The Dawg-gone Blog

We've Moved.

2010-09-02T16:47:00.002-04:00

Should've done this sooner, but realized I hadn't so just for those that aren't aware, the DGB has moved to a new home.

Just as an FYI, www.dawggoneblog.com will point to the new address, so you don't have to change your bookmarks, hopefully. However, the official URL is dawggoneblog.blogspot.com.

I hope you enjoy the new site. We're loving it so far.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

P.S. -- Enjoy this space while you can. I'll be moving this blog private soon.

The End is The Beginning

2010-07-27T21:06:00.003-04:00

Dramatic title, no?

Dear Faithful (and God bless you for being so) Readers,

Sorry for the lack of any update for a while now, but if you follow me on Twitter, you guys know that something big has been coming down the pipe for a couple of months. This "big event" made me make the decision to keep from updating very much even though a slew of news regarding ADs, BMWs, red lingerie, NCAA inquiries and our drinking town with a football problem has hit the news cycle.

The big reveal is finally here and I'm happy to say that this blog will no longer by my home. No seriously, I'm happy to say that.

A couple months ago I was approached by an old friend who works with a former blogger (Jmac, for you old-schoolers out there) and they wanted to know if I had any interest in having this blog become the staple Sports blog for their site, Beyond The Trestle.

Naturally, I was thrilled, not only to work with my old friend, but also because the growth potential by making the move would do wonderful things for me. It's well documented that I currently find myself in a job I love, which takes up odd hours at times, hence making updating regularly a challenge. It was so much of a challenge that I contemplated making a move offline altogether, just to step aside and have one less thing to worry about.

However, that's no longer an issue. The new site is not up as of this moment, but expect the first post early next week. At that point, this address will route to the new site and content updates will no longer be provided here.

Now, the most important (and exciting) part of all this is a handful of new things. Here they are:

Content updates at least once daily, but probably 2-3 times a day during season
In-depth previews, reviews, and predictions
A podcast (which is something I've dreamed of doing for a while)
Dedicated, realistic analysis, with the same homerism you'd expect from me
A team of writers to offer differing views and to again, keep those content updates coming
Real-time information as it comes from UGA since we'll be listed with the SID
Facebook and Twitter feeds for you social media gurus out there
Many more things I can't even think of off the top of my head
One word -- PONIES

Ok, the last one is just to keep the kids interested, but if a pony happens to run on the field during a game, you can bet your sweet bottom we're going to cover that event in depth.

For those wondering, yes, parting with Blogger and this address is a little bittersweet. It's like getting a newer, more reliable car but leaving the car you've driven since you're 16.

The best part? It's still The Dawg-gone Blog. Nothing's changing for the worse, just getting enhanced for a better experience for you -- the most loyal readers who stop by and actually pay attention to a guy who talks about football when he was the worst fullback to ever play the game (and this was little league football, too).

The next update will be the last one and it will be the one that links to the new site. Thank you again for 5+ wonderful years at this shack. It's time for us to go all "Jeffersons" and move it on up.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

P.S. -- Tuck Fech.

North Campus Rant

2010-03-29T16:02:00.002-04:00

I meant to talk some about the defense, but I couldn't do it. I got carried away on ranting about the North Campus people. By the way, I had a BLAST ranting about the North Campus people. I originally recorded this Friday but haven't had the chance to post it until today.

Defense stuff coming in the next couple days. Until then, enjoy!

UGA doing to GT what it usually does...

2010-03-08T17:33:00.003-05:00

Obviously, there's no one out there who hates losing to Georgia Tech more than I do. In fact, if we played them 1,000 times and tied ONCE, I'd be stuck on the tie. It's just how I roll.

Anyway, the only silver lining to losing to Georgia Tech is beating them handily the following year. The unintended consequences mean things like THIS AWESOME VIDEO (embedded below for your view pleasure) happen, making my heart smile over and over again.

As always, please remember that it's not a slap. It's a high five to your face.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Five AWESOME Years

2010-03-05T18:22:00.004-05:00

Today's the 5th B-day of the DGB. I thank you all and ramble about other things in the following video...which is the antithesis of actually "blogging" but you get the point.

Oh, and since it's the birthday of the DGB, I feel an appearance by resident Site Girl, Keira Knightley is in order. You're welcome.

DGV: Quick Note About Bashing Recruits

2010-01-29T00:29:00.002-05:00

For your video viewing pleasure. Please excuse my lack of shaving.

