We’re live from Georgia — and are you still watching?
An empty doghouse. It has been that kind of season in Athens.
ATHENS — They got bruised in Stillwater, blindsided in Knoxville and humbled in Jacksonville. Also, their dog died.
Put it all together and Georgia’s season is a like country-western song.
So here’s my question for you: If you’re still watching, what is it you’re hoping this team can still accomplish?
The Dogs play their final home game of the season tonight against
Mark Richt has tried to keep everybody focused on the season, not what comes after.
Kentucky. The backdrop isn’t what this team’s seniors were hoping for, especially after what seemingly was projected two years ago when Georgia finished the season ranked No. 2 in the nation. But there are still some tangible goals left.
I’m guessing if Bulldog fans could lay out a perfect finish to an imperfect season, it would go something like this (in order of priority):
1) Beat Georgia Tech next week.
2) Win the season’s final three games (Cats, Jackets, bowl opponent) to finish a respectable 9-4.
3) Blow up the coaching staff.
I’m adding the last one because I’m guessing that even closing the season strong would not eliminate the bitter taste left by the 4-4 start and all that came with it.
This could be Willie Martinez's last home game as defensive coordinator.
Most of you still believe in coach Mark Richt — as you should — but want changes in his staff and/or some of his methods.
Pure my speculation here, based on no inside information, other than what I see and hear and how Richt is now reacting to questions about his off-season plans: 1) Defensive coordinator Willie Martinez is gone; 2) There will be other changes on the staff, mostly on the defensive side of the ball and possibly with the strength and conditioning coach; 3) Some or all of these changes may be announced fairly quickly, possibly soon after the Georgia Tech game and before the bowl game.
I would be stunned if Richt made no changes. I would be surprised if he makes only one.
Let me add one more thing: While Martinez’s shortcomings as a defensive coordinator have been debated for a while, I still believe the team’s problems run deeper than one assistant coach. The problems start at the top with accountability. That’s Richt’s department. I thought his decision last week to pull out any players who committed a bad penalty was a terrific first step.
Now, about tonight’s game. Kentucky is in that, “We should beat them,” category. But this game won’t be easy. The Wildcats have won four of their last five and beat Auburn (21-14) by the same margin as Georgia (31-24). They’re averaging over 200 rushing yards per game and the defense, while not great, is among conference leaders with 13 interceptions. They’ve also committed about half as many penalties (46) in 10 games as the Dogs (89).
So here we go. Let me know what you’re looking for tonight and I’ll be back shortly.
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2,054 comments Add your comment
Yellow Fuzz
November 21st, 2009
7:20 pm
Yellow Fuzz is contemplating doing another play by play
Joe
November 21st, 2009
7:20 pm
he asked if anybody is watching because the stadium was void of red and black in jacksonville after about 5 minutes into the third quarter
Yellow Fuzz
November 21st, 2009
7:20 pm
Any dogs out there want my opinions?
jesse james
November 21st, 2009
7:21 pm
At least an phantom unsportsmanlike penalty couldn’t save Les and the Tigers this time. Maybe A.J. got a little justice tonight.
jesse james
November 21st, 2009
7:22 pm
IWith a name like Yellow Fuzz, I dang sure don’t.
dap01
November 21st, 2009
7:24 pm
It’s better to be a dawg in a bad year than an insect in a good year. Jeff, so to a game in Athens and you will know what a real college atmosphere feels like.
Because there are some highschools in south Georgia that draw more than the YELLOW Jackets.
Go Dawgs!
Norton
November 21st, 2009
7:24 pm
Georgia has a football team?
Pi$$onaDawg
November 21st, 2009
7:24 pm
Time to check PORN until kickoff of the Dawgs game. Do any of you UGA fans know a good site to see some ANIMAL LOVING with DAWGS? I do know a webcame to the UGA Phi MU house but rattle rattle here come the cattle just don’t do it for me. HAHAHAHA
Joe
November 21st, 2009
7:25 pm
here goes the more fans and bigger stadiums is better bs. haha, maybe that will get you a preseason championship but not a MNC like Tech has four of and Herschel has one
Finger N Cider
November 21st, 2009
7:25 pm
Willie does gators is a good one POAD
Pi$$onaDawg
November 21st, 2009
7:25 pm
where is my lover Dawghater?
jesse james
November 21st, 2009
7:26 pm
Hey Pissonadawg, is it true that you and Norton are dating?
Pi$$onaDawg
November 21st, 2009
7:27 pm
Fake POAD give it up and just post under your own name. You scared to say what you have to say as yourself?
Paul Johnson's breaf stanks
November 21st, 2009
7:28 pm
Yeah on Notre Dame and Derek Dooley goes to Virginia
mash a bug
November 21st, 2009
7:28 pm
choke on this, tech fans:
Georgia (59)
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GT knocking
November 21st, 2009
7:28 pm
The last home game for Broadway Joe Cox,
the pin-point passer.
Joe
November 21st, 2009
7:29 pm
choke on this uga dufus 2008! all that matters for a week
Sonny Clusters
November 21st, 2009
7:29 pm
Jeff, what color helmets are they wearing tonight?
jesse james
November 21st, 2009
7:30 pm
Derek Dooley may be the next coach at LSU.
