Bulldogs pass on chance to wear Nike Pro Combat uniforms again
NOTE: These are just my notes from Wednesday’s practice but I thought folks might want to comment on Georgia’s uniform situation. . . .
ATHENS – Georgia coach Mark Richt made a promise to his players before playing Boise State in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. If they made it back to the Georgia Dome as SEC Eastern Division champions, he told them then, they could wear their Nike Pro Combat uniforms in the SEC Championship game.
Thankfully, he said on Wednesday, the Bulldogs did not hold him to his promise.
“A couple of them actually said, ‘don’t do it, Coach,” Richt said with a grin.
As a result, “Georgia are red with silver britches,” Richt said following Georgia’s last full-contact workout on Wednesday. “No Pro Combats. Nobody even asked me.”
Georgia hasn’t performed well in recent years when it deviated from its traditional uniform of red helmets, red jerseys and silver pants. They lost to No. 5 Boise State 35-21 while wearing the all-red Pro Combat uniforms on Sept. 3; they lost 41-17 wearing black helmets against Florida in 2009; and they lost 41-30 wearing black jerseys against Alabama in 2008.
LSU is the home team in the SEC title game this year but chose to wear its traditional home white jerseys. That allowed Georgia to don its home red.
Richt did say one unnamed player asked about the possibility of wearing the black jerseys. But he quickly dismissed the notion.
“They think you can snap your finger and get a bunch of brand new jerseys,” Richt said. “That has to be planned out.”
But the Pro Combats remain at the ready.
“They thought were cool,” Richt said of the tight-fitting, mostly-red-and-some-silver ensemble. “I thought that’d be a nice incentive. As it turned out it wasn’t much of an incentive.”
‘As the Tailbacks Turn’
Either Richt is just tired of discussing the subject or there has been a new development in the weekly saga that is Georgia’s tailback rotation. Whatever the case, the previously jovial Richt turned positively dour when he was asked to update the situation Wednesday.
“I don’t want to talk about tailbacks,” Richt said. “I really don’t. Let’s just talk about something else. I was really in a good mood and then you had to ask that. . . . No more tailback questions until after the game.”
Twice-suspended, often-injured starter Isaiah Crowell is trying to make it back from a sprained left ankle the sidelined him for the regular-season finale against Georgia Tech. The Bulldogs also have held out hope that backup Richard Samuel could come back this week from Nov. 1 ankle surgery. Two other tailbacks have been subjected to suspensions and four different tailbacks have started this season.
“I don’t blame you for asking really but I don’t have any good answers,” Richt said, “so I’m just not going to answer it.”
Still hope for Tyson
DeAngelo Tyson (ankle) did not practice on Tuesday but Richt said the Bulldogs’ starting defensive end has “got a chance” to play on Saturday.
“Tomorrow we’ll see how much he’s progressed,” Richt said. “There’s a possibility he’ll get practice reps tomorrow, depending on how he starts out and warms up and that kind of thing.”
‘Honey Badger’ speaks
Most of the interview opportunities for LSU players had expired before word of Georgia’s defensive confidence had fully infiltrated the Tigers’ camp. But cornerback Tyrann Mathieu, better known as “Honey Badger,” did talk to the Gannett News Service about it.
Of the assertion by Georgia’s Jarvis Jones that the Bulldogs’ defense was as good if not better than LSU’s, Mathieu said: “He may have a point. I know those guys are going to go out there and play hard, and I’m sure he’s going to play extra hard.”
Known himself as a bit of a bulletin-board tweeter, Mathieu was asked why he did not respond to Jones via Twitter. “It was extremely tough not to,” he said. “But I’ve got to keep my team first.”
Few injuries for LSU
LSU starting free safety Eric Reid (thigh) and backup tailback Alfred Blue (ankle) are expected to be ready after missing the Arkansas game. Starting defensive tackle Michael Brockers (knee) is also expected to play. He played hurt last week.
Practice update
Georgia practiced for two hours in full pads Wednesday on another extremely cold day.
“The colder it is the faster they practice,” Richt said with a laugh. “There is more incentive to stay warm, so they move around quicker. Even when it’s time for a break they’re like, ‘let’s skip the break and go on to the next period.’”