Quick Thoughts: UGA loses to UF

2010-01-27T20:55:00.005-05:00

So we lost by 16 points Florida. It happens and we'll have our shot in Stegeman soon.

Some quick thoughts for you guys:

1) McThree -- Ricky McPhee is a VERY fun player to watch. He's another one of those clutch-shot white dudes that UGA always seems to have around. The previous ones were the Weehunt brothers from the early 2000s. Some of the shots he took tonight were amazing, from some very deep threes to a nice falling jumper on the baseline for two. He also single-handedly (apparently, "handedly" isn't a word, who knew?) kept the game from slipping into a tailspin with his play.

2) Trey Leslie -- If you took Trey Thompkins and mixed him with Travis Leslie, you'd have one of the most exciting basketball players ever. Leslie still struggles with his shot, but made some nice athletic plays. Thompkins did well tonight with some big shots and was hot early.

3) Better make it the first time -- We couldn't seem to grab a rebound to save our lives. Whether on our end after a missed shot, or on their end after they (rarely) missed a shot. We've got to rebound like we did against Tennessee or we'll get beat by a lot of teams in the SEC.

4) Oops! -- Turnovers were probably the biggest dagger for us tonight. We just absolutely got killed in taking care of the ball. Sloppy, sloppy play was the theme and probably gave us the biggest hindrance in mounting a significant comeback. As Dawgfan17 perfectly stated:

Looking at the UF game tonight and most of our games for the season, if we can cut down the to's they can be much much better. We have turned it over 10 more times than UF so far and the game is a 10 pt game. If we turn it over even just 4 less times with both teams shooting 50% that is +4 points for us and -4 for them and the game is basically a tie. Everything else we have done this season has been a huge improvement. Go Dawgs!

Couldn't have said it better myself. The best news is, that's a COACHABLE problem, and I have no worries about our coaching ability.

5) Coach, you can't say that on TV -- Fox got T'd up in what I think was eerily reminiscent to the way Bobby Cox gets thrown out of Braves games. Oh, don't get me wrong, he was right in being upset about the no-call, but instead of moving on, he let it boil over and let his players know he was OK with tossing etiquette out the window. He let his players know that he had their back. I liked it. A LOT.

6) I think I can, I think I can -- We've got some great things going for us right now in regards to overall improvement, but this team is going to have to learn to win on the road for us to get over the hump from being a mediocre team to even a good team. It's not the matter of winning, it's the matter of getting used to the idea of winning away from home. Our confidence sucks in that regard and it shows at times. Of course, when you have a team full of guys who haven't achieved road success in 4+ years, it's going to creep into their heads that they can't do it. A win against South Carolina this weekend would be HUGE for us.

7) Tick Tock -- I didn't remember to elaborate on this the last game, but one of the most overall improved things I've seen is our use of timeouts. It's been a blessing to see Coach Fox take timeouts to stop runs and coach up our guys. They're, for lack of a better word, quite timely. Felton never did that and it drove me crazy.

8) Ratings are up -- The biggest difference in a double-digit point loss to Florida this year versus last year? I was still tuning in this year. Last year's team quit in that game. Absolutely quit. It was disgusting and I had to turn it off. We all knew this game was over after the four minute mark, but I was still interested to see what this team would do. If any of us can take one thing away from tonight's loss, it's the proof in the pudding that this team is NOT last year's team.

So, there you have it. What stuck out to you?

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Quick Thoughts on the Dawgs win over UT

2010-01-23T20:33:00.004-05:00

So the game is fresh in my mind still and I've got about five minutes to burn, but here are some quick hits on the game from what I remember:

1) Travis Leslie is a beast. Just a flat out monster. His leaping ability makes him a threat off the glass and a very good shot blocker. If this kid can find some range from 13-17 feet out, he's going to be VERY dangerous. He's just a highlight reel waiting to happen. Oh, and don't underestimate his ability to dish the rock. He had some SPECTACULAR feeds tonight to guys around the rim.

2) The offense still runs through Trey. Thompkins had a good, but not extremely big night. The other guys still have to rely on him to be the "go-to" guy with the ball, though. When he turns it on, it raises the level of our play significantly.

3) Price is right. Jeremy Price had a nice game tonight, crashing boards, getting put-backs and converting on second chances. We'll need to him up his level of play to give us a strong inside presence going into the meat of our SEC schedule.

4) Dustin Ware = David Greene? Dustin Ware is not a flashy guy and he's good for roughly 7-10 points a game, but he takes care of the basketball and really directs that offense well.

