Looking Back on Georgia Football 2012

Eight more yards and a little bit of time, down 32-28.
Miami - 676 miles from Athens, 662 miles from Atlanta -  has never seemed so close.

If not now, when? If not this team, what group of Dawgs? There are parallels to the 1980 season beyond the mere catchy ledes that sports writers dream up to sell papers and make relatives proud, there are coincidences. In the chaos of nature that is college football, there is a connection, there is logic, there will be order. Then is about to become now, again.
Then, a true freshman running back named Hershel Walker, donning the number 34. Then, a bowl victory over Notre Dame. Then, a national championship.
Now, two true freshmen running backs named Gurley and Marshall - one wearing a number 3, the other number 4 - "Gurshel," people call them. Now, Notre Dame waiting in the bowl game, in the biggest game of all. Now, another national championship.
After all the waiting, finally, it seems, a national championship for Georgia, again.

Five more yards, and it's The End, down for good.

The National Championship - 32 years since - suddenly feels father away than ever. 

You see, God, unlike men, does not play dice nor does He believe in coincidence.

So now we turn to reflect upon this season. Before the start, I laid out The Bad (8-4), The Likely (11-2, lose in the SEC Championship, and miss out on a BCS game), and The Dream (13-0, beating Alabama to win the SEC, earning a trip to Miami).
I'd like to give myself an A+, but I can't. You see, I said then that we could win it all because we matched up better against Bama than LSU. While we'll never know if I was right about that (the ole dreaded counter-factual), we do know one hard truth. As good as we matched up against Bama, it wasn't good enough.
As it was, I give myself a B+.

At the end of the day, the disappointing tinge of the end cannot darken the fact that this season was an overwhelming success. Aside from the obligatory loss to the Ole Ball Coach (less of a loss, more of a whoopin), the Dawgs played most of the season with a top 6 ranking, nearly all of it with dreams of Atlanta alive, and the last few games with Miami in their sights. In other words, they had their fate in their own hands, breaking dawn til waning dusk Sunday through Friday, for three hours under the bright lights of Saturday when boys are asked to be men and victory depends upon it. That's called pressure, brother.
We dealt with significant suspensions, with unfortunate injuries, and overcame the Carolina loss, if not immediately, but ultimately.
We beat Florida. A damn good Florida team.
We destroyed Auburn and Georgia Tech.
We played one helluva game against Alabama, a team that is not only better than us (if only by a hairsbreadth) but also the best team in the country. And we took them to the brink.

There will soon come a time to look ahead to the future. What the offense will be capable of, whether Murray goes pro or not. What the defense will look like when Jarvis, Tree, Big John, Rambo, and Commings do go to the next level, as they damn well deserve to. But that time is not now.

For now, it's time to get ready for Nebraska.
A 12 win season would be special. Richt had a 13 win season in his second fall in Athens, but he hasn't broken 11 wins since.

Go Dawgs!

Georgia Bulldogs - 2012 Season Prediction

Like a junkie with no plans of rehabilitation and overcome with need to start tweaking again, we've been waiting for the fix only that only the first day in September can provide.

College football. It's. Almost. Here.

And here, we're going to talk about Georgia football. More specifically, I'm going to do a little breakdown of the team, the schedule, the hopes and dreams, the fears and frustrations, and cap it off with a grandiose prediction. Last year, my foresight was basically spot on. It was, admittedly, slightly optimistic, but I aim to adjust for said excitement and fandom, see above and above.

I'm going to break this into three sections. Yes, I'm channeling the Trinity here. God may not be a Dawgs fan. I don't know if He is or isn't. I've never asked. But, I don't see the harm in asking for a little help.

1. Thoughts about the 2012 Team

Any discussion about Georgia must start with the defense and, more specifically, the front seven. J. Jones,  Jenkins, Geathers, Washington, A. Jones, and Tree all return. Last year, the front seven was, in my opinion, the primary reason for our success. Championship caliber teams are comprised of many qualities, and while some are more necessary than others, an elite defensive pass rush is the only common denominator. As long as #29 is on the field, I won't be worried.

Unsurprisingly, the state of affairs on the offensive side of the ball is again colored by anxiety, scuttlebutt, and the unknown.
Can the offensive line stay healthy? What are we to make of Bobo's statements that the offense will be WR-oriented? How potent will the run game be, helmed by a group of backups-become-starters and highly touted true freshmen?
For me, the question isn't whether the offense will be able to put up points. For the past few years it has, on average, been pretty electric. The true question is whether we will be able to be effective in the big game against a big time defense. Will we be able to execute?

If history is any indicator, Aaron Murray will have a huge year. He will be a third-year starter, with two years of steady improvement, with ample weapons around him, without any doubt that he our QB and our team leader.

