There are rumors circulating that Georgia may wear one of those God-awful Nike Combat uniforms in the Chic-fil-a opener against Boise State. For those who don't remember, Boise St. and Virginia Tech worn hideous uniforms in their opener last year. Rumor is that a stipulation of playing in the game is that the teams have to wear the new Combat uniforms. I find this to be highly unlikely because neither Chick-fil-a (who sponsors the game) and ESPN (who airs it) have formal relationships or agreements with Nike. In every other Chick-fil-a opener, none of the teams work the atrocious Combat uniforms.
There are two reasons why we shouldn't wear the Combat uniforms, assuming that they exist somewhere out there.
1. I'm sick of Nike's profiteering on ideals that, frankly, are more deserving than a sports-related context. "Combat"? Really? Granted, sports is nothing if not overstated and embellished. We watch our favorite teams, but we're truly moved by the stories. But can't the stories rest on themselves without all the adjectives?
I think allusions to "combat" are entirely inappropriate given the fact that tens of thousands of Americans are in actual combat, real combat.
So often the word "courage" is used in sports. The team showed COURAGE on that 4th down conversion. That player must have had real COURAGE to come back into the game after hurting his arm. Etcetera and etcetera.
"Courage" is going on a midnight raid into an insurgent-held city in south Afghanistan. "Courage" is patrolling a road in Iraq known to be filled with IEDs.
So let's just stop with all these war references because they're at best lame, and at worst a slap in the face of all those men and women who know what the word means because their job isn't courage-optional.
2. Georgia's uniform is one of the most classic visions in all of college football history. Munson would always say, at the start of the game, "Ok now, Georgia. We're wearing a red helmet, red jerseys, and silver britches. Get the picture?"
There are some programs that don't have the history, the tradition, that we have. It's not a big deal for them to wear some ugly uniforms that get 11th grade recruits all excited. But we're the Georgia Bulldogs. We aren't THEM.
I fear that Richt has decided he will pull out all stops this year in hopes of bringing back some hype to the program. But I think that would be misguided. I'm hoping that he's decided to bring back the TRADITION of the program. I hope that he's realized that winning and excellence trump showmanship every day of the week and twice on Sunday. When you say "Alabama" or you say "Texas," you don't think about hip jerseys, you think about what those names mean -- they mean success, tradition, prestige.
Speaking of Bama, I seem to remember the last time we wore different jerseys. Sure, we wore black jerseys against Auburn and Hawaii and won big. But they were inferior opponents. We then wore black jerseys against Alabama, and they made good on their promise to turn the game into a funeral.
I honestly believe that we are STILL recovering from that game. It was such a demoralizing experience. After starting out as the preseason #1, we were dominated in every facet of that game and it was obvious that we weren't just the inferior team that NIGHT, between those two TEAMS. We were beat so thoroughly that it was obvious we were a fraud, and light-years away from being a true title contender. Lest us not forget, Alabama didn't even win the SEC or the NC that year. Nope. After our blackout debacle, we were thoroughly destroyed by Florida on their way to another national championship.
We need to come out in our classic uniforms against Boise St. and proceed to administer a colossal beat down. Winning by 20 will do far more than any stupid uniform will.
After all, it's not the jerseys that make the team, it's the players wearing them.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Georgia Bulldogs in 2011 - Post #6
In the previous posts, I've taken micro-level looks at Georgia, so for this post I'm going to switch it up and take a more macro-level view: the 2011 schedule.
I'll go through each game and give a few knee-jerk thoughts regarding matchups, history, placement, etc. Should be fun.
At first glance, most notable is the fact that 2011 will have essentially 7 home games (if you count the season opener in the Georgia Dome). Additionally, all away games will be against teams that had a combined record of 18-32 in 2010.
September 3 - Boise State - Georgia Dome (Atlanta)
Wow, talk about a gamble. The pre-season buzz will be a welcome change from the shock and disgust of last year, but I'm sure there are many Dawgs fans that would have much rather stuck with and opening battle against Clemson.
There's a lot to say about this game, and I'm sure I'll look at it closer in August, but just a few thoughts for now.
KNEE-JERK: This will be a big spot for a Dawgs team that will probably feature some younger players at key positions. For most of those players, this will be the biggest game of their career. Add to that the fact many Richt teams have been slow starters. I'm worried we come out overwhelmed.
