Processing Week 12

I missed my first home game in 5 seasons tonight. In case you haven’t missed one in a while- it doesn’t hurt any less on TV. Maybe worse. But that could be due to the Auburn fans in the hotel restaurant cheering so obnoxiously for Kentucky.

The coaching staff as a whole is going to take a LOT of heat this week. Might I suggest you point your finger at Job Fabris first. I seriously wondered tonight if he has a vendetta against Martinez he’s trying to carry out by sabotaging the field position battle.

And while the coaches didn’t put in their best performance, coaching isn’t your biggest problem when you fumble four times (losing 2 in terrible places) and throw two terrible interceptions.

I genuinely hate to see Cox’s home finale end that way. That being said, he lost that game. I wanted him to pull it out under pressure so bad, but he totally crumbled.

Back to the turnovers. How do you outgain a team by 220 yards and win time of possesion and still lose? Four turnover. Two withing your own 20 for 14 gimme points. One deep into the redzone. One to offically cap the nightmare of a game.

While the coaches will get it bad this week we should all keep perspective: Les Miles isn’t running the show. It could be worse.

Even with the conference championship decided two weeks in advance the SEC still finds a way to keep me on the edge of my seat for the better part of 7 hours. Amazing.

Good to see Wooten get into the action.

And Orson was dominating in the first half, but then pretty much disappeared. I don’t know if that’s due to Kentucky figuring out how to cover him or Bobo forgetting about him.

Our defensive front is getting consistently good pressure. That makes the collapse even uglier for the secondary. The indictment on Martinez grows. His schemes are lacking and the position players under his tutelage are the biggest defensive liability.

If you told me we’d split Auburn and Kentucky I would have been disappointed, but not crushed. Of course I would have assumed we lost to Auburn and beat Kentucky.

Music City Bowl here we come?

Week 12 Preview: All Dogs Go To Heaven

As we’ve already talked about, a lot this week, Saturday night will be the last time many of the Dawgs play in the friendly confines of Sanford Stadium. Going into a fairly meaningful Kentucky game you have to think that should provide some extra motivation for the team.  Senior Day is always emotional and if that emotion gets harnessed well it can translate into great play.

While some of the seniors or NFL-bound underclassmen will surely think long and hard about this, their last chance to play in Athens, you have to wonder if it has also crossed the minds of a few coaches that this might be their swan song between the hedges. It’s safe to assume that those who spend hours a week in Butts-Mehre have a better idea than we do about whether or not changes are coming on the coaching staff. If Richt has come anywhere close to making up his mind about staff changes I doubt he’s keeping his staff entirely in the dark. Many fans would be happy for this to be Martinez’ last game on the UGA sideline. And some wouldn’t mind seeing Jancek or Fabris on their way out either. If any staff are to be dismissed this could be an emotional week and game for them too. Everyone knows that this program operates like a family and a last game in red and black might be just as sad for coaches who have been here close to a decade as for players. And if these coaches are about to be auditioning for new jobs it wouldn’t hurt for their current defense to end on a high note.

But this game isn’t just about looking back. It has implications for the future too. A win solidifies second place in the SEC East. Second wasn’t the goal, but it would be a significant step up from how things looked right after the Tennessee game. And securing second place could do a lot in terms of bowl placement. A loss this week almost assures the Dawgs will end up in a second tier bowl game. But a win keeps hopes of an Outback Bowl or Chick-Fil-A Bowl appearance alive. Don’t think that isn’t real motivation for these guys. Bowl games are a big reward for them after a long, hard season and they’d much rather spend a week in a place like Tampa or Atlanta than the alternatives.

Even thought it’s just Kentucky, there’s plenty to play for this weekend in Athens. The Seniors (and anyone else leaving) go out with a win, 31-21 Dawgs.

Players To Watch:

Jeff, Geno, and Big Kade: Garner said earlier this week that he’s already lobbied for these three guys to be in the Senior Bowl at season’s end.  The tough part is the Bowl committee only wants to select two, and as Garner put it, how can you pick just two?  These guys took a while to learn how to play together as a unit, probably due  in part to Owens’ injury last year and Weston’s lack of consistent playmaking, but man have these guys come on strong lately.  Geno’s just a beast, Jeff plugs running lanes like the gutter bumpers at the bolwing alley, and Kade has mastered the ability to make noise in the backfield consistently.  With this being their last game in Sanford, and with the Wildcats running game being talked about as an issue, we felt it fitting to highlight these guys.  I know I for one will be giving them a standing ovation during Saturday’s pregame.