5) No 5-hour energy here. There's definitely a late-game crash after our initial boost of energy. For everything we did right tonight, we still had our hiccups. Closing out the game, there was a stretch from 5:31 left to 1:37 left in the 2nd half where we didn't score a point. If the lead had been 10 or less, we would've found ourselves up a creek. We've got to find a way to dig deep and close out these big games. Close losses are still losses.

6) Thunderdome. Stege was rocking tonight. The students and fans really turned out and that's huge for us. We need that kind of support to build what Fox is trying to build in Athens.

7) Mark Fox just may be the guy. From his interviews, tweets and on-screen presence when coaching, he's creating an attitude in our team that has been missing for a while. The kids are having fun playing basketball again and the fans are enjoying watching it. If we can consistently get better week by week, we'll definitely see some type of post-season play. We just have to know we can do it.

Overall, big win and a very good way to get the fan base fired up.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

P.S. -- Negative points to the student who covered himself in peanut butter. I get the enthusiasm, but peanut butter? Really? Of course, when you think about it, it's probably a lot cheaper than face paint. Hate it for the people around him though.

Understanding The Changes

2010-01-21T03:18:00.001-05:00

Today is the first day the new coaches, Grantham & Lakatos, get to meet the current UGA players. It's not a day where position changes will be made (that will happen after film study and spring practice), but it's a day where the ball gets rolling. It's essentially the day to put the former complacency that surrounded our program on notice.

Now, earlier tonight I read a great and simple explanation of the 3-4 defense at the following URL: http://football.calsci.com/DefensiveLine3.html. Sorry I can't hyperlink, but I'm typing this on my phone. Also, a hat tip to David Hale (http://ugadogsblog.blogspot.com) who shared the link on his blog.

For those who don't have time to read the article, essentially, the 3-4 is a defense tradiyionally designed to go against running teams. However, the traditional 3-4 calls for the DTs to have 2-gap responsibility, meaning every gap on the offensive line is supposed to be plugged by a DT. It is my understanding, but only a guess, that in Grantham's 1-gap system, the LBs have their own gaps for which they are responsible. That means it's basically one person per gap, or three DTs and two LBs responsible for every hole in the O-line, with the rest of the LBs and DBs free to play zone, man, spy packages, blitz, etc.

In order for this defense to work, it relies on fundamentals (like everything else in football, but something we have ignored in recent years) to make it successful. Sure tackling, playing your assigments, hat-on-hat, DBs playing the ball and not face-guarding, are all important aspects to make the new D a good one. It'll start tomorrow with introductions, carry through spring practice, then position changes, then summer workouts, and then we'll finally see the best 11 players on the field.

So, don't expect this new regime to do anything more than feel like a new regime until sometime in August. In fact, I'd warn that G-day will probably be sloppy, but will give us a good look at seeing guys fly to the ball like we expect.

So, tomorrow the changes begin, but much like the actual search for a new DC, it is going to be a relatively slow process -- especially since we have a recruiting class to fill out and there won't be any actual "coaching" happening until spring practice in late March or early April.

Until then, let's just all remember that the true path to championships goes through Jacksonville, and until we stop wetting the bed below the state line, defensive changes won't matter.

I'm just sayin'.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Posted with LifeCast

Georgia Gets Grantham

2010-01-15T00:44:00.001-05:00

Rivals is saying this is a 3-year, 3rd highest paid assistant in the nation, done deal.

So far, the message boards and Twitter have been popping with optimism and relief now that it's all over. That's a good thing. I think half of our fans were on suicide alert when the Smart thing fell through.

So UGA will most likely now run a 3-4. I'll bet Garner stays and what will be interesting to see now is if we get Travis Jones and who will coach DBs.

Exciting time to be a Dawg. GATA, Grantham. Glad to have you on board.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Posted with LifeCast

Kirby Staying At Bama

2010-01-11T17:49:00.003-05:00

You've no doubt heard by now that Kirby Smart turned down the opportunity to become the next DC at UGA. All things considered, it sucks for us but Kirby made a career move today instead of coming home to Mama.

Saban surely said to him that if he stayed he'd have a head coaching gig for sure in 1-3 years. You can rest assure that the conversation also included "if you don't succeed immediately at UGA, your name will cool off and you may moss a great opportunity while trying to be loyal to you alma mater." In the end, I think the intagibles kept Kirby, not the money.

