
(UGA Sports Communications)
Starting this year, the Dogs and Gators are playing in Jacksonville for more than just bragging rights and a recruiting advantage.
They’re battling over the Okefenokee Oar!
It seems the two schools’ student governments have teamed up to create a traveling trophy for the winner of the annual border war. Victoria Lee of UGA’s Student Government Association dropped me a note about the new Okefenokee Oar, carved in the shape of an oar out of a 1,000-year-old cypress tree from the Okefenokee Swamp.
Some might think a keg would be a better symbol of the game popularly known as the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, but the oar (and, please, no jokes about the Dogs being up the creek without one this year) is intended to be symbolic of the European settlers who first navigated the Okefenokee Swamp, which crosses the borders of Georgia and Florida and which the two states used to fight over in boundary disputes.
The trophy was paid for in part by the UGA and University of Florida student governments as well as a donor who wishes to remain anonymous.
Now, admittedly, at first the name “Okefenokee Oar” sounds a bit silly. But, really, it’s no sillier than other traditional trophies awarded in college football rivalries. Michigan and Minnesota battle over the Little Brown Jug. The Minnesota-Wisconsin winner gets Paul Bunyan’s Axe. Indiana gets the Old Brass Spittoon if it beats Michigan State and the Old Oaken Bucket if it beats Purdue. Arkansas and LSU go for the Golden Boot. Ole Miss and Mississippi State exchange the Golden Egg. TCU and SMU play for the Iron Skillet.
And out in Oregon, where they love ugly uniforms and marching to the beat of a different drummer, the Ducks and Beavers play for the Platypus Trophy.
All of which beat the boring Land Grant Trophy that Michigan State and Penn State play for. Or, for that matter, the generic-sounding Governor’s Cup that the Georgia-Georgia Tech rivalry inherited from the old Bullpups-Baby Jackets Thanksgiving Day freshman game.
So I’m on board. Bring home the Okefenokee Oar!
141 comments Add your comment
GWJ
October 30th, 2009
6:53 pm
As usual, this blog is a JOKE!!!
Swamp Chomper
October 30th, 2009
7:10 pm
T minus 20 hours till the humiliaton begins!
UGASlobberknocker
October 30th, 2009
7:16 pm
Someone take that oar out of St Simons a$$
dawgfanatic24-7
October 30th, 2009
7:19 pm
When Willie’s D and Bozo’s O does nothing tomorrow we need to grab the oar from Tebow and whip our coordinator’s
a$$es out of Athens!!!!!!
West of Athens
October 30th, 2009
8:05 pm
Prediction: Dawg fans are going to do even more drinking than usual, after tomorrow’s game with the Gators.
45ACP
October 30th, 2009
8:16 pm
I’ll drink to that.
SueEllen Daniel-Resnick
October 30th, 2009
8:42 pm
Oh goody, an… OAR.
Florida 49, Georgia 10. Go ahead and ship the oar to Gainesville.
cincibulldogfan
October 30th, 2009
9:07 pm
I love Georgia, I HATE our soft zone, Saturday is the worst day of the week for me. It is the only time in my life I scream at my TV. I must be an idiot to think I could coach better that soft willie, help!
slim pickens wants to know...
October 30th, 2009
9:08 pm
An OAR! What in the wide wide world of sports is going on here? This is really lame.
Totally Motivated Now
October 30th, 2009
9:15 pm
I can’t wait until I see Renee Curran stop Tebow on 4th and goal with no time left and the Dawgs ahead by one, and jumps up and yells “You’re not getting this OAR!!!I will fight to the death for this OAR!!”
Good grief!!
another ptc dawg
October 30th, 2009
9:24 pm
We won the ORR trophy in 1964 when we beat Steven ORR Spurrier.
Does that count?
Kathy Sue Loudermilk
October 30th, 2009
10:10 pm
What in the world are you doing criicizing Lewis Grizzard. A well know journalist, and entertainer. He loved the Ga/Fla game and weekend as most of us do also. As far as thumping your chest about beating VPI last week Techmites, Lewis would have said “I don’t believe I’d told that brother” VPI looked great against that powerhouse UNC. Wow, maybe Vandy has a chance after all.
Rember this fools, when the dogs win tomorrow, you can say maybe Lewis came over and helped us, though I’d believe we will see him more apt to help next month in Atlanta. GO DOGS
RW
October 30th, 2009
10:13 pm
GO DAWGS!!!! BEAT THE GATORS!!!!