2. Dangerous Games

Like 2011, the schedule is about as friendly as any Dawg fan could ever hope. No Bama, LSU, or Arkansas. Auburn and Tennessee are still rebuilding. Florida, in my opinion, will not be as dangerous as many pundits have prognosticated. Yes, their defense will be fast and talented. But, I see no support for the suggestion that the offense will be any better than it was last year. New offensive scheme, no Demps, no Rainey, and no established quarterback. Unfortunately, that game will still be played on Halloween weekend in Jacksonville. For some inexplicable reason, that game is always a death match prelude to a bitter, coin-flip end. I have no other explanation aside from the horrifying and the occult -- things go bump in the night. No one will be surprised if the game is ultimately decided by some combination of a controversial call, a fluky special teams play, and an unheralded hero.

It is not hard to foresee where the rubber will meet the road. The dates with Missouri and South Carolina are the most dangerous. On paper, I'm less concerned by Mizzou than the Old Ball Coach, but we are perennial slow starters, and we visit the Tigers in Week 2.
The irony cannot be missed. Historically, our trip to Columbia, South Carolina has resulted in defeat and despair. This year, we get Carolina in October, but we'll still be on the road, in Week 2, in a town called Columbia. Now you understand my shameless overture towards the Man upstairs. A loss to Missouri, an inferior team in almost every category, would be devastating. This game is not dangerous because we may lose, it is dangerous because what a loss to lesser team would do to our confidence.
I won't spill too many words over the South Carolina game because every true Dawg fan knows the history, the scene, and the stakes. Should we enter that game undefeated, should we battle a Carolina team at full strength, and should we emerge victorious, an SEC Championship and a trip to the biggest game of all is not unlikely.

3. Oh, Crystal Ball, What Say Ye?

I like the way I did this last year, so let's not fix somethin that ain't broke. The Bad, the Likely, the Dream ...

The Bad:

For the thirty-seventh time, we start the season slow. Missouri torches our suspension-riddle secondary for 21 points in the first half and we start 1-1.
Bobo, who has waited his whole professional life for a season when the running game and tight ends are unproven, tragically attempts to recreate the Spurrier Florida teams that torched his Dawgs teams when he was an unheralded QB throwing weak 15-yard outs. We're unbalanced on offense all season, never develop Marshall or Gurley, and perpetually give the defense short fields.
Throw in a few injuries along the lines, and we finish 8-4, with losses to Missouri, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Georgia Tech.

The Likely:

We have a stronger season than last year, one that proves the program is continuing to move in the right direction. But, the detractors who pointed out the uncomfortable fact that the 10-4 2011 team lost to the four best teams it played against are proven prescient.
The defense produces another top 5 season, Murray puts up great numbers, and the young RBs show glimpses of a bright future. Perhaps more importantly, having cut the fat, we avoid off-the-field distractions and team chemistry gets back to 2008 levels.
But, special teams play costs us a game and we get out-coached in a prime time showdown against Spurrier, who continues to play chess while Richt plays checkers.
We finish 11-1, and win the East by virtue of Carolina's two loses to LSU and Arkansas. We play hard in the SEC Championship game and are close in the third quarter, but lose for the second time to LSU.
With a loss in our last game of the regular season, we miss out on a BCS at-large bid.

The Dream:

The rumors coming out of fall camp about the defense prove to be modest appraisals. In his third year, Grantham finally feels comfortable enough to break out his NFL-style exotic coverages that will give college QBs migraines. Mitchell blossoms in his two-way role. Jarvis Jones is the most disruptive defensive player in the nation.
Murray, who by accounts worked harder than any player on the team in the offseason, absolutely explodes and earns a trip to the Heisman ceremony. The passing game is so potent that even Bobo's allergic nature toward the running game can't stop Marshall and Gurley from churning up chunks of yards on the ground because defenses are on their heels.
The fruits of the previous two recruiting classes are harvested between the hedges, before 92,000 eyes. On the two-deep, we are faster and more talented than every team we meet in the regular season, South Carolina included.
A combination of Grantham, his insatiable intensity and single-mindedness for success, and the embarrassment of losing the last two games last season rubs off on Richt to embrace a higher level of preparation, and we are not out-coahced in any game.