Where do the Dawgs go from here? I have no clue. Not a single idea. All I know is that we have egg on our face. We look like fools and we also look like a school that no one with any proven success (Chavis, Foster, Smart) wants to be at. These are perceptions, not reality.

If I'm in the UGAAD, I'm leaking info about a term sheet being signed and Kirby changing his mind at the 11th hour. Plenty of folks and I disagree on this, and I'm not saying we skewer Kirby publicly, but a well-timed "leak" would be my plan of action.

However that can't be the focus now. The focus is getting on the horn and finding someone who drastically WANTS to be at Georgia. With our financial resources, we'll find someone good or even GREAT. The idea at this point though, is to stop giving everyone raises and start putting ink to paper.

We were at a stage where the longer this went, the better our chances of securing a top-flight guy. Now, the longer this goes, the worse it is for our program.

This next week is CRITICAL. You can put it any more simple than that.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

P.S. - Sorry for any grammatical errors. It's not always easy to do this from my phone.

Posted with LifeCast

Here's to 2010

2009-12-29T00:58:00.001-05:00

If you would have told me we'd be 9-4 or 10-3 after the bowl game this year, I would have taken it in a heartbeat. I think most of us would have. Truthfully, the Kentucky collapse soured a lot of fans on what has essentially been a scratch and claw (no pun intended) 2009 campaign for the Dawgs this year. Every win was earned and fought hard for as our team struggled through repeated shots in its own foot.

Who can you credit for those things? Well, you have to start at the top and credit CMR and most of the staff for doing what we've all known him (and them) to do so well. He kept the fabric of the season from unraveling when everything (and subsequently everyone) was falling apart around him. You're eight games into a season, the roars of firings are coming down hard, another loss to a hated rival, and overall mediocre play could have permeated the locker room walls. However, the man at the top did his best to maintain focus.

Then you have to credit the true leaders of this team. You can hate on Cox for his talent as much as you want, but when you have a guy in the huddle who has the DESIRE to give it his all, those around him play harder. Guys like Owens, Atkins, Curran, Jones (both Ben and Reshad), and Green all refused to go quietly into the night. Refusing to leave a legacy of disappointment in what some of them would come to know as their final season in the red & black.

Offseason arrests were down. The talents such as B. Smith, Charles, and Ealey burst onto the scene. All of this in the face of a population that repeatedly called for heads of nearly every person on the sideline wearing a headset.

Gentlemen (and ladies), there's an opportunity here that I believe is within our grasp. Right now it appears that our leader has taken steps to improve the team with an "any means necessary" attitude. He wants to step up the discipline, step up the desire, and stoke the fire.

IF, and it's a big "IF," we can carry what we did right this year and improve our focus to eliminate the instances where things went horribly wrong, we have the chance to reclaim our spot at the top of the SEC in 2010. I don't believe there will be a "QB controversy." I don't believe there will be any "me first" attitudes going into camp. The best thing about coming off of 2009 instead of 2007 is that we haven't earned a damned thing yet. There will be no #1 (or hell, maybe even a #15) ranking going into this year.

The work begins now when it comes to earning our stripes, taking our respect, and having recruits say once again that "UGA is building something special and I want to be a part of it." We've never been a team of "Over Dawgs." We're a team of "Under Dawgs" and that's the way I like it.

Why? Because when it comes to football in the SEC, nothing is a given. We have the unique opportunity to do things the "Georgia Way."

Here's to 2010.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

This Liar Has A First Name

2009-12-27T15:31:00.001-05:00

It's U-R-B-A-N. The liar has a second name it's M-E-Y-E-R.

I can't believe I let that snake in Gainesville make me feel bad about his health and now, ironically, he's had a "change of heart" and is coming back.

I'll bet his family, who he essentially listed as his reason for leaving, is thrilled to realize they're again taking a back seat to his desire to be the best corch evah.

Well, until then, we'll just be stealing your recruits, watching Addazio fumble through life like a blind man at a laser show, and waiting on your return so we can swiftly punt you in the gonads.

I still hope Cincy thoroughly rolls your ass. Go Bearcats.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Posted with LifeCast

The Meyer Effect

2009-12-27T04:27:00.001-05:00

I, like many folks, have been utterly blown away by the events that took place today regarding Urban Meyer and the now vacant head coaching position at Florida. I mean not only are you looking at Florida losing what is statistically the best coach they've ever had, but they are in what could only be classified as a "cluster f*ck of epic proportions."

