Going to Jacksonville?

I was a freshman in the fall of 2003.  My five falls in Athens (yes, it was carefully planned that way from the very beginning) were from 2003-2007.  I saw a lot of great football games.  I had some great memories, and few bitter pills.  My first true road game was the Tennessee game in 2005 where buypropertyucheedawg and I decided at 8:30 the night before on the raquetball courts in Ramsey to drive to Knoxville, not having tickets be damned.  We got free tickets from Granite’s dad eventually, and I only missed two away games the rest of my collegiate career (Kentucky 2006 and Vandy 2007). 

I loved going to Jacksonville for the Florida game.  In 2003, we stayed 18 deep in a crappy hotel in South Jacksonville.  20o4 and 20o5, I stayed with my girlfriend (future wife) who was in Valdosta.  2006 and 2007, we stayed in Jekyll.  In 2008, I was gainfully employed, and had taken a few days off to go the LSU game the week before.  I had made the tough decision that financially, I would live it up in Baton Rouge and make a fun trip to Death Valley.   Since that trip is every 5 years and Jacksonville is every year, I decided that we should be responsible and not go to both in back to back weekends.  Well, we handidly beat LSU and were in the Top 10 going to face Florida.  I called 2008 pivotal-we just whipped the Gators the year before.  We had one (ugly) loss, and so did the Gators.  If we had beaten Florida, we would have wrapped up the East.  Two top 10 teams meeting on the banks of St. John’s River was too much for me to overcome, so on the Thursday before the Cocktail Party, I bought some extremely too exspensive tickets and had a friend pick them up for me in Athens.  I don’t want to tell how much I spent per ticket, but let’s just say it was over $100.  I didn’t care; it was worth it by God. 

We know what happened in 2008. 

I was so pissed off that in 2009, I flat refused to go to Jacksonville.  I held strong.  I caught hell from others in our group for not going, and still do to this day.  It has been my only missed game, but I guess since I didn’t go and everyone else did, I won’t ever live it down.  But I was tired.  I was tired of going down there, getting excited, having a fun tailgate, spending all this money, just to be miserable on the northbound drive home on Sunday. 

I stayed at home on that  Halloween and watched a team dressed like Grambling let turnovers do them in.  I was disgusted.  I did decide last year I would go. 

Every year, I think we are going to win.    In 2005, we were going to have Shockley, and then I thought JT III would be a special “Rudy” story.  In 2006, I thought Stafford would pull an upset.  In 2008, we had momentum, star power, and something to prove after getting embarrassed by Alabama.  Last year, we both sucked so why not.  As a matter of fact, the only years I thought we didn’t stand a chance to win in Jacksonville was in 2007-I thought we were going to get killed (maybe I should be down like that every time…).

I think we can beat Muschamp and Wies.  But I am not excited about that game becuase more often than not, I am let down.

I am sure I am not the only who feels this way now, BUT to get some excitement about the 2011 Cocktail Party, I read this post by Bernie.  Then I re-read it, and read it again.  All he needs to do is throw some “Wooos” in there, and the Nature Boy would be proud.  It got me pumped up for 100 days from now, and right now I am ready to get down there and gives those damn Gators the business. 

Corbindawg

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Georgia Tech’s Arrogance Cost Them

The cover up is worst than the crime.  We heard that about Richard Nixon and Watergate, Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, and Jim Tressel and Ohio State.  Now, we see that partially in the Georgia Tech news.

How the Athletic Departments in Athens and Atlanta hanndle their business should be a text book example of what to do and what not to do if the NCAA comes calling. 

I don’t often do this, but I have to agree with Jeff Schultz on this one.  Georgia Tech must take down their ACC Championship Banner and are fined $100K.  Pretty harsh for $312, but if you think about it, it is not so bad.  No loss of scholarships, no bowl bans or anything of that nature.

But the reason they are in this mess is not becuase of the $312 worth of stuff that was or was not given.  It is they were not honest with NCAA investigators and did what the NCAA told them not to do.  The NCAA told them they had two players who they were investigating, and not to tell.  What does Tech do?  They play the aforementioned players, and tell them about it.

Look at how Georgia worked the A.J. Green situation last year.   The NCAA let UGA know about the possible infraction, and Claude Felton, Mark Richt and A.J. Green were all mum on the case.  For the UL-L game, Georgia didn’t play A.J. Green.  They hadn’t heard anything and had a choice:  take a gamble and play him, or play it safe.

Georgia Tech gambled and won short term, but eventually lost.  Like all arrogant, free wheeling gamblers, their risks caught up to them.

Corbindawg

A Disgrace To BBQ

I think this just speaks for itself. 

Corbindawg

Another Thought on The 2012 Schedule

Reading what the Senator said about the schedule, I must agree it is pure genius to put Georgia Southern the week before Tech.  I lack the desire to look it up, but Jaybo Shaw may still be playing QB there next season.  I bet you Paul Johnson wishes he still had Jaybo…

I look at the schedule and I think one thing:  EASY.  Keep in mind next season South Carolina more than likely won’t have Alshon Jeffery and definately won’t have Stephen Garcia.  Even with the addition of Alabama, there is a bye week before Florida and there are essentially two cupcake games between the South Carolina and Tennessee games.  That will give a  good bit of playing time to the reserves early in the season.  The furtherst Georgia has to travel is Kentucky, and I know Coach Richt must like that.  Georgia is looking at their easiest schedule in many years in 2012. 

Best case is that Coach Richt has a good year next year, and should have a good year again in 2012 and get some positive momentum for this program.  But say Coach Richt can’t get it done in 2011 and the team still implodes and we have to make a change.  I would rather have the 2012 UGA schedule for a first year head coach than Florida’s 2011 schedule for their first year head coach(where I think the Gators could easily stumble and lose 5 out of their last 8 games this year).    

