A Dog fan’s memorable night in enemy territory
Reshad Jones celebrates a terrific interception. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Saturday night’s Georgia-Georgia Tech game was memorable for me for more than just the unexpected result.
It was the first football game I’d attended at Grant Field since I was a teenager.
Generally, I’ve avoided the campus of the school that pretentiously likes to call itself “the Institute.” I’d been to a few concerts at the old stadium over the years and took the kids to a couple of Atlanta Beat games, but when it came to football I preferred not to mix with the folks in gold and white (and blue, the often forgotten Tech color). I can proudly say I’ve never given their athletic association a penny’s income.
But my son decided back in September to take me to this year’s Tech game as a birthday present. I have to admit that the way the season had transpired, I wasn’t exactly looking forward to the game, but I figured it would be an interesting experience. Different, at least.
That was the case right from when we arrived at our gate. I’d never been patted down before entering a football game.
Once we made it up to our seats in the upper deck of the North end zone stands, mostly among folks in red and black, I marveled at two things: First, the view of the nighttime Atlanta skyline was pretty spectacular. And second, how could a school of engineers come up with such a poorly designed stadium? The thing looks like it was just pieced together, with no thought about easy access from one side to the other.
One plus about our location was that the Redcoat Band, located diagonally across from us in a corner of the other end zone stands, could be heard just fine all night, while the Tech band down below us, looking as silly as ever in those all-white uniforms, couldn’t be heard at all where we sat. My son noted before the game that there weren’t as many red shirts as two years ago, when it looked nearly 50-50, but there was still a good representation of UGA fans and we fortunately had plenty of occasion to make noise.
I liked that Tech showed the seniors on the big video screen, introducing themselves and telling their favorite memory from their time with the Jackets. (Predictably, more than half cited last year’s win in Athens, all reciting the score as if it were engraved on their rings or something.) But the silly poses struck by many members of the team in frequent video clips of them clowning around in sweats and urging the fans on seemed kind of cheesy. And the Tech band still has the dorkiest announcer I’ve ever heard.
I thought the folks running the game took a big chance after pregame warm-ups, letting the two teams come face to face at midfield, jumping up an down with only a thin line of coaches and officials between them. That easily could have gotten out of hand. There was a little shoving at the end of the game, but despite the hatred between the two programs, I also noticed throughout the night players helping opponents up off the ground and patting the helmet of someone on the other team after a play, which brought home the fact that many of the Bulldogs and Jackets grew up with each other and played together in high school.
So a Georgia-Georgia Tech game is sort of like a family squabble. OK, a pretty dysfunctional family.
And in the end, as my brother Tim noted when I called him after the game, Saturday night’s game turned out to be a pretty nice birthday present. One of the best I’ve ever received, in fact.
Some other random thoughts about Georgia’s win over Tech …
Georgia’s offensive line finally lived up to its preseason hype Saturday night. It was great to see the Dogs’ backs racking up yardage like in days of old, but it also made you sigh and wonder why it took so long this season to get the running game on track. And what the season could have been like had that aspect of Georgia’s game come together sooner. Or if the Dogs hadn’t had such a turnover problem all season. Take away the last-minute loss to LSU and the four second-half turnovers against Kentucky, and you’d have the pretty decent 9-3 season that so many folks predicted. …
It’s a good thing the Dogs got off to such a fast start against the Jackets, as the offense sputtered somewhat in the second half, having to resort to kicking field goals too many times thanks to uninspired play-calling in the red zone. And the poor tackling that killed Georgia last season occasionally reared its ugly head on Tech’s successful scoring drives. Vance Cuff particularly had a hard time subbing for the injured Brandon Boykin in that regard. But as I said last night, the middle of the defensive line was magnificent. And that one-handed pick by Reshad Jones was spectacular.
An entire quarter of Mark Richt football without a pass? Who’da thunk it?
Georgia’s special teams play continued to be spotty, particularly on kick coverage, and Blair Walsh had an up and down night, getting three touchbacks but also kicking one out of bounds. I felt sorry for him that he wasn’t able to ice the game with that 55-yard field goal attempt, but the three that he made provided the margin of victory, so he definitely should join Washaun Ealey and Caleb King on the list of the evening’s Bulldog heroes.