Washaun Ealey: How excited are you about the 1-2 punch of Washaun and Caleb next year?  Ealey’s emergence is pretty unreal considering that he’s only played significantly since the LSU game.  I compare his season to Kregg Lumpkin’s freshman year.  Kregg worked his way up the depth chart to a top reserve and eventually led the team in rushing and was poised to break out as a sophomore.  We all know what happened as Kregg tore his ACL and never was quite the same runner.  Washaun’s TD run (that was eventually ruled out of bounds at the 3) was so…Knowshon-esque (I just had to say it, you know you were thinking it) that Dawg fans everywhere are excited about this kid for years to come.  For Georgia to win, it has to pound the ball, and Ealey will definitely get the chance to do that Saturday.

Prince Miller: Ahhhh where to start with Prince.  First of all, he’s a Senior, and I don’t think we’ve ever highlighted him in this column, so he’s due a shout out.  We all have an interesting relationship with Prince, as he shows 1 flash of brilliance for every 10 bone head plays.  It’s reached comical proportions this season with Prince where you find yourself just laughing at the stuff the guy does…you have to, or you’ll go insane.  Regardless of some heartburn he’s caused, we wish him well at BHN.  He deserves to be respected for what he goes through every week, and to be honest, I’m going to miss #23 pointing fingers at everybody next year.  In fact, next season when that happens, I may even start claiming that Georgia DB’s “pulled a Prince” when the opposing receiver comes down with a wide open grab.  Ah, Prince Miller, farewell ole chap.

Wish Rennie Well

Yesterday I reviewed the the legacy of the Senior Class playing their last game between the hedges Saturday. But the guys who have run out of eligibility probably aren’t the only ones suiting up for their last home game. This year won’t have any kind of mass exodus from the youngsters but there are sure to be a few.

It’s pretty safe to bet that Reshad Jones will take the money, considering he almost left last year. Thankfully for him and for us better sense prevailed and he decided more than one year of starting experience would behoove him before heading to the league. Scouts are enamored with his size, speed and big hit ability. I’m not sure he’s mentally ready for the NFL but that’s for the team that drafts him to decide. But we can count on someone new in his safety spot next year.

And while it may come as a surprise to some I’m nearly convinced that Rennie is headed to the pros as well. Scouts have worries about his size, but college coaches worried about too. It hasn’t held him back too much. Though this certainly isn’t the site to come to for tips or inside scoop it’s been a fairly consistent rumor for a few months now here in Athens that Rennie felt the need to care for his family and was probably going to jump at the money as soon as he could. And quotes like this, about his 14-month old daughter only confirm those suspicions:

“I’m not the normal college student. Having her and seeing her and not being able to take her out and provide for her, it really weighs down on me, being a father and not being able to spend that time with her because I’m in college. I definitely want to be able to provide for her. She’s my heart. It’s definitely going to be something I’m going to be thinking about in terms of that decision.”

And as much as it will pain me to see Rennie leave, truly one of my all-time favorite Dawgs, you really can’t blame him. For most 22-year olds getting a college degree seems like one of the wisest moves you can make. But everything changes when you’ve got mouths to feed besides your own. And while,by most standards, a free college degree is great “payment” in exchange for playing ball, it doesn’t immediately help one’s dependents.

And his daughter isn’t his only concearn. Remeber this great College Gameday feature on him…

You don’t have to read too many of Rennie’s quotes to realize that he’s a pretty sharp college kid. And the good head on his shoulders isn’t just a great football mind. He seems pretty in touch with reality and if he feels the best decision for him and his family is to try his hand in the pros I’ll let you be the one to disagree with him.

So while he won’t get his name called Saturday and run out of the tunnel to meet his parents at midfield it could be just as bittersweet for him to walk of the field late Saturday night. He’s been one of the great ones of the Richt era. Enjoy watching him over the next few weeks and cheer extra loud for his sure double digit tackles against Kentucky. It’s no guarantee, but I’ll be surprised to see him back next Fall. I’ve grown fond of referring to Rennie as the “Liberian Dream.” If he’s the first in his family to fulfill the American Dream, and care for multiple generations of his family, then hats off to him.

