LIVE from Liberty Bowl: A.J. and Russ are in, Uga is out
Russ is in the house! (Literally.) He's got his bowl game face on.
MEMPHIS — Welcome to the end of Georgia’s season. I know. The Liberty Bowl is not what you were expecting, and neither is the modest goal of trying to finish with a winning record. But Memphis is a nice place, particularly if you’re into barbecue, and I can recommend the ribs at the “Germantown Commissary” (albeit not a BBQ-sounding place).
I would’ve saved the bones for Uga VIII but, alas, he has a tummy ache and didn’t make the trip from his palace in Savannah. At least, that’s the word that the Seiler family is putting out. I’m more inclined to think Uga just didn’t want to make his bowl debut at a game so beneath his standards, particularly since he came in as such a highly touted recruit.
Or maybe Uga’’s just academically ineligible like Caleb King. Like everybody else, he lost interest after the Florida game. Like King, he missed five “academic-related appointments” (obedience school).
So, we have this significant change the depth chart: Russ, The Temporary Mascot, is back!
Don’t, worry. Russ has more bowl experience than Aaron Murray: He won the Independence Bowl last year. Come to think of it, maybe Georgia Tech should’ve borrowed Russ last week for its game in Shreveport. Does Russ get holiday pay for this? The poor mutt was probably happy in retirement, playing shuffleboard at the Daisy Hill Puppy Farm.
But this could be good news for the Dogs. Russ is only 4-4. But he’s 1-0 in bowls and won his last game over Tennessee. Also, Georgia is 3-1 when both Russ and A.J. Green are in the lineup. (Kudos to newshound Tim Tucker for supplying me with that statistic.)
Meanwhile, back here on earth . . .
A loss would give Georgia (6-6) its first losing season since 1996, when the Dogs went 5-6 in Jim Donnan’s first year. Ironically, the last time the Dogs lost in the Independence Bowl was to North Carolina State, which had Donnan at quarterback, in 1967.
Here’s the good news: Donnan is not in Memphis.
But do I think Georgia will lose this game? No. Central Florida will be able to put some points up but in the end I don’t think George O’Leary’s defense will have an answer for Murray-to-Green.
Take one last look at Green because this likely will be his final collegiate game. He most likely will be a top-five NFL pick and I don’t believe the threat of an NFL lockout has any significance. Remember, any college junior who comes out can always take a nice little $1 million loan from an agent to hold him over, just in case the league doesn’t play next season. The potential of a lockout affects mostly mid-to-low-round picks, not first-rounders.
As for the significance of this game, it’s obviously a much bigger deal if the Dogs lose (panic!) than if they win (expected). But going 6-2 after a 1-4 start would be a slight boost going into the offseason.
Not sure what kind of crowd this game will draw but I’m guessing not great. The last report was that the Dogs had sold only 5,000 tickets for this game and gave about 1,000 tickets away for staff and families. That would still leave about 4,000 from its 10,000-ticket allotment.
If you missed them, here are links to a couple of stories from the week worth looking at:
– Tucker’s story on Murray, who’s about to break every significant, single-season Georgia passing record as a freshman.
– Tucker’s piece on the homecoming and disappointing season by Marlon Brown, a highly touted receiver out of Memphis.
That’s it for now. I’ll be here to report on the game and all of Russ’s movements.
♦
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2,311 comments Add your comment
TDone
December 31st, 2010
8:11 pm
I was feeling really bad after Tech lost to Air Force. Until now.
dandydawg
December 31st, 2010
8:11 pm
TampaGator
December 31st, 2010
8:06 pm
UGAKev…..
When the top 5 programs in the country are mentioned….Florida is one of those programs….not Georgia. That is what I am talking about….and also national titles. Have you been down to Gainesville to see Florida’s facilities? I have. Nothing like it anywhere. The weight room is unbelieveable. The coaching offices are unbelieveable. The multi media rooms are unbelievebale. The practice facilities are unbelieveable. The booster facilities are second to none in the entire country…..ever been to THE SWAMP and looked up at the booster club facilities above the stadium…nothing like it in the country. Georgia has a fine program with a fine statium and fine faciltiies…and fans…BUT NOT TONIGHT….but Florida’s program and facilities are better. PERIOD.
*All Dawgs fans know that the Gator man is telling the truth… May be our new AD will help us catch up with the reast of the league.*
11 ARRESTS 6 wins 7 LOSSES
December 31st, 2010
8:11 pm
What a wonderful New Year’s Eve!!!
((((((((((((((((((((((10-6))))))))))))))))))
TampaGator
December 31st, 2010
8:11 pm
Auburn fan….plus…..you could only wish you had the life I have. I am sending this from my beach front patio overlooking Clearwater Beach right now…while my beautiful wife cooks me a rib eye with gilled onion. Yum Yum.
