More Video & Team Mindset

Dave Gladow's Saturday practice video makes me feel better about the Sugar Bowl. At the very end, reporters ask Coach Richt about the team's prep and if the Dawgs are taking Hawai'i more seriously their opponent last time we went to the Sugar Bowl. Richt says the team learned from the West Virginia game and has had a "different edge" in their bowl preparations. An edge that was evidently missing from our last Sugar Bowl trip. That puts me at ease a bit. If we play a good game and they beat us, so be it. But, a sloppy, ill-coached performance will leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth after an immensely fun season.



Other fun bowl stuff: Tebow tells Brennan to watch out for the Dawg pass rush and Geno Atkins is into Colt Brennan. Geno will hopefully try to further his relationship with Colt by hugging him hard and repeatedly during the Sugar Bowl.

The Athens Banner-Herald put together this fantastic photo montage (that looks like a flipbook) of some of the season's important moments:



Quinton

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Friday Practice Video

Here's yesterday's practice video from Dave Gladow of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.



It's a relief to know that the defensive line isn't going through Samoan lessons. I would guess they have enough to think about. Dave has a Hawai'i video too.

Quinton

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As good as Sports Talk can get

Paul Finebaum has two of the best interviews that a Southerner will hear on sports talk radio.

The first segment is an in-studio interview with Pat Dye *and* Gene Stallings. The entire thing is amazing; although, Dawgnoxious advises that you'll need to turn down the bass on your speakers or Stallings' voice will rattle the fillings out of your teeth. They talk about scheme, the spread, recruiting, scheduling, you name it. The interview aired a few weeks ago.

I also recommend this week's interview with Pat Sullivan. Sullivan is the 1971 Heisman winner, and he's currently the head coach at Samford. This one is a great listen for wildly different reasons than the recommendation above. Sullivan talks about his near death experience in battling throat cancer. It's incredibly compelling radio. Also, I didn't realize that Sullivan accepted the LSU head coaching job in 1994 only to find out that this buyout was too large at TCU, and the Tigers couldn't afford him. It sort of fades in quality after the first 20 minutes, but the beginning is good stuff.

Both are great listens. See you in NOLA.

PWD

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Pulpwood Smith on Hawaii

Pulpwood has two updates up from New Orleans. The first one is from two weeks ago, the latest one is this week.

Note: As always, Pulpwood's use profanity is a skill he honed to perfection while incarcerated. So as always, his updates are rated R for extreme language.

Pulpwood's Reaction to the BCS Picture
Pulpwood on the Game
Pulpwood Season Archive

PWD

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Stafford Kicks It & Munson Stays Home

Dave Gladow of the New Orleans Times-Picayune has this video of the Dawgs practice yesterday in the Superdome. It's mostly interviews, but there is a glimpse of Matt Stafford attempting a 50 yard field goal. He's got a nice follow through, even if we don't see it go through the uprights.



Gladow has video of Hawai'i's practice, too.

In other Sugar Bowl news of note, Larry Munson has changed his mind and decided not to make the trip to New Orleans. Scott Howard and Eric Zeier will call the game. It sounds like Larry's physical ailments continue and may be worsening. He will call into the pregame show apparently, but won't otherwise contribute to the broadcast. Get well, Larry!

Quinton

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Money to Rock NOLA

You've had a Hurricane. You've eaten dinner at Galatoire's and Commander's. You've eaten breakfast at Brennan's. You've sipped cafe au lait and downed some beignets at Cafe Du Mond. You've toured Audubon Park, the River Walk, and Jackson Square. You've dropped more money than you can afford at Harrah's. It's time for something different. It's time for Eddie Money!



Money will be rocking your pants off and asking you to "take him home tonight" at the Sugar Bowl Fan Fest Sunday night at 5:00. The Fan Fest is an interactive "experience" at the Jax Brewery that will be open Sunday and Monday. It looks likes it will be full of kids on inflatable things, rusted jocks seeking to prove they can still throw a ball through a tire, and marketing professionals. The Redcoats, the Rainbow Warrior Marching Band, and both sets of cheerleaders will have pep rallies both days.

As always, wear your Georgia gear and go. Make sure the Sugar Bowl folks know we are in New Orleans and we are taking over, at least until the 2nd. When else are you going to get to see Eddie Money for free?

Quinton

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Another Killer Blackout Video

This one from "pacavelithedon"

ht-dawgsin2004
PWD

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Dawgs Arrive in the Big Easy

Lots of news coverage this morning, too:

• Sugar Bowl mix of business, pleasure - ABH
• Bulldog buddies - Columbus Ledger-Enquirer
  
• Dawgs and Warriors arrive - Baton Rouge Advocate
• No casinos for the Dawgs - Times-Picayune
• Warriors touch down - Honolulu Advertiser
  
• Hawaii Arrives (video) - davegladow

Quinton

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Dumb Rumor: The Canes Want Willie?

The Miami Herald is quoting unnamed sources saying that Randy Shannon, Miami Hurricane Head Coach, would love either Charlie Strong or Willie Martinez as his defensive coordinator now that he's fired Tim Walton from that gig.

Why doesn't he just ask for a pony and one of Mr. Wonka's Geese?

Willie made $260,000 in 2006. I couldn't find his salary for 2007, but it's probably just south of $300k. That's about what John Chavis makes at Tennessee and considerably less than what Tenuta made at Tech; however, Tenuta was one of the highest paid DCs in college football. In other words, he's paid an aggressive yet competitive wage.

But back to why this is a dumb rumor.
At this point, Strong is a Gator. He has coached under every Gator Head Coach since Charlie Pell including Pell, Galen Hall, Gary Darnell, Steve Spurrier, Ron Zook and Urban Meyer. He has left before, but he always goes back. Much to UGA's dismay. More importantly, he has done an excellent job of taking progressively better jobs at virtually every stop.

The Gators lose more money between the seat cushions in Urban Meyer's office couch than the Hurricanes have seen in years. Shannon is the 53rd highest paid coach in college football, and the Hurricanes are just as cheap in paying their assistants as their head coach. In fact, Miami blogger "Canes Rising" says their defensive coordinator job is "not very attractive" because of their compensation history.

Why would you leave the Gators when they are near the top of the mountain to rebuild the Canes on the cheap?

As for Willie
Martinez will likely get a hefty bump in pay this year from the Dawgs. Heck, all of the assistants will. Hopefully, Searels will get a golden, fatted calf, but I digress. Martinez is a Cane alum, but the odds of Shannon pulling him out of Athens while we're on the cusp of a HUGE run over the next two years are long.

The Canes don't have a financial pot to piss in, and Shannon is eyeballing coaches at two of the richest programs in football? Yeah. That makes sense. Luckily for them, UCLA's outgoing DC is also on Veruca Salt's Shannon's list.



BTW -- There's no indication whatsoever that Willie has been contacted. In fact, Richt said the other day that only Eason was being courted.

