Who are the coolest Bulldog athletes of all time?
Dan Magill, the quintessential Georgia Bulldog. (University of Georgia)
GQ magazine has released its list of the 25 Coolest Athletes of All Time, honoring icons who in addition to their sporting achievements also possessed a certain grace, style or swagger that made them fan favorites.
The list, included in the February issue of GQ, which has nine different covers, includes such names as Muhammad Ali, “Pistol” Pete Maravich, Joe Namath, Arnold Palmer, Pele and Ted Turner (as a yachtsman).
This got me to thinking about who would qualify for a list of the coolest Georgia Bulldogs of all time. Here are 15 names I came up with, listed alphabetically:
Champ Bailey. A virtual iron man for the Dogs, playing on offense, defense and special teams and winning the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation’s top defensive player after his junior year at UGA. He’s gone on to be a top NFL defensive player for Washington and Denver.
Teresa Edwards. In addition to starring for the Lady Dogs, she played basketball for the U.S. in an unprecedented four Olympics.
Bill Goldberg. Followed his football days at UGA and in the NFL by becoming practically a household name in pro wrestling.
Terry Hoage. A two-time consensus All-America defensive back who Vince Dooley said was the best defensive player he’d ever coached, but he also graduated from UGA with a 3.86 GPA in genetics. After a pro football career, now has his own vineyard.
John Isner. UGA’s all-time leader in singles and doubles victories, this tennis star earned All-American honors each of his four years and led Georgia to the 2007 NCAA championship. And after outlasting Nicolas Mahut last summer at Wimbledon in the longest ever professional tennis match, he sat down for media interviews wearing a vintage UGA T-shirt. Very cool.
Courtney Kupets. Winner of two Olympic medals and just about every individual collegiate gymnastics honor around during the Gym Dogs’ run of consecutive NCAA titles. Ended up being named the nation’s top female college athlete.
Dan Magill. Established UGA as a tennis powerhouse and made Athens the center of the collegiate tennis universe. And he’s still playing tennis. But the longtime coach also is pretty much the living embodiment of Bulldog spirit and is celebrating his 90th birthday this week. Check out Loran Smith’s tribute to one of UGA’s best.
Johnny Rauch. Starred as a quarterback for UGA and then went on to coach the Oakland Raiders to the Super Bowl. He’s credited by Bill Walsh with having invented the West Coast offense.
Jake Scott. The UGA All-American defensive back went on to be a four-time All-Pro for the Miami Dolphins during their heyday. Also known as one of the wildest Dogs players ever and the guy who rode a motorcycle over Stegeman Coliseum.
Matt Stinchcomb. Named to UGA’s Circle of Honor, the brainy former offensive lineman is one of the school’s best representatives as founder of the annual Countdown to Kickoff charity event, along with brother Jon and former UGA quarterback David Greene.
Richard Tardits. The French rugby player knew practically nothing about football when he joined the Dogs and ended up setting a school record for QB sacks, eventually broken by David Pollack.
Charley Trippi. Starred in both football and baseball at UGA and inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Athens resident is known as a classy gentleman.
Herschel Walker. Hey, when you’re known nationally just by your first name, you’ve got to be cool!
Hines Ward. A Mr. Everything on offense for the Dogs and one of the gutsiest players I’ve ever seen. He’s gone on to a long NFL career, was voted Super Bowl MVP and is back in the Super Bowl again.
Dominique Wilkins. Known in the NBA for his spectacular slam dunks, he’s the only basketball Bulldog to have his jersey retired.
Who else belongs on a list of the coolest Bulldogs ever?
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— Bill King, Junkyard Blawg
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268 comments Add your comment
Carlton
January 25th, 2011
6:19 pm
I think Bill King is the coolest Bulldawg ever. He talks about how he graduated from UGA and where he sits in the stadium so much you’d think he lives in Sanford.
Come on Bill! Give me a good article to read for once!
Mincy
January 25th, 2011
6:20 pm
This video interview with Mett, man, too funny….
kid’s gonna be great…
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=3595092
Gatormeat
January 25th, 2011
6:22 pm
I guess it is according to what you deem to be cool. Apparently in athens it is judged by how many times you get arrested, which in that case the entire georgia football team would be the coolest of them all. If you were to judge by success, then it would be pretty much none of them
Mincy
January 25th, 2011
6:23 pm
Richt’s a cool guy…love his sense of humor….what other coach can do a back flip off a high dive…backwards…in street clothes????
http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5479563
Mincy
January 25th, 2011
6:26 pm
Love this trick shot from da coach…he got skillz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6n1q9H2hBtM
Mincy
January 25th, 2011
6:29 pm
Moreno was funny too…loeve the dance thing…souljaboy….
