More buzz about Georgia-Florida and Jacksonville
While University of Florida president Bernie Machen apparently is ready to extend the contract to play the Georgia-Florida football game in Jacksonville, Georgia is not at that point, UGA athletics director Damon Evans said Tuesday.
Machen was quoted by the St. Petersburg Times as saying at Florida’s athletics board meeting Monday that he will meet soon with officials in Jacksonville and expects the game to remain there on an annual basis. Machen said he thinks Georgia is “leaning the same way we are” and the parties are “headed toward a meeting of the minds.”
Not so fast, Evans basically replied.
“We haven’t even sat down to have our internal meetings about that yet,” Evans said. “We will do that in the month of July.
“We have not made any decision. . . . It’s not a big surprise that they [Florida officials] want to keep the game there. I guess they were able to come to their decision a lot faster. I just want to look at it hard, and that’s what we’re going to do. And then come out with a decision and move forward.”
At Georgia’s athletics board meetings last month, UGA President Michael Adams said he had “no predisposition” about what to do with the game. But Adams also said: “The thing that has consistently driven me in that equation is all the folks in South Georgia who say this is their best chance to see a live game. . . . There are things we want yet out of the city of Jacksonville that can even the playing field a bit.” Then he said again: “There is no predisposition to doing anything.”
Evans said Tuesday that ”nothing has changed” on Georgia’s stance since his earlier comments that the school is open to all options — keeping the game in Jacksonville, moving it to the campuses or playing it occasionally in the Georgia Dome — after the current Jacksonville contract expires with the 2010 game. But Evans, like Adams, is on record as saying that moving the game from its traditional home in Jacksonville would not be a decision to be made lightly. The game has been played there for all but two years since 1933.
Machen was quoted this week as saying he wants to resolve some security issues with Jacksonville but “hopefully we will be able to sign an extension before the end of the summer.”
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230 comments Add your comment
Sugar Hill Dawg
June 25th, 2009
5:55 pm
My wife and I take off Wednesday after work, drive down to Daytona Beach, have an almost empty beach/resturants/hotels, etc. without the Duval County ripoff factored in. We drive up I – 95 to Jax the morning of the game, tailgate with UF and UGA fans, have an absolute blast before, during, and after the game (more fun after a UGA win), hit I – 95 to Savannah after the game, stay at the downtown Hyatt, then head back to north Gwinnett County, driveing through the small towns between Savannah and Athens along the way (I – 16 is too borning to drive). I think it would be a major error to move the game from Jacksonville – our fall revolves around that trip!
FLA DAWG
June 25th, 2009
7:17 pm
The Game will not be moved from Jax – though clearly there is an advantage for The Gators every year. Alternating between Jax & The Ga Dome would be great. UF will stomp us (and everyone else) this year anyway.
country boy
June 25th, 2009
7:35 pm
As I south Ga. Dawg fan I say leave the game in Jax. The biggest factor in Ga. struggling vs. Fla is NOT Jax. but the open dates prior to the game. Almost every year in this tough streak gators have an open date to prepare and heal while Dawgs have to play a game. Dumb Evans and dumber Adams need to be working on scheduling rather than running out of Jax.
4 jacks
June 25th, 2009
8:20 pm
It’s funny. Never heard the bulldog’s whine and complain when Dooley’s dogs pretty much owned the Gators. What are they going to complain and whine about when Urban keeps whipping them in Athen’s. The excuses should be amusing to say the least.
FL DAWG
June 25th, 2009
8:35 pm
Damon Evans is positioning himself for the negotiations. Evans should try to turn disadvantages into advantages. His first priority in the negotiations should be to have UF play the week prior to the game (go out on a limb and start with UF playing LSU the week prior), 2) in addition to UF playing the prior week, he should get the UGA schedule to have an off week prior to the game. 3) more money for UGA to offset travel expenses. 4) Night games, this would do lots of things for both UGA and UF. Not to mention the fans would like it a lot more if they are able to remember it. 5) Provide facilities for UGA to use earlier in the week to accelimate to the warmer weather. Evans should have a list a mile long. He may not get all of them, but negotiate hard and get all you can.
