing soft and scared either.