ESPN: Florida has already won the SEC East

I really don't know what to say about this.

Yes, Mark Schlabach graduated from Georgia, and I've always believed that he downplays UGA and praises UGA's rivals on purpose, whether it is in an effort to show his journalistic objectivity by overcompensating, or maybe he simply would like Georgia to be a surprise and have rivals be sorely disappointed.

At first, I thought maybe this article was supposed to be a joke, as it opens with:

"Should the SEC East even bother playing games this season?"

It continues with what also appear to be an attempt at humor, perhaps pointing out how ridiculous the media is in anointing Florida the preseason national champions. But then he writes this:

"The Gators are going to win the SEC East in 2009. And it's not even going to be close."

"It's up to the Gators to determine how difficult it's going to be."

So I start to think, "Wait... this is serious?"

"The SEC East is nothing more than a formality for Florida. The Gators are going to end up where they start the season -- on top of the division."

"Shouldn't the SEC just say Georgia is probably going to be pretty good in 2009, maybe good enough to win nine or 10 games and lose to the Gators by, oh, 40 points?"

I'm still hoping that this article is a very pessimistic joke written by an unnecessarily depressed Georgia alum, but it's hard to tell. But if you watch the video at the top of the page, those guys don't seem to be joking at all.

ESPN's Erik Kuselias says with a straight face:

"I think the general consensus is... Florida, and nobody else in the East. Three teams out west, Alabama, Ole Miss, and LSU."

Alright. Well, I guess this means Georgia and the other 4 SEC East teams might as well cancel the season.

Georgia: Everything is Alright

Tony Barnhart (AKA: Mr. College Football) has a great blog post on the AJC.com about Mark Richt's success at Georgia, including the most wins and SEC wins out of any coach during his time here. It's a good read, although it ends with the doom and gloom of the Gator Empire. Check it out.

Why the Dawgs Should be Bearded

(Note: The following post is completely ridiculous and purposefully unsubstantiated.)
(Note #2: Click the title of this post to see pictures in full size.)

David Hale at the Bulldogs Blog wrote on Thursday that Georgia's head football coach Mark Richt is tightening the rules for players this spring, by making tucking in shirts and snapping chin straps mandatory. It seems that enforcing small rules such as these actually helps players to find more success academically and to stay out of trouble when not on the practice field. I love the fact that the coaching staff and the players are working hard to succeed on and off the field, but I believe that one aspect of the new rules program is restricting something that is natural and glorious in God's creation of man (and some women): the beard.

According to Coach Richt, the players used to be allowed to have facial hair, as long as it was trimmed and neatly presented. Now, however, prohibition of beards will be in full force.

Shocked and confused, I commented on David's blog, asking if I read the quotes correctly. He replied that although beards will be allowed during the spring (and summer I presume), in the fall, hair "from the lip down" will be punishable (by death, I presume. Or running laps).

I simply don't understand. Beards are the purest symbol of manliness, an outward expression of the strength and boldness of all that is male. Beards also symbolize wisdom and experience, and thus should be worn by our team's leaders.



Besides, plenty of famous athletes have beards, sometimes even during the best parts of their sports careers.

Ben Roethlisberger recently led the Pittsburgh Steelers to win SuperBowl XLIII, all while sporting a goatee+moustache combo.


Brian McCann, one of the Atlanta Braves' star players and representative in the past 3 MLB All Star Games, almost always sports a full beard, which is possibly responsible for his strength and finesse while hitting homeruns with ease.

And this is Rasputin. As far as I know, he was never an athlete in any sport, but he did have a pretty awesome beard. With a beard like this representing his manliness, it's no surprise that it took him getting stabbed, shot multiple times, clubbed, and thrown into an icy river to finally die. In other words, he'd probably be able to take plenty of hits at the running back position.


Now I understand that allowing facial hair above the lips means that moustaches are alright, but not all moustaches. For instance, the "fu manchu" 'stache by definition reaches below the lips on the sides of the mouth. So, Coach Richt, if these rules really are to be enforced, you won't be able to pace the sidelines wearing one of these.


Sorry, Coach, but rules are rules.

G-DAY REMINDER

Visit the GeorgiaDogs.com site here for all the info you need on the upcoming G-Day game this Saturday.