Florida proved today that it is the standard in college football right now. Its losing Urban sent shockwaves throughout CFB in a manner that Notre Dame could only dream of nowadays.

Speaking of which, how dumb does Brian Kelly feel right now?

Moving on to what this does to Florida:

In separate instances, you lose Tebow, OK. You lose a great DC, OK. Urban leaves for whatever reason, sucks, but OK. You lose a whole host of other talented players due to graduation and early entry into the draft, OK. Your staff begins to slowly leave, including your recruiting coordinator, OK.

All of those things in separate instances are manageable. Together, it's a shit show.

Make no mistake, Florida is Florida. They will get a good head coach. They will still win 8-10 games or more a year based on talent alone. However, you can't replace "the best" with better. Why? Because he's the best. ANYONE is a step down at this point.

Oh and don't be surprised if Stoops, who is quite comfortable in Norman, doesn't take the 7-days-week, fickle fanbase, ridiculous expectations job at Florida. Any head coach with any sense of self-preservation, & making over $2 million a year, won't be taking that job.

Florida would be mindful to go after an offensive guy. A defensive mind sets the offense back at least two years learning a new system. That's why I think Kyle Whittingham from Utah will be the new HC there.

Oh and if you think it's gonna be a cake walk in the SEC, think again. It's more wide open than it was, but our chances overall haven't improved THAT exponentially.

However, ones got to think the person who's flat out orgasmic about this is Lane Kiffin. He's so excited, he probably has already committed a handful of secondary violations by now.

Best wishes to Urban on a speedy recovery. I never wished him ill, but I'm damn glad not to be facing his teams anymore.

What are your thoughts?

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Posted with LifeCast

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-24T10:32:00.003-05:00

Got stuff I gotta run and do, so hope you enjoy the Vlog.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

Christmas Time

2009-12-15T00:57:00.004-05:00

Look, I'm as exhausted of the DC search as anyone else, so I'm offering a break to you guys. Honestly, I'm sick and tired of hearing "Kirby Smart," "Vic Koenning," "Bud Foster," "Brian Van Gorder," and all the rest. Seriously, there's just no point in stressing about it.

So instead, I'm writing about the holidays. The holidays are essentially three things for me: 1) Best time of the year, 2) When I watch heart-warming and funny movies, and 3) When I listen to the most depressing music available. I don't know why #3 is that way, but it is. Something about it's cold, crisp, and depressing music just fits.

So, here's my list of #2 and #3 from me to you:

Best Movies to Watch:

1. Notting Hill -- Boy meets Girl. Girl is super famous and lies to Boy. Boy takes her in anyway. Girl tells Boy she's just a Girl, standing in front of a Boy, asking him to love her.

2. Christmas Vacation -- Honestly, this is the best of all the Vacation movies in my opinion. From killer squirrels & shitters being full, to super-sleds & "pass the Tylenol."

3. Love Actually -- This is the greatest date movie ever made. However, it's not a first date movie. This movie will fill your world with puppies, rainbows and confetti. Use at your own risk.

4. Scrooged -- Bill Murray, mice with antlers stapled to their heads, and Solid Gold Dancers. EPIC WIN.

Best Music to Listen To:

