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
Pit bull
October 31st, 2009
7:27 pm
Yes, you got me, this is Bobby.
senoiadawgs
October 31st, 2009
7:28 pm
I for one didn’t mind the black helmet and pants. However, doing things like that should be a privilege for that years team to choose a different uni for an important game. Maybe that was a reward for leading the nation in penalties again. That seems to be an important stat to our coaches and thugs.
chomp!
October 31st, 2009
7:28 pm
“The Great Georga football tradition”?
Hahahahahahahah!
What team have you been watching?
TNJeff
October 31st, 2009
7:29 pm
We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets! – To match our tenacious D
Old School
October 31st, 2009
7:29 pm
Just went to the grocery store and there was a Fleabag Redneck at the checkout in front of me with his red shirt and red/black cap on. He turned,looked at me, saw my cap, and quickly turned his head. I just grinned. Color of my cap? White and Gold. Well, it’s been fun. Gotta go watch my team’s offense that Eric Zeir called “high school” before that beautiful day in Athens last Nov. 29th. Oh yes, I saw Reshad Jones actually make a tackle today—not the bump he “laid on” Roddy Jones last year.
Mike Bobo
October 31st, 2009
7:30 pm
Leave me and Willie alone. We are both down on the field during the game now. Greatest Change In UGA history. PS I was glad to be down there to watch Tebow break Walkers record.
Barry Jay
October 31st, 2009
7:30 pm
Uniforms have nothing to do with anything. Richt lets the seniors change up sometimes. It had no influence on the outcome of the game. What killed us was penalties and turnovers.
SOOHSO
October 31st, 2009
7:30 pm
Bradley, get off the fence and admit that CMR has to go.
senoiadawgs
October 31st, 2009
7:31 pm
Barry Jay, Didn’t play like thugs????????????????????????????????????????????????
What game were you watching? It’s one thing to support the dogs, how about standing up and supporting your team by calling a spade a spade. Take the blinders off. It will take the Dawg Nation showing how fed up we are.
This starts next week nobody buy the PPV and hopefully there are empty seats at Sanford.
Macon Dog in Middle East
October 31st, 2009
7:31 pm
Dooley beat Florida 19 times in 25 years! Living in the past? OK, I admit it, but we’ll be back. We will not tolerate this poor excuse for preparation and performance.
DR PHIL
October 31st, 2009
7:31 pm
Tim Tebow 51 TDS One personality is better than Hershel 49 TDS 18 personalities.
Dawgs1965
October 31st, 2009
7:32 pm
Is Richt fired yet? Why is this taking so long?
TNJeff
October 31st, 2009
7:32 pm
I agree uniforms have NOTHING to do with the outcome BUT since we know we’re gonna play like pansies, why not make them wear PINK until they show some toughness. So I say again
We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!We want Pink Helmets!
Brock
October 31st, 2009
7:33 pm
RogerDawg
October 30th, 2009
9:47 am
There are some folks gonna be in for a rude surprise Saturday evening. UF is not that good. Mark Richt coaches the boys up and wins this one on heart.
UGA 24
UF 21
Oh Roger…stop it silly man.
Kevin
October 31st, 2009
7:33 pm
Great tool different helmets why they not wear Pink flowers on there helmets are wear a dress that may spark a win….Ha Ha Tebow won Hiesman trophy again Natl champs again Joe Cox avg. QB and next is Tenn Tech a great power house (that what Richt will say n willie ooo defense be great.i see 7-5 record lost to GT also badly to
Gerald Ball
October 31st, 2009
7:33 pm
Dr. Phil:
You are an evil man. Further, Tebow is nowhere near the player that Walker was. Walker played in a different era, plus Tebow has much better players around him. All those future NFL starters with Tebow like Louis Murphy and Percy Harvin … who else on that UGA offense other than Walker ever did squat in the NFL? Buck Belue? Please.
