Weekend Predictions: Dogs go down to Gators again
According to legend, or sources close to legend, the origins of Halloween date back over 2000 years when the summer harvest ended and the weather turned cold and the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead were so narrow that SEC football coaches figured it was safe to start recruiting and NCAA executives and college presidents lounged inside their palatial suites that were paid for by network executives and texted each other, “Time To Close Our Eyes. Hey, are you going to Urban’s pool party later?”
Hello. It’s that time again.
Where are you going this year? St. Simons? Jekyll? Some dark and secluded place, perhaps near the border of the Netherworld, just in case you feel the need to slip into a neighborhood where they don’t get the Georgia-Florida game but still show Lou Holtz career highlights on an endless loop?
It’s the 30th anniversary of Buck Belue to Lindsay Scott. Now let’s advance to more recent decades. The Gators have won 17 of the last 20 meetings. The last two came by a combined score of 90-27, give or take a major organ.
I know. Georgia has the better quarterback. Georgia has the better running game. Georgia has the best player in the game (A.J. Green). Georgia even has the coach who didn’t drop-kick his conscience and morals this week. Florida coach Urban Meyer will bring back Time To Die Guy Chris Rainey. He will hand off to Time To Die Guy. He will throw to Time To Die Guy. I’m guessing he will even wear an wristband with the inspirational initials: “WWTTDGD.”
Should I pull the trigger? (Kidding! It was just a text!)
No. Just can’t do it. Meyer has had an extra week to fix the problems. He is 31-3 in his career when he has had more than a week to prepare. He is 5-0 after bye weeks at Florida.
The Dogs are better than they were three weeks ago. How much? Don’t know. They’ve won consecutive games over Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Kentucky (2-11 in SEC). How do we gauge that? They have lost to the only three teams on their schedule with overall winning records (South Carolina, Arkansas, Mississippi State).
Can’t do it. Seen too much. Seen Dogs fans leave Jacksonville looking like zombies too often.
“Run, Lindsay! … No wait! Come back Lindsay!”
Not seeing is not believing. Until then: Give me the 2½ points. But I won’t need them. Gators, Gators, Gators.
Will it be this (Georgia fans shopping after the game)?
♦
Or will it be this (30 years ago)?
♦
Is This Gonna Be On The Test?
Oh, geez. And Tennessee thought the Alabama game was tough.
Auburn at Old Ms.: Is this too obvious? Auburn wins a big game against LSU, vaults to the top and becomes the next No. 1 to spill the soup? Almost. I’d probably call upset here if it didn’t mean taking sides with a coach (Houston Nutt) fond of recruiting from penitentiaries for a one-year fix. Tigers win but give me the Rebs and 7.
Tennessee at South Carolina: I understand Derek Dooley is entertaining and well read but he might want to hold off on any more analogies that liken his football team to panicking Nazis when the Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy. Better to just mix in a Lane Kiffin joke. Gamecocks cover a big number (17½).
Kentucky at Mississippi State: The note of the year: Dan Mullen (6-2) is bowl eligible before Urban Meyer, Mark Richt, Steve Spurrier and Bobby Petrino. He doesn’t make as much money as the others but there’s that psychic income of living in Starkville. Wait a minute. Other Dogs cover 6½.
Vandy at Arkansas: Ryan Mallett’s first three games: 9 touchdowns, 2 interceptions. Last four games: 6 touchdowns, 5 interceptions. (Sorry for the research. I slipped.) Fortunately, Vanderbilt stinks. Piggies cover 20½.
Georgia St. at South Alabama: South Alabama has won seven games by an average score of 44-7. I guess Tuscaloosa will be a step down for the Panthers. This week, they go down by two TDs.
♦
Pros and Cons
The walking boot is just to get sympathy from his wife.
Sext-Pistols at Patriots: Brett Favre has a bad ankle and doesn’t know if he can play. Seems like a good exit strategy, and it gives him time to work on a new story to tell his wife. Patriots cover 5½.
