Report from a Dawg behind enemy lines: LSU fans ‘feeling cocky’
LSU fans are feeling good about their team and the Mad Hatter. (Associated Press)
For a view from Tiger land on how our opposing fandom is approaching Saturday’s SEC Championship game against Georgia, I checked in with my old friend Owen Scott, who grew up with me in Athens (where his mom still lives), graduated from UGA and has been a clinical psychologist in Baton Rouge for many years.
Owen’s wife is an LSU prof, his oldest daughter in a huge Tiger fan and his youngest daughter graduated from UGA last December but is “a Tiger first, Dawg second,” he admitted.
However, Owen, who’s been following the Dawgs all his life, has remained true to the red and black and posts comments on the Blawg under the name Dr. Morpheus.
“I’ve attended most of the LSU-UGA games in Baton Rouge and seen some great wins (2008) and tough losses (2003) here,” he said. He just lucked into two tickets to the Georgia Dome game at face value and will be in attendance Saturday.
The buzz in Baton Rouge, Owen said, has the locals “feeling cocky.”
Typical of the attitude, Owen said, was the discussion Tuesday on a Baton Rouge sports radio show where the host, former LSU basketball player turned football sideline reporter Jordy Hultberg, thought the Tigers being favored by 13 points was right on the mark.
Said Hultberg: “You gotta be loving what’s going on!”
LSU has seldom trailed, Hultberg said, and even when they were down by 14 points to Arkansas the Tigers had no problem quickly scoring 21 points. “They feed off of big plays, whether it be a big return, a turnover, a breakthrough run. … It was over at halftime.”
Owen Scott lives in Baton Rouge but has stayed true to UGA.
The host asked an on-air guest (a local insurance exec) for a prediction on the game with the Dogs and the response was, “I don’t want to be overconfident, but this team has taken care of everyone. It will be worse for Georgia than Arkansas,” which lost to the Tigers 41-17.
In an exchange with a caller, Hultberg said the LSU defense “is smothering. It just makes life miserable for the opposing quarterbacks. And I don’t see any difference with this coming Saturday. We’re coming to win. There’s no back door, we’re coming through the front door.”
Summing up the mood in Baton Rouge, Owen said: “The LSU base is not taking Georgia seriously. They expect to come into the Dome and blow the Dawgs out with their overwhelming defense and pounding rushing attack. It’s up to our guys now to show LSU and the sports world we belong on the same field with the best of the SEC West and consensus No. 1 team in the nation.”
But Owen, at least, is optimistic. “If the LSU players are drinking the fans’ Kool-Aid,” he said, “they will be in for a surprise when they see that, unlike Arkansas, Georgia can stuff the run and pressure the QB. Go Dawgs! GATA!”
Trust him, he’s a doctor.
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397 comments Add your comment
Russ
November 30th, 2011
8:24 am
Will they let me and Israel Troupe pee in the Dome?
reality Gator
November 30th, 2011
8:25 am
Everyone in the SEC knows the puppies have not played any one with a wining record since SC and they lost that one.
Hey UGA win a Nat, then people will take you serious, LSU by 20, oh then we will hear the UGA fans say at least we played for SEC campionship”””
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 30th, 2011
8:27 am
LSU FANS are just plain OBNOXIOUS.
AltamahaDawg
November 30th, 2011
8:27 am
Well, of cource their fans are geeked up and drinking the kool-aid. What would you expect? Wouldnt most fans be? I mean, It’s not Atlanta.
GT is a 4th rate high school team
November 30th, 2011
8:30 am
@reality GATOR, your team will NEVER again win against UGA again in football. HAHAHAHAHAHA
Joey
November 30th, 2011
8:30 am
“Since Ogletree’s return, Georgia improved from 18th nationally in rushing defense to sixth, from sixth in total defense to fifth and from 27th in scoring defense to sixth.”
**************************************
Wow, did we miss Ogletree vs Boise and SC or what?
Joey
November 30th, 2011
8:33 am
GT is a 4th rate,
There probably aren’t any LSU fans on here.
The tech girls like to play pretend – especially after getting a Dawg attack.
SimpleDawg
November 30th, 2011
8:35 am
Must be a lot of work for the good doctor in Red Stick. I would imagine there are plenty of subjects to study……and lots cultural entanglements to unravel.
AltamahaDawg
November 30th, 2011
8:38 am
As opposed to the reality of: win a Nat, then people do not take you serious, I guess..
GREG
November 30th, 2011
8:41 am
FOR ANYONE TO SAY THAT REID’S INT. ON BAMA WAS A BOTCHED CALL IS LUDACRIS THE PLAY WENT TO REVIEW (AS I THINK MOST BIG PLAYS IN ‘BALL DO) AS WAS NOT OVERTURNED IT WAS A PERFECT INTERCEPTION THAT WAS PULLED OUT IN THE AIR WERE YOU EVEN WATCHING THE GAME
Jim
November 30th, 2011
8:42 am
Bill your friend Dr. Morpheus needs to have a lond talk with Mr. Matt Millen. The boy needs help! if you used his logic for LSU playing in The Nation Championship game even if they lose to Georgia then LSU shouldn’t even be playing in the SEC Championship but Alabama would because of “the way they lost”. His logic would also mean Georgia’s loss to South Carolina would not count, because of “the way they loss”, so Georgia would be the best one loss team by beating LSU. Makes a lot of sense don’t it! All our Dawgs can do is take care of the business at hand which is to play their best game and beat LSU. Losing to LSU wil not only cost us the SEC Championship but also the chance to play in the Sugar Bowl according to the projections on ESPN.
