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
Moist Dawg
December 6th, 2012
9:08 am
Yeah, ncdawg. That’s what you tell your friends so they don’t beat you up but apparently you will be rooting for bama. Will you hang your head in shame if bama loses, will you cry? Will you put up that Saban poster over your bed?
Oh, it’s only for one night that I’m being a traitor to my school, or country, or wife so that’s ok, right?
Makes me want to vomit.
Columbus Dawg
December 6th, 2012
9:10 am
Season’s over, and all Dawgs I know want to know about next year. Murray probably enters draft, so now what? Does Richt stand by his promise to Mason for hanging around. If so, it’s a throw away year. Defense will take at least a year to absorb losses, so Richt should get Ramsey ready to compete for starting job in the spring. Ramsey set to enroll in January. If Mason starts in 2013, then 2014 rolls around and defense is ready but Ramsey is a rookie. This is a recipe for failure past 2013. Mark Richt must put the University of Georgia FIRST, and his playing favorites to individual players, well he should not be playing favorites. If Mason wins job on merit, fine. Problem is, he is not top tier SEC QB material. Mark Richt can not weather failure past 2013. Mark Richt is on a very short rope, I don’t care what McGarity says publicly, expectations are not easing up on Richt’s team, just because he is losing good players. Richt will be expected to compete for a title again in 2014, no matter what B.S. excuses he spreads between now and then. If he really wants to stay at Georgia, he should do what is in the best interest of the university. Ramsey is awesome already, have seen him play, and on ESPN’s Elite 11 comp. Ramsey already has the skills that it takes to be a top QB in SEC. If Richt does not do what is in the UGA program’s best interest, he will not survive this rebuilding.
Saldiven
December 6th, 2012
9:15 am
I don’t know if I “should” pull for Alabama, but I will. Not because of any “SEC pride,” though.
I just can’t pull for Notre Dame because I have no emotional attachment to that university. It’s hundreds of miles away, I don’t know anyone who ever went there, I can’t remember the last game of theirs I watched, etc. Alabama, however, is right next door, I see their games all the time, and I know a lot of people who went there. To me, it just makes more sense to cheer for Alabama in my situation.
Concerned
December 6th, 2012
9:15 am
Absolutely I will pull for Bama vs Notre Dame. It was a great game that came right down the wire – we lost to the eventual national champions. And…Bama fans and coaches win with class, which is much more that I can say for other SEC fan bases and coaches. Roll Tide and Go Dawgs in the Capital One bowl.
NCDawg
December 6th, 2012
9:16 am
Moist Dawg – I really wish they could both lose… but since that isn’t possible I’ll choose the lesser of 2 evils… for now.
NCDawg
December 6th, 2012
9:22 am
Moist Dawg – a question. Was it being a traitor to pull for Florida to beat S.Carolina?
AltamahaDawg
December 6th, 2012
9:23 am
Good grief. How stupid is that completely invented concern that any coach would make a decision based on “promises” to ONE player, and not what is best for the other 100 players, thier families, his staff and thier families, his job, his livelyhood, his desires to win, his boss, his family, the boosters, and the millions of fans? geeez.
Aside from he fact that there has never actualy BEEN a case of Richt putting favoritism of a single player in front of the good of the program, you have no idea who his “favorite” players even are.
Actually, from a football standpoint, it’s really pretty easy to figure that out. It’s who ever gives the team the best chance to win.
NCDawg
December 6th, 2012
9:28 am
I for one actually think that we’ll still be pretty good next year. We have talent left on the defense, young, but top shelf nonetheless. The offense will lose TK and M.Brown to graduation and that is it.
NCDawg
December 6th, 2012
9:31 am
According to many on these blogs and elsewhere, Mason is plenty good enough to take over if Murray goes Pro. He has been in the system 3 years and knows the offense. We could be a juggernaut on offense next year. The line and Gurshall will be better.