BurningRedBleedingBlack
June 26th, 2009
9:49 am
BUILD A STADIUM IN BRUNSWICK PLAY IT THERE, THATS HALF AND HALF FOR ME GIVE THEM LIZARDS A TASTE OF SOUTH GA
Michael Adams Sucks
June 26th, 2009
10:53 am
Why does Damon and MIchael Adams always want to screw up something thats not broken? If we were to play home and home, I bet Adams would get the game at 1:00 and not allow people to tailgate until 9;00. Who the hell wants to tailgate in downtown Atl? Atl sucks unless your a pimp, rapper, criminal, or a GT fan (few and far between). Leave the dang Ga Fla game alone and focus on how many more parking spots you can charge $2000 a season for. Or maybe you can get with the Watkinsville chamber of commerce and see ief the RV lot can be moved there. Michael Adams and Damon suck.
Michael Adams Sucks and so does Paul Johnson
June 26th, 2009
11:06 am
Kendawg how can you say forget tradition? Are you one of those oldtimers who wont stand up and yell for UGA and complain when others do? Without tradition we would be like GT. Wait, they have a tradition now, make a ring when they beat UGA. Talk about pathetic. Unfortunately, GT did beat UGA and honestly who couldnt have beaten UGA when they were tackling like a bunch amputees, but rest assured GT will be back to normal next season. Thats their other tradition, a coach comes in and wins a few games then jumps to another schcool only to suk there.
VOR
June 26th, 2009
12:16 pm
As far as the FANS…Some of you with the Atlanta-Jacksonville duo for neutral site games are hilarious. You do realize most Gator fans in Jacksonville don’t live anywhere near Gainesville?
Jacksonville is a border town that’s 20 minutes from the state of Georgia…the average Gator fan coming to the game is probably coming from SOUTH of Orlando…the commute time is probably about the same for UGA and UF fans. There are plenty of UGA fans that live within 4 or at most 5 hours of Jacksonville…the commute for south Florida UF fans is more than for Dawgs in Atlanta.
If the game got moved to Atlanta, besides the horrifically stale atmosphere, fewer seats, and crappy tailgating, There would be a commute of less than an hour or two. For the average Gator fan, you’re looking at 7 hours or more…
Right now, for the fans, it’s probably a 55-45 advantage in accessibility for UF…and Atlanta would be 95-5 for UGA. That’s absurd. Life isn’t perfect…suck it up and take it like a man…it never bothered the fans when UGA was winning all those years.
And the commute? For the UGA staff and team? Weak. Very weak. They get there two days before and make 4 longer trips every year. Why does UGA have the best ROAD record in the SEC over the past 7 or 8 years if travel is just so debilitating to the Dawgs?
The problem is UF is the better program. For now.
Work to get the bye weeks even/fair on a year in, year out basis. Make sure the state of Georgia gets its fair share of revenue from the game…fine. But this competitive advantage stuff is so, SO lame.
VOR
June 26th, 2009
12:19 pm
And everyone realizes that UF does NOT have a bye week before the UGA game in 2007, 2008 or 2009?
JaxDawg
June 26th, 2009
12:46 pm
Everyone needs to relax. Damon is using the THREAT of moving the game to strengthen his negotiating position with the City of Jax. Jacksonville cannot afford to lose the game, and Damon knows this.
Trust me the game WILL remain in Jax.
Dawgs On Top
June 26th, 2009
9:29 pm
Just move the game in the Ga home game years, and keep it in Jax during the Florida years! That way, at least Ga has a better chance of winning every other year. Also, Damon evans needs to tell the SEC that Ga wants an open date every year before that game, or he will order it moved for good! I’m tired of florida having all the advantages and ga losing almost every year and having to deal with all those drunken, obnoxious florida fans before and after the game!
Thunder Dawg
June 28th, 2009
10:00 pm
We went to the swamp the one time it was held there—Most miserable experience of our lives—The Ga-Dome also sucks—No tailgate–uncomfortable—overpriced hotels—The Atlanta Crowd-Metro-Dawg—is money hungry—they don’t give a damn about tradition—self serving
“Change-Freaks”—Dawgs have worked for years to build a relationship
in Jax and almost all of us “Traditional Dawgs” appreciate what the “rivalry” meant to us and our predesors—the Jax venue does need
tweaking—The Fair needs rescheduling—Damon needs to assert more influence on the bye-week issue—Dooley did and that made a heck of a difference—The tradition continues—Stay in Jax !
boston dawg
June 29th, 2009
2:45 pm
are you kidding me? why wouldn’t dawg fans want this game played in the dome at least once every 3 or 4 years if not every other? it’s a great tradition, sure, but i think it’s about time the uga athletic association shakes things up a bit. why not? it can only help our chances.