Doug
October 31st, 2009
7:35 pm
It all starts with Michael Adams. He’s a wuss. Wusses hire other wusses. Enter Damon Evans, another wuss. He keeps Mark Rick, another wuss, who keeps Willie and Bobo, both wusses.
jsmuga
October 31st, 2009
7:35 pm
I will never donate another single penny until changes are made…… I feel sorry for the people who spend thousands to go to Jacksonville to get embarrassed every year…..
Dawgs1965
October 31st, 2009
7:35 pm
I would disagree that the uniforms had nothing to do with the outcome. You took a tired, vulnerable Florida team and fired them up the second they saw we were pulling another gimmick. And what’d they do? Marched down our throats for a score. STUPID. COACHING. DECISION.
benadawg
October 31st, 2009
7:35 pm
i wish i could be in the locker room and get my say to all them so called players, i am embarrased to be a fan of this program, i love them but i don’t like them.
Super Dog
October 31st, 2009
7:36 pm
DAMON EVANS
IF RICHT DOESN’T GET RID OF HIS STAFF
THEN FIRE HIM ON THE SPOT
Dog Island Gator
October 31st, 2009
7:36 pm
Expressing Deepest Sympathy For Your Loss. Ha, Ha, Ha, 41-17……17 of 20.
Dawg gone
October 31st, 2009
7:36 pm
And to think I passed up a long nap this afternoon and watched the game. I thought it was all a *&&*^*%*&( bad dream, but it was REAL. I did see CMR take off his cap and scratch his head, I guess he was wondering what to do next. His buddy CWM told him he was doing a great job, and reminded him for a pay raise too. I expect the coaching staff to go into hiding after this rotten egg of a game.
Byrd Dog
October 31st, 2009
7:37 pm
Enter your comments here
jsmuga
October 31st, 2009
7:37 pm
Boycott next week…………….
kj
October 31st, 2009
7:38 pm
Dag gone! Another year and another loss to those dag gone cotton pickin’ gators! Now I know how GT feels every year. 17 out of the last 20. C’mon man.That is not the standard at UGA.
Justin
October 31st, 2009
7:38 pm
How sad the gimmicky uniforms looked today when UGA took the field. Four turnovers, an opening half full of momentum-stifling penalties . . . what’s happened to this program? Richt helped restore bulldog pride, but he’s gotten complacent and put the program in a position even worse than the days of Jim Donnan. Enough talk about Willie Martinez, Bobo, or any other assistants. This is a team with top-recruiting classes year after year. Richt’s days of almost-glory are over. It’s time to turn the page.
UGASlobberknocker
October 31st, 2009
7:38 pm
I vote for yellow helmets next week to match all of the penalty flags
Diggity Dawg
October 31st, 2009
7:38 pm
I hear all this talk about Richt not firing Martinez because he is his best friend. When will Martinez show his friendship to Richt and announce his resignation?
Barry Jay
October 31st, 2009
7:39 pm
Tebow broke Herschel’s record but did it with more games and by running the spread. Good grief. It doesn’t even equate to Walker’s accomplishment.
Macon Dog in Middle East
October 31st, 2009
7:39 pm
Hey Fitten: Are you still alive?
DaltonDawg
October 31st, 2009
7:40 pm
Coach Richt…please stop with the gimmicky crap (black helmets, etc). The penalties and poor coaching are KILLING us!!!
UGASlobberknocker
October 31st, 2009
7:40 pm
One thing is for sure..next week we will establish a new no show record..maybe 20,000.
DONALD TRUMP
October 31st, 2009
7:41 pm
MARK RICHT
EVALUATING THIS TEAM YOU REFUSED TO MAKE CHANGES WITH YOUR STAFF
YOU PISSED VAN GORDER OFF AND HE LEFT
YOUR THE MOST PENALIZED TEAM IN THE NCAA AND THE WORST LOOKING TEAM IVE SEEN SINCE DUKE
MARK RICH YOUR FIRED
Carl Spackler
October 31st, 2009
7:43 pm
WOW…Cox looked the same in this game as he has every other game…being that Florida has better athletes across the board compared to all previous schools really shows how good, or how dreadful Joe Cox is/has been all season…I feel sorry for Cox and what CMR has put him thru, heck I feel bad for all the seniors; CMR should stand up in front of the entire team and apologize for putting that product out there this season…
nd dawg
October 31st, 2009
7:43 pm
Ed N….couldn’t agree with you more! I’m not sure this coaching staff has ever heard of the Junkyard Dawgs…no way they would allow an average of 29 points per game! Hint to the coaches…if you give up that many points on average, you damn well better have some offensive magic…which BTW, we don’t!
chomp!