Bleeds Red and Black in Baxley
October 30th, 2009
10:16 pm
Sadly, I predict Florida 42, Georgia 10. I don’t think it will be closer than that.
We would probably be better off to lose by 50 points if it would help get a new coach, so if we lose, I hope we lose big.
I never thought I would say anything like that.
**************************************************************
And Renee Curran is not going to stop anybody. Where did you get a silly idea like that?
Lady Anne
October 30th, 2009
10:19 pm
Go Gators, eat the big Dawg’s lunch!!!
With apologies to “Casey at Bat”:
There will be no joy in Athens,
the Lowly Dawgs have struck out!
Bayer Lansky
October 30th, 2009
10:22 pm
Dawgs 24, Gators 21. Take it to the bank. Selah.
Miss Prissy
October 30th, 2009
10:25 pm
Oars. It’s come to oars, has it? This game used to mean something. I suppose UGA is desperate to win something, maybe the oar should go to the loser.
JD of GT
October 30th, 2009
10:32 pm
Give em hell GA. Time for a change at number 1.
Don
October 30th, 2009
10:39 pm
Mr. King, does the AJC actually pay you for this garbage?
jason
October 30th, 2009
10:50 pm
We have to dominate in time of possession. Have to keep Ten=bow and co. off the field. I will say and say again, we have to go deep to AJ early and often. We have to stretch the field to open up the middle for Charles. As good as UF’s MLB is, he can not cover Charles one on one. If UGA can get AJ and Charles going, it will open up the running lanes. Also, look for a “Wildcat” formation with Gray, not just running, but run/throw option.
Again, Walsh and Butler will be key in this game. Butler booming 50+ yard punts to keep field position in our favor, and Walsh booming a couple of “KEY” 50+ yard FGs.
On defense, we have to pressure Tebow. Screw QB Sacks, we just need to be in his face. We need to crowd the line and dare Tebow to throw deep. I don’t care how bad our secondary is. We need 8 in the box to cut off Tebow’s running lanes. It is proven UF does not have a vertical passing attack. Make Tebow beat you deep. Also, UGA has to chip Hernandez every FREAKIN time he comes off the line of scrimmage. He is Tebow’s go to man. UGA can win this. It is about how bad does UGA want to.
Vick 'Em Gators
October 30th, 2009
10:53 pm
Gators will use that oar to beat the ship out of the leghumpers!!
Mo Gator Meat Please !
October 30th, 2009
11:12 pm
Back off Don….yes it is LAME. But in this case Bill is reporting
the fact. He didn’t create the stupid thing. Yes he might produce
a loser from time to time but overall marks are ok.
Don’t let the bozo’s get ya down Bill..you’ll be alright.
But lay off some of those layups like last one about Fl. fans.
You are far more relevant when not merely stating the obvious.
Annual Jax Beatdown
October 30th, 2009
11:35 pm
Why does UGA care about what the trophy looks like? It’s going to be in Gainesville almost every year.
superDawg
October 30th, 2009
11:37 pm
We may win oar not.
longtimedawg
October 31st, 2009
1:08 am
Just some stats for you guys to chew on.
from 1971-1989 UGA beat UF 15 times to only 5 loses.
Remember the good ole days? When spurrier came to UF he brought a new attitude and it was not to lose to UGA. We need a coach that can bring that swagger back to the Red & Black. UF was once intimidated by the DAWGS! remember all the games that UF would have a better team and find a way to lose to UGA. We need some coaches who can coach the great talent that UGA recruits every year. What happens to these 5 Star guys when they get to athens? We need a guy like Kirby Smart to come back HOME and bring back that swagger the DAWGS once had!!!!! We have had some good teams the past 9 seasons and with better preparation should have won more games and not just against UF. We should have had a National Title in that span. I hope CMR can make some tough decisions after the season and recruit some great coaches to coach up his great players. Our guys just look unprepared week end and week out. Part of being a great head coach is to get your team prepared and put them in the place to win! that starts with your assistants and the guys that you delegate your game plan preparations too… Lets play a complete disciplined game and we may just surprise the world on Saturday afternoon in Jacksonville Fla!… GO DAWGS!!!!
longtimedawg
October 31st, 2009
1:19 am
The Suns coming out Saturday and so is the DAWGS!
