Bulldog Nation feels a profound sadness mixed with immense pride
UGA football staffer Bryant Gantt consoles Jarvis Jones after Saturday night's game. (Brant Sanderlin / AJC)
Just as I imagine it will take a while for Mark Richt’s Bulldogs to shake off the hurt from their close call with destiny Saturday night in the SEC Championship, the disappointment of the so-close loss to Alabama also is going to linger with the Bulldog Nation.
Talking to and hearing from fans Sunday, the overall mood was one of profound sadness over just how close this team came to playing for a national championship mixed with immense pride over the never-say-die effort the Dawgs gave in the Georgia Dome against the most elite of college football programs.
Only the most ignorant of so-called fans were expressing anger toward the coaches and players over the Bulldogs’ loss. More representative were those UGA students and fans who were on hand in Athens late Saturday night to greet the returning team buses with cheers, applause and chants of “It’s great to be a Georgia Bulldog!”
Such a classy display of support filled me with what the folks at Butts-Mehre like to call Bulldog Pride.
Zack Watson of the UGA Spike Squad shows how most of us felt after the loss to Alabama. (Curtis Compton / AJC)
But now many of us just feel drained. Several fans said they found they actually felt worse about the loss Sunday, once the adrenalin generated by the exciting match had worn off, than they did immediately after the game ended. I know I woke up at 5:30 a.m. Sunday and couldn’t get back to sleep because the game and its many turning points and near misses kept replaying in my mind.
Fortunately, there was a bit of good news Sunday afternoon to buoy Bulldog spirits as the feared fall to a lesser bowl in the wake of the championship loss didn’t happen. The Dogs might not be getting the other BCS spot in the Sugar Bowl, as even Bama coach Nick Saban said they ought to, but Georgia got the next highest available spot in the Capital One.
Hopefully, the resilient support for the program will translate into UGA selling all its tickets to the Orlando game, because as was pointed out on the postgame show Saturday night on the Bulldog radio network, how well a fan base travels factors into future bowl selections. (Tickets are now on sale to the general public.)
Likewise, let’s hope the players — even those who stuck around for another year of college ball just to try for a shot at the BCS, didn’t make it, and soon will be departing Athens — are able to rededicate themselves to ending this season on a high note. Win the bowl game, do it in the same impressive fashion that they took the battle to the Crimson Tide, and they’ll be rewarded with a Top 5 finish and the designation of a great team that fell just short of winning it all.
The Dawgs didn’t achieve their season-long goal of making it to the BCS game in Miami or winning Richt’s third SEC title, but as I’ve said before, anyone who considers this season less than a rousing success already deserves a dose of cold, hard SEC reality such as has been experienced in recent years by the loyal followers of the Tennessee Vols.
As Sanders Commings said after Saturday’s loss, “Any time you win 11 games in the regular season and go play for the championship, and lose the way we did, it’s a good season.”
He added: “We’re sad but we can’t be disappointed.”
Let his attitude provide a model for fans as well.
The Bulldogs did not fail against Alabama. They gave it everything they had and nearly beat a team that was already stamped with greatness. To paraphrase the UGA players’ motto for the season, our team “ran out of time,” as Richt said Saturday. But we should have no regrets.
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338 comments Add your comment
jdawg
December 4th, 2012
12:05 am
Greatest game I have seen. They played to win. They did not, and it stings, but they gave it their all. I think of the BSU game last year and the team and program seemed to be in a funk. I am excited about the next few years. Go Coach Richt, Aaron Murry played well. Go Dawgs. Finish the bowl game and get ready for next year. LSU in Athens….hell yeah.
