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
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
3:59 pm
So wide open he dropped the ball.
But, as Tim Tucker just said, he bobbled it three times and there still wasn’t a defender near.
mash a bug
October 31st, 2009
4:00 pm
maybe its some high school team playing for georgia right now…..I heard the ga players were still in the locker room…
farleydawg79
October 31st, 2009
4:00 pm
our secondary looks like a garbage pickers on the side of the road….quit bitting….
Mike
October 31st, 2009
4:00 pm
Was that Chipper Jones they just showed on TV?
Terd Feurgusson
October 31st, 2009
4:00 pm
Is that the Chicken Bowl out here in East Hall?
No More
October 31st, 2009
4:00 pm
Martinez has to go
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
4:00 pm
Five to go. Third down. Tebow keep?
Old School
October 31st, 2009
4:00 pm
Hey No More, I betg Brandon James is part of The Conspiracy. Mike Slive paid him off before the game.
mash a bug
October 31st, 2009
4:00 pm
oh well, we can retire the black hats after this game
High school defense
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
You may call Gt’s offense, high school. Whatever. But your D definitely looks like a high school defense.
mike f
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Black helmets, black pants, I’m changing channels to watch Michigan and Illinois, the gimmick jerseys and gimmick helmets are like some Division II school hoping for some stroke of divine intervention. Let me know when UGA quits the FSU gimmicks and I’ll start watching again.
mike f
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Black helmets, black pants, I’m changing channels to watch Michigan and Illinois, the gimmick jerseys and gimmick helmets are like some Division II school hoping for some stroke of divine intervention. Let me know when UGA quits the FSU gimmicks and I’ll start watching again.
Bone
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
LOL Damn UGA sucks. How is your punter the best player on your team? lmao
mike f
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Black helmets, black pants, I’m changing channels to watch Michigan and Illinois, the gimmick jerseys and gimmick helmets are like some Division II school hoping for some stroke of divine intervention. Let me know when UGA quits the FSU gimmicks and I’ll start watching again.
farleydawg79
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
actually hit some one before they get the first down…quit playing scared….
Dawg Nation 09
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Georgia doesn’t know how to tackle in this game so far.
Terd Feurgusson
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
OMG…..are the cheerleaders playing? They look like a bunch of pansies
mike f
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Black helmets, black pants, I’m changing channels to watch Michigan and Illinois, the gimmick jerseys and gimmick helmets are like some Division II school hoping for some stroke of divine intervention. Let me know when UGA quits the FSU gimmicks and I’ll start watching again.
JB
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Blue,
Read everyone’s comments. No one is going to be doing any trash talking today.
If you’re looking to get into it with Georgia fans, you’re in for a long day as well. Just enjoy your game.
GaCFB
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
practice field or game field I’m betting the last time Georgia saw a football field was the game against Vandy. As soon as that game ended MR must have said “get two weeks of rest and I’ll see yall in Florida”
0 preparation for this game and it’s showing, big time.
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Wasn’t a draw, but it was a keep. And a six-yard gain.
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Wasn’t a draw, but it was a keep. And a six-yard gain.
mike f
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Black helmets, black pants, I’m changing channels to watch Michigan and Illinois, the gimmick jerseys and gimmick helmets are like some Division II school hoping for some stroke of divine intervention. Let me know when UGA quits the FSU gimmicks and I’ll start watching again.
TXDawg
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Seems like most of Tebow’s passes are quick throws….why not play up a little bit.
And what’s up with passing on the free shots on the Tebow run….hit him man, hit him!!
mike f
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Black helmets, black pants, I’m changing channels to watch Michigan and Illinois, the gimmick jerseys and gimmick helmets are like some Division II school hoping for some stroke of divine intervention. Let me know when UGA quits the FSU gimmicks and I’ll start watching again.
dawgfan13
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Wide open! and number 3 from Georgia is jumping around like he made a play. Its funny laughing at this Georgia defense. they get happy when the other team screws up!
Mike
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Anybody recall one single play Bryan Evans has made all year?
That’s what I thought.
Blue
October 31st, 2009
4:01 pm
Hey there, Dawgs…have a little dose of Tebow on that third and five. NICE tackling. I bet you can’t wait until he is GONE next year.
uga89
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
When do we get to go back to the locker room and play more dress up, Coach?
falcon21
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
Get off of MR, the players wanted to wear black helmets.
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
Demps is quick.
Blue
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
Dawgfan: good call on last post.
Jim Doggg Wallace
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
we gotta stop that mess …
W&Ws
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
penalties AND missed tackles AND blown coverage
jerry
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
Just wait until it’s 35-0. Some Dawg will make a tackle and go into a “look at me strut”.
FLA DAWG
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
Excuse me but the last time The Dawgs were in Black (or Semi Black in this case) Bama blew us off the field……………………….”It’s dejavu all over again!”
Are we bad or what!?
Wont Jones
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
This contain defense seems to be going the job for only allowing 5-7 yards per play.
evilnanook
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
Our defense has a bunch of Pu$$13$ on it…. My God, it looks like they are AFRAID to tackle Tebow, or Any of the Florida players.
Terd Feurgusson
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
We need to play back a little more….
dawgfan13
October 31st, 2009
4:02 pm
Third down and three miss tackles. I am turning to the Miami game I cant watch this crap.
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
Not to sound like Mr. Munson, but Florida is so much faster.
Touchdown.
Gordon
October 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
Looks like UF made good use of that extra week off. Oh, that was UGA.
TXDawg
October 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
That one will be reviewed
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
Cooper. Boykin covered him.
Ryan
October 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
Mark Bradley
October 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
Being reviewed.
ABBA DAWG
October 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
WATERLOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! 56 – 13 Gators!!!!!!!! Take that blind homers!!!!!!!
uga89
October 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
Wait, they scored again? I was thinking silver helmets and red pants for the 3rd quarter.
kenston
October 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
Looks like the Dogs care more about fashion than football fundementals.
Mike
October 31st, 2009
4:03 pm
Of course the review will still call it a td even if it isn’t.