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September 10, 2008

The Next Blackout: Georgia vs Alabama?


I had pretty much been of the opinion all off season that we'd blackout Tennessee. We haven't beaten them since 2005, it'll be cooler temps in Octobe, Bama was going to be mediocre and well....why not? We need all the juice we can muster.

Well...I've changed my tune. If we win the next two games, there's a very strong shot at having #2 Georgia vs. #10 Alabama between the hedges. The Tide is already 11th in the AP Poll, and the game has been picked up by ESPN for a night game telecast.

With an evening (as yet unconfirmed specific time) kickoff, the heat shouldn't be an issue. They will be the highest rated team to play in Athens all season. Why not black them out with ESPN Gameday likely in attendance? It would be a recruiting, tailgating, party, football weekend for the ages.

Assuming we win the next two (which is jumping way ahead), I think we're pulling out all the stops for the Bama game. And while I'm on the topic...100 Cocktails to the ESPN executive who used the priority pick for the UGA vs. Bama game months before the season started. That looked like a dicey move early on. Right now, it looks like genius.

ESPN will announce the official start time on Sunday or Monday for the Bama game. Everyone on earth expects 7:45 pm, but they have the option of waiting til 13 days out to confirm it. They won't announce the ESPN Gameday Location until the following week.

See Also:
-- Blackout Posters from the Auburn Game
-- Tickets: Georgia vs. Alabama

PWD

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

The black jerseys will quickly lose their luster if we start bringing them out every year for just any old game. I will never forget the Auburn game last year... it felt like watching Dawgs history in the making--kind of like being at one of Hershel's first games. I don't want that experience to become less special by seeing the jerseys every year...much less for a bama team that, frankly, isn't quite what it used to be. If it were up to me, they would come out only every 4 or 5 years, and only for HUGE games. We shouldn't need a gimmick to beat Bama this year.

Anonymous said...

Before the season started, I wanted to blackout UT, now I want to blackout Bama. The black jerseys just wouldnt have the same feeling to blackout UT now with the choke at UCLA and they still have to play florida and auburn before us. I think Gameday will be here although i bet they will be dreading coming to athens. Bama is the game to blackout this year.

Mike said...

Speaking of recruiting, Marlon Brown will be at that game. Would be a huge steal from Tennessee, imho.

Unknown said...

This isn't just "any old game."

By my unofficial count there have only been SEVEN times in our history in which two Top 10 teams have faced each other in Athens.

This wouldn't be just any old game.

I spent about an hour researching this, but it's not the easiest thing to research.

Unknown said...

PS....to add to that point.


There have been 450-500 games played in Sanford Stadium (more in Athens overall). To have hosted less than 10 games between top 10 opponents shows how rare it is.

Anonymous said...

If we did do the black jerseys that night, which i hope we do, between the black jerseys and "Put on", we might bring the stadium down.

dstarnes said...

We'll have a Blackout this year, but it won't be in Athens.

Anonymous said...

Blackout Bama.

Is there a better slogan for ESPN build on?

Anonymous said...

Why have a blackout if it's not in Athens? We can only blackout half the stadium in Jacksonville or at a bowl game. One of the reasons that the game against Auburn was cooler than the game against Hawaii was because we rocked the entire stadium. You can't do that at a neutral field.

Anonymous said...

I've been saying this all summer. But of course, i picked Bama to win the west, so i knew this would be a HUGE game.

Night game + ESPN + Top 10 opponent = Blackout

FYI to some of the other posters in this thread: Richt has already said there will be a blackout, so deal with it.

Shep Dawg said...

The black jeserys will loose their luster if we over use them (multiple times per season). Using them once a season will give the fans something to look forward to, and the recruits a great experience.

Anonymous said...

I'm with Rob on this one. No, it's not any old game, but I personally thought the black vs. Hawaii was too much. See how we do vs. SC and ASU and see if we NEED the pump of the black out. I also don't like giving "we are football tradition" Bama something to laugh about, win or lose. Bucking the fine tradition of Dawg-blood red between the hedges is something that should be done only when absolutely necessary.

Anonymous said...

Jax....half the stadium black the other half gay.

Anonymous said...

rob,
i agree. it wont be special if we do it every year. BUT if the coaches are already planning to do it, this is the game to go black.

Anonymous said...

I was in a Hometeam Sports store a few weeks ago and they had old Michael Vick helmets that were converted to Black Ga. Bulldog helmets. That would be awesome. If you are ever in Macon, Ga. go check them out. They are awesome. That would also make a great addition to the black out game....

murphdawg said...

I'd be worried about blowing our emotional load on Bama and not being able to recover and match our intensity for UT, however with the Bye week in between those two games I see no reason why we shouldn't be able to reload and muster up close to the same firepower as a blackout game...especially against UT. There's no motivation quite like getting your ass handed to you 2 years in a row.

Anonymous said...

"Any old game" was a bad choice of words. My mistake. But tell me honestly, where does the Bama game rank in terms of hype, importance, emotion on just this year's schedule alone? Fourth? Maybe fifth? Fla and Tenn are always more important (division) and LSU and Auburn are games to get more fired-up about, imo. Bama's not a traditional rival. It would be akin to Notre Dame busting out green jerseys for Michigan St, rather than Michigan or USC.

My original point, though, was that I'd rather the black jerseys not come out every year. But if it has already been decided that they will be used this year, as some have indicated, then there is little choice other than Bama or UT. In this case, I might go with Bama as well if they are still undefeated.