Now, this next part is important. Who we meet in Atlanta matters. Matchups matter.
We can't beat LSU. Their defensive line and secondary are too good. Am I really supposed to believe Bobo can out-scheme Chavis? It ain't gonna happen. Will it be a close game? Yes. But remember one simple fact. Last year, LSU's offense was actually quite putrid. But our offense was rendered so ineffective by the second quarter, the defense died a slow, exhausted, painful death. This year? LSU will field a better offense.
We can beat Alabama because we matchup well against them. Saban is the best coach in the nation, but  his model is not great because it is complicated, it is great when his defense is seasoned and impenetrable. The '12 Bama team will be better than the '11 team, but the weakness is the same -- a supremely talent but young and untested defense. Simply put, while our defensive line isn't better than Bama's O-line, our defensive is better than Bama's offense. And therein lies the rub. Bama's offense will be better than it's defense, and our best unit (our defense) is better than Bama's best unit. The same can't be said for us against LSU.
Will it be a knife fight? Of course. Saban will not go quietly into the night. But if we arrive in Atlanta at 12-0, I think we beat Bama -- even if they are 12-0 too.
You see, we actually have the blueprint for beating Bama. As much as I was once on the LSU bandwagon last year, the Tiger's win in Tuscaloosa was actually a fluke. Bama was the better team. That's easy to say now because Miles has adopted the same model as Saban. And because Saban generally fields slightly more talented teams than Miles does, and because Saban is a better coach than Miles, reason stands that Saban will beat Miles when it matters most. And he has.
Georgia, on the other hand, employs the one model that can beat Saban's. Georgia, by virtue of it's aggressive offensive scheme, is more balanced than Bama's clearly defense-above-offense scheme. Every few years, two of the last three to be exact, Bama fields a defense that simply will not concede more than 10 points a game. I can confidently say that Saban will not have such a defense this year.
For that reason, should we meet the Crimson Tide in December, I believe we will win because we will be the better team.

THE PREDICTION:

I promised that I would temper my optimism, and so I feel resigned to lean more towards the "Likely" than the "Dream." Without question, a championship season turns on a thousand moments when a play is made, a penalty is or isn't called, or an injury doesn't happen more than anything that has to do with X's and O's.
Does Georgia have a championship caliber team? It isn't a hard "yes," but it's still a "yes."
Essentially, the odds that we make it back to Atlanta are quite strong, but calling for a win after the pigskin is kicked off in the Georgia Dome is hard to guarantee.
I think we'll be there. Where we'll be three hours later is harder to say.
But, that's why they play the game.

GO DAWGS!!!!

Why I Think Georgia Could Win It All

Well it's early June, and where the hell is college football? How much longer do we have to wait? On second thought, don't show me the days count down. Don't do it! It will only make the dog days of summer stretch farther out in my mind.

I know no better way to scratch that itch than to start fathoming fantastic scenarios in which my beloved Georgia Bulldogs meet and exceed all expectations, win the tight ones, smite our rivals, shower in confetti in Atlanta, and bring home the crystal. Accordingly, here are a few reasons why I think (not predict or promise, mind you) that Georgia could win it all this year ...

1) The Schedule
Oh the schedule. If there was any doubt that God is a Georgia fan, surely this has put all arguments to rest. No Bama, no LSU, and no Arkansas. True, we do travel to Columbia and the Loveliest Village on the Plains, but I'm not biting my nails over either. While Carolina always fades as the season progresses, I take heart in the knowledge that we no longer play them on that Godforsaken, voodoo doctor cursed second Saturday. Someone somewhere must have sacrificed a fearless and tyrannical rooster as payment to the football gods so that they would smile brightly upon the Carolina Chickens each time they played us. But that evil is no more. And as for Auburn, I like who they bring back and I like the coaching changes, but the results won't be instant. (See Florida, last year)

2) Aaron Murray, Our Fearless 3rd Year Leader
Historically, talented third year QBs have had huge years that showed not only in the box score but also in wins. Statistically speaking, Murray had a record-breaking year for Georgia last year in a few regards. No, he hasn't won more games than David Greene, and no, he didn't win an SEC Championship or better. But as a true sophomore, he put up some eye-opening numbers especially when you consider he doesn't man one of those new-fangled, video game spread offenses.
All that is great, but here is what I care about. He increased his TDs and reduced his INTs. He improved as a decision maker, and he proved to be very tough and durable. He did this with a relatively new crop of receivers, a group which he will now feel more comfortable with.
Yes, he'll miss Ben Jones. But Murray established himself as a leader, and he should have his best year yet this fall. If that happens, Georgia will be dangerous on offense.