Jaguars at Cowboys: The really cool thing about those huge video screens in the Cowboys’ $1.3 billion stadium is now you can see Jerry Jones’ head explode in high-def. Hemlock now being served in the martini bars. Dallas wins but take Jacksonville and 6½.
Steelers at Saints: Actually factually: Drew Brees has one less interception (10) than he had all of last season (11), and if he throws four against Cleveland, what’s he going to do against Pittsburgh? The party is winding down in the Quarter. Steelers win (and take the gift 1).
Bucs at Cardinals: Raheem Morris is a good guy but when you say stuff like, “We’re the best team in the NFC. Yeah, I said it,” dude, just go ahead and start chugging the embalming fluid. Arizona covers 3.
Packers at Jets: Rex Ryan said, “It’s hard to say we’re not the best team in the NFL.” When did NFL coaches turn into Ali? Jets cover 6.
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Toteboard
Last week: 8-3 straight up, 7-4 against the line.
Bottom dollars: 65-21 straight up, 46-39-1 against the line.
♦
“Sack Schultz” Update
Went 11-4 last week. Was outdone again. Jack Terrill of St. Johns, Mich., went 15-0. Jack, you using a Ouija board? Overall leader is “Tuckys” (Ohio) at 96-24. “Dgoehner” is top Georgia contender at 95-25. Click here for more info.
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Want to catch up on previous Weekend Predictions? Click here.
Want to catch up on Georgia-Florida week posts? Click below
♦ Urban Meyer slammed again for Chris Rainey decision
♦ This is the week Georgia’s defense needs to step up
♦ Dogs’ key to beating Gators: QB, defense or something else?
♦ Early Georgia-Florida primer (and why Meyer is catching heat)
♦
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530 comments Add your comment
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
5:34 pm
It seems like a reasonable question with the health problems Mike Dantonio (sp?), MSUs coach, has had.
But yeah UF and Meyer can go f-bomb themselves!! I don’t care if we lose all our other games as long as we beat Florida.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
October 28th, 2010
5:34 pm
Thanks Jeff, and could not agree more. Dogs will get drilled by the Gators, thus moving the receord to 18 of the last 21. But never fear, Dog Nation will find a way to somehow justify the defeat and give CMR and extension.
Meyer will outcoach the entire Dog staff single-handidly.thus proving that he and his program are much superior to UGA.
Florida by 30.
What?
October 28th, 2010
5:35 pm
@ Beast
I think I’m right on the open dates as I have watched it (sadly) pretty closely over the last 25 years. It was quite a stir in the 90’s when Spurrier got it changed. He was the best coach in the nation at the time so I don’t think it would have been much different during his reign anyway. I think we have won 2 of the 3 times we had open dates during this period – having lost last year when we had an open date. I still think you would be ahead over the last 20 years but more like 12, 13 out of 20. Fresh legs late in the season makes a huge difference but playing last week with another win because of the way we started probably helps us. We will see….
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
5:36 pm
Gatorbait,
Florida fans have never been civil. Count yourself how you will, but your fanbase doesn’t win or loss with any civility.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
October 28th, 2010
5:37 pm
Excuse me, Miami is on the phone to Athens about a potential job with the Canes….stand by.
So, who will replace CMR…..Jim Donnan, Ray Goof, or maybe Terry Bowden. Yeal, I like Terry for this role, fits him nicely. He is accustomed to taking over horrible programs and driving them into the ground even deeper.
Hey, why doesn’t UGA open with North Alabama at home? Oh that’s right, they would lose the season opener.
Beast from the East
October 28th, 2010
5:37 pm
“I don’t care if we lose all our other ganes as long as we beat Florida”.
If that’s not obsession, I don’t know what is. Nice to know the Gators have taken control of your every thought.
5150 P.O.A.D
October 28th, 2010
5:37 pm
How many
Damn I need to poffread before I post, but Jeff still loves me.