Auburn Tigers Fans show UGA how to win
December 31st, 2010
8:11 pm
Tampa Gator, because we have the Gators to beat on, they suck and will continue to suck for the very near future….and will replace Muschamp as Head Coach in 3 short years….
Dazed and Confused
December 31st, 2010
8:11 pm
I think that the season was a success. We had a few tough breaks, but we have a good foundation for next season, and when our “dream team” arrives we will contend for the conference and maybe the national championship.
Auburn Tigers Fans show UGA how to win
December 31st, 2010
8:12 pm
Are you paying her by the hour or the minute?
JB
December 31st, 2010
8:12 pm
This loss may bring moves quicker than I thought……..THIS WAS BAD…REAL BAD. UGA IS OFF the football map, and if anybody on here say’s we are not, you’re likely getting paid to say it……It’s getting worse…..IF you have it on DVR, watch the OL in the second half. Just gave shoulder bumps most of the time. I’m stunned.
Damon Evans
December 31st, 2010
8:12 pm
Hi “Good People” I see that it was another red panty day for UGA ! Happy New Years you red neck urchins !
YellowJacket
December 31st, 2010
8:12 pm
Mark Richt is Ford tough. And that is the problem. Ford isn’t tough. Have you been to Detroit lately. They suck.
Loyal Dawg Fan Forever
December 31st, 2010
8:12 pm
I question Coarch Richt’s morals.
He needs to jimmy his game up and lay off the weak sis’ flamboyance.
Pope UGA XXIII
December 31st, 2010
8:12 pm
This just might be the most pitiful excuse for a UGA game
I have seen since we lost to Wake Forest in 1979.
But, hey, we still run this state !! Thta’s gotten very old also
and in case no one was paying attention, there was a little team
down in Statesboro that crept into the final four.
This team is one of the biggest embarrassments I have ever
seen and I have been attending UGA games since 1956.
JB
December 31st, 2010
8:13 pm
Dazed and confused is Richt’s mama….
Russ the spotted bulldog
December 31st, 2010
8:13 pm
Kill the monkey, let the organ grinder go!
Auburn Tigers Fans show UGA how to win
December 31st, 2010
8:13 pm
Do not to put your teeth back in your mouth or you will have to gum that rib eye….she must like your onion breath.
M Richt
December 31st, 2010
8:14 pm
I guess I shoulda worn my neat, spiffy, sunglasses. Or the Black pants….or the Grambling helmets….or the Red socks….or the brown jocks….orrrr……
TampaGator
December 31st, 2010
8:14 pm
Dandydawg….
I just got off the phone with my brother over in Gainesville…a retired prof over there. We were talking about Richt. We both think he is an excellent coach who needs to fire a bunch of bad assistants (like Zook did this year) and begin anew next year. Your new AD will support Richt…and will probably encourage Richt to do what I just posted. Richt is one of the best recruiters in the country….but has hired assistants badly. I think he will have one year to fix things.
Auburn Tigers Fans show UGA how to win
December 31st, 2010
8:14 pm
Tell Terry Bolea Hi for us……he is fake just like your gators……
Auburn Fan Here
December 31st, 2010
8:14 pm
Tampa Gator–this time I am talking to you. Learn how to spell if you’re going to come on a blog other than the Florida blog where it doesn’t matter. Unbelievable is not spelled unbelieveable. Stadium is not spelled statium. Facilities is not spelled faciltiies. And that’s just one post. When you practice those words let me know and we’ll move on to seventh grade.
Corch Myer
December 31st, 2010
8:15 pm
Nice touch by Meyer- let me stay here at UF and look over the shoulder of the new coach!! Yeah that’ll work. I think he is mentally disturbed.
William Buckley
December 31st, 2010
8:15 pm
Dawgs and Richt simply SUCK !
With a 6-7 record with all that talent….Who is kidding who !
Get Richt and all his coaches the HE _ _ out of there
Bad enough he has Turned UGA into THUGA !
Chuck
December 31st, 2010
8:15 pm
I graduated in 1975 and have been sending money to Athens for 40 years. Not another penny until CMR is gone.
What comes next in this sequence?
December 31st, 2010
8:15 pm
2 3 5 7
JB
December 31st, 2010
8:15 pm
We are schedule filler with this staff……
Gertie
December 31st, 2010
8:16 pm
We were beat getting off the bus.
We’ve been beat getting off the bus for three years now.
That’s not goung to end while Mark Richt is in Athens.
YellowJacket
December 31st, 2010
8:16 pm
Falcons to Saints. We all want to welcome you back to the Dome.
Auburn Tigers Fans show UGA how to win
December 31st, 2010
8:16 pm
Florida Game and Fish just announced early season for Gator Hunting and Killing starts on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time and continues through fall of 2011.