If you click the link above, you also get to see a cool picture featuring Rennie Curran, AJ Green, and a peculiarly terrified-looking Joe Cox.

The game, as most of you probably know, will be televised on ESPN, but that's no excuse for not going if you can to support our team.

According to the official site linked above:

• The gates will open at 10:30 AM

• a Georgia alumni flag football game will be played at 11:15 AM

• and the G-Day scrimmage itself will kickoff at 1:00 PM

By the way, admission is FREE, but "fans are encouraged to bring food donations to benefit the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia."

Come on out and have a fun Saturday supporting the Dawgs.

Famous Dawgs: Episode 4

Today's Famous Dawg: Newman (also known as Wayne Knight)

THE DESCRIPTION:

Wayne Knight is best known for playing the role of Newman on the long running NBC show Seinfeld. According to Wikipedia, Newman is "an overweight and despicable, though curiously well-educated, postal worker" who "goes out of his way to make Jerry's life miserable." Although for the past decade we've only been able to watch repeats of Seinfeld in syndication, most everyone remembers who Newman is when you mention him. He is also well known for being Dennis Nedry, the only non-dinosaur bad guy, in the 1993 instant classic Jurassic Park. Knight has appeared in many other television shows (such as 3rd Rock from the Sun) and films (Cheaper by the Dozen). Finally, if you somehow don't recognize the face in the picture above, you'd probably recognize the voice, as Knight has performed as a voice actor in a multitude of animated projects, including cartoon shows on Nickolodeon and the Disney Channel, as well as animated films like Toy Story 2. Oh yeah, and I almost forgot: he was in Space Jam too. This guy probably has the best film resume in the world. Seriously.



THE VERDICT:

Basically, once you see how awesome Wayne Knight is, you have to realize that he's a Bulldog. A UGA bulldog, that is. His bio on IMDB says that Knight was born in Cartersville, Georgia in 1955. He was an honor student as an undergraduate at the University of Georgia, but left just shy of graduating to pursue a career in theater. Just imagine, without this former UGA student, the world wouldn't be the same. (I have to go ahead and let it be known that Wayne Knight is my favorite Famous Dawg, and I'm proud to say that Newman/Dennis Nedry attended our school)

Here are some great video clips of Knight.

First, a good Newman clip from the golden days of Seinfeld.



Next, a fantastic tribute in song to Dennis Nedry of Jurassic Park. (NOTE: If you don't remember the movie well, you might be confused and disturbed after watching this.)

In Honor of The Dark Knight: Demarcus Dobbs

The Georgia Bulldogs are already being plagued by injuries again, this time even earlier in the off-season. The Bulldogs Blog reports that DE Demarcus Dobbs broke a bone in his foot on Thursday, will require surgery, and will unfortunately miss the rest of spring practice.

This is bad news for us, considering the defensive end position is already very thin. Also, in my opinion, Dobbs is the defensive hero we need.

Demarcus Dobbs is often overlooked after his moments of glory pass by. Last season, all eyes were on the stars of the team, who all deservedly attracted attention with big plays and athletic skill. Dobbs, however, had big moments too. In my opinion, they were some of the biggest moments of the season.

In the Central Michigan game, the second game of the year, Georgia was up 21 to 0. The game clearly going well, but CMU was nearing the endzone at the end of the first half. That is when this happened:



That was one of the most fun moments I've ever experienced in Sanford Stadium. As Dobbs was making his way down the field, we were cheering and screaming at the top of our lungs, trying to somehow help him get to the endzone. After the score, the crowd was going wild. I don't know if you'll ever see a stadium get that loud and have that much fun when the game is such a clear blowout. Why? Because it wasn't about the score of the game at that point, it was just about a great play that Dobbs made and how the crowd reacted to it. The speakers started playing the "I Put On" song, everyone was dancing on the sidelines and in the stands, and a great time was had by all.

Unfortunately, every game of the season wasn't that fun. Bad things happened when Alabama came to town, when the Dawgs visited Jacksonville for the yearly "party." Then came the game at Kentucky. After a very rough game, the Bulldogs were up 42-38 with only a little time left. Kentucky started to make their way down the field for a final attempt to come back and win it. They came up short, but defensive penalties helped them keep moving. This game was looking VERY BAD as Kentucky was getting closer to the endzone; all they needed was a touchdown to win it, and they were in our redzone.



