Hope it’ll be a Dog day afternoon for LSU
I’ll be off as usual on Tuesday, and the Blawg will return on Wednesday.
In the meantime, the news announced today that Georgia’s Oct. 3 home game against LSU has been set for 3:30 p.m. by CBS means the Dogs will play their first afternoon game of the season in Athens and first daylight game since the opener in Stillwater.
Frankly, that suits me. Night games are a nice change of pace, particularly during the heat of September, but even if you tailgate, that makes for an awful lot of time to kill before you go to the stadium. I’m glad to get back to afternoon football.
This will be Georgia’s first appearance of the season on CBS. The network’s usual team of Verne Lundquist, Gary Danielson and Tracy Wolfson will provide coverage. They’re not bad, but Lundquist has slipped some in recent years, often missing developments or misidentifying players, and I think the CBS coverage was stronger when it had Todd Blackledge as analyst instead of Danielson.
I thought the ESPN crew covering the Georgia-Arkansas game did a good job. Brad Nessler is a definite improvement over Mike Patrick and I like Blackledge’s insights into the game. He and Nessler were pretty evenhanded Saturday night; they obviously were wowed early on by Ryan Mallett but ended up giving Joe Cox his due.
And sideline reporter Erin Andrews’ “hot librarian” look worked for me.
But ESPN’s game day wrap-up continues to suffer from the increasingly ridiculous Lou Holtz. Saturday night, he was babbling on about Notre Dame in the middle of the recap of the Georgia-Arkansas game until Rece Davis reminded him what game they were on. It’s long past time for ESPN to put Lou out to pasture.
On the radio, I thought the new ISP-era Georgia broadcast sounded slickly packaged. A bit too much so.
I used to get as aggravated as anyone with Loran Smith’s postgame locker room rambling, but I don’t find Chuck Dowdle’s puffball questions to Mark Richt any more illuminating. And now that they’ve quit airing the player and assistant coach interviews live, dropping taped snippets of them into the call-in show instead, it all sounds a bit too canned. I liked the live chaos of the old locker room show. I also miss the days when the network aired at least parts of Richt’s postgame press conference.
As for the UGA radio network’s “Dog Talk” call-in show originating from the Hotel Indigo in downtown Athens (as they incessantly tell listeners), it’s pretty much a snooze. David Greene is very personable but comes off kind of bland in his assessments of the game. And Jeff Dantzler just talks too much. They don’t take enough calls, either.
Athens’ WNGC (which I can pick up in DeKalb County) cuts away from the network to do its longtime “Fifth Quarter Show” opposite “Dog Talk,” and while the “Fifth Quarter” misses Kevin Butler a lot this season, it’s still more entertaining and more informative than the official show.
Host David Johnston isn’t afraid to express an opinion that might run counter to thinking at Butts-Mehrer. And while Butler’s replacements, former players Kelin Johnson and A.J. Bryant, start off sounding like they’re still on the team and have been indoctrinated with coachspeak, they usually loosen up once the calls begin. Also, because they were on the team not that long ago, they have some unique insights into the current lineup.
Plus, it’s just not Saturday night without hearing a call from “Macho Man.”
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180 comments Add your comment
Britt Brinson
September 22nd, 2009
2:00 pm
Dantzler absolutely talks too much. When he provides “color” for men’s basketball, you can almost sense him waiting for Scott Howard to take a breath so he can talk, talk, talk, talk. Scott is great. Dantzler is a doofus. I think he’s really a closet Tech man.
Shankit
September 22nd, 2009
2:07 pm
Rainy, rainy night in Georgia – Willie Martinez, oops Ray Charles
Old Dawg
September 22nd, 2009
2:37 pm
Dr. Lou should lose his license and be send to the retirement center. Mark May’s overall work is solid and he’s admitted in the past that he has a blind side for the Dawgs. Like anything related to the media, if enough fans complain loud and long enough an on-air personality will be replaced.
The LSU game will be a real test for UGA. Not is their QB a good thrower, he has mobility too. Hope WM gets his stuff together before then or UGA will be in trouble!
WinderDawg
September 22nd, 2009
2:58 pm
I would like hear some other views on ESPN’s game telecast.
I cannot be the only who hates barely getting a view of the formations before the ball is snapped.
ESPN will show everything else then right before the ball is snapped we are back at the side view of the formation but we do not know what subs were made for that play.
Anyone else?
Cobby
September 22nd, 2009
3:28 pm
Enter your comments here Anyone know about the injury to Vance Cuff ? I have tried to find out from very sources, but nothing ?
red hill
September 22nd, 2009
4:07 pm
Shankit, actually “Rainy Night in Georgia” was Brook Benton, not Ray Charles.
red hill
September 22nd, 2009
4:09 pm
I stand corrected (by myself), Ray Charles did a cover of it. Benton is best known for the song.
Mikey
September 22nd, 2009
5:00 pm
Everyone remember Mark May was the moron that picked Hawaii in the 08 Sugar Bowl…enough said.
Mikey
September 22nd, 2009
5:01 pm
Dear AJC, could you please fix this blog so when we put our cursor in the comment box “Enter your comments here” disappears?
It’s amazing how many bloggers don’t erase it….
UGASlobberknocker
September 22nd, 2009
6:02 pm
1-On the “enter comments here” problem, that wording used to disappear when you typed the first letter of your comment..now it doesnt..so dont know what changed but, ajc, how bout changing it back?.
2-Mark May still hasnt gotten over the fact that his Pitt Panthers were not #1 in 1980.