AltamahaDawg
December 6th, 2012
9:33 am
Mason is the one who was looking for options. The coaches didn’t go to him and ask him to redshirt in exchange for some promise of starting. It was the obvious best interest for eveybody. No promises needed to be made, It was a no brainer. But had he truly wanted to transfer, he would have been fully supported by the staff, and assisted in doing so.
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 6th, 2012
9:34 am
Moist Dawg
Why dont you use your ND jersey you wear to wipe the vomit off your carpet and stay off the UGA blog; you are nothing more than a ND carpet bagger
AltamahaDawg
December 6th, 2012
9:42 am
I’ve said before, it never the perfect situation to have one year starters at Qb in between multi year guys, or the need to start FR but it college footbll and that happens all the time. It’s hardly some rare occurance. Ideally we have a RS Soph stepping in every 3 years.
But when he have had to start a freshman, or a “placeholder” the things that hurt us the most that year was not him.
Moist Dawg
December 6th, 2012
9:43 am
Enough of the childish name calling flat tire.
As I said before, my son said his first swear word during the SEC championship and while I couldn’t tell him, I was proud of my boy for showing some emotion and pride. It’s sad and makes me sick that my 7 year old has more passion for his team than some of you sissy adults.
DawginLex
December 6th, 2012
9:50 am
Mike Bobo is a candidate for Southern Miss head coach job
I thought none of our coaches ever were looked at by other programs?
NCDawg
December 6th, 2012
9:53 am
DawginLex – that’s interesting. I haven’t seen that mentioned anywhere. If he were to get that job, I wonder if CMR would just go back to being O- coordinator or would he look for someone to take over that position?
DawginLex
December 6th, 2012
9:54 am
And if Bobo does get the HC gig, watch the recruits start looking elsewhere.
Yet the flat tire idiot still bashes Bobo
Ramsey is at risk of not going to UGA with Bobo going elsewhere since he said “I will be attending the University of Georgia as long as Coach Bobo is there.”
flat tire=EXPOSED AS AN IDIOT WHO BASHES OUR COACHING STAFF NON STOP
DawginLex
December 6th, 2012
9:55 am
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/article/20121206/SOUTHERNMISS/312060032/Interviews-begin-today-USM-football-coach-position?nclick_check=1
AltamahaDawg
December 6th, 2012
10:01 am
Nah, Coach Bobo get a raise and an extention. Southern Miss is not his dream job, this is.
DawginLex
December 6th, 2012
10:06 am
Hope so but this sure flies in the face of flat tire and the other Bobo bashing idiots who say he needs to go
bdawg
December 6th, 2012
10:11 am
only an idiot would want those t-bagging tree killers to win to heck with bama i hope the lose by 50. they are a bunch of arrogant d-bags.
NCDawg
December 6th, 2012
10:27 am
Bobo’s success as a recruiter will be a factor in this. SO. Miss needs talent. However, with Ellis Johnson flopping as a head coach after being a successful D-coordinator, that may come into play as well.
DocDawg
December 6th, 2012
10:28 am
Even with St Peter and the pope leading the cheering Irish section, Alabama will not only cover spread but cover Notre Dame like a blanket, reality will hit early and often and it will be a sad next day broadcast from Mike and Mike in the morning. Doesn`t matter who we cheer for, SEC wins 7th in a row going away…
BullDogMike
December 6th, 2012
10:29 am
I’ve never ever pulled for Notre Dame to win against anybody…….until Now !