3) The SEC East is Still Down
Where have we heard this before? It's basically Georgia and South Carolina, and once again, I think whoever wins that game will have the inside track to Atlanta. Some people have picked Florida to win the East. With all do respect, I think those people have early onset dementia. Florida will be better, but they will not improve enough on offense to scare the Dawgs or the Gamecocks. Vanderbilt will be better, but Grantham has circled that game on the calendar. No way Georgia loses to the petulant Franklin. Tennessee could win 9 games or 6. I'd say the safer bet is closer to 6, probably 7 wins for Smokey and his blown ACL. And, as stated above, Georgia gets the Old Ball Coach in October. By then, the habitually slow starting Dawgs will be hitting all cylinders like a stock car at Talladega, and the OLB and his crew of Gamecocks will be slowly imploding. (See http://tinyurl.com/7ev7u6f )


4) Year 2 of New Conditioning
This doesn't require much explanation. Georgia fans know that the Dawgs were beaten in the 4th quarter time and again in 2009 and 2010. But in the offseason last year, we overhauled our Strength & Conditioning program and the on-field transformation was like watching a prize-fighter take the weights out of his gloves. We were faster and stronger, and were both of those things when it mattered most -- late in games. If the improvement continues, Georgia should be one of the best conditioned teams in the country.

5) The Defense
I hope you made it this far with me, because here is where the rubber meets the road. This should be an easy one. The 5th ranked defense returns 10 starters and the best defensive player in the country. Unfortunately, there is more to the story. Our secondary has been ravaged by suspensions due to arrests off-the-field issues during the off season. (NOTE: this is a important issue going forward as Georgia is notorious for being its own biggest enemy)
While the loss of Commings, Smith, Rambo, and Olgetree - some for multiple games - is a serious cause for concern, therein lies the rub. And, I think, this is the key to why Georgia could win the SEC and the National Championship.
Last year, we had a premier defense in only Grantham's second year at the helm. And I think we were great for, if I can be simplistic, two reasons: 1) our front 7, lead by Jarvis Jones, was beastly; and 2) Shawn Williams.
First, I'll address the latter. Williams did not receive the accolades that Jones, Rambo, or Brandon Boykin rightly had bestowed upon them. But, my untrained eyes told me that he was the on-field emotional leader and, in some respects, most indispensable player. Williams' maturity cannot be measured in the box score. He consistently got the secondary in proper alignment and always seemed to make a play that woke the defense up. As long as Williams is on the field, I'm confident.
But, truth be told, the front 7 is really what made the 2011 defense great. Many prognosticators are concerned about how our young secondary will fare while the aforementioned veterans are watching form the sideline. I think this handwringing is overblown.
In the regular season, only two teams managed to pass for more than 250 yards against Georgia. Boise went for 261 and Tennessee went for 290. Tennessee was an odd game, and since it was never in question, I'll only look at Boise.
It was the first game of the season, and the defense's worst performance of the regular season. The key observation is that Boise was successful with the pass because they utilized a quick, short passing game to neutralize our pass rush. In other words, the only team that hurt us with the pass didn't do so by picking on our secondary, but by taking our front 7 out of the game. For that reason, I don't share the concern of others that our defense will be a shell of itself while Commings, Rambo, and Smith are suspended.
Now, that begs the question. Is there any team early on that can replicate Boise's short passing game plan? I hate to admit it, but Missouri is such a team. I think that if Georgia can beat Missouri, we'll roll into Atlanta undefeated and substantially less beat up than a Bama or LSU. And yet, of all the games on our schedule, I fear Missouri the most. A win in Columbia would make our season, and a lose could break it.
If I were impartial, I'd still pick Georgia. Mizzou will surely be amped for its first SEC game, but Georgia is both an athletically superior team and one more accustomed to big games.
Beat Missouri, and I think Georgia could win it all.

Change Knows No Bonds

Did Biden let his famously loose tongue run a bit too far? Was this announcement planned weeks ago? Was it a reaction to the passage of an amendment in North Carolina the night before? I don’t think anyone outside of Obama’s inner circle knows the whole truth. I know as little as anyone, but if I had to wager, I’d say this was coming the whole time. Maybe not quite like this, but in some form, sure enough. Let me get through a couple thoughts here.

First, I couldn’t be happier with Obama’s change, or, as he called it, his evolution. Personally, I am in strong favor of same sex marriage. I am a Christian, and I understand the sanctity of marriage. I am also a law student and an amateur historian, and so I am aware of legal implications and the legal nature of the institution of marriage. Marriage carries with it unique rights. It also has, for hundreds of years now, been primarily a vehicle for determining and classifying property rights. If you know what a dowry or an arranged marriage is, then you understand. If you don’t, then all that is required is to observe a divorce, the dividing of assets, and the determination of alimony. Marriage has many faces, but one is certainly about property and legal rights.