Chipped Tires
November 21st, 2009
7:30 pm
This Blog is so sophomoric.
AMG
November 21st, 2009
7:30 pm
hey jesse james, looks like pi$$onadawg has a lot of friends on this site…lol
Pi$$onaDawg
November 21st, 2009
7:30 pm
Jesse me 45ACP and Cuz get together and get drunk in the woods, kill some animals, and after that we don’t talk about. You know You do that Broke Back Maoutain thing too. Don’t steal my name if you can’t bring it with something better than HOMO crap.
Chipped Tires
November 21st, 2009
7:30 pm
RED stupid
The Ghost of Leonard Post Toasties
November 21st, 2009
7:32 pm
The new mascot for the Georgia Thugdawgs will be a Pit Bull fresh from Mike Vick kennels, with stud diamonds in his nose and toungue, and his hair will have extensions that are woven into corn rows.
At least once a game, the new mascot, THUGA I, will commit a personal foul on an opposing team member.
Cue up the gansta rap, this new mascto should fit the new UGA team image.
AMG
November 21st, 2009
7:32 pm
LOL, what a joke, Pi$$onaDawg, in the woods with his boys….hmmmmmmm, lmao,
Paul Johnson's breaf stanks
November 21st, 2009
7:32 pm
hows the clean up going at the North Campus tailgating area?
Pi$$onaDawg
November 21st, 2009
7:33 pm
CAN we all give a CHEER at KICKOFF for BAYLIE and CUZ?
willie martinez
November 21st, 2009
7:33 pm
i AM the poet of record for the blogs.
jesse james
November 21st, 2009
7:33 pm
Pissonadawg, I thought Norton was a girl, I didn’t mean any harm. Any guy knows Georgia has a football team.
Paul Johnson's breaf stanks
November 21st, 2009
7:34 pm
How hard is it to get a permit for driving ? Are the players really this stupid?
Watergate
November 21st, 2009
7:35 pm
What SEC crew is doing the game?
Conspiracy Mission Accomplished:
Bama and Florida undefeated.
bob horner stayed hurt
November 21st, 2009
7:35 pm
Ghost..that was funny…I’ll give you that….go dawgs!!
SMALL JOHNSON
November 21st, 2009
7:35 pm
Joe
4 championships wow big time program
lets see the first 3 occured when there were no states yet west of the Missisippi and news papers in every state could declare their team a national championship.
Your entire sports program has how many conference championships and national championships combined?
what what was that less than 8
Tech yea great national program right
Finger N Cider
November 21st, 2009
7:36 pm
Norton a gal? Come on over and have a drank!
45ACP
November 21st, 2009
7:36 pm
Yellow Fuzz – The floor is open.
jesse james
November 21st, 2009
7:37 pm
Hey Jeff, on a serious note, do we know if Cobb is going to play and how much? Thanks for your coverage!
Delbert D.
November 21st, 2009
7:37 pm
It must be official. The NBC announcers pronounced ND’s loss to UConn as Weis’ last home game. Anybody looking for assistant coaches may find one in the rubble pile at South Bend. They are probably posting on monster.com right now.
Paul Johnson's breaf stanks
November 21st, 2009
7:38 pm
BTW where is Mark…. Bradley that is
"Chef" Tim Dix
November 21st, 2009
7:38 pm
Well I’m back to wish a dog well, a DC the opposite, and a team a victory.
Anyone up for pie?
party scan
November 21st, 2009
7:38 pm
There is a keg party at the Vince Dooly Statue til kickoff.
Pi$$onaDawg
November 21st, 2009
7:38 pm
Jesse I do get drunk late in the game and git madder but this is not personal it is all just talking crap just for fun. Now If I and you put on helmet and pad and hit eachother then it would be personal, but this is just fun chat. Enjoy the game and bring the good comebacks.
AMG
November 21st, 2009
7:38 pm
ga wins big tonight, in UGA VII memory!
Jeff Schultz
November 21st, 2009
7:38 pm
Pi$$ — No problem. Be a good boy. But please, no cleverly disguised obscenities.
Sonny – It’s red on red tonight.
Paul Johnson's breaf stanks
November 21st, 2009
7:39 pm
Any chance of Willie going to ND?
willie martinez
November 21st, 2009
7:40 pm
there once was a guy named jeff
who seemed to lean to the left
i said on his blog
your head’s in a fog
he said, au contre
its quite deft.
Doyle Hargraves
November 21st, 2009
7:40 pm
Jeff, what does it smell like at Sanford Stadium tonight?
L.L.Y.F.F.
Delbert D.
November 21st, 2009
7:40 pm
willie – You might want to give Bob Stoops a ring. Tell him how sorry you are about their season. Maybe play a card to get yourself in the mix at Notre Dame with Bob.
Jeff Moron
November 21st, 2009
7:40 pm
Yes Jeff, we are still watching. And you are going to continue to be critical regardless of how UGA finishes the season. You’re a bad joke!
AMG
November 21st, 2009
7:41 pm
clemson kicks techs a$$ in the acc championship
Darren
November 21st, 2009
7:41 pm
Willie to ND
CMR to FSU