Evaluating the 2009 Seniors

Saturday will be Senior Day in Sanford Stadium. If you plan to be in town make a

"Seniors" who have been noticeably missed this year

good effort to find your seat a few minutes early and give a cheer to some mighty fine Dawgs that have worn the red and black for the last few years. The guys playing for the last time between the hedges came to Athens with the 2005 and 2006 classes and have certainly seen some highs and lows in their time at UGA. While each guy will certainly evaluate his career at UGA in terms of individual performance, football is most certainly a team sport and if you read the senior’s quotes this week they will surely be focused on what they’ve accomplished as group.

The truth is their careers probably haven’t been all they dreamed of here at Georgia in terms of accomplishing team goals. The only senior playing Saturday who actually played on the 2005 SEC Championship team is Jeff Owens, who took a medical redshirt last year after his torn ACL. Other than that this group has no championships to show for themselves. They were all a part of the the 2007 season, which is something to be proud of- a Sugar Bowl win and a No. 2 ranking at season’s end. Had that not been the weirdest college football season in memory they could have played for the conference or even national title that year.

Over the past few years Coach Richt has also been fond of celebrating senior classes who finish their careers with 40 total wins, thus averaging 10 win seasons over the course of their careers. Sadly, that’s out of reach for this class. Even if they beat Kentucky and Tech and win a bowl game they’ll land on 39 wins.  Needless to say, the 2006 campaign and this year were the culprits in keeping 40 wins out of reach.

Yet another way that classes like to measure themselves is against their rivals. From this perspective this class has had mixed results. The bad: 1-3 against Tennessee in an era most Tennessee fans would like to forget. The Vols kept Georgia from the 2007 SEC Championship game and handed them their most painful loss this year leaving this class winless in Neyland Stadium. These senior Dawgs have the same 1-3 record against Florida in the last few years but that one doesn’t sting quite as bad because the Gators have been dominating everyone in route to two  national titles in that time (and maybe 3 by season’s end).

The only rivalry record that still hangs in the balance is Tech. Surely they don’t want to drop another one to the nerds and graduate with an even .500 winning percentage against the rivals that classes immediately before them consistently dominated. Hopefully after dismissing Kentucky this will be a great rallying cry for the seniors going into Tech week.  Last year’s Tech loss certainly put a damper on the 2008 seniors’ season.

That of course bring us to the last of Georgia’s rich rivalries. And this is where these seniors can really hang their hats. After last week they went a perfect 4-0 against the War Eagles and had a pretty good time doing it too. They upset them in 2006 when Auburn was  a Top 10 team in the nation. In 2007 those poor Tigers were victims of the first Blackout. Last year the Dawgs put one of the final nails in Tuberville’s coffin and this year’s loss mostly ensured that while they had a good season Auburn will go winless this year against their biggest rivals- LSU, Georgia and Bama. These seniors are the first group to go 4-0 against Auburn in decades. The last time the Dawgs had a 4-game winning streak against Auburn was in the 1940s! Every class finds a unique way to define their tenure in Athens compared to the many senior classes before them. This year that distinction isn’t hard to find. And you could leave UGA with much worse claims to game than “undefeated against Auburn.”

No, this class may not be the most storied or accomplished in UGA football history. In fact it even lack a lot of star power (mainly because the stars left after last year). But like many before them they have represented the university well, given freely of their time and talents, and provided us with more than a few fun Fall afternoons over the last few years. So they deserve to know they are appreciated. Do your best to let them hear it on Saturday!

Processing Week 11

I haven’t had that much fun in Sanford Stadium since 2007. Maybe since the 2007 Auburn Blackout. The crowd really brought their A-game tonight. That last Auburn series was great.

Admit it, at 14-0 in the first quarter you thought it was going to get ugly.

It’s possible that the most important thing we learned tonight is that the offense can move even without AJ. That’s a good thing given that he may be gone until the bowl game.

After the Florida game it probably/hopefully won’t save Willie’s job but his defense played really well tonight. 10 points in the last 3 quarters, some 3-and-outs, big stops and that defensive stand at the end were all awesome.

Thanks to Ole Miss for putting Kiffin in his place. As I heard one person comment, “they lost that game in the Pilot parking lot the other night.” Really though, no one could have contained McCluster today. When you’re making Eric Berry whiff you’re nasty good.

Great to see Branden Smith in a LOT on offense. He was effective at times in terms of yardage but also very effective as a decoy. Auburn guys bit on fakes to him every time.