1. Imogen Heap -- Hide and Seek

2. Counting Crows -- Long December

3. Coldplay -- Sparks

4. Coldplay -- What If

5. Alvin & The Chipmunks -- Christmas Don't Be Late

6. Aimee Mann -- Build That Wall

7. Aimee Mann -- Wise Up

8. Aqualung -- Strange & Beautiful

9. Band of Horses -- The Funeral (mainly for the slower parts, which are super haunting)

10. The Beatles -- Yesterday

11. The Beatles -- Eleanor Rigby

12. Ben Folds -- Landed

13. Big & Rich -- Drinkin' 'bout You

14. Bill Withers -- Ain't No Sunshine

15. Counting Crows -- Colorblind

16. Damien Rice -- The Professor

17. Dave Matthews -- Some Devil

18. Dave Matthes & Tim Reynolds (Live at Luther College) -- Christmas Song

19. Fleet Foxes -- Blue Ridge Mountains

20. Hem -- Half Acre

21. Gary Jules -- Mad World

22. Israel Kamakawiwo'ole -- Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World

23. James Taylor -- Fire & Rain

24. Jeff Buckley -- Hallelujah

25. Jim Sturgess -- Across the Universe

26. John Legend/Stephens Family -- It Don't Have to Change

27. John Mayer -- 3x5

28. Joseph Arthur -- Honey & The Moon

29. Keane -- Somewhere Only We Know

30. Kostia -- Winter Ride

31. London Symphony Orchestra -- Carol of the Bells

32. Louis Armstrong -- What a Wonderful World (the original's always the best)

33. Matchbox 20 -- Time After Time (acoustic version)

34. Modern Skirts -- Sugarpile

35. Otis Redding -- Try a Little Tenderness

36. Petra Haden & Bill Frisell -- Satellite (not a DMB cover)

37. Petra Haden & Bill Frisell -- Yellow (yes, this is a Coldplay cover)

38. The Postal Service -- Against All Odds

39. The Postal Service -- The District Sleeps Alone Tonight

40. Robert Earl Keen -- Feeling Good Again

41. Robin Thicke -- Dreamworld

42. Slow Club -- Christmas TV (this is an EXCELLENT song)

43. Tally Hall -- Haiku

44. Tally Hall -- Just Apathy

45. Tipitinas Foundation -- O Holy Night (you've heard this before on Studio 60)

46. Your Vegas -- Christmas & Me Are Through

Ok, there you have it. If you guys don't hear from me sooner, please have a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and please also be very safe out there.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

A little late...

2009-12-07T22:44:00.004-05:00

Ohhhh NO! This post is all late 'n' junk. Here, let me get in my way-back machine and post this before the SECC game. Oh shoot. I can't. Because I can't time travel. Soooooooooooooo.....

K, bye!!!

Giving Thanks

2009-11-26T21:36:00.001-05:00

This will be quick because I have a date with a bar and I can't be late.

1) I hate Georgia Tech but I hope every Tech fan remembers that it's what a rivalry is supposed to be. If I had a dollar, I might give you .99.

2) When tailgating on saturday, Tech baseball players will be taking donations for "Prayers for Chance." please contribute if you can. Very classy move by the other side.

3) Thanks to all the readers and viewers. Without you guys I have no reason to do any of this. Thank you so very much for giving me a reason.

4) I still think Georgia Tech wins on Saturday. If that happens, the ribbing from Tech fans will be well deserved. Just keep the profanity down if you can.

Until next time kids.

Be safe (and Go Dawgs!).

Posted with LifeCast

Hate Week 2009 -- Math Class!!!

2009-11-23T19:05:00.011-05:00

Since I was asked by a commenter in my last post to provide some statistics about how UGA is better than Georgia Tech, I figured, "When in Rome." In this case, "Rome" means "Nerds" and "When in..." means "Let's use graphs!!!!"

So, thanks to some help from my top-notch research team, I present some graphs for your enjoyment STATISTICALLY PROVING Tech's inferiority.

This lesson in statistics is 100% over until tomorrow.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.

So Frustrated, Words Can't Describe

2009-11-22T15:53:00.002-05:00

But I tried anyway.

Warning: The video contains alcohol, some profanity, and...dare I say it...Maalox.

Enjoy!

Dawg-gone Vlog -- UGA vs. UK

2009-11-19T20:43:00.003-05:00

First thing's first, it's a damn shame that Uga VII passed away earlier this morning. When I recorded this, the news hadn't broken, so there won't be any commentary of it in the video. Like most of the Bulldog Nation, we're all saddened by the passing of every Uga. However, as PWD noted, the Seiler family are the ones that should receive our deepest condolences. Our mascot is their family pet.

Secondly, I'm going to get your Hate Week 2009 kicked off by posting this classless act by some asshole who has no idea where rivalry ends and total asshatery begins. I also hope that others in Tech's circle don't follow his lead.

For those who can't view the picture, don't worry, I'll repost it next week. I hope we f'n kill them on the field and ruin their fun. Nothing would make me happier.

In the last precursor to the video, I wanted to go out of my way to give a shout out to a nice gentleman named Bobby who stopped me on my way from one tailgate to the next last Saturday. Bobby said that he's read the blog regularly for a long time and that he just wanted to introduce himself. Bobby, that made my day sir, and I appreciate you not only reading, but also your compliment. It was great meeting you as well and thanks again!!

Ok, so now we have the Vlog for this week. Total random eye-roll count is somewhere around 15 for the video. I'll work on that for the next one. As always, I hope you guys enjoy.

Dawg-gone Vlog -- UGA vs. UF

2009-10-29T21:38:00.004-04:00

Intensity? Cheesy.

