Bulldog Nation turns up its nose at Shreveport
(Independence Bowl)
Admittedly, most UGA fans aren’t too thrilled about the Dogs spending the postseason in Shreveport, but I’m thinking this is probably the least enthused I’ve ever seen the Georgia fan base about a bowl game.
The latest indication is the wince-inducing report in the Athens Banner-Herald that not only does UGA still have about 5,000 unsold tickets to the Independence Bowl, but some of the nearly 6,900 that have been sold so far have gone to Texas A&M fans. The paper reports that after the Aggies sold out their allotment of 12,000 tickets, the school’s athletics Web site encouraged A&M fans to buy tickets at Georgiadogs.com. “Let’s MAROON out the Georgia allotment,” is how they put it.
Tim Cearley, UGA’s director of ticket operations, confirms to the ABH that “a lot of the stuff that we’ve mailed out in the past few days has had Texas mailing addresses on them,” though he makes an attempt to save face by adding: “but we do have a lot of alums out there, too.”
Of course, travel time for Aggies fans to Shreveport is a lot less than for Dogs fans. And it doesn’t help that the game is on the Monday after Christmas; a weekend date probably would be selling a bit better among the UGA faithful.
Still, there’s no denying the malaise in the Bulldog Nation concerning this game. The years when any bowl was considered a reward at season’s end are long gone in these parts. We’ve frankly become spoiled by all those New Year’s Day games Mark Richt’s teams have played in. So any minor bowl would be a disappointment. And the fact that it’s the former “Weedeater Bowl” in the nonexciting location of Shreveport just makes it worse.
There’s no doubt that just about any of the other bowls parceled out to 7-5 SEC teams this year would be selling better among those in red and black. But when you lose to Kentucky at home, this is what you get.
Some have expressed concern that a weak showing of Georgia fans at the game in Shreveport will hurt UGA in future years when it comes to bowl selection. In other words, that it will indicate we don’t “travel” well.
But I wouldn’t worry too much about that. I think bowl officials are savvy enough to know that Georgia fans view the Independence Bowl differently from other bowls. The fact that Florida is having trouble selling out its allotment for the Sugar Bowl looks a lot worse in comparison.
And Dogs fans can take comfort in the fact that at least this game isn’t played on blue turf.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
355 comments Add your comment
We pulled your stinger out and stomped it flat,again!
December 22nd, 2009
12:35 pm
No GT Joe, you are toilet paper with 30-24 wiped all over it.
GT Joey
December 22nd, 2009
12:35 pm
I hear that I’m such a big dope that my mom is making me get off the PC and clean my room. gotta go
Greg
December 22nd, 2009
12:35 pm
The Smurf Bowl still has GT on speed dial. You can bank on it
same ol' story
December 22nd, 2009
12:37 pm
Tool fans pretending to be exciting about the worst BCS game in history, all the while we really know losing to Richt’s worst team ever is still eating their insides out. Love it!!!
Sam
December 22nd, 2009
12:37 pm
GT Joe, I understood you clearly. If UGA is #4, then why are you spending all that time here? Do you post on VT and Clemson blogs as well (and now Iowa).
We pulled your stinger out and stomped it flat,again!
December 22nd, 2009
12:37 pm
GT joe, you need to read up on your fine school before you act so stupid. it is EMORY. GA STATE, UGA & Tech. Forbes Magazine, Fortune 500, and NCARRAT. You may be the best in engineering, but in this day and time, that doesn’ buy much. But keep reading your own propaganda, that is what your team did last year against LSU, and this year against Miami.
GT Joey
December 22nd, 2009
12:38 pm
Can I bring my toilet paper with me…… Ops, coming mommy
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
12:39 pm
LOL. GT average SAT: 1348. UGA, over 100 points less.
GT, #8 engineering school in the WORLD. What is it that UGA is good at? Turf Management? Animal Husbandry?
Overrated Jacket
December 22nd, 2009
12:39 pm
GT showed the nation how overrated of a program, and coach, they truly have
cherokee
December 22nd, 2009
12:39 pm
GTJOE I guess the monkey is back on your back now……….