PWD

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Eason Staying Put

David Ching reports that Coach John Eason is staying in Athens after meeting with Florida A&M officials this week. It was widely thought that Eason was out of FAMU's price range, but Eason says money wasn't the issue. It sounds like Eason is licking his chops at the talent he will have to work with next year. So much so that he has turned down his alma mater. The Dawgs will miss Henderson, Bailey, Bryant and Gartrell next year but we will get A.J. Green (please make your grades) and Tavarres King on campus to add to a good group of returning receivers.

Plus, it might be difficult to leave UGA, where you have all the athletes, facilities, and money you could want, to go to FAMU, where they would be passing the hat at halftime to pay your salary. The only real advantage FAMU has on the Dawgs is in their marching band. No one can touch the Marching 100. But Eason would presumably be in the locker room when they perform. Way to think it through, coach.

Quinton

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New Orleans Boozing and Entertaining Yourself

In no particular order...some things I enjoy:

• Pat O'Brien's -- Best patio in the universe. Sure the Hurricane is solid, but their Category 5 Margarita is even better. Thirsty? Try the 384 ounce Hurricane. It's the booze companion to John Candy's "Ol' 96er" steak. (image right)
  
  
• Jazz at Preservation Hall - Warning get a belly full of booze before you go. They serve nothing there. It's a place you drop by for 30 minutes or so.

Other Recommendations and Notes:

• Rental Cars -- If you're staying in the French Quarter or the Central Business District VERY close to Canal, you shouldn't need a car (rental or otherwise). Use MapQuest to confirm. Everything worth seeing can be walked. If you're driving, park once and don't move it again. It's not worth the hassle.
  
  
• Garden District Tours -- Great place to walk around. I don't know if the Trolly connecting the Quarter and Garden District are back up and running. If not, catch a cab over there. Beautiful historic homes and architecture. Just walk around. You don't need a guide; although, if you're a dork you could always stop by and see the Real World New Orleans House. (Yo - that's a shout out to RoyOrbisonDawg).
  
  
• Harrah's -- Full Casino with table games, craps, poker, etc. Located along the Riverwalk just a few blocks from the Convention Center. Just keep the Blackberry Bandit of Tift County away from your table, and you should be fine. Some women just ain't lucky.
  
  
• The 3 for 1 Drink Special -- In the afternoon you'll see dudes standing outside of bars along Bourbon Street with 3 for 1 or even 4 for 1 drink special signs. It's 3 drinks PER PERSON for the cost of 1. You can't just give away the other two drinks. In other words, if three of you walk into a bar and ask for the 3 for 1 special, they will give you nine drinks. It's a bit of a scam, BUT it's still the cheapest booze in the world.
  
  
• Music -- Stand outside of a bar. If you like the music go in. Every place down there has something to listen to.
  
  
• Nudie Bars -- I've actually never been to one here. No. Seriously, I haven't. But from the looks of the "talent" (or complete lack thereof) standing outside of the doors, the quality has gone from bad to worse since Katrina.
  
  
• Shopping -- Personally, I like to stroll along Royal Street. It's the street "to the right" of Bourbon if Canal is to your back. Don't walk down Bourbon Street in the day light. The filth and smell will revolt you.

What did I forget? A nice touristy thing is to take the Ferry Wheel Boat for a short ride. What else?

PWD

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Sugar Bowl Tickets: Online Prices Collapse

As is often the case with bowl tickets, the online after market for Sugar Bowl tickets has finally crashed for high quality seats. Some prices as of this morning:

Lower Level Starting at $100
Club Level Starting at $100
Upper Level Starting at $40

If you want to go to the 2008 Sugar Bowl, the price is right. If you're wondering where the endless supply is coming from....there appears to be around 35,000-40,000 tickets controlled by corporate sponsors and locals.

PWD

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The Biggest Thing to Hit Hawaii Since....

From the New Orleans Times Picayune (ht - JimFromDuluth).

Herman Frazier, Hawaii's athletic director, concurred. "It's Hawaii's Super Bowl," he said. "Our participation in the Sugar Bowl is going to be like Hawaii playing in a Super Bowl." Still, to speak of the Sugar Bowl as a mere football game, even a really big one, fails to capture the mood.

"For many people here," said Bobby Curran, a Honolulu sports radio announcer and longtime Hawaii follower, "this is the biggest thing to hit Hawaii since statehood." (emphasis added)

For UGA fans looking to wrap your head around Hawaii Mania sweeping the islands, my best comparison would probably be the '91 Braves.

I remember most of our state staying up half the night watching the Braves west coast swings vs. the Dodgers, Giants and Padres leading up to Sid Bream's Slide. It was a white hot love affair, and everything was so new. We couldn't get enough of it, and they could do no wrong. It sounds like that to me. In other words, it's not like a state full of life long Hawaii Football fans is coming over.

According to the article linked above, their stadium seats ~50,000, and they only have 22,800 season ticket holders. Basically, their stadium is the size of Bobby Dodd, and GT has a similarly sized season ticket holder base. Hmm....I'm sure there's a shot at Tech in there somewhere.

It's more than just "This is new." It's "This couldn't be more different than what they are used to."

See Also:
-- 10 facts about Hawaii - AJC
-- Dawgs return to NOLA - DawgPost
-- Warriors on Guard - UGASports.com ($)

PWD

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ESPN's "Images of 2007" Video

ESPN has probably shown this video a dozen times. It's good stuff; although, it could've used more Dawgly footage. Merry Christmas everyone!

PWD

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Daily Coach Eason Update: FAMU Rumors

The Tallahassee newspaper says the Florida A&M Rattlers have some salary ground to make up if they want to pull University of Georgia Wide Receiver Coach John out of Athens. Boosters will need to step up to bring the former A&M all-star "home."

Sounds like the two parties have about 2-3 more days to get a deal done or the search will move on to someone else.

See Also:
-- Yesterday's Update with Suggested Replacements - GSB
-- FAMU search turns to Eason - GSB

PWD

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Hawaii Blog: Keep an Eye on This

Tombo Ahi's University of Hawaii Blog is extremely well done. Lots of video and aggregated news on the Hawaii Candy Coated Chocolate Unicorn Elf Warriors from the Land Beyond Time. However, none of the video highlights showcase the sacrifice of virgins to appease their Volcano God.

Then again, I might not have found those clips yet. Let me consult with Carl on that one and get back with you.

In all seriousness, it's a good site.

PWD

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Boom Video: Another Pop Warner Highlight

In fairness the kids getting waylaid in this video, I think #50 is probably old enough to buy beer after the game.

PWD

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I heart Pop Warner Videos

This one is as over the top as they come. It's called "Superman Plays Pop Warner." Give it a minute to get warmed up. Two funny things about this one. First...the over the top "Proud Dad on Steroids" beginning is comedy. Secondly, the entire video is redunkulous.

PWD

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Video: Carl's Picks for the Bowl Season

Carl from Cartoon Network's Adult Swim gives his picks for the bowl season. Note: some profanity.

PWD

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Coach John Eason to FAMU Rumors: Update

The Tallahassee paper is reporting that Georgia has given Florida A&M permission to speak with WR Coach John Eason. He was expected to interview for the position as early as today. Claude Felton, UGA SID, confirmed that permission was given to the Rattlers to speak with Eason.

