LIVE from Dogs-Gators, and everybody’s feeling the heat
Georgia's Mark Richt and Florida's Urban Meyer greet each other before the game (Brant Sanderlin/AJC)
JACKSONVILLE — Time to play.
Was thinking last night — while Tim Tucker and I strategically avoided “The Landing” area — about the enormous pressure on certain individuals in today’s Georgia-Florida game. It’s odd only in that both teams are unranked going into this contest for the first time since 1979. So much for national ramifications.
But think about the pressure on . . .
♦ Mark Richt: Georgia has won three straight but you can’t just wipe out a 1-4 start. If the Dogs lose, they are absolutely, positively dead in the SEC East (I think) because they would lose tiebreakers with both Florida and South Carolina. They also would need to win two of their final three games (Idaho State, at Auburn, Georgia Tech) just to become bowl eligible.
♦ Urban Meyer: Think he’s not feeling some heat? Here’s a guy who appeared to have a serious health issue, suddenly retired, then even more suddenly unretired. He explained his chest pains as “esophageal spasms” and some immediately wondered about truthfulness. We can’t know if Meyer’s heath has affected the way he’s gone about his job this season but we know this: The Gators have lost three straight and they rank 89th in the nation in total offense. Florida can still win the East but if they lose they’ll be 2-4 in the East and all but cooked. For those Dogs’ fans looking for a possible omen, here you go: The last time Florida lost four straight was in 1988. The fourth loss in that streak came to Georgia 16-3.
Uga VIII was out on the town. (Kidding. It's not him.)
♦ John Brantley: It can’t be easy replacing Tim Tebow, but the Gators’ quarterback was expected to be better than this. In his defense, the offensive line and running game have been awful. But nobody could have expected these numbers through seven games: six touchdown passes, five interceptions, 10 sacks. Brantley had four touchdowns and zero interceptions against Miami (Ohio) and South Florida so you can do the math on the five SEC games.
♦ Aaron Murray: He has been great this season. But he never has played in this stadium or a game of this magnitude. Richt planned to talk to the freshman during the week about trying to maintain his composure. Also, Florida’s defense is still pretty good.
♦ Chris Rainey: Not too much pressure on him, huh? Mr. Time To Die Guy shouldn’t even be in this game (my opinion) but Meyer believes he has paid a big en0ugh price for texting a death threat to his estranged girl friend. He won’t have his phone during the game so he’ll actually have to speak his threats.
One last thing on Rainey: If you have no problem with him coming back because you believe he deserves another chance, that’s fine. But the worst — and most prevalent — excuse I’ve heard is that athletes used to do these dumb things all the time and we never knew about it. The point? I have no doubt that star athletes got away with things before that they can’t now. But that doesn’t make what happened before right. Fact is, that was wrong. Coaches never should be allowed to go pick up his star player from the sheriff’s office and say, “I’ll take care of it. He’ll run steps.” Pretty sure the science teacher isn’t doing the same thing for his students. (”Oh, he’ll just do extra experiments.”)
♦ Caleb King: He’s coming back from a two-game suspension after being arrested for failing to appear in court for a speeding ticket. The fact Washaun Ealey has a sprained knee may necessitate King taking on a major role. By the way: Funny line this week by Richt. He noted the Dogs are undefeated this year when they have a running back suspended (3-0 during King and Ealey suspensions). When asked Tuesday if any player has been suspended yet this week, Richt cracked: “It’s early.”
Fortunately, everybody made it through the night without handcuffs. One less thing to worry about. I’ll be back later with a few shots from the stadium and any updates, but I figured I would post a blog early.
Meanwhile, Freddie Mercury and David Bowie provide an appropriate tune …
♦
Our photographer, Brant Sanderlin, took a little video of the scene in The Landing last night and stumbled on this unsanctioned fight between Georgia and Florida fans:
♦
Catching up on Georgia-Florida week
♦ Weekend Predictions: Dogs go down to Gators again
♦ 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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2,829 comments Add your comment
BufordDawg
October 30th, 2010
8:52 pm
Richt could lose every game the rest of the season and he’ll still get another shot at it next year. It’s agony to watch this story unfold, anybody with half a brain knows it’ll just be more of the same next year. Continually underachieving with all this talent and making the money that this staff makes…pathetic
Chili Dog
October 30th, 2010
8:52 pm
6-6 at best.
In todays’s world of corporate college football and the 12 game, build in 3 automatic wins… that’s 2 and 8.
DawgFan
October 30th, 2010
8:52 pm
Figures. Poor coaching and poor execution! Murray telegraphs his throws, who is the QB coach? Bobo. TO for staring. You need to scramble? Tuck the ball and run, do we, of course not, fumble. Overthrow, underthrow. nerves? maybe. Defense, does anybody teach falling on the ball when fumbled? Not once but twice we have the ball and fail to recover because we tried to pick it up and run instead of falling on it. IT STARTS AT THE TOP, there was confidence 4 years ago but since the Offence was turned over to a lesser coach, we have gone downhill……………………..