Demarcus Dobbs single-handedly (literally) sealed the victory for Georgia that day, as he went up with one hand to bring down the interception. (seen at 1:15 in the video above)

This play wasn't as fun (considering plenty of Georgia fans like myself were holding our breaths and about to pass out on that last drive), but it was HUGE nevertheless. Without Dobbs going up there and getting that ball, Georgia may have not reached the 10 win mark last season, something that we all take pride in.

A while ago on some of the online message boards I mentioned how it bothered me that everyone called Tim Tebow "Superman." For that matter, the media loves to compare almost any great sports player "Superman," as if it's a compliment. In my opinion, Superman is one of the worst superheros, with the leggings, terrible disguise (taking off glasses), and boring alter-ego.

I then decided that if we had a hero on our Georgia Bulldogs football team, it would be a hero for the people. Someone who, despite being often overlooked and underestimated, would continue to patrol the shadows of the football field, waiting for the moment that an evildoer throws the ball up for grabs, and then leaps up and takes it, bringing justice and excitement to the people of Sanford Stadium city.

By day, this hero would be Demarcus Dobbs. But at night (gamedays), this hero would become.... The Dark Knight.



In all seriousness, I (along with the Bulldog Nation) want to wish Demarcus Dobbs a quick and easy recovery, and we look forward to seeing him this fall, getting it done for the team and the school. Thanks for being a great Dawg Demarcus, and get well soon.

Here's a kicker for you

Well, although not many on the blogosphere seemed to have had as many worries as me about Georgia's kicking situation this off-season, it looks like I was wrong to worry.

The Bulldogs Blog posted this morning that we have a new recruit, Brandon Bogotay from Grossmont College in California. 15 of 23 on field goals isn't too bad, but what I'm hoping for is someone who can kick it out of the endzone on kickoffs.

UPDATE:

Marc Weiszer at the Online Athens blog has an update with some more information and quotes from Coach Mark Richt. On that blog there's also a link to a video of Bogotay in action, and near half way through it you get to see him do a lot of kickoffs, most of which appear to be VERY long and out of the back of the endzone. Exciting stuff.

Famous Dawgs: Episode 3: Revenge of the Dawg

It's time to continue the Famous Dawgs series.

Today I'd like to bring you the third Famous Dawg: Alton Brown

THE DESCRIPTION:

Alton Brown is one of the best, if not the best food personality on television. If you watch Food Network, you've probably seen him before. His show Good Eats has been on Food Network since 1999, and it has been on the air ever since. The show truly makes cooking fun and surprisingly educational, as Brown always explores the historical and scientific aspects of the dish he's preparing. There are always plenty of humorous moments as well. Brown also has been the commentator on Iron Chef America, co-hosted The Next Iron Chef, and has another show called Feasting on Asphalt.

THE VERDICT:

Well, this one is easy. According to Wikipedia, Alton Brown attended undergraduate school at the University of Georgia and received a degree in drama. Interestingly, he started out working in cinematography and was director of photography for an R.E.M music video. Then he decided to make a good cooking show, became an expert in culinary arts, and now has multiple shows on Food Network. Apparently he also lives in Marietta, Georgia. Here he is in a Georgia Magazine article, which says that he actually delivered pizzas while at UGA. Oh yeah, and he also won a prestigious Peabody Award. This is a salute to Alton Brown, a Famous Dawg who is representing UGA well.

Here's a short clip of his show Good Eats.



And the one below is his appearance on Letterman.

Georgia Kicker Update, and ESPN's Joe Cox Interview

First of all, the Bulldog's Blog does an excellent job (as always) getting some great quotes from players and coaches at practice. But there's one on there that makes me a little uncomfortable. David Hale reminds us about how Coach Richt vowed to go to Poland to find someone who could kick the ball out of the endzone, and then it appears that no one was found for kickoffs at all. Since Blair Walsh is understandably still the kickoff specialist, he's asked about what the plans are for kickoffs next season:

“I don’t know yet,” Walsh said. “We haven’t really done anything yet. I don’t know what their philosophy is, I don’t know what the coaches are doing or thinking about.”

Well, that's comforting.