Best of luck to Coach Eason. This would have to be one of his dream jobs.

If he were to leave, the candidate list to replace him at WR coach would probably start with Tony Ball and Bryan McClendon. Ball is Georgia's running backs coach, but he served as WR coach for Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech. McClendon is a former UGA player (2005 Graduate), and he is currently a graduate assistant on Mark Richt's staff. Per Georgiadogs.com

At Georgia, McClendon's career blossomed during his senior season. As the Bulldogs claimed an SEC title, the Atlanta, Ga., native hauled in 35 passes and six touchdowns. He caught the game-winning TD pass in the closing minutes against Georgia Tech, and then blocked a punt in the SEC Championship, which led to the Bulldogs' third TD of the game. He was part of a senior class that won 44 games – the most by any class in Georgia history.

McClendon vs. LSU 2005 (Image: Hipple)

BMac has two SEC Championship rings as a player, and his dad is one of the top running backs in UGA history. However, he's very, very young. This is only his first year coaching. I'd love to see him get some seasoning elsewhere and have us pursue a more established candidate. A candidate like Darryl Drake.

Drake was the WR coach for the Georgia Bulldogs from 1992-1996. He later worked with Mack Brown at Texas from 1998-2002. While at UGA, he worked under offensive coordinator Wayne McDuffie. It was McDuffie that invented many of the offensive concepts that Mark Richt now uses while at FSU. Drake also recruited under Mack Brown so he should be well versed there. I doubt we could pull him away from the Chicago Bears, but he'd be my first call.

It'll be interesting to see how things unfold if Coach Eason leaves. Richt hasn't hired anyone for any of his openings that was expected. Coaches Rucker (RB), Ball (RB), Jancek* (LB) and Searels (OL) were all out of left field. Kirby Smart wasn't a shocker, but putting him at RB coach was.

I'd wager that it would end up being someone wildly unexpected.

See Also:
-- Coach Eason up for FAMU job? - GSB

By the way -- To answer the question from earlier in the week...no. I don't think it would impact our recruiting of AJ Green or Tavarres King.

PWD

*Yes, I know that I usually put the C in the wrong place when spelling his name. However, in fairness our SAM linebackers are usually in the wrong place so I think that makes us even.

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Felton Achieves Historic Milestone

Image: georgaidogs.com

Dennis Felton today became the first coach in UGA history to lose two games in the same day (using Eastern Standard Time)*. The Dawgs -- currently playing in Hawaii -- lost to East Tennessee State around 2:00 am eastern time, and then followed that up with a humiliating loss to Tulane around 8 pm tonight. Two RPI Killers in 20 hours.

The Hoop Dawgs go for the Hawaii Hat Trick(TM) tomorrow vs. Hawaii. Given the nature of officiating on the island for Warrior home games and the state's eagerness to beat the Bulldogs in SOMETHING, it doesn't look promising.

In Felton's defense, Tulane did beat Auburn by 15 points earlier in the season. Of course they also lost to Buffalo and New Orleans as well....neither of which is known for their basketball prowess.

The team is now 6-3 on the season with non-conference games remaining against Hawaii, Gonzaga (in Seattle), Presbyterian and Georgia Tech. At this point, we'll need 10-6 in the SEC to make the NCAA tourney. The SEC is down this year, but is it really that down?

The AJC's take is relatively optimistic.

PWD


*I can't confirm this fact. Well...I can confirm that he lost twice. Not that he's the first to do it. I just can't envision to many scenarios where it's possible to do what he did today.

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Hoop Dawgs blown out by East Tennessee State

Felton's squad lost to East Tennessee 76-58 at the Hawaii tournament late last night. However, they aren't eliminated. All teams are guaranteed three games.

Sundiata Gaines, Billy Humphrey and Terrence Woodbury combined to go 7-29 from the field, and the team only hit 5 of its final 24 three pointers. We won't beat anyone shooting 28 total threes because we don't have enough shooters to do that.

It goes without saying that this game is an RPI killer. We need at least 20 total wins and 9 SEC wins to get firmly on the NCAA Tourney bubble. Probably 21 and 10 respectively to lock it. Every game we drop against ETSU; we have to get back in the SEC to get our total win count up.

For as good as the Wake game felt, this would be pretty much the opposite. I said after that game, that we couldn't have 18 first half turnovers and win in the SEC. We had 16 turnovers in the first half against ETSU. So I should amend my comments to read..."We can't have 16 first half turnovers and expect to win in the rough and tumble Atlantic Sun."

The team plays again today at 6:30 pm against Tulane.

PWD

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Saturday in Athens (video)

I posted a link to the scoreboard videos the other day, but they are now on Youtube. Stu508 is the man.

PWD

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Munson Mixes Now Available for Download

By popular demand, I finally uploaded all of my mixes. At least I think that's all of them. As my Christmas present to my readers, I'm putting this download / listening site up.

My Munson Mixes include:

U2: Where the Streets Have No Name
James Brown (Live): Brother Gotta Rap
Cake: Going the Distance
Blur Song 2: Clemson Killer Mix
And a bunch more using Elvis, George Clinton, and Willie Nelson

What's a Munson Mix you ask? Well...click one of those links and listen. Basically,I took old Munson highlights and dubbed them over old songs. Some are better than others. I haven't done a new one since 2004; although, that could be changing pretty quickly. ;-)

Enjoy because I may have to take the site down soon.

Oh...and seriously...a HUGE thank you to everyone who purchased tickets or bought merchandise from our affiliates and sponsors. This site takes up a ton of time, and it helps justify the efforts when you guys take care of the people who take care of us. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

PWD

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As the Vol Turns: Trooper Taylor to Oklahoma State

Per Blutarsky in the comments section. Tennessee's best recruiter just signed on as the new offensive coordinator for the Oklahoma State Cowgirls. Joel is bumming. Westerdawg is thrilled.

PWD

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FAMU's Search Turns to Eason

The Tallahassee Democrat is reporting that Florida A&M University's search for a head coach may be turning towards University of Georgia wide receivers coach John Eason. Coach Eason was also a candidate for the FAMU job in 2005.

Dr. Eason holds a Ph.D. in educational administration from FSU, and he holds a bachelors and masters degree from Florida A&M. He has spent 25 years of his life in Tallahassee has a player or coach (including being a former high school coach in the area). He's an academic oriented guy whose players have never found any sort of meaningful mischief in Athens.

Under his guidance Terrence Edwards set the SEC career marks in touchdowns, yardage and receptions. Edwards, Fred Gibson and Reggie Brown also earned All-SEC honors. He has also recruited blue chip players like AJ Green, Mohamad Massaquoi and Sean Bailey to Athens.

He has handled himself with nothing but class while in Athens, and the only imaginable reason for him to not get the FAMU job would be his age.

I wish him the best of luck with his candidacy for the position, and I think any logical UGA fan would do the same.

PWD


ht - dawgrun

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Van Gorder to Gamecocks

And the journey continues....Brian Van Gorder will take over as Defensive Coordinator for the Gamecocks in January. We listed this as one of the likely options for Van Gorder's next stop after his current employer announced that he was moving to Arkansas.