Seriousness? Absolutely.

Fart near the end? Negative. That was my cellphone vibrating.

"Dear Florida Gators" -- A Hate Letter to The Team & Fans

2009-10-28T15:34:00.006-04:00

Editor's Note: For maximum effect, this letter should be read in a tone which emphasizes that you are right, they are so incredibly wrong, and they're idiots for being that way. It's the swagger in your voice that's the trick. The kind of tone where you're making fun of them and they don't even realize it. Think "Dennis Miller on a rant" and that should just about do the trick.

Dear Florida Gators,

I'm going to make this as short as possible. I don't want to even think that I wasted a perfectly good 30 minutes to an hour's worth of time when I could be watching something 10x more interesting like "Ghost Hunters" or hell, even "Lou Dobbs." I'll take old Lou telling me how much this country's gone to hell because of illegal immigration rather than spending 1/4 of my brain power exerting myself over this post.

UGA fans hate you. We all do. We all have reason to, as well. You see, as the little baby of the SEC until somewhere around 1992, we just kind of let you exist. We didn't put you out of your misery like we should have. We showed mercy in letting you exist. But noooooooo, you had to go and hire the Evil One and cast a spell on us. Now, every time we cross into the state of Florida (something we also hate), we wet the bed and run home talking about "next year."

We're tired of "next year."

Enjoy your time with The Chosen One, aka, Tim Tebow. He's your Herschel. We know what it's like to have one of those. You know, that player who makes the whole team better by being on the field, or even just talking on the sidelines. Yeah, like I said, we've been there before. We despise you for it, too. If for no other reason than because it reminds us of the fact it's been almost 30 years since ours whipped you up and down the field.

This isn't as much as a letter of hate as it is a letter of warning. You'd BETTER win on Saturday. It's in your best interest to do so. Why? Because if you don't, then you all know it's going to be bad for a very, VERY long time. This is your last chance to parade around your trick pony. Get as much out of him as you can. The losing consistently should start soon and you don't want to bring all that on to you this quickly do you? The talent level is equal. The coaching? Well you have that in your favor for the time being.

But it's catching up to you, and quickly. We'll do what we need to do. You need to win the game so that the bleeding doesn't start sooner than it should. It's coming. I know it's coming.

There's no pressure on us, by the way. We know what we are. We are a 4-3 team looking outside in. We have no realistic shot at anything except pride. You know what builds pride? Taking someone else's. Guess who has more to lose in this game? The team with no shot at anything but pride, or the team who could lose their SECC-punched ticket, their MNC shot, and the title of "prettiest girl in school."

We're on the outs in this one, Gators. The last time we felt that way? 2007. The time before that? 2004. We're rested, you're tested. You've never gone undefeated in a season. You think we don't want to be the one that crashes your birthday party, craps in your cake, and then sleeps with your girlfriend upstairs because the "hunch punch makes her do regretful things?"Oh, you're wrong sir. We WANT to be that team.

And right now, we ARE that team.

No pressure,

Kit

"Dear Florida" -- A Hate Letter to The State

2009-10-27T19:26:00.004-04:00

Editor's Note: For maximum effect, it's important to read this hate letter in a pious, yet almost discouraged, tone. Preachy, but not expectant of change. For a good example, it'd be about the same kind of tone Agent Smith uses in The Matrix trilogy.

Dear Florida (The State),

I don't like you. While your beaches may be nice and serene, you find ways of bringing in rednecks from around the globe to ruin it on any given weekend in the summer. While your Gulf of Mexico water may be crystal clear, on your side it's filled with the urine of guest stars on COPS, World's Deadliest Police Chases, and any other show you might randomly find on a boring Sunday while watching TruTV.

Your inhabitants are too northern to be considered southern and your geographical location is too southern to classify you as northern. You are purgatory. I'm sure you've heard of purgatory. It's for those without purpose. It's an area where you're not good enough to go to heaven and not too blatantly awful to be in hell.

I don't like your football teams. FSU is way past its prime, Dat UUUUUUUUUU is as inconsistent of a team that I've ever seen, and USF is an excuse for people around Orlando to see football. You do have one consistently good football team, though, in the Florida Gators. Tomorrow, we'll discuss my hate for them in more detail.

It's no secret that I'm a UGA fan, Florida. I've traveled past your borders for the past 10 years straight just to come out with two, count them, TWO victories. However, I kept going back for more and more, because I hate you Florida, and any day that I was able to dance in your street after a victory is a day I'll cherish. It's kind of like going into Emeril Lagasse's house and telling him his food sucks, then laughing uncontrollably as I munch down McDonald's in his face.

