Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

No it wasn't the Germans, or even the Japanese, that bombed Athens on the night of September 27th, it was the fighting Bear Bryant's, err, Nick Saban's. All seemed lost for dawgsontop after that pivotal matchup. Not only were we beaten in our house, we were down right trunk-stomped. Yea, yea we only lost by eleven, but at the time it seemed like eleventy-billion. I was nervous about unbeaten Vanderbilt coming into town and ruining homecoming once again. Boy was I wrong.

We didn't dominate fat Phil like we should have and we forgot how to get in the endzone against the nerds but we got exactly what we needed, W's. We once again had hope for the future heading into a tough matchup against the Tigger's in the earthquake zone. Then came the offensive explosion we have been waiting for. Fifty-two on LSU in Baton Rouge? Not sure but a quick check of my sources, a.k.a. my brain, and it reveals that has never happened before. What's that you say? Florida exposed them and dropped fifty-one in the process the week before? You're right, playing LSU in Gainesville is the exact same thing as playing in front of the drunkest people on the face of the Earth this past Saturday, besides me.

Hope? Maybe that's all we have right now. Penn State is a virtual lock to be undefeated come season's end. Texas has a great shot at getting in, even with a loss. They have played one of the most difficult schedules I have ever seen. That's not a lie. Oklahoma has a nasty offense, so does Texas Tech, Missouri and Oklahoma State. Get through that with only one loss and you still might be the best team in the country.

Oh yea, we also have a game to play this Saturday. I forgot about that. Florida has been steamrolling. Sixty-three on that Kentucky D? Sheeeeeeeeeeyat, could have been seventy-seven. I was once a college coach, I was awesome. I won thirteen straight National Championships with the dawgs. THIRTEEN! Yet no matter how sick nasty I was on playstation 2, I don't believe I scored 152 points over three consecutive SEC games (I probably did, I was super like nintendo).

So yea, maybe hope is all we have right now. But like my main man Andy Dufresne dropped some knowledge on that playa Red between the walls of Shawshank, I will now drop on you. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.

My take on "where we go from here"...

I'm worried. I have been worried since the opening kickoff and it took a embarassing first half against Alabama for me to admit the worry. 

I thought we would be very good this year. Let me change that. I convinced myself we would be very good this year. I thought Stacy Searels would repeat last year's coaching job and the offensive line would mature in weeks. I thought our defensive line would step up and continue to surprise the nation--much like a high-motor David Pollack, hardwood recruit Quentin Moses, and undersized Marcus Howard did. 

I thought our linebackers and defensive backs would be scary good. Rennie has flown around the field and shown Knowshon type excitement at times but it hasn't been enough. We have bent and broke as much in this young season as I thought we would all year. 

I thought Matthew Stafford, MoMass, and Knowshon would be an unstoppable air and ground attack that would rival Fedex. So far, I have seen more "Draft Day 2" out of Stafford than "See you on Sunday". Don't get me wrong, the kid can play. He has all the physical tools. We've all agreed on that since he was a junior at Highland Park. But...I have yet to see the leader CMR talked about all preseason--the kid who will pull the team together and say "we will not lose today". 

That is what we need as we enter the UT, Vandy, LSU, FLA gauntlet: we need the swagger the team played with last year. The swagger that had Georgia fans worried that, although we may have never lost again, we would have been compared to the U.  We all wanted to be on ESPN everyday, we got there, and lost. Now what?

Fulmer's squad sucks this year. Flat sucks. They waxed us last year and have to come into Sanford after the Dawgs crapped the bed against a talented Alabama team. There is no reason we don't beat this team by 35. The restoration of confidence began in the second half of the Bama game and will continue against the Vols. Fat Phil may be Tony Franklin'd at halftime. 

Vandy is another example of a new trend in college football. Well coached teams are beating the big boys because the big boys tend not to show up a few times a year. Vandy will not fly under the radar. We almost lost to them last year and though this team is young they do not forget that. Dawgs roll again. 

LSU and Florida play this weekend. Watch closely. Georgia will finish in time for all of you to sit down and dissect both teams like I will. You will see two beatable teams playing each other. Two teams that compare very well to the Georgia team they play in the subsequent weeks. 

For now I say the Bulldogsgo to bed November 1st with 2 losses. I hope I am wrong, but 1-1 right now with LSU and FLorida is a very acceptable proposition. 

That is all. Athens Saturday.

Glory, Glory to Ol' Munson

Well, it was bound to happen. I for one wish he could go out on top with this one coming up, but hey, sometimes you just have to call it quits when it's not happening.

I didn't grow up in Georgia or in the SEC. Hell, I barely knew about Georgia football until I started looking at schools for college. But if there was one thing I understood about the Dawgs, it was Larry Munson. Georgia isn't the only program to take notice to this fine man. He is a legend in the media world, and an idol in all of our hearts.

His greatest calls sit in my TV stand, his voice rings in my head, and his history will forever be in all of us.

Good luck, Larry. Thanks for supporting the Bulldog Nation for so many years.

Looking Ahead Before Looking Back

Before we get to the good stuff from the weekend, lets get to the great stuff about next weekend.

We all know Nick Saban and 'Bama are coming on Saturday.

We all now know that ESPN's College Game Day will be in town broadcasting from around the stadium (more on several locations speculations later).




Now, reports are coming in about Mark Richt's press conference today. Per The Red and Black:

During his Sunday teleconference, Georgia coach Mark Richt announced that Saturday's game with Alabama will be a "blackout."

ESPN's College GameDay crew will also be making the trip to Athens for the 7:45 p.m. kickoff.

"The seniors asked me if we could black out the game and since it's not a day game where heat could be a factor we're going to ask our fans to black out the stadium again
our players will be wearing the black jerseys," Richt said.

OHHH mah gawd.

Not only will Game Day be in town for the first time in eleven years, we're continuing the tradition of the blackout. And what better time to do it? National media in the morning. Prime time coverage at night. First home SEC game. And against Nick Saban.

Not to mention The Tim Baldwin Foundation's annual Tim's Tailgate throwing down over on Bloomfield. Per the Tim's Tailgate Facebook group:

Come join us for the biggest tailgate of the year in Athens before the Alabama game. Stewart and Winfield will be playing. $15 in advance $20 at the door covers all you can drink beer and mixed drinks, and all you can eat catered food.

All proceeds go toward the Tim Baldwin Foundation which in the past have benefitted numerous charity organizations such as Camp St. Francis of North Georgia, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help Home in Atlanta. Tim's Tailgate has been a huge success in the past and we only expect this year to be our best year yet!

Get your pom pom's and bourbon ready. This one could get ugly.

IS this the same old Dawgs?

Jury's still out, but we got a big one Saturday.

The Spurriers made obvious some glaring deficiencies within our offensive and defensive lines. Is it time to panic? Certainly not. Just because we are making some changes on the OL this week doesn't mean the coaches are panicing either. Change is necessary for improvement and unless you missed last Saturday's scrimmage, change is a necessity. I firmly believe, as do the coaches, that we have the talent level on our roster to be one of the best OL's in the country. Keep tinkering and we shall see marked improvement.

As far as the DL is concerned I saw a stat today that made my frown turn upside down. Through 6 games last year we had 9 sacks. 9!!!! in 6 games against mostly weaker competition. We ended the season with 40 plus sacks. After 3 games this year we are ahead of last years pace with 6. I will admit that that is nowhere close to what it needs to be, but if we follow last seasons pattern we should start picking it up sooner rather than later.

