Friday, November 30, 2007

DOTWU To Pasadena???


The Dawgs regular season is done, but this is still a big weekend. There are quite a few contingencies in the college football world that will influence our Bowl situation. The GSB sums it up pretty well and informs you on who to root for this weekend. I'll be pulling hard for the Sooners and hoping for a Rose Bowl berth (too much to expect a miracle and the backdoor championship game berth). UGA played in the Rose in 1942 and an SEC team hasn't played in that game since 1946; it would be a historic event and DOTWU will make the trip; assuming that we get our tickets that we put in for of course.

Frank Sinkwich in 1942; notice the black jersey


Sorry for the light posting this week; work has been hectic...

Perhaps D-Qwan will have some thoughts later...

Boomer Sooner!


-E

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Monday, November 26, 2007

Chan Gailey Out!

The AJC is reporting that Chan Gailey has been fired...Press Conference is set for 2:00 today.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Tech Week or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Reggie Ball

The last week of the regular season is here. No more gameday trips to Athens until next fall. It's time to get fired up for our biggest rival, right? For whatever reason, I put this game below Florida, Auburn, and Tennessee in terms of importance. In the era of conference divisions and championship games, it just seems more important to me to beat the SEC teams. Beating Tech never seems like a big deal - until we lose. As we all know, if Kentucky takes care of the Vols, the Dawgs get to play LSU in the Dome. All things considered, that makes the UK-UT game almost more important to me than the UGA-GT game. But, I'm counting on both games going our way.

The Dawgs' biggest advantage this weekend is one of the laws of physics. I'm not talking about Rennie Curran's superior velocity, or Chester Adams' tremendous mass. I'm not even referring to Knowshon's abilitites, since he defies the laws of physics. Many of you have already learned about what scientists have identified as Chan Gailey Equilibrium. The Ancient Greeks credited Apollo and called it "Irresistible Mediocrity." Consider that since Chan has taken over the Jackets, their records have been:
  • 2002: 7-6
  • 2003: 7-6
  • 2004: 7-5
  • 2005: 7-5
  • 2006: 9-5

You should note that every year, Tech ends the season with 5 or 6 losses. This year, they sit at 7-4 heading into this week's game. Since they will likely face some sort of sub-par WAC team in a bowl game held in Saskatchewan, we have a virtual guarantee from science that the Dawgs will win.


So what else should we be watching for this week?

Thanks to the record shown above, Chan is officially on El Asiento Caliente, which sounds like a quality Telemundo soap opera or a good place for enchiladas, but is actually a dramatic way to say The Hot Seat. Some pundits believe he is toast whether they win or lose this week. Personally, I think Tech fans should expect better than he has delivered, but not much better. Playing Samford, The Citadel, and a slew of ACC patsies pretty much guarantees seven wins for a decent program. We'll just have to watch and see if his players rally to their coach or if the team rolls over and dies.

The Jackets will likely lean on talented running back Tashard Choice. While Coaches Richt, Bobo, and Ball like to rotate backs and keep players healthy, Chan is hell-bent on making one of his star's legs fall off. Choice has spent the season either on the sidelines with a hamstring injury or getting the ball 35 times a game. The bizarre thing is the Jacket's have quality backups at the position, but that doesn't stop Chan from driving the guy like a rented Taurus.

At the QB spot, the Jackets have continued their struggles from last year. While Ramblin' Wreck fans thought the departure of Reggie Ball would be addition by subtraction, they've discovered that there is a reason that Taylor Bennett was the backup. On the season, he has thrown five touchdowns against eight interceptions, despite the team having a good running game and solid offensive line. If he struggles or if the Dawgs bottle up the run, don't be shocked to see Chan pull out all the stops and put in freshman Josh Nesbitt. He is a QB that can frustrate you with his scrambling ability, but like Bennett has had accuracy problems.

Speaking of Reggie Ball, I have to say that by the end of his career, I felt bad for the guy. He took more heat from his own fans than any college player should face, and Chan did him a huge disservice by not moving him to safety or receiver once it was apparent that he lacked the composure and decision-making ability to be a college QB. Of course, I loved watching his Keystone Cops routine against Georgia every year.

As for the Bulldog's, we will all be anxious to see how Stafford performs in his second test against Tech Defensive Coordinator Jon Tenuta's blitz-happy defense. Kentucky's defensive backs made sure that any deep balls would have to be perfectly executed, and it just didn't happen against the Cats. I have a lot of faith, though, that the team will be well-prepared, and the Jackets will have to respect Brown and Moreno.

Besides the Tech defense, the biggest threat might be chitlins. Columbus Ledger-Enquirer beat-writer David Ching keeps a fantastic blog about the day-to-day stuff. He notes this week that defensive line coach Rodney Gardner has a bunch of the players over for Thanksgiving:

Apparently he's got 10 gallons of chitlins for them with one rule -- all the chitlins have got to be gone when the players leave because chitlins are disgusting and they stink, according to coach Garner. It was amusing to hear some stuff about who pounds down the most food. Popular vote seemed to have Chester Adams in the lead.

The rule in our house is stinky food must be eaten in the garage. Let's keep our fingers crossed in hopes that everything is digested by Saturday.

One disappointing note is that senior running back Jason Johnson, a former walk-on who earned a scholarship and played a crucial role in the Florida game, suffered a spinal injury in practice and can no longer play. His health isn't jeopardized, but you hate to see that happen. Here is an interesting read about the guy.