But more than those things, I am a human being who has been lucky enough to feel the elusive and indescribable magic of falling in love with another human being who also fell in love with me. I will not address the overwhelming scientific evidence supporting the proposition that homosexuality is just as authentic as heterosexuality. I will not address that because it cheapens, in such a grotesque manner, what is truly meaningful here. If it were up to me, I would dispense with the terms “heterosexuals” and “homosexuals” in a social context.

These are matters of the heart, this is what it means to be human. More than anything, this discussion is about love. We should celebrate love for another person, and end the discussion there.

Obama hinted that his evolution was caused, in part, by coming into contact with friends and colleagues who are gay, and that this experience changed his views. I suspect that many Americans have their views of same sex marriage changed in this way. But for me, this was not the case. I already leaned in favor of same sex marriage well before I grew to know a gay friend, and certainly my friendship with him only reaffirmed my inclination. I don’t believe this makes me special because I suspect that many people in my generation followed a similar path.

I support same sex marriage because I know – not believe – that people in same sex relationships choose their partners because they they love that person, and there really isn't much else worth considering. Love, it seems to me, is the best of things. And I’ll be damned if I give up my faith in love.

I couldn’t be prouder of this man who is our President, an office that often requires tip-toeing and self-compromise. His integrity and sincere thoughtfulness is as refreshing as a warm spring breeze after a hard winter.  A successful presidency requires courage, and this we know Obama has. But it does not necessarily require compassion and humility, and that is exactly what also filled his decision to support same sex marriage.

Before I get to my last thought, I want to note something about the politics of Obama’s support of same sex marriage.
This certainly wasn't a modification of policy in response to popular opinion. With the passage of the anti-same sex marriage amendment, North Carolina joined more than 30 states that already have similar amendments in their constitutions. It is clear that the majority of voters in many states are opposed to same sex marriage. And one more thing -- North Carolina is a swing state.

I don’t see this as a move to energize his base. We know from 2008 that Obama’s ability to inspire and rally his supporters is rare, even among politicians. And if the mounds of C4 that was the GOP primary didn’t light a fire under progressives, then I don’t know what will. No, I think this was Obama showing the bravery his possesses when he makes his mind up that he knows where the country should go even if it isn’t ready to go there. This is him opposing the Iraq War when everyone in both parties were supporting it and with the knowledge that he had plans to seek the presidency soon.

Obama’s announcement was him remembering what it feels like to be those things he talked about in 2008 – hope and change. I know people are jaded of that. Even Obama admitted that he probably underestimated how Washington (really, the disgustingly obstinate GOP) could rain on bright parades. But I think this was him saying, “Alright, this is what we should do. Maybe the nation is ready for it, and maybe it isn’t. Either way, it’s time to let the chips fall where they may.”

There is one last benchmark, which Obama pressed firmly into the stone and must be acknowledged.

Once again, the American Left has made a courageous and moral stand for civil rights. In the 20^th century, it is inarguable that the American Left did more to progress the cause of civil rights than any other political movement or group either in the United States or abroad. The list is staggering: equal rights for women seen in the the movements in the 20s and 30s, and later in the 50s and 60s; the opposition to an unjust war in Vietnam; and the Civil Rights movement. And now, a Democratic president becomes the first in the history of that office to openly support same sex marriage. Over the span of a century, the specter of chance or happenstance has passed. I will not compare and contrast. I will simply observe.

Jefferson wrote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal …” 

Dawgs in 2012 - Pt 1

Near about this time last year, I started writing about the upcoming Georgia football season every week or so.
(A personal aside: I wrote those posts during the blasé of the months leading up to exams. Currently, my first exam - Evidence - is less than 48 hours away - so what the hell am I thinking?! I'm wasting time! I don't fully understand the hearsay exemptions as they apply to the Federal Rules of Evidence, compared and contrasted to the Florida Evidence Code. Did I mention that my professor freaking wrote the Florida Evidence Code?!? I'm hyperventilating. I am not breathing any more. The screen is becoming foggy. I'm passing out now. Losing. Consciousness. ....)

Ah, what the hell? I have a summer job. Who cares about exams!?! (I do. My heartbeat. It quickens.)

Well, let's get on with it then. Time to cut to the chase.
Preseason top 5 ranking? Check.
Seemingly half the defensive starters suspended for one or, up to, four games? Oh dear Lord. Let's revisit that last question.
Preseason top 5 ranking? Surprisingly, I'm not that scared after all. Let us examine a few things, briefly.
First four opponents: Buffalo, Missouri, Florida Atlantic, and Tennessee. All are in Athens except Missouri.

Buffalo and Florida Atlantic? I'm convinced we'll win going away even if my buddy Bryan Owens and I get a couple snaps at quarterback and wide receiver. Bryan, just throw it up, baby. I'll go get it!