Let me get this straight: I believe in Walsh. Yes, he had some bad luck last year on some of those field goals, but in the Capital One Bowl, he made a pretty good one to prove that he's still the guy. And on kickoffs, there were some very confusing and terrifying things that happened. In fact, most people assumed that Walsh could have kicked it out of the endzone on every kick if he was told to, but that the coaches wanted more shorter, directional kicks instead. I seem to remember Coach Richt saying at one point that this wasn't true, and that they would love to make it a touchback every time, but don't quote me on that. But we still believe in Walsh.

I'll just take this for now as, "Spring practice just started, maybe they just aren't getting to the kickoff troubles yet." Admittedly, yes, there are some more looming problems to look at.

In other news, ESPN's Chris Low posted a good interview with Joe Cox yesterday. He sounds like he's a great leader and teammate, which is very exciting, and the Bulldog Nation is rooting for him.

Is the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party moving to Atlanta?

It looks like some people are once again stirring up discussion over the location of the annual Georgia-Florida (or vice versa) football game. Or at least that's what an AJC blog wants you to believe. But if you follow the link they give to the actual news story, it doesn't look like any changes are going to happen anytime soon.

To sum up what the article says, the president of the Atlanta Sports Council and others have been in talks with athletic association big cheeses at UGA, because the current UGA-UF game contract for Jacksonville ends next year. Apparently, some of these people want to have the Cocktail Party in Atlanta at least one of the next four games, which is a little odd to me.

However, the article makes it very clear (even in its heading) that Damon Evans, UGA's athletic director, doesn't really want to hear any of it. Or, at the very least, he doesn't want to move the game.

And we all know how the Florida representatives feel. Of course, to them, Jacksonville is the most beautiful city in the world, and to move the game would be to abandon eons of tradition and basically destroy any meaning the game currently has to its fans.

Right.

I'll go ahead and drop my opinion on the matter below, and if you don't want to read the TRUTH AND FLAWLESS FACTS, do not read any further. (just kidding, please read, lol.)

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My Reasons Why the Georgia-Florida Game Should Move (At least Every Other Year)

1. The distance. According to Mapquest.com, the city of Jacksonville is 362 miles from Athens and will take (with considerably thin traffic) 5 hours and 57 minutes to get to. That means it is just a little bit longer than an enjoyable drive in the great tree-lined boring roads of central and south Georgia.
Does the picture above look familiar to you? No? Well it does to me. It looks just like what I looked at for 5 hours and 57 minutes last year on the way to Jacksonville for the Florida game. It was a thrilling drive. Nothing better to get me pumped up for a football game.

In contrast, Mapquest tells me that from Gainesville, FL to Jacksonville, it's a mere 71 miles and a nice, Saturday morning walk (at 65 mph) of 1 hour and 21 minutes to reach the destination.
Some Gator fans don't even need wheels on their car to get to the game in about an hour. That's nothing. Why are so many Georgia fans taking extreme and amazing journeys to get to this game, while Florida fans can leave on Saturday morning with little or no problem? Some argue that the distance factor can affect the football teams as well, but in my opinion, the worst part is how it affects the fans. Even if you somehow enjoy the drive, don't you feel weird about all of the Gator fans who live in the area of Jacksonville and walk to the game? Feels a little like... I don't know.... an away game for us?

2. Jacksonville is in Gator Country. I really don't see how you can deny this with a straight face (but if you do, I'll give you a prize.) I've heard some say that "the biggest Bulldog Club in the country is in Jacksonville." Well, whoop-dee-doo. Even if most Georgia Tech fans live in their parents' basements, the house STILL BELONGS to their parents. (Sorry about that one Tech fans. I really like all of you.) Notice above: This is the Jacksonville Landing, where Florida and Georgia fans alike love to party before (and, depending on who wins) after the game every year. But is there something sinister you are overlooking, my fellow Dawgs? The roof of the Landing is completely ORANGE. And the beautiful, polluted water surrounding it? The purest of Gator BLUE. That's right, the Landing is basically a huge open gator jaw, and you unaware bulldogs are stepping right into it, throwing away your money for expensive Gator drinks and Gator fun.