3-Lou Holtz is a caricature and a comic figure..if you just view him like you would your old crazy uncle who cant remember to put his pants on, then he just becomes funny.
4-Brook Benton, Ray Charles, whats the diff?
Rabun Dawg
September 22nd, 2009
7:00 pm
Whoever said it a while ago, Ron Franklin is a terrific announcer, Ole Miss grad I think. He used to be “The Guy” on ESPN Sat. night games. Any idea as to what happened to him? And I personally think Blackledge better than Danielson. Old Verne is a contemporary of mine. and me thinks he is still one of the best.JMHO.
Cuz
September 22nd, 2009
7:29 pm
Mikey, I have posted once or twice, not a big problem here. A week ago all you had to do was click the box and enter your comments here disappered like Georgia’s sacks. Now more problems. Maybe if they fix the comments box UGA’s defensive woes will go also. Hey I can have a dream too.
Cuz
September 22nd, 2009
7:30 pm
Slobber, I believe the difference between Brook and Ray is the shades.
Cuz
September 22nd, 2009
7:36 pm
Has anyone noticed besides me in the Dr. Lou segment they show his bachelors degree at Ar-kansas. His Masters at Notre Dame. They get to the bottom of the frame of his Doctor’s and cut off. Doctor’s degree from USCe, man that is funnier than Saint Simmons falling off Mallory pier. What did he get his doctorate in, Necrology?
brad
September 22nd, 2009
7:41 pm
Cobby,
Vance Cuff’s injury must not have been season-ending, or they would have announced it. I was interested to know also.
Bill King
September 22nd, 2009
7:46 pm
The “enter your comments” glitch appeared when we went to an “upgrade” of WordPress a couple of weeks ago. There are a bunch of other things about the new version that drive me nuts. Like most upgrades, it was not an improvement.
45ACP
September 22nd, 2009
8:37 pm
Vance Cuff did not practice today Coach Mark Richt said he is probable for Saturday.
You can go to georgiadogs.com and watch the press conference.
45ACP
September 22nd, 2009
8:44 pm
So you upgrade to downgrade. And pay for it too.
The inter-web is wonderful.
Enter your comments here
hop
September 22nd, 2009
9:23 pm
the new INS CONTRACT that now handles all of the georgia bulldog radio broadcast is full of advertising and very little with football substance.
the announcers are fine and the z man does a very good job,but with all the ads that are running on the broadcast now, very little time is devoted to the actual reporting of the game and it’s bylines.
i have decided to listen to 680 the fan and drop the overblown georgia broadcast that damon evans has totally ruined with very little football talk!
great job damon and i hope the ratings will fall as well as the quality of time devoted to football talk!
willie b
September 22nd, 2009
9:33 pm
Enter your comments here In Athens, DeFence is something you put round the back yard.
No More May
September 22nd, 2009
10:18 pm
Mark May has long hated UGA—for what reason, I don’t know. I can’t tolerate his continued trashing of UGA’s performance. I’d rather listen to lou holtz babble on about notre dame.
BE#3
September 22nd, 2009
11:00 pm
I’d rather have ESPN than CBS broadcast our home games b/c it seems like the TV timeouts are longer when CBS has the coverage. Mike Patrick is a tool though — I don’t understand why the world-wide leader keeps him on board! Now if CBS still had Jill Arrington on the sidelines, I could handle the extra long TV timeouts!!!! JA puts EA to shame!
Cuz
September 22nd, 2009
11:50 pm
Okay Erin did the hot librairian look last week. I am hoping she goes for the drunk cheerleader look this week. Must see tv.
macrotech
September 23rd, 2009
1:45 am
Cuz and SatillaDawg, you guys are rocking my world with some of the bands you’re talking about! Bringing back a lot of good memories! My step father actually played with the Dixie Grits before Johnny Carr replaced him…he didn’t think they were going anywhere and formed his own band…he doesn’t like to talk about it. Not sure if he’s still there, but Alan Sloan was a Dentist in Augusta for a bit…amazing violinist! Thanks for the trip down memory lane! Good luck and if you wouldn’t mind…beat the crap out of lsu!!! ;o)
www.dawgvent.blogspot.com
September 23rd, 2009
2:18 am
Verne holds a special bias in his heart for Florida as he is still waiting on Tebow to become a man and consummate their relationship.
#1 BAMA FAN
September 23rd, 2009
9:56 am
45ACP, IS 15.5 THE POINT SPREAD OR THE OVER/UNDER ON THE NUMBER OF TIMES BAMA SACKS MALLETT? RTR
#1 BAMA FAN
September 23rd, 2009
10:15 am
HEY 45ACP, IS 15.5 THE POINT SPREAD OR IS IT THE OVER/UNDER ON NUMBER OF TIMES MALLETT GETS SACKED? RTR
Fred
September 23rd, 2009
9:47 pm
How do we get Ball St – Auburn Saturday instead of Ariz St – UGA? STUPID.
wreckmaniac
September 26th, 2009
4:11 pm
LSU looked like a pack of powderpuffs today. Where was the team that
showed up for the Peach Bowl ?
LSU will be in trouble next weekend in Athens. It seems that there are now 2 , not 4 , SEC powerhouses-FL and AL and the candidates to join them are UGA and SC. If UGA can fix its defense it will get to the level it should be. The offense is ready.
skierbc
September 27th, 2009
11:01 am
Enter your comments here
Hate the new Fifth qtr show. Too ghetto. If that guy says “Guess what” one time he says it 50