All Bulldogs present, accounted for in Tampa for Outback Bowl
Greetings from Tampa. Or, more accurately, Indian Rocks Beach. That’s where I’m staying this week.
Brought the fam and found a great deal on a condo on this little strip of beach just south of Clearwater and Sand Key. So while I’m shuffling between football practices and news conferences and luncheons covering the Bulldogs this week, at least my wife and son can enjoy some sand and surf.
Getting here was no small task. I don’t know how many Georgia fans are making the hike down here — the Bulldogs sold out of their 12,500-ticket allotment and many more are supposedy coming in addition — but if you’re driving, be sure to allow yourself some extra time. I left mid-morning Monday and, , including a stop for gas and one short stop for a quick meal, it took us 10 hours to get here. Normally it should take 7 or 8. About the time I saw my first column of brake lights I remembered an old vow to never travel the day after Christmas.
Construction along I-75 in South Georgia — hasn’t that been going on for like 30 years now? — exacerbated the situation. That and the uncanny knack of people to run their cars into the back of others. I saw it happen three times myself. So if you’re driving I’d humbly suggest leaving really early in the morning or late at night. That, or just do what I usually do — fly here.
Anyway, as a result of the unanticipated delays, I didn’t make it to A La Carte Pavilion for the “Outback Steakhouse Team Welcome Dinner” for both the Bulldogs and Michigan State Spartans. My chief reason for wanting to make that was to find out if all the players showed up. Invariably there are some stragglers or academic casualties for bowl games.
But I spoke on the phone to UGA Sports Communication associate Steve Colquitt and he assured me that everybody showed up on time except for one unnamed player who got sick on the way down (he had to stop but is expected later). Otherwise everybody is expected to be present and accounted for.
If you want more details, my pal Gentry Estes, clearly a more proficient traveler, made it for Monday evening’s festivities and filed this report at Dawgs247.com. He reports that head coach Mark Richt said that all players maintained their eligibility for this year’s bowl, a marked improvement over last year when there were three academic casualties for the Liberty Bowl.
The Bulldogs will resume preparations in earnest Tuesday morning with their first workout at the University of Tampa. I’ll file some reports from there later. They moved the starting time up 20 minutes because of expected rainy weather. Forecasts call for rain all day and perhaps some thunderstorms, but it’s supposed to clear out quick and be sunny and mild the rest of the week.
So come on down! Just take your time getting here.
There’s much more to come this week. In the meantime, here’s some links to the last few stories I’ve written in advance of the Outback Bowl:
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157 comments Add your comment
Old Dog
December 27th, 2011
11:09 am
Has Richt got his extension yet? Same thing for five more years? Wake me up when we get a new head coach.
RxDawg
December 27th, 2011
11:10 am
No news is good news… and this is good news Chip.
South Georgia Dog
December 27th, 2011
11:11 am
Chip……I’m a native South Georgian and I can tell you we get far less state highway funds now that the GOP has taken over the gold dome. I’m not a Democrat,but the GOP stronghold is north of the gnat line and all they want from us is our tax $$ and votes.
Old Dawg
December 27th, 2011
11:15 am
its Hutson Mason and he should get more playing time !!
4.29
December 27th, 2011
11:19 am
WDE
Sir, Aaron Murray did NOT knock out any of these teams from the Final AP Poll Top 25 :
10-42 LSU
42-45 South Carolina game handed to them by AM
21-35 Boise State Mountain West Conference
06-10 University Central Florida Conference USA
31-49 Auburn
31-34 Florida end of coach but beat AM threw game
27-29 Colorado end of coach too but beat AM
12-24 Missy State
24-31 Arky
06-17 South Carolina Garcia better than AM both times
Aaron Murray has NOT been the better QB head-to-head in ANY of these games, with Aaron Murray playing like a Deer in Headlights all 10 of these games, losing 40 percent of his Starts.
4.29
December 27th, 2011
11:20 am
Dawg48, is that you ?
________________________________________________
Dawg48 October 1st, 2011 10:28 pm
“Mark it down you heard it here first! Wisconsin is going to be national champs this year!”