The running game, the most productive of the Mark Richt era, was the story of the night, but Joe Cox nearly had a beautiful long touchdown pass to Rantavious Wooten. The ball was perfectly placed; it just wasn’t caught, one of a couple of drops the Dogs had in the game.
All in all, it was the most satisfying win of the season, and not just because it was over the Jackets. Let’s hope that Richt and Mike Bobo aren’t just single-game converts to the running game. It’s still the best way to dominate in college football.
And when you can run the ball better than the No. 2 rushing attack in the country, what could be sweeter than that?
Well, how about this: Tech and Clemson are meeting for the ACC title. Clemson lost Saturday to South Carolina. Tech lost to Georgia. And Georgia beat South Carolina. As the Dogs’ Michael Moore facetiously asked in a postgame Tweet, doesn’t that make Georgia the real ACC champion?
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260 comments Add your comment
clickdawg
November 29th, 2009
4:00 pm
bulldog nation, this just makes the whole year so much better for us all, tuck tech, we beat you at your own game gooooo dawwwwwgs= 30-24.
Mike Templeton
November 29th, 2009
4:08 pm
UGA had a great game. It is now time for CMR to do his job and take out the trash. Maybe he waits
until after the bowl game.
Sanford Drive
November 29th, 2009
4:23 pm
Cheesy is right. The thing I remember most about Tech’s field is all the weird videos they played to try to get the audience into the game. Then, at the beginning of fourth quarter, the “fans” in the stands did this fruity up-and-down dance thing. It was a bizarre experience.
Big time?? Not
November 29th, 2009
4:34 pm
Four tickets, four hot dogs, four cokes. Sold out at 55,000. What a joke.
All is right with the world again. Give us your lunch money nerds.
AltamahaDawg
November 29th, 2009
4:35 pm
Wow, the guys are “trash” huh Mike. Nice.
L-Dawg
November 29th, 2009
4:40 pm
((((((Nestle Butterfinger)))))) Proud sponsor of Demaryius Thomas and the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets!!!!!
365 DAYS OF PEACE AND QUIET IN MIDTOWN!!!
30-24!!!!! SO GLAD IT HURTS SO BAD!!!!
TO HELL WITH GEORGIA TECH!!!!!!!
Spike
November 29th, 2009
4:44 pm
Let’s rename the nerd’s stadium Mark Richt Field. He now owns ya’ll’s ass. Suck it, St Simons, M, Old Gold, Ramble On, Piss On a Dawg. Give Chan Gailey a call, I heard he is free. Call God or Greyhound. Glad it hurts so much, and it is only the beginning. And the SEC is overrated, right?
Dawg Tired
November 29th, 2009
4:54 pm
Well, Larry may be a dim light on the tree, but think about poor ole “RAZOR.” He obviously needs some serious counseling after last night’s apparently devastating loss. He’s clearly not handling this very well. My counsel to “RAZOR:” Stay on the Tech blog site (I assume there is such a thing) where misery can find much needed company.
GT93
November 29th, 2009
5:11 pm
Congratulations to UGA on a great victory. You beat us in every aspect of the game, period.
bill king nobel laureate
November 29th, 2009
5:17 pm
well it could be worse. we could be bill king.
DHD
November 29th, 2009
5:19 pm
Georgia Tech has a #12 ranking. Where is Georgia? Not even in the top 25. Enjoy your victory because that’s ALL you got this year.
Dixie
November 29th, 2009
5:24 pm
FLORIDA STILL DOMINATES THE DAWGS….FOR REAL FOOTBALL Doggies….Come to FLORIDA….SEE YALL NEXT YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA
swbrown22
November 29th, 2009
5:27 pm
…love the idea about UGA playing S. Carolina for the ACC championship. Both school’s fans would fill up the stadium, buy the t-shirts, TV ratings would be higher, and the conference might not lose money on it “BIG” game…
Mikey
November 29th, 2009
5:31 pm
Hey m…..Karma is a beyatch, huh ?