Logan Gray busted a move too…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qLkHr61Z2M&feature=related
longdog
January 25th, 2011
6:55 pm
how about catfish smith
FIRE MIKE BOBO!!!!!!
January 25th, 2011
7:27 pm
Moreno, easily the most fun player to watch since Walker.
professor Ed
January 25th, 2011
7:56 pm
Peter Rajecki, aka the Bootin’ Teuton. UGAs first soccor style kicker
Denver Dog
January 25th, 2011
7:58 pm
Jake Scott, Horace King, Terrell Davis, Hines Ward, Herschel, Charlie Trippi, Sir Francis, Tater Godfrey, Dr. Jimmy Pitts, Jimmy “the greek streak” Poulous. Cowboy Parish, Moonpie Wilson. Franky Sinkwich, The best name. General George Patton
Michael Florence
January 25th, 2011
8:05 pm
Eddie “Meat Cleaver” Weaver, Guy McIntyre, Kevin Butler, and I am responsbile for Richard Tardits.. I was a Manager for the Football Team and was introduced to Richard before he went to see about walking on the team. I talked with him and knew he had never played football before, so I told him let me play defense. The rest is History
professor Ed
January 25th, 2011
8:12 pm
http://www2.nbc4i.com/news/2010/jul/02/2/american-dream-ar-130917/
Great story on Rajecki
Delta Flight Attendent
January 25th, 2011
8:34 pm
Jan Kemp
SE Dawg Fan
January 25th, 2011
8:40 pm
NOT FRAN TARKENTON…yes to Herschel and others mentioned in your article and to Knoshown..there are so many it’s hard to decide.
getoutmykitchen
January 25th, 2011
8:40 pm
Randall Godfrey
Brice Hunter R.I.P.
Jake Scott
Thomas Brown
Champ & Boss(Points for there God given names and talent)
Thomas Davis
And that Walker kid
SE Dawg Fan
January 25th, 2011
8:41 pm
Not Gatormeat…he’s one of those dorks who loves to “bring down” a good blog.
Andy Loy
January 25th, 2011
8:54 pm
This might be the dumbest article ever written!
Delta Flight Attendent
January 25th, 2011
9:00 pm
Damon Evans for sure. Married AA Dude caught with a white chick and her red panties in his lap while drunk? WHO could ever be more to UGA fans? He has it all covered.
PostMan
January 25th, 2011
9:05 pm
Cool ? I’m not feeling it from UGA. UGA alumni and fans bring visions of white Baptists. Reagan voters. Definitely not cool. About the only thing cool to come out of (or through) Athens is R.E.M. (and maybe the four-legged UGAs.)
nate
January 25th, 2011
9:46 pm
Bubba Watson and Terrell Davis would get votes from me. Gordan Beckham looks cool if nothing else. Knowshon got some cool points for his hurdle. Quincy Carter got cool points for his hashish.
gt
January 25th, 2011
9:52 pm
knowshon!!!!!!!
nate
January 25th, 2011
9:58 pm
Did anyone say Tony Cole?
kevin smith
January 25th, 2011
10:03 pm
Author Marshall
Ga Alum 79
January 25th, 2011
10:37 pm
The legend himself…..Larry Munson!!!
Big Daddy
January 25th, 2011
10:44 pm
How about: Eric Zier, Willie McClendon, Amp Arnold, Kevin Butler?
Ted Striker
January 25th, 2011
10:58 pm
The linked article about Jake Scott (by several bloggers) is one of my favorite articles. Never had the pleasure to see him play but wow, was he evidently something. He’s there with Trippi and Walker in my book as far as talent.
Now…when it comes to pure heart, it’s Magill, hands down. He’s UGA’s greatest Bulldog. Knows more about UGA sports than any other living breathing human being who has walked this planet. Was pretty good at coining nicknames too.