MATCHUPS: Boise is known for their trick plays, but they've been successful because they dominate the line of scrimmage. Boise will have strong lines on both sides of the ball. Georgia's O-line is in chaos due to Sturdivant suffering his third, season-ending knee injury. However, Georgia's D-line could be a force to be reckoned with. Will we gameplan accordingly?
September 10 - SOUTH CAROLINA
KNEE-JERK: South Carolina will probably be the best team Georgia plays all year, at least in Sanford Stadium. We'll have to load up against Lattimore, and hope they don't beat us through the air. This game could be a primer for the rest of the season as South Carolina will try to expose our weaknesses as all well-coached teams do.
HISTORY: The Ole Ball Coach has always had a special place in his heart for Georgia, that spot just happens to be filled with hatred and contempt. He's also managed to out-coach us the past two years, and probably should have won the last time he visited Athens. Georgia has rarely had a great season when it didn't beat the Gamecocks.
September 17 - COASTAL CAROLINA
KNEE-JERK: An easy win, but what will it mean? 3-0? 2-1? 1-2?
September 24 - Ole Miss
KNEE-JERK: Probably another easy win, and if so it will be an important one. The first road game for any team is always dangerous, and the chance to build confidence with a solid road win in the SEC early in the season will be much welcomed. Remember, Georgia lost on the road to South Carolina and Mississippi State early in the 2010 season. There was certainly more than one reason, but I think those early loses really crushed our confidence and lead to a lack of toughness that showed up against Colorado and other games.
October 1 - MISSISSIPPI STATE
KNEE-JERK: Can you say redemption game? I forgot how long it was since Georgia had lost to Mississippi State, but it was quite a while. How we play will really show the personality of the team, no matter what record we carry into this 5th game.
MATCHUP: Mullen certainly had Georgia's number during his time as Florida's OC, and beating us last year only boosted that trend. He's a solid coach, but his Bulldogs will be without wonder kid-coach Manny Diaz this time, and they won last year largely in part to their defensive performance instead of their offense.
October 8 - Tennessee
KNEE-JERK: Georgia handled Tennessee last year, and it's hard to see this game playing out any differently. Then again, we faced a largely non-Tyler Bray Tennessee, and they're a different team with him. Aside from being a game against a long-time rival, this game will have added importance even if Tennessee has another down year because I believe the East will again be won by a team with a minimum of 2 losses.
Wins in Knoxville never come easy, and the last time the Dawgs visited, well, I've tried to forget that particular afternoon.
October 15 - Vanderbilt
KNEE-JERK: Well, thank goodness for Vanderbilt football, right? But what will this game mean for the 2011 season? It will be another SEC win, and that's always a welcome sight.
October 22 - BYE
October 29 - Florida - Jacksonville, FL
KNEE-JERK: I don't care if Georgia goes into this game 3-3, we need a win against Florida like a fish needs the water. The Urban Meyer Era has come to an end, and thank God for that. Rare is the year when Georgia loses to Florida but still makes it to the SEC championship game. At this point, Georgia needs to win this game for enough reasons that would fill a phone book.
MATCHUP: Athletically, the teams will be pretty evenly matched. A slight edge is given to Florida, unless some of Georgia's 2011 class have made it onto the field by this time. It's rumored that Florida's D-line is much better than it's O-line. If that's the case, then we'll have something in common with those belly-draggers.
November 5 - NEW MEXICO STATE
KNEE-JERK: A win, of course. But what will will the implications be as we head into this game and then leave it behind? Will we be riding a 3 or 4 win-streak, or will limp in after another Jacksonville butt-whooping, making this win a small salve for our damaged ego?
November 12 - AUBURN
HISTORY: The Oldest Rivalry in the South. It doesn't get much better. I know many Georgia fans believe this is a sure-fire win, revenging a nasty loss on The Plains in 2010. Despite the fact Auburn only returns 6 starters from it's title team, I have a hard time believing this will be a no-brainer. Auburn has recruited well, and unlike many of my Dawg compatriots, I think Chizik is an excellent coach with both an eye for talent (players and coaches - see Malzahn, Gus) and an ability to motivate and get every ounce of ability out of his team (DC for two undefeated seasons, HC for one, 2 NC's).