However... LSU wears white at home. Can you imagine rolling into their home stadium in our black jerseys? Talk about Evil Richt!

Anonymous said...

"much less for a bama team that, frankly, isn't quite what it used to be"-if by this wuote you mean a .500 team at best then you're we're not what we used to be. this will be the biggest game georgia has in athens all year because assuming georgia wins their next two and bama does the same, this will be a top 10 matchup. i wouldn't be suprised to see bama as high as 8 by then. but as far as a blackout goes, it won't matter what jerseys you're wearing because BAMA is going to beat you no matter what. so if you want to wear the black and have bama be the ifrst to beat you in then, go right ahead. if not i'd save them for a guarenteed win like tennessee.

Anonymous said...

*quote

Anonymous said...

Definitely needs to be a blackout in jax and jax only!

Denny said...

the seniors have already decided on the game to blackout and its tenn

Anonymous said...

denny, where are you getting your information?

Anonymous said...

You will need to blackout that game. What you have to look at is you will be coming back from across the country, all within a week DURING school with no time off. Alabama will be coming off a win over Arkansas, and will be fresh and undefeated. And you better be able to block Terrence Cody one on one if you would like to run the ball. If not, Stafford better be able to throw the ball on target every time. Should be a good game, just yall will be in a weak moment.

dstarnes said...

The Blackout will be in Jax.
The decision has already been made,it's a fact and votes from blogs won't be counted.

Anonymous said...

A blackout in Jax is the WORST IDEA i have ever heard.

MAKES NO SENSE.

Anonymous said...

I am kinda on the side of wearing the black jerseys once a season and I agree..the Alabama game would be a better choice as of today..that could change by the time the game actually gets here. Its a LONG season and should we be undefeated and Bama be undefeated then yeah we should not need any extra motivation BUT we will have also just come off 2 challenging road games and the black jerseys could serve as additional fuel/motivation...it should not be a 'clemson-type' deal where its JUST for special games every 4 years..its something we ALL can look forward to for 1 game per year both as fans and players.. GREAT for recruiting and GREAT for the fans to "go into formal-wear" ...Bottom line is that as LONG as Richt will be here and can continue to recruit and reload like he has proven he can do Georgia will be THE circled game on ALL our opponent's schedule and you gotta know that they are gonna try to pull out all the stops when we arrive so we should get use to it now and celebrate the fact that they consider Georgia the 'Clemson-type' special opponent so us wearing the black jerseys once a year seems appropriate..and I'm not sure I buy the notion that it wont have the same effect as that 1st time since everytime we see it on the pre-game highlights it still resonates as such ..the newness wears off..the effects and passions about it dont!

Anonymous said...

I am kinda on the side of wearing the black jerseys once a season and I agree..the Alabama game would be a better choice as of today..that could change by the time the game actually gets here. Its a LONG season and should we be undefeated and Bama be undefeated then yeah we should not need any extra motivation BUT we will have also just come off 2 challenging road games and the black jerseys could serve as additional fuel/motivation...it should not be a 'clemson-type' deal where its JUST for special games every 4 years..its something we ALL can look forward to for 1 game per year both as fans and players.. GREAT for recruiting and GREAT for the fans to "go into formal-wear" ...Bottom line is that as LONG as Richt will be here and can continue to recruit and reload like he has proven he can do Georgia will be THE circled game on ALL our opponent's schedule and you gotta know that they are gonna try to pull out all the stops when we arrive so we should get use to it now and celebrate the fact that they consider Georgia the 'Clemson-type' special opponent so us wearing the black jerseys once a year seems appropriate..and I'm not sure I buy the notion that it wont have the same effect as that 1st time since everytime we see it on the pre-game highlights it still resonates as such ..the newness wears off..the effects and passions about it dont!

Anonymous said...

I am kinda on the side of wearing the black jerseys once a season and I agree..the Alabama game would be a better choice as of today..that could change by the time the game actually gets here. Its a LONG season and should we be undefeated and Bama be undefeated then yeah we should not need any extra motivation BUT we will have also just come off 2 challenging road games and the black jerseys could serve as additional fuel/motivation...it should not be a 'clemson-type' deal where its JUST for special games every 4 years..its something we ALL can look forward to for 1 game per year both as fans and players.. GREAT for recruiting and GREAT for the fans to "go into formal-wear" ...Bottom line is that as LONG as Richt will be here and can continue to recruit and reload like he has proven he can do Georgia will be THE circled game on ALL our opponent's schedule and you gotta know that they are gonna try to pull out all the stops when we arrive so we should get use to it now and celebrate the fact that they consider Georgia the 'Clemson-type' special opponent so us wearing the black jerseys once a year seems appropriate..and I'm not sure I buy the notion that it wont have the same effect as that 1st time since everytime we see it on the pre-game highlights it still resonates as such ..the newness wears off..the effects and passions about it dont!

Anonymous said...

sorry about the repeats..had some connection issues and didn't think it went thru

dstarnes said...

Dear Anonymous,

You make no sense.

Anonymous said...

thanks rob..what about it didn't make sense to you? Not picking at you just wanna know..we are on the same team .

PNWDawg said...

I'm very much against a blackout for this season. We're the Georgia Bulldogs and we wear red jersey's at home. The blackout will just become a failed gimmick if we go to the well too often. Kind of lick Stafford running the ball against S.C. We don't need a blackout to get up for any of our games this year. We have a chance to finish on top and our home crowd will fire the dogs up no matter what. It will become a joke if we are not careful. And I could care less about ESPN showing up. We don't need their presence to let us know we have a big game.

 
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