SEC pride: Should Georgia fans pull for Alabama in the BCS?
On this week’s “Bulldog Hotline” call-in show, an interesting discussion came up about whether Georgia fans should be playing the SEC pride card when it comes to the upcoming BCS national championship game.
Program host Neil “Hondo” Williamson was on the SEC bandwagon, noting he’s pulling for Bama to demolish the Irish and win a seventh straight BCS title for the Southeastern Conference.
However, a caller to the show pointed out that while Georgia doesn’t recruit against Notre Dame, it does go up against the Crimson Tide for quite a few players, especially the top-rated ones from our own region.
Another national championship for Alabama certainly won’t help with that. That crystal football trophy and those national championship rings tend to make a big impression on high school kids trying to decide where they want to play.
Indeed, this SEC pride thing can be tricky. A couple of years ago a lot of Georgia fans pulled against Auburn in the BCS game, not just because we didn’t want the Tigers to get a recruiting advantage, but because the manner in which they’d won the SEC, with their rent-a-QB and dirty play, left a lot of bad feelings.
But when it comes to Alabama, I’m not sure another national title is really going to make that much difference in terms of recruiting. This would be the Tide’s third BCS championship in the past four years so it’s not like they don’t already have that advantage.
Plus, Mark Richt’s Bulldogs impressed a lot of people nationally with their down-to-the-wire effort against the Tide in the SEC Championship, the most-watched college football game of the season, and if you’ve got to lose a game like that, it goes down a bit better to have done so to the eventual national champ.
And then there’s all the whining the Big 10 and PAC 12 folks have done about the SEC’s dominance. That’s music to the ears of many Southern football fans.
Of course, there’s another factor that has to figure into this: Bama’s BCS opponent.
Some Auburn fans will go to any extreme to oppose the Crimson Tide.
It’s somewhat understandable that Auburn folks would be pulling for Notre Dame since they hate the Tide every moment of their existence (though I can’t believe AU fans actually would wear one of those WarIrish shirts someone is selling).
But it’s hard to see any true follower of the Red and Black ever pulling for the Fighting Irish, no matter who their opponent is or what the recruiting ramifications are. I even rooted for Steve Spurrier’s Gators when they played Notre Dame in a bowl back in the early ’90s!
What about you? Are you hoping Alabama brings the SEC another national title or would you like to see Nick Saban vanquished by destiny’s darlings, as ESPN touts them?
Got something you want to discuss concerning the 2012 football season, the upcoming Capitol One Bowl or looking ahead to next season? Or maybe a question you want the Junkyard Blawg to tackle? Send it to junkyardblawg@gmail.com.
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339 comments Add your comment
Thank God for Reggie Ball
December 5th, 2012
2:43 pm
Of course those people will think that but who cares. Media members are the ones who matter, particularly those with A.P. votes. When Bama lost to Texas A&M they dropped a whopping 3 spots in the BCS standings. Florida climbed into the top-10 before playing LSU after beating NOBODY (regarding that this was before we knew Texas A&M was good) .There is no IMPACTFUL anti-SEC bias
01HAWK
December 5th, 2012
2:49 pm
I would say that most UGA fans should hope that BAMA pounds Notre Dame. Everytime the SEC wins the BCS Championship it looks great for other SEC teams to start the year ranked in the top 20.
bh
December 5th, 2012
2:51 pm
i am a life long UGA fan but i dont think that means i have to root for other SEC teams by default. i was rooting for Texas vs. bama in 2009, for some of the recruitiong topics metntioned in the article. I also rooted for oregon over auburn. and i will be rootiong for notre dame against bama.
First the Tide
December 5th, 2012
2:55 pm
I know that Dawg Nation will be virtually unanimous in cheering the Crimson Tide on to victory. Even dawgs admire the strength and skills of a well-coached team of scholar-athletes, especially since they see so little of that in Athens, bless their poor hearts.
Save that bottle of New Year’s champagne to celebrate the Tide’s second straight BCS championship!
bruce mac
December 5th, 2012
2:57 pm
Are you kidding me? Only a Yankee or idiot would pull for friggin Notre Dame if he is Southern born and bred. Bama all the way. Roll MF Tide. Saban is an absolute class act and went above and beyond to praise the Dawgs after the game. And as to the hit on Murry, come on girls. It is football and you hit the guy in front of you and that is that.
