Live from Nashville: Resistible force meets movable object
The stands at Memorial Stadium 20 minutes before kickoff. I kid you not. (Photo by M. Bradley)
Nashville – First off, it’s chilly. Forty-three degrees and overcast at present (9:23 Central Time). The few Georgia fans who gathered for the Dawg Walk were wearing coats, scarves, gloves and stocking caps. And they still didn’t look warm.
Speaking of cold … Vanderbilt has the nation’s 108th-best (or, put another way, 13th-worst) passing offense. Lucky for the Commodores that a truckload of magic elixir has just pulled into town. The top passing performance by an SEC quarterback this season was Ryan Mallett of Arkansas on Sept. 19. The third-best was by Stephen Garcia of South Carolina on Sept. 12. The fourth-best was by Jonathan Crompton of Tennessee last week. Guess the common denominator.
You got it. Willie Martinez and his defense.
Say this for Willie: He has single-handedly rearranged the standings of every SEC fantasy league. If you simply drafted the quarterback playing against Georgia in any given week, you’ve clinched first place. (And it’s only midseason!)
OK, enough about Willie. (Really, though, can we ever say too much about Willie?) If ever a game versus Vandy can be said to be a big game, this is it. This is the difference between being 4-3 headed to Jacksonville or looking at a season of 6-6 or (shudder) worse.
Me, I think Georgia wins by two touchdowns. But I thought Georgia would win when last it traveled to the Volunteer state, and we know how that turned out. No matter what happens here today, I’ll be available for observations, bon mots (or, more accurately, bon nots) and song requests. So join me, won’t you?
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1,805 comments Add your comment
Yellow Fuzz
October 17th, 2009
11:49 am
hahaha. I just hope Vandy doesn’t hold it against you guys like Florida and Georgia Tech did.
Rose-Colored TV Screen
October 17th, 2009
11:49 am
“Resistible force meets movable object” oh, God…MARK, we’ve been reduced to a Georgia Tech physics lecture. My money’s on inertia.
D. Ellis
October 17th, 2009
11:50 am
MArk-Any thoughts on the Safety rotation Richt spoke of. I know we’re looking at more Rambo but anyone else to look for?
Oh yeah and was at the Stephenson/ML King game last night. I don’t know about anyone else that was there but if I was Lane Kiffin I would have been crappin my pants ridin in that little chopper with Ed O…..they looked like they were dipped in crisco and squeezed in that little thing.
Yellow Fuzz
October 17th, 2009
11:53 am
Cuz, real teams like Georgia Tech (5-1) do not feel the need to stomp it before during or after. Like when we kicked your azz in the second half last year in Athens (45-42). We could have stomped the G and even torn down the hedges, but instead just took a few small branches as souvenirs.
Mark Bradley
October 17th, 2009
11:53 am
Inertia is minus-three on the Vegas boards.
Asheville Dawg
October 17th, 2009
11:53 am
Someone had to cover the Vandy game. Jacksonville on Halloween=good assignment,even if it is going to be UGGGly.Falcons -Bears !! So you are in sorry stinking Nashville in bad weather. Hope to see the Dawgs rise from the dead, because if they lose this one they may not be bowl bound. Do they still have the Poulon weedeater bowl?
Cuz
October 17th, 2009
11:54 am
Coach Richt having a blackout at an opposing team’s stadium is a gutsy move on his part. Must be a lot of Dawgs making the trip to Nashville and staying away from the St. John’s massacre.
Mark Bradley
October 17th, 2009
11:54 am
Lane Kiffin and Ed Orgeron in a helicopter. Holy cow.
Delbert D.
October 17th, 2009
11:55 am
The only question is whether today will be the final hobnail in the UGA casket or will it be the Tech game.
Mark Bradley
October 17th, 2009
11:56 am
We’re 25 minutes from kickoff and there are 10,000 empty seats. In a stadium that seats 40,000.