________________________________________________
Dwayne
December 27th, 2011
11:22 am
NO backup QB will see meaningful playing time….CMR is loyal to a fault. He creates no compition among the QB’s
Steven
December 27th, 2011
11:25 am
bitter qb,
You said Murray was 0-12, I just responded. Generally if you are trying to respond to an insult you don’t just repeat that insult back to them. And just as a favor, here is some free advice…
1. M-o-r-n-i-n-g is how it is spelled
2. Clarify where you were watching ‘SEC Express’. For example, “This morning I was over in electronics during my break at K-Mart and caught about 10 minutes of ‘SEC Express’”
AltamahaDawg
December 27th, 2011
11:27 am
That nap lasted all of 6 minutes.
SW Florida 'Dog
December 27th, 2011
11:39 am
Chip’s traffic woes probably wasn’t in Georgia.
The worst of it was certainly on I-75 south of Wildwood, Florida, where Florida’s Turnpike peels off to the east towards The Villages and Orlando, and I-75 shrinks to four lanes (two southbound) for 100 miles to Tampa.
All it takes to tie up traffic on that part of I-75 is a couple of “tin-can tourists,” Hoosiers hauling camp trailers, driving south side-by-side at 55 miles per hour. For some reason, Indianans believe their blocking faster-moving traffic is a God-ordained mission.
As bad as other midwesterners drive, Hoosiers are the worst of the lot. Before I-75 was completed, tin-can tourists really clogged traffic on U.S. 41, the Tamiami Trail, south from Tampa.
Georgia fans driving down to Tampa for the weekend will need especial patience for the Wildwood-to-Tampa leg of the journey.
You will not have that problem driving north after the game, unless you wait to after Easter when the midwesterners all head home.
Dawg48
December 27th, 2011
11:49 am
4.29
Yea it’s me you pathetic stalker!
bitter QB
December 27th, 2011
11:55 am
@bruce mac—dead on—unlike most of murry’s passes——————im not a blind loyalist
=================my sources at uga tell me that coach bobo loves mason
——————————————-coach richt only cares about murry—————-proof is on the playing field
AltamahaDawg
December 27th, 2011
12:00 pm
Questions to ponder:
- is it more admirable to beat a team by 20 that ends up #26, or beat a beata team by 1 point that ends up #25?
-is the “nobodiness” of an opponent a function of the all the other teams on thier schedule?
-can you convince a college football fan base that winning is actually a bad thing?
-if a team that you dislike beat a team that you do like, are you a weenie for hiding behind another team that you don’t really care about?
bitter QB
December 27th, 2011
12:00 pm
@steven—-get back inside your trailer your room mate —tide roll needs you—-techie boy
This is the kind of bowl UGA fans desire
December 27th, 2011
12:02 pm
No twithstanding the qwest for a MNC, playing consistently in the Sugar Bowl, the Outback or the Capital One Bowl is the type of venue that REAL UGA grads and fans desire most ever year.
Yes, UGA has been lousy in 09 and 2010 …………………but that was then and this is now and the BEGINNING TO A CLIMB for better goals and horizons. It starts with a nice win over Michigan State and then on to recruiting and the per season next fall.
Gooooooooooooooooo Dogs.
AltamahaDawg
December 27th, 2011
12:02 pm
beata = ??? no guess at all
WDE
December 27th, 2011
12:04 pm
@bitter QB agreed the proof is on the playing field where Murray went 10-3 this year. You really are a clown. Name a HC that doesn’t ride his starting QB ? How many snaps did say A. Luck or K.Moore miss this year to allow their backups to create competition ? Did Petttrino sit Wilson to give his backup experience unless the game was out of reach ? How many backup’s in the SEC got as much playing time as Matson baring injury? Very few.
Jack Sparrow Captain of the SS Kool-aid
December 27th, 2011
12:11 pm
Dawg48
Come up with a little better response than the typical oh thats so and so
I dont know how to look up all those past posts; I wished I did because I would re-post all the we are winning the NC next year garbage that gets spouted out on this blog every year
Sorry but there are plenty of people who dont drink the kool-aid like most of you do
BTW, who is UGA playing in the National Championship game next year.
Blahahahahahaha
jasont13
December 27th, 2011
12:11 pm
Not sure I understand how Aaron Murray is 0-12 against ranked teams. Lets see…. He is 16-10 as a starter at UGA. Where are the other losses?? Last time I checked, Auburn was ranked #20 and Georgia Tech was ranked #23 when Aaron Murray and UGA beat them!!