The Bulldogs’ practice ended with temperatures in the low 40s. It was a relatively balmy 60 in Baton Rouge on Wednesday with Thursday expecting to reach 66. Of course, Saturday’s game will be played in 70-degree temperatures inside the Georgia Dome.
Richt said practicing in such cold conditions “could be” an issue for the Bulldogs.
“It will be warm in there,” he said of the Dome. “It was warm last time we were in there and it’ll be humid. I have seen guys cramp up in the Dome before because it does get warm. I can’t imagine it not heating up with all the fans in there.”
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562 comments Add your comment
Old Dawg
December 1st, 2011
6:56 am
I’m sure glad we have Mark Richt and Todd Grantham… could you imagine being stuck with Crazy Will Muschamp D.C. ( not H.C. ) who took Texas down and obese Charlie Weis.. fired as worst N.D. coach ever ???
GDAWG65
December 1st, 2011
6:57 am
Those Nike Combat Uniforms look like trashy Arena football gear. Thankful we are wearing our best, red jerseys and silver britches!
GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Stanton
December 1st, 2011
6:58 am
I’m such a gay tard.
Destin Dawg
December 1st, 2011
7:00 am
UGA 31 LSU 28
Corn Dawg
December 1st, 2011
7:04 am
I love the smell of Corn Dawgs in the morning.
Very proud of them Dawgs
December 1st, 2011
7:07 am
I am pleased with CMR this year .His entire coaching staff has did it the Georgia way. I doubt CMR wound have allowed Murray to kick and beat a member of our armed forces and re-instate him back on the team.
Roger
December 1st, 2011
7:10 am
Richt needs to stop this pandering to a bunch of kids. Don’t say ““They think you can snap your finger and get a bunch of brand new jerseys, that has to be planned out.”
Tell them that Bulldogs wear Bulldog uniforms, not every piece of crap Nike wants to run up the flagpole to sell more jerseys. Suggest that if they want to wear clown uniforms, they should have enrolled at Oregon.
AltamahaDawg
December 1st, 2011
7:15 am
Not a big fan of those Nike unis. BUT for pure asthetic reasons. I like our traditional unis, and I think they simply look good, and our fans are emotionally attached to them.
But what I don’t get is this argument that somehow it matters as far as the football field. The more people argue that we need to wear the traditional color scheme, because somehow that specific combination of colors and materials is how they will just make the plays, contradicts the idea that wearing some different combination of the same colors is just a gimmic. They also lost plenty in the
AltamahaDawg
December 1st, 2011
7:16 am
old unis too, and the pants weren’t the problem.
AltamahaDawg
December 1st, 2011
7:23 am
The comment about “snap your finger” was about getting Black Jerseys (which I would believe the majority of UGA fans like and consider them very much a Bulldog uniform) on short notice. Nothing to do with the pro combat. The article just said the players didn’t want to wear those.
GOP_Advisor
December 1st, 2011
7:30 am
It’s really pretty simple AltamahaDawg.
When you don’t have the talent to compete, then you have to rely upon your belief in magic to justify your continued participation in the contest. After all, the reality-based world is boring.
Corn Dawg
December 1st, 2011
7:33 am
Ain’t nothing boring about the Corn Dawg Bowl.
4 Cokes
4 Corn Dawgs
4 Tickets
Y’all Come!
ban anyone who doesn't say a guy with 40 % of his games, LOST as Starting QB is great
December 1st, 2011
7:37 am
Pretty sad stats too of 7 rushes per game for 25 games, 10 lost now, for only 1 yard a carry with 10 fumbles this year, and 9 fumbles last year with 24 sacks BOTH YEARS, a total of 48 sacks in 25 games.
Hey Jordan Jefferson !! Shady's bar here
December 1st, 2011
7:37 am
I know this game will be a little tougher for you because we know how you love to literally kick & punch members of or armed forces in the face while they are being held down.
ban anyone who doesn't say a guy with 40 % of his games, LOST as Starting QB is great
December 1st, 2011
7:38 am
Enter your comments here
Aaron Murray
December 1st, 2011
7:38 am
7 rushes per game for 25 games, 10 lost now, for only 1 yard a carry with 10 fumbles this year, and 9 fumbles last year with 24 sacks BOTH YEARS, a total of 48 times sacked in 25 games.