It's a good fit for BVG. I hope he finds happiness.....just one less game of happiness in the SEC East than we find. However, as someone said on a message board recently, "If Spurrier and Van Gorder are on the same staff, their recruiting coordinator may never sleep again." Touche. Two guys with an matched passion for spending time with high school football coaches. lol.

By the way...this could be a net positive for UGA.
Over the past 3 years, the Dawgs have averaged only 15.7 points against Spurrier. Tyrone Nix, outgoing Gamecock DC, wasn't Spurrier's problem when facing us. It was his QBs.

I highly doubt that Van Gorder is going to hold us to even fewer points than Nix did. 15 points is pretty low already, and we're bringing in a dramatically more experienced offense to Columbia next year.

Nix wasn't a bum against us. He was a bum against the rest of the SEC after his players would drop like flies due to injuries later in the season. At that point, Spurrier's half assed recruiting would catch up with him because they don't have the depth of the SEC super powers.

It's a break even development for Dawg fans in head to head play. But it could be a net win for Georgia as Van Gorder's defense might improve the Chicken's play later in the season. Thus, helping Georgia win the SEC East by giving UF and UT more losses.

He's a very good coach, but I don't think this has any bearing on our game in Columbia next year. And I don't think it changes the fact that Spurrier isn' t going to win the SEC any time soon. As for Gamecock smack talk about this....let me preempt you by saying, "I can't hear you for my Sugar Bowl tickets which are stuck in my ears."

PWD

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Ticket Woes

My seats are only slightly farther away from the field than this view.

Poor Rory Lee. The four-year Hawai'i season ticket holder is sad. When he got his tickets to the Sugar Bowl and excitedly opened the envelope, he discovered that he would be sitting in Section 127 of the Superdome. Section 127 is in the ... lower endzone! The horror! It seems fans used to sitting in a "kinda full" Aloha Stadium during the regular season don't like having bad seats for the biggest game in their program's history. Another Hawai'i fan says:

"I hope, in the sense of fairness, that Georgia season-ticket holders have similar seats on the opposite side of the field. It would be quite unfair if Georgia had a whole sideline opposed to UH's half sideline and a full end zone."

Listen up, Hawai'i. You'll sit in those seats and like it. I've been a UGA season ticket holder a lot longer than you've been one at Hawai'i, Rory. I might sacrifice a family pet to get down to 127 from the slop seats that UGA sent me: upper deck, endzone, three rows from the roof. But I'm not complaining. I'm happy the Dawgs are in a BCS game and will joyously squint through binoculars to discern if the players have taken the field.

Frankly, you should view a BCS bid as a blessing too and enjoy being in the stadium. LSU fans would crawl through the swamps naked and covered in alligator bait to get a chance at BCS Bowl tickets, even if they were upper deck endzones. And they won a national championship a few years ago. You, whose crowning bowl achievement has been at the Holiday Bowl, are now complaining about your lower deck endzone seats at the Sugar Bowl. It's probably not rude, but it is quite uppity.

If you know your seat location, the Saints have a nice seating chart with views from each section of the Superdome.

Quinton


(Update from PWD: It appears that the 4,000 tickets that Hawaii gave UGA before they went on sale were all upper level tickets. That comes from a decent source, and it's "confirmed" using common sense. It does look like Hawaii received some upper deck seats during their whine fest from the Sugar Bowl. Most of those appear to be uppers. I'm hearing sections 619-613. I'm expecting the other 40+ upper deck sections to be Dawg fans and Hawaii mainlanders who bought via Stubhub or some other service. So yeah -- I agree with Quinton. If you're in the lower level at the Sugar Bowl. Don't bitch. Because most of us are sitting with Oxygen Tanks. Signed - PWD. 29th out of 34 rows. Upper Deck Corner.)

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Culture Shock: UGA vs. Hawaii

Hawaii's C.J. Hawthorne is originally from Gulfport, Mississippi. He offers the following advice to his Hawaii teammates.

C.J. Hawthorne has been to New Orleans and he’s been to Las Vegas.

The Warriors senior receiver from Gulfport, Miss., said New Orleans is probably wilder, and the players will have to be at their self-disciplined best, especially on New Year’s Eve, which also happens to be the night before the Sugar Bowl against Georgia.

“Guys are going to see stuff they’ve never seen before,” Hawthorne said after today’s practice. “It’ll be for the guys from Hawaii what Hawaii was like when I first got here.” (emphasis added)

That's about the best way to describe it. There's a longer article about Hawaii trying to stay out of trouble in New Orleans in the Honolulu Advertiser.

Josh Kendall offers a Bulldog view into the Culture Clash expected in the Big Easy.

PWD

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Blackout vs. White Out

As you know by now, Mark Richt has called for a Blackout of the Sugar Bowl by Georgia fans. It's a request I fully intend to comply with as a black shirt looks damn good with the red pants....but I digress. As part of this effort, the Dawgs will be in the black jerseys for the game.

To counter this fashion move, June Jones is asking for a Hawaii Whiteout. I would make a joke about blizzards, but all the references would be lost on them. Anyway, they'll be wearing white tops, white pants and white helmets.

It's times like this that I just absolutely love the College Football that much more. It's absurd really that anyone thinks that any of this matters. But it's even more absurd that it does matter!

By the way, there are several articles running around that say this is the second or third most expensive or best selling bowl ticket in terms of after market online purchases. I think the biggest thing driving the inflated numbers (other than mainland Hawaii fans gobbling up tickets) is the ENORMOUS upper deck and tiny lower deck. Stubhub has uppers for less than face value, but lower level tickets are going for a robust premium.

See Also:
-- Hawaii answering Dawg Blackout - AJC
-- Richt a motivational Master - Honolulu News
-- Hawaii's road unis and what not - UHfootball
-- Bulldog Hotline Notes - Anti-Orange Page (JimFromDuluth)

Black UGA Apparel (still have time before Christmas!)
-- Black T-Shirt Short Sleeve
-- Black Long Sleeve Shirt

PWD

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Why the Hobnail Boot Play Matters Most

It all starts with this.

We had a post and comment thread last week talking about the Top plays of 2007. The thread evolved into a conversation around the Top Plays of the entire Richt Era. Some were commenting that Michael Johnson's catch vs. Auburn is the most important play. Someone else said that the decision to celebrate in Jax might be the most important or second most important play.

For my money, it all starts with P44 Haynes. With six seconds left we hit the Hobnail Boot. After the 2004 season, I talked with one of the graduating players about his career at UGA. (This was pre-blog so no linky). We talked about buying into the Richt System, and he said it was in Knoxville (his FR year) that the entire team finally bought in.

Prior to that blessed catch by Verron in 2001, there were still doubters. Most of the seniors had bought in during Mat Drills because they had no other choice. They could either try it Richt's way or spend the next 12 months in agony. Three games into the season, significant pockets of the rest of the team still had their doubts.

But a win in Knoxville...for the first time in 20 years...in the face of a bloodthirsty crowd...with a freshman QB...in his first road game...in the wake of Travis Stephens' 62 yard catch and run for the ages...our guys Finished the Drill. As the senior told me, "That was when I said, 'Ok, this is worth it.'"