GT Joey
December 22nd, 2009
12:40 pm
Good at beating Tech – 60-39, 8-1…. 30-24
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
12:40 pm
Sam: I like messing around with rednecks.
Speaking of which, there’s a really good Huddle House on the way to Shreveport. Best t-bone steak YOU ever had.
hmmm.....
December 22nd, 2009
12:41 pm
GT Joe,
You can’t really tout being an Engineering school when less than 2% of your thugs major in it.
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
12:41 pm
Sorry cherokee, as long as CPJ is around, the UGA game won’t be any more important than any other out of conference game.
GT Blow - I mean Joe
December 22nd, 2009
12:41 pm
Sounds like you’ve been to the Huddle House. Must have been on the way to Boise’s beautiful blu turf bowl
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
12:42 pm
Okay, so I guess UGA is a PE school, since all the thugs at UGA major in PE, right?
AP
December 22nd, 2009
12:42 pm
Georgia played a better schedule than Auburn, Arkansas, and Kentucky. If we had Ball State at home instead of OK State on the road we’d be 8-4 and in the Outback. Schedule down Damon, all of your top rivals do it and are being rewarded. (UT being the exception) Who cares what anyone thinks. Look at Alabama’s non- conference schedule. Rewarded physically and mentally with Chattanooga, North Texas, & Florida Int’l, cream puffs during the middle of AL’s SEC grind. Good VT win but you have to play one good out of conference because your big one is in your division. That being said, Georgia did not have the coaches or the players, for some reason, to compete at the highest levels this year, but did three teams UGA beat this year all with 3-5 Conference records deserve bowl invitations ahead of Georgia? Did they honestly compete at the highest levels? Schedule down Damon to get the wins. That’s the message being sent! Also, play more home games. UGA and Vanderbilt were the only two SEC teams with 6 home games this year. Some teams had 8. Most 7. I know, cry me a river. Happy Holidays to everyone and hope you have a great New Year!
Sanford Drive
December 22nd, 2009
12:43 pm
Not that it’s relevant, but UGA has top programs in Accounting, Risk Management, MIS, Real Estate, and Law. Also, we have a wnning record vs Ga Tech.
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
12:43 pm
But seriously, what is UGA famous for? Landscaping? ditch Digging? Seriously? Educate me.
GT Joey
December 22nd, 2009
12:45 pm
Your making me cry Sanford Drive. Stop stating facts
Obviously this so called GT Joe is not a Tech Alum. “Book It”
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
12:45 pm
And your definition of “top program” is what, best within 65 miles?
GT is #8 engineering school in the world. WORLD. As in Planet Earth. Where does UGA rank in accounting or law or whatever?
hunker down
December 22nd, 2009
12:48 pm
For me to go to the Independence Bowl you would have to give me free tickets, room accomadations, food voucher and paid travel expenses. Then I am not sure if I would go.
DawgSinceBirth
December 22nd, 2009
12:48 pm
I wouldmn’t say spoiled….just a poor fan base UNFORTUNATELY! I haven’t missed a HOME or AWAY game in 20 years and have only missed 4 HOME games in 36 years (I’m 42)….and NO,
I’m NOT rich by any stretch…just LOVE THE DAWGS!!!!
I find it comical how much I hear “I LOVE MY DAWGS, etc” on here, yet YOU won’t show up this Monday!!!!!!!
Go Dawgs!
P.S. Go to about 80% of HOME basketball games too…and about 70% of their HOME baseball games with a few road games scattered in there……..
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
12:49 pm
Accounting huh. Just looked up the rankings. UGA is behind: Texas A&M (lol), Florida, Northern Illinois. Two spots ahead of Alabama. LOL.
Accounting is for idiots anyways. Any famous accountants that you know of?
Sanford Drive
December 22nd, 2009
12:50 pm
UGA has the second highest CPA pass rate in the country.
According to US News, Risk is ranked second, Real Estate is third, and MIS is ninth. Law is 35th.
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
12:52 pm
Sanford: real estate? really? Must be one of about 5 programs in the country that still has real estate.