NCDawg
December 6th, 2012
10:38 am
NCDawg’s least favorite teams:
1. TECH (always)
2. Notre Dame (mucho hype for no reason at all)
3. Bama (Bear\Saban worshipers)
4. Florida (Spurrier made this one really matter)
5. South Carolina (same as above)
6. Auburn (just because)
7. Ohio St (really irritating national over hype)
8. USC (same as above)
9. Oklahoma (same old stuff different year)
10. Texas (proof you can’t buy championships).
NCDawg
December 6th, 2012
10:39 am
As you can see… it’s a no win situation for me… LOL
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 6th, 2012
10:41 am
Dawgin Lex
NC Dawg
2 losses every year
Funny how Malzone got the Auburn job
Is Bobo up for the Tennessee job
Funny how Bobo wasnt the coordinator under Richts first 4 years which um oh yea were his most successful years I might add
I see you two kool-aid drinkers are wearing your commemorative Knocking on The Door To Greatness T-shirts today
NCDawg
December 6th, 2012
10:58 am
Flat Tire – Bobo took over as coordinator in 2007. We finished #2 that year. So your timeline of decline is off – like the rest of your warped thinking. Malzahn was a head coach for a year and already had Auburn ties. Tennessee has said they want someone with head coaching experience. Do you read at all? Jeez…
Flat Tire On Hwy 441 in Athens
December 6th, 2012
11:23 am
NCDawg
My timeline is off really again how many losses did we have in 2007???
DawginLex
December 6th, 2012
2:11 pm
stupid idiot flat tire
Malzahn got the Auburn job because he is “All in” and no top coach would touch that dumpster fire.
Kirby Smart told them no because Auburn refused to get Pat Dye out of the mix
Try to pay attention and keep up
I’m tired of repeating myself
AltamahaDawg
December 6th, 2012
2:12 pm
Guz Malzone is a 47 yr old man with over 20 yrs of varied coaching experiences. What’s so funny about him getting the Auburn job.
Jborodawg
December 6th, 2012
4:46 pm
Did Moist finally hush up?
Jborodawg
December 6th, 2012
4:47 pm
Flat Tire/T Brown….how ’bout the D coord whose D gave up 350 rushing yards?
zacub
December 6th, 2012
5:29 pm
As an Auburn fan I am definately pulling for ole Notre Dame. But if Georgia would have won the SEC, I would still be pulling for Notre Dame. Of course I hate Alabama a lot more being from north Alabama. Many Auburn fans closer to Athens probabaly hate the dawgs more. I didn’t like the Cam Newton jabs taken in this article. The whole rent-a-QB thing. Cam Newton is an Auburn Man who loves Auburn. He is known to give NFL footballs away to Auburn fans sitting in the stands at Caolina Panthers games. He most recently did it on Mondaynight football against the Eagles. And also if we are talking about renting things, what abouth the Greenbay Packers logo you have on the side of your helments??? Is that not embaressing?? Highschooll teams like to coppy pro and college team logos. It’s real cute
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Brown Dog
December 7th, 2012
7:30 am
1996DawgAlum
December 5th, 2012
1:56 pm
I grew up with Alabama being my second favorite team. When they weren’t playing the Dawgs, I pulled for them. In my two visits to Tuscaloosa, they were some of the nicest fans I had ever been around. I have even got new respect for Coach Saban. I have seen a different side of him as he was very congralutory of the Dawgs, and even went to bat for us publicly about the bowl situation. I respect him and their players and I really can’t stand Notre Dame.
However, the Bama fan base has changed. Listen to call-in shows sometime. There is not a more in your face, obnoxious, arrogant fansbase around right now. Not to mention how the radicals have now become the mainstream of their fanbase. I am gonn try to pull for Bama in this game because of things i mention above but it will be difficult given their fanbase.
Dawg Alum, suit yourself. But talk shows and anonymous blogs are hardly a scientific samplings. They, instead, can be a freak show. Great game last week. Please give Bo Pellini something else to rage about.
RxDawg
December 7th, 2012
8:44 am
I’m afraid that I can’t hope for Saban to have his 3 national title in 4 years. That’s just too many. He’ll be able to cherry pick in recruiting, and that will hurt UGA. I’m not in favor of anything that hurts UGA.
tony purvis
December 7th, 2012
7:08 pm
Enter your comments here
Dan
December 8th, 2012
5:28 pm
Would have to say there is more ties to some Georgia fans in being Irish or being Catholic then being Saban’s kiss ass so I have to go for the fighting irish