@ Nick
December 1st, 2011
7:45 am
The one thing that does scare Alabama is a N.C.A.A. investigation into the football program. How many times has Alabama been investigated or put on probation?? Even the N.C.A.A. has labeled this program a repeat and constant violator of the rules.
Hopelessly Devoted
December 1st, 2011
7:46 am
Murray’s just been sandbagging. This whole season was designed to lull those West Division teams that we didn’t play into thinking we’re still mediocre.
Like all great superstar quarterbacks, Murray has saved his best game for LSU. Y’all are gonna be shocked when AM racks up 200 yards rushing and 300 yards passing against that lousy LSWho? defense. Y’all ain’t beat nobody. UGA’s offense is 100 times better than that lousy Bama team, and we’ve got the Junkyard Dawg D. You can’t touch dis.
GATA!!!
Cousin Curtis
December 1st, 2011
7:51 am
Why are the players deciding anyway? They already made a decision – to play at UGA where the unifroms are what they are and are not to be messed with.
Cousin Curtis
December 1st, 2011
7:53 am
“unifrom” = uniform’s gay uncle.
Aaron Murray
December 1st, 2011
7:54 am
A 6-7 season ?
He was 6-7 for the worst year in UGA football in many years. 58 years you have to go back in UGA football to find an UGA team who lost more than 7 games.
This season, he is 0-2 vs the 2 teams who are ranked today. Fixing to be 0-3. Last year, he was 0-5.
45 TD Passes vs 19 teams record of 86-122, none finished top 25
11 TD Passes vs 7 teams record of 73-18, all finished top 25 all lost
48 sacks of Aaron Murray 25 games holds ball too long
19 fumbles in 25 games Aaron Murray
18 interceptons 25 games Aaron Murray
1 yard per rush on 7 rushing attempts per game
Lost 40 percent of his games to-date in his career.
Lost every game every team finishing top 25 in his career.
80 % of his TD Passes came against teams not 1 of which ended the season in any top 25 of any poll.
Only 20 % of this TD vs the teams who ended up in the top ranked teams, lost every one.
Consistently inconsistent.
Slow.
Small.
Holds ball too long.
Prefers make OL look bad taking sacks than throw ball away.
Doesn’t want to ruin his passing percentage, which of course, if you add in his 48 sacks as an incomplete pass a proper QB would have done instead of holding the ball too long, his pass completion ratio for his career is only
411 completions out of 721 attempts only 57 percent completions career.
#occupy my desk...
December 1st, 2011
7:54 am
Please Nike, PLEASE stay away from college football uniforms. This might work for Boise and TCU but the SEC doesn’t have to resort to gimmicks.
Hopelessly Devoted
December 1st, 2011
7:57 am
The NCAA is just biased against the Dawgs. Just like the SEC and ESPN.
We’d win the NC every year if it wasn’t for all of the jealous haters holding us back!
1969 Graduate
December 1st, 2011
8:00 am
Reading that the players have no interest in the Ghetto Ranger Nike Garbage uniforms is one of the best signs of their progress towards maturity.
What I’ve read recently concerning our AD, our head coach, and our players indicates a turn around in University of Georgia football. I believe we may have a really good AD, who expects, and demands a football program better than the mediocre.
If so, win or lose we’re on the right track. If so, we’ll win a whole lot more consistently. If so, we’ll have a lot more of that essential ingredient for team sports – discipline – and we’ll have a shot at being prepared to win the big games.
I’m feeling pretty good about this Georgia team.
Will we win Saturday? Maybe we will.
(Raise your hand if you think the BCS is managed by the Atlanta School System.)
Go, Bulldogs!
Mark Richt LIED to us about Power Rangers uniform telling us the PLAYERS LOVED THEM. Remember ? Chip Towers ran the article and you guys everyone of you bought into it.
December 1st, 2011
8:03 am
Now, YOU’LL get the truth.
I told you at the time.
The players DO NOT LOVE THAT stupid CLOWN UNIFORM.
Horrible looking uni.