Though I like Derek Dooley and his penchant for using World War II references to illustrate his hilariously bizarre comments before the reputable local sports writers of Knoxville, I say with certainly that Tennessee is a dumpster fire. And when one looks at Tennessee's putrid defense and the reputation their big name players have for running of coaches, there's already more than one person of interest in Knoxville standing at the ready will a can full of gasoline.
"When should we pure out every last drop on this disaster? Just say the word."

So that means we're good to go, right? [Hears voices in head]
Missouri? Oh.
The Mizzura freaking Tigers.
Some people ignore fate. Others mock it. They are fools.
The great thing about our schedule is that we get South Carolina in October instead in early September, instead of our first SEC game, instead of our first SEC East game. And though Georgia fans are not misguided to celebrate the notion of facing the Old Ball Coach in week 8 when the Dawgs are usually playing good football and Carolina is usually falling apart instead of in week 2 when we've yet to show up and the Gamecocks look like a top 10 team, we can't start shooting off the fireworks yet.
Missouri will be ready for us. I have a sneaky feeling that Missouri is ready for us now.
It will be Mizzou's first SEC game, and they'll be more than willing to take the chance to scrap in directly on home turf. Bryan Owens, Chris Carter, and I have been there. It ain't Tuscaloosa, but golly damnit, they have statues of tigers! Midwesterners are nice people, so you know a bronze feline surrounded by fountains is Mizzura-speak for "we've drawn the line, cross at your own peril!"
Don't be me wrong. Columbia isn't Baton Rouge, and The Zoo isn't Jordan-Hare, but we'll have to swallow a bitter pill if we think all is required of us is getting off the bus. I won't go into X's and O's other than stating that I believe - even without Rambo, Tree, Commings, and Smith - that we are the better team. I suppose it's debatable, but I'll save the in-depth analysis for August.

The Land of Opportunity

A few days ago, President Barack Obama gave a speech that could, possibly, maybe, (hopefully) signal a change of course for our nation. He spoke in Osawatomie, which is a town in Kansas, which is a state that should vote Democrat in every national election, but always votes Republican instead. If you haven't read or skimmed Thomas Frank's book, "What's the Matter with Kansas?," you should. In brief, it describes the irrationality of a state that continually votes for a party that champions intangible and unfulfilled social-religious issues all the while quietly executing economic policies adverse to the middle-class citizens that comprise a majority of Kansans. It asks a simple question: Why has Kansas allowed the Boogeyman to be scare it away from supporting the party that most supports it? Of course, the former is the GOP, and the latter is the Democratic Party. But enough to that.

Obama referenced Teddy Roosevelt often. You remember TR, don't you? One of the greatest Republican presidents in history, right? Well, here is something TR once said:

"The essence of any struggle for healthy liberty has always been, and must always be, to take from some one man or class of men the right to enjoy power, or wealth, or position, or immunity, which has not been earned by service to his or their fellows. That is what you fought for in the Civil War, and that is what we strive for now... We grudge no man a fortune in civil life if it is honorably obtained and well used. It is not even enough that it should have been gained without doing damage to the community. We should permit it to be gained only so long as the gaining represents benefit to the community.
This, I know, implies a policy of a far more active governmental interference with social and economic conditions in this country than we have yet had, but I think we have got to face the fact that such an increase in governmental control is now necessary."

Obama has never even dared stick his little pinky toe out to the degree that TR demanded wealthy Americans make their own cause - for moral, ethical, and patriotic reasons. And current republicans call Obama a socialist! (Of course, anyone who calls Obama a socialist is a either a liar or a complete imbecile. During Obama's presidency, corporate profits have doubled, more than 500,000 government employees have been laid off, and he has ended two wars. For those still not understanding, that is the complete freaking opposite of socialism. Stop talking. Read a book. Speak when spoken to, and better yet, maybe not even then. Better for others to suspect that you are a moron, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.)

Now, to my point.
Obama spoke about the gross economic inequality that has come to define our citizens' well-being first, the future of our nation second, and the state of our politics third. His speech marks an important point in our nation's trajectory. Presidents don't give speeches for no reason, and especially so on the eve of an election year. By making a major speech on economic inequality, Obama signaled his intentions to campaign for reelection on a platform that endeavors to implement policies that create a tide that raises all boats. In contrast, for two months the GOP supported Herman Cain, a man that told the poor and disadvantaged that they have no one to blame but themselves. This in the age of corporate profits numbering in the billions while unemployment pushes 10%, when unemployment benefits and education spending is being slashed-and-burned like an amazon forest, when the 1% control the pursestrings of Congress, and the 99% vote for no reason.