Now on to Arizona St.

Boy are these boys going to be pissed, right? Coming off a loss to Grand Mama, Stacey "plastic man" Augmon and the UNLV Runnin' Rebels these fella's know they got something to prove. What? Wrong sport? You got me, Jerry Tarkanian's basketball rebels of the early 90's would possibly beat the 2008 version of the UNLV football team. This makes me wonder, how in the world did a top 20 team that could score on anybody lose to a team that got blasted by Utah (not too bad) and scraped by Utah State (horendous)? I'll tell you how, GEORGIA. I'm not saying they were looking ahead to the Dawg's coming to town, but they were looking ahead to the Dawg's coming to town.

They are saying this game is going to be played in Arizona but from everything I'm hearing on the radio and TV it might as well be the ol H E double hockey sticks. They're saying it's going to be 198 degrees out there. That's not Farenheight. No, not even Celsius. It's Kelvin. Do you know how hot that is? Well neither do I. I'm guessing just past smeltering.

If, and that is a large, bold and italicized IF, we can play up to our abilities, get pressure on Rudy and dominate in the run game, catch catchable balls and adjust to the heat, we will win. We will win big.

I'm saying we won't do all those things, but we will do enough of them to win.

Dawgsontop, 31-13.

Well, a Win is a Win...

I haven't seen the game from the TV's perspective yet, but I can assure you that as sober as I may have been at the game, I've got a bad taste in my mouth.

And for several specific reasons.

While I am happy we escaped a very emotional battle in Columbia and very glad to see some strong points, there are a few glaring questions I have for this team. And unfortunately the bad may very well outweigh the good. I should probably wait to address my concerns until I watch the game from a different perspective (and mindset, for that matter), but here are a few things that immediately come to mind.

1. Mother f@$%ing dropped f#@%ing passes.

Sure, Stafford throws a laser. It's a heat seeking bullet traveling over the line of scrimmage. But my God, when it hits your hands when it really counts, it has to count. This is the f-ing SEC. This ain't no ACC. In my opinion, Chandler's first two dropped passes almost cost us the game. One was even a pivotal 3rd-down conversion that put us within scoring range in the first quarter, which would have given the entire team a confidence boost. Stuff like that puts the offense out of sync, and maybe gets into Stafford's head a little bit. If he can't rely on his tight end, a man that is supposed to be a consistent and stable option and the quarterback's best friend, it puts the quarterback in a difficult position. Stafford then feels that he has to rely on the power of his arm, maybe forcing a throw here and there or trying for the deep ball when it's not available. Durham probably shouldn't receive as much heat, as his ball, if caught, would have been a spectacular catch in the endzone in my opinion. Still, it did hit his hands, and we all know that if the ball hits your hands then...

2. The play of the defensive backs under pressure

For three quarters Georgia's defense was swarming. Save what appeared to be a beautiful ball delivered to the corner of the endzone from Smelley, Spurrier was throwing fits. Stephen Garcia had to be inserted several times to attempt to change the pace of the game. Nothing seemed to be going right for the SC offense. Rennie Curran and crew were swarming the field, attacking every player with the football. The rushing defense held the 'Cocks to under 2.0 YPC, an extremely valuable stat in SEC play.

But with 10 minutes remaining in the game, a 7 point lead, and the pressure on, they looked like dog crap. Slants, zone reads, screens, out routs... everything seemed to work. 6'5" TE Jared Cook seemed to be everything Tripp Chandler isn't - a match-up nightmare for the defense. He looked like an 8' tall superman, grabbing all sorts of passes and running all over the field. Moe Brown also found the holes in the defense all game for several big gains. Now I can understand a few break downs here and there from a defense, but it seemed like there was one every play in the last 10 minutes, whether it be a huge completion or a penalty (which is another story). If there is one thing that makes a team champions, it's their ability to shut down an opponent in crunch time. And this game didn't look good. Good thing Spurrier doesn't have a Matthew Stafford, or we would have been torched. A few bad throws by Smelley is what eventually won us the game.

3. The penalties

118 yards? That should be the total over at least two full games. Unacceptable. Practice tomorrow better not be fun, or we're going to continue to have issues. While there were a few phantom calls here and a few bad calls there, which you'll see every game, there were too many bad ones. And costly for that matter. 118 yards of penalties will not win you the game against the LSU's and Florida's of this world. Hell, may not even beat the Vandy's or Kentucky's. These issues should have been sorted out by now, which makes me wonder how much better it's going to get.

Now, I've got to be pleased with the way this team fought the emotional roller coaster. I have to be especially pleased with the play of Stafford, Knowshon Moreno, and A.J. Green. Stafford fought through four sacks and several dropped passes to deliver some great plays, including some incredible runs. Knowshon fought extremely hard and deserved every last inch of his yardage. A.J. Green continues to impress me with his downright God-given ability to go out and grab a football. Stafford's beautiful hook-up with Green for 39 yards in the first half saved us from a 3rd and 20 or so.

To continue on the A.J. Green note, him and MoMass absolutely deserve to and need to see the field more. No more of this rotation. Stafford seems to have a unique rhythm with these two, and they're the ones that have gone out there and made plays on a consistent basis. Michael Moore and Kris Durham have proved valuable, but Green and MoMass are the ones getting it done every chance they get. Keep them on the field for God's sake, let them get their touches and see the big plays increase.



Now that I've vented, it's time for some sleep. I still need to watch the film, but man were there some glaring issues in person.

Week 3 National Games of Interest

Even though it may be a down weekend for marquee match-ups across the nation, save USC-Ohio State, there are still some nice games slated for this weekend. While the Texas - Arkansas barn burner has been delayed a few weeks, California goes coast to coast to visit Maryland, Nevada takes on its second straight Big XII team, UCLA takes on BYU, and Oklahoma returns to the Pacific Northwest to get shafted by more Pac 10 officiating when they take on the Huskies.

Here is a run-down of the weekend battles and my picks:


#13 Kansas Jayhawks at #19 South Florida Bulls
Friday, September 12 -- Tampa, FL -- 8:00 ET -- ESPN2
Spread: South Florida by 4

In an evening normally reserved for recruits, two marquee quarterbacks battle in Tampa in a battle of mediocre teams ranked 11-20. While America was introduced to a rejuvenated Kansas last year, Todd Reesing will attempt to make his name memorable while stating his case as a potential Heisman candidate while the nation watches. Matt Grothe isn't so bad himself, but his name called in NYC will be a stretch. In a game full of offense and some surprising special teams from Kansas, the Jayhawks fly home from Tampa victorious. Kansas 38 - South Florida 24

#23 California Golden Bears at Maryland Terrapins
Saturday, September 13 -- College Park, MD -- 12:00 ET -- ESPN
Spread: California by 10

Props to the ADs from Cal and Maryland for scheduling this match-up, but this weekend might not be all that they thought it could be. This game has lost some luster after Maryland's shaky start (a near-loss to Flacco-less 1-AA Delaware and a loss to Middle Tennessee State), while Cal is at a decent 2-0 and #23 in the nation. The spread may not be as generous as I think it should be, as the Bears travel a billion miles to simply conquer the Terps. Cal 41 - Maryland 13

