That famous jokester Nick Saban leaves Mark Richt in stitches Friday. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
At the SEC Coaches’ Luncheon at the Hyatt on Friday, emcee Dave Neal asked Nick Saban if it was easier to keep a team motivated as a favorite, or if being an underdog was preferable. Whereupon Mark Richt said, “What does he know about being an underdog?”
Saban’s Crimson Tide is favored today by eight points over Richt’s Bulldogs, but an awful lot of folks — this correspondent included — are picking Georgia. Still, this matchup couldn’t have caught Saban unaware.
“Last summer I was at the lake (Burton, where every big-name college football coach has a summer house) and I was fooling around in the yard, and two guys rode up on JetSkis,” Saban told Richt at the luncheon. “One of them was your quarterback Aaron Murray and the other was your center (David Andrews). And they said, ‘We’ll see you in the SEC championship game.’ ”
And here both teams are, Alabama ranked No. 2 to Georgia’s No. 2, Alabama favored but not nearly a lock, Georgia trying to seize its biggest football moment in three decades. But you knew all that already. So enough of me talking.
I’ll be here until someone is the 2012 SEC champ, and I’d appreciate it if you’d join the fun and frolic. And I thank you, as ever, in advance.
By Mark Bradley
2,729 comments Add your comment
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2012
4:19 pm
Murray forced to scramble. Gets three.
Roy
December 1st, 2012
4:19 pm
Damn, O-line got blew up on that play
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
4:19 pm
Nice protection dogs
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2012
4:19 pm
Third and 2 after TG run. Dogs in no huddle
rivercard
December 1st, 2012
4:19 pm
Buckhead Bulldawg – Couldn’t agree more about the lighting
phil
December 1st, 2012
4:20 pm
Pathetic….
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2012
4:20 pm
Murray misses Conley in the right flat. He was covered, too
Diggitydawg
December 1st, 2012
4:20 pm
Bad throw
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
4:20 pm
three and out dogs
playmeortrademe
December 1st, 2012
4:20 pm
terrible first possession
Roy
December 1st, 2012
4:20 pm
There goes the Murray we all know…put it on him Murray! Give your guy a chance! I think I would have ran Gurley again on 3rd and 2.
T-Dawg
December 1st, 2012
4:20 pm
Looks like we have “crappy” Murray today.
dean
December 1st, 2012
4:20 pm
Robert, I was in Saints country Thursday night. They were remarkably civil to me.
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
4:21 pm
Hey Bradley, send us a pic from your vantage point
Jimmy
December 1st, 2012
4:21 pm
Murray was off on that pass.
Come on Murray.
You can do this!
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2012
4:21 pm
Good punt. Good roll. Bama starts at its 19.
Tide Rising
December 1st, 2012
4:21 pm
3 and out. I noticed we got pressure on Murray on their very first pass play. Not good for the dawgs. Good punt though
phil
December 1st, 2012
4:21 pm
Murray is terrified….again.
Arrrrrghhhhhhhhh!
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
4:21 pm
Murray being Murray.
He sliced his first short iron.
Diggitydawg
December 1st, 2012
4:22 pm
A to would be good on this series
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2012
4:22 pm
I’m at the 49 yard line. My vantage point is pretty much what you see on the TV wide shot
Jimmy
December 1st, 2012
4:22 pm
I think Murray overthinks.
He’s got to let it go and just play football.
Use your natural gifts.
Decatur Joe
December 1st, 2012
4:22 pm
Damn, give him a chance
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
4:22 pm
Hey Murray, phone’s for you. It’s Doubt calling.
Tide Rising
December 1st, 2012
4:22 pm
Its very early but Murray already looks rattled. Immediate pressure and then a bad pass.
phil
December 1st, 2012
4:22 pm
No, Jimmy, he can’t do this.
The others will have to do this, namely the defense.
00mpa L00mpa dawg
December 1st, 2012
4:22 pm
Murray is already skeered……
Roy
December 1st, 2012
4:23 pm
Murray needs to calm down. You can tell by looking at his face he’s nervous. Just calm down buddy and do your job. Play football. Your team is behind you. Just play football.
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
4:23 pm
Is tom brown in the upper deck nosebleed?
T-Dawg
December 1st, 2012
4:23 pm
We had three guys blocking one guy…..and they still couldn’t stop him.
Joey
December 1st, 2012
4:23 pm
Come on Murray – you had time to look at a couple other receivers. Bobo should do some TE hook routes to get him settled.
Stationary targets.
Al Bundy
December 1st, 2012
4:24 pm
Roll Tide Roll
phil
December 1st, 2012
4:24 pm
Uh oh…..
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2012
4:24 pm
Lacy tough run for nine.
T-Dawg
December 1st, 2012
4:24 pm
This is going to be a LONG game.
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2012
4:24 pm
Lacy for seven. Ran wide right
rivercard
December 1st, 2012
4:24 pm
Now is that so hard Bama ? run right at them. They have no answer for that.
Roy
December 1st, 2012
4:24 pm
Damn they are running through our defense. That’s what UGA needs to do. Stick with running the ball.
Tide Rising
December 1st, 2012
4:25 pm
Gashed that soft dog interior. If you can’t stop our power running game you are in TROUBLE.
Buckeye
December 1st, 2012
4:25 pm
Looks like Caleb KIng vs. Wesleyan
dean
December 1st, 2012
4:25 pm
Rambo!
phil
December 1st, 2012
4:25 pm
Rambo!!!
Roy
December 1st, 2012
4:25 pm
Great hit Rambo!
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2012
4:25 pm
Rambo breaks up the pass with a solid hit. Off play-action.
Jimmy
December 1st, 2012
4:25 pm
This does not bode well…if Bama can run for first downs.
Better hope we stiffen on run D
There was a major hold on the pass rush.
Mark Bradley
December 1st, 2012
4:26 pm
Another screen read. Third and five
Buh bye to the dwags
December 1st, 2012
4:26 pm
Tide 42, Leghumpers 3
phil
December 1st, 2012
4:26 pm
You Bama fans can kiss it!
Tide Rising
December 1st, 2012
4:26 pm
wtf? We start passing after gashing their interior. Geez.
rivercard
December 1st, 2012
4:26 pm
Saban might not be as smart as I think. If they pass more than 5 more times this game he should resign in shame.