Party school
October 30th, 2010
8:53 pm
Not sure why UGA will be better next year either. Sure Murray is quite talented and will only get better but you lose Green and your OL will not be as experienced.
JacketMan
October 30th, 2010
8:53 pm
Hey Party School——-We will kick your ar$se this year and you know it. Looks like Shreveport is your crowning achievement over the last two years—–go P on yourself
c,ehjg
October 30th, 2010
8:53 pm
Wreckmanica….awesome post
Chili Dog
October 30th, 2010
8:54 pm
Hello Shreveport
Wreckmaniac
October 30th, 2010
8:54 pm
We Techies are in real trouble now. How can any semi-decent team lose to UGA ? The pressure is on
Tech. CPJ should be fired if he loses this game and I just hope he knows it.
Burroughston Broch
October 30th, 2010
8:54 pm
@ Warhorse.
That’s because there’s no discipline either on or off the field. A thug’s gonna do what a thug’s gonna do, and when he wants to do it. The thugs run the team, not the coaches.
be ward
October 30th, 2010
8:55 pm
stendek, I wouldn’t want to be U. 1st you are not Jesus. 2nd God don’t make you win are lose. I thank God for men like Coach Richt. His rewards are not on this earth.
UGA is just a job. You need to get a life. Football is not do are die. fighting in Iraq is, there’s a difference. I’ll pray for you.
#1 Georgia Fan
October 30th, 2010
8:56 pm
Does this mean that we are not going to win the national championship? I’m not very happy about all of this, oh well I guess we can still win the SEC championship.
Chili Dog
October 30th, 2010
8:56 pm
And after wins vs. Vandy, Tn, and Ky, all I heard was the dogs were back.
Now this. If we can’t beat THAT Fla team, when will we ever win. Both teams suck.
BufordDawg
October 30th, 2010
8:57 pm
Andy in Blairsville – get lost, dummy. UGA has to play UF – they’re in the same division of the conference, doofus. Watch SEC football much? The altitude in Blairsville make you stupid or were you dumb already?
GT fan
October 30th, 2010
8:57 pm
How you gone fire CPJ and they wont fire that stupid a@@ Paul Hewitt?
ylojkt
October 30th, 2010
8:57 pm
Jackets haven’t looked too good this year either – mostly poor execution and not catching the dang ball, but I hope it does come down to Tech – UGA game to keep the puppies from getting a bowl. That would be icing on the cake of another win between the hedges.
Techster
October 30th, 2010
8:57 pm
I just have to do it. BWHAAAAAAAAHAAAAHAAAAAA/ BWHAAAHAAAHAAAAAAAAA. BWHAAAAHAAAHAAAHAAAAAAAA.
Good game guys. Best Cocktail Game i’ve seen in a while. Pity you lost.
Chili Dog
October 30th, 2010
8:58 pm
Time for the obligatory BJ to the UGA nation from the AJC boys
private plane watching
October 30th, 2010
8:58 pm
Here comes all the CMR haters after a loss… last week, everyone thought UGAY would win a NC! Welcome to the Pappa John Bowl in B’ham!!!
Party school
October 30th, 2010
8:58 pm
For the last few years CPJ has done a much better job than CMR. Face the facts dawg fans. UGA is the black hole of Georgia football talent.
Chili Dog
October 30th, 2010
8:59 pm
Suck it up rednecks. It’s okay
UGA Fans
October 30th, 2010
8:59 pm
You may see UGA fans calling for a coaching change. But you will never see them flip teams and cheer for GT.
But I have witnessed FSU fans form the early 90’s jump ship and start routing for the UF after FSU started loosing.
We may be loosing but we are true to the Red and Black.
Party school
October 30th, 2010
9:00 pm
Firing CPJ is a dawg wet dream not a Tech fans.
f u florida
October 30th, 2010
9:01 pm
yeah, i want to punch you in the face. get close and i will
Jamie
October 30th, 2010
9:01 pm
WTF was up with the phantom whistle on the sack by Gamble? More inept SEC offiating!
f u tech
October 30th, 2010
9:02 pm
we WILL crush your sorry butts. like we always do. now f off.
Doug
October 30th, 2010
9:03 pm
I’m watching the Oregon-USC game. Oregon has about a third the population of Georgia, which has nearly 10 million and just two FBS teams. That’s why Georgia ranks third in the number of NFL players. Autzen Stadium in Eugene holds just 60,000 (compared to Sanford’s 92,000). The Ducks have become competitive in national football in only the past 15 years or so. But I am so happy UGA decided to cancel its series with Oregon, or that would have been two sure UGA loses. The difference between UGA and Oregon? Oregon has a coach.