#18 Brigham Young Cougars vs. UCLA Bruins
Saturday, September 13 -- Provo, UT -- 3:30 ET
Spread: BYU by 9

This is potentially the game of the weekend, other than USC-OSU. These two clashed last year in a Sun Bowl
game that saw BYU upset the Bruins on yes, a blocked kick. Kevin Craft comes in under center for UCLA as an unproven quarterback that could be what seems like the worst QB in the country or the best QB out there. Max Hall for BYU is very proven and a potential draft pick, already amassing 824 yards and 5 TDs. This game could go either way, and I think BYU's overrated ranking inflated this spread. In the end, the Cougars escape a close one at home. BYU 21 - UCLA 20

#16 Oregon Ducks at Purdue Boilermakers
Saturday, September 13 -- West Lafayette, IN -- 3:30 ET -- ABC
Spread: Oregon by 6

Oregon comes in boasting the nation's best offense over the first two weeks, imagine that. Purdue has only played once so far, trouncing 1-AA Northern Colorado 42-10 in the first week. While Purdue lacks a top tier defense, their offense can play with the best. The difference in this game will be the defense that steps up, as a turnover may decide this game. Look for the Ducks to escape this shootout with only a few pellets. Oregon 45 - Purdue 35

#3 Oklahoma Sooners at Washington Huskies
Saturday, September 13 -- Seattle, WA -- 7:45 ET -- ESPN
Spread: OU by 20

Bob Stoops takes his Sooners once again to the Northwest hoping the Pac 10 officials are more welcoming, especially after the scandal that affected the Huskies just last week. This game was surprisingly close a few years ago for a half, but then OU took over and dominated the Huskies. Jake Locker will put a scare on Stoops' defense for a few series, perhaps with a rushing TD, but the Sooners will adapt into the game and shut down the Tebow-like QB. The Sooners get another chance to flex their offensive muscles against an over matched opponent. OU 38 - Washington 17

#10 Wisconsin Badgers at #21 Fresno State Bulldogs
Saturday, September 13 -- Fresno, CA -- 10:30 ET -- ESPN2
Spread: Fresno State by 2

This game, along with the UCLA - BYU battle, has potential to make the off-week more exciting. Pat Hill has instilled a sense of superiority in the Valley, pledging to take on any BCS team no matter the year or where. This time he as a chance to knock of a big boy at home when the tenth-ranked Badgers come to town. The Bulldogs have their best squad in several years with Tom Brandstater under center and Ryan Mathews handling the rock. The potent Bulldogs offense comes with a defense that held Rutgers to only 7 points. On the other side of the ball, Wisconsin is 2-0 behind strong second half performances to put away Akron and Marshall with ease. The offense is secretly explosive with PJ Hill pounding the ball and a passing attack that can strike at any time. This time Vegas gets the line right, as the Bulldogs prove they are a legit BCS team. Fresno State 28 - Wisconsin 23

#1 Southern California Trojans vs. #5 Ohio State Buckeyes
Saturday, September 13 -- Los Angeles, CA -- 8:00 ET -- ABC
Spread: USC by 7.5

Now the game the world has been waiting for, the Collision in the Coliseum, the Fight of the Century, the Battle of the Immortals. The USC never-been-defeated-before Trojans take on the Ohio State all-and-mighty Buckeyes in a clash of gods. Only Mars, the god of war, knows whats in store for this epic intergalactic explosion waiting to happen. In all seriousness, this could be the game of the year. These traditional powers are once again in the top 5 and seeking what seems to be an annual birth in the title game, but the both paths to the championship runs through each other. I can see this game being an outright battle from start to finish, but it could also be pretty sloppy (i.e. OSU last week). While these teams match up so well, there are so many questions. Is Mark Sanchez the answer? Is Beanie Wells really hurt? Is Terrelle Pryor ready for the limelight? Tressel knows how to coach his squad into a marquee away game, a la Texas in 2006, but Carroll isn't so bad himself. There are so many ways this game can go, its a tough call. But based on the Buckeyes' performance last week and the location of the game, I'll take the Trojans to win big. USC 31 - Bucks 17

Top SEC games of the week and predictions to follow

"Same old Georgia"

Is a phrase I heard numerous times today while driving around our great state of Georgia. Where was it coming from you might ask. From Heisman Trophy winner, MNC coach and downright blowhard Steve Spurrier himself. The Ol' Ball Coach has had it in for the Dawgs ever since DB Lynn Hughes housed one of his passes in 1966 to knock the ever-hated Gator's from the ranks of the unbeaten. Many years have passed since that fateful Fall evening and the rage and hate inside Spurrier for the University of Georgia has never subsided. Uncoincidentally, the feelings are mutual.

This quote came via the victorious coach after last season's debacle in Athens. Many fans, not including this one, believe that game cost us a shot at the National Championship. Whether or not you agree the feelings for Spurrier after last year's upset only grew darker and more overwhelmingly towards pure, unadultured hatred.

Heading into the 2007 matchup the Dawgs appeared to be unbeatable after having trounced overhyped Oklahoma State in the opener. Many UGA supporters, including this one, thought there was absolutely no way that we would not destroy the overmatched Fighting Spurriers, much less cover the -4 point spread. Well we didn't, ask my bookie.

Spurrier relayed his comments in the post-game interview, saying this was "the same old Georgia." Truth be told, it was. We have seen a number of uber-talented teams lose to inferior opponents not just during the CMR era but also under Donnan, Goff, Butts and even HOF Vince Dooley.

This year's clash involves two squads headed in seemingly opposite directions. South Carolina looked awful offensively against NC State and was outcoached, outplayed, outhustled and other out's I can't even think of in their loss to Vanderbilt. Georgia is coming off of a thrashing of CMU that saw our running game show it's brute force and breakaway wheels as well as an above average improvement in the passing game. Every sign is pointing towards a blowout in COLA town, a letdown here would probably ruin our chances at the MNC before the season really even gets under way.

Is this the "same old Georgia?" We will know Saturday evening. I for one am betting that it's not.

News and Notes Around the SEC

It has been said that teams improve the most between week 1 and week 2. As we take a look around the SEC, how much did each team actually improve?

In Knoxtown, head coach Phil Fulmer had the weekend off, presumably spending the day "with his family, lounging around the living room and kitchen around the TV and a 'few' boxes of donuts and pizza," according to reports. Meanwhile, the rest of the Vols had the opportunity to sulk a little longer after a what-could-have-been on national TV last Monday. The actual on-field improvement will have to wait another week when the Vols take on the formidable Blazers of Alabama-Birmingham. Looks like the jury may have to wait until Florida.

"I regret to inform you, ..."

Not much more could be said in Fayetteville, where Bobby Petrino's 'revitalized' career is looking for any vital signs period. The Razorbacks are looking like the cellar of the SEC for the second straight week after surviving with a late Casey Dick touchdown strike followed by a missed 45-yard field goal attempt by a Louisiana-Monroe squad that no SEC team should schedule in the near future. Apparently Petrino's secretary didn't pass on Nick Saban's message where he left numerous words of advice and scouting tips on the Warhawks. The revitalization will be on hold for at least another week, as Bobby takes his Hogs down into Austin for a grudge match with Mack Brown and the Texas Longhorns.

