Also, CBS may have lacked confidence that Vandy and Georgia would both win against Mississippi State and Tennessee respectively. (Vandy is only a two point favorite against MSU).
ESPN will decide between Vanderbilt at Georgia or LSU at South Carolina on Sunday. ESPN's game will kickoff at 8:00 pm, and the Raycom game will kick off at 12:30 PM.
It's my theory that there are competing issues here bigger than who wins and loses on Saturday:
- Mike Adams / UGA Administration - Prefers fewer night games, and would likely have concerns about the logistical implications of hosting pre-scheduled homecoming events later in the day. The logistical considerations are legitimate...until you realize that it's pretty easy to just announce "All Homecoming Events have been postponed until until X o'clock"
- Athens/UGA Police - Extremely against night games in Athens. There has long been thought to be a handshake agreement between UGA and the cops that we'd avoid more than one "true" night game start (meaning post-6:00 pm) per season.
- Mark Richt - Logically, Coach Richt should be completely and totally against a 12:30 pm kickoff against Vanderbilt. Most big time upsets in the SEC happen during those early starts when the home crowd is less "into it." Just ask Tommy Tuberville about this. See also: UGA vs. Vandy '06. If we volunteer for a 12:30 pm kickoff, we're handing over a HUGE piece of our home field advantage. That not only hurts the vibe and tone of the game, it hurts the image we present for recruiting.
- The SEC League Office - The League wants its best games in its best time slots. If UGA and Vandy win this Saturday, that means our game against the Dores would need to be a big night game.
Regardless, Georgia needs to beat Tennessee. Winning would put enormous pressure on UGA to play this game at night. If both UGA and Vandy lose, it's a stone cold lock that we're playing at 12:30.
Just. Win. Baby.
PWD
22 comments:
Is the UGA/LSU a lock for the 330 slot?
I spoke with a guy who works freelance for CBS. He said those games that they picked before the season (the list that shouldn't have been released) is not definite. They do try to stick to that schedule, though. He said CBS really likes to have a top 5 team when they can, so that was possibly a motivating factor in picking Alabama, aside from the good points PWD brought up.
Let's hope the hell so. Red Stick at night is a death march. I know we won in that environment in 98, but I'd rather not push my luck. CMR is incredible on the road, but it's a different world down there from anything we see anywhere else.
I think you hit the nail on the head as to why CBS didn't pick up the Vandy game next week--if they did we would likely play 4 straight weeks on the network. I don't know if that's ever happened before, and I'm sure it is a situation they'd like to avoid if possible.
UGA/LSU is almost certainly a lock for CBS 3:30. Looking at the SEC schedule, the next best game that weekend is Bama/Tennesse (the ole "3rd Saturday in October" matchup, except being played on the 4th Saturday this year). Assuming we win this weekend, Tennessee will be 1-3 in the SEC at best heading into the Bama game. UGA/LSU is a much better matchup, even if LSU loses this weekend at the Swamp and we lose next weekend to Vandy (let's pray this doesn't happen).
Personally, I'd rather the Vandy game be at night, but I've been thinking lately about how we fare at home in those 7:45 ESPN night games. Not sure what our exact record is in those games, but they usually don't turn out so well (Bama this year, UT in '06, Auburn '05). I don't understand why we do so poorly in those games, but the last one I remember winning was Clemson '02. Maybe we should try to avoid them? Just a thought.
- FF
2006? JT3. End of story.
It's Vanderbilt. It doesn't matter when we play this game.
Play it at 12:30 and get ready for LSU.
Raycom sucks, i hate the 12:30 games. Hopefully ESPN takes us. I am glad ESPNU will be replacing raycom at the end of this season. The ESPNU games always start at 1 so i imagine thats when the games will start next year. Thats a little better than 12:30.
I don't see why night games are such a big issue with our administration, mainly Michael Adams. I understand that night games tend to be more rowdy and all that, but isn't that what SEC football is all about? Better for recruiting, higher TV ratings, and a much more lively crowd. We seem to play our best games when the start time is in late afternoon, but 12:30 is much too early.
Bar none, the best time to have a game is 5:30 like we had back-to-back to start 2005 (vs. Boise and S. Car.). It's late enough that you get a full day of tailgating, but early enough that things don't get completely out of control (from an admin perspective) AND early enough that you can grab a late dinner and go downtown all night without being exhausted (from a student/fan perspective). It does get the South GA crowd back a little late, but it beats 8 PM for them too.
Unfortunately, it's a really odd time for TV, and I'm not sure we've ever played then except those two games. Too bad.
Franklin gone?
http://www.oanow.com/oan/news/local/article/franklin_fired_as_auburn_offensive_coordinator/40169/
Dont kid yourself, PWD, Mark Richt wants this game @ 12:30.
We have LSU the next weekend and we need as much time to prepare as possible.
Expecially since we will more than likely be coming off 2 straight losses. I'm being serious.
Why are night games such an issue?
Have you been downtown after a night game? Have you seen the fights, assaults and utter chaos that occurs after a day full of alcohol-fueled tailgating? Wasn't there just a member of the New York Giants arrested after the last night game here?
Its about the chaos and the problems they have downtown. Thats why they dont like night games.
... which is not to say that i don't prefer night games. They just look better and are more fun to be at IMO.
I love tailgating for night games, but I hate the games.
Auburn, Tennessee, and Alabama have a lot to do with that.
Bring on the 12:30 KO.
night games are such a big issue with michael adams and the city of athens because of the amount of trash they produce compared to games that are played earlier. if you saw north campus after the bama game, perhaps you could understand adams' perspective.
that being said, everyone prefers a night game over a 12:30 one.
If LSU and SC both win this weekend, I think ESPN will opt for that game regardless of what UGA and Vandy do. LSU will be a top 5 team and SC and Spurrier will have won two in row in conference. Hard not to take the undefeated, defending national champs on the road against a pretty good opponent. More compelling to the nation as a whole than a team that's already been routed in front of a national audience once vs a good Cinderella story...but they are still Vandy....not much of a national following.
our team can't handle night games
Say what you like...
Our loss two weeks ago was for a variety of stupid reasons, but the time of day wasn't one of them.
So, I have an elaborate paper written up on the importance of having this game at night to send to the red and black. But I have no confirmation that CBS and ESPN wanted/want the game and UGA Administration/Michael Adams/ACCPD were the reason for either of the delays. Should i send it in anyway?
Send it.
UGA is KNOWN for Drunk a$$hole fans be it at 6 am or 8 pm. and the cops don't have enough jail space for all the DUIs they should/could write after every game in the Septic Tank Of The South. Do we really need to watch "NO-Show" suck again on the BIG STAGE.
Stay classy anonymous Tech fans, stay classy. Good luck with Gardner-Webb this weekend.
I just heard Reece Davis say that the SC LSU game will be on ESPN at 8 next week, so I guess that means UGA Vandy will kickoff at 12:30.
Is GA/Vandy gonna make ESPN Gameplan or just Raycom stations? I live out of the Raycom network area.
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