Is the UGA v UF game on TV tonight as a JV game or is it at Pee Wee time on Saturday @ noon? LOL.
Still wondering
October 28th, 2010
5:38 pm
Richt kicks Mettenzen-whatever off the team, but Urban lets Rainey back for threatening a female. Wonder why Urban suspended him then let his morals down. Winning is #1 for Urban; morals don’t count.
CF
October 28th, 2010
5:38 pm
Nate the Great, it warms my heart to know that this time of year has been miserable for you 17 of the last 20 years. I’ll enjoy Saturday even more knowing that you’re suffering another loss.
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
5:40 pm
Not my every thought, but definitely how I judge the success of the season, that is true.
Beating Florida gets our coaches contract extensions. Losing to Tech gets our coaches fired.
jellybeandawg
October 28th, 2010
5:40 pm
I am with you Jeff and believe the Gators will roll the dawgs in J’ville and expose them as the true pumpkins they really are. The Dawgs may have looked like champs beating up on 3 horrible sec teams with a combined 2-11 sec record but they will look like the chumps after Saturday.
People seem to forget that UGA is still the typical unmotivated & undisciplined Coach Valium i.e. Mark Richt led team.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
October 28th, 2010
5:40 pm
Meyer and the Gators win national titles, which makes alot of the pain go away. If CMR would start winning titles everyone in Georgia woulds start looking the other way also, but since UGA sucks, the legal activity only emphasizes the problems in Athens.
Earl
October 28th, 2010
5:40 pm
Anyone who tries to summarize the millions of people in a team’s fan base as all bad or all good is an out and out imbecile.
Beast from the East
October 28th, 2010
5:40 pm
What?,
You may be right. I do know that we have tried to schedule it mid-season and we did make a point of trying to break up the back-to-back games with Auburn and UGA. Man, that was brutal!
Good luck this Saturday and may the best team win.
Gatorbait
October 28th, 2010
5:41 pm
Nate the Great
If you read the paper today, you would have seen that your new AD McGarity said it was
“unhealthy” for fans like you to fixate on Florida, He said people like you would be happy to go 1-11 as long as you beat Florida——-sad, very sad.
5150 P.O.A.D
October 28th, 2010
5:42 pm
Don’t give Jeff a hard time about the chalkboard. His wife did the Bold words and he lets his children erase last weeks predictions just to wright in the new perdicitions. That is not Jeff Schultz’s hand writing like that is not a UGA players drivers license.
drzlstrangelovejr
October 28th, 2010
5:42 pm
POAD does wonder a lot about PEE WEE. Maybe that explains everything.
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
5:43 pm
CF
Hope your ready for a cold heart!! We dont talk about the record (which even after 17-3 we still own) because its time to start a new record. And I’m not miserable because I still go back to beach front condo after all those losses, but you’ll still go back to your trailer park. Enjoy the Natty while you cry in it!!
chazzo
October 28th, 2010
5:43 pm
Thanks for not jinxing it. We need all the help or lack there of we can get. GO DAWGS! LIVIN’ IT and LOVIN’ IT for 44 years!
5150 P.O.A.D
October 28th, 2010
5:44 pm
Damn, that UGA grad fake blonde tri delta chick still messed up my drink order. I would thinl she would know what a Pink Panty Pull down is.
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
5:48 pm
Gatorbait,
Its called a rivalry. One that this fan base still cherishes, but has definitely lost luster for yours because of your recent dominance.
Lose some and see if your fans change their tune on how good a season is with consistent losses to Florida. We know for us to win a NC we have to beat Florida. Period.
Sopwith Camel
October 28th, 2010
5:48 pm
The only teams that UGA has beaten are teams that weren’t/aren’t all that good. Don’t forget that.
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
5:49 pm
Meant consistent Florida loses to Georgia
CF
October 28th, 2010
5:50 pm
Always loved someone from Georgia making redneck/trailer park/mullet jokes about other fans. You don’t get out of your home state often, do you? If you did, you’d realize that the rest of the country generally does not associate words like “urbane” and “sophiticated” to Georgians.