Speaking of Saban, all is well in Tuscavegas after the Crimson Tide improved to 2-0 after "ripping" the Tulane Golden Wave. After the victory, Saban only had good things to say about his squad that needed two special team touchdowns to save them from a repeat of last year's bout with the aforementioned Warhawks. "The boys really played hard today, and they really showed how they could overcome a challenge from a formidable opponent," Saint Nick reported. What's next for Saban and the Tide? A nationally televised bout with the 'Toppers of Western Kentucky, followed by a trip into Arkansas to take on Petrino's new career (That is if he has not quit by then). I guess we won't really know how Crimson the Tide is until September 27th.

"Dear God, please guide me away from Rennie Curran"

Head coach Urban Meyer and his Florida Tebows have much to rave over in Gainesville after routing the "old" U, the one that used to reside in Miami but now apparently lives in the 'Ville. Tim Tebow's un-Godly performance should make the world forget the Heisman even exists. After Florida's reign over Miami, Brent Musburger reported in his post-game review that "Tebow is without a doubt the greatest specimen I've ever laid eyes on. The way his arm flexes when he throws, his eyes glisten when he scores, his calves flex when he gets sacked, he just makes me warm inside. Some even say his eyes are the sparkle of God. I've seen the light, and that light is coming from Mr. Tebow." Brent's jubilations are words the nation can share and cherish. Meanwhile, Mark May had similar words, while saying Knowshon Moreno's performance was "just so-so."

"Mommy, Mr. Steve hid my bottle of bourbon. Wait 'til he sees his car after the Vandy game..."

I'm not sure the Ol' Ball Coach even knew how to find his way back to Columbia after what happened at Vanderbilt. He didn't have much to say in the post-game press conference, but in his closing statements, Spurrier reported, "I sure hope Stephen Garcia is sober on Saturday." I think we all do, Coach.

Out in the plains, head coach Tommy Tuberville has "found the quarterback of the future." Tuberville went on to rave about his new guy under center, saying "he's got all the tools we need for a 9-4 season. He's sharp, makes minimal mistakes, and throws enough touchdowns per game to lead us to free chicken biscuits for a year from the kind people in Atlanta." After beating the new-look Southern Miss, the War Eagles travel to Starkville to take on Sly Croom's Mississippi State squad still trying to look past what happened in Shreveport in week 1.

As for the Dawgs in Athens, I think The Leap just about wraps that discussion up.

Don't Blink.

Photo Courtesy ajc.com

The hype was bigger than ever. The media coverage was so plentiful that it was a bit tiring according CMR. Knowshon was dubbed as one of the nation's best running backs by analysts Mel Kiper and Todd McShay. For the first time in a long while, people were beginning to buy into the Herschel Walker comparisons. And that's when I heard it.

"You have no idea how good he's going to be this year," a certain football player told me.

My initial reaction? "What do you mean 'I have no idea?' He's going to be awesome. How can I 'have no idea?'"

My thinking was that even if #24 started the season slowly, he would avoid a sophomore slump simply because he has the energy and passion for the game to help him succeed. 

That energy, passion and competitiveness is often misinterpreted as a cocky attitude by the casual viewer. However, KM has proven that his combination of skill, speed and energy is augmented by and unbelievable drive to make himself better than everyone else. 

So don't blink. Don't miss a snap. Remember to DVR every game--even if it is Central Michigan--because you never know when "the leap" will happen. You never know when a play will occur  that rivals Herschel's steamrolling of Bill Bates. 

And remember, we have no idea how good he is going to be...

Top Gun has merits other than as a movie...

I was forced to watch Top Gun earliar tonight. It's a great movie. Who doesn't like a sweaty Tom Cruise? Oh, that's right, I don't. My 4 year old cousin would bitch slap that dude. I once knew somebody that believed in scientology, he talked about it all the time and he loved it. Too bad for Oklahoma City Ted Kazinski was also crazy.

Great news for everyone else, watching Top Gun gave me a great idea. Who actually enjoys the song "Highway to the Danger Zone?" Nobody, that's who. Where are you going with this? You ask. This is where. Best new drinking game of 2K8. Watch Top Gun and every time the song comes on, take a shot. You won't be able to walk after the movie.

Believe me, Biff told me.

Is it just me...

Or does new Republican Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin strongly resemble West Canaan Coyote's sex ed teacher Miss Davis

Yes Elliot, boner is good.

I'm a new contributor here at DawgsOnTop and I want to start out be letting it be known that at no time will my blogs be laced with either truth or fact. I would advise you to avoid believing everything that I post. Unless of course some of it is true, then you should definitely believe it. Following that gorilla math, believe everything I say, you don't want to be left in the dark.

This week our #2 ranked Dawgs take on the fighting Chippewa's of Central Michigan. Is it just me or does saying Chippewa make you want to punch Tim McGraw in the neck? Learn to sing a song, Indian Outlaw.

Big matchup for us as far as the defensive back 7 is concerned. CMU brings in Dan LeFevour, which of course is Spanish for "the Fever," and his 5,000 all-purpose yards and 50+ TD's from a year ago. Is it just me or didn't the Dawgs donkey punch the last QB we played with similar stats? (yes, that means you Tebow). Rennie Curran will hit LeFevour so hard he won't be able to do the rain dance at their next tribal meeting.

The Chippewa (watch it McGraw) starting defensive front averages a weight that comes in just under that of Manute Bol. They should offer Rosie O'Donnell, that is the only way to beef them up. Their OLB's weigh 190. Is it just me or did we just take a ride in the Delorean back to 1955? Fire up the Flux Capacitor, 1980 here we come (foreshadowing included).

The Dawgs will put on a performance that is worthy of a Mythical National Championship contender. Bombs away from Stafford as we continue to look for a consistent receiving threat and excellence from the D as we look to establish a dominant pass rusher. Late game vagumic pounding by our OL will once again give future Heisman winner Caleb King nice stats. The Fever puts some points on the board a la Georgia Southern in mop up duty but this game will be over by the 4th, which makes this years edition of the Dawgs different than year's past.

DawgsOnTop 45-17.

Believe me, Biff told me.

The Coverdores strike again...

Well they didn't strike again because they've never really "struck" since before the Great Depression. But it was great to see the 'Ol Ballcoach lose for the second year in a row to a recently overacheiving Vanderbilt team.

The Dawgs rode the back of Knowshon Moreno and the leg of Brandon Coutu to squeak by with a victory in Nashville last season and it looked like South Carolina was going to pull off the same sort of win last night.

With two minutes left I was certain that Carolina would find a way to come back. I was mad at Spurrier and felt horrible for Vandy fans because it would be yet another loss they pulled from the jaws of victory.

Needless to say, the "Coverdores" hung on for the win and are a surprising 2-0 on the year (is there such a thing as a surprise 2-0?). The Gamecocks, however, will stumble back to that dump known as Columbia. They will have to deal with that oh so annoying fan base and the evil temptations of Stephen Garcia following the first of what may be many embarrassing losses this year.

You don't show you belong in the SEC East by losing to its bottom feeder Mr. Spurrier...because you, then, become the bottom feeder and everyone knows that bottom feeders don't "belong" with the big guns.

Go Dawgs and the heck with the Poor Man's Tim Tebow.

...

There's nothing more to say than that I'm sick of Mark May and Lou Holtz after the first episode.