I won't be visiting you this year, Florida. I'll be here, hating you from afar. However, even though I'm one day late in kicking off Hate Week Part I for 2009, please know that I didn't forget you. I just couldn't find a way to adequately express myself until now.

It's not the same kind of boiling disgust that I have for that joke of a school, fan base and football team right down the street from my house. No, my hate for you Florida is a different kind. The same kind of hate the U.S. still has for Russia. That kind of hate where I can tolerate you, but I can't stand to be near you for extend stretches of time.

So, Florida, should there be a catastrophic earthquake where one state has to break off and drift out to sea, I'm choosing you. It would have been California, but they give us movies and good wine. You give us sand in our crotch and horrible drivers. I think my choice is justified.

Regards,

Kit

P.S. -- No, seriously, I really don't like you at all.

The Flawed System

2009-10-20T17:18:00.004-04:00

It seems everywhere we turn nowadays there's flaws with college football as a whole. Dawg fans notice gigantic flaws within the team, SEC fans are subjected to huge flaws in officiating, and college fans in general are pissed with the often-flawed BCS system.

As Dawg fans, we go out of our way sometimes to find the flaws. Hell, I'm guilty of it as much as anyone else. We beat Vandy handily, but I was no where near satisfied with the victory. Aside from a 4th quarter where we had guys in that seemingly wanted to play football, there really wasn't much to talk about other than A.J. Green.

Sure, the Defense played OK against a horrible Vandy team, A.J. played exceptionally well for his three catches, and Bobo showed us a "moment of brilliance" playcall with that screen pass to Caleb King, but other than that, I think we all left a little unfulfilled.

That's not to say it was all bad, though. I mean with what the team's been through, you'd have to think that the Dawgs were as down in the mouth as any team in America right now. An overly-talented team struggling in every game, a coaching staff on the verge of collapse, and a fanbase that has no idea what they really want to happen other than "change." Unless Helen Keller was suiting up for UGA, you know the players were hearing or seeing things that sent shockwaves through the lockerroom. It's going to happen.

The most important thing is that a 10-win season is OBTAINABLE. Is it likely? Not at all, but OBTAINABLE is better than impossible. At this point, I'd settle for revenge and a one-day-at-a-time mentality. I'd settle for our players trying to go and ruin Florida's season by beating them in Jacksonville. That's all I want to think about and that's all I want to hear about. I want a team mentality where everyone realizes that they truly have nothing to lose.

However, that's not going to happen unless Mike Slive gets a hold of the referees in this conference. Even I was getting tired of hearing about how all the SEC refs hate us, but the truth is, I'm starting to think that sans Florida and Alabama, they really do hate everyone. The numbers aren't lying and it's downright scary. With our statistics regarding penalties growing exponentially since the Celebration in 2007, combined with the LSU screw job, and the debacle in Gainesville last weekend against Arkansas, you can surely bet that no call is 100% right.

I guess the thing that's most frustrating about it all is that these calls aren't DETERMINING games. They're just influencing them. Arkansas didn't lose last weekend because of bad calls -- they lost because of missed field goals. We didn't lose against LSU because of a bad call against A.J. -- we lost because we can't cover worth a damn on Special Teams. The frustrating thing about the penalty issue is that a bad call of a non-touchdown or interception can be overturned with video evidence nowadays. A bad penalty call sets the tone, changes momentum and helps someone greatly while dismantling someone else's chances. It's not a matter of fairness -- it's a matter of responsibility.

No one's asking the refs to call every ticky-tack penalty. They're asking the refs to call it down the middle. They're asking the refs to call what needs to be called, and when it doubt, don't call it. It's that simple. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that we're dealing with hyper-sensitivite SEC referees when it comes to all teams not named "Alabama" or "Florida." I'm not subscribing to any conspiracy theories, but all I know is that those games are called differently for those teams than they are for the rest of the conference, especially in regards to Florida.

Slive needs to get on it, or Slive will be barking up a bad tree. SEC Football is religion to a lot of fans. It's one thing to have one school think the refs are against them. It's entirely different to have 10 schools think that way.

So, let's all enjoy the bye week for what it is...a chance to relax and focus for next weekend. We all need that right now.

Here's wishing a flawless week for you and yours.

Until next time kids.

Be safe.