What a relief to hear Rambo has full feeling and movement. That was very scary.

If Southern Cal is ranked this week every coach and AP writer who votes for them should lose their right to vote in the polls. They are in no way good.

SOAPBOX MOMENT: If you booed our team tonight you’re a terrible fan. Allow me to tell you why. I know many of you give lots of money to UGA athletics every year. But don’t ever believe that you’re paying for wins or even great play from the team. Those things can’t be bought. You’re helping the program buy better facilities, pay the coaches better salaries, and boost the recruiting budget. Boos are never constructive. And they aren’t just bad for the psyche of the players who give UGA hours upon hours of time and commitment. The boos are terrible for the the most important phase of sustaining a successful program- recruiting. Like most big games, there were tons of elite prospects in the stadium tonight. Those high school players honestly don’t care at all if the Dawgs win. That has almost no bearing on their decisions. All they want to know is that the fans love the players and cheer for them regardless. When the fans boo, while the team is still very much in the game no less, it’s incredibly detrimental to persuading recruits they’ll be adored on campus. Thankfully the environment changed drastically in the second half. But next time you want to boo Mike Bobo for running a draw on 3rd and 16 deep in our own territory so as not to risk a turnover please bite your tongue. If you can’t do that, leave the stadium.

Week 11 Preview: The Most Brotherly of Rivalries

This Saturday is one of the best days of the year.  Period.  It’s arguably Georgia’s most enjoyable rivalry (if that’s even a term) and it always makes for a good showdown either between the hedges or on the plains.  This year’s contest, although lacking in luster, is sure not to disappoint us.  Like always, here are some storylines and players to watch to keep you occupied on Saturday.

A huge point of interest for all Dawg fans will be the matchup between Willie’s defense and Malzhan’s offense.  I hear Auburn’s offense is built on misdirection.  Yipee.

With the surge of some success recently with the running game, a key for the Dawgs will be if they can actually sustain some drives by pounding the ball against an SEC defense.  Caleb gets the start for the Dawgs, but a steady dose of Washaun Ealy and maybe some Branden Smith will hopefully keep Auburn on it’s heels.

And finally, another fun thing to keep an eye on outside of the X’s and O’s are the numerous connections between the two schools, most notably the 20 or so players from Georgia on the Auburn roster as well as coaches at Georgia (like Coach Garner) who either played or coached at Auburn early in their career.  With all the inside connections, it’ll be one fun game to watch.

This one will be entertaining, frustrating, and close.  Dawgs on top 30-26.

Players to Watch:

Branden Smith- The freshman is sure to see substantial backup time on the defense Saturday, but after last weeks touchdown out of the Wild Dawg we’re eager to see what else Branden can do with the ball in his hands. There’s no doubt that his primary focus needs to be defense at this point, but with his speed just a few offensive touches could change the game. Chizik says he boys  are prepared to defend the Wild Dawg, but schemes can only go so far in stopping speed like that.

Nick Williams- Williams, another youngster, has earned the last few spots in the place that Dent used to occupy. He’s had some promising moments, but at times his youth has shown when he’s been out of place or drawn into some kind of play action or misdirection. Auburn’s offense is predicated on that stuff. Williams will have to play more disciplined football this week to be an asset to the defense . He’s clearly talented, but hopefully his mental work in the film room and meetings will pay off this weekend.

Blair Walsh- Auburn is going to score some points Saturday. Their up tempo offense began to stumble a bit against Arkansas, LSU and Kentucky but it appears they are back at full strength. We should fully expect another shootout like Carolina and Arkansas Saturday night. And in those types of games you need points on almost every possession. Once the Dawgs are in the red zone we tend to finish the drill with a touchdown. But we don’t always get quite that far. A couple looong field goals from Walsh could be the difference in this game if the offense can’t drive the length of the field repeatedly.

Were Felonies in The Plan?

Lane Kiffin’s motto since arriving in Knoxville has been that there is no such thing as bad publicity. He’s been willing to provide bulletin board material galore, turn every coach in the conference against him, and generally push the limits so long as that block orange “T”, the brand of Tennessee football and the legend of the little yapper that could are known all across the land. It’s all been part of The Plan.

Until last night.