Dear ESPN,

You do not have to sell college football. It sells itself--especially when you pick two people who can speak about college football without obvious bias and can convey valid arguments. You can afford to find the best college football analysts. We deserve them. 

                                                                                       -Fans

Week 1.

I can almost smell college football: the greatest of all sports seasons. I can almost feel the excitement that will fill the air when I turn on my TV Thursday night to watch two teams I rarely root for. 

The NCSU/USC game will have more meaning though this year as a fellow graduate of my high school will start at quarterback for the Wolfpack--giving him a 50% chance of taking the first college football snap I see as a college graduate. I hope he does very well, of course, and I hope he wins because I hate Steve Spurrier...ok, not only because I hate Steve Spurrier.

Because of Thursday's game, Saturday will come quicker. I will wake up hungover. There is no denying this fact. I will wake up hungover and I will wake up early (I'm one of those weird males who wakes up early on fall Saturdays the same way children wake up early on Christmas morning). I'll force down some sort of breakfast and I will start the festivities. 

College Gameday, girls in their gameday attire and friends drinking liquor way too early in the day have become staples of college football when I'm in Athens. This year has added something different though. When the tailgates are put on hold as kickoff approaches, fans will enter Sanford Stadium. They will walk in the same entrances and sit on the same metal bleachers. There is something different though and I am going to be there because it isn't something one should take for granted.

The Silver Britches will leave the tunnel for the first time in a long time as the undisputed #1 team in the land. It might last a few hours, a few weeks, or a few months if we're lucky. Either way, seeing the Bulldogs as the #1 team will be added to my list of personal UGA football "I-was-there's". 

All I can say is that this is a wonderful time to be a Bulldog fan. The stellar end to last year left the entire University with a sweet but slightly bitter taste in its mouth. We were better than we could have been but we could have been better than we were. Maybe every year gives us that taste in our mouths...

Unless this truly is the year the drill is finished...

---------------------------------------------------------------------

And another thing...

ESPN.com's Chris Low released his preseason all-SEC team today and only running back Knowshon Moreno made the team. I'm not going to say anything because he's a professional but I'd love to see Stafford, MoMass, Tripp Chandler, Geno, JO, Dannell, Rennie, Asher, Reshad or anyone else step up and prove some of media guys wrong. Or you know what. Even better, I hope a few rings and a crystal football fills the void left by a Chris Low snub.

How I Feel About this #1 "Mess"

I'll start by saying that I completely agree with PWD at Georgia Sports Blog.

Plain and simple, an undefeated season is pretty much ruled improbable. It's the SEC, and especially in this day and age, anything can happen. We saw it last year with App State. They shocked the world. Georgia could shock the world just as much by going undefeated.

I say that because our schedule just plain sucks. Just when you thought playing Florida, Tennessee, Steve Spurrier, and Georgia Tech every year wasn't enough, you've got to slap on a trip out to Arizona State, a meeting with a revamped Alabama, a trip to the Plains, and a descent onto Bourbon Rouge. Tack on a Central Michigan squad, led by a poor-man's Tim Tebow in a Dan LeFevour, and you've got arguably the hardest schedule in the country.

He ain't Superman, but the dude can play.

All doubts aside, this team has the potential to do it. If Stafford can respond to all the hype, if Knowshon and Caleb can form a thunder-and-lightning type tandem, if the receivers can respond to all the doubt, if A.J. Green and/or Tavarres King make an impact beyond expectations, if the defense continues to grow with a great combination of speed, athleticism, and power, and Richt leads the team like we all know and believe he can, it can work. It can happen. From here on out, however, all those aforementioned scenarios have to play out to perfection. The question has moved from the potential to the will of this team. We know the talent is there. It just has to blend together methodically and thoroughly. Mohamed Massaquoi, Matthew Stafford, and Asher Allen are three guys among a handfull that I have faith in for leadership both on and off the field.

13-0 sounds mighty nice, almost too mighty. If this team can finish 12-1, it shouldn't have any problems getting a spot in Miami. I'm optimistic for 12-1. I'd be disappointed with 11-2 or 10-2, so there is a fine line where my expectations are drawn. I don't see a repeat of LSU happening for Georgia, especially with the influence of media darlings these days, which I feel we are not a part of.

It's time for the boys to let their play do the talking. Give 'em hell, you sons of bitches.

Go Dawgs!

What We Really Don't Want to See in 2008

With the high temperatures of August come the wonders of a new season of college football. And with those wonders come expectations of what to see, which we have already previewed, and what not to see.

These lists can be extensive. They can be demeaning. They can be very biased. Here at DawgsOnTop, we frankly don't even care what you think.

So, to follow up our What to See, here is our list of Top 10 What Not to See in 2008...:


10) An empty seat in Sanford Stadium

We are preseason #1. Unless there is a death in your family or someone offers you $2,000 for your ticket, your seat better not be empty. I take that back... your seat better be empty, but the area immediately in front of it better be occupied by a loud, rambunctious, drunk, and standing Dawg fan. Yes, Mr. Adams, drunk. Noise people, noise.

9) More Big-10 love

Yes, I saw that OMGZ!#@ Michigan totally beat Florida n their bowl game!!! Ohio State was in da 'Ship!!

I don't care. Florida wasn't that good, especially their defense. Ohio State got waxed for the second straight year. It seemed like all of last season, the "experts" believed the Big-10 was a challenging foe for the SEC, maybe even better. But we all know true football isn't played up north.

8) A healthy season for Percy Harvin

He hasn't had one yet, and he is more important to his team than ever. He is that type of guy that can change the game in a matter of seconds, and we can only expect more in his third year. Hopefully those expectations will fall short... That being said, we don't want to see an unhealthy season for any of the Dawgs. (Note: this is all in good fun. Kind of.)

7) Any more arrests

I swear, the whole team should be locked away in the states if one more athlete gets arrested for having a BAC of .183. All jokes aside, the team does need to stay out of trouble and the media's spotlight.

6) Mark May

"With my top 5, I have Georgia at #4 and as my team that is most at risk for a disappointing season. On the outside looking in, I see Pittsburgh making a strong push for a Top 25 spot and in contention for the Big East."

Anything else, Mr. May?

5) A loss to an overwhelmingly under underdog.

As much as I love a great upset, I hate them. Especially when my team is on the receiving end. App State's victory over Michigan was priceless. Losing to Vandy again at home is not.

4) A "darkhorse" Heisman Trophy candidate

There are darkhorses, and there are "darkhorses." Noel Devine, Jeremy Maclin, A.J. Green... those are darkhorses. I don't care if DeSean Jackson returned 2 punts for touchdowns. I really don't care how many touchdowns Colt Brennan threw in OT to beat Louisiana Tech or San Diego State. And I know this shouln't be a factor, but I do care that Tim Tebow only won 9 games. Just a thought...

3) A deserving team shut out of the BCS National Championship game

I hate to say it, but the '07 Dawgs team was a South Carolina game away from the title game. Did we deserve it? No, probably not. Did we deserve a shot? Maybe. Fool on you, BCS. But no one wants to see a repeat of 2003.

2) Tim Tebow accepting a second Heisman Trophy

True, he may be damn near Superman for Florida's offense, but he only won 9 games last year. True, his numbers are hard to ignore. But a repeat year is far-fetched, as is an East title. Tennessee has the Gators at home looking for revenge, Auburn would love another bite of Gator tail at home, and, of course, the #1 Dawgs meet them in Jacksonville. Look for a few more tears out of Timmy, either in his Crocs or cleats.