rikk316
December 4th, 2012
12:09 am
from a bama fan great game uga. got a lot of respect for ya’lls program. now go down to o town and represent the sec by stomping on them huskers with a hob nail boot. go dawgs
aldawgfan
December 4th, 2012
12:13 am
I can not believe that these idiots that are bashing Mark Richt and this coaching staff is a true DAWG Fan. You know they didn’t attend UGA…..They put no money in UGA…..they probably can not afford to attend a game. They are redneck losers with no raising. Since they have no ties to UGA….why not pull for “BAMA”…..then they would be happy and have a life outside of a computer…where they can run their mouth and not have to enter their name. Unless they are signing the coaches paycheck…they need to SIT DOWN or atleast publish their real names and not hide behine the lack of “Kirk h-street” and “The Morger”. I bleed red and black and love my coach and his staff. This was a GREAT Team and there will be more! “GO DAWGS”
born on th 50 of sanford
December 4th, 2012
3:06 am
HEY MONGER, YOUR MOM’S CALLING YOU.YOU WHINING, UNGRATEFUL, NO JOB HAVING SO ALL U DO IS CRITICIZE PROFESSIONALS AND YOUNG MEN WHO LITERALLY JUST BLED FOR THIS SCHOOL, STATE, AND EVERYONE WHO BLEEDS RED AND BLACK. THE ONLY OTHER TIME I HAVE BEEN MORE PROUD IS WHEN CMR WON THE 1ST SEC CHAMP IN 20YRS AND REAL DAWG FANS UNDERSTAND. BULLDAWG NATION STAND AND FIGHT LIKE THE MEN WHO WORK HARD TO REPRESENT THE PART OF THE COUNTRY YOU LIVE, AND IF YOU DONT GET IT THEN YOU HAVE NEVER ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING IN LIFE ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE WRITING LETTERS TO PUT A MAN OUT OF JOB WHEN IT DOESN’T HINDER YOUR MISERABLE EXISTENCE. THATS FOR ANYONE BEING RIGHT NOW. I WANTED TO SAY MY SCHOOL, MY TEAM ARE THE CHAMPS OF SEC MORE THAN ANYONE. *****COMMIT TO THE G****** GO DAWGS SIC’EM
SEC Fan
December 4th, 2012
6:24 am
Face it people, the Sugar Bowl just ain’t what it once was since the inception of the BCS. Georgia has a better game than Florida at the Cap 1 Bowl. Louisville??? Really??? That’s a garbage game.
It’s also time for people to put away all of the whining over what a conference champion should “deserve”. Conference playoff schemes often fail to pit the best two teams in a conference. Do any of you really believe that Oregon is not the best team in the PAC 12? Is Wisconsin really the best the B1G has to offer? I don’t think so. Does Louisville deserve a BCS game more so than does Northern Illinois? No way!!!
This artificial bias toward conference champions is detrimental to the best conference (or conferences). Guess who that is? That’s right… It’s us.
We should let the best play the best in the post-season and stop whining to create more back-doors for teams who failed to perform on the field of play.
Chuck Oliver Sucks
December 4th, 2012
7:10 am
Monger – Do us all a favor and go climb back under that rock you came from. Find another team to whine about.
JB
December 4th, 2012
7:16 am
I am a bit surprised that with alignment or personnel groupings that Grantham couldn’t come up with anything to stop or even slow down Bama’s rushing attack in the 2nd half. I’m guessing if he could of, he would of. disappointing how bad we played the run all year with that much talent. Our defensive stat ranking nationally was due to all the rushing yards they gave up during the season. Unless we get 3 or 4 freshman to step up next year, the defensive projections of starters look a little scary.
SEC Fan
December 4th, 2012
7:25 am
@JB
It’s not really that complicated. Build yourself a superior offensive line and wear down the defense. Works (almost) every time.
ProudDawg
December 4th, 2012
7:28 am
I enjoy Georgia football, enjoyed playing the game, enjoy watching the game, and enjoyed especially this past game. I respect, and to a degree envy, those that have the opportunity to play for coaches Richt, Bobo, and Grantham. Reading some of the other comments reaffirms the idiocy of many. Life is far too short not to enjoy the gifts in front of you.
Buckeye
December 4th, 2012
7:29 am
morning dogs,
Still cryin’ ?
Buckeye
December 4th, 2012
7:29 am
dogs are what we thought the dogs were:
#6
Iluvnutella
December 4th, 2012
7:36 am
Petrino to Aubum……stranger things have happened.
