Live from hot Jax: Only 30 (of 32) writers pick the Gators!
This is not as it seems. The sweater is orange. It is, of all things, a Gator dog. (Photo by M. Bradley)
Jacksonville — It was raining when I boarded the plane at Hartsfield-Jackson at 7:45 a.m. It is not raining here, unless you count sweat beads. Here it’s hot. Here it’s hot even by Florida standards. And, speaking of sweat …
Your genius correspondent managed to leave his glasses in Tim Tucker’s rental car at the stadium, necessitating another walk to/from distant Lot P. This marks the second time in 13 months I’ve left my glasses in a rental car, and the first was in Tempe, Ariz., where it was only 97 degrees and we were parked even farther away.
But enough about this perspiring writer. Let’s talk about other writers. The Florida Times-Union asked 32 writers, some of whom might actually have seen Georgia play in the past five years, for a prediction. (None of the 32 were from the AJC, you should know.) Thirty picked the Gators. The two exceptions: Matt Hayes of Sporting News and Scott Michaux of the Augusta Chronicle.
By tradition the Georgia-Florida crowd is split down the middle, but there seem many, many more Gators here this time. Perhaps Georgia fans are keeping a lower profile. Perhaps they sold their ducats. Perhaps they’re using the proceeds from that windfall to buy out Willie Martinez.
And I have to tell you, it has been a long time since I arrived at a stadium (with or without glasses) feeling as I do. I don’t see a way Georgia can win. I suppose Florida could fumble 10 times, but I can’t really see Florida doing that. And I can’t see the team with the better offense and better defense not winning.
But I have, as we know, been wrong before. I covered the Super Bowl between the Rams and the Patriots, in which St. Louis entered with the better offense and defense. I picked the Patriots to lose 42-3. They won 20-17. So I guess stranger things have happened. But not many, I submit.
With that, the floor is open for your comments and observations and contributions to the Free Willie Fund. I’ll be here all day, unless I feel the need to walk back across the parking lot and sweat through my shirt again.
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3,111 comments Add your comment
dawgfan13
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
Look at that pathetic defense on the sideline! What a joke! The Falcons and Bulldawgs defenses are pathetic!
Ginger
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
Good catch and throw
Chained Dawg
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
I guess CMR spent the two weeks working on the High Dive at the Ramsey center and improving teams bowling numbers!
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
Wooten. First down. Georgia’s moving nicely.
TXDawg
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
Nice play freshman!!
Cautiously Optimistic
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
Well I’ve been saying we need to run the ball and control the clock to win, but now that we are down 2 td’s I dont know that we can still use that strategy.
Terd Feurgusson
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
3 straight plays without a penalty…one for the record books
farleydawg79
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
see….run then throw…I have been saying it for years.
Life long Dawg
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
Aside from the poor play this in not like watching the Dawgs. I hate the stupid uniforms.
HairyDawg
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
Thats what I talking abouts. Go AJ! And rest of receivers. Coxs is tearing up that stinky Gaytor Ds.
Andy
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
That field looks like crap.
TXDawg
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
Hey….I can see the goal line!!
White & Gold Forever
October 31st, 2009
4:14 pm
@ SouthTXDawg – “simple” is spelled S I M P L E – sounds simple, right?
GT-85
October 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
Hey, fellow Tech fans. Let’s show a little class here. This is looking painful enough for the Dogs.
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
Hate to state the obvious, but can’t kick a field goal here and call it a success.
bugsquacher
October 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
i hope someone takes Spikes head off
Ginger
October 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
don’t like the long hair on Spikes
TXDawg
October 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
Dude….Brandon Spikes looks like he should be playing in the NFL…geez!
Frogger
October 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
Spikes = THUG
j
October 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
the mutts are making Tebow look like an NFL caliber QB WTF. I guess in honor of H walker they are geared to stop the run.
This game is over. The only thing in question is the margin of victory.
Mutts are learning how to take a beating becasue this will be their way of life for the next five years.
UGA wake at Bobby Dodd next month. dress in black for the event.
bugsquacher
October 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
how old is Spikes….34?
Cautiously Optimistic
October 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
Is Spikes trying to draw penalties by not strapping his helmet?
Cautiously Optimistic
October 31st, 2009
4:15 pm
Is Spikes trying to draw penalties by not strapping his helmet?
Firemarkricht.net
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
Spikes is NOT 22years old.
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
Quarter. Georgia is at the 24.
Press box announcer just said, “That’s the end of the third quarter.”
triple option
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
VINCE CALM DOWN! NICE HELMETS YOU LOSER. YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO SEC. WE WILL RUN THE BALL UP YOUR A** IN NOVEMBER. SEE YOU THEN LOSER!
defactodawg
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
Spikes is losing the helmet because of the hair, it’s not being ‘ripped off” per Gary freakin idiot Danielson!
UGATim
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
Evans needs to walk out on the field and fire the entire coaching staff then go over and hand Charlie Strong a blank check and ask him to coach the rest of the game.
Old School
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
End of 1
Florida 14
Grambling 0
RxDawg
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
We field a team of god !@#$% retards
bugsquacher
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
Mark, you are right, we are already in situation where we need to run a play on 4th down….
Dawg-On_IT
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
1 quarter down
Pi$$onaDAWG
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
45 ACP & CUZ It is cold here in Nashville, but it looks like the Dawgs are in HELL. Got to get some points here. Good Luck. Will chat later if I can.
Life long Dawg
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
I don’t care if Georgia does win, I hate the uniform.
willie martinez
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
chapas took that thug spikes head off
farleydawg79
October 31st, 2009
4:16 pm
hey….we are actually sustaining a drive….
Silly Rabbit Tricks R for Willie
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
Im taking donations for a U-Haul for Willie please post your donations
Frogger
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
As long as my Dogs let the Gators score from 20 or 30 yards out, Tebow won’t break that record.
Georgia is next
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
Spikes didn’t get arrested this week Frogger
TXDawg
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
Did he come from a JUCO…..that would make him about 27 right…..lol
BIG TECH FAN
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
Wow!!!! I’m impressed!!! The FleaBags are moving the ball!! Is it snowing, raining and sunny all at once in Georgia?
JB
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
A football helmet isn’t supposed to move around on your head, Spikes…it’s supposed to be tight, even if it messes with your hair. That’s why you wear a helmet.
Ginger
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
I think we can score some points…but defense has to stop Fla to have any chance….so far Fla has a lot of plays on offense for 4 + yards or more each touch….I would say 95% of Fla’s plays have been for 4+ yards or more each touch
SouthTXDawg
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
A glimmer of hope in this drive…
Dawg-On_IT
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
I still have faith.
We just need one turn over. 2 scores and an offense that can pound the ball.
FLA DAWG
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
I wish it were the end of the third quarter.
Black Helmets
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
There is not anything wrong with the looks of the Helmets. It is more the coaching staff & some really dumb players that has made you ill. If we were up by 14, they would look great. UM keeps the pedal pushed down on this one and really changes the recruiting, just like Kiffen did. Look for more great players to go else where.
Chained Dawg
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
Well lets wee if Boo Boo gets Vanilla or Dawgs get a stupid penalty to set up a field goal try.
Herschel's Revenge
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
At least we’re running the ball a little bit. That might open up the passing game for Cox. He needs all the help he can get.
Willie
October 31st, 2009
4:17 pm
Why yes Frogger, that’s my plan.