1) A two-week campaign party thrown by ESPN endorsing a single (or multiple) candidate(s) for a seat in Miami

Anything else need to be said about that?


Once again, I would like to add that here at DawgsOnTop, we love to joke around about these sorts of things, even if we are completely serious and mean everything we say.

Go Dawgs!

Here we go again...

So I was sitting in the Richmond International Airport enjoying a few brews by my lonesome while I waited for my delayed flight to take off and I realized that August was only hours away. So clearly I decided it was time for me and my colleagues to fire up the engine on the old blog again.

We've suffered like you have suffered. We've endured like you've endured. We continue to anticipate like...well, you get the picture.

Anyways, I've resorted--like many college football fans--to searches of youtube and scrolls through sports channels in search of anything college football to quench my obsessive thirst until I can watch a live game in a few weeks.

As we know you're in need of some action much like we are at DawgsOnTop, we're going to provide a series of lists for you to read, analyze and respond to over the next few lists in order to distract you from your withdrawals for even a few moments.

Today we offer up a list of 10 things we can't wait to see this fall...:

10) A perfectly executed option...it's not only for the video games.

Even if it is Georgia Tech... but a Logan Gray-Knowshon hook-up to change the pace of a game would be nice. Super nice.

9) Notre Dame's first loss...anyone else think it will be early?

Watch closely to the ClausenGate... if he gets a suspension, the Irish's luck will be sorely affected.

8) College GameDay...never is a daytime television show more welcomed.

Now lets hope Mark May chills out his hate... but thats unlikely.

7) A Knowshon Moreno cutback and/or spin move...

Pick up your jock? or your TV remote for those at home?

6) The first meaningful Thursday night game...helps tide us over until the real game(s) on Saturday.

Anyone else find it interesting that a traditional SEC school like Auburn has elected to play a few days early?

5) Rivalries. They define college football.

Army-Navy. Notre Dame-USC. Oklahoma-Texas. Ohio State-Michigan. Get the idea?

4) Alabama v. Clemson...love them or hate them these teams meet early in the year and are both programs full of big names, pride and tradition.

Some other great out of conference match-ups include Ohio State v. Southern Cal, Auburn v. West Virginia, Oklahoma v. Washington, and of course Georgia v. Arizona State.

3) Heisman darkhorses

Noel Devine, anyone?

2) Uga VII...a tradition continues.

VII should be as fierce and feisty as ever.

1) The Battle Hymn solo in Sanford Stadium. If you don't know about it, learn.

Just thinking about it sends chills.




Man who else is ready?

Not The Time To Be a Sports Fan.

The ESPYs are on TV. The Braves are losing the the Washington Nationals what seems like daily. Pool and Poker are dominating my ESPNs. This is miserable.

The only relief I find is in the occasional college football replay on TV and the thought of First Friday and the Dawgs leaving the tunnel for the first time this fall.

Dawgs On Top has been slacking recently but so has the sports world. Let's face it, we're all chomping at the bit for fall Saturdays to return.

They can't come soon enough.

Tech's Summer Blues Continue

This time, it's not news of another transfer, but it may turn out to be one...

Redshirt freshman cornerback Jerrard Tarrant of Carrolton, Georgia has been suspended indefinitely by Georgia Tech head coach Paul Johnson. Tarrant is facing rape charges following an incident in April in the Tech dorms. Coach Johnson is awaiting word from the judicial system until he makes his final decision.

Tarrant was in contention for not just time on the field as a special teamer, but a starting position on defense. Obviously this is a blow to the Tech program, but in light of recent events, its just the next incident of the week.

What's next for the Techies? A loss to Perriloux and the 'Cocks of Jacksonville State? I’ll bet something happens before that.

Uga VI.

Rest in Peace. Damn Good Dawg.

Now That Emotions Have Settled.

After a morning flight from Omaha and a night on the town in Athens with several Georgia baseballers, it's time for our season wrap-up.

To start, I'd like to send out a congratulations and thank you to the team and the Georgia baseball program for the amazing season they put together in 2008. Though second place hurts now more than last years season did, the memories we forged throughout the spring on Kudzu Hill will last a lifetime.

We will remember Gordo, Peisel and Matty O for all of their contributions over the years and are eternally grateful to the team for the way they embraced our antics in right field. Though the players and their families have thanked us numerous times, we cannot emphasize enough how much they did for us as Bulldog fans and eventually as friends.

Omaha did not pan out the way we had hoped but the Dawgs exceeded expectations and brought the Red and Black to the forefront of the national baseball scene. They are understandably upset about the loss Wednesday night to Fresno but being one win away from a national title is nothing to hang one's head over.

To avoid a rambling and drawn out post, I'll leave it at that. It was a great season and it was a lot of fun.

Here's to continued success at Foley Field and elsewhere on campus like we experienced in the "Year of the Bulldog" 2007-2008.

Go Dawgs!

...

Not much to say about last night. Similar to the super regionals against NC State, the Dawgs should look past this middle defeat to overcome the wiry bats of the other Bulldogs.

We'll be there watching.

Poythress, Bulldogs Highlighted

ESPN has published a story written by Curt McKeever, a reporter for the Lincoln Journal Star, that talks about Georgia's success in the College World Series and highlights Georgia's Rich Poythress. Check it out, its a good read. Hopefully the last line of the article becomes true...

Dawgs In CWS Finals

The Diamond Dogs' bats came alive once again, storming in 10 runs against a solid Stanford team. Georgia got ahead early and never looked back, staving off a late Stanford rally to close the game 10-8. The Dawgs' second win over the Cardinal earned them a spot in the finals of the CWS, a best-of-three series which starts Monday. The opponent will be decided tonight at 7:00 ET on ESPN Classic when the Tar Heels of UNC take on the Bulldogs of Fresno State. Sort of an interesting move by ESPN, but I'm sure the overall delay of the weekend had something to do with the TV selection. How cool would a "Battle of the Bulldogs" series be between the 8th seeded Georgia and an unseeded Fresno State? I feel like ESPN would love to spin this as much as possible, favoring the Cinderella Fresno State over us in a heartbeat. That being said, I would rather play the Bulldogs, simply because I'm concerned about a balanced UNC team seeking their first National Title. But we'll see what happens tonight. Go Dogs?

Some More Omaha Photos

Go Dawgs!

The 'Blatt

Fan Zone

13th Street

Just some photos I managed to capture the morning after the first win.
It was early, so they're aren't many fans yet, but add about 50,000
people and you've got it. Well, not really, you have to go still. With
the one of the neighborhood street, image those all around the stadium
with people welcoming you into their yards for a mere few dollars.

Go Dawgs!

I'll Second That

If you've never been to Omaha... go to Omaha.

If you've never seen the College World Series... go to Omaha.

If you've never seen Baseball Heaven... go to Omaha.

If you don't like college baseball / baseball period... go to hell. And that's not Omaha, that's in or around Gainesville, Fl.