GREG
November 30th, 2011
8:42 am
OH BY THE WAY IM NOT AN LSU FAN
Nate the Great
November 30th, 2011
8:42 am
Wheres my post?
leg humper
November 30th, 2011
8:42 am
hope crowell puts down the weed or its going to be a long night
Joey
November 30th, 2011
8:42 am
Like the half-a-Nat won in 1990 at the tangerine bowl, of all places?
leg humper
November 30th, 2011
8:45 am
Joey, colorado had 5 downs but I know you can’t count that high
Joe Bob Thibodaux
November 30th, 2011
8:47 am
Bill, Owen seems to know a lot about drinking kool aid.
I look forward to your Sunday column.
LSU will play in your Atlanta dog house, and we are ready. We love football in Louisiana and we love playing Georgia anytime and anywhere.
Good Luck.
JBT
Joey
November 30th, 2011
8:48 am
Actually I can count to 31 . . .
Drewski
November 30th, 2011
8:49 am
Pride comes before a FALL. DAWGS on top. Win out for MUNSON.
Top Row Dawg
November 30th, 2011
8:55 am
Going for 2 / 13 / 5
2nd win over #1 team
13th SEC championship
5th Sugar Bowl win
lsueatsboogers
November 30th, 2011
8:55 am
geaux is homeaux speak for go.
Drewski
November 30th, 2011
8:56 am
2004- 45-16.
2005- 34-14.
2008- 52-38.
Joe Bob, we love playing LSU too.
Jim
November 30th, 2011
8:57 am
Does anyone really think LSU will beat Alabama again? It will not happen. To all the powers to be who are afraid to allow Bosie or Houston a chance to play in the BSC Championship must have forgotten when LA Monroe beat the great Alabama and Appy St beat the mity Mich. I hope ESPN has contacted the National Weather Service because if Georgia does beat LSU all the tears could cause flash floods all the way from Atlanta to Miami.
leg humper
November 30th, 2011
8:59 am
31 arrest, isle 31 of walmart, 31 years living in a trailer, 31 miles to the gallon your momma gets on her tractor
Joe Bob Thibodaux
November 30th, 2011
9:05 am
Jim, I think LSU will beat Alabama again.
First, for that to happen, LSU will have to win against a still hungry Georgia team.
JBT
joe suggs
November 30th, 2011
9:07 am
Jeff lsu: do you date guys ?
TampaDawg
November 30th, 2011
9:07 am
@Jeff lsu … you idiots still think your defense is as good as ours? probably seeing how delusional you are.
————————-
Says the guy who has felt the “need” to come onto another team’s blog and occupy his time. Says the guy who paints out score differential as some tell tale sign. What are you, like 12 years old or something?
TampaDawg
November 30th, 2011
9:09 am
leg humper
November 30th, 2011
8:59 am
31 arrest, isle 31 of walmart, 31 years living in a trailer, 31 miles to the gallon your momma gets on her tractor
————————————–
I see you have misplaced your class. Tech fan’s on here often do.
Joey
November 30th, 2011
9:13 am
No, 31 idiotic cliches tech girls use, when they are sick of losing to the Bulldogs.
roughrider
November 30th, 2011
9:15 am
Since we start off at 0-0, if our defense can hold, we have a chance.
Kelly
November 30th, 2011
9:17 am
LSU v Bama? Are they playing? Who cares…
kevin
November 30th, 2011
9:18 am
Obviously, LSU is a great team. However, simply b/c Arkansas was ranked in the top 5 does not mean they are a better team that UGA. For one thing, UGA’s defense is much better than Arkansas’s. Also, football is about matchups and UGA happens to match up pretty well against LSU. LSU is a run-first offense and UGA is a run stopping defense. Also, LSU will face the best pro style offense it has seen all year in UGA.
What’s in LSU’s favor is that you know week in and week out what team is showing up. They play well every single week. Alas, the same cannot be said of UGA. They are still a young team, and though much improved, still have bouts with inconsistency. If the UGA that played against Auburn and GT shows up, LSU is in for a fight. If the UGA that played the rest of the year shows up, UGA will get beat badly.
chilidawg
November 30th, 2011
9:19 am
Bill, your friend Owen is no fool. As a clinical psychologist, there is plenty of business for him in Baton Rouge.
