Flash-mob hysteria, QB injuries and that other football
Why shouldn't Aaron Murray be able to enjoy a pick-up game? (AJC staff)
I was off Monday and away from the UGA blogosphere during the afternoon when the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it furor over Aaron Murray’s ankle set the Bulldog Nation atwitter — or, I should say, aTwitter.
So the ankle that “team sources” told a student journalist was broken in two places turned out to be merely sprained in a pick-up soccer game and no real threat to Murray’s status as Georgia’s starting quarterback. Stand down, Hutson Mason and Christian LeMay.
What was most interesting to me coming in on this flap after it was over was seeing some fans harumphing about how Murray was irresponsible and shouldn’t have been playing soccer or any other nonfootball sport where he risked injury, to begin with.
Listen, if you’re going to try and make bubbleboys out of UGA’s “franchise” athletes, you might as well also ban them from riding those scooters that are the preferred mode of transportation around campus for today’s Bulldogs. Riding in Athens traffic is a lot more dangerous than playing soccer.
Besides, that sort of thinking ignores the fact that these kids are, for the most part, athletes, not just football players. Many of them grew up playing more than one sport. Mark Richt certainly recognizes this, as we’ve seen with the diving excursions and having the team play ultimate frisbee after practice for fun and fellowship. Guess what, many of them shoot hoops when they get a chance, too. They’re college kids, let them have some semblance of a normal life!
The other thing that struck me was the way the Murray incident brought to the surface that streak of latent soccerphobia that seems to permeate a certain strata of Southern sports fans and sportswriters. So we’re told that Murray getting hurt is one more knock on a game that ought to be reserved for kids or “furriners.”
You can thank soccer for giving us Kevin Butler. (University of Georgia)
I’ve never really understood the irrational fear and loathing that soccer engenders in some folks around here, unless it’s just because in the grand scheme of the “beautiful game” Americans aren’t worldbeaters. Sort of like the way some Georgia fans have always tended to put down “basketball schools.”
Just remember this about soccer, though. UGA folk hero Kevin Butler was all-state in that other football for Redan High and without his soccer skills, he no doubt never would have made that 60-yarder against Clemson, gotten a Super Bowl ring and been elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
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196 comments Add your comment
Felix Millan
February 22nd, 2011
1:40 pm
Bill- any word on Perno being on the hot seat. Or, for that matter, Andy?
1eyedJack
February 22nd, 2011
1:42 pm
Soccer sucks….unless you’re playing with the girls…but then again it’s against the rules to use your hands.
Don't swallow the hook
February 22nd, 2011
1:43 pm
You guys are getting played, big time, by the Skittles eating, Red Bull drinking adolescent tool/troll that has nothing better to do then change his name and post nonsensical statements about the Dawgs, and Murray in particular.
DawginLex
February 22nd, 2011
1:49 pm
The QB competition this spring is going to be wide open. Lemay will not beat out Murray but you can bet your rump he is going to play. And it will be more than the obligatory 1 series per game ala DJ Shockley.
That will have UGA set at QB for the next 2 years after 2011.
oakwood dawg
February 22nd, 2011
1:51 pm
In mho, soccer is the most un-american sport in this country and if you don’t think it is a boring game then you don’t know the definition of boring. That being said, I don’t care if AM plays a pick up game of soccer as long as his most attention (and I think it is) is being the best QB for the dawgs. Really don’t want to get political, but I’m going to anyway i.e. multiculturalism is the cause of all the un-american activities/sports in this country today.
DCDawg
February 22nd, 2011
1:57 pm
Didn’t Murray return to win a FL state championship after breaking his leg early in the season? In somehting like 6 weeks? Even if it was worst than a sprain, the kids got heart! Any truth to the rumor that CMR told him the hosptial he would have a scholly to UGA no matter waht?
Fire Mark Richt
February 22nd, 2011
1:58 pm
Soccer? What’s next for Murray – earrings and a ponytail? A Peugot and Evian water? Box seats at the French Open?
This can’t be good. Butler was an exception. He practiced soccer only so he could launch long kickoffs and be part of the coverage team. His nickname was Butt-head.
WIN WITH RICHT
February 22nd, 2011
2:08 pm
Fire Mark Richt
You make a good point. He could start watching Nate Burkess and eating quiche. Like Barney Fife used to say NIP IT IN THE BUD!!!
Rick S
February 22nd, 2011
2:10 pm
On another topic: When is Greg McGarity going to ask Andy Landers to retire or move-on as Georgia’s Womens Basketball Head Coach? Georgia Womens Basketball got blown out AGAIN by a far superior Tennessee team that by the way has several excellent players from “you guessed it” the state of Georgia.
Just making the NCAA Tournament but getting eliminated after the first round is not making progress or competing like a championship program!
