Once Bitten, Twice Shy

I don't think it's a secret that I've been a frank pessimist regarding the Dawgs since about midway through the second quarter of the 2008 Alabama game.  That doesn't mean I don't desperately want to be an unbridled, unabashed optimist about the Dawgs.  My problem is a lack of evidence to make the turn.  In the last two and a half seasons, there's only been one sound defeat of a legitimate team (Tech 2009).  Even inferior teams have given the Dawgs problems (and more than a couple of losses) during that span.  And then, there's been two epic beatings in Jacksonville.

This year's team, left for dead in the Flatirons, has suddenly appeared competent with three straight convincing wins.  While I'm not yet ready to start beating my chest until it's red and black, there seem to be a lot of us who are.  Vegas likes us this weekend.  The experts, if you call Mark Bradley that, are for the most part picking the Dawgs, despite our recent historical difficulties in Jacksonville. I can't remember this much objective enthusiasm about UGA's chances in Jacksonville since Zook was fired or that suicide-inducing 2002 game (I apologize for bringing it up, **PUKING**).

The experts are picking us because we are the "hot" team.  Three straight convincing wins will evidently make you forget two atrocious efforts earlier in the same season.  But, it looks to me that our relative hotness and the Gators' relative coolness is simply a matter of timing.  UF beat UT and UK badly, just like us.  UF lost to Mississippi State in embarrassing fashion, just like we did.  These results, however, have just come at opposing times.  UF got UT and UK early and we played them this month.  So, we're essentially the same team against common opponents.  They've looked like a bunch of turds lately, but we looked turdtastic early.  

Even with the experts on our side, there's something of a lingering dread about this game that keeps me from complete confidence Saturday.  I'm having a problem turning myself into a bubbly fountain of hope because I've been burned so often and so badly in this series, but am I just not getting it this year?  Should I be more confident?

Given the recent history of the series, I feel like the Dawgs have to show me they can beat the Gators without endzone celebrations, lame duck coaches, or goofy alternate unis.  I want a straight up win over the Gators with no frills.  It's something I haven't seen in thirteen years.  I don't want to hear how we're going to do it.  I want to see it. Let us have it, Dawgs.  Please.  My capacity for hope in this series could be at stake.

Quinton

Quick Hoops / Stegeman Update

Player News:
Trey Thompkins continues to get positive press following his nomination as preseason SEC Player of the Year. One of my favorite articles so far comes Andy Katz talking about Trey's status as the best big man in the league. It's a very encouraging read.

Recruiting News:
On a separate note, I noticed Nick Jacobs committed to Alabama yesterday. It's unfortunate that Jacobs didn't give us a longer look given that we have so much playing time available, and his connection to the program via David Jacobs (former football player). The biggest issue with the 2011 recruiting right now is simply that the signing period is BEFORE what should be our breakout season. I hope to sign one more big man in the Spring, and we've got offers out to one more guard/wing for the Fall in Devin Langford and Dai-Jon Parker (Nov. 5th announcement scheduled).

Facilities News:
I dropped by Stegeman on Friday to check out some of the renovation work, and I came away incredibly impressed. The all glass facade completely reshapes the look of the place from the exterior. Interestingly...to me at least...hanging each piece of glass properly is quite the ordeal. I counted 1 crane, 3 cherry pickers and 10-13 men required to install one panel of glass. Oh..and each panel looked to take about 25-30 minutes to get in place with two separate crews doing the work -- one on each side of the building . This photo from the Red and Black shows the work pretty well.

On Friday, it looked like they had 4 panels left on the Carlton Street side and about 10-12 panels left on the practice field side. I would imagine they are probably pretty close to finished on that aspect of the work. Anyone who wants to drive by the building and post a comment about the progress is welcome.

Interestingly, I talked to one of the guys on site who was supervising. He said they install a rubber connector of sorts to connect the top row of glass to the concrete roof of Stegeman. The connector has to allow for the expansion and contraction of the concrete. They've measured Stegeman's roof height during temperature variations as much as 50 degrees and found almost 4 inches difference in height as the concrete reacts to external temp swings. The roof "moves" less when the building is closed off to the outside temps...in other words when they finish they'll be able to regulate the internal temps much better and reduce the movement of the roof.

The crews are basically working around the clock to finish in time, and it looks like all the major work will be done in time for the Nov. 4th exhibition game. However, I would expect quite a bit of cosmetic work regarding the graphics and visual extras to be completed closer to the official home opener.

You have to hand it to Damon Evans. This is a high value investment in our basketball facilities.