Yep, you have us on the overall record, but I know that I wasn’t around in the 1930’s and 40’s to cry over those losses, and I doubt you were there to enjoy them. The series has gone UF’s way since 1950.
5150 P.O.A.D
October 28th, 2010
5:50 pm
DRZ
I enjoy Pee Wee football becaues I have nephew playing. I really like High School Volleyball to because My neice is working towards a Schooly. So what kind of prevert are you saying I am? please call me out with facts. Now if you want to question me watching the Gym Dawgs meets then you are right, but those girls are 18 or older. man you can bounce quarters on their b…s That don’t make me crazy just a GUY.
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
5:51 pm
I keep hearing that UGA hasnt beaten anybody good, but what great team did Florida beat again? Whoever wins this weekend will have beaten their best team so far this year.
Mike Bobo 17 INT
October 28th, 2010
5:52 pm
UGA his thte soft spot of their scheduled, and now they are finally playing some decent teams, and not really great teams. Regardless, UGA is going down against Florida and Auburn, thus they will be looking at .500 at best. If UGA goes 7-5 everyone in Athens will be elated and will start talking about next year, which is all Athens ever does.
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
5:53 pm
CF,
The series has gone UFs way since 1990. Pretty even from 1950-1990.
PS They don’t think too much of Floridians either.
Beast from the East
October 28th, 2010
5:53 pm
Nate,
We haven’t beaten anyone either. We are both mediocre this year. Anyone that says anything different is just delusional.
Gatorbait
October 28th, 2010
5:56 pm
Here’s the reality.
Winning the cure for bad PR from arrests at Florida, Georgia
With 16 arrests this year, rivals Florida and Georgia find that winning saves recruiting
You get a reputation. Certain programs will get a reputation,” said Mike Farrell, national recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. “I don’t think Georgia’s reached that point yet. I don’t think Florida’s reached that point yet.”
Outside of the splash of negative headlines, which causes immediate negative buzz, few effects linger for either program
Georgia coach Mark Richt is on the hot seat, but that has more to do with lack of on-field success than problems off it. Columnists and college football analysts have criticized Florida coach Urban Meyer for reinstating Rainey.
But the legal issues haven’t hurt recruiting. Florida received three verbal commitments this week, bringing its total for the 2011 class to 18. The Gators have Rivals’ third-ranked recruiting class.
“If you’re winning and there’s enthusiasm about the program, anything short of murder will come up short,” Lemming said. “Florida is a program right now that nothing will stick to because they’re winning.”
CF
October 28th, 2010
5:57 pm
Never said otherwise, Nate. You took the trailer park dig. Just sounds ridiculous coming from a member of your fan base. 34-25-1 in Florida’s favor since 1950, I believe.
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
5:58 pm
Also CF,
Have you ever actually been to the game? Do you think we just made up the jean short jokes? No, theres pretty stong precidence for them!! UGA fans are by far the better dressed and more affluent fans. Only our wealthy can make the trip, while its open to any local-yocal UF fan to attend (Hence it looks more like a home game for Florida)
CF
October 28th, 2010
5:59 pm
Um, I think that’s the point, Nate. Your trailer park dig sounds like two midgets arguing about who’s shorter.
If I recall, the series is 34-25-1 in Florida’s favor since 1950.
Gatorbait
October 28th, 2010
6:00 pm
Beast from the East
You are right about that, 5:51 and 5:53 part 2
CF
October 28th, 2010
6:01 pm
Nate, I go every year, and will be heading up tomorrow. You confuse affluence with flamboyance. I’ll bet you look for any excuse to wear red shorts in public.
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
6:02 pm
Thank You Beast!!
If you go, be safe and have fun, but I still hope you lose and have terrible luck on the field:-)
I like talking trash at this game more than it any other, part of the reason I cherish every year!! You guys are like the cousin that everyone in the family dotes on, but you personally really love to watch them fail!!!