You made fun of our mascot passing away- you even called it suicide which is impossible for a dog.
Looks like karma slapped you in the face last night you moron.
What a dumbass.
Bob Horner stayed hurt
November 29th, 2009
5:33 pm
last night was sooo sweet…..I’m not a trash talker not my nature….I dislike people that do talk trash….as I watched the game on tv lastnight I was “happy”…not stressed…I’m over that….Congrats to the dawgs you have your signature win….
thunderbull56
November 29th, 2009
5:35 pm
Kudos to the most overated Football Team of the 21st century.Sure is nice to see your dog’s dying didn’t trash you 2 weeks in a row.
Brunswick Marsh Dawg
November 29th, 2009
5:39 pm
(((((((((((((((30-24))))))))))))))) hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!Hope it “stings”…..THWGT!!!
Bulldog Jack
November 29th, 2009
5:40 pm
Since we are now on a high for next year, I wanted to report to all true dawg fans another name to watch for. I just saw a young man, and Georgia commitment, named Alex Ogletree from Newnan High School single handedly (almost) defeat the number 1 team in the state (Grayson) in the quarterfinals of the state playoff. Mr. Ogletree made many solo outstanding plays on defense to stop several Grayson drives…oh yeah, in addition, on offense (yes he plays on both sides of the ball) he made a pro-type catch of what turned out to be the winning touchdown pass for Newnan……oh yeah, he also blocked what would have been a game winning field goal for Grayson with ten seconds left in the game! What a great athlete! Welcome to Athens Mr. Ogletree….can’t wait to see you wearing the red and black…..Will you be a wide receiver, running back, linebacker, corner, or maybe all of the above! Wow! Go Bulldogs!
Note to DHD: Yes, you are right. The mighty Jackets were toppled by a non-rated team. AND IT FEELS SO DAMN GOOD!
The Steamroller
November 29th, 2009
6:02 pm
Hold on a minute before I blog. I’m running free through GIT’s…”defense”.
The Steamroller
November 29th, 2009
6:03 pm
…..still running……….
The Steamroller
November 29th, 2009
6:04 pm
I’ve never felt so…………..FREE………I could run for 365 days…then another 365……….WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE…
Washan and Caleb
November 29th, 2009
6:08 pm
Hey Paul the Great, I love that “triple option” defense of yours…..it’s impossible to “stop”……and our best player did not even suit up…
FedEx ORANGE BOWL here we come
November 29th, 2009
6:12 pm
7-5 is the dorkiest won-loss record
in the Peach State.
FedEx ORANGE BOWL here we come
November 29th, 2009
6:14 pm
Hey Willie and Bobo,
I love that sorry 7-5 record.
7-5...come on man
November 29th, 2009
6:17 pm
UGA only wishes they had a 10-2 record.
romebuzz
November 29th, 2009
6:24 pm
happythanksgiving you georgie you get to keep all your coaches.
romebuzz
November 29th, 2009
6:25 pm
happy thanksgiving georgie you get to keep all of your coaches
ccrider
November 29th, 2009
6:27 pm
ccrider
November 29th, 2009
6:22 pm
Tech People have probably experienced this moment themselves, but for the Dawg supporters on this blog, let me tell you why Tech fans hold so many of your fans in such low class regard.
I was at the game last night with my son and daughter in the upper deck of the North stands. A family of Bulldog fans sat in front of us. A mother, father and 4 early teens, the mother began trash talking an older Tech couple below them, who shortly after the first quarter got up and left telling the people around them” These people are the rudest we’ve ever run into in the 50 years we have been coming here.”
That display by the woman would have been bad enough, but when Josh Nesbitt went down with an injury late in the first quarter , she made the statement that personified her standing as a human being, I quote” That’s what that N++ger gets for going to Tech instead of Georgia” .
Later. when another Tech Player went down with injuries she said, ” Good, that N++ger deserved it”
I know this is not represenative of most Georgia Fans, but I have seen similar behavior in many of Georgia followers which are obviously not Georgia Grads.
