Tailgating Success

Apparently, we are playing nicely together again.  UGA made comments about how tailgaters cleaned up this week.  That they commented on it positively is a good sign. 

I noticed a considerable number of trash and recylcling bins distributed around.  I also noted that people had done a better job of cleaning up their tailgating sites after the game. The crowd got started later than I would have thought, especially for a 4:30 game, so that could have something to do with it.  Still, cleaning up after ourselves is a good start to getting the Stasi approved rules imposed on us relaxed.  

Florida LB Finley Arrested

Dee Finley: "Don't tase me, bro" (Image: Tribune Media)

Finley was arrested at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, reportedly stopped when he dodged a barricade.  He told the officer he was late and tried to leave.  Mathematically speaking:

The Fuzz<Coach Muschamp

However, the officer wasn't done.  Finley 'squared himself' and straddled the scooter, that is until the officer removed his Taser.  Then he complied. Mathematically speaking:

Coach Muschamp<The Fuzz with a Taser Drawn

Resisting arrest with violence?  Jimmy Williams approves.  Meanwhile, Huntley Johnson just lit another veal foreskin wrapped cigar with a $1000 bill.

TD

Fox picks up his 3rd commitment for 2012

With the Fall signing period about 70 days away, Coach Fox picked up his third commitment of the 2012 class.  Brandon Morris (6'7" 195 lb small forward) from Miller Grove High School committed to sign with UGA following his recruiting visit. 

Various sites are reporting that Coach Fox hosted over a dozen prospects in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 classes this weekend during the UGA vs. SC game.  Morris was on his official visit, and came away impressed.

Both Rivals and Scout list him as a solid 3 star kid. He's a kid who rattles around the Top 100-150 in the rankings; however, his offer list is what impresses me.  He is reported to have offers from Georgia Tech, NC State, Clemson, Arkansas, Memphis and Auburn.  Some sites also credit him with offers from Kansas State, Florida and Florida State.

It's a good pick up.  The class still needs a Shaq Goodwin (Top 25 national prospect at PF).  Dan MacDonald at UGASports.com says he's hearing that Goodwin might be backing off his desire to play football and basketball at the next level.  A basketball only commitment to UGA for Fox would be enormous.

Land a Top 25 kid every year like Caldwell-Pope and Goodwin plus a few solid role players who will stick for four seasons, and you can build a nice sustainable program. Fox just has to close the big gun for 2012.

PWD

Ole Miss Kickoff Set

Bad news:  Set for 12:21 Eastern on the SEC Network.  That is 11:21 local time. 

Good news: More time at the tables in Tunica or on Beale Street.  Or you can be home by dark.

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Final South Carolina Thoughts

Crowell on the move. (Image: Jim Hipple; click to enlarge)

After watching the replay, I don't think I have too much profound to add about the game.  As someone who watched the replay told me, it is like finding out your ex-girlfriend wasn't cheating on you after all.  Yes, there is solace, but little consolation for the loss.

Figgins with the catch (Image: Hipple; Click to enlarge)

What I took away from the replay?  Any game plan that doesn't involve getting Crowell 25+ touches a game is not well thought out criminal.  Same goes for any game plan that doesn't involve the FBs in the passing game more.  The defense is better than I give them credit for, especially on the blitz packages.  We have...issues...with Washington not getting off his blocks.  Same goes for Anderson's handling of the speed rush.  Murray's footwork fell off late, which is a product of him getting hit so many times. The missed FG was the worse kick of Walsh's career.  We should have gotten a celebration penalty after the Wooten TD.  Rambo's play is significantly better, especially on pass coverage.  Commings is better at CB than Safety, if for no other reason than Rambo is a better option at safety overall.

Commings sacks Garcia (Image: Hipple; Click to enlarge)

When you get in a gun fight, you can't win when you shoot at yourself every third shot.  That is what happened Saturday.  You can blame coaching, players, jerseys, the crowd, Mike Adams, the economy, Sandinistas, Quincy Carter, Jimmy Carter, Damon Evans, Jan Kemp, or Congress, but the fact remains that Georgia lost a game they shouldn't have.  Again. 

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South Carolina Game Review

A loss is a loss is a loss.

The Good:

• Welcome back running game.  My, how I have missed you.
• Play calling.  Huge nuggets call by Coach Richt on the on-sides kick early. Very strong offensive game plan.
• Boykin's kickoff returns.
• Murray working with 8 different receivers.  He moved the ball around well and outside of three bad throws, was very strong.
• Drew Butler's leg.  
• Bacarri Rambo's play. He might have played tentative before last night.  He brought it yesterday.
• 4 for 14 on third down defense.

The Bad:

• Allowing someone who looked like Rerun lumbering down the sideline pull off a perfectly executed 70 yard run on a fake punt.  They timed that dude with a sundial.
• Not getting points when we create turnovers.  
• Murray looking at, then pointing at his receiver on the interception.  

The Ugly:

• Offensive line: Whatchya you doin' in here kittycat?
• Allowing Lattimore 170+ yards, with so much of that coming on the edge.
• A bad play turning into a catastrophe.
• 21 points off of Georgia turnovers.

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Feel That Kick

I think the world of Mark Richt.  He is a great man and example.  I was encouraged by the play I saw yesterday out of his team.  It stood in stark contrast to the Boise State game.  You could tell that the team was better coached and motivated than a week ago.  It is clearly an encouraging sign.  If I were at the game, I would have been among those fans who applauded the team's effort as they left the field.  Here's the trouble ...

The team that scores the most points, wins the game.  There are no judges' decisions.  Moral victories don't show up in the record books.  I'm certainly more encouraged by yesterday, as opposed to when I was waiting two hours on the MARTA platform last week.  But, our Dawgs made just enough critical, crippling mistakes to let Carolina win that game, despite looking like the better team.  

I've seen a lot of commentary about how the team was better and it should have won, except for a couple of small things that decided the game.  The trouble is, the small things are always the difference between winning and losing.  A mishandled exchange, a drop, a missed kick, an interception, an untimely penalty.  Those are the things that separate teams of approximately equal strength and talent.  How many times have we played well enough to win a close game and lost because of a few, well-timed lapses?  South Carolina '01, Florida '02, LSU '03 I, ... Colorado '10, Florida '10, South Carolina '11.  The small stuff is important and a single mistake can get you beat, much less three big mistakes.

We'll get better, but will it matter?  We've lost twice on national TV, once in embarrassing fashion to a team that many casual fans unjustifiably regard as inferior to their chosen team.  Thus, at 0-2, we are nationally irrelevant.  If we want anyone to notice us again, there are three things the Dawgs have to do.  Start winning, keep winning, and beat the Gators.  The first won't be hard.  Coastal Carolina shouldn't be in the game at halftime.  The second is conceivable, but there are some very losable games left before Jacksonville.  And the Gators, well, you know how that's been going.  

People won't be talking about Kirby or Dan Mullen if they are leaving Jacksonville at 6-2.  They'll be scheming ways for us to back into the SEC Championship Game.

Victory cures all.  Every game left is winnable, based on the Carolina game.  Many of those games, however, are also losable, based on the Boise game.  And moral victories still don't count.  Go Dawgs.

Quinton