RED DOG 77
January 25th, 2011
10:59 pm
Bill King……….yes Bill I’m serious it could be you……….If only you would reach back to some of your better writting days, and talk about what “Old Dogs ” like you and I know to be true : college football runs in cycles, often teams turn a down program around in the begining with a supportive fan base, Bill, tell them to just look at Texas, Miami, and for crying out loud, Michigan………..down a couple years, got rid of Lloyd Carr, went out and got Rich Rodrigues, wasted another few years, now find themselves in one hell of a rut…………Our Georgia Bulldogs need our support now, we have run our critical opinions into the ground ! We know we’re frustrated, coach Richt knows we’re frustrated, the team knows we’re frustrated…………whether coach Richt is coach or not is no longer the issue, the issue is, do we love “our” Georgia Bulldogs ? Are we about damn ready to get behind them, and with our positive support help generate some positive chemistry that our players and coaches so desperately need about now ?………….I’m a Georgia Bulldog, call me old fashion if you will, but I love ‘em as much now as I did when Mr. Walker hurled himself over the Notre Dame defensive line that “GLORIOUS DAY”………………RED
Sandman053
January 25th, 2011
11:14 pm
not an athelete but who could forget Lewis Grizzard R.I.P. ?He was a damn good Dawg!
Sandman053
January 25th, 2011
11:20 pm
Best line:” It’s not life or death, it’s mucxh more important than that.” or my all-time favotire was a column after a Tech victory over the Dawgs . “Frankly I don’t want to talk about it…” followed by an entire column of empty space.
Red & Black Passion
January 25th, 2011
11:21 pm
#7 Rodney Hampton
Joe
January 25th, 2011
11:56 pm
Sandman, I saw that article too. It just said Athens, GA I think. Was great though. Lewis Grizzard one of a kind.
Delta Flight Attendent
January 26th, 2011
1:39 am
It could be Dooley and Richt, but they Auburn and Miami men actually.
eriecliper
January 26th, 2011
1:51 am
Bill Stanfield deserves some consideration.
Dallasdawg
January 26th, 2011
2:16 am
Enter your comments here
RedandBlack
January 26th, 2011
2:42 am
Definitely have to consider Alec Kessler as a great Georgia Bulldog. He led the Bulldogs to their first regular season SEC championship in basketball in 1990. The LSU game in Athens come from behind by 20 points is still the best game ever. Alec Kessler was a cool cat for Bulldog. His number 33 should be retired up there with Dominique. Go Dogs!!
EDDIE DAVIS
January 26th, 2011
4:01 am
I NOTICED THAT FRAN T. DIDN’T MAKE THE LIST. SERVES YOU RIGHT FRAN! THAT WAS NOT COOL HOW YOU BASHED M. RICHT AND OUR BELOVED BULLDOG FOOTBALL PROGRAM. WHAT KIND OF BULLDOG ARE YOU FRAN? JERK!!!!
Nub
January 26th, 2011
6:15 am
Garrison Hurst was very cool…. !!! And Fran the man should be included …. As for all of you that have gone after Fran ….. This is America … The land of Free speech and not China…. Whether you agree or disagree with his opinion at least he has the moxy to s
Jim 007
January 26th, 2011
6:17 am
Erk Russell !
Nub
January 26th, 2011
6:21 am
Let me remind you that our # 1 rival without a shadow of a doubt is Florida and over the last ten yrs we have one twice ….. There is no excusing that!!!!!
Spike
January 26th, 2011
6:26 am
Scott Woerner, Coach Mike, Mo Mass, Erk, Gordon Beckham, Buck Belue.. I’m just getting warmed up!!
Satillaron
January 26th, 2011
6:58 am
Jack Davis
joey
January 26th, 2011
7:17 am
Pollack!
hop
January 26th, 2011
7:34 am
it shows how stupid some of the dawg fans are including bill for not including fran tarkenton on the list.
fran is one of the top fifty players ever to play in the nfl. that is higher than any other former dawg.
he is in both the college and pro football hall of fame,only charley trippi has accomplish that goal as a former dawg.
he is an very sharp businessman who appears on fox business and other business programs.
fran is tired of seeing other sec schools win national championships and georgia continue to be a middle of the road SEC program at best and yes he called out mark richt and he had the guts to do so ,while many other former dawg players feel the very same way,but fran had the guts to say it.
and to dawglex, fran tarkenton could care less what you think or any other lame georgia fan thinks about his candid view of the losing georgia program that we have today.
Red Lawson
January 26th, 2011
7:52 am
Billy Rado
Savannah Dawg
January 26th, 2011
7:55 am
Buck Belue! No finer fellow out there!
Spike
January 26th, 2011
8:18 am
Dean Tate.
SOS Dawg
January 26th, 2011
8:33 am
Fran Tarkenton…… This guy has guts and isnt a wimp like many here on this blog.
Lilly and Edith
January 26th, 2011
8:35 am
Herman Archieeeeeeeee !
Tampa Dawg
January 26th, 2011
8:55 am
How could you leave out Reggie Ball!! HAHAHA
marinedawg
January 26th, 2011
9:02 am
how about Sinkwich.No cant go with Sir Francis he was a sleazy businessman