TampaDawg
November 30th, 2011
9:21 am
@Gator .. uhhh, dipstick, your team HAD a winning record until the Dawgs beat them. Auburn and Tech still do. It’s pretty bad that this argument was what we heard all year but it’s worse that now that its been busted, some people still run it as if it were true.
therealdog
November 30th, 2011
9:22 am
I don’t get the love for Arkansas. Over rated and over hyped. They were blown out by LSU and Alabama. We shall see but I’m pretty optimistic that it will come down to the fourth quarter. Then it’s anybody’s ball game.
Idiot Dawg
November 30th, 2011
9:24 am
I am going to make a killing. Going to invest heavily in Kleenex . Cause no matter who wins the Balaama / LSU NC game there will be so much crying by the loser the tissue factory will be on overtime to meet demand.
What a waste of time that game will be.
TampaDawg
November 30th, 2011
9:27 am
Joe Bob Thibodaux
November 30th, 2011
9:05 am
Jim, I think LSU will beat Alabama again.
First, for that to happen, LSU will have to win against a still hungry Georgia team.
JBT
——————————
Agreed. I think LSU would beat Bama again, especially this time on a neutral field and not in Tuscaloosy
drpasshrough
November 30th, 2011
9:27 am
hey idiot lsujeff. How about the auburn comparison?? You conveniently left that one out!! I believe we outdid yall on that one. I think someone wanted fries with that number 1 you freaking idiot.
TampaDawg
November 30th, 2011
9:27 am
Idiot Dawg
November 30th, 2011
9:24 am
I am going to make a killing. Going to invest heavily in Kleenex . Cause no matter who wins the Balaama / LSU NC game there will be so much crying by the loser the tissue factory will be on overtime to meet demand.
What a waste of time that game will be.
——————-
Dang man, that’s kinda harsh!
LKB
November 30th, 2011
9:30 am
It is great being the underdawg!
Fair and Balanced
November 30th, 2011
9:35 am
Lsu will be our toughest opponent by some considerable distance. A Ga win would be an upset. Praying for just that and hope the BCS gets all messed up! Gooooooooooooooodogs Dogs!
TampaDawg
November 30th, 2011
9:39 am
@Jeff lsu .. “oh we havene’t faced a qb like murray? whatever. that is pure bs. oregon qb, bama qb and wv qb are all as good as murray. he’s thrown 10 int’s this year. that’s about 1 a game. i bet you will see 2 against our d. oh and you’re a two td underdog. those win like 3% of the time.”
I think this is where you lost us dude.
kevin
November 30th, 2011
9:41 am
Jeff,
The UGA defense is very close to LSU’s. Unlike you, I give full respect to your team. However, you’d better hope our defense does not stop your running game. It will take more than 9 points to beat UGA. For you to claim Murray is no better than Bama’s, WV’s or Oregon’s QB shows that you do not know much about football–or that you have not watched Murray play.
Thank God for Reggie Ball
November 30th, 2011
9:41 am
Mark Richt vs LSU:
2003: LSU-17 UGA-10
2003 (SECCG): LSU-34 UGA-13
2004:UGA-45 LSU-16
2005 (SECCG): UGA-34 LSU-14
2008: UGA-52 LSU-38
2009: LSU-20 UGA-13
3-3 all-time (1-1 in SECCGs) but has won 3 of last 4
Jeff
November 30th, 2011
9:44 am
Jeff..LSU…..you are a complete idiot….its LSBoo fans like you that are slime of the earth….you are somewhere between bin laden and Gadafy in morals
Thank God for Reggie Ball
November 30th, 2011
9:49 am
QBs LSU has played:
Darron Thomas
Brad Henderson
Chris Relf
Geno Smith
Morgan Newton
Jacoby Brissett
Matt Simms
Clint Moseley
AJ McCarron
Kawaun Jakes
Barry Brunetti
Tyler Wilson
Murray’s going to be the best QB LSU has seen all year
Thank God for Reggie Ball
November 30th, 2011
9:54 am
QBs UGA has played:
Kellen Moore
Stephen Garcia
Aramis Hillary
Randall Mackey
Chris Relf/Dylan Favre
Tyler Bray
Jordan Rodgers
John Brantley
Matt Christian
Clint Moseley
Maxwell Smith/Morgan Newton
Tevin Washington/Synjyn Days
at least 3 of the QBs UGA has played are better than Jefferson or Lee
TampaDawg
November 30th, 2011
9:55 am
@Thank God for Reggie Ball .. are you sure Murray is better than Moseley, Brissett and Jakes? Nah, man, I am just kidding. Somehow these guys look at QB stats as the be all to end all. If that were the case though, Matt Stafford wouldn’t have even been picked in the first round much less first pick. A lot more to QB analysis than stats. Nice post.
HOUDAWG
November 30th, 2011
9:57 am
Hey little Jeff …… keep in mind that writing on a blog is different than texting ……. who’s the idiot ?? The arrogance is simply over-whelmed by the stupidity. Hope these words weren’t too big for ya to understand ……
Pago Pago Dawg
November 30th, 2011
9:57 am
We just hope and pray that the DAWGS aren’t toooo uptight. Relax, play your best, enjoy the atmosphere.