MATCHUP: I actually think we'll matchup fairly well against Auburn. Our defensive weakness will be the secondary, and they won't have the QB or the WR's to exploit that. I do think the Auburn D will be improved this season, but in the end I think the difference will be that our offense is capable of scoring more points than theirs. Of course, this game has been full of freaky occurrences and has often seen the lesser team play its best game of the season, leaving town with a surprising win.
November 19 - KENTUCKY
HISTORY: Certainly not a notable history in terms of rivalry or epic games, but for whatever reason, Kentucky has become that SEC team that always finds a way to scare you. I start to point to the fact this is a home game as solace, but then I remember the game two years ago, and how much it hurt to watch Kentucky players picking leaves off the hedges in their victory celebration.
KNEE-JERK: This late in the season, it's really too hard to prognosticate that much. Georgia is the more talented team in nearly every aspect, but what if these two teams meet with 4 of 5 losses? Teams change over the course of a season.
November 26 - Georgia Tech
KNEE-JERK: Should be a win, and the sweet taste of beating those Techies never wanes.
MATCHUP: Paul Johnson's 3-year stint at Tech brought intrigue to this rivalry, to say the least. In '08, Tech beat us in Stanford Stadium, and they picked the hedges and put the twigs in their teeth like they'd just won a birth into the Rose Bowl. I had left Thanksgiving early to go watch the game, and sat through 4 hours of cold November rain to watch a second half collapse, in what was Stafford's and Moreno's last game in Stanford stadium. I still don't believe it happened, but my Tech buddy Jake reminds me.
In '09, we surprisingly took Tech behind the woodshed. Alas, the game proved to be an anomaly.
In '10, we won a far too close game, largely because Johnson out-coached Richt for the second time in three years.
Despite the apparent discrepancy in talent, I suspect this game will be a close one.
LOOSE PREDICTION FOR THE SEASON
Well, in my mind, there are two different scenarios.
The first - we go for broke, CMR plays a bunch of talented freshman at key positions, Bobo suffers a head injury and decides to get the ball to our playmakers, and the defense looks like those defenses of the early aughts.
The second - we solidify our position as a program that SHOULD win 10 games every other year, but instead finds a way to underperform and underwhelm. CMR remains "calm" despite losing 3 of the first 5, Bobo continues to be the worst play caller in his tax bracket, and the secondary lets people run wide open like a pop warner team wondering what snacks will be served at half time.
The first - we go 10-2 (losses to South Carolina and either Boise or Florida). Even with the loss to Carolina, we win the East because Carolina relies heavily on Lattimore due to QB flux, and he gets dinged up like he did last year. Florida won't lose less than 3 games because their schedule is tough and a new HC rarely loses less than 3 games regardless of what he inherits.
We meet Alabama in the SEC Championship and, well, at least we won the East.
The second - we go 7-5, with losses to Boise St., Florida, Mississippi St., and Auburn that further solidify our darkest fears -- CMR and company are perennial underachievers who are out-coached and beaten by inferior talent more often than a fat man craves doughnuts. The offensive line is a mess, Orson Charles goes weeks without catching more than 3 balls, and it becomes obvious that the program has hit it's plateau, and is on steadily on the way down.
The Prediction? Of course, somewhere in between. We go 9-3, with one bad loss (probably South Carolina), two close losses (probably Boise and Florida) and two impressive wins (Mississippi St. and Georgia Tech) that send us into bowl season with some optimism. CMR will return for the 2012 season, and then we do this whole thing all over again.
I'll go through each game and give a few knee-jerk thoughts regarding matchups, history, placement, etc. Should be fun.
At first glance, most notable is the fact that 2011 will have essentially 7 home games (if you count the season opener in the Georgia Dome). Additionally, all away games will be against teams that had a combined record of 18-32 in 2010.
September 3 - Boise State - Georgia Dome (Atlanta)
Wow, talk about a gamble. The pre-season buzz will be a welcome change from the shock and disgust of last year, but I'm sure there are many Dawgs fans that would have much rather stuck with and opening battle against Clemson.
There's a lot to say about this game, and I'm sure I'll look at it closer in August, but just a few thoughts for now.