Corbindawg

CNN’s Web Editor Needs More Coffee This Morning

Got to work a little early today, and am already one cup of coffee in.  Got up early and met a friend at Waffle House who was passing through town, so I came on into work.  I am already into my 3rd cup of coffee this moring.  Well, whoever is the editor of CNN’s website needs to drink some more.

Go to the CNN homepage.

There is a picture of recently deceased former First Lady Betty Ford, then below it a story about how Minnesota’s soon to be government shutdown will affect Miller Lite’s distribution.  Betty Ford, you know, the BETTY FORD CLINIC.  I don’t think a picture of a dude stockpiling Miller Lite for his wife below a picture of Betty Ford shows the best wisdom. 

Corbindawg

Robert Reichert For Macon Mayor

We avoid getting too political around here, but sometimes it is hard.

If you live in Macon, or know people that do, I would encourage you to ask them to vote for incumbent mayor Robert Reichert in the July 19 Deomcratic primay.  Mayor Reichert’s most serious challengers are former State Senator Robert Brown and former May C. Jack Ellis. 

As a resident of Macon since 2008, I think Mayor Reichert has done a fine job considering all the problems our town has.  He has played with a deck stacked against him, and has done as well as anyone else could do.

But even if you don’t like Mayor Reichert, look at these articles about his opponents, and you’ll get a better understanding of who else is going against him.

Robert Brown 

C. Jack Ellis

Corbindawg

Guess Who’s Back…Back Again…Tell A Friend

Summer vacations and work have kept us pretty quiet around here.  But really, there isn’t a whole lot to talk about.  No jersey sales, no players arrested.  The Braves have the 4th best record in baseball, so nothing to complain about there.  But I’m back, nice and tan from spending a week at the beach, have caught up on work stuff.  I’m ready share some thoughts on Caleb King and the Atlanta Braves:

Caleb King: Not surprised to hear that Caleb King won’t be suiting up this fall.  From what Coach Richt and Seth Emerson have said, he was a nice enough guy, and he didn’t take any parting shots on the program like some other disgruntled running back did. 

It stinks that Caleb won’t be around this fall, but as I have said many times, having Caleb King was not going to propel us to a SEC Championship, and likewise, not having him is not going to cause UGA to go 6-7 again.  Because, basically, he has done nothing in his time in Athens.  I said it a while ago, and it rings true again:

One, King is not a reliable back.  He has missed 8/24 games the last two seasons.  I am sorry, but a reliable back does not miss a third of your games over the course of two seasons.  Some the factors have been beyond his control, like injuries.  But he can control some of his off the field shenanigans. Two, King has not been very productive.  You can blame some of that on the running back by committee approach, but I contend that if he was as really good, he would be the featured back.  King had a meager 430 yards rushing and 8 yards receiving for 2 total touchdowns in 2010.  I will take out 2008 since Knowshon was the featured back, but in 2009 and 2010 King had a combined 1,024 yards and 9 rushing TDs.  That is not very impressive over the course of two seasons. 

The only person to blame here is Caleb King.  He was ineligible for the bowl game for failing to complete 6 hours…2 classes.   Surely there are 2 classes he could have taken last fall.  With the resources that are available for UGA Student Athletes, there is no excuse for this.  I had a friend that tutored football players in Rankin Smith.  There is mandatory study hall.  There is tutoring available.  There are easy majors to enroll in.  There is no excuse not to get it done.

There won’t be a veteran back to help Crowell, but that is probably OK.   The UGA offense works at its best when there is a feature back.  We won’t have to worry about much of a running back by committee approach, because there is not much of a committee.  Richt and Bobo were going to hitch their wagon to Crowell anyway, so this only helps speed along the inevitable. 

Braves:  In all fairness, in last night’s All-Star game, the American League didn’t have its full array of pitchers.   But, dadgum, the National League has some great pitching.  Phillies and Braves pitchers combined for 6.2 IP last night (and Tommy Hanson SHOULD have pitched also).  I think that sums up why those two teams are the clear class of the NL.  We should get some solace in the fact that Braves pitchers out did Phillies pitchers last night.  Check out these stats:  Jurrjens, Kimbrel and Venters-3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K, 0 R.   Halladay and Lee-3.2 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 1 R, 1 K.  Both are good, but the Braves were a little better.

As we head deeper into the dog days of summer, the Braves seem like they are poised for a run at the Phillies.  I have said all season the Braves ain’t catching up with the Phillies, but damn if they might just do it.  Both pitching staffs are awesome, and the Phillies have, on paper, the clear advantage on offense.  But don’t sleep on this Braves lineup yet. 

According to DOB, the Opening Day roster has appeared in 11 total games together.  Martin Prado is poised to come back, Chipper will be back, rested and healthy for the playoff run.  Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman and Dan Uggla are all starting to come alive offensively.  Considering the Braves went about what seemed like 2 months with a Triple-A outfield, the mere fact they have the 4^th best record in baseball is astounding.  Fredi Gonzalez should be named manager of the first half.  Great job keeping things together. 

I am of the opinion Wren should make a deal to improve our lineup.  Our guys are coming into full swing (pun intended), but offense is our clear weakness, while we have an abundance of pitching.  You can’t move Lowe due to his age and contract.  Hudson, Hanson and Jurrjens are untouchable.  I think with the young depth of Mike Minor, Julio Teheran, Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy Wren and the Braves could make a move for a solid left fielder to shore up our offense even more.  I also would not be opposed to dangling Jonny Venters out there if the price was right.  Because WHEN we met Philadelphia in the NLCS, we have the pitching to stand toe to toe with them, but runs will be at a premium. 

Corbindawg