In all seriousness though, it's hard to make yourself feel like you're at a "neutral" game when you go to Jacksonville. Yes, there are Red and Black garbed barkers, traveling in packs around certain areas, but when you go into restaurants, hotels, and city hall (Go Gator) you see people wearing mostly blue and orange.

Even if you feel like none of this affects the outcome of the games, doesn't it bother you just a little bit? The state of Florida (and specifically the city of Jacksonville), which is clearly and obviously in support of the University of Florida, is benefiting the most. And so are the Florida fans, who generally have a close-to-home game and probably feel much more at home than us Georgia-born UGA fans.

But if this isn't enough to sway you, allow me to move to this.

Why the game should stay in Jacksonville:

1. Tradition.

This is what people like to say the most about the whole ordeal. And really, it's a pretty good argument. The game has been played since 1915, and every game except for two since 1933 has been played in Jacksonville. So, for the most part, this game has been rooted in Jacksonville, Florida. However, this is one of those things that's difficult to resolve. A lot of people argue for or against concrete tradition all the time, and the results in decisions are varied. For instance, many argued against Georgia wearing new black uniforms in 2007, but the decision resulted in one of the most electrifying atmospheres ever seen in Sanford Stadium as it was blacked out for the Georgia-Auburn game that year. Of course, things go both ways, and the Alabama "funeral" game of 2008 makes traditionalists look smart. And other traditions are too important to ever change, such as the look and bloodline of Uga.

2. It's a vacation for Georgia fans, and Atlanta sucks.

Well, parts of this argument may be true. Jacksonville is in close proximity to some great beaches (and plenty of other great cities/attractions in Florida), while Atlanta isn't exactly known for having a tropical beach feel. But once again, this comes down to mostly opinion. Personally, I'm not very fond of Jacksonville (although nearby Amelia Island is a great place to visit), and Atlanta CAN be a fun place for football games. The SEC Championship is played there every year which seems to work out well. Not to mention the Georgia Dome is now completely red and black, which is awesome.

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In conclusion, it's a really difficult situation to find an answer to, and that's exactly why the game isn't moving anytime soon. Personally, I'd like to see it move every once in a while for a difference, and I feel like, if anything, Gator fans enjoy the game being in Jacksonville more than anyone.

Let me reiterate that I don't know how much, if any, affect the location of the game has had on the results of the games or the performances of the teams. That isn't even part of my argument. I just believe that Jacksonville is Gator Country, and it doesn't sit well with me that the game is in Gator Country every year. HOWEVER, as I said before, tradition should be respected, and nevertheless, the game will not be moved. At least for a while.

(PS: To all Georgia fans who like Jacksonville, love having the game there, and actually feel like it's best for you: Good. I respect your opinion and I'm glad you enjoy it. Go Dawgs.)

LOST Update: It's official, Hurley wears Bulldog Jacket

Just wanted to make a quick update on an earlier post I made about promo pictures for this week's episode of "Lost" featuring the character Hurley (played by Jorge Garcia) wearing a UGA sweatshirt with a bulldog face on it. Jorge let me know earlier that the sweatshirt was in fact part of wardrobe for the show.

If you are a "Lost" fan and watched the show tonight, you might have noticed that he did wear the hooded sweatshirt, after Sawyer (played by former UGA student Josh Holloway) asked where his bulldog sweatshirt was! I'm guessing it was Holloway's idea to have the UGA representation on the show, but I could be wrong. Either way, Jorge Garcia playing Hurley has honored the Bulldog Nation by wearing such apparel on a worldwide hit television series.

By the way, here's a link to Jorge's blog, which is always a fun read.

Is it alright to say "We" when talking about your team?

Some guy named Kent made a post on some website about how fans should never, ever, under any circumstances, say "we" when referring to their favorite football team.

Sometimes, the things people say make you WANT to agree with this guy. For example, hearing Tech fans say, "We finally beat you! WE have bragging rights!" I just want to say, "Actually, you didn't. The football team you root for beat the football team I root for. I don't see why I personally should be embarrassed about that." (and I'm not)

But then, on the other hand, everyone knows that no sport exists without the fans, especially college football. College football is built around universities, places where thousands of students pay money to be members, where faculty and staff work to be members. It's a large network of interconnected people, all PART of the school in some way or another, even from the newest freshman to the president of the administration.