Daisy Mae
June 29th, 2009
8:00 pm
They will never move this game, so quit whinning. I didn’t hear a word from you dog fans in the 80’s when you were winning all the time. Your time is here to loose. Me and my husband the Vol Fan Darren John from Catersville Ga will be swimming once again in the ST. Johns
JenniferGO Dawgs
June 30th, 2009
11:27 am
Play it in Alabama or one year in the DOME and one year in JAX – VERY SIMPLE!!!!!!
JenniferGO Dawgs
June 30th, 2009
11:29 am
Our time is not here to LOSE, use your spell check! We are letting them catch up in the series, which WE still OWN! GO DOGS!!!!!!!
Dawg Man
June 30th, 2009
9:20 pm
Don’t move the game to the miserable georgia dome, with all the derelicts and crime in downtown atlanta. It’s too dangerous to walk around there before and after the game and the atlanta cops are the worst in the country. Keep the game either in Jax or move it home and home. Atlanta sucks big time—the worst “big” city I’ve ever been to.
JenniferGO Dawgs
July 1st, 2009
12:24 pm
If you are trying to keep it neutral I say ALABAMA. WHY? They both hate us. So who would they pull for and we would BOTH have to travel, OR, go back to home games.
But it obvious, Jacksonville, Hello, is in Florida and the travel time is not neutral nor is the state. I’m just saying……..
DawgManiac
July 1st, 2009
4:29 pm
Move the game from jacksonville ASAP! Florida has all the advantages there, Georgia none! Move the game to Athens every other year, and give florida only about 5,000 seats! That’s the only way UGA will start winning big in this series. In the other years, Georgia should still get half the seats, due to their drawing power and money! Damon evans needs to get this changed right away!
Shards is a moron
July 2nd, 2009
8:11 am
And how many National Championships does UGA have Shards? Thats right, 1. Compared to GT’s 4. Tech has more history and tradition than you Rednecks can shake a stick from those hedges at. Don’t get me started. For you to hate Tech so much you sure do know your history. It’s not Dodd’s fault he couldn’t find a good replacement lol.The wishbone will not die, if anything it has been resurrected.GET A LIFE SON! It will take more than PJ to help Notre Dame, they need divine intervention!
fat gator
July 2nd, 2009
3:05 pm
they could play the game on the moon and it would be 0-0 b/c you cant play football there
DawgManiac
July 3rd, 2009
10:01 am
I’m tired of losing to florida every year. Georgia needs to move the game to Athens one year and Atlanta the next year. If florida doesn’t like it, too bad! Damon evans can threaten to cancel the series entirely if Florida doesn’t do what georgia wants!
chris o bomb
July 4th, 2009
2:05 pm
uga is as smart as the uga. they will continue to lose there, and will not even try to make a two out of six years at the dome. and the outcome will be, yes you can still get dumber over the years. nevertheless… watch out for c. king this year with green getting the attention on the field. king and b. smith will have a great year. twhg!
StuDawg
July 7th, 2009
10:57 am
F Jacksonville! I am sick and tired of losing to Florida! The only fair thing to do if some people want to keep it there is to have it in the GDome every other year! I just dont get why Dawg fans want to go down to Jville and see us get our a$$ beat year in and year out! Do you care at all who wins these games or do you just want to go party? That place is filthy anyway, never seen so much white trash in all my life. I for one am boycotting all future games in Jacksonville, at least until we start having the game in the State of Georgia every now and then for GODS sake!
Island Dawg
July 8th, 2009
6:12 pm
So this is a work-related concern, Richie? BTW, how much do you contribute annually to GEEF (Google it)? Sorry, just a misinformed fan who can recognize tradition and knows location has nada to do with UF’s recent domination
Island Dawg
July 8th, 2009
6:13 pm
Play it in Alabama? LOFL!
DC Dawg
July 24th, 2009
3:23 pm
Let’s not forget that these are public institutions. Why does a FL city get to reap financial rewards every year when a GA school is also involved? It wouldn’t hurt the GA economy to host this game every other year.
LoelGator
July 27th, 2009
5:04 pm
Spurrier himself called it a home game for Florida. Just get over the tradition and play it like another rival does. In this case, Jacksonville one year and Georgia Dome the next.. It is absolutely not a level playing field with the Jacksonville set up.
Daversion
August 2nd, 2009
10:05 am
Just for the record – what is the overall record ga/fla in jax? I doubt the location has a real effect on the outcome. What is the fla record vs ga when they have the prior week off? what is the record when they don’t? Of 3 factors, who has the best team, who has the week off to get ready, and where it’s played, I’m sure the location is the least important.