ProudDawg
December 4th, 2012
7:39 am
Each of the individual plays hasmuch to be celebrated; the resiliency of these young men is noteworthy; for example, someone told me that Aaron Murray went 8 for 15 after taking a blind sided hit by an Alabama player. It would be very easy to get your brains scrambled and not get up. Yet he did and almost led his team to victory.
Strong character. Very strong character.
And then to have to listen to the drivel of people like Mr. Oliver who profess to be professional sports writers. Such arrogance to pass on gossip and innuendo as if it is fact.
Weak judgement; very weak judgement at best. And this without the benefit of having a hit to scramble his brains.
JB
December 4th, 2012
7:45 am
Is Petrino who AU is leaning to? Boy, that will cause a division there.
RNB
December 4th, 2012
7:53 am
Well said. I too had visions all night after the game and had a hard time sleeping. After a day to reflect, I am still concerned going forward. Will UGA every win a national championship under Richt? This was their best shot to date. The schedule gets tougher next year and the whole defense will need to be replaced. You cam’t loose sight that we got dominated on the DL and there are not mauny DL waiting in the wings. In my mind questions still remain as to the caoching staff.
RNB
December 4th, 2012
7:54 am
JB. Winning will take care of that and Petrino is a winner. Would love to have him in Athens.
Finebaum
December 4th, 2012
8:05 am
You Georgia fans never cease to amaze me. Why keep settling for mediocrity. Demand more from you coaching staff. Hold them accountable.
No reason why Georgia can’t compete for National Championships every year. They will take a step back next year.
The Monger is Correct!!!!
December 4th, 2012
8:08 am
I might add these sad but TRUE facts.
(1)C.M.R. record is 2-18 when playing top 25 teams.(Explains why no one picks us to when the big games including David Pollack.)
(2) C.M.R. has complied his coaching record buy beating inferior teams.
(3) C.M.R. has not gone to a B.C.S. bowl . With players he totally recruited. C.M.R. lived off Jim Doanon’s players when he went to B.C.S. bowls (3).
stendek
December 4th, 2012
8:09 am
I love Dawg football. Have for over 50 years. Will until the day I die. Just hate current players, coaches and fan base which demands no accountability. Rue day Saint Mark Richt came to Athens. Will rejoice day he leaves. Same with Aaron Murray and Mike Bobo. Would I throw the saintly one under bus? Well. Sure would throw him under one of those lemon trucks he hawks endlessly on television. This from a true Dawg fan that recognizes 1980 NOT moral victories!
Sad Dog
December 4th, 2012
8:14 am
You can’t ignore the record against top teams. You don’t get moral victories for playing hard. You eventually have to win these type of games.
stendek
December 4th, 2012
8:16 am
From my friend Monger:
(1)C.M.R. record is 2-18 (note that reads 2-18 or one win every 10 tries to simplify even more) when playing top 25 teams.(Explains why no one picks us to when the big games including David Pollack.)
(2) C.M.R. has complied his coaching record by beating inferior teams same as Ohio State and other pretenders).
(3) C.M.R. has not gone to a B.C.S. bowl (with 2012 being his ONLY real opportunity) . With players he totally recruited (so much for myth of five star recruits equating to championships). C.M.R. lived off JD players when he went to B.C.S. bowls (which is self explanatory).
Thank you Monger for being one true Dawg fan that sees the truth. Let all others partake of the red and blank Kool Aide. Makes moral victories sooooooo good.
stendek
December 4th, 2012
8:26 am
Only morons embrace defeat and moral victory! What did the Dawgs actually accomplish? Did they play better that most believed they would? Yes. Without a doubt. What is lost in this picture is that the Dawgs did exactly what everyone predicted they would do. Lose to Bama. Plain and simple. Years from now no one will even remember who Alabama whipped for the 2012 SEC title. Only that the Crimson Tide were champions. Guess Dawg fans are just too damn ignorant or delusional to get it! One hockey flick had a player realize he was no Bobby Orr at crunch time. No matter how badly he wanted to be. Know why Aaron Murray will be quickly forgotten? He failed miserably in his Tim Tebow moment. A once in a lifetime one at that!