If that rally falls apart, who is to say that the team holds it together that season? Especially after Richt's brain fart vs. Auburn. We would've likely finished the season in Shreveport against Iowa State struggling to get above 7 wins. One less than we had in Donnan's final year.

Why bring that up now?
Look to our West. Today, there's a large article in the Montgomery paper talking about Saban's failure to get the team to buy-in. There are rumblings that St. Nick will have to dump as many as a dozen players who never bought into his "process." Consider this quote about buying in:

Junior safety Rashad Johnson said close losses by the team -- Alabama lost all six games by seven points or less -- could have been reversed if more players did what was expected of them from the beginning.

"It could've been a totally different thing," he said. "Right now, we're talking LSU in the national championship game, a two-loss team. Every game we lost this year was by seven points, just about. I mean, we won a couple like that, but it could've been a totally different season. Totally different."

"When you're playing teams like LSU, Auburn, even Mississippi State, the little things would have really won the ballgame," Gilberry added.

So, today is as good a day as any to be thankful for that senior class who decided to get on board early, and for a well worn pair of Hobnail Boots. The play that started us on the path towards football righteousness.

PWD

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Video Interview with Players from OnlineAthens.com

from the ABH


I think this was from Friday.

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Some Sugar Thoughts

On January 1, 2006, my wife and I were riding MARTA to the Sugar Bowl. We were in a MARTA car full of Dawg fans discussing the SEC championship game and how we were going to beat West Virgina by at least 21. West Virginia, after all, was from the weak Big East, a conference that shouldn't have kept their automatic BCS berth after the defection of their best teams to the ACC. WVU was a pretender, they said. One member of our traveling party even confronted two WVU fans in front of us. "I'm just gonna warn you now. No. 17's name is Blue and he's gonna hurt ya'll's freshman quarterback tonight." The Dawg fans laughed. One of the WVU fans turned to the other and said quietly, "Well, they're gonna have to catch him first." You know the rest of the story.

So, here we are again. "We're hot. We're feeling good. We're disappointed we missed the BCS Bowl or a big match up with USC in Pasadena. Instead, we get a tricky team from the middle of the Pacific Ocean who play their home games at 1:00 in the morning. Hawai'i hasn't played anyone. They play in a conference that no one cares about. They put up ridiculous numbers, but they haven't faced an SEC defense. We deserve better. We're Georgia. We'll kill Hawai'i."

Let's put an end to that. No one knows what will happen. I was one of those people who thought we would steamroll WVU, but I never would have imagined we would lose two fumbles in the first quarter and generally play the first half as if we hadn't practiced since beating LSU. We will not win this game simply by telling Hawai'i that we're Georgia and they have no shot in the biggest game in the history of their program. We will have to earn it.

I think the coaches realize this and grasp what's at stake. Georgia's national reputation took a big hit with that WVU loss. People still talk about it as if WVU rolled us when the game was tight until the end, despite the shocking 28-0 first half deficit. It was a bitter pill to swallow after the pure glee of winning the conference championship. If Hawai'i beats UGA, you can expect to hear about it for a long, long time. I've seen several national media folks saying this is a lose-lose situation for us. Let me dispel that notion right now. Winning the Sugar Bowl, a bowl we have a 3-5 record in, is a huge win for us. This is a showcase game for the Georgia program and a springboard for the 2008 season, a season that holds a great deal of promise. A BCS win is important and needed. The season won't look nearly as good, as fun, as special if it ends in a loss. We have to win new year's night.

That being said, here's a few interesting tidbits about the Hawai'i Warriors:

• While several of the Hawai'i athletic teams go by the nickname "Rainbow Warriors," the football team likes "Warriors," only. Why?
• Since 1956, Hawai'i is 7-28 against ranked opponents and 1-7 against top 5 teams, beating BYU in 1990. They are 1-6 against SEC teams, beating Alabama in 2003.
  
• It's 4,202 miles from Honolulu to New Orleans, a 7 hour and 55 minute flight.
• The Warriors have played a grand total of one bowl game on the mainland, winning the 1992 Holiday Bowl. So, Hawai'i has never lost a bowl game on the mainland.
  
• Hawai'i has a player named Hercules and another named Solomon. They are thus both strong and wise. I remember our 2005 team had a Pope, a Moses, and a Mohammad, covering three major religions, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
  

Quinton

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Video: Top Plays of 2007

During half-time of the Kentucky game, they showed a video on the scoreboard of the top plays for 2007. "sumant86" shot this video of the video. Not so steady, but good enough.


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Looking for a Book to Give for Christmas?

If you're looking to give a sports nut in the family a book for the holidays, I recommend The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. It's a non-fiction story about the early life of Michael Oher, prototype left tackle at Ole Miss, and the evolution of the Left Tackle position in football.

In high school, Oher was 6'5" and 350 lbs with the ability to move and leave a path of destruction behind him unlike virtually anyone else on the planet not named Orlando Pace or Jonathan Ogden. However, he was essentially raised (or ignored if you prefer) by a homeless crack addict, and his high school GPA at the start of the book is roughly 0.6.

-- Hard cover edition
-- Paperback edition

In reality, the book is about one of the poorest, least educated kids in America being adopted by a very rich white family in Memphis who takes him in and gets him academically ready to play football in the SEC. It also discusses the way football has changed since Lawrence Taylor destroyed Joe Theisman's career/leg. But to say that is a gross over simplification of a complex story.

It's impossible to put the book down. If you are a regular reader of this blog or message boards; follow college recruiting; have a favorite team recently coached by Orgeron, Fulmer or Saban; or enjoy the NFL, then the book is for you.

Here are some reviews:
-- An interview with Michael Lewis (part 1) - edsbs.com
-- An interview with Michael Lewis (part 2) - edsbs.com
-- Highlights from The Blind Side - edsbs.com
-- Amazon Review - Amazon.com
-- New Yorker Magazine Review - Gladwell
-- Houston Chronicle Review (he means Tom Lemming, not Matt)
-- Another Review - Sports Prof

It's one of the best sports books that I've ever read. I'd put it along side Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer as one of my favorites.

PS -- Oher is currently a junior at Ole Miss, and he was first team All-SEC this year. His body has been reshaped in the weight room, and you would never believe that he's 330 lbs when you look at him. He looks about 290 lbs because of the way he's put together. In intramural basketball, he plays....shooting guard. That's the type of body control and quickness he possesses.

PWD

(Note: I get no kickback on this one. I haven't gotten around to implementing an Amazon.com store front. So it's a non-biased review)

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Delighting in the misery of others: Vol Edition

The AP is reporting that Cutcliffe will be named head coach at Duke today. The Knoxville News says the press conference is at 5:00 pm today, and Cutcliffe will remain Offensive Coordinator for the Vols through the Outback Bowl.

Joel at RockyTopTalk says, "Cutcliffe will likely take [Vol] running backs coach Kurt Roper and tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator Matt Luke with him over the mountain." This matches the rumors I've previously seen on all the Vol message boards. So it's gotta be true right? (insert rolling eyes making fun of myself)

Actually, it makes a ton of sense. Luke played and coached for Cutcliffe at Ole Miss. Roper also coached with Cutcliffe at Ole Miss, and then he came to the Vols with him in 2006. Roper's wife is also from High Point, NC so the move would probably be great for her family.