4.29
December 27th, 2011
12:11 pm
bruce mac, this what you are looking for sir ?
confused perplexed dumbfounded astonished surprised speechless thunderstruck
FLABBERGASTED
amazed staggered stunned shocked astounded taken aback
NONPLUSSED
Aaron Murray is the ONLY QUARTERBACK we EVER PUT ON THE FIELD
when he
LOSES
40 % of his games
and, is
DEER IN HEADLIGHTS
vs any team who ends up in the Top 25
Play someone else, give someone else a chance to get out there and play some
YANKED in the last game as he was, you know ?
WDE
December 27th, 2011
12:15 pm
@4.29 er Thomas I’m a little confused you state that Murray is the only QB we ever put on the field and then declare he was yanked in his last start….which is it please ?
4.29
December 27th, 2011
12:17 pm
South Georgia Dawg,
You don’t PAY ANY TAXES down there in South Georgia. That’s why you don’t get ANY. We have 6 million up here in Hotlanta. We have plenty of Tax Monies being spent up here, always have, always do, always will.
They aren’t doing any work down there in South Georgia, and everyone just wants to get through those SWAMPS anyway to either get here or get to Florida.
All you do is pass out tickets anyway, and put those stupid cones up with NO WORK GOING ON.
Take the cones and barrels down and go get a job besides putting up cones and barrels and handing out tickets for going 58 in your 35 mph zones on I-75.
GTBob
December 27th, 2011
12:17 pm
You know expectations are low when you are celebrating the players just showing up for the game.
4.29
December 27th, 2011
12:20 pm
Dawg48
Sorry to hurt your poor little sensibilities, or did you think you can come on this blog this morning and START IT WITH ME, and I to wimp out ?
Which is it, you who BRAGGED IN HERE ALL SUMMER AND ALL FALL how
Wisconsin is winning the NC this season.
Go ROOT for Wisconsin.
Who is stalking whom ? You STARTED WITH ME on this blog, for
ALL TO SEE
Jack Sparrow Captain of the SS Kool-aid
December 27th, 2011
12:22 pm
Maybe Altamaha Dawg can tell us what the issues are as to why its taking so long with the roads.
He has had answers for everything on this blog.
Girlie dawga
December 27th, 2011
12:23 pm
Welcome to Tampa. Some great places to eat all around Indian Rocks. You may even see Hulk Hogan milling around. Take a water taxi downtown and check out Derek Jeters castle
atgotbling
December 27th, 2011
12:24 pm
I would like to welcome Missouri to the SEC, they look like they will fit right in after demolishing an ACC team yesterday!
Steven
December 27th, 2011
12:25 pm
bitter qb,
None of that even made sense. Unlike you, I actually graduated from UGA. (I guess I could also say unlike you I also got past the 7th grade).
I don’t completely disagree that Murray is not that good. But to just hate the guy and be so convinced that he shouldn’t be the quarterback when A) You don’t know football and B) We really don’t know how good Mason is, is just stupid. Go yuck fourself.
gdawginkalamazoo
December 27th, 2011
12:27 pm
GTBob, that 12:17 post was funny.
Alabama | MrSEC.com
December 27th, 2011
12:32 pm
[...] as expected — as its new strength coach, the way the Gators lift weights will change.3. All Georgia’s football players are present and accounted for as bowl week preps kick off in Tampa today.4. As for next year, this writer says it’s all [...]
4.29
December 27th, 2011
12:34 pm
You can :
(1) Not sit there acting so high and mighty to me, if you don’t want me to REPLY Dawg48, when I said NOTHING TO YOU or about you.
(2) Get out of the kitchen if you can’t stand the heat
(3) Don’t dish it out if you cannot take it
(4) Quit writing STUPID posts about HOW GREAT YOU ARE and ungreat I am.
(5) Or, you can get what you DESERVE and take it BACK from me in REPLY to your personal attacks.
I have had enough of the personal attacks.
I thought I made that perfectly clear.
Maybe some are not as smart as others, eh ?