But in all honesty... Omaha is more than you can imagine. The sheer rush you get while driving around that hill westbound on I-80 on your way out of Iowa (or, the newest addition to the Great Lakes), makes it worth it alone. Add to that a hundred thousand fans, a stadium as legendary as Uga, a steak town, a neighborhood that just screams "welcome," and locals who are calling you in with open arms, and you're in heaven my friend. I'm telling you, simply incredible. I don't think I said a word for the first 30 minutes we were parked in our tailgate spot. That tailgate spot happened to be the back yard of someone's trailer, but hey, $5 and a 10 minute walk? I couldn't ask for more, especially while drinking with the fellow Right Field Guys and the guys from the Left Field Lounge, some of the biggest Dawg fans around.

I was in Heaven, and I hadn't even been inside the gates of the stadium.

Standing in the ticket line a few hours later, my knees trembling in excitement and my hands sweating in anticipation, I realized that I had died and was born again. Well, that born-again feeling actually happened when I stepped into Section E. Just look for the time when your jaw hits the concrete at your feet, and that's when you'll feel it too.

At that point, I didn't care who won really. I didn't really care who was playing, either. I was just glad to be there, experiencing a slice of Heaven. So if you ever get the chance, go. No, actually, I don't care if you have the chance or not. Forget summer school. Take off from work. Spend the few hundred you have in your wallet. Make the trip. It will change your life.

Photos Again!

More More More...

Photos!

More photos from the weekend!

More Pictures from Omaha!

Ok. So I can only add 5 photos to a post. I'll be adding them throughout the day.

When College Baseball Fans Die...

...they go to Omaha. Or so I'd like to believe.

My friend Alex and I made the trek to Omaha last Friday morning with some fellow Dawg Fans. The group was a motley crew fused together by our love for Georgia baseball and the trip marked a historic unification of the "Left Field Lounge" and the "Right Field Guys" as we've recently been titled. 

We arrived Saturday morning after a night in St. Joseph's, Missouri and were greeted by several players at their (and our) hotel in Omaha. Though our room was not ready immediately, we made ourselves at home without hesitation. 

We checked our bags and made our way to Famous Dave's for a bite to eat before heading out in search of an illusive tailgating location. If you have yet to make the visit, Rosenblatt Stadium is set on the ledge of a grass hill in a residential neighborhood outside of the city's downtown. 

For five dollars, we parked in a field behind a local home and promptly started the festivities. Little did we know the Bulldogs would make the trip worthwhile less than 5 hours later. The team won its opening game over the CWS's #1 seeded Miami Hurricanes with late inning heroics and impressive bullpen performances by Alex McCree, Dean Weaver, and Joshua Fields. 

Sunday morning came after a night on the town in the Old Market District. I looked at Alex and mumbled, "I can't believe we beat the Hurricanes" and without hesitation he agreed. 

The Dawgs had one foot in summer vacation and wood-bat leagues when they trailed Louisville in Athens a mere two weeks before. Now they sat--with Stanford--atop Bracket 1 in the famed 'Blatt. 

The day passed oh so quickly as we relived the day before with players, their parents and other Bulldog faithful. By 7pm, the only thing left to do was eat dinner and sport our red and black around town for another night. So, as we were in Omaha, we went out for a steak that lived up to its billing with several of the players and their families.

This experience alone made it a trip for the ages. Rarely does a fan get to spend quality time with the individuals who perform on athletic stages such as the one in Omaha. We told some of our stories and heard even more of theirs. We described our emotions during the regional and super-regional rounds and they let us into their world as Division I baseball players.

Monday evening and our victory over Stanford will go down as a memory to share with the grandkids. We sat with friends and guests of the team behind the Georgia dugout and we were amazed at the way Omaha had embraced our Bulldogs. 

It is Rosenblatt tradition to measure the support of each team before the game. The announcer came over the loudspeaker and explained the tradition before asking, "so let's hear it from our Stanford fans...". Applause and cheers scattered from around the stadium before the announcer asked for the same from the Georgia fans. 

Standing, the Georgia section around us exploded in yells and applause. Suddenly, however, our noise merely served as motivation for the baseball fans who chose Georgia as their team for the evening. Several players told us after the game that they would remember that moment for the rest of their careers.

--before going on further I should explain that our matchup with Miami won the hearts and support of Nebraska fans in the stadium. One yearly visitor to Rosenblatt stated it best when he told me, "we don't really hate Miami...we just want them to lose every time they take the field." Alex and I joked about football rivalries and how they never died. This fact played out in our favor in Omaha.

We as Georgia fans now sit back in Athens with our Diamond Dawgs in the drivers seat. They are 2-0 with fresh bodies for their Friday evening matchup against the winner of the Miami/Stanford game Wednesday night. The way our pitchers are throwing and our bats seem to hit at opportune times, it will be a challenge for either of those teams to beat us the necessary two times in order to send us packing.

I'll leave you with two challenges:

1. Make it to Omaha for the CWS once in your life whether UGA is playing or not.

2. Tune in (in person or on TV/Radio broadcasts) Friday to see this team in action. They truly are making a magical run.

Above are some photos I took throughout the trip. There will be more to come later in the week but these are the only ones on my computer at the moment. 

Go Dawgs!

As the Counting Crows put it...

Omaha! Somewhere in middle America...

I'm headed out to the CWS in the early morning Friday in my effort to push the Diamond Dawgs onto a championship before my days as an undergrad are over in a few weeks. A friend and I will be meeting DallasDawg out there for what is sure to be an amazing experience--win or lose. 

Keep our blog close as we will hopefully be updating ya'll on our excursion all weekend long. If not, I'll be back Tuesday with a full recap...

Here's to big steaks, too many corn fields and a Bulldog national title. 

If Only We Had the Weekend On Tape...

As everyone should know by now, the Georgia Baseball team advanced to the College World Series in Omaha Sunday afternoon with a 17-8 victory over the North Carolina State Wolfpack. 

What you may not know is the story from my end. John Kaltefleiter and Chip Towers (of the Athens Banner-Herald and the AJC, respectively) did their best to summarize our antics on Kudzu Hill and we appreciate their efforts.

It should go without saying that the past two weekends combined to become perhaps my favorite memory as an undergraduate student at UGA. The madness that was the party in my backyard will forever mark my time in Athens and we owe the team, the fans, the administration and probably the police for all of their support these past few weeks.

We're working on our plans to Omaha right now so hopefully we'll see you out there for a Bulldog run to the title...

Go Dawgs!

Oh, That Other Stuff...

Amidst all the excitement from the baseball team's playoff dominance, several things slipped my attention. Until now.

For one, our star fullback Brannan Southerland will miss 16 weeks after he underwent surgery on his ailing ankle. The stress fracture didn't respond well to the initial process, and he had no choice but to be subdued under the knife again. The way I see it, we should be just fine. With the exception of Carolina, our first four games (within the 16 weeks) are against teams that Shaun Chapas and Fred Munzenmaier should be able to handle. Munzenmaier will be suspended for the first two, but Chapas has proven he can handle the offense enough to cover Georgia Southern and Central Michigan, not to mention run a little bit of it as well. Munzenmaier will bring size when he comes back for the South Carolina game and should be able to contribute. So, while I am concerned about Southerland, I am optimistic that we'll be just fine. Perhaps Bobo's revamped offense will stress less on power and more on speed and redirection, so we may not need to worry at all. But come the Alabama and Tennessee games, Southerland better be back. Those are going to be dogfights, and his motor, size, and experience will be needed badly.