Hendrik Lorentz
December 5th, 2012
2:59 pm
Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity includes several pages of extremely complex mathematical equations that have an infinite number of mathematically possible solutions, although the majority of those solutions have no real world physical possibilities. An elite team of physicists and mathematicians have recently completed the analysis of 1,000,000,000 sets of solutions, and they’ve made some startling discoveries.
In the sports world, one of the solutions appears to allow the Georgia Bulldogs to win the SEC and the BCS championships with Mark Richt at the helm. However, the scientists caution that the possibility of this happening is approximately 1 in 182,942,892,048. If Richt is not there, the odds increase by a factor of 1,000,000,000.
Since no one has yet found a flaw in Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, it would appear that Richt must go.
Hendrik Lorentz,
Leader of ConcernedScientistsWantRichtFiredNow.com
Thank God for Reggie Ball
December 5th, 2012
3:01 pm
The hit on Murray was one of those things that looks worst the more you watch it. A flag should have been thrown but I am NOT for Dial getting suspended. Maybe its just the former Defensive player in me but if I was in Dial’s shoes right there I can’t say honestly I wouldn’t have done something similar.
Leprechaun
December 5th, 2012
3:02 pm
Bama all the way.If Georgia can’t play for the title,GO SEC!!!
montana dawg
December 5th, 2012
3:08 pm
Go Irish…Bama beat the Dawgs and me and every other Dawg fan are ticked about this. If you are Dawg fan rooting for Bammer go hide in hole and keep riding those SEC(Bama,LSU and Fla) coattails.
DCDawg
December 5th, 2012
3:12 pm
I’m pulling for career ending injuries
BullDawg Rick
December 5th, 2012
3:15 pm
SEC!! SEC!! SEC!!
Roll Tide!
Joey
December 5th, 2012
3:17 pm
Gonna disagree with Flat Tire and others about the SECCG. Richt and Co went toe to toe with a deeper Bama team, coached by the best HC in the USA.
My gripe is (as always) – how can that same Dawg team, look like a high school team vs SC?
I think SC would have gotten run off the field in the Dome had they been there instead of Bama.
Show up prepared and focused in the SC game, and we still go to New Orleans for New Year’s Day.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 5th, 2012
3:17 pm
Yea go Irish woo hoo;
Yea I want to watch every year again for the next 25 years at why the Irish are a top 5 team before the season starts
Yea I want to hear how great the Irish are every day just like we used to have to hear
I hope Bama beats them by 30 points; that will send another message at how stupid the bowl system really has become
i-185
December 5th, 2012
3:19 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze9FrbEBp9k
Yes. The hit on Murray was uncalled for, but just how many such hits take place in each game which are not documented. Not much has been said of the UGA Dee Miliner eye poke. I guess that does not count since CBS said not a word about it…..
SEC fans should pull for their conference foes in bowl games. I would even pull for Auburn… if and when they play a bowl game…..
yep
December 5th, 2012
3:20 pm
I’m a Georgia fan and I’ll be rooting for the Tide in the BCSNCG. Partially because of the SEC, but mostly because I just don’t like ND.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 5th, 2012
3:22 pm
Joey
what are you dissagreeing with me on
Moist Dawg
December 5th, 2012
3:24 pm
You so called Dawg fans that will root for bama or florida are insecure losers. If I were the AD I’d identify who you are and never let you set your loser feet in Sanford ever again.
I will never root for some hick school or some jean short wearing freaks to make myself feel better. You traitors to the University of Georgia are a pathetic disgrace and we have no use for losers like that in Bulldog Nation.
Boo-Doggie
December 5th, 2012
3:25 pm
I wish more Georgia fans were “in the know” about how many times Notre Dame was given a national championship by northern voters over more deserving teams over the years. By the way, “Rudy” was convicted of being a part in a scam.
Any true, proud southerner ( who is not Catholic ) should never-ever pull for Notre Dame. It makes me sick to my stomach to hear other Georgia fans being pro-Irish. Not to mention those Auburn fans sporting Irish-Tiger crap. Seriously people? Really? All they do is make fun of southern folk. But, I guess there really isn’t a fix for stupid. Just read the ND football posts…. If you read them, then you’ll know what they think of us back wood, knuckle crawlers…
I once was on a flight to Chicago where the plane would eventually end up in South Bend, IN. I’ve never seen so many ugly, fat, and downright unpleasant folks that were headed to South Bend. Not only that, they seemed to try to out do each other in passing gas on that flight. Sad people…
Go Bulldogs! Roll Tide !