This lady and her family: a Husband that said little between chewing his chaw and spitting in a cup other that to nod at his wife’s racial diatribes, the children who cheered the injuries along with their mother ,the mother that spent the entire game stuffing food and drink into her fat overweight body and face: only pausing long enough to yell another racial slur or applaude another Tech Injury.
So, when you jump on Tech fans as having a “we’re better than you” attitude, these are the Georgia fans we are talking about. Maybe, the Georgia faithful should put a call out to their fans to represent their favorite school in a more positive way, if they want a more respectful relationship with Fans from other schools. You are perceived by how you act!
Oh, one last thing, before you write this post off as another wimpy, nerd Tech fan post, understand I am a former cop that would have no problem taking on fans physically or verbally, but I know the difference between being civilized and not, something this family does not.
LinkReport this comment
Nashdawg
November 29th, 2009
6:29 pm
Larry: If a frog had wings he would not bump his…….
shards1967
November 29th, 2009
6:33 pm
Joe Cox once mentioned that as QB he never lost a high school game and after last night, that is still true. I am LOL …………oh, does it hurt techers? One win in 9 years is pathetic, you bunch of losers. 4 wins in what? 13 years??? HAHAHAHA Donanan won about 5 and now Richt has won 8.
In the last 60? How about maybe 18 wins for the jellowed jackets? HAHAHAHAHA
Dwyer really only got 33 yards. HAHAHAHAHAH ACC is a joke.
Goooooooooooooooooooooo Dawgs.
UGA,class of 71 & 73
Vick=Dog killing Thug
November 29th, 2009
6:34 pm
Off year dawgs beat the best year bugs at home without our best player. LOVE IT
That said dawgs still have sooo much work to do. Loved that running game. Tip of the hat to Cox but bring on next year. Life without Willy-Nilly ??? Hope so ….
Good to see Richt get mad but he made GA look bad, I really wonder about that guy ???
30-24 HAAHAHHAAHA I’ll enjoy going to work tomorrow….
shards1967
November 29th, 2009
6:39 pm
Hey CCRider,
You paint with a big brush and therefore, I suspect that you are lying when you describe UGA fans.
Tech folks, Clemson fans, Bama and yes, Dawgs, Gartors, War Eagles can all be obnoxious, as I have been in just about every major stadium in the SEC and viewed it and it can be ugly. Been to tech games too, like when they threw dead fish and trash and bottles toward Notre Dame’s bench about 25 years ago. Shall I continue? You are making it up because ………..it hurts so bad. LOL
tech? Over rated and THEY KNOW IT.
Go Dawgs
Go Dawgs
7-5...come on man
November 29th, 2009
6:41 pm
FIVE TIME LOSERS = uga
7-5 stinks
10-2 you wish
7-5 stinks...come on man
November 29th, 2009
6:43 pm
………..ORANGE BOWL
here we come.
ccrider
November 29th, 2009
6:53 pm
shards1967: No, unfortunately i’m not making it up and if you were able to read the entire paragraph, you would be able to learn I did not “paint with a BIG brush. I was specific,when I said this is not represenative of most Dawg fans , but is mainly involving many(not all) of the fans that never went to Georgia and just attached themselves to the university and team because they were successful. I have been going to Tech games for over 40 years and this “fringe” group just seems to get worse every year.
If, you are a fan that didn’t go to UGA and thought I was including you, well since I don’t know you, I wouldn’t get insulted, unless you feel called out by your own behavior.
jason
November 29th, 2009
6:58 pm
BK, I have read your crappy post like in every blog posted on the AJC i reference to your Jackets getting their collective arses handed to them. Grow up, not like a jacket or two didn’t rip out our hedges last year. Karma is B—-, ain’t it.
Sensei John Kreese
November 29th, 2009
6:58 pm
7-7 come on man…what’s that scoreboard say again?
Butterfinger – The official candybar of The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Whoa! I think Caleb King just scored again!
Remember, Waushaun and Caleb “RUN THIS STATE”!!!
jason
November 29th, 2009
7:00 pm
Larry, Now that sure is a whole lotta could’ve, would’ve should’ves…
GATORHATER
November 29th, 2009
7:04 pm
A tech friend of mine posted this on another site:
sat in Bobby Dodd watching Tech fans pushing and choking each other while others were being tackled by security for throwing full Coke cups at UGA players. The season is not defined by that game to all those classless Tech fans.