From a personnel standpoint, Jerod Mayo, Arian Foster, Anthony Parker, and Britton Colquitt have all submitted their paperwork to the NFL for evaluating their potential draft status. Per Scout.com:

Mayo, a first-team Coaches All-SEC pick, was the 2007 Vols leading tackler with 127 stops. Foster was the team’s leading rusher with 1,162 yards. Parker was a second-team Associated Press All-American and Colquitt was a second-team All-SEC selection.

None of those guys sound especially eager to jump to the league. So that sucks.

As for Dawgs exploring their options, Brannan Southerland, Dannell Ellerbe and Jeff Owens all submitted their paperwork to the NFL for evaluating their draft status. Southerland says there's no way he's leaving. He was just curious. I can't realistically see the other two being graded high enough to make the jump worth their time. Stranger things have certainly happened. Update: Owens and Ellerbe say they're staying.

See Also
-- Vol Coaching Bios - UTSports.com

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More Good News from Vol Land: Trooper Taylor Leaving?

Ace Tennessee Vol recruiter Trooper Taylor (WR Coach), will interview for the offensive coordinator job at Baylor. If David Cutcliffe leaves UT for the head coaching job at Duke (he hasn't yet), Taylor would also be a leading candidate to take over as Vol player caller.

One rumored scenario has Taylor as co-offensive coordinator with former UGA TE coach / current Vol OL coach Greg Adkins. Another less credible rumor has the Vols considering New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Doug Marrone for the job. I can't see how moving from NFL OC to College OC under Fulmer is a promotion. Thus, I don't buy that second story.

If Cutcliffe stays put, Taylor would do well to consider the Baylor gig. If Cutcliffe moves on, he'll have the Baylor job as leverage against Fulmer to take the entire OC position at UT.

Taylor is one of the best recruiters in Knoxville since Rodney Garner left Fulmer's staff in the mid-90s. To see Fulmer without both Cutcliffe and Taylor would be exceptional news. I doubt we get both things to break out way though.

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Official UGA Pre-Game Videos

This site has all the Scoreboard videos from Sanford Stadium including

Tunnel Video "It's Saturday"
Baba O'Riley
4th Quarter "Boom"
Lose Yourself
Let's Get it Started (the obnoxious commercial)

All video versions appear to be from Game 1. They don't include the updates from the Florida and Auburn games. Also, when you click on the link, it will open to an Auburn video. Just skip past that. Direct linking to individual videos didn't work for me.

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David Cutcliffe to Duke?

Keep your fingers crossed tonight. One of the biggest thorns in Georgia's side could be removed tomorrow. Tennessee Offensive Coordinator David Cutcliffe appears to have been offered the head coaching job at Duke according to The Knoxville News. The paper also reports that he's prepared to accept the position.

Phil Fulmer's record vs. Georgia when he doesn't have David Cutcliffe on staff is 2-5. However, Fulmer and Cutcliffe together have produced a staggering record of 10-0 9-0 against the Dawgs.


Coach Martinez gives his opinion on this story
If he should accept the position at Duke, no one will be happier than Willie Martinez. Hell, Willie could've provided a reference for the guy.

See Also:
-- Will it be Cutcliffe? - Winston-Salem Journal
-- Cutcliffe to Duke - RockyTopTalk
-- UGA fans rejoice? - FanBlogs

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Sugar Bowl Merchandise for Christmas

Doing some holiday shopping online? Don't know what to get the Georgia Bulldog fan in your life? The Georgia Sports Blog's Online Store can help. We've got a variety of Sugar Bowl merchandise to help you Blackout the Dome per Coach Richt's request. Our store is powered by Football Fanatics, the same company that powers the store for the official UGA site. Happy shopping!

Pour It On Long Sleeve Shirt	Pour It On T-shirt	Sugar Bowl Blackout T-Shirt
Black Sugar Bowl "Dueling" Hat	Stone Sugar Bowl hat	Red Sugar Bowl Bound Hat
Ladies Sugar Bowl Bound Long Sleeve	Ladies Sugar Bowl Bound T-shirt	Men's Blacked Out Hooded Sweatshirt

Thanks for your support!

Paul Westerdawg
Publisher
Georgia Sports Blog

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Another Blackout Video from the Auburn Game

DuPont24Dawgs did a killer job with this one.

There's no telling how many times I'll end up watching the youtube videos from this season.

PWD

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ACC Championship Game moving to Tampa and Charlotte

The Jacksonville Experiment is over for the ACC. On Wednesday, the league announced that it would be leaving Jax in favor of a rotating Championship game played in Tampa (2008 and 2009) and Charlotte (2010 and 2011).

Jacksonville lost the game as "announced attendance" declined from 72,749 to 62,850 to 53,212 over three years there. "Estimates of the actual crowds in 2006 and '07 were at least several thousand below the announced figures." (Source: Charlotte Observer)

Of course, the image above does the best job of giving you some idea of what the crowd was REALLY like in Jacksonville this season. It also gives you better insight into why Boston College gets shunned for bowls every year. (ht - Walt Geiger)

Fanblogs.com suggests the ACC move its game to campuses. It's really hard to argue this idea given that tiny Bobby Dodd Stadium could've played host to the 2006 title game, and the fans in attendance would've still had room to spread out and get comfortable.

I think the game leaving Jacksonville frees up that city to make a push for the SEC Title game. If UGA increases the frequency of our attendance at the Georgia Dome, other members of the conference may push for the game to start a rotating location similar to what the Big 12 does.

See Also
-- ACC leaves Jax - Jacksonville.com

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Knowshon Moreno Black Jersey

Click to learn more or buy

By popular demand, We now have the #24 Blackout Jersey available and in stock. This replica NIKE Jersey is super cool looking, and if you order by 10:00 am Friday, Dec. 14th, you can receive it by Wednesday, December 19th. (Some minor geographic limitations apply).

Note: It's been tough to keep the #24 jerseys in stock at the store. You should probably order sooner rather than later if you're interested.

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Auburn's new offensive coordinator

Tuberville boots Borges

Auburn fired offensive coordinator Al Borges, and replaced him with Troy's offensive coordinator Tony Franklin. Kentucky fans will remember Franklin as a central figure in Mumme's probation saga (Note: he was "cleared" of all charges). Georgia fans will remember Franklin's Troy team putting up 488 yards of total offense in Athens this season.

David Ching points out that this is Auburn's sixth offensive coordinator since 2000. The list includes Noel Mazzone, Bobby Petrino, Hugh Nall/Steve Emsfinger, Al Borges and Tony Franklin. If Muschamp were to move on, AU would also get their 5th defensive coordinator in that time frame. Ching points out:

Auburn has probably had about as many different offensive/defensive coordinators since 2001 as Mark Richt has had assistant coaches, total.