And then of course we have the donors, the life-long supporters and fans who, even if they never attended the university in any way, do give their money, time, and cheers to help the school, program, and team carry on, hire/pay coaches, staff, and scholarships for players. And the sports teams, like our Georgia Bulldogs, are a part of the university as well. In other words, anyone associated with the whole thing in any way, can technically refer to it as a collective "WE."

All of these people give SOMETHING to the University in SOME WAY to support it, which in turn helps the sports teams, and thus our football team. Without the students, faculty, staff, and donors, our university wouldn't exist, and clearly that would mean no football. Without money, UGA's athletic association wouldn't be able to hire coaches, provide scholarships for players, build and maintain stadiums, or keep grass on the field.

Finally, being part of the "we" can have a much more direct effect, in my opinion. Everyone knows how much crowd noise can affect the players on the field, and thus the events of the game. If you go out by Sanford Stadium in the fall during the week, you can hear extremely loud cheering and drums coming from the stadium, even when no fans are there. Why? Because our coaches know how important crowd noise is, and they simulate the sounds of a game while the players practice to help them adjust.

Imagine being a quarterback for a college football team, coming out onto a field surrounded by 93,000 people who are screaming at the top of their lungs against you, and you're trying to stay calm and make good decisions.

The fans, especially at their home games, certainly DO make a difference in games.

So in conclusion, if you have never spent a cent on a university or its sports program, if you've never had any official ties to the institution or its sports, and you've never attended a single game, you may look a little stupid calling yourself "we."

But I have a pretty good feeling that those types are few and far between.

WE ARE GEORGIA. GO DAWGS

Famous Dawgs: Episode 2

Alright, time for some Episode 2 action. Today, I decided to move away from Hollywood celebrities, and move to an even more powerful category: WORLD LEADERS!!!!1

Look below, and behold: Hugo Chavez



THE DESCRIPTION:

Chavez is the 54 year old reigning president of the great country of Venezuela. Being one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people of 2005 AND 2006, Chavez is a vicious critic of U.S. foreign policy, and, according to Wikipedia, has been called a threat to democracy in his region by the U.S. government. Go Dawgs! Woof woof!

THE VERDICT:

Actually, this entire thing is just a coincidence. Apparently, Venezuelan soccer team "Guaros de Lara" has the same exact colors and logo as UGA. SpanishDict.com tells me that a "guaro" is a "small, very talkative parrot." So there you have it. Chavez is simply a fan of the small, very talkative parrots of the Lara state of Venezuela.

And in honor of this discovery: A beatboxing parrot.

Famous Dawgs: Episode 1

Alright everyone, after being pleasantly surprised by coming across that promotional picture from "LOST" with the character Hurley wearing a Georgia Bulldog jacket, I'm just in the mood for finding Georgia representation anywhere I can.

(By the way, Jorge Garcia, the actor who does a great job portraying Hurley on the show, responded in a comment on my blogpost, confirming the UGA jacket as wardrobe. I haven't yet heard a response from him yet about other UGA fans on the show, including possibly Josh Holloway, who plays Sawyer and attended UGA for a year.)

So I've decided to begin a series of posts observing the University of Georgia's most famous Dawgs.

Today, I'd like to start out with some of the interesting ones that have popped up over the past few years, and brought to my attention on message boards such as the DawgPost.

First, we start with: Tara Reid



THE DESCRIPTION:

This infamous picture of the 33 year old actress showed up a while back, prompting mania among the Bulldog Nation. According to Wikipedia, Ms. Reid has starred in classic American films such as American Pie, American Pie 2, and National Lampoon's Van Wilder. She's also known to have an occasional wardrobe malfunction, but hey, it happens to everyone, am I right?

THE VERDICT:

Even with my investigative reporting skills, the origins of this picture are unclear. Anytime I've seen it, there's little explanation of why she's sporting such a stylish UGA hat. Sources say Tara Reid was born in New Jersey, attended a "Professional Childrens' School" in Manhattan, and then jetted off to Hollywood to start acting. I have no clue how she could have any ties to UGA, the Dawgs, or even the state of Georgia. But until some answers surface, we can be... proud to have Tara somewhat representing the Red and Black.



That's it for now. Check back later today for the next Famous Dawg.