And that is what I want to talk about. I've written often about the economic inequality that has spread like wildfire over the past 30 years. Middle class income has stagnated, lower class income has decreased, wealth has been localized in the top 5%. At no point since WWII has the top 5% held more wealth more than it does now, and that divergence expands every year, every month, every day. Yes, we live in a land of Armani-suit-wearing robber barons. But I want to take you a step further.

As I see it, while our economic inequality is reason enough to tear down the system and rebuild it anew, economic inequality is not the worse crime. No, the greater crime against this nation is the destruction of opportunity. Opportunity inequality is what infuriates me the most. That is what this is really about.
I am a Christian, a progressive, a realist, a hard worker, a pragmatist, an independent person, and a liberal. I don't believe in a hand-out, but I do believe in a hand-up. I am perfectly fine with not achieving the earning power of others, even if some of them did less than me to earn it, and only benefitted from a better starting point in society. As a realist, I accept that without argument.
But what I do object to is the lack of opportunity that I sometimes feel, and millions of other Americans know to be a cold hard fact. They myth of America encapsulated many things, but one of the most enduring was the promise of unbridled opportunity.
They story went like this, "Here is where you can do whatever you want. Here, hard work and persistence is all that is required. Here, you can make all your dreams come true."
Make no mistake. This type of thinking wasn't created in some Walt Disney studio. Historians across generations have reaffirmed American exceptionalism.
We can save Europe. Twice.
We can overcome discrimination of gender and race.
We can elect a dirt farmer from Georgia for president.
We can have a high school dropout and two college dropouts start the personal computer revolution.
We can elect an actor from California for president.
We can create a robust middle class, for which a home, a family car, and college educations for our children do not push us to the verge of insolvency.
We can have another college dropout ignite the flame that spread social media to every corner of the world. The revolutionaries in Egypt used Twitter and Facebook to communicate. What started as a simple, online-social-experience ultimately helped brave men and women topple a tyrant.
These are the things we are capable of.

But now, for the first time since FDR told us that there is nothing to fear but fear itself, this American exceptionalism, this Land or Opportunity is decidedly a myth. No longer does simple hard work, persistence, and kindness to others, guarantee life worthy of the blood and sweat that was offered as payment.
I am twisted up into a knot by such a reality. But I cannot ignore it, because I am a realist.
I see that the obstacles between where people like me are, and where we want to be, are taller than they have been in 80 years.
Such unchecked Difficulties are the knives at Opportunity's side.
The recognition of these obstacles is incompatible with the American Dream.

Who Will Reign Supreme in 2011: Review A

Welcome back to best college football blog that no one knows about! It's the last week of September, and that means a few things. For most of the country, Fall has returned. ALL OF YOU CAN GO TO HELL!!! It was 92 degrees in Tallahassee today, and my personal rebellion of wearing jeans because that's-what-I should-be able-to-do has done nothing to bring about cooler temperatures, and has most likely contributed to a few unfortunate, less-than-adequate deodorant days. It also means most teams have played four games, and at least one being against a conference opponent, which means we have a legitimate sample size to review how my predictions are holding up. Away we go ...

1. Alabama (Conference Champion)
-- No issues here. Currently #2 in both polls, and all appears to be well in Tuscaloosa. The defense - specifically, the secondary and linebackers - is scarier that The Blair Witch Project for opposing offenses. A solid win over Arkansas, albeit at home, confirms that this Bama team is as advertised, i.e. a favorite to win the National Championship.

2. Oklahoma (Conference Champion)
-- The preseason #1 finds itself at #3 this week, and largely through no fault of its own. The Sooners beat then #5 FSU in Tallahassee, which stands as the only win against a top 5 team this season. But that win was mitigated by the early departure of EJ Manuel, and the fact that FSU still took the game to the wire. While it may have mostly been a case of a talented, resilient FSU team that refused to go quietly into the night, Oklahoma has dropped to #3 in large part due to the dominance of LSU and Alabama. CAVEAT: the last time a preseason #1 got demoted early on without losing a game was Georgia in 2009. And while Oklahoma is in much better physical shape than that injury-riddled Georgia team that ultimately finished with 3 loses, there are still similarities. The most important being this -- no one is saying Oklahoma isn't a very good team, but people are pretty sure there are two teams that are clearly better.

3. FSU (Conference Champion)
-- The phrase "snake bitten" comes to mind. We'll never know if FSU would have beaten Oklahoma had EJ Manuel not been knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury, but the Seminoles, with a RS Freshman QB playing in his first college football game, forced Oklahoma to win the game. FSU then caught a hot and supremely confident Clemson team in Death Valley, fresh off snapping Auburn's 17 game winning streak. And still, FSU took it to the final snap, only losing by 5. The heart of this young team is clear, and these trials of adversity will pay dividends later down the road. But the loss of Manuel, FSU's quarterback and recognized team leader, cannot be overstated.