Troy's overall offensive stats last year are pretty impressive. In their mini-SEC schedule last year of Arkansas, UF and UGA, they posted the following stats:

vs. Arkansas (214 yards passing / 162 rushing / 26 points)
vs. Florida (283 passing / 53 rushing / 31 points)
vs. Georgia (373 passing / 115 rushing / 34 points)

Although, those stats are a bit inflated. The Gators had begun to substitute liberally at the half as they were up 49-7 before the Trojans scored 24 second half points. Franklin's troops also landed a garbage TD against UGA and Arkansas scoring with less than 5 seconds left in both games against primarily backups.

But still. That's a lot of points on the road for a Sun Belt team in SEC stadiums. I think that it's a good hire. Thanksfully, AU doesn't have a QB on campus that can really scare teams via the air.

See Also:
-- Up tempo style coming to Auburn? - AL.com

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Brian Van Gorder: 3 games from Unemployment

With Bobby Petrino's mid-season move from the Atlanta Falcons to Arkansas Razorbacks, one talented, nomadic assistant coach may be on the move again. Brian Van Gorder will likely be in search of work three games from now.

I've heard poorly sourced rumors that connect him with the defensive coordinator positions at South Carolina (Nix is out), Arkansas (Petrino will need a DC), and Georgia Tech (Tenuta may leave on his own or otherwise).

If he leaves the Falcons as expected, it would be:

2004 - University of Georgia (Defensive Coordinator)
2005 - Jacksonville Jags (Linebacker Coach)
2006 - Georgia Southern (Head Coach)
2007 - Atlanta Falcons (Linebacker Coach)
2008 - ?

Despite some never ending grumbling about Willie Martinez from our fan base...including me (particularly his ability to create a defense that pressures QBs), it should be noted that the Dawgs finished first in the SEC in sacks, second in third down conversions allowed (34 percent) and second in fewest redzone TDs allowed.

UGA also finished in the Top 3 among SEC teams in most major defensive categories this year. In other words, BVG is not coming back as defensive coordinator. Nor realistically should he be allowed to do that given the borderline insane way that he manages his career and complete inability to find happiness professionally...or the quality job that Willie did this year (other than the UT debacle). If we let him back in as DC, who's to say he doesn't blow himself up and leave to become special teams coach for the Montreal Alouettes in a year or two.

That said -- it wouldn't hurt my feelings to bring Van Gorder back as a linebacker coach should we have an opening there for any reason. We also might have an "in" with him given that his son Malloy is currently a walk-on for the Dawgs. The type of "in" that creates some semblance of professional stability?

I would wager that his family would be thrilled to have him on staff with the Yellow Jackets. A move like that would keep the family from moving...again. I personally would have no beef with him working for any of our rivals. The guy has bills to pay and mouths to feed.

But as Kyle King mentioned earlier today, it will be incredibly interesting to see where he lands. Heckuva a good coach and good man, but clearly the guy has no earthly idea how to manage his career or find happiness professionally. Makes you wonder how this story evolves.

See Also:
-- When going gets tough. Van Gorder Bolts GSU - GSB


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Build your own Personal UGA FanBook (new sponsor)

The Georgia Sports Blog is proud to welcome a new sponsor.

Thanks to JumpTV Sports and SharedBook, it is now possible to create your own personalized Georgia FanBook! To make a book, just click on the "NEW: Your Personalized Georgia FanBook" advertisement to the right and select the content that you want to include in your FanBook such as news articles, player profiles and professional photographs.

The team roster automatically flows into each book as well as a schedule complete with results. Then, it's up to you. You can purchase the FanBook as is. Or customize it further. You can add your own stories and photographs from the season and invite your friends and family into your personal book making space to contribute their own thoughts and photos too. Anyone invited into the space can also make their own book.

Pricing begins at $39.95 in softcover and $44.95 in hardcover. Completed books arrive in 10-14 days with free domestic shipping. Express shipping options are available for an additional fee. To see a sample FanBook, go to http://www.georgiadogs.com/ext/fanbook/index.dbml.

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Arkansas lands Falcons Coach Bobby Petrino

Updated: In 1976, Lou Holtz quit the New York Jets as Head Coach midseason with a 3-10 record to become the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. In 2007, Petrino has done the same thing. He turned in his resignation to the Falcons, and now he's the new head coach of the Razorbacks.

For Arkansas, it's nothing short of a home run hire. However, Petrino is a douche. Leaving the Falcons mid-season is a douche move, but he's an exceptional college football coach. The net result of the SEC Coaching Shuffle is Ole Miss and Arkansas both upgraded. Here's some reaction to the news:

-- Arkansas hits homerun - AOL
-- SEC's new bad boy - AL.com
-- Another classy coach - Sun Sentinel
-- Razorback players wanted Herring - Northwest Arkansas
-- 10 things SEC fans should know - AJC
-- Allure of SEC too much - MSNBC
-- Petrino never up to the job - AJC
-- Petrino and Tuberville reunited in SEC West - AJC
-- The SEC is ridiculous - Roll Bama Roll
-- Falcons better off with blank slate - Sporting News
-- Worst Falcons Season Ever - AJC
-- Petrino headed to Arkansas - Hawgs Illustrated ($)
-- Petrino to Arkansas - FanBlogs
-- Bobby P leaves Falcons for Razorbacks - Arkansas360

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Heisman Fark

Just in case it got lost in the noise and clatter of the Teblow love-in this weekend, I only saw him play once in person this season and I wasn't all that impressed:

But, in Teblow's defense, he looked great against Florida Atlantic, so there's that.

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Video: UGA vs. GT 2007 Highlights

The BullDawg Blawg has their video highlight package up. Nice work as always.

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Steve Spurrier's New Album

This was sent to me. If someone knows who put it together, I'll attribute it. Excellent work by someone.

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New Orleans Restaurant Recommendations

Some suggestions for places that I've enjoyed over the years. I assume they are all still open. You'll need to research dress codes and prices on your own. Unless I otherwise mention it, it's probably not a cheap place, and it's probably in the French Quarter. They are listed in no particular order (Image above: Crawfish Etoufee):

• Muriels -- Jackson Square. Awesome Bar downstairs, séance room upstairs, and a balcony overlooking the square. I think they take reservations. I'd call it contemporary New Orleans cuisine.
  
  
• K-Paul’s -- In a word....awesome. My dad and I ate there on a weekend evening, and they had a live band playing in the street outside. Occasionally, the band would come inside and start playing for a while. Another contemporary Cajun/Creole type thing. They are closed on Dec. 30th. Call for reservations.
  
  
• Irene's -- This is what you get when you cross Italian and Cajun. Located well into the Quarter away from Canal. They don't take reservations, and the line is long. The Duck is the best I've ever had. I've also had a "sweet potato soup" which buckled my knees.
  
  
• Palace Cafe - Located on Canal, this is a dressier venue than the above suggestions, but not a jacket required type thing. It's a more "accessible" place than it's big brother -- Commander's Palace. I've probably eaten here four times, and every experience was positive. Another Contemporary Cajun/Creole place. I'd get reservations if I were you.
  