October 31st, 2009
7:43 pm
Don’t the doggie players and coaches know that the NCAA doesn’t allow street gang behavior on it’s football fields?
Of course, dogs are dirty animals by nature. Take a bath Ga.
I guess that’s what lousy teams have to resort to when they can’t execute actual plays.
Tommy Tuberville
October 31st, 2009
7:44 pm
I never thought I’d get fired ..I was a good guy and finished #2 one year! but I did.
Mark, Im saving a spot for you in the unemployment line cuz you are next.
Big Jon
October 31st, 2009
7:45 pm
Standard at Georgia we have won one friginn NC in 150 years or whatever of college football and we talk about standard. We are a joke . I am ashamed of our program and coaches. This starts at the top. Thug dawg.
Macon Dog in Middle East
October 31st, 2009
7:45 pm
Hey Icedog: Have you checked the 1975 and 1976 teams’ Championship records?
Epiminondas
October 31st, 2009
7:45 pm
Start looking for a new head coach. This one is done.
Ron Zook
October 31st, 2009
7:46 pm
Dear Damon, Im available
senoiadawgs
October 31st, 2009
7:46 pm
I can’t wait to here the excuses for this loss.
Next week any decent head coach starts the starting QB tryouts for next year. Cox better not play anymore. Next week Gray, Murray and Mettenberg better be the only QB’s that play. Please don’t talk about this redshirt crap.
A Realist
October 31st, 2009
7:46 pm
I don’t know why so many Georgia fans are SO UPSET over the loss. Anyone with any football knowledge knew going into this game that Florida was definitely a better team.
Folks….take a chill pill!!!!
stendec
October 31st, 2009
7:47 pm
Ashamed and embarrassed to be a Georgia Bulldog football fan! Completely heartless display in Florida. Mark Bicht should be fired immediately for allowing the sacred SEC scoring record of Herschel Walker to travel southward! Millions of dollars for a breakeven mark? I personally would have this bunch at no worse than 5-3 for a fraction of the cost! Maybe one of those trucks he advertises will run over his a$$. Sorry no good son of a betch! Joe Cox? Not talented enough to start for a junior varsity football team. Never lost in high school? The untalented scumball is making up for it now! Plenty of losses for Dawgs. Rag arm moron! Totally unacceptable. I do not give a damn about uniform colors. If players have fire, heart and desire they can compete naked for all I care! Bums wearing black helmets this day were not true Bulldogs. Fire all the bestards! Revoke some scholarships. Do some damn thing! To Hell with this shet. ++STENDEC++ GO TECH!
Big Jon
October 31st, 2009
7:47 pm
it is not our standard to fire. we love loosing. mark,bozo, and willie are fine. we will end up given them a bonus.
Give UGA to Vick
October 31st, 2009
7:48 pm
Richt’s new plans for winning: wear ugly black (Grambling) helmets, leave SEC, and get accepted in league playing Morehouse, Clark, Hampton, Norfolk State, FAMU, & Grambling. Enjoy those chitlins for pre-game meals.
DONALD TRUMP
October 31st, 2009
7:48 pm
MARK
I SAID YOUR FIRED
Gamike
October 31st, 2009
7:48 pm
Play Murray now, whats the worst that could happen? another loss?? Seems to me we are pretty good at that. Tennessee Tech will score at least 13 points on this pathetic defense.
Doug
October 31st, 2009
7:49 pm
Chomp says dogs are dirty animals by nature. I suggest Chomp go swim with an alligator to see what a dirty animal is.