The players even said THANK YOU MARK RICHT FOR NOT MAKING US WHERE THEM AGAINST LSU.
So, which is it ?
The players LOVE the power ranger CLOWN OUTFITS as Chip Towers told us all he said to him, and he bought and you bought, all of you.
Or, the players in fact HATE THEM and would not wear them if you let them have their own say ?
Must be 1 or the other, right ?
Kirby Smart
December 1st, 2011
8:07 am
Regardless, without me….UGA will remain a 2nd tier SEC team.
I am the greatest. I call the shots here … not Nick Saban.
whoz53
December 1st, 2011
8:08 am
Go You Silver Britches!
Kirby Smart
December 1st, 2011
8:08 am
Considering the way UGA played Boise State, maybe they should wear dresses.
BOB CRATCHET
December 1st, 2011
8:14 am
DOES NOT MATTER WHAT THERE WEAR, THERE ARE STILL WILL BE LOSER!
geez
December 1st, 2011
8:15 am
would have been nice to put a picture of the combat uniforms with the article…
LSU Tiger Man
December 1st, 2011
8:16 am
Do any of you clowns think the uniforms will make a difference? UGA does not belong on the field with us.
We should be playing Alabama again…and we would kick them this time!
Old Dawg Fan
December 1st, 2011
8:17 am
Go you Silver Britches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Underdogs to Wonderdogs!!!!!!!!!!! What an emotional ride this year. Never count the Bulldogs out. We might be playing the best team in the nation but we have a shot,
Rodster
December 1st, 2011
8:18 am
Good call on wearing the traditional uniforms UGA! Go DAWGS!
Yellow Jacket 89
December 1st, 2011
8:18 am
Is this blog still reserved for unemployed, homely, losers that live in their parents basement?
Oh, that’s right…we are talking about UGA.
Justin-again
December 1st, 2011
8:18 am
How Yall are…I am just fine. Those little boys from Baattoooon Rouge from that there little school called L U S are gonna go home crying on Saturday. I GUAAAARRRTEEE it. That comes from on high….
UGAfan
December 1st, 2011
8:19 am
Impressed with Tyrann Mathieu, let his?LSU’s play speak for them. I am sure UGA will answer the call. Thank Goodness we are playing in OUR uniforms, not ones borrowed from Nike.
Kirby Smart
December 1st, 2011
8:20 am
The top 29 NCAA Div 1 teams in terms of all-time major NCAA infractions cases:
1) Arizona St
Wisconsin
2) SMU
3) Auburn
4) Minnesota
5) Oklahoma
6) Texas A & M
7) Wichita St
9) Cal
10)Florida St
11)Georgia
Source: ncaa.org (NCAA Legislative Database of major infractions)
chax
December 1st, 2011
8:21 am
LOL its not going to matter if the Dawgs have steel body armour on, LSU is going to run roughshod over them the all day. If you are sitting around on a thursday morning talking about uniforms and feelings, dont bother to show up. A team can wear panties and bras if they can straight out play the game head to head. Just wouldnt matter, obviously it does in Athens…pitiful
Don
December 1st, 2011
8:22 am
Dawgs will need a bigger gimmick than slick unis to handle the TIGERS – Hell’s coming to Atlanta Saturday with out Sherman who was LSU’s first President in 1860
Hopelessly Devoted
December 1st, 2011
8:24 am
@LSU Tiger Man
It’s the shock and awe that will get you. CMR is pretending that we’ll wear the plain old unis, and we will – when we come out for warm-ups. But then, right before the kickoff, we’re gonna storm the field and stomp on the SEC logo while we strip off those old Red and Silver unis and you guys will be facing a Blackout!
That’s what makes CMR such a great coach. He always has a gimmick to catch the opponents off-guard. Your coach just chews on grass. You can’t beat anybody just by chewing on grass, you big dummies!
UGA 100 – LSU 0
GATA!!!
Eaassyy
December 1st, 2011
8:27 am
Mark Richt LIED to us about Power Rangers uniform telling us the PLAYERS LOVED THEM. Remember ? Chip Towers ran the article and you guys everyone of you bought into it.
December 1st, 2011
8:03 am
Now, YOU’LL get the truth.