Yellow Fuzz
October 17th, 2009
11:56 am
Hey, maybe you can hire Mike Tyson to coach your sorry dawgs team
Barkin'Dog
October 17th, 2009
11:57 am
Hello, guys and gals… It’s a great day to turn a program around. Let’s get it started with a few verses from “Who let the Dawgs out…woof-woof-woof-woof-woof!” Take it, Mark!
Chris
October 17th, 2009
11:57 am
Do we know the last time that Georgia finished a season without being in the top 25? How about the top 20 or top 15?
Rose-Colored TV Screen
October 17th, 2009
11:57 am
Inertia will cover.
Lane Kiffin and Ed Orgeron in a heliopter…I thought dropping Agent Orange was illegal.
Asheville Dawg
October 17th, 2009
11:57 am
Mark, how easy was it for Kiffin to be allowed to land near that stadium in DeKalb anyway?
Dawgs73
October 17th, 2009
11:57 am
Here’s my prediction. The Dawgs will come out in their first drive (on offense), look great, score a touchdown, and fizzle the rest of the game due to adjustments (or lack thereof). RIchard Samuel will continue to run the ball standing straight up, get his clock cleaned, fumble (twice), and come back in the game (coaching genius).
The defense will be dumbfounded by PLAY ACTION & BOOTLEG all day and look sloppy…did I mention at least 6 penalties, players in the wrong positiion, poor tackling, and just plain apathy.
Oh that’s right, this the game plan every week…GO DAWGS!
Cuz
October 17th, 2009
11:58 am
Fuzz, someone must have used pruining shears on the hedges then, your logic fails you here. You cannot have it both ways. Either your team celebrated by pruning the hedges or they did not. The evidence is against you. Welcome to the big leagues.
jim dawg
October 17th, 2009
11:58 am
Mark, Is R. Gardner gonna ask for the D-coordinator job if open? He’s been given every other title to stay. What are the ripple effects if given or not given to him?
UGA ALL THE WAY
October 17th, 2009
11:59 am
UGA really needs to pull off a HUGE victory here Mark. A big win here would really allow them to breathe a lil better and maybe get some confidence back. Not saying that they are going to have a GREAT season or anything but it still is UGA and it does have a reputation to maintain….. either way nice article Mark.
Mark Bradley
October 17th, 2009
12:00 pm
Good one, Rose-Colored.
Old Man Fan
October 17th, 2009
12:00 pm
I,m gonna go out on a limb again and pick the dawgs. Maybe they will pull off a win today, but who the hell knows?
midnite
October 17th, 2009
12:01 pm
I never thought I would see the day that I would look forward to watching Ga. Tech play more than UGA. What’s wrong with me? If Vandy wins we are most assuredly down for the count. To top it off Lane Kiffen flies in here like a vulture to pick our bones. Are we roadkill?
Yellow Fuzz
October 17th, 2009
12:01 pm
Mark,
Good thing about covering the georgia-Florida game is you can write 80% of the article on the flight down there. Just add 20% to Florida and subtract 20% from georgia, change some names around and you’re there.
59-8
Barkin'Dog
October 17th, 2009
12:01 pm
Dawgs73 – I see a very focused group of young men ready to make a statement in this game. This is the week they’ll win a few ‘atta-boys.’ In fact, I envision a few nice late-night highlights on America’s Source for Sports!
willie martinez
October 17th, 2009
12:01 pm
Bradley, what exactly did you mean by saying my coaching makes guys look great? you are talking about my defense, right?
Slick in Duluth
October 17th, 2009
12:02 pm
Loran just asked CMR the exact question 2 times in a row, asking if the team was ready to play…CMR responded “I just told you they we ready.” Come on…I love Loran, but it is embarassing!
Slide Rule
October 17th, 2009
12:02 pm
Inertia at -3 is within the statistical scatter.
D. Ellis
October 17th, 2009
12:03 pm
They landed the chopper in the out firld of baseball/softball field right next to the stadium. Good Game. Stephenson defense is sick with alot of prospects.
MB-You got the Birds again. Any thoughts on Anderson being moved to DT making room for Bierman? Should be a great game tomorrow night.