4. LSU
-- It's Les Miles crazy dream, and we're just living in it. LSU currently sits atop the mountain, and rightly so. The Tigers have beaten 3 ranked teams in resounding fashion, all in the FIRST FOUR GAMES OF THE SEASON. The defense is poetry in motion, a wild spirit of precision and destruction that can only be observed, never tamed. But many words have been written about LSU's defensive prowess. Instead, I'll direct you to my original Top 10 prediction post (which had LSU at #1) and then my revision (which had LSU at #4). I dropped the Tigers SOLELY because Miles had made the incredulous decision to stick with Jordan Jefferson at QB, something I simply didn't expect. But outside forces did Miles a favor when Jefferson was arrested for allegedly kicking a man outside of a bar. That is not meant to lessen the seriousness of Jefferson's current situation, or to poke fun at it. It is simply to recognize that the emergence of Jarrett Lee has represented a substantial improvement at QB, and questions at that position coming into this season is the ONLY reason why I didn't have LSU at #1.

5. Nebraska (Conference Champion)
-- An unknown quantity in this bunch, a team that hasn't faced a true test thus far. Nonetheless, the results up to this point have been a few degrees less than barn storming. Accordingly, Nebraska has crept up the rankings, and currently sits at #8. Wisconsin awaits in 6 days time.

6. Oregon (Conference Champion)
-- Despite being manhandled by LSU to the tune of 40-27 on a neutral site, the Ducks fell too far down in the polls. They've made it back to #9 on the strength of a few Oregon-like offensive explosions against PAC 12 foes. Considering the state of chaos in the PAC 12, and Stanford's recent rash of devastating injuries, a conference championship and top 8 finish is still very much in the cards for the Ducks.

7. Virginia Tech
-- See, Nebraska. We'll know more after Clemson leaves Blacksburg.

8. Notre Dame
-- Strike one! Big swing and miss here. I admit it. It isn't an important question for the purposes of this particular discussion, but I must ask it: is Notre Dame simply a work in progress, was Brian Kelly oversold, or has Notre Dame - as a football institution - fallen too far behind the times?

9. Boise St. (Conference Champion)
-- The Broncos currently sit at #4, and Peterson's and Moore's stock has never been higher. I admit it, I initially slated Boise at #9 because I thought my Dawgs would beat the Broncos in week 1. My heart talked louder than my head. So I will make amends. The Broncos will go undefeated this year, and they'll finish top 4 at the very worst.

10. Texas A&M
-- I couldn't really decide between A&M, Oklahoma St, Wisconsin, and South Carolina as to who should slide into the final spot in my Top 10. I thought each of the four were due for a minimum of two loses, and I believed that A&M wouldn't lose against bad teams and wound manage to beat some very good ones, meaning they would finish at #10. They very well may still land at #10. The Aggies lost to a very good, and a very emotional Oklahoma St team. We'll just have to wait and see.

OVERSIGHTS, NEVER APOLOGIES

Wisconsin -- Even with Russell Wilson, the Badgers are not in the realm of the LSU's, Alabama's, and Oklahoma's. But I must admit that I underestimated the impact a gifted and mature player like Wilson would have on a team that lost very little from last year, and was probably held back by quarterback play in the grand scheme of things. I still don't think Wisconsin is a top 5 team, but they haven't had the chance to prove me wrong yet. But they do deserve a spot in the top 10, and I was wrong to exclude them.

Oklahoma St -- I really can't be faulted much for this, considering that people who get paid big money to predict these things also didn't find the Cowboys deserving of uncontested top 10 consideration. There were simply too many question marks. How would the offense perform without Holgorsen, and with an OC who was taught the offense by the quarterback? How could a team with a perennial mediocre defense manage to keep up with Oklahoma and A&M, teams with equally prolific offenses and supposedly superior defenses? Well, the Cowboys have answered a few of those questions in impressive fashion.
And I'll even go a step further. OK St doesn't face Oklahoma until December 3rd, but the game is in Stillwater, and if it they played this weekend instead, I'd take the Cowboys. Maybe OK St was just playing inspired ball this past Saturday, but I saw a defense good enough to slow down Landry and Co., and I think the Cowboys are more explosion on offense.
The ebbs and flows of a season can change the complexion of a game, while not always more so, but in a different way than simple X's and O's. No one knows what the Bedlam matchup will mean for these two teams, but it very well could mean an undefeated season and potential National Championship game for the Cowboys. And I'm not alone in failing to foresee that scenario for the Fighting Gundy's.