KNEE-JERK: This will be a big spot for a Dawgs team that will probably feature some younger players at key positions. For most of those players, this will be the biggest game of their career. Add to that the fact many Richt teams have been slow starters. I'm worried we come out overwhelmed.
MATCHUPS: Boise is known for their trick plays, but they've been successful because they dominate the line of scrimmage. Boise will have strong lines on both sides of the ball. Georgia's O-line is in chaos due to Sturdivant suffering his third, season-ending knee injury. However, Georgia's D-line could be a force to be reckoned with. Will we gameplan accordingly?
September 10 - SOUTH CAROLINA
KNEE-JERK: South Carolina will probably be the best team Georgia plays all year, at least in Sanford Stadium. We'll have to load up against Lattimore, and hope they don't beat us through the air. This game could be a primer for the rest of the season as South Carolina will try to expose our weaknesses as all well-coached teams do.
HISTORY: The Ole Ball Coach has always had a special place in his heart for Georgia, that spot just happens to be filled with hatred and contempt. He's also managed to out-coach us the past two years, and probably should have won the last time he visited Athens. Georgia has rarely had a great season when it didn't beat the Gamecocks.
September 17 - COASTAL CAROLINA
KNEE-JERK: An easy win, but what will it mean? 3-0? 2-1? 1-2?
September 24 - Ole Miss
KNEE-JERK: Probably another easy win, and if so it will be an important one. The first road game for any team is always dangerous, and the chance to build confidence with a solid road win in the SEC early in the season will be much welcomed. Remember, Georgia lost on the road to South Carolina and Mississippi State early in the 2010 season. There was certainly more than one reason, but I think those early loses really crushed our confidence and lead to a lack of toughness that showed up against Colorado and other games.
October 1 - MISSISSIPPI STATE
KNEE-JERK: Can you say redemption game? I forgot how long it was since Georgia had lost to Mississippi State, but it was quite a while. How we play will really show the personality of the team, no matter what record we carry into this 5th game.
MATCHUP: Mullen certainly had Georgia's number during his time as Florida's OC, and beating us last year only boosted that trend. He's a solid coach, but his Bulldogs will be without wonder kid-coach Manny Diaz this time, and they won last year largely in part to their defensive performance instead of their offense.
October 8 - Tennessee
KNEE-JERK: Georgia handled Tennessee last year, and it's hard to see this game playing out any differently. Then again, we faced a largely non-Tyler Bray Tennessee, and they're a different team with him. Aside from being a game against a long-time rival, this game will have added importance even if Tennessee has another down year because I believe the East will again be won by a team with a minimum of 2 losses.
Wins in Knoxville never come easy, and the last time the Dawgs visited, well, I've tried to forget that particular afternoon.
October 15 - Vanderbilt
KNEE-JERK: Well, thank goodness for Vanderbilt football, right? But what will this game mean for the 2011 season? It will be another SEC win, and that's always a welcome sight.
October 22 - BYE
October 29 - Florida - Jacksonville, FL
KNEE-JERK: I don't care if Georgia goes into this game 3-3, we need a win against Florida like a fish needs the water. The Urban Meyer Era has come to an end, and thank God for that. Rare is the year when Georgia loses to Florida but still makes it to the SEC championship game. At this point, Georgia needs to win this game for enough reasons that would fill a phone book.
MATCHUP: Athletically, the teams will be pretty evenly matched. A slight edge is given to Florida, unless some of Georgia's 2011 class have made it onto the field by this time. It's rumored that Florida's D-line is much better than it's O-line. If that's the case, then we'll have something in common with those belly-draggers.
November 5 - NEW MEXICO STATE
KNEE-JERK: A win, of course. But what will will the implications be as we head into this game and then leave it behind? Will we be riding a 3 or 4 win-streak, or will limp in after another Jacksonville butt-whooping, making this win a small salve for our damaged ego?
November 12 - AUBURN
HISTORY: The Oldest Rivalry in the South. It doesn't get much better. I know many Georgia fans believe this is a sure-fire win, revenging a nasty loss on The Plains in 2010. Despite the fact Auburn only returns 6 starters from it's title team, I have a hard time believing this will be a no-brainer. Auburn has recruited well, and unlike many of my Dawg compatriots, I think Chizik is an excellent coach with both an eye for talent (players and coaches - see Malzahn, Gus) and an ability to motivate and get every ounce of ability out of his team (DC for two undefeated seasons, HC for one, 2 NC's).