Just my thoughts.
Sleeper Service
February 22nd, 2011
2:11 pm
Soccer is a great off season sport as the conditioning is second to none. Is it exciting like football? No and it doesn’t have to be.
Ben
February 22nd, 2011
2:11 pm
Soccer might actually be the best sport a football player can play in the offseason. It’s great for developing agility, footwork and stamina.
I don’t blame the kid at all for this injury. However, if I were Mark Richt I would have one strict rule for the player’s offseason sports activities. No intramural sports whatsoever! Play with or against your teammates only. We don’t know if Murray was playing with his buddies in the backyard or a fraternity intramural league. College intramural sports are the most bush league version of organized sports you will ever see. All it takes is one meathead frat-daddy to try and show up a big bad football player and before you know it a real injury happens.
Felix Millan
February 22nd, 2011
2:13 pm
I’m with you Rick S
Bo Williams
February 22nd, 2011
2:14 pm
Not as dumb as some of the things I did while in college, such as getting snookered and going skeet shooting.
LA DAWG
February 22nd, 2011
2:15 pm
Enjoy college and all that it has to offer. In a few short years he will be working for a living be it as a professional football player to a Teacher and will not have the extra time to spend enjoying the little things like a pick up soccer game. I love GA Football as much as the next person but you have to allow kids to have clean honest fun.
Ray
February 22nd, 2011
2:21 pm
Can’t find QB in Richt’s 25 coaching history, besides Aaron Murray, who had a winless record over a season against winning teams.
Murray beat teams like Vanderbilt and Idaho State people, get serious.
Ray
February 22nd, 2011
2:24 pm
The risk wasn’t worth a little soccer game. Good grief this kid lacks common sense.
UGA FRIEND
February 22nd, 2011
2:34 pm
Some UGA fans trying to make a big deal over nothing.
Dr. Phil
February 22nd, 2011
2:35 pm
Murray survived the beat down by Nick Fairley only to injure his ankle in a soccer game. Well, it wasn’t a bar-room brawl. Have a quick recovery.
Ray
February 22nd, 2011
2:43 pm
I’ve noticed Murray has a timing issue. Murray usually throws in front of or more often, behind receivers. Or waits too long to throw and gets sacked 23 times. Just hasn’t the slightest.
Now he’s out on a soccer field, right before Spring gets going?
For a QB timing is everything, this kid’s almost always doing the wrong thing at the wrong time.
Dawg Gone
February 22nd, 2011
2:45 pm
Ray willing to bet he beats your team this year.soccer gets a bad rap when American males watch highly payed grown men, crying like little girls every time some one comes with in 30 feet of them.
beakerdawg
February 22nd, 2011
2:49 pm
maybe back in the 1930’s it was white pasty thick ankles in soccer (which would describe every other american professional athlete at that time), there is plenty of 4.3/40 yd speed in professional soccer
Ray
February 22nd, 2011
2:51 pm
Sure wish Richt had just suspended Mettenberger instead of kicked him off the team. Would have been looking at a shot to win the SEC in 2011.
Watch LSU this season, and you’ll understand what I mean.
dawg85
February 22nd, 2011
2:53 pm
Soccer is pretty fun to play and good exercise but is soooo boring to watch — guess you have to grow up with it like they do in Europe.
What I’d really like to know is who is the poster who keeps coming on with the same mantra about Aaron Murray. The posts are easy to recognize. I suspect it’s one nerd (or possibly a collection of nerds) who think that what they are doing is funny and clever.
“Goodness gracious I was a big fan of Aaron Murray … blah, blah, blah.”
“Aaron Murray only threw seven touchdowns against teams with a winning record … blah, blah, blah.” (BTW Check the numbers again Buster — i thought nerds were good at math).
“He hasn’t won against winning teams … blah, blah, blah.”
Aaron’s line against the BCS champs — 15-28-273, 3 TDs and 0 Ints. I’ll take that any day. I’ll also take his line against the nerds — 15-19-271-3 TDs and 0 Ints.
The week leading up to the Tech games the same nerds were here saying the exact same things.
Nerd trolls on the loose, but then I guess that’s what you do when you don’t have a girlfriend.
Ray
February 22nd, 2011
2:53 pm
The bad news is, Georgia will lose the first two games, as Richt won’t give up on his delusions about Murray (remember, Richt stayed with Murray after going 1-4 last year thinking Murray would win out).
After 0-2, Richt will bench Murray, and Georgia will go on a run.
dawg85
February 22nd, 2011
2:54 pm
Ray knows nothing about football.
Ray
February 22nd, 2011
2:55 pm
Murray’s signature win so far is Idaho State.
Adams
February 22nd, 2011
2:57 pm
Lot of Georgia fans on here sound fed up with Murray’s performance against winning teams.