While the impact isn't as glaringly obvious, Perno's Diamond Dogs took several blows to next season and beyond. Not only did the two-sport star Xavier Avery get yanked in the 2nd round, but the top two pitchers in the class were also selected, both by the Braves. The Bravos must have a thing for trying to take Bulldog pitchers. Georgia Sports Blog has more info on that impact and also on the hope that still remains.

Looking forward, however, there is still plenty of promise for both teams. Football should be preseason #1. Baseball should continue to roll in Omaha. The recruiting classes for both are stacking up well, and it looks as if Perno can overcome the fallacy of the MLB draft.

CWS Online

The fine folks behind the NCAA Men's College World Series have put together a very nice and very useful website as a guide for the teams and their fans. The website includes ticket info, the schedule, stadium info, things to do in and around Omaha, and the history of the great, classic event. All the info you should need is seemingly there.
Go Dawgs!

Hello, Omaha

The Dawgs stomped the Wolfpack for the second time this weekend with a 17-8 stomping in Game 3 to steal the envelope for an invite to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series. Gordon Beckham hit two homers today to tie the Georgia baseball record of 51 career homers, held by former Bulldog great Josh Morris. Congrats, Gordo, and thankfully you have the chance to crack the record for your own.

There is nothing like being in Omaha on a warm summer day to watch some great college baseball. It's been years since I've been up there to see the facilities, but I never caught a game. I know a few are working on plans to get up there, and I will be as well. This team has a legit shot as they are hitting on all cylinders, almost everyone is healthy, and the bats are smoking. This should be quite the ride.

The AJC has a few victory photos here.
Georgia Sports Blog has some Omaha 2008 merch for sale here, as well as a sharp new header.
ESPN has a pretty good blog rolling that is covering all the action nationwide here.

Go Dawgs!

Baseball Team Thanking Right Field Crew on YouTube

More Baseball Tidbits

As mentioned earlier, our very own Gordon Beckham and Joshua Fields have been selected in the first round of this year's MLB first-year draft, as they were selected 8th and 20th overall. Fields has recently been named the top closer of the year after his stunning season where he accrued 16 saves, captured the SEC all-time save lead, and pitched 56 strikeouts, not to mention his amazing 0.0 ERA streak. Beckham is looking for a trophy of is own as he awaits the final tallies of the Golden Spikes Award, similar to football's Heisman Trophy.

Silently, however, another Bulldog was chosen in the second round of the draft, 50th overall. That other Bulldog, Xavier Avery, may never even put on the "G" and run out onto Foley Field. Or Sanford Stadium, for that matter. The two-sport athlete signed his letter of intent earlier this year to play both football and baseball, a la Israel Troupe, for the Bulldogs. As good as he would have looked in the Red and Black, it appears he will be donning the orange and black for the Baltimore Orioles instead. 50th overall out of high school is too promising for a young man with a bright future to hold out on the opportunity. Sure, we all feel that a college education is key these days, but with his talents and promise, we all hope he'll do just fine.

In other news, Georgia Sports Blog has a great article on the Wolfpack and their bullpen and starting pitching rotation that sounds quite formidable. As hot as our bats are right now we will hopefully be fine, but the 'Pack should pack a punch at the mound.

DawgBone.net also has a handful of good baseball news about Gordo, Fields, Avery, and the upcoming weekend.

And remember, first pitch for the weekend series is tomorrow, Friday, at 12:00 pm. If you can't make it like me, you can catch it on ESPN. We know their presence will be known in and around Foley, but hopefully ESPN gives a shout out or two to the right field brew crew up there at the Greenhouse and Brickhouse.

Dawgs set to face the Wolfpack...

On the eve of Georgia's Super Regional matchup with the North Carolina State Wolfpack, the Diamond Dawgs should be riding high.



The team completed an impressive string of 4 wins with an 18-6 drubbing of Danny Hall and his Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Georgia's bats heated up and the team was rewarded for impressive pitching performances by Nick Montgomery, Will Harvil and Alex McCree.

As for this weekend, the Diamond Dawgs will bring their renewed confidence into a home matchup with a talented Wolfpack squad. The boys from Raleigh come in boasting an impressive pitching rotation and skilled bullpen.

However, the Dawgs should take advantage of their hot bats and their own pitching prowess to take down the 'Pack. In addition, two high profile baseballers should be playing without MLB draft pressure following Gordon Beckham's (#8 Overall ChiSox) and Joshua Fields (#20 Overall Seattle Mariners). Look for both to contribute in the continuing thrill-ride that is Georgia baseball.

We'll be providing updates and tidbits throughout the weekend and will hopefully wrap it all up with details about our trip to Omaha.

Go Dawgs!!!

Doesn't Need Words

In between the turning around to relieve myself off my great seat, on the couch jacked up on multiple stages behind the fence in right field, I got to be apart of what seemed at times to be like a Georgia football game. The only thing is that it was in my back yard at Folly Field, not a few yards down the street and in another couple of months at Stanford Stadium. I can not say enough good things about the baseball team this year and what they have given to us this spring. It was great to finally help them out when we had chance to, by blaring whatever annoying song we could find when Tech made an error or to playing the walk up songs for all the batters on our beloved team. The players coming to bow after the game was unbelievable and could not be explained, you had to be there to understand the feeling that I felt and know that others felt. We will all be there again in full force Friday at noon with, at least I know I am, skipping class to do it all over again until someone tries to stop us. Don't worry we can take a few noise violations to keep it going a little longer, even when you know who comes. So if anyone can come support are Dawgs please do, because as you can tell a start time at noon on a Friday is awful for fans, but thats not going to stop us.
Go Dawgs!!!

Sorry, Mikey, but...

... Athens is hosting a night game. Ha. I'm sure ole Mr. Adams loves this one. ESPN has confirmed to the Athens Banner Herald that the network has chosen the Alabama Crimson Tide @ Georgia Bulldogs game slated for September 27 th at Sanford Stadium. And with the selection comes a 7:30 pm kickoff time that excites everyone, except for, of course, the prez.

How can you not like a night game when everyone is that much more drunk? Aren't the fans more rowdy and loud? Doesn't it make for a better atmosphere? Oh wait, who am I kidding. Of course it doesn't...

Well anyway, with the Tennessee Volunteers game still to schedule, perhaps we can have TWO games after 1:00. Hey, I'm all for a racoon-eyes sunburn, but let's be serious. With the promise of this year's team, I wouldn't be surprised to see the stadium like it was last year for the Auburn game at least twice this year. But that comes at a price... a 3:30 or later kickoff time. Come on, Adams, let the kids have their fun. Sanford Stadium will be rockin' all night.

The ABH also reports that Raycom Sports, formerly Lincoln Financial Sports, has reported an upgrade to (gasp! Don't say it!) High Definition (wooooahh, preeeetttyyy), which some people are starting to dub HD (or something like that. I don't know... never heard of it).

In related news, the big whigs of the conference and each school have been holding meetings down in Destin, Florida to discuss an SEC TV network similar to that launched by the Big 10 last year. I hate the Big 1(1), but I think they finally had a good idea. An SEC network only means more televised games and matches for sports like tennis, gymnastics, golf, and baseball, the sports that don't get enough credit from ESPN and the likes. Hey, maybe even the lacrosse or hockey teams can make it...

See Also:
Georgia Sports Blog - ESPN confirms plans to televise Georgia vs. Alabama