ARdawg
December 5th, 2012
3:26 pm
Flat Tire
ND wasn’t even ranked starting the season but, they made a rapid climb once the season started beating virtually nobody but OU who themselves beat nobody. ND is a disappointment year after year in the bowl season and I don’t expect this year will be any different. They would have gotten a good bowl possibly bcs if they were 7-5, 8-4
SoCal Dawg
December 5th, 2012
3:28 pm
Every team has some obnoxious fans and most of them troll the blogs. The tide and the irish both have a few nut job fans. (UGA too) If nut jobs are going to be crowing over a win I’d rather it be the tide. To the normal fan that has more going on in his life than football. GATA TIDE! (couldn’t bring myself to say roll tide… ain’t gonna happen)
TRK
December 5th, 2012
3:28 pm
Personally, I don’t care who wins this game. However, as a UGA fan, I certainly do not want to see Alabama keep getting better and building a dynasty. I also don’t want to see LSU, UFla, or SC get any better. We compete against these teams every year- if not on the field, at least in positioning for bowls- and we compete against them EVERY DAY for recruits. I have never understood this SEC family bandwagon mentality. It is already proving to be extremely difficult for UGA to reach the level some of these other SEC teams are at now. Five other SEC teams have won the national championship since the last one we won – even Tennessee. I wonder if the Vols are pullling for BAMA to win yet another one.
Half Century Dawg
December 5th, 2012
3:30 pm
HEII Yes, Roll Tide Roll!!!
MagicDawg
December 5th, 2012
3:30 pm
Since I was a baby I’ve always rooted for the following:
1. The Georgia Bulldogs!
2. The SEC.
3. Any team playing Georgia TECH
4. Any team playing Nortre Dame.
5. Any team playing Penn State.
So,this is so very easy for me. Go BAMA! Go SEC! and to Hell with Notre Dame!
Scott M
December 5th, 2012
3:33 pm
SEC Pride. Notre Dame went undefeated against what turned out to be a powder puff schedule. Bama made it by winning a “soft” SEC schedule, but it’s all relative when looking at the SEC’s level of competition. My beloved Dawgs faught hard but came up short against the Crimson. None the less, I am a SEC guy across the board. Roll Tide!
McDawg
December 5th, 2012
3:36 pm
not this year-Irish fan pulling for ND and will be actively rooting against UF
Eisendawg
December 5th, 2012
3:36 pm
I heard that an Alabama fan go so excited celebrating with his sister, who also happens to be his wife, that he caught his trailer on fire. When he called the fire department, they asked him how to get to his trailer, and he answered, “can’t you come in one of those shiny red trucks”?
McDawg
December 5th, 2012
3:38 pm
ND is NEVER overrated –they were not even ranked in the top 25 preseason-they are #1 b/c they won all of their games
Athens
December 5th, 2012
3:41 pm
@Flat tire
You aren’t a Georgia fan, and most certainly not an alum, so get lost. You are, however, a little tool…..
McDawg
December 5th, 2012
3:42 pm
examples of teams perpetually overrated–Texas, OKLAHOMA, Michigan, USC (preseason #1), FSU
Moist Dawg
December 5th, 2012
3:43 pm
boodoggie, scott m, halfcentury, magikdawg, socaldawg, and the rest of you losers should hand in your UGA fan card. I have as much respect for you as I have for Jane Fonda or a Jewish nazi collaborator in 1939 Poland. That is who you are.
Who cares what ND fans think of the South? The Catholics vs Cousins game will play and I will root for neither. I sure as hell will not root for a team that directly competes with us. You jerks root for Saban and the next day he will be in Georgia talking smack about us to some recruit.
You all are a bunch of backstabbers.
Clap Trap Gators
December 5th, 2012
3:46 pm
Enter your comments here
confused
December 5th, 2012
3:48 pm
What does ROLE TIDE mean? Is it an inference in the role that the University of Alabama must play in football? I am confused. But I must say ROLL ND.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 5th, 2012
3:50 pm
Athens
Im not a fan of UGA; why is that??
Give an explaination before you spout off something ignorant ok tool man
montana dawg
December 5th, 2012
3:53 pm
UGA has done NOTHING to contribute to the SEC’s dominance the past 6 years. Bammer,UF,LShew and Aubie have though. Why root for these teams or other SEC teams to win? It only hurts UGA in the long run.
Who cares about North/South? Bama beat UGA and you still root for them. I’m ticked it’s Bama not UGA getting a shot at ND. Born and bred in GA btw…..