HM
February 22nd, 2011
2:58 pm
Yippee! Soccer. I hope they weren’t keeping score. We don’t want anyones’s feelings to get hurt. I wonder if the team mom brought granola bars and juice boxes for after the game. Gotta love those socks!
Adams
February 22nd, 2011
2:59 pm
Ray-
Good point, you’re right, Murray hasn’t led the team to a single victory in his career against a winning team.
Murray’s also 0-6 when the other team scores first, Murray has never led the team to a come from behind victory either.
beakerdawg
February 22nd, 2011
2:59 pm
read “The Game of Their Lives” the 1950 Team USA World Cup team and tell me how unamerican those players were and what they did to represent our country
polskidawg
February 22nd, 2011
3:00 pm
Sadly, most “fans” of that type are idiots.
Adams
February 22nd, 2011
3:05 pm
Murray only wins games where:
1- UGA scores first
2- Georgia plays a team with a losing record
George
February 22nd, 2011
3:13 pm
Ray and Adams know nothing about football.
Adams
February 22nd, 2011
3:14 pm
You guys are lucky I’m on this blog. Nothing but facts. I am the man.
Ray
February 22nd, 2011
3:14 pm
You guys are lucky I’m on this blog. Nothing but facts. I am the man. Do I sound familiar? Wonder why?
Ray
February 22nd, 2011
3:16 pm
Skittles and Red Bull. baby!
Mike
February 22nd, 2011
3:16 pm
I guess it’s easy to be jealous of your rival quarterback when yours is soooo bad.
Adams
February 22nd, 2011
3:16 pm
Skittles and Red Bull. baby! Is there an echo in here?
The Real Dawg
February 22nd, 2011
3:17 pm
Skittles and red bull and no girls. Now that is creepy.
WIN WITH RICHT
February 22nd, 2011
3:19 pm
Adams
Are you any relation to Gomez and Morticia?
shankit
February 22nd, 2011
3:20 pm
Birmingham News
Reports from Tuscaloosa is an Auburn fan has called in and
taken credit for poisoning 17, 80 year old trees around the Bryant Denny
Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
Upon examination by Alabama Power, it was acknowledged the trees were
actually telegraph poles, which they would remove and update with modern
telephone poles.
Swarles Barkley
February 22nd, 2011
3:21 pm
WIN WITH RICHT -
Love the Adams Family reference. I’m afraid it might have gone over the techies’ heads, though.
soccer is king
February 22nd, 2011
3:22 pm
soccer is the #1 sport on the planet – by far! it’s a tremendously stressful game, requires amazing cardio fitness and teamwork.
the fat slobs on UGA’s line wouldn’t have a prayer in a soccer match. but wait, you have a new strength coach, right?
Swarles Barkley
February 22nd, 2011
3:26 pm
Soccer is tough to play. NASCAR is tough to do. Golf is extremely difficult for 99% of humanity.
Put simply, just because an activity or sport is difficult does not mean it is fun to watch. I give professionals in all of these sports ( and NASCAR too, even though it’s not a sport ) for how hard it is to do what they do. But I have zero interest in watching them do it.
debo
February 22nd, 2011
3:30 pm
I love all the football fans here ragging soccer. I’m a huge UGA fan, and played soccer in High School and College. Those who think it is un-American, well all I can do is sit back and think of you as Jimbo from Southpark “dey took are jerbs!!!!!”. Ignorant rednecks, and I’m sure they are proud of it. Then there are those that think it’s a sissy sport. #1 – I’m sure you’ve never played it. #2 – I’m even more sure you’re an overweight balding fat slob sitting hiding behind a computer and can’t wait to get home and hump some chickens. I love american football and the NFL. But you trailer trash seem unable to realize that Soccer is the number 1 sport in the world…oh well…can’t educate everybody, to bad they’ll let anybody on a computer though…
Adams
February 22nd, 2011
3:31 pm
No one was happier when they heard Murray’s ankle was only sprained than….
THE FLORIDA GATORS!!!
jarvis
February 22nd, 2011
3:31 pm
I like Buster’s point that 7 TD’s in 6 games is somehow terrible.
What a toolbox that guy is.
jarvis
February 22nd, 2011
3:32 pm
Good one Adams.
You had me with the “….”. Suspense was killing me.
debo
February 22nd, 2011
3:32 pm
I am not a UGA fan. Soccer is easy to play. Murray’s the greatest QB in the history of planet earth.
Swarles Barkley
February 22nd, 2011
3:32 pm
Hopefully you did not interpret my post as ragging soccer. It’s painfully boring in my opinion, but not unAmerican. And just because someone doesn’t like a sport doesn’t mean you should call them a balding fat slob. It’s just an opinion, grow up.