Two of Kiffin’s three most prized freshman and some other freshman scrub were arrested for attempted armed robbery just off campus. Kiffin has said repeatedly that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. Obviously he was discounting having three of your most promising young players face potential jail time. It hurts the national perception of your program. It hurts your standing with the league office. But above ALL  else, and worst of all for Kiffin’s stated philosophy, it kills you on the recruiting trail. Seriously, how much of an edge does this give Mark Richt in the living room with a kid’s parents when he’s competing with Kiffin? Brash, arrogant, thug-harboring Kiffin vs. fatherly-figure, angelic Richt. I like my coaches chances. If Richt is smart he’s already made a call to JuWaun Jame’s mother today.

But enough taking this story seriously. If you’ve grown to dislike Kiffin, which you should have, this is downright hilarious. In fact, as more details have come out today and I’ve thought more about it I’m nearly convinced that no event in human history has been so packed full of hilarious irony. Let’s break it down:

First of all, Nu’Keese Richardson and Janzen Jackson, both arrested last night, were Signing Day steals for Kiffin from Florida and LSU respectively. These two guys were central to all Kiffin’s obnoxious boasting last spring. Now their careers are UT may very well be over. But the irony only begins here.

Just weeks ago Kiffin showed up in the lyrics of rapper Lil’ Wayne’s new album. Kiffin responded by tweeting thanks to Lil Wayne for the “street cred” he gave the program. Well Lil Wayne ought to be mighty proud now! The rapper has been arrested multiple times for weapon-related reasons over the years. So this incident will obviously bolster UT’s “street cred” to levels they could have never dreamed of before. On a side note though, the players were arrested in a 2010 Toyota Prius. Surely, there’s no “street cred” in that.

"They were in a Prius? Oh no... Wayne's never gonna let me hear the end of that."

Now, let’s move on to more details about the crime. It happened at a gas station right off of UT’s campus. Why does this matter? Kiffin infamously offended South Carolinians everywhere when he told a South Carolina commit last Spring that if he went to USC he would end up pumping gas for the rest of his life. It was assumed that Kiffin meant attending the University of Tennessee would offer more opportunity. As it turns out, UT students don’t end up working at gas stations, only committing felonies at them.

But it wasn’t just any gas station where this crime occurred. It was a gas station owned by Tennessee’s biggest athletic booster. Now Tennessee fans have bought into Kiffin with frightening blindness. But now their most important fan,  financially speaking, probably isn’t so hot on Junior. There is nothing the owner of a retail location loves more serious crime on their property.

And this is maybe the best part of it all. Just YESTERDAY Kiffin bragged in his teleconference that the teams cumulative GPA was the highest it’s been in years and that there had been zero arrests of Tennessee football players in the 11 months since he took over. Apparently they were saving up some credits to do it right. Why rack up occasional minor parking citations, the UGA way, when you can accumulate 9 total counts of attempted armed robbery at once?

So there you have it. Comedy this golden honestly can’t be written. Take just a second and think about it. Is there any other plausible event that could have taken all Kiffin’s arrogant boasting over the  last 11 months and shoved it back down his throat more forcibly?

I sure hope Urban Meyer, Les Miles, Nick Saban, Steve Spurrier and Coach Richt took a minute from their day today to get on a conference call together and all point and laugh in Kiffin’s direction. He deserves it.

How to Define a Season

There is a lot that hangs in the balance on Saturday. As far as records and such are concerned, a win would guarantee bowl eligibility and pretty much solidify a winning record in conference play. Sadly, those things are not yet set in stone. But a win this weekend would do far more than just help the Dawgs in terms of record and standings. The “success” of a season is determined by far more than just a team’s final record. It’s not just if you win or lose, but how you win or lose and how you fare in the “big games” of your season.

While the Dawgs play 12 regular season games every season each year’s campaign is really defined by 3 or 4 of the games.Typically, the games that determine the success of a season are the rivalry games and games against the elite competition in the conference. That’s what has made this season hurt. Ugly losses against our two biggest divisional foes have been the worst of it. Add on the last second loss to LSU, a team widely recognized to be in the upper echelon of the conference, and it’s just been one crushing blow after another.

Think back to the really good years of Georgia football in recent memory: 2007 had wins against Florida, Auburn and Tech. 2005 contained big wins against Tennessee and Tech and of course the SEC Championship game over LSU. 2002 will always be remembered for the wins over Bama and Auburn. Similarly,  the down years are remembered for losses to the very same teams. Despite going 9-3 last year we all saw it as a disappointment because of losses to Florida, Tech and Bama, unmistakably the three biggest games on the schedule last season.