BREAKING NEWS: Hurley from "Lost" is a Dawg

For those UGA fans out there who watch ABC's hit show "Lost," I have something interesting for you.



Now I can't be sure if this photo is shopped or not because I'm not an expert. But with my complete lack of expertise and photo analysis skills, I say this is real.

We already know that Sawyer (dude in brown on the left) attended UGA for a while, so now it appears we have two Georgia fans on the show.

Nothing makes me prouder than having the southerner conman and the 300 pound hairy guy representing UGA.

Check back later for updates on this breaking news.

GO DAWGS!

Georgia's newest recruit, and the pre-Spring Depth Chart

Everyone please welcome Orson Charles to the Bulldog Nation.



Unfortunately, the video above has no sound. I think due to copyright laws, they had to take their music out. But just imagine the UGA fight song playing behind that stuff.

In other news, the Bulldogs Blog has the pre-Spring depth chart for the football team. Keep in mind that those injured currently aren't on the chart.

Anyone remember to find a kicker?

David Hale over at the Bulldogs Blog had some interesting news about Georgia's search for a kick-off specialist: it apparently never happened.

Does anyone remember last season? Remember how difficult it was for our kickers to get the ball to the endzone on kickoffs, often resulting in the opponent starting around our 40 yard line? And then remember how Coach Richt (jokingly) said we would give two scholarships to someone who could kick the ball out of the endzone? Well, either they couldn't find anyone who could kick that far (unlikely), we were out of scholarships to give, or it was just forgotten and ignored.

So despite the kickoff troubles last season, we remain with Blair Walsh and two walk-ons who were already on the team, Andrew Jensen and Jamie Lendley.

There was also a bit of worry over freshman kicker Blair Walsh's season on field goals.

After starting 1 for 1 with a 52 yarder against Georgia Southern (which was admittedly very exciting), he was sent out to try a 57 yarder in the next game against Central Michigan, but that miss was very understandable. The Arizona State game saw his next miss, but it was another 50+ attempt.

But things went downhill starting with the Vanderbilt game at home. Up until that point, he was 10/12, and things were looking fine. But from that game onward, he finished the year 4/10, with only one of those attempts being 5o+ yards, and only 2 of those being 40+. Most frightening, there were two misses during the Florida game in Jacksonville, VERY close to being good, but missed from 37 and 27 yards. Good kicks there could have made a difference in that game. (But the weather wasn't great, and the wind was blowing, so it's hard to cast blame for those two misses.)

One thing I was asking for in the Capital One Bowl game was for Walsh to redeem himself and help us regain confidence by hitting a long one, and he sort of did with a good 32 yarder.

But it does make one wonder: Is our kicking (kickoffs AND field goals) really set and prepared for next season? For that matter, are our special teams as a whole going to get better?

They don't seem like huge problems, and maybe that's why they are generally ignored. But there's no doubt that those kickoffs, field goals, punts, etc. are very important throughout every game. Speaking of, things weren't exactly looking great for kick/punt returns either.

Let's just hope our coaches are well aware of this issue and are secretly working things out. I would guess they are.

Athens "Blizzard" 09: The Aftermath

Well, it's been two days since the great snowstorm, and there is still a lot of snow (actually snowy ice) around. Campus was still coated pretty well, with plenty of downed trees and branches all over the place (and downtown as well.) I took a few more pictures today, just to show some of campus, and also to show how most of the field (and half of the stadium seats) at Sanford Stadium are still blanketed with ice/snow.

I apologize in advance for the bad quality of these. They were taken by my cell phone this time, so not much desktop wallpaper value now. Nevertheless, some interesting scenery. (By the way, click the post title to see this properly with the text captions).

This first one is just the walkway past the Arch in north campus.


This second one is the infamous Park Hall, complete with fallen tree in front.


Then, we have Memorial Hall, with snow piled up in front of it 8 feet high.


And then we move onto the stadium itself. Once again, sorry for the quality.



That's it for now.

Concerning the Snowy Sanford Pictures

Hey to all of you rushing in to take a look at the pictures: Feel free to let me know in the comments if you like them or not. If anyone wants to see another type of shot or even some pictures of other parts of campus, let me know in there and I'll see if I have them. I've got plenty more photos from today.

A Couple More Snowy Sanford Pics