TampaGator
December 31st, 2010
8:16 pm
Auburn fan….and exactly how many national titles have you won recently. Take God you have an ex-Gator leading your football team this year or you would have won only 6 or 7 games. Enjoy your one year in the spotlight….you deserve a piece of cake once in a while.
William Buckley
December 31st, 2010
8:16 pm
Chuck you are 100% right
Richt Sucks !!!!!
Epaminondas
December 31st, 2010
8:17 pm
So, CMR fans, what do you think now? I warned anyone who would listen last year at the end of the season that Richt was the problem and not Martinez. Still doubt me? Well just wait till we get about half way through next fall. Then let’s see how well you think of the Reverend.
Vain Jangling
December 31st, 2010
8:17 pm
I’ve been a Dawg fan since Richard Appleby’s end-around pass to Gene Washington to beat the Gators. Yeah, we’ve had some bad seasons since. But this one is really, really disappointing.
USMC dawg
December 31st, 2010
8:17 pm
Guys, I am done with our team until we get a NEW friggin Head Coach.
Clean House on this coaching staff.
What have we accomplished with all of the talent we have had over the last 4 or 5 years?
Nada!
Coach Richt is making top ten coach’s $$$$$$ and we suck.
We have NO discipline or fire in our belly.
We suck!
JB
December 31st, 2010
8:17 pm
The FIRE is officially lit…………..
TampaGator
December 31st, 2010
8:17 pm
Chuck….so Georgia exists only for football. That doesn’t say much for your degree, my friend. You might want to reconsider.
Auburn Tigers Fans show UGA how to win
December 31st, 2010
8:18 pm
Tampa Gator hides everytime his GATOR Lose and comes on here right after UGA loses or his GATORS play then once they lose he hides again only to sniper his way back on here….He is a typical GATOR LOSER FAN….
suwaneefalcon
December 31st, 2010
8:18 pm
Based on this season I can say this about our two in state schools. We suck, they suck, they suck worse then us because we beat them. Thank God the season is over and Richt best get it done next year or I think he will be gone. Happy New Year everybody!
GO FALCONS!
Snoop Dawg
December 31st, 2010
8:19 pm
Tampa Dawg, you are a loser. Get off my blog…
Auburn Fan Here
December 31st, 2010
8:19 pm
Tampa Gator–What’s a “gilled onion?” PLEASE get past that 7th grade spelling test someday. And if your wife’s so beautiful, why do you spend 24/7 on other team’s blogs? Oh, and one more thing. What was your record THIS year?
TampaGator
December 31st, 2010
8:19 pm
Auburn fan….when you are typing a lot of blogs…you type fast and don’t spell check. Spelling….my friend…is not an issue for me. Maybe typing accurately at 100 miles an hour is.
JB
December 31st, 2010
8:19 pm
The OL gave little effort……..Are we that bad talent wise there or coached……Or BOTH ?
Auburn Tigers Fans show UGA how to win
December 31st, 2010
8:19 pm
Tampa Gator…but we won 13 and how many did UF win, last undefeated season at UF?
Letterman85
December 31st, 2010
8:19 pm
It’s painful to watch anyone perform a job that they do not enjoy. Other than pre-game not much life to this team including the coaches. Coach Richt looks exhausted. All I wish is the leadership make the best decisions for the program and current players
dandydawg
December 31st, 2010
8:20 pm
Tamp…
I wish I can agree with you. CMR has no fire under him at all. Look at what Urban did to him and us… As a Dawg fan, I will support any decision that the AD makes, but we have to start winning. Truth be told… I always hate to lose to y’all. Man, I have almost been in tears sometimes. I know it’s just a game, but as you know, when you love your team, you fall with them. I do believe we are going to have better days.
By the way, I am coming for a steak!! Call you when I am on the way…. LOL!!!
Auburn Tigers Fans show UGA how to win
December 31st, 2010
8:20 pm
Tampa Gator has a call girl cooking him a steak and has better things to do than spell check…he is on the clock….
Loyal Dawg Fan Forever
December 31st, 2010
8:21 pm
No one ever said CMR was the sharpist knife in the drawer.
No one said that.
Absolutely no one.
I mean ZERO people ever thought it.
Dawg Whisperer
December 31st, 2010
8:21 pm
Blame it on Russ.
Virginia Dawg
December 31st, 2010
8:21 pm
Tampa Gator, don’t refer to Dawg fans on here as your friends. We are not.
oddsmaker vegas
December 31st, 2010
8:21 pm
Boise State by 63 – over under is 66…
zinc
December 31st, 2010
8:21 pm
More delusional UGA fans. You think you can do better than CMR? Who? Who out there would come to UGA? And WHO would be better that CMR? Some of you guys are delusional
TampaGator
December 31st, 2010
8:21 pm
Auburn fan….7-5. This year. And…because I am retired…live at the beach…and work on the computer a lot. And I enjoy college football and blogging about it. It passes the time….while I am sitting and enjoying my life on the beach.