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
BugKiller
October 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
Everywhere that Willie Martinez has been as a defensive coordinator (Central Michigan and Eastern Carolina) he’s been HORRIBLE, yet, he was tapped by Mark Richt to be given the reins of a top-3 SEC defense, top-10 in the nation.
WHY? The only reason Martinez got this job isn’t because he has the resume to back it up, it’s because he is Richt’s best friend. And Richt refused to do the right thing this past offseason and fire Martinez for the good of the team.
The moment Mark Richt put his personal relationship with Willie Martinez ahead of what was and is best for our team is the moment Mark Richt lost his moral authority to coach this football team.
What he did on Martinez’s behalf at the cost of our team is unforgivable. Mark Richt does not have what it takes to coach this football team, and he does not deserve to coach our football team.
FIRE MARK RICHT!!!
Jim Doggg Wallace
October 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
three and out … emphasis on ineptitude
Pi$$onaDawg
October 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
Enter your comments here
rebuild year
October 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
omg
Falcon Fan Now That Dawgs Stink
October 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
WOW. We would make a high school team (your pick) look good.
Logo sTomping Dawg
October 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
joe cox is awesome for
vandy
Chris
October 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
Cox has the capacity to blow them out, but we rely to heavily on him. We don’t have a running game, and our offensive line is, as is being demonstrated, weak at best.
Three and out.
IndyDawg
October 17th, 2009
12:42 pm
Will Caleb please run straight instead of sideways. Guys I love the Dawgs and I miss being at games but this looks horrible. Really bad.
Raleigh NC
October 17th, 2009
12:43 pm
SAME REASON THAT CALEB KING WAS IN…….OUR COACHING STAFF PROMISED THE PARENTS THAT EVERYONE WOULD GET TO PLAY. We want to teach them sportsmanship….winning is really not important PSHAWWWWWW
Falcon Fan Now That Dawgs Stink
October 17th, 2009
12:43 pm
Bug Killer. I’m with you. Well said. Fire Richt.
Pi$$onaDawg
October 17th, 2009
12:43 pm
Butler is still the best player o n UGA. Joe has to go go go to the bench now.
killmeNOW!
October 17th, 2009
12:43 pm
Thank GOD my father isn’t alive to see this, have to agree w/falcon except can bozo go too?
Jim Doggg Wallace
October 17th, 2009
12:43 pm
is it next year yet? … a lot of people have been talkin about next year …ha
dawgstephen
October 17th, 2009
12:43 pm
Not praising Willie, i was asking why it has taken this long to run that blitz this year. Dawgs will win today no worries.
Logo sTomping Dawg
October 17th, 2009
12:44 pm
well we wont lose next week, thats for sure!
Wonder Dog
October 17th, 2009
12:44 pm
They’re ready and up for this gamee.
Fitten
October 17th, 2009
12:44 pm
With no game next week, could you get Logan or Murray ready to play? I like Logan, but Murray seems like the real deal.
Drunkdawg
October 17th, 2009
12:44 pm
Well I know its early in the day but I feel a cold one coming on. Looks like another day of pain watching the dawgs screw the pooch. Watch out liver, here it comes.
Cuz
October 17th, 2009
12:44 pm
Welcome to the Awful Game of the week with your host, Mark Bradley.
rebuild year
October 17th, 2009
12:44 pm
Offensive line can’t block. They blocked better last year. Hmmm?
No More
October 17th, 2009
12:44 pm
The offense is a total disaster – either execution or game plan once again a joke. Until we prove we can losen up defenses by throwing the ball down the field they will continue to stack the box and our running game will continue to suffer as evidenced in the last series with King’s two carries. Time to get Cox out now and try to use Gray’s athletism to creak a spark and some seems in the defense.
Chris
October 17th, 2009
12:44 pm
I suddenly have a hankering for a crispy, onion Krystal.
BugKiller
October 17th, 2009
12:44 pm
WHY IS JOE COAX STILL THE GEORGIA QUARTERBACK???
IS HE GOING TO BE HERE NEXT YEAR???
WHAT DOES THIS TEAM GAIN FROM HAVING COX AT QB???
AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, MARK RICHT IS PROVING THAT HE REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IT TAKES TO WIN!
Jim Doggg Wallace
October 17th, 2009
12:45 pm
can we send the Georgia coaching staff up in a foil-covered flying saucer near denver? … but let’s make durn sure they are INSIDE … no cardboard box in an attic for them …
Ty
October 17th, 2009
12:45 pm
Have we run a five–or even four–wide set this season?
Mark Bradley
October 17th, 2009
12:45 pm
I’ve seen some awful games in my day. And this has all the makings of another.
Asheville Dawg
October 17th, 2009
12:45 pm
Let’s play King & Samuel cause they proved………….never mind
rebuild year
October 17th, 2009
12:45 pm
Nobody is blocking!!!On offense!!
Pi$$onaDawg
October 17th, 2009
12:45 pm
Cuz will be here till dad and I leave for the TECH GAME.
Mark Bradley
October 17th, 2009
12:45 pm
And what genius picked Tech to lose to Vandy in two weeks? Why, me.
C
October 17th, 2009
12:45 pm
I tell you what is really painful and that is a GT butt kicking is on the horizon. I think I will play badmitton that day.
Mr. Real
October 17th, 2009
12:45 pm
You’re right Mark. Gonna be a long day.
rebuild year
October 17th, 2009
12:46 pm
Fire Willie
Bo Diddly Squat
October 17th, 2009
12:46 pm
1st Quarter half over, have they reached a combined 20 yards yet? Pathetic.
Time
October 17th, 2009
12:46 pm
Jeez, I really thought UGA would rebound and get better. But it’s just getting worse. Is there any room left on the fire CMR bandwagon, I might need a seat.
Drunkdawg
October 17th, 2009
12:46 pm
This game could go either way, cause both teams suck.
Jim Doggg Wallace
October 17th, 2009
12:46 pm
geez ga
IndyDawg
October 17th, 2009
12:46 pm
It will be a sad state of affairs in two weeks in Jax. The good part is that It should be warmer there than here and I need a vacation. The best day of the weekend is always Friday because we haven’t lost yet. Might just watch it from the hotel or hooters
Logo sTomping Dawg
October 17th, 2009
12:46 pm
This is Pathetic!
Cuz
October 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
And don’t forget Mark, you get the St. John’s Massacre in two weeks. Whose parking space did you steal? They got you back.
Life long Dawg
October 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
So the Vandy QB and break tackles but our running backs can’t.
Newnan Dawg
October 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
Kade Weston should be playing at every position..put him at QB!!!
Pi$$onaDawg
October 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
I hear the state of Tennessee is charging a GA tax for everytime a Tenn school beats UGA.
Mark Bradley
October 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
I think UGA is sandbagging the Gators.
Logo sTomping Dawg
October 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
as Usual
Fitten
October 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
That’s why I want a QB who can run.
Which coaches are closer: Coach No Mora Jr and Crap Knapp OR Coach no pulse Richt and weak Willie?
tryin to learn how to walk like the heros,we thought we had to be.
October 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
The root cause of the dawgs decline, can be attributed to the actions of the Bush administration.
Jim Doggg Wallace
October 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
vandy O is pushin us around … ugh
Buckhead Bulldog
October 17th, 2009
12:47 pm
Incredible game…..so much suspense!
dawgstephen
October 17th, 2009
12:48 pm
Bug Killer you just PROVED YOU ARENT A GA FAN!!!
You asked if Joe would be here next year…ANYONE KNOWS HE IS A 5TH YEAR SENIOR!!! NO he wont be here..go back to your tickle pile