I told you at the time.
The players DO NOT LOVE THAT stupid CLOWN UNIFORM.
Horrible looking uni.
The players even said THANK YOU MARK RICHT FOR NOT MAKING US WHERE THEM AGAINST LSU.
So, which is it ?
The players LOVE the power ranger CLOWN OUTFITS as Chip Towers told us all he said to him, and he bought and you bought, all of you.
Or, the players in fact HATE THEM and would not wear them if you let them have their own say ?
Must be 1 or the other, right
How’s it hanging BullDawg/Thomas Brown?
Cuz
December 1st, 2011
8:28 am
Just so long as they do not “Transform” before the kickoff.
Classy response by Honey Badger.
McDawg
December 1st, 2011
8:29 am
Malcome can carry the load-just hold on to the ball
Cuz
December 1st, 2011
8:30 am
Easy, Eaassyy.
Cuz
December 1st, 2011
8:31 am
Boo can do it spelled by Harton. Put some stick-em on their gloves.
You'd think if they turned on all the fans in the Dome, that it would be colder, not warmer.
December 1st, 2011
8:31 am
Not having an indoor practice facility, once again, is a problem for The UGA Bulldogs’ Football Program, stymied on this by Red Panties’ Athletics’ Director Damon Evans – who repeatedly stated with the 2nd most profits of any in the nation, that we would not be building an Indoor Practice Facility like the top football programs until and unless we had all the monies for it, in-hand, cash up front. This despite the fact that all of America, in fact, borrows on Real Estate, and writes off the interest building the value and net worth while at the same time, not putting our players at a disadvantage.
Rain is frequently an issue in Athens with practices and now cold becomes a competitive disadvantage when LSU players practice in the same exact conditions of the Georgia Dome while we practice in 30 something degree outside bitter cold high wind conditions, not at all like the near 70 degree temperature they will in fact play the game in.
Recall too that last time we played at the Dome me wasting my monies on a Bust Boise Jersey I wasted $ 20 bucks on, that our players simply could not even STAND UP, unprepared for that turf and their shoes, yet The SEC Championship Game I went to with my Dad with Alabama playing Florida in that venue was in 1994. Florida edged Alabama that year. Won’t be any edging this year.
The entire Mark Richt 11-year era, the only SEC Championship Game Winner to go on to lose their Bowl Game, was Mark Richt in 2005.
December 1st, 2011
8:43 am
Every single SEC Championship Game Winner, the entire Mark Richt era 2001-present, has gone on to Win their Bowl Game, except for Mark Richt in 2005. That was The Sugar Bowl Game at the Georgia Dome, I went to and of course, that never happened that a Sugar Bowl Game was played at the Georgia Dome, according to TampaDawg
Paul Harvey Page Two :
TampaDawg : “Since when did the Sugar Bowl Game ever get played at the Georgia Dome.”
DC
December 1st, 2011
8:48 am
I find it extremely hilarious that most of the people commenting are talking about jerseys…
1. The black jerseys did not make you all lose that bad…the better team did that..
2. Superstitious much?
The real comments that should be talked about is the RB issue…that seems to be a big deal and from those quotes its a huge deal…chip just put it in the middle to soften the blow of it…
If you all dont have a solid running game saturday..its not going to be pretty.
It ain't going to be pretty anyway.
December 1st, 2011
8:51 am
We haven’t had any running backs all year in this pass-happy offense of Mark Richt which has averaged the # 52 Total Offense all 11 years of the Mark Richt era.
01-TB Isaiah Crowell Freshman couldn’t hide 2nd suspension
02-TB Carlton Thomas – 3rd suspension again for 4 games
03-TB Boo Malcome – recruited here injured, Suspension too
04-TB Washaun Ealey – Jr. – Transferred to Jacksonville State
05-TB Dontavius Jackson – would be RJr transferred to UAB
06-TB Caleb King – would have been senior 2011, flunked out
07-TB Richard Samuel – ankle surgery Thursday after Florida
LSUTigerinATL
December 1st, 2011
8:52 am
They could wear superman capes and it wouldn’t help them win! Lsu by 30!! GEAUX TIGERS