One negative in all of this...I do have to say that it's a real whiff to have the exhibition game on Thursday, Nov. 4th instead of the originally announced Friday, Nov. 5th. There are lots of folks...me included...who just can't make three separate trips to Athens in one week. One trip for the exhibition game, one for the football game and one separate athletics related trip. We need to get that exhibition game next year moved back to the Friday before the home opener to help our fans.

That's all. Overall...momentum continues to build around basketball.

PWD

Random UF Humor

Urban Meyer talks to his offensive coordinator Steve Addazio. Ht - lowcountrydawg via the Vent



PWD

About the Bye Week

Image: DawgPost.com '07
Obviously, Florida isn't going to just roll over and play dead for us, but you wouldn't know it from reading some of the message board posts or reviewing the betting line.

Think back to 2007. Georgia was coming off a bad 2006 season, and it entered the 2007 Cocktail Party in a very flaccid fashion. The South Carolina loss was bad followed by the 28-0 halftime Volunteer lead in Neyland. All followed by barely beating Vanderbilt in Nashville. The only legitimately positive sign that season was the big win at Bama.

But Georgia took advantage of the bye week to get its act together and beat the defending national champs senseless.

There's no reason to think that Florida...despite all their problems...can't do something similar. It's not like they are without talent. They just have to pull their heads out of the sand in order to give us a war.

And to clarify...This post isn't some subtle pre-game excuse making way of saying "Florida will win because of the bye week." That's a bullshit excuse on par with bitching about the weather (as Blutarsky mentioned on Monday). The Dawgs had the bye last year before UF and in 2008 before the Tech game, and it did them no good. It's simply to say that the Gators are probably tired of hearing how much they suck, and they will play their best game of the year against UGA. Much like UT did in 2007 after their bye week.

Also the Dawgs should be very thankful we didn't have the bye week this year. Georgia needed the extra week to build more momentum and confidence. Plus, Caleb King would've been suspended for the Gator game if we had the bye on Saturday.

Derek Dooley on the Germans

There's a lot of message board and twitter buzz about Derek Dooley's comparison of the Vols to the WWII Germans. The sound bytes read like a lunatic was talking, but if you actually watch the video...it's quite funny and lucid.



I'm all for mocking Precious and kicking the Vols when they are down, but this actually had me busting out laughing with him. Not at him.

Imagine Les Miles' socially awkward self trying to pull this off. Now that would be comedy.

PWD

That's Mr. Houston to You

Houston on the tackle vs. UT (Image: Hipple)

Yes. He's a badass. The SEC Defensive Player of the week now is now tied for the lead nationally in Total Sacks with 9.5 according to CFBStats.com.

The only thing missing from his game is an inside spin move. He's so fast rushing up field past the OT that teams often call the inside draw play to run inside his attack route. If he could vary his approach a little with an inside spin, he could further disrupt the opponent's play calling.

Houston is currently on pace to record 15.5 sacks this season. Although, that number will be almost impossible to hit with GT throwing the ball so infrequently and Cam Newton being so super human difficult to sack.

UGA single season sack leaders:

14 - David Pollack (2002)
13 - Mitch Davis (1993)
12.5 - David Pollack (2003)
12 - Richard Tardits - (1988)
12 - Jimmy Payne (1981)

SEC career sacks records:

52 - Derrick Thomas: Alabama '85-88
49 - Billy Jackson: Ole Miss '80-83
37 - Ben Williams: Ole Miss '72-75
36 - David Pollack, UGA '01-04
33 - Alex Brown, UGA '98-01
32 - Reggie White, UT '80-83
29 - Richard Tardits, UGA '85-88

For his career, Houston currently has 19.5 sacks. He would need to stick around for his senior season to have a shot at the UGA career mark. And it would take one helluva a season to knock that record down.

PWD

One Prerequisite Is Fulfilled

Have you ever heard that UF has a really good record lately against Georgia?  Usually, it's the ONLY thing the national media discusses in previews of this game in recent years.  As I've said before, we aren't the only team who's struggled against the Gators in the last twenty years.  Despite that, it seems we're the only team that consistently gets the recent series record dangled in our face.

So sure, we've had our issues in Jacksonville.  In every UGA victory in that twenty year span of futility, though, UF came into the game with a loss against LSU (1997, 2004, and 2007).  An LSU victory over the Gators doesn't signify that the Dawgs will win because LSU has beaten UF a few more times in the last twenty years than we have, but we haven't beaten them without LSU doing it first.  At least that one tiny omen favors us.

Quinton