MATCHUP: I actually think we'll matchup fairly well against Auburn. Our defensive weakness will be the secondary, and they won't have the QB or the WR's to exploit that. I do think the Auburn D will be improved this season, but in the end I think the difference will be that our offense is capable of scoring more points than theirs. Of course, this game has been full of freaky occurrences and has often seen the lesser team play its best game of the season, leaving town with a surprising win.
November 19 - KENTUCKY
HISTORY: Certainly not a notable history in terms of rivalry or epic games, but for whatever reason, Kentucky has become that SEC team that always finds a way to scare you. I start to point to the fact this is a home game as solace, but then I remember the game two years ago, and how much it hurt to watch Kentucky players picking leaves off the hedges in their victory celebration.
KNEE-JERK: This late in the season, it's really too hard to prognosticate that much. Georgia is the more talented team in nearly every aspect, but what if these two teams meet with 4 of 5 losses? Teams change over the course of a season.
November 26 - Georgia Tech
KNEE-JERK: Should be a win, and the sweet taste of beating those Techies never wanes.
MATCHUP: Paul Johnson's 3-year stint at Tech brought intrigue to this rivalry, to say the least. In '08, Tech beat us in Stanford Stadium, and they picked the hedges and put the twigs in their teeth like they'd just won a birth into the Rose Bowl. I had left Thanksgiving early to go watch the game, and sat through 4 hours of cold November rain to watch a second half collapse, in what was Stafford's and Moreno's last game in Stanford stadium. I still don't believe it happened, but my Tech buddy Jake reminds me.
In '09, we surprisingly took Tech behind the woodshed. Alas, the game proved to be an anomaly.
In '10, we won a far too close game, largely because Johnson out-coached Richt for the second time in three years.
Despite the apparent discrepancy in talent, I suspect this game will be a close one.
LOOSE PREDICTION FOR THE SEASON
Well, in my mind, there are two different scenarios.
The first - we go for broke, CMR plays a bunch of talented freshman at key positions, Bobo suffers a head injury and decides to get the ball to our playmakers, and the defense looks like those defenses of the early aughts.
The second - we solidify our position as a program that SHOULD win 10 games every other year, but instead finds a way to underperform and underwhelm. CMR remains "calm" despite losing 3 of the first 5, Bobo continues to be the worst play caller in his tax bracket, and the secondary lets people run wide open like a pop warner team wondering what snacks will be served at half time.
The first - we go 10-2 (losses to South Carolina and either Boise or Florida). Even with the loss to Carolina, we win the East because Carolina relies heavily on Lattimore due to QB flux, and he gets dinged up like he did last year. Florida won't lose less than 3 games because their schedule is tough and a new HC rarely loses less than 3 games regardless of what he inherits.
We meet Alabama in the SEC Championship and, well, at least we won the East.
The second - we go 7-5, with losses to Boise St., Florida, Mississippi St., and Auburn that further solidify our darkest fears -- CMR and company are perennial underachievers who are out-coached and beaten by inferior talent more often than a fat man craves doughnuts. The offensive line is a mess, Orson Charles goes weeks without catching more than 3 balls, and it becomes obvious that the program has hit it's plateau, and is on steadily on the way down.
The Prediction? Of course, somewhere in between. We go 9-3, with one bad loss (probably South Carolina), two close losses (probably Boise and Florida) and two impressive wins (Mississippi St. and Georgia Tech) that send us into bowl season with some optimism. CMR will return for the 2012 season, and then we do this whole thing all over again.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Georgia Bulldogs in 2011 - Post #3
In Post #3 I'll take a look at the QB position for Georgia heading into 2011.
Well, there's not much mystery here, is there? Aaron Murray had the best freshman season for a Georgia QB in as long as my memory can stretch back, and perhaps as far as the modern era is concerned.
A quick look back only brings one worthy comparison -- David Greene.
Greene led Georgia to an 8-4 record as a redshirt freshman. While the Greene years were of the best in recent memory, his freshman season was one of even-handed success. The Dawgs went 1-3 against ranked teams, with the sole win against #21 Georgia Tech. The famed "Hobnail Boot" game was against an unranked Tennessee team, but still a win against a big rival in a time when Tennessee's program was at it's peak.