Sanford Drive
December 22nd, 2009
12:52 pm
Arthur Blank
GT Joey
December 22nd, 2009
12:56 pm
GT Joe – Let me guess, you have an Engineering degree from Tech… Nope didn’t think so. Why brag on something YOU don’t have. Your such a Tool. It’s obvious you don’t even have a college degree. Go away little bug and play on your own blog
OH by the way CLUELESS, check most Ivey league schools and tell me they don’t still have Real Estate degrees as a MAJOR, not minor…… Who am I to think that you would know that. Get a life!
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
12:57 pm
LOL. Risk Management Insurance, MIS, Accounting, Real Estate are all part of your business school.
GT’s business school tied with Emory for #22 in America. UGA? #55.
The one good thing that you THINK UGA is good at, still sux. And GT’s business school isn’t even close to our best school. It’s the redheaded stepchild at Tech. Still whoops UGA.
Please, let’s stop the silly academic comparisons. Please. You lose all credibility.
Sanford Drive
December 22nd, 2009
12:58 pm
Yes, lots of schools offer Real Estate degrees including Penn, UF, UT, NYU, and USC.
Fleischman in Chi Towns Bed
December 22nd, 2009
12:58 pm
Hey Bill are you and the rest of the ewoks going to Shrevegas?
John
December 22nd, 2009
12:58 pm
June, the Gator Bowl doesnt pick from SEC teams anways. That had no affect on UGA. Moron!!!!
DirtyDawg
December 22nd, 2009
12:58 pm
The wife and I won’t be going to the Indy Bowl this time – went in ‘91…had a good time…won the game…did have to listen to Sooooeee Pig a few too many times, but enjoyed the place. Now Shreveport’s got a lot more to offer. More cajun and creole restaurants than we’ve got BBQ joints or Miami’s got stone crabs…casinos and horse racing…affordable accommodations. Miami’s got South Beach – over-priced and over-hyped – (do you really have an entire fraternity at Tech of guys looking for guys?)…can’t even get a drink there for under $10 bucks… recommend the EPIC Hotel – they’ve got the greatest water – like drinking champagne…have fun. As for Atlanta, hell, we live here, why should we want to come to visit?
Again, we won’t be able to go this time, but it won’t be because of who we’re playing (I mean…Iowa?…so what if you win? Who’ll care?). The fans that do go won’t be sorry. Now if they just had a reunion of The Louisiana Hayride…and remember, Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler (they’ll show you what it means).
tiger7_88
December 22nd, 2009
1:00 pm
Chuck Uga, you’re an idiot.
thUGa should go to the Outback because they beat Auburn? But they lost to Kentucky and Tennessee.
Tennessee should go? But they lost to Auburn.
Auburn should go? But they lost to Georgia and Kentucky.
Kentucky should go? But they lost to Tennessee.
Stop whining. The Outback Bowl didn’t want your precious thUGa team because of your team’s your fanbase’s attitude this year. The representatives from the Outback Bowl were in Sanford-and-Son Stadium when you’re crowd was abandoning the stands in droves with 4:00 left in the game when you still had a chance to beat Kentucky.
Stop being such bleeding whiners and support your team win, lose, or draw, and maybe bowl committees will be more impressed. I still remember a game in the late 1990’s when AU was beating the crap out of thUGa and your fans were abandoning the stands at half-time and the ESPN announcer, after the camera’s showed the shot of the thUGa herd leaving their team in the lurch, commented “That’s thUGa fans for you… they support their team win or tie.”
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
1:00 pm
Sanford: Lucky for you, no one in Georgia offers those silly majors. If Tech did, we’d surely be ranked far higher, considering our business school WHOOPS uga:
http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/rankings/page+3
Now stick to football comparisons, there at least you have some credibility.
Brucemac
December 22nd, 2009
1:04 pm
UGA fninshed tied for second in SEC east and fired all the defensive coaches. That tells you where the program is more than anything else. I am glad the rest of you are happy with your mediocrity, we aren’t. We accept smack from the Gators, they have earned it. For the rest of you, we are sorry we are better than you but someday maybe you can be a Gator or Bulldawg fan.
Sanford Drive
December 22nd, 2009
1:07 pm
You asked for specifics. I gave them to you.