Proves that there are classless fans on both sides
Bob Horner stayed hurt
November 29th, 2009
7:07 pm
ccrider…I thought Grant Field was tobacco free..??
frank james
November 29th, 2009
7:09 pm
My brother jesse and I did not get a chance to see the Tech baseball players taking up donations for Chance Veazey. That was a great gesture. I know Chance and his family really appreciated it. I know this Dawg fan did. It is a shame that baseball is the most descriminated sport in the NCAA. 11 and a quarter scholarships, what a joke! Fellows you are a class act!
Victoria
November 29th, 2009
7:18 pm
I saw an interview with Paul Johnson before the game where he was asked his thoughts on the Georgia game. He basically said the Georgia game wouldn’t make or break Tech’s season and that “they had bigger fish to fry” than beating Georgia. REALLY??? I doubt Mark Richt would ever say anything like that about an opponent – even if he was thinking it. Georgia’s coach = class act. Tech’s coach = arrogant ahole. Put that GA running game in your pipe and smoke it. Maybe you aren’t as great as you think you are PJ.
J.S. Mccorkle
November 29th, 2009
7:22 pm
Is the ACC game still called CHAMPIONSHIP? And if so how many hundred’s of fan’s can we expect?
dawgs all the way
November 29th, 2009
7:26 pm
bebe thomas, all acc wide reciever. he averages 24 yard per catch but he cant make the 10 yard catch. our running game is back. 30-24 GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Billy Jack could fight
November 29th, 2009
7:27 pm
great blog Bill…..I just wish you hadn’t have posted the blog yesterday saying Tech hated us more than we hated them….you hurt a lot people feelings….
Cindy Hendrix
November 29th, 2009
7:30 pm
As a die hard UGA FAN gt GREAT SEASON UNTIL LAST NIGHT only 1 loss to miami I pull for Tech they are a state school except whey play us then the gloves come off baby!! UGA wanted it more sorry about nesbitt but he was only out for the 1st half came back in the second half trust me if he was hurt real bad PJ would not have kept him in & risk him getting hurt worse before the ACC Championship game as the old saying goes any team can beat another team on any given day last nite was our day!! Don’t ever count the Bulldogs out!! don’t know why PJ CHANGED HIS COACHING?! good luck aganist Clemson watch how the Old Ball Coach beat em the SEC just did a beeter job of beating the 2 teams playing for the ACC Championship game GT go play UF & see how well you do!!! CMR record on the on the road speaks for it self no hype just facts I know it;s not too far to Atlanta but it;s still a road game good luck aganist Richt in opponents stadium it has not been UGA”S best year but we will get better PAYBACKS HELL!! CONGRTS to CMR & staff & players keep it up guys in our bowl game as always GO DAWGS!!! Cindy
ccrider
November 29th, 2009
7:31 pm
Bob Horner stayed hurt; Not Sure, but hard to detect someone chewing and a spitting
Decatur Dawg
November 29th, 2009
7:32 pm
Oh Boo Hoo CCrider! I got your “low class” right here…..Cry for the next year remembering how tough it was in your own home stadium when an unranked team handed your #7 ranked team their rear ends. Its tough losing your last game as GA experienced last year…..now go on and see what your team can do in the ACC “who cares who wins” championship game. I can see that your memories of the loss to GA yesterday will cloud your mind for years…and just think, you can come to Athens next year and hopefully you will sit right next to the family you described- that is if your tale is really what happened. By the way, I doubt your “brush” is that big……
Cindy Hendrix
November 29th, 2009
7:32 pm
one last thing about UGA”S win last night to quote the late great Jackie Gleason HOW SWEET IT IS!! GO DAWGS SIC EM WOOF WOOF!!!!!! Cindy
UGAFan
November 29th, 2009
7:39 pm
@frank james Thanks for bringing this back to perspective. That was a nice gesture on the part of the GT baseball team.