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.