RNB
December 4th, 2012
8:33 am
I agree. We need to quit settling for an average to good program. Trust me this time mext year we will be lucky to be in the Chicken Bowl. The program is in bad shape. Look at the depth charts. You think we can compete with Saban, Muschamp and Spurrier.
You can thank our weak schedule
December 4th, 2012
9:21 am
IS EVERYONE DELIRIOUS?????
We were only in this position because we did not have to face the same teams that USC and FL did!!!
Everyone says we would have beat LSU because we beat FL and FL beat LSU….. Get real, we needed 6 turnovers from FL to beat them. Do you BLIND people use the same logic to think maybe we would have lost to LSU because we got crushed by USC and USC got beat in the last minutes by LSU?
We were only in this game again this year because of the weakest schedule in the SEC-E…. that is not an opinion but a fact.
Out of 12 teams we played only 4 FBS teams had a winning record!!!!!!!!!!!! 4 Teams and we were 2-2 against teams with winning records.
We only played 3 ranked teams and were 1-2 against ranked teams with our only win coming at the hands of the GAYTORS who gave us the game by turning it over 6 TIMES!!!
We were only close to Alabama cause we had a 21-24 point swing off of turnovers (Alabama only got 3 points off our turnover). Real score should have been about 28 to 10.
Our problem is that we believe the hype….we are not a team, but a bunch of pampered individuals.
WAKE UP DAWG NATION!!!!
Rip Van Winkle
December 4th, 2012
9:26 am
Think I am going back to sleep for another 32 years.
Grim Reaper
December 4th, 2012
9:29 am
2013 UGA conference losses:
9/7 – USC
9/28 – LSU
11/2 – FL
Ouch. How you gonna recover from that?? Reality is tough.
Congrats UGA and Murray
December 4th, 2012
9:43 am
Congrats to the Dawgs…. easy schedule or not, it is an accomplishment to go 11-2.
Was talking to one of my Dad’s friends who is a scout for an NFL team.
He said the scouts really like Aaron Murray …. he is one of the top 3 quarterbacks in the upcoming draft and his stock is rising due to his performance against BAMA. Apparently Matt Barkley was no 1 but there were some questions about him due to injury.
I asked him about height, and he said Murray is 6′1″ and is fine. He says there are many successful QB’s 6′2 and under (started naming, Romo, Brees, Russell Wilson, etc…).
Said that many are comparing Murray to Drew Brees with his great ability to read a defense and his laser accuracy on the short and long throws.
He felt Murray was best positioned to come out this year as he is probably at the peak of his exposure. Didn’t feel UGA and Murray could be in the same position next year given the losses they will have to the NFL and the tougher schedule.
So, I hope he stays, but know he is probably gone.
Wish Aaron Murray well! You almost got us there and gave us hope.
Lonnie
December 4th, 2012
9:59 am
Monger I thought you were leaving!!!! Please get a life. Richt is not going anywhere and the dawgs are a great team!
NCDawg
December 4th, 2012
10:17 am
Testing
UGA Season Ticket Holder Since 1986
December 4th, 2012
10:25 am
Flat Earth/Tire/Manpart/Whatever-”At the begining of the season I said UGA should go 12-0 due to our easy schedule with anything worse than 11-1 being an utter failure.”
It’s a shame that I didn’t see that post because I would have known to have ignored anything you said, wrote or thought since exactly that point in time.
LogicalUS
December 4th, 2012
10:29 am
“Grantham couldn’t come up with anything to stop ”
Look Grantham is vastly over-rated by the UGA beaners as a DC but the 370 yds rushing can be laid at his feet this time.
When Alabama basically runs one running play the entire second half to gash the UGA front 7 like they did, then they are simply better than you. Bama basically ran a inside iso-play on every down the second half and whipped UGA man to man…that is not Grantham’s fault.
Obviously Spurrier embarrassed Grantham earlier this year, but Bama just physically whipped UGA man to man.