Keep it up Dawg48
________________________________________________________
Dawg48 October 9th, 2011 8:13 pm
“South Carolina scored on a fake punt, a fumble return for a td, and a pick six. They scored also when they returned fumble inside the 10 yard line they only had two drives for points special teams and turnovers lost us that game.”
____________________________________________________
I have no idea what is SO BLOODY SPECIAL ABOUT YOU AS A GEORGIA’S BULLDOGS’ FOOTBALL FAN Dawg48.
From what I see, you run in here complaining about
EVERYTHING WE DO
and BRAG to ALL OF US
how
WISCONSIN WINS THE NC THIS 2011 SEASON IN FOOTBALL.
Get off your high horse son. And, either quit stalking ME, or if you insist don’t sit there like a whining 8-year girl brat if I have the TIMIDITY to REPLY that yours stinks to HIGH HEAVEN.
Now.
Did I say keep it up ?
Dawg48
December 27th, 2011
12:35 pm
4.29
I guess your still going to Claim that you are a walk on?
Then come on here and bash your team mates and coaches?
Dawg48
December 27th, 2011
12:41 pm
4.29
Like I said your a pathetic stalker!
Mako
December 27th, 2011
12:46 pm
GTBob…..I work across the street from the Trade School and am getting very tried of hearing that train whistle blow all day long to let the super intelligent students know that it’s either time to start a class or 1 is over….you know at my alma mater we are expected to be able to use a watch….we don’t need no stinkin’ whistle to know when class is starting or over
Jack Sparrow Captain of the SS Kool-aid
December 27th, 2011
12:46 pm
I graduated from UGA blah blah blah
Thats so and so with another blog name
Your a troll
We are winning the National Title next year
With a couple more good recruiting years we will compete for the national title
10 win seasons are all that matters
Do they teach this stuff at UGA as a prerequisite for your major
AltamahaDawg
December 27th, 2011
12:47 pm
Actully, they could close down I-75 southbound lanes for all I care.
4.29
December 27th, 2011
12:55 pm
Steven December 27th, 2011 12:25 pm
“I don’t completely disagree that Murray is not that good.”
___________________________________________________
Wins vs unranked in ANY poll today and after season is over Georgia tek and Auburn, are WIPED OUT by loss to Colorado WHO ended up not ranked and fired their coach.
As for the remainder of the teams on our schedule and us beating them took them out of the top 25 when they have zero votes in ANY poll today, Auburn won 8 games last season vs teams who finished in the top 25 and 3 of them finished in the top 10. LSU if they beat Alabama will have won 8 games this season vs teams who finish in the top 25 and 3 of them too will finish in the top 10.
By direct contrast,
Aaron Murray has PLAYED 9 GAMES including Michigan State who have ALL 9 finished in the top 25.
He has beat
-0-.
Aaron Murray
-INACCURATE
-20 FUMBLES 26 GAMES
-20 INTERCEPTIONS 26 GAMES
-1 YARD PER CARRY 7 CARRIES A GAME
-LOSES 40 % OF HIS GAMES
-PLAYS EVERY GAME, YANKED ONCE – LAST GAME
-IS 0-8 VS TEAMS FINISHING TOP 25
-55% PASS COMPLETION
-SACKED 57 TIMES IN 26 GAMES TO-DATE
-HOLDS ON TO THE FOOTBALL TOO LONG
-DOES NOT GO THROUGH HIS PROGRESSIONS
-CANNOT SEE OVER THE LINE
-IS VERY SLOW AT 4.7
-IS NO DUAL-THREAT QUARTERBACK
-IS AFRAID TO GET HIT, THROWS HIMSELF ON TURF
-GETS THROWN AROUND BACK THERE LIKE RAG-DOLL
-UNDER THROWS RECEIVERS
-THROWS BEHIND RECEIVERS
-IS SMALL
-BEER CAN WEEK OFF TAMPA AT FSU GAME
-SENT TWEET ABOUT KICKING SOME BOISE ST _______
-PUT NAME ON NFL COMMITTEE FOR DRAFT ELIGIBILITY
-IMMATURE
-BALL HOG
Now, what was it you said about HOW GREAT AARON MURRAY IS ?