As far as the win column goes, Greene had the better freshman season. But the '01 offense was drastically different than last year's version, and that is probably where the comparison stops.
While Greene some of Georgia's best years, Murray is hardly the care-taker that his long past predecessor was. Murray ranked among the best QB's in the country - let alone his fellow freshman signal callers - in virtually every category. He showed off a strong arm along with an ability to turn a busted play into something positive with his above average scrambling. Perhaps most importantly, I can't think of a single game in which Murray did more harm than good.
Looking ahead to 2011, the bar has been set pretty high. Murray will return as the best QB in the SEC, and should receive - albeit worthless - the preseason anointment of being 1st Team SEC. Granted, that may say more about the overall lack of a proven starter at virtually every other SEC contender, but do not be deceived, Murray has lived up to his billing as one of the most sought after HS recruits.
The truth of any prognostication regarding Murray's success in 2011 lies not in his abilities, but in those of his supporting cast. By far, Murray's favorite target in 2010 was AJ Green. Now that Green is gone, who will be Murray's go-to receiver? The offense all to often relied on Murray's arm due to a woeful lack of a respectable running game. Much hope has been placed on the anticipated arrival of super-recruit Isaiah Crowell, but the offensive line will have been remade over come September, and add to the mix a new O-line leader in Coach Friend, there is much mystery to sort out.
I suspect that Murray will not have the "sophomore slump" that I've seen others predict. 2011 will be his third year under the tutelage of Mike Bobo, and while I doubt I'll ever buy into Bobo as a big time OC, he is a proven QB coach. And truth be told, AJ Green or no, the 2010 offense was as one-dimmensional and flawed as the 2009 version. If everything besides Murray remains the status quo, I doubt his output will be even slightly diminished. I'm willing to offset Green's departure by Murray's continued maturation, and the the rest of the chips fall where they may.
Well, there's not much mystery here, is there? Aaron Murray had the best freshman season for a Georgia QB in as long as my memory can stretch back, and perhaps as far as the modern era is concerned.
A quick look back only brings one worthy comparison -- David Greene.
Greene led Georgia to an 8-4 record as a redshirt freshman. While the Greene years were of the best in recent memory, his freshman season was one of even-handed success. The Dawgs went 1-3 against ranked teams, with the sole win against #21 Georgia Tech. The famed "Hobnail Boot" game was against an unranked Tennessee team, but still a win against a big rival in a time when Tennessee's program was at it's peak.
As far as the win column goes, Greene had the better freshman season. But the '01 offense was drastically different than last year's version, and that is probably where the comparison stops.
While Greene some of Georgia's best years, Murray is hardly the care-taker that his long past predecessor was. Murray ranked among the best QB's in the country - let alone his fellow freshman signal callers - in virtually every category. He showed off a strong arm along with an ability to turn a busted play into something positive with his above average scrambling. Perhaps most importantly, I can't think of a single game in which Murray did more harm than good.
Looking ahead to 2011, the bar has been set pretty high. Murray will return as the best QB in the SEC, and should receive - albeit worthless - the preseason anointment of being 1st Team SEC. Granted, that may say more about the overall lack of a proven starter at virtually every other SEC contender, but do not be deceived, Murray has lived up to his billing as one of the most sought after HS recruits.
The truth of any prognostication regarding Murray's success in 2011 lies not in his abilities, but in those of his supporting cast. By far, Murray's favorite target in 2010 was AJ Green. Now that Green is gone, who will be Murray's go-to receiver? The offense all to often relied on Murray's arm due to a woeful lack of a respectable running game. Much hope has been placed on the anticipated arrival of super-recruit Isaiah Crowell, but the offensive line will have been remade over come September, and add to the mix a new O-line leader in Coach Friend, there is much mystery to sort out.
I suspect that Murray will not have the "sophomore slump" that I've seen others predict. 2011 will be his third year under the tutelage of Mike Bobo, and while I doubt I'll ever buy into Bobo as a big time OC, he is a proven QB coach. And truth be told, AJ Green or no, the 2010 offense was as one-dimmensional and flawed as the 2009 version. If everything besides Murray remains the status quo, I doubt his output will be even slightly diminished. I'm willing to offset Green's departure by Murray's continued maturation, and the the rest of the chips fall where they may.
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