Heading into the last 3 weeks off football this season the Dawgs still have two season-defining games left to play. While most fans may not hold as much spite for Auburn as they do Florida or even Tech it’s a rivalry that has always had huge implications. The games in 2002 and 2007 are the most notable examples of this. But a game that’s often forgotten in this rivalry is the 2006 contest in Auburn. You may have forgotten by now but losses to Vandy and Kentucky in 2006 caused questioning of Coach Richt and the direction of the program very similar to the cries we’ve heard this season.

A Georgia team with an offense that seemed incapable of scoring on anyone and a defense that couldn’t make stops when they needed them most headed to the Plains for an early kickoff with the 5th-ranked team in the land. Coach Richt later admitted that he went into that game thinking they had the worst game plan of his time here at UGA and convinced there was no way we could win. Somehow they pulled it off.

The Dawgs then faced a ranked Georgia Tech squad to finish the season and beat them between the hedges, sadly ending the Reggie Ball era of Georgia Tech football. That late season surge was enough to get the Dawgs a spot in the Chick-fil-a Bowl in Atlanta that year, which seemed like a great gig after losing 4 out of 5 games in the middle of the season. The Dawgs faced their third consecutive ranked team in Virginia Tech, fell behind early and then rallied back for a fun and memorable win in Atlanta.

That 2006 season will not be the most celebrated year of the Richt era by any standards. But we went into the offseason with a notably different taste in our mouths than what we had after last season and what we feel right now.

If Coach Richt and the team want to end this season on a similar note, inspiring hope in the fanbase for seasons to come, a win on Saturday is of great importance. Truthfully, if the Dawgs are even going to win one of the two remaining rivalry games, this is our best shot. Beating Tech is very possible, but I think it becomes less probable if the team is dealt another humbling loss this weekend.

In spite of all that has gone wrong this year, and there has been a lot, we can all agree that the young talent on the field gives promise for the future of the program. How encouraging would it be to see that talent began to gel and compete at the highest level in the last few games of this season? There are no championships left to play for this season. Most of the team’s preseason goals are out the window. But that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to play for at all. Ending the year on a three-game winning streak, besting two rivals, and landing in a good bowl could do Coach Richt’s offseason PR campaign a world of good.

Remembering Tubs

We all know that the single thing which makes college football so great is the passion that surrounds it. It comes in all forms- blinding love for your own team, terrible agony after losses, silly anxiety before big games and the unique joy of a big win. One of the funniest and least explainable qualities of passionate college fans is their totally irrational hatred for certain teams and individuals.

As I’ve said before I wasn’t raised a Dawg. My family could have had those “house divided” license plates on the fronts of our cars (but we thankfully didn’t.) One side of my family was full of Alabama fans (and even some Bama grads) while the other was full of Ole Miss alumni who rarely missed a weekend in The Grove. Given my age and those loyalties I began to follow both the Rebels and the Tide circa 1995. At that time Ole Miss was led by one Tommy Tuberville. He coached Ole Miss to relative success and the Rebel faithful, as always, thought they were on the way back to relevance under his leadership.

But naturally bigger, better programs came calling when he had success in

Can you believe those idiots fell for the "pine box" line?

Oxford. At first he denied any interest in leaving, infamously stating “They ‘ll have to carry me out of here in a pine box,” for him to leave Ole Miss. Two days later he took the Auburn job. I was at my grandparents house when this all transpired and from the way my grandfather talked about him in the aftermath you would have thought he was Sherman’s accomplice in burning Atlanta. As a lifelong Ole Miss fan he wasn’t just mad. He was personally offended. And if he was, then by darn, so was I. Daddy Guy, as I called him, said he would never cheer for Tuberville again and I decided I wouldn’t either.

For me, the half-Rebel and half-Tide fan, this resolution to cheer against him was made even easier by the fact that he went to Auburn. Only a few years as a Bama fan had me convinced there was no more depraved group of people on the planet than Auburn fans. In my mind his decision was the equivalent to spitting in the face of America to join the Communists (only I didn’t know what Communists were yet). As the years wore on it only got easier to hate him. As you might recall he had great success against the Tide. He became my greatest nemesis in college football.

Auburn’s 13-0 season in 2004 was really the peak of my hatred. We all know that Uncle Verne and CBS have an annual love affair with some player, coach or team in the SEC. In 2004 it was Auburn, and more specifically Tubs. If I heard Verne talk one more time about Bobby Lowder’s secret trip to interview Bobby Petrino behind Tuberville’s back, always making Tubs the embattled yet victorious victim, I might have fallen out of love with SEC football.