Oh, yeah, coming back to me now :
_________________________________________________
Steven December 27th, 2011 12:25 pm
“I don’t completely disagree that Murray is not that good.”
___________________________________________________
Lowcountry Bulldawg
December 27th, 2011
12:56 pm
Dawg48-
Like JB told me in here about arguing with 4.29/Thomas Brown/Mathew Ciafaro/buLLdawg. Even when you win, you lose. He is the Mythical Blogger of the Year for 2011.
4.29=biggest idiot ever
December 27th, 2011
1:00 pm
Please name the “8″ teams LSU beat this year that will end up ranked in the top 25 you idiot!!?
4.29
December 27th, 2011
1:04 pm
They haven’t figure out how to tell time with their slide rules yet.
And, it is CERTAINLY NOT ALL OF US who drink Kool-Aid.
how2fish
December 27th, 2011
1:06 pm
Well glad to see the team made it down to Tampa safely and intact. Looking forward to a good game vs a very good Mich St team. Congrats to the Dogs for winning the SEC East and beating UT,UF, Auburn , the state of Miss and Tech. And thanks to all the seniors playing their last game for the Dawgs thanks for all your hard work and dedication to the Bull Dog Nation. Go Dogs !
Jack Sparrow Captain of the SS Kool-aid
December 27th, 2011
1:07 pm
Has UGA beat a final Top 25 team this year?
Maybe that powerhouse GT team might just slip into the top 25 to allow UGA fans to bragg again
4.29=biggest idiot ever
December 27th, 2011
1:09 pm
This joke of a fan aka 4.29 aka thomas brown is also getting on Saturdays Down South under the handle BuLLdawg spewing this vomit also. Geez dude give it up, the last thing UGA needs is for a fan with no sense like yourself giving ammunition to other teams. I am willing to bet you there is not one other teams site you can go to where one of their so called fans is preaching and compiling stats about how bad something is. GET A FREAKING LIFE DUDE!!
Mako
December 27th, 2011
1:09 pm
Jack Sparrow Captain of the SS Kool-aid……..dang son you spell worse than UGA grads…uh, it aint BRAGG, boy, its BRAG
Alabama Dog
December 27th, 2011
1:10 pm
gtbob: don’t you wish that had been the case on November 26th? tech might have had a chance to win-ONLY IF Georgia didn’t get off the bus!!!!!!
4.29
December 27th, 2011
1:17 pm
I can NAME the 8 teams
AARON MURRAY has NOT BEAT HIS ENTIRE CAREER
all 8 of whom ended up top 25
Can you ?
Dawg48
December 27th, 2011
1:18 pm
Lowcountry bulldog
Yea I know, I usually do good at not paying (him/them) any attention but sometimes it’s hard not to.
gt4ever
December 27th, 2011
1:18 pm
Oh, now it’s a very good Mich St. team…. If by chance you guys win this game….. It will be the FIRST good team that you will have beaten this year…… I guess, a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while…Some of the posts on here are classic… i.e. competing for a NC… Thanks for the comic relief…
4.29
December 27th, 2011
1:21 pm
I’m giving ammo to other teams ?
That all you got ?
That and a few less than dope adjectives for me ?
Pardon me, but I am nonplussed by the actual work by Aaron Murray on the field in the games vs teams who ended up in the top 25.
Now, since you have never logged in to this blog with THAT handle, how about logging in with your regular handle where I can go look up your BS posts to this blog and ask you a few questions ?
Oh, that’s it, you don’t want to be held responsible for YOUR OWN POSTS to this blog.
You’ve got this 1 though, haven’t you ?
I’m giving AMMO to other teams.
Do you have ANY IDEA what they tell the recruits in this state ?
0-8 vs teams who finished in the top 25 is # 1 on the list.
4.29=biggest idiot ever
December 27th, 2011
1:21 pm
4.29
December 27th, 2011
12:55 pm
LSU if they beat Alabama will have won 8 games this season vs teams who finish in the top 25 and 3 of them too will finish in the top 10.
Yes i can but i didnt throw that stat out there so answer the question or admit your wrong. You throw plenty of stats out there with a lot of them incorrect. Name the 8 teams LSU beat that are ranked in the top 25 this year? didnt think so! EVERYONE Thomas Brown was wrong and wont admit it!! HAHA