I understand Tech has a great business program, however, each school specializes in different areas. Tech’s specialties are Quantitative Analysis, Operations Management, MIS and Supply Chain Management/Logistics. UGA specializes in MIS, Real Estate, LAR, and Accounting. The only common denominator between these top programs is MIS – both schools would be great for that major.
Clay
December 22nd, 2009
1:08 pm
Yes, we are indifferent towards going. I said before the games were announced I would go to the Chick-fil-A, Music City or even the papajohns.com Bowl, but not the Independence. Well, we got the Independence and I’ll be staying home.
If we want a better game next year then we need to hold half time leads over teams like Kentucky.
Sam
December 22nd, 2009
1:10 pm
GT Joe, why the name calling? Rednecks? I have had fine dining all over the world thank you very much. I was keeping the conversation civil and not personal. I know I am winning when a person starts making personal attacks. I know which side is winning a college sports argument when someone starts to spout off about academics. Tech is no different than other schools at putting their athletes in the easiest possible majors to keep them eligible. All schools will have some top students who are athletes, but they will have far more who would not make it were it not for the hand holding the athletic dept does.
Tech is a fine academic school. I find it amusing when UGA fans (most of whom probably did not attend a single class) spout off about Tech being a poor school. The missions of UGA and Tech are different. Simple enough. Now let’s keep this about football. No one really cares about academics in a football discussion. But here are some numbers to remember: 30-24, 8-1.
Sam
December 22nd, 2009
1:11 pm
GT Joe, did you go to Tech?
OUT & PROUD!!!
December 22nd, 2009
1:12 pm
Leave GT Joe alone!!!!!
GT Joe
December 22nd, 2009
1:14 pm
Of course I went to Tech. Unlike UGA fans, about 90% of Tech fans actually went to the school.
tools are desperate
December 22nd, 2009
1:15 pm
Tool fans are like the Global Warming kooks. If it’s too hot, it’s GW, if it’s too cold, it’s GW.
UGA fires Willie (even though he owned the bees) then UGA sucks. If UGA had kept Willie then they would be saying we’ll suck even more for it. Comical
Independence Bowl Is Sold Out...
December 22nd, 2009
1:18 pm
The local TV station reported the Bowl is sold out for the first time since 2003. Bama couldn’t sell the game out in 2007. They did say a few more tickets are available from georgiadogs.com, but they are reporting the game is sold out.
http://www.ksla.com/Global/story.asp?S=11676687
Shreveport 2009, Natl Champs 2010
December 22nd, 2009
1:20 pm
Shreveport is the Bowl home of the 2009 Natl Champ Bama who visited Shreveport in 2007. The visit was followed with and appearance in the Natl Championship only 21 years later in 2009.
This is not the first time that has happened. Oklahoma visited Shreveport in 1999, and won the Natl Champ in 2000.
Apparently, something mystical is going on, Shreveport has inspired both Bama and Oklahoma to the Natl Champ. Shreveport—the road to the National Championship.
Sanford Drive
December 22nd, 2009
1:21 pm
Shreveport 2009, Natl Chaps 10,
Pipe dreams, my friend.
Shreveport 2009, Natl Champs 2010
December 22nd, 2009
1:27 pm
Pipe dreams? That’s what they said when Bama visited in 2007, and Oklahoma visited in 1999. The critics were wrong both times.
Richt ALWAYS has responded to a poor season with a big season. 2010 will be BIG for Georgia. Check Richt’s record in years after a bad season and you will see you are wrong.
gt joe? fail.
December 22nd, 2009
1:28 pm
why are you on this blog ? this is a uga blog dont come on here talking about how you blow cpj every tuesday because we do not care. you know its pretty bad when a balanced offense puts up more rushing yards then a option offense, have fun getting beat by iowa and oh yeah you called uga non contenders and ill admit it we were BAD this year in conference play but we beat your beloved tech so in the end that just makes yall look bad ahahaha nerd.
boone
December 22nd, 2009
1:29 pm
Also, 90% of Tech grads don’t even major in Engineering. That’s like bragging you went to Harvard but got your degree in P.E.
Question
December 22nd, 2009
1:30 pm
If Tech finishes in the top 5, but not #1, will they try and claim this year as another unearned “National Championship” like they did in 1952 and ‘90?