c,ehjg
October 30th, 2010
9:04 pm
Jamie…you’re a little late to the party…none of your fellow UGA fans are on here trying to figure out how the refs blew the game for UGA or why UGA should have won
Will Stockdale
October 30th, 2010
9:04 pm
Ssson of a bbb…. son of a bbbb… son of a bb gun….. HAHA you thought I was going to say son of a bitch didn’t you ? hahahahahaha Georgia loses AGAIN !!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA
seminoledale
October 30th, 2010
9:04 pm
I have never seen an FSU fan start rooting for UF, you’ve gotta be kidding. I have seen UGA fans start rooting for Texas and LSU. Don’t worry, we’ll beat UF in our place
Dawg4Life
October 30th, 2010
9:05 pm
Everybody want to fire Coach Richt. The coaches had the perfect game plan to beat Florida. It was the players who did not execute. Murrary 3 Ints, WRs dropped balls, and the defense not stopping anyone especially the wheel route. C’mon man. Make my word, UGA will win the next three in the series.
c,ehjg
October 30th, 2010
9:05 pm
Enter your comments here
seve
October 30th, 2010
9:05 pm
I wish AJ will stay but, if they are not going to use the best receiver in the country, I would go and play with the big men. Murray actions kill us but, he is a freshman.
Ed
October 30th, 2010
9:06 pm
Against Florida’s 4 worst teams in the last 10 years (Zook’s three years, and this year), Richt is 1-3. He’s 1-5 against Florida’s better teams, including two humiliating blowouts. It adds up to 2-8 and a coach who just can’t get it done in this rivalry. Time for Richt to go, I don’t care if we are 13-1 next year, I can’t stand losing to those classless thugs.
BufordDawg
October 30th, 2010
9:07 pm
Dawg4Life – you drank too much during the game. Please have someone drive you to Waffle House for some scattered and smothered to sober up… Next 3 in the series, you actually made me laugh.
ARdawg
October 30th, 2010
9:07 pm
they could hire Jeff Schultz and Tim Tucker to call plays and be a better tandem that Richt and Bobo
f u tech and florida
October 30th, 2010
9:08 pm
you pus$sy come on here talking sh!t need to punch in the face. just show your face and i’ll do it.
ylojkt
October 30th, 2010
9:08 pm
And Jamie, even if that play wasn’t called dead beforehand, it should have been a personal foul for an intentional helmet to helmet hit by Gamble. There were at least two more I saw by UGA in the game that were not called – face facts, your team beat itself, the refs had nothing to do with it other than ignoring what should have been many calls against UGA.
DHD
October 30th, 2010
9:08 pm
My heart is broken.
Report this comment
HumbleU
October 30th, 2010
9:08 pm
Dawg fans got Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmble!!!!! What a second tier team!
c,ehjg
October 30th, 2010
9:08 pm
Ed…claseless thugs? How many players has UGA had arrested this year?
87 Dawg
October 30th, 2010
9:10 pm
Richt may be a great person but he and his staff are consistently out coached – end of story! Might as well start the season 0-1 and just go Jacksonville for the sightseeing. How many times will he and Bobo go 1st down with the long pass that was never open, followed by second and run up the middle for 1yd, followed 3rd and oh cr#p. Seriously! Webster’s new definition of insanity, Georgia’s offensive play calling.
i hate you
October 30th, 2010
9:10 pm
b.s. enough already. yes, beat you losers at tech, but for some reason we cannot
beat florida. hats off to the gators, you deserve to win.
for you tech fans, you better enjoy this b/c this is the only chance you have to be happy.
we will CRUSH your sorry butts. we WILL win 52-7. you guys SUCK.
Tech football is for idiots.
TrishaDishaWarEagle
October 30th, 2010
9:11 pm
51-24 WAR!!!!!!!!! DAMN!!!!!!!! EAGLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 9-0 BCS#1 for at least 2 more weeks
War Eagle, fly down the field Ever to conquer, never to yield
War Eagle, fearless and true, Fight on you orange and blue
Go! Go! Go!
On to victory, strike up the band…Give ‘em hell, give ‘em hell, Stand up and yell, Hey!
War Eagle, win for Auburn, Power of Dixie Land!
Corch Myer
October 30th, 2010
9:11 pm
collegeballfan Dawg fans also believe that they have the best athletes in the nation and they should be able to beat every other school in the nation- every year. It’s obviously the coaches fault when they don’t. I once thought Gators were the most arrogant in the south- I have changed my mind about that one.Dawg fans are just out of their fricking minds
hey corch myer
October 30th, 2010
9:13 pm
f off, enough said. now let me punch you in the face. seriously. try me.
Jupiter
October 30th, 2010
9:13 pm
LOL!!!!!!!!!! Hahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!! Dawgs lose again!! Even though I know UGA will win two of the last three I will be pulling for Tech (in this case) to crush those hopes of a bowl.
College Football Expert
October 30th, 2010
9:14 pm
Another florida victory. Rubbing their noses in it
Will Stockdale
October 30th, 2010
9:14 pm
To f u tech and florida: HAHAHAHAHA Your sorry a$$ DOGS got beaten AGAIN. Face it…… THE BULLDOGS SUCK !!!!! HAHAHAHAHA !!!
private plane watching
October 30th, 2010
9:14 pm
1980 was a long time ago…. hey, but we should have a top class next year!!! Wait till next year, OK maybe the next year or the next year…
hey stockdale
October 30th, 2010
9:15 pm
where do you live. why don’t i come visit your sorry little butt. lets talk some shi! in person.
loser. . ..