Beast from the East
October 28th, 2010
6:03 pm
Nate,
Have you not ventured outside of metro Atlanta? Walmart probably sells more UGA gear than any other retailer in the state. What does that tell you? Yes, we have our fair share of “rednecks”, as well, but the term was fashioned after Georgia natives. Glass houses, my friend. Glass houses.
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
6:06 pm
CF,
Again since you missed it. 1900-1950=UGA 1950-1990=Even 1990-2009=UF
Take 1990 onwards away and the record from 1950-1990 is 22-17-1 UGA.
Please read what I said and stop interpreting.
Beast from the East
October 28th, 2010
6:07 pm
Nate,
Heading down tomorrow. I’m from Jax and have lived up here in “Red China” for the past 9 years. My favorite game, as well. It sure is tough when we lose but I haven’t had to endure that too often so far. Hope the “once” Mighty Gators can come out on top again!
kral
October 28th, 2010
6:07 pm
Is this another form of reality TV..by George I think it is and I love it somewhat..To kevin, ddt,and Jeffie my life is truly wonderful read all my blogs sound bitter NO! just call out bloggers and reporters who say what ever they want too… bloggers say whayever they want too, writers can say what ever they too want about coaches{that’s for you Jeffie} but if you write and it ain’t worth a pizz in a pot{that’s for you Kevin pretty fancy with brackets wouldn’t you say} Then I can write back….
CF
October 28th, 2010
6:09 pm
Didn’t miss anything, Nate. I wasn’t responding directly to what you said. It was a continuation of my point, which is that having the overall record is nice, but I’d prefer to enjoy the wins personally rather than read about them in a history book.
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
6:10 pm
Beast,
Redneck comes from West Virginia coalminers to identify them as miners who wanted to start a union for their profession if you wanna get precise about the words origin. Hatfield and McCoys ring any bells? Not glass houses. Just pretty accurate observations.
PS I am born and raised Athens GA. and I hate the Atl. and I dont shop at Walmart.
Beast from the East
October 28th, 2010
6:13 pm
CF,
I’m with you. I could care less who won before I was even thought of. I grew up watching us get beat almost every year (70’s and 80’s) and have to say that I truly can understand the Dawgs’ feeling towards us because of that. I think it’s one of the best rivalries in football and the good-natured ribbing is just a part of it.
Go Gators!
Beast from the East
October 28th, 2010
6:17 pm
Nate,
You may be right about the precise origin. I was raised to believe it came from Georgia farmers (red clay). Either way, you get my point. No state in the south is without them.
CF
October 28th, 2010
6:17 pm
I agree, Beast. There are actually a fair number of UGA fans in Florida, several of whom, I will confess, are friends. I even attended the Cap One Bowl a few years ago when they played MSU, and for love of conference, I openly pulled for Georgia. I’ll admit that this will be tougher if the series turns back in their favor.
Go Gators!
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
6:18 pm
Thanks again Beast!! It is good natured ribbing and I think do get a little too carried away (I am one of them), but I learned to not get upset with the outcome until I practice or call a play for the team (neither of which I have ever done). If we win or lose, its not a reflection of me but one less thing I can celebrate that night and I’ll guarantee you I will celebrate Saturday night regardless!!
What?
October 28th, 2010
6:18 pm
@ Beast
But, you guys buy more jean shorts than anyone…..sorry, it’s true. Too many yankes at UF…
Break a leg…..take care. Cautiously hopeful for Saturday, but…….
Vinegar Foot
October 28th, 2010
6:19 pm
Urban Meyer gonna put another smack down on the right reverend Richt!
Bulldogs get neutered, and this is Richt’s last year.
What?
October 28th, 2010
6:19 pm
that’s… yankees
Nate the Great
October 28th, 2010
6:20 pm
Beast,
Wholeheatedly agree. Its just a lot easier for your rednecks to attend than it is ours.