Are you folks REAL Dawg fans??
Joey
December 5th, 2012
3:54 pm
Flat Tire, I just cannot blame Richt and staff for losing to a deeper Bama team, coached by the best HC in the USA. I mean, a tipped pass . . .
gomdawg
December 5th, 2012
3:56 pm
HELL YES GO SEC GO TIDE DAMN THE ND
Natureboy809
December 5th, 2012
3:57 pm
GO IRISH. I would cheer for Satan against Bama or Florida
Joey
December 5th, 2012
3:57 pm
I agree with bruce mac (2:57) about Saban.
He could not have been more gracious, more complimentary of the Dawgs effort.
I hope the sniping and insults of some UGA fans towards Saban will cease.
modog
December 5th, 2012
3:59 pm
because of all the obnoxious alabama fans at the game and their trash talking, I wouldn’t pull for alabama if they were playing the taliban—I hope they get blown out by nd!
Moist Dawg
December 5th, 2012
4:00 pm
Wow, Montana Dawg! Finally a real UGA fan on this board. The rest of you traitors can root for other sec teams while you’re burning in hell. Apparently you’ll have lots of company.
go irish
December 5th, 2012
4:01 pm
Why would any UGA fan pull for Alabama to win another championship. Or Pull for Auburn or Florida? To hell with that. So I can yell SEC, SEC, SEC, to some dude from Ohio at the beach next summer? He don’t give a crap. GO Dawgs, Go Irish!!!!
DogGone
December 5th, 2012
4:02 pm
Hey, if I can pull for Spurrier and the chicklets over Clempsun (as I did a couple of weeks ago) and the Gaytors over the Semi-Wholes, then I can pull for the Tide.
Besides, the SEC has a real shot to run the table this bowl season.
Now, that would shut a bunch of mouths from wagging, wouldn’t it?
confused
December 5th, 2012
4:03 pm
Role tide was a remark repeated several times from someone of the monicker Son of Bear. I like ND because I like the fact that they stand for something other than drinking, having sex, and winning football games. Sorry if I offended Flat Tire. Maybe you need some air.
Nothing
December 5th, 2012
4:03 pm
I don’t understand the league allegiance thing…I pull for my team, not rivals…if it were possible, I’d want both Alabama and ND to lose. Now if I have a financial investment in the outcome of the game it’s a different story. Otherwise, I don’t care who wins these exhibition games…the only one that matters is Alabama v. ND…sure would be nice if ND had to play in a conference championship game/national semifinal to get into the BCS. Must be nice to back into the NC game.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 5th, 2012
4:03 pm
Joey
Our Defensive coordinator once again gave up 30 points in game where we played a ranked team
Who didnt recruit the needed scholarship players last year
Who continues to not take penalities seriously bama had 2 we had 7
who continues to not take the special teams seriously with another key missed field goal
we still have fundamental issues with proper tackling and it showed in that game
we continue to not recruit top OL men
I will say Richt and Bobo had a good game plan for this one the only problem I had in the game I would have used the TE a lot more throughout the entire game and ran Marshall more than 2 times but the above issues must be addressed which i know he wont do
Kramer
December 5th, 2012
4:09 pm
Hell yes we pull for Bama! It’s the SEC and nothing would tick off the national media and the other conferences more then another SEC national champion. I wish it was UGA but, it’s not. The only time I will say it this year, ROLL TIDE!
Moist Dawg
December 5th, 2012
4:12 pm
Kramer, you are a loser and a traitor to UGA. I feel sorry for your family and your soul.
Joey
December 5th, 2012
4:16 pm
I got ya, flat Tire, if you look back, I was just disagreeing on this one game. I’m still steamed about the SC game, overall depth, etc. I think the 3-and-outs in the 2nd and 3rd quarters wore the D out, but they STILL stopped Bama 3 times late – just pure guts.
I agree – Rome shoulda got 8 receptions – Marshall shoulda got 10 touches (rushes or catches).
Boo-Doggie
December 5th, 2012
4:19 pm
I really want to see Mark May give it to Sister Lou Holtz after Alabama whips that Irish behind. Roll Tide!
seabass
December 5th, 2012
4:20 pm
Yes I will pull for Bama. I did go to UGA and love the SEC except for Fla., Auburn, any Spurrier coached team. Roll Tide! I do not see how any self respecting southerner could pull for Iris. But you Atlanta transplants, yall move to a different beat.