  
• Commander's Palace and Emerils -- If you're going to blow it out and go Jacket Required (or really close to that), these are two of your better options. Commander's is a massive old house in the Garden District. Take a cab over there. I wouldn't bother with lunch there. The drop-off in the overall experience is just too much. Emeril got his start at Commander's as a Chef (I think). I've never been to any of the Emeril's in NOLA. However, I've been to them in other towns. The service is usually off the charts, and the food is exceptional. Personally, I think the cost vs. the experience isn't worth the price difference between the other's listed. But the experience is more over the top from a service standpoint.
  
  
• Breakfast at Brennan's -- There can't possibly be a more outrageous breakfast experience than this. It's obscenely expensive ($70 or so each), but it's a once in a lifetime type blow it out. When I went there this Spring, I looked at my dad and said, "Are they kidding with this meal? Damn." I'm sure the regular restaurant is awesome for dinner, too. But the breakfast is legen---wait for it---dary. If you want breakfast, you damn sure better get reservations.
  
  
• Court of Two Sisters -- They are best known for their Jazz Brunch. However, I've always enjoyed their dinner more. The best Turtle Soup in New Orleans. If you've never had Turtle Soup try it. It's like better gumbo. This place is less dressy and probably less expensive than some of the other options listed above. It's on Royal Street closer to Canal.
  
  
• Gumbo Shop -- Spectacular lunch place. Affordable, real New Orleans food. Actually, it's pretty damn awesome for dinner too, but it's best known for lunch. No reservations. Just a damn long line at times.
  
  
• Dickie Brennan's - I think I've eaten a great steak here once or maybe twice. But my general rule of thumb is..."I can get steaks back home." Granted, I'm not going to get a steak topped in crawfish and some redonkulous sauce, but I can get a great steak elsewhere. Regardless, if you're dying for beef -- this is for you.
  
  
• Mr. B's Bistro - This place took a very long time to reopen after Katrina, and I haven't tried it yet since the reopening. It's owned by the Brennan's so that's a good sign. From a cost standpoint, the menu was priced like Court of Two Sisters (ie: between K. Paul's and Gumbo Shop but closer to K. Paul's).

Places I hear raves about, but I've never eaten:

• Arnaud's in the Quarter
  
• ACME Oyster House - if you like Raw Bars and Cold Beer, this is for you. It's not really my bag, but tourists love it.
  
• Mother's - Closer to the Superdome. It's an cheap/quality southern breakfast place. The line is very, very long.
  
• Also our readers recommend -- Jacquimo, Petunia's, Camellia Grill, and Tujaques. However, I can't vouch for any of those because I haven't been.

Avoid Red Fish. It's the only restaurant in the Brennan Family empire that completely sucks hind teat. I wouldn't eat there again if they paid me.

Dive Bar to Close the Evening:

• The Lafitte's Blacksmith Bar -- The oldest bar in New Orleans. It's on Bourbon Street past the college beer barns, past the Gay Bars and about 1 block past what you think might be safe at around midnight. Barely has electricity, but the piano bar is a blast.

What else am I missing?

See Also:
-- Sugar Bowl Tickets starting below face value -- Stubhub

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Hoop Dawgs Clobber Wake Forest

Felton's guys overcame a sluggish first 6 minutes and 18 first half turnovers to completely demolish Wake Forest 72-50. I think it was the best the basketball team has looked since the win over Gonzaga last December.

In some ways, it's hard to know what to make of this game. Wake was predicted to finish 11th in the ACC by some pre-season publications, but they scored 80 points vs. Vandy a few nights earlier in a close loss. Personally, my optimism comes from the way Georgia looked more than the quality of the opponent.

The box score shows 18 assists on our 29 field goals. Ball and player movement (or lack thereof) has been my chief complaint during the Felton era. When you have that many makes off of assists, that's an excellent sign. It's also a good sign when you out rebound any ACC opponent 41-28.

The Positives:
-- The entire team played really well. Jeremy Price, Sundiata Gaines, Terrence Woodbury and Billy Humphrey all stood out to me.

-- Albert Jackson was back in action after his academic suspension. Albert was hurt for much of his freshman year so we really never got to see what he's made of. He picked up three turnovers and four fouls in nine minutes during this one, but it's still impressive to see the way he moves. We haven't had a guy with the size (6'10"), strength, agility and hand eye coordination since Terrell Bell in the early 90s. He's still raw, but it's promising seeing him move around.

The Negatives:
-- Singleton still hasn't completely learned what his thumbs are for, and he's an offensive train wreck. However, he continues to improve as a defender / shot altering force around the basket. The guy benches 355 pounds. To have arms as long as he does and bench that much weight means you're a STRONG, STRONG dude. He's probably put on 60 pounds of muscle since enrolling at UGA. If he ever learns how to use his body, watch out.

-- The crowd wasn't impressive at all. The students in particular were absent. I realize that it's the week before exams, and this is the first non-football weekend in a while (many fans watched football last weekend as if we were playing). But still. We have to do better when we book an ACC team at home.

Overall:
The win was televised. I haven't sensed much optimism around the hoops program since the suspensions began this September. Squeaking by Div II Augusta State and playing a series of tomato cans at home also doesn't do much to fuel fan excitement, hope or interest. Fans WANT to support a winner, but fans NEED to have hope.

This win was hope inspiring against a name opponent on television. Felton couldn't ask for more.

The rest of the non-conference schedule is reasonable. We head to Hawaii next for a three game tourney (the pre-Sugar Bowl build up will make that a hostile environment), and then we face Gonzaga in Seattle. There's another jobber squeezed in there somewhere before closing the non-conference schedule in Athens against a Georgia Tech that is struggling badly.

We should roll into the Tech game at 9-3 or 10-2. I think/hope school will be back in session so it should be a weeknight sellout. Win that game and the fans will have their hope / optimism restored entering the SEC schedule. Then all the team has to do is win some games to keep butts in the seats.

Who knows what this season holds for basketball. We won't beat many SEC teams committing 26 turnovers, and we're painfully young / inexperienced on the blocks. But...anything can happen.

Random Schedule Tidbit:
-- UGA has apparently scheduled Illinois for a two game neutral site contract in basketball. We play at Chicago in 2008 and in Atlanta in 2009. Nice scheduling by Coach Hermann and Felton. (ht - ssb)

See Also
-- Blowout feeds confidence - AJC
-- Gaines is a warrior - Terrence Moore
-- Georgia seizes control - Macon Telegraph

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Rumors: June Jones interested in UCLA?

The LA Daily News reports that June Jones has thrown his hat into the ring at UCLA. He joins Mike Leach and Steve Mariucci as names linked to the job. One thing is for sure...Jones' offensive system would entertain the fans in Los Angeles.

(Image: the bad old days in the A-T-L)

If he were to take the job, it would be unlikely that UCLA or Hawaii could (or would want to) keep it a secret through the Sugar Bowl. A healthy distraction for the Warriors would be nice.

West Coast Dawg (a UCLA/UGA Fan) mentions Jim Mora, Jr. for the job, and he quotes an LA Paper suggesting that Mike Leach won't be in the mix for the gig. Interesting.

See Also
-- Hawaii vs. Georgia Sugar Bowl Tickets

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