Georgia Dawg By Way Of Las Vegas
October 31st, 2009
6:44 am
“about the new Okefenokee Oar, carved in the shape of an oar out of a 1,000-year-old cypress tree from the Okefenokee Swamp.”
Are you saying that destroying a 1000 year old tree is a good thing? For a trophy that doesn’t even have a decent history behind it?? They couldn’t come up with something that either school would covet that has some historic value already???
The article is fine Bill (smiling) The trophy is stupid.
Bring it home Dawgs! Let’s be the first to own this stupid trophy.
Georgia Dawg By Way Of Las Vegas
October 31st, 2009
6:47 am
Correction :
Are (They) saying that destroying a 1000 year old tree is a good thing?
I know it’s not your fault Bill.
Horace Mann
October 31st, 2009
7:36 am
Whatever. The oar will be residing in Gainesville, Florida for many many years.
Total Domination
October 31st, 2009
8:00 am
Gators and the Yellowjackets will dominate UGA for a long time.
m
October 31st, 2009
8:14 am
It is called “the ENTIRE sec sucks in 2009″ trophy.
ratherBgambling
October 31st, 2009
8:17 am
I cannot believe he actually gets paid to write this stuff. My son’s HS newsletter is more professional than stuff from this hack.
big dog jacket
October 31st, 2009
8:27 am
There is no more beautiful sight than watching the Dawg nation arriving in SSI full of hopes, prayers and dreams and then getting their heads handed to them–except seeing Serena Williams being set down by some unknown. This year I hope the game is played in a downpour and the Gators completely bamboozle the Dawgs into whimpering house dogs. Bamboozling the Dawgs is nothing but foreplay.
Slap That Dawg Around
October 31st, 2009
8:38 am
What trophy? Gonna be lucky to get a bowl bid.
77DAWG
October 31st, 2009
8:49 am
If I call myself one of the top team in SEC, I will naver accept the “un ranked team” anywhere anytime especially with all of the top players in hand. CMR doesn’t see that. DE doesn’t see that. JA doesn’t see it. Most of Dawg Nations (losers) don’t see it. Only few negative stupid dogs, like me, see the STEADILY regression of the program for the past 2 and a half years. With the players we’v got, it just CANNOT take more than one year to see a little change. Do you see it people!! God help us please!!!
77DAWG
October 31st, 2009
8:57 am
I am 1000% with the Longtimedawg. I wanted to say like your but it all came out negatives.
Thank you sir....
October 31st, 2009
9:00 am
may I have another?
Georgia is going to get spanked with that oar with Tebow doing the honors this year!
77DAWG
October 31st, 2009
9:03 am
I we will lose, I hope we lose like 54 – 55. If we will win, hope we win like 49 – 48. Anything just to get the ckufer out of Athens.
SMALL PAUL JOHNSON
October 31st, 2009
9:09 am
They should play for all the water in Lake Lanier. Lets call it the Lanier Lantern!!
Dawg Killer
October 31st, 2009
9:29 am
Hey Bud, that was intelligent.
Dawg Killer
October 31st, 2009
9:42 am
Bud, here comes your train wreck
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51K32fK8nok
Keep wollering in your misery loser
Bud
October 31st, 2009
9:47 am
Dog Killer… I don’t know which is going to be more fun , beating Florida or beating Tech!
Dawg Killer
October 31st, 2009
9:47 am
Bud, now i understand … this painted white guy was you
http://www.reddirtkings.com/2009/10/dbfotw-painted-uga-guy.html
Dawg Killer
October 31st, 2009
9:49 am
Bud, blog back @ 6 PM.
Big Earl
October 31st, 2009
9:49 am
Dawg Killer AKA Michael Vick
Dawg Killer
October 31st, 2009
9:53 am
Killing DAWG … guilty as convicted. Gonna show up for repeat offense?
Bud
October 31st, 2009
9:56 am
Dawg Killer…. I’ll get back right after the post game highlights of UGA kicking Fla’s butt!!!
Jake
October 31st, 2009
9:58 am
Go Dawgs, do the upset. Bring it home.
Dawg Killer
October 31st, 2009
9:58 am
sure you will
Gator Bait
October 31st, 2009
10:04 am
Bud – blog back in after the 1st qtr … gonna be over by then. Loser.