NCDawg
December 4th, 2012
10:37 am
I am very proud of my Dawgs but I do not buy the we blew our best chance line that everyone is spouting. Yes, we will be graduating or watching most of our defense go to the NFL. But we have alot of young talent waiting in the wings. We also have almost all of our offense returning. T.King and M.Brown will be leaving but everyone else is coming back. Our O-line will only get better. Even if Murray goes pro, we have Hutson Mason who has been in the system 3 years. With Gurshall and an even better O-line, we will be a pretty formidable offense.
If the young pups on defense can get their act together fairly quickly, even with the more difficult schedule next year, I think we will be pretty good. If the offense is prolific enough we may be able to get back to the Dome despite the more difficult schedule. I guess we will see.
For now lets go pop some popcorn and end up with 12 victories.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 4th, 2012
10:40 am
UGA Season Ticket Holder Since 1986
Well Im going to post this for you to remember; its something Ive said for years and continues to hold true
The current coaching staff we have will always lose 2 or more ball games every year even with our superior talent
Sorry you drink too much kool-aid and refuse to live in reality; I have nothing against the coaches its more toward the delusional mouth runners our fanbase is known for with all their pre-season national title garbage and trash talk that continues every week
The idea that a moral victory is great is a laughable joke
SSIgator
December 4th, 2012
10:56 am
Hurry, Hurry, Hurry . . .
Step right up UGA fans boys and girls
Just in time for Christmas your 2013 UGA PreSeason National Champions tee shirts
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 4th, 2012
11:04 am
At $10 a shirt times 80,000 kool-aid drinkers that is a good profit
I might have to look into that as a side job
NCDawg
December 4th, 2012
11:33 am
Flat Tire… why don’t you go on over to Athens and talk to Greg McGarity and give him your pearls of wisdom. Seems like you have it all figured out. I bet you were jumping up and down with joy when the Dawgs lost. Will lose 2 games every year no matter what? Talking about kool-aid drinking… you you are drinking from the Black kool aid – the dregs of eternal pessimism.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 4th, 2012
11:48 am
NCDawg
Pessimism no; its called reality; something you ought to try living in
Jumping up and down by the loss um no;
Frankly I was sad because when I listened to the Moral Victory Speech from the post game radio. I realized right then that UGA football will never play for a national title for probably another 30 years.
Cause all I heard was a bunch of whinny excuses from the refs to not being able to recruit like bama
I would be wasting my time talking to the AD because we have too many Moral Victory loving fans like you that continue to be suckered into delsusion
What will be the rally cry for next year?
Weve heard
Dream Team
Dream Team II
Energy Vampires
Uniform Changes
Endzone Dancing
we are going to be playing Cutting Edge Football
We are Knocking on The Door to Greatness
I guess this coming year will be we had a Moral Victory again so we are almost there
The Monger
December 4th, 2012
11:50 am
NC Dawg- the dregs of eternal pessimism? Its called reality. Mark Richt HAS lost at least 2 games EVERY year, except 2002, so how is that not fact. He lost 7 games in 2010. 4 games last year, and at least 2 this year, probably 3 after we lose to a much better coached Nebraska team. How is this not reflective of truth and fact. In the last 3 years Richt has lost 13 games, and those are the games WE AS TRUE FANS are talking about, the matchups against good and GREAT teams like Alabama and LSU. Richt is 1-11 in those games in the last couple years. You guys were shocked when we lost to Alabama, I was not. (and it wouldn’t have even been close if Alabama hadn’t handed us points like turning the ball over on our 3 yard line, and our blocked field goal return for a touchdown, a 10 point swing in one play). You were shocked when SC blew us out 35-7. I was not. You guys were shocked when LSU blew us out 42-10. I was not. You guys were shocked when Boise State came in and blew us out in the Dome. I was not. You guys were shocked when we lost to Central Florida, Colorado, Oklahoma State, and Michigan State. I was not. That is the TRUE and UTTER DIFFERENCE. You guys BLIND yourselves intentionally to Mark Richt’s failures, and just as I thought, after another FAILURE in the SEC Championship Game, as I predicted you losers would be on here patting Saint Mark on the back, and tallying up the “moral” victories in this statistically lopsided game. LOSERS and a disgrace to the UGA football program. If you guys were smart, you would be petitioning McGarity for Mark Richt’s dismissal right now.