I like Ealy today. I think he has a nice game. But then again I also said Roddy White would have a nice day against the Pats. But I thik today is a good day to get Ealy the ball in some space. I’m sorry but I jsut don’t see Samuel as the every down back for this team any time soon. I look for a steady dose of King and alot of Ealy.
And yes Mark Holy Cow…..Ed O looked to take up alot of room in that thing
Barkin'Dog
October 17th, 2009
12:04 pm
I see a very focused group of young men ready to make a statement in this game. This is the week they’ll win a few ‘atta-boys.’ In fact, I envision a few nice late-night highlights on America’s Source for Sports!
willie martinez
October 17th, 2009
12:04 pm
slick in duluth? what’s wrong with asking that question twice? i just asked CMR the same question.
Luke
October 17th, 2009
12:05 pm
As long a CMR is at UGA smart will not be invited back….burned some bridges when he left.
willie martinez
October 17th, 2009
12:05 pm
and i guarantee you after the game Bradley will ask CMR “well did you at least THINK the team was ready?”
Mark Bradley
October 17th, 2009
12:05 pm
Just saw Mike Slive. I said, “This is like being at a Duke game.”
Yellow Fuzz
October 17th, 2009
12:07 pm
Vanderbilt seats 39,790 to be exact. Suprised georgia would even waste their time playing a team in a stadium so small. Especially one that resembles a concrete jungle in a downtown area of a big city. LOL. Hope you pick up your trash when you leave
D. Ellis
October 17th, 2009
12:08 pm
How about Sylvester Croom. Anyone know what he is doing?
Sautee Dawg
October 17th, 2009
12:08 pm
yellow Fuzz
why don’t you go out to the Tech game it’s not a sellout, Take your I-phone with you and you can watch some of those real games on your phone while your there?
willie martinez
October 17th, 2009
12:09 pm
Bradley, I can’t talk to you anymore right now. I’ve got a game to win and you’ve got…..wait, what is it you do?
D. Ellis
October 17th, 2009
12:09 pm
Sautee Dawg-Very funny. 4 out of 5 chukkles
Yellow Fuzz
October 17th, 2009
12:10 pm
sauteedog,
I am going. Why don’t you take your I-phone with you so you can watch OUR Game on your drive back from Nashville.
Slide Rule
October 17th, 2009
12:11 pm
Yeah, Mark UGA “fanatics” left 7,000 empty seats at Okie State, too.
Logo sTomping Dawg
October 17th, 2009
12:11 pm
Will we stomp or dance on the mid field logo today?
D. Ellis
October 17th, 2009
12:11 pm
Yellow Fuzz-Not so good of a comeback….1.5 chukkles out of 5.
Good Luck against VT. Should be a great game.
willie martinez
October 17th, 2009
12:12 pm
who is mike slive?
Yellow Fuzz
October 17th, 2009
12:12 pm
Tech will never sell out because no one in their right mind would ever want to wants to sit in those top row, 1000 seats
Chris
October 17th, 2009
12:13 pm
Help me out here fellas. When was the last time Georgia completed a season unranked?
Sautee Dawg
October 17th, 2009
12:13 pm
Mark,
Would you be willing to be Journalist in waiting at the AJC for 10 or more years? No. Why would Muschamp. Long time to wait for a promotion wouldn’t you say? What happens when he has a bad season during those years in waiting and Texas decides someone else would be better for the job?
Delbert D.
October 17th, 2009
12:13 pm
I heard Mark Richt just bought a red and black parachute to one-up Kiffin next Friday night. At least I assume that’s what it is for.
Yellow Fuzz
October 17th, 2009
12:14 pm
“Yeah, Mark UGA “fanatics” left 7,000 empty seats at Okie State, too”.
And about 70 tons of trash on the campus
Weak Sisters of the SEC
October 17th, 2009
12:15 pm
Welcome to the Game of the week! Georgia needs to cooperate today! Let Vandy win some battles too!
Mark Bradley
October 17th, 2009
12:19 pm
I just updated the photo on the original post. Check out the overflow throng.