Just a year later, in November of 2005 I was a freshman at UGA, with my allegiances in transition to the Dawgs. We welcomed Auburn between the hedges that Fall for the first night game of my college career. After a loss to Florida we had a chance to clinch the East that night in the biggest home game of the season. I attended the Dawg Walk with friends, cheered for DJ Shockley’s healed knee and then headed straight into the stadium for a good seat in the student section.

As we walked along the hedges toward the band I looked out onto the field to see Tuberville sitting on the visitor’s bench, not more than 10 yards from me, doing a radio interview. As the rest of my group walked on I leaned over the hedges and began to yell his name as loud as I could:

“TOMMY!! TUBS!! TOOOMMMYY!! TUBS!! TUBERVILLE!!” on and on for at least a few minutes. He finished his radio interview and I yelled even louder. And then wonder of all wonders, he turned around to see who was yelling at him. To this day all I can reason is that I was right in front of the Auburn section, in the northwest corner, in a relatively empty and quiet stadium almost an hour and a half before kickoff and he thought an Auburn fan was trying to get his attention.

However it happened it was a magical moment. He looked right at me and next thing I knew our eyes locked, his facial expression saying,”What the heck are you yelling at me for?” And time stood still. All the hatred. All the terrible things I had said about him from the couch watching Auburn play. All the times I had bashed him in talking to other fans. I had one golden opportunity to tell him how I felt. And I froze. After a pause of what felt like hours all I could muster was:

“I CAN’T STAND YOU!!”

He gave me a confused look, shook his head and walked away. And I stood pressed up against the hedges, shocked at the events that had just transpired.

We lost that game but after that moment my hatred kind of began to taper off. I had gotten things off my chest. The next year I watched the Dawgs knock off his 5th-ranked Tigers behind 3 Tre Battle interceptions. In 2007 we went Blackout on him in an unforgettable game. In 2008 I sat in Jordan-Hare to watch the Dawgs win again and see his proud march to unemployment firsthand.

And four year later Auburn returns to Athens without him at the helm. And I must admit… I kind of miss ole Tubs. He’ll always hold a special place in my heart. Everyone remembers their first love. Tubs was my “first hate” in SEC football. The hatred was stupid and irrational ( as was yelling at him.) But it was part of my formative years as an SEC fan. I have to admit I’m now too objective about the game to carry that kind of unbridled distaste for almost anyone (you might become an exception Kiffin), but it sure is fun to laugh about in retrospect.

Thanks for the fun, Tubs. I sure did love watching the Dawgs whoop your teams the last few years.

Processing Week 10

It may have just been Tennessee Tech, but wasn’t it fun to win convincingly? A 28-0 lead just minutes into the second quarter set the good mood and the shutout by the defense was encouraging even if their offense was no real threat.

Hopefully the game created some confidence for the running backs and run blockers. Ealey looked good, as did King.

How fast is Branden Smith? Was there any doubt when he turned that corner that he was gone?

Those young defensive ends were pretty impressive. What was a position of incredible weakness last year appears to have solid depth for the foreseeable future now.

What golfer wouldn’t take Drew Butler’s leg as his pitching wedge within 60 yards? The kid is nearly flawless.

The students who left seats above the band open ought to be ashamed of themselves. I know it’s a down year, but your ticket cost you $7 and you can walk to the game. Just go.

I think it’s clear why Logan Gray hasn’t stolen to starting job from Cox yet. Zone read runs can only take a team so far. He’s clearly not the QB of the future for the Dawgs.

It was a day that appeared to be without marquee matchups outside of Bama-LSU, but ended up being quite entertaining. Fun upsets, exiting endings, and all the other reasons we love college football.

Congrats CBS and ESPN, you got the Bama-Florida championship game you’ve been dreaming of since June. I have to admit I’m excited about it too. I’ll be rooting for both to win out. Two 12-0 teams will make for an awesome game in Atlanta.

Georgia has had a rough year do doubt, but might I suggest a few fans bases that have even more reason to be frustrated: Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Michigan, even Notre Dame perhaps.

Any other thoughts from the day?

It’s Auburn week so get your hate on. It might be our last real shot at beating an annual rival this fall (though I still believe Tech is inconsistent enough to give us a shot).