Caleb King
December 4th, 2012
11:50 am
When is all of the 5-Star players going to show up and play?
Caleb King
December 4th, 2012
11:53 am
Let’s replace our coaches now!!!
Caleb King
December 4th, 2012
11:55 am
5 STARS should equal 5 yards at least. Very poor coaching and time management!!
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 4th, 2012
11:57 am
Caleb King
When they are coached properly
The Monger
December 4th, 2012
12:02 pm
So lets see, with relatively similar recruiting classes and similar talent throughout the South ( Georgia, Florida, Alabama). Both coach Saban and “coach” Richt make about 3 million dollars a year, with huge fanbases, and top of the line resources (gyms, practice fields). Yet expectations, and thus results, are VERY different.
Alabama Crimson Tide and Coach Nick Saban from 2010- Present have lost 2 games in the last 3 years, due to disciplined, well-coached recruits, who gain a passion to win the big game and uphold the Alabama winning tradition from Coach Nick Saban. Basically he gets 5 star recruits, and uses the best resources and best coaches to turn them into the best football players in the country, as a whole team, not individuals.
Georgia Bulldogs and “coach” Mark Richt- 2010- Present. HAS LOST 13 games. Central Florida, Michigan State, Boise State, Colorado, LSU, SC (twice), Alabama… you name it and Richt has probably lost to them. He gets great 4 and 5 star recruits (just like Saban), has great resources (just like Saban), however, these players are undercoached, with poor game planning and poor strength and conditioning throughout the year. They play undisciplined, look lost on the field, are out conditioned and thus we have an NFL caliber defense give up 520 yards to Alabama, 350 on the ground, and commit 7 penalties to Alabama’s 2.
Mark Richt has lost 13 games in the last 3 years. Saban has lost 2. End Game.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 4th, 2012
12:03 pm
The Monger
What bothers me is the University was basically threatened by Grantham for a pay raise yet he has basically shown absolutely nothing in big games other than being scored on by 30 points or more in all but 1
Then Richt demands a contract extension having not beaten a top 20 team in over 3 years with the idea of we have to keep recruits from going somewhere else
Really Ive seen enough of our players go to the NFL with no championship in 7 years
I mean give me a break and yet Im not a fan because Im not jumping up and down screaming we won another Moral Victory
SSIgator
December 4th, 2012
12:13 pm
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens -
I take it that you did not attend the Moral Victory Ceremony in Athens yesterday with AltamahaDawg and his pal Nancy. As I understand it, all of the players got participation ribbons and attaboys from the AD while the coaching staff received their draft outlines for new pay raises and contract extensions. The closing anthem was Kumbaya and was sung by Watergirl while the coaches and players sobbed together in a group hug.
JustAFan
December 4th, 2012
12:22 pm
http://www.gwinnettdailypost.com/news/2012/dec/03/cops-drunk-uga-fan-groped-licked-flashed-dacula/
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 4th, 2012
12:33 pm
NCDawg
I can tell you Erk Russel would call a Moral Victory what it really is……
“A LOSS”
Just one of thousands
December 4th, 2012
12:39 pm
Cops: Drunk UGA fan groped, licked, flashed restaurant patrons
Typical UGA fantard trash.
dawgfacedboy
December 4th, 2012
12:44 pm
Attention idiots: Richt is not getting fired, nor should he be.
NCDawg
December 4th, 2012
12:46 pm
I don’t believe in moral victories either. But I also don’t blame every loss on the coaching staff or assume that until that coaching staff goes away that they will ALWAYS lose at least 2 games a year. Where did I ever say anything about moral victories? The Georgia Bulldogs came within an eyelash of going to the National Championship game… a freaking fluke prevented it. NOT BAD COACHING. Your idea of the perfect coach blew it at the end of the first half and his almighty, “never ever make any mistakes team” screwed up not 1 but 3 special teams plays.
Bah! I don’t know why I even bother… you are so brain locked that not even a stick of dynamite could get through your thick head.