Shocker! Bold Bulldogs play rugged non-conference slate!
I’m 53. (Note graying hair in otherwise flattering photo above.) I’ve followed sports since 1968. I’ve worked for newspapers since Jan. 8, 1978. I have, in sum, been around. But I’m about to quote for you a sentence I have never before seen written:
“Georgia’s non-conference schedule is the best in the nation.”
The writer: The extremely perceptive Matt Hayes. The publication: The always delightful Sporting News Today. The source: A breakdown of SEC teams’ non-conference regimens.
Loading ...Georgia, as you doubtless know, plays four non-conference games: At Oklahoma State and Georgia Tech, with Arizona State and Tennessee Tech at home. By any measure, that’s a testing slate. (Contrast it with Florida’s: Apart from playing Florida State, the fearless Gators take on Charleston Southern, Florida International and Troy — all in The Swamp.)
But by Georgia’s standards, these four games constitute Murderer’s Row. (Yeah, I know Arizona State was a crashing dud a year ago, and Tennessee Tech, which was 3-9 last season and is based in the Ohio Valley Conference, isn’t to be confused with Tennessee-Kiffin.) It wasn’t so long ago we ripped the Bulldogs for never taking a risk, but venturing to Stillwater — as was traveling to Tempe last season — is risky business.
Kudos (as we say on Facebook) to Damon Evans for daring to dare. And no more griping from Mark Richt about the degree of difficulty. As that famous football player Lou Reed once said: “Hey, babe. Take a walk on the wild side.”
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54 comments Add your comment
BrickHouse
June 16th, 2009
10:38 pm
First of all Richt was complaining about a LACK of difficulty in the schedule, not that it was too tough.
And going back to that Auburn team from 2004. Regardless of who their non-conference opponents were that was the best team out of the SEC we have seen in a long time (this is with 2006 and 2008 Florida in mind). The Reggie Brown hit set the tone for the season, they were nasty. Could have beaten anyone.
Lakedawg
June 17th, 2009
10:57 am
I haven’t yet heard a quote from Mark Richt about UGA’s tough schedule
(or any other “controversial” issue) that wasn’t preceded by a question
about it from a reporter. That’s NOT whining…..he’s politely trying
to answer a question posed by someone else. If the media continues
embellishing and slanting things that the man says, he might just stop
answering questions – and I wouldn’t blame him. It would be GREAT
if the media would stop trying to stir things up…..just report the
news in a professional manner, please. I guess a certain amount of
such things is to be expected by someone in Richt’s position, but it
seems to me that Richt gets an undue amount of “whining journalism”.
If you’re going to ask a question and expect an honest answer, don’t
label the answer “whining” unless the person commenting continues to
make UNPROMPTED comments about it. Thanks.
Joseph R. Evans, RPh
UGA School of Pharmacy, ‘78
heeldawg
June 17th, 2009
2:13 pm
This is non-news. Congrats on a brainless blog.
shane#1
June 17th, 2009
5:07 pm
You would think someone that calls himself truth serum would at least check his facts. “How can you have a top five recruiting class for ten years and not win a national title?”. UGA has had one top five class in the last five years, according to Rivals. That site is easy to find, just Google Rivals.com. Do you guys think that the head cheese from tOSU swinging such a big stick in the BCS could have anything to do with their last two BCSCG appearences? I know they had a tough schedule beating Kent State and all, but really!