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.