One more thing - the basketball team faces their first big challenge of the year as they travel to Wisconsin on Saturday evening. A win in this one would go a long way towards restoring confidence after the dismissals of Takais Brown and Mike Mercer.

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Monday, November 19, 2007

Emerald “Dez” Nuts


The bubble nearly got us on Saturday, but as the second half approached and the boot was turned, the game went down smoothly. Despite the fact that we were down 10-7 at the half, I never got too nervous about pulling this one out. My confidence level with this program is just sky-high right now, and I can't help but feel that we're on the verge of something special in Athens for the next couple of years. Kudos to the defense, who stepped up big on Saturday and limited the Cat's to only 29-rushing yards on 29-attempts and put Woodson on his ass 5-times (I'm glad CWM has rediscovered the blitz). And how 'bout true freshman Rennie Curran, that little mad-man is a tackling machine; it feels so great to see a UGA linebacker actually making tackles (he lead the team with 12 on Saturday). The Dawgs "D" held the highly potent Kentucky offense to just 3-points in the second half, and in my mind it was one of their best performances of the year.



Tech week is here; we’re playing for a potential BCS berth and they’re playing for a potential Emerald “Dez” Nuts Bowl Birth; all is right with the world…

I'm sure we'll have plenty of "Good Old Fashion Hate" around here all week long. To start things off, as is tradition here at DOTWU, I present:


Four Notes on a Trumpet: The Tech Experience

by Saxondawg

Gameday on North Avenue

You wake up in the top bunk, snug within your Star Trek bedsheets, with that feeling in the pit of your stomach. That pounding feeling, that giddy, nauseous rush that can mean only one thing. You rush to the potty and take care of business. The feeling goes away. But something about tinkling--the colors, the sounds--makes you remember: Yellow Jacket football today!

You put on your best yellow sweater and yellow knee-socks, though you call them "gold," natch. Then, moving to the dresser, you specially polish your thick glasses, adding one final flourish--fresh tape wrapped around the bridge. Speaking of bridges, your braces are also polished to a fine sheen, new zits are popped, and you're lookin' GOOD! You're lookin' JACKET.

Heart pounding, you race up the steps from your parents' basement. Mumsy and Pops are reading mail from the old home country in New Jersey where they hope to retire someday. You slip out the door quietly and pedal your 3-speed through the crisp autumn air, gameday flags a-flying from the handlebars. And there it is, just ahead--the MARTA station. It won't be long now!

You climb onto a southbound train, your eyes scan the car, and--yes! There, sitting next to the chatty tranvestite--a man wearing YELLOW! You make your way over and wave your pom poms at him and giggle, and he says, "$#%^ off, %$$^&!" And now you feel it more strongly than ever--the essence of being a Tech fan. You giggle again more shrilly, dance away, then slide around safely under the seats until the stop at North Avenue, tee-heeing for all you're worth as you elude the grasp of your tormentor and his switchblade. It's sort of like Frodo hiding from the Black Riders, right here on MARTA!

You disembark at North Avenue, snatching quarters from a few homeless men, and take a deep breath of downtown Atlanta air--Tech air! Now you see swarms of other Jackets--two of them, three of them. It's no wonder the stadium had to be expanded. You pause on the bridge over the Downtown Connector to indulge in a Tech tradition: spitting on cars passing underneath. It's a massive traffic jam of red vehicles heading north, and you nail an RV with a big loogie from your morning Yoo Hoo Soda. Tee hee! Saliva, the GT calling card!

Then you're on campus, a block from the stadium. You take in the grand pageantry that is game day. It's the gray, smoggy sky; the deep blue of the police siren; the giggling of the frat boys enjoying an impromptu tickle pile on the sidewalk. It's the sound of gunfire. It's the beautiful women with their thick makeup, standing on the street corners and bantering with the passing cars. It's the voice of Kim King, talking and talking and talking in his one-note melodic range; Wes Durham screaming about a one-yard gain. It's the giant rubber bee, George O'Leary's old bedroom toy, patched all over, making funny farting sounds as the air oozes out yet again. It's Flag Boy, the aspiration of all Tech males. Tee hee!

Above all, it's four notes on a trumpet. You hear them now, playing the hallowed music, the sacred music, the Hymn of the Bee. There it is now, and you lift your voice to join in, warm tears fogging your thick glasses. The whole stadium sings solemnly:

"When you say Bud..."

Those four notes on a trumpet, your call to Jackethood, setting your yellow heart aflutter. Deep down you know this is the year--the year you beat Duke AGAIN--you OWN Duke. The year you road-trip to a BRAND SPANKIN'-NEW STARTUP BOWL for the holidays. The year your first pubic hairs break the surface. This sacred moment cannot last. Someday, by the Great Pointed Ears of Leonard Nimoy, you will be in New Jersey. In Michigan. In North Dakota. Someday you will buy your parents a house with a bigger basemment for you to live in. But in your heart, you'll always be a Tech Guy--a proud drop in the endless river of yellow!




Go Dawgs!

- E

Monday, November 12, 2007

Thundercats

When I think of Kentucky, I think of long walks on the beach with the sand between my toes, classy college basketball fans, and football wins over the Dawgs. Okay, I don't think of any of those things, which means it is time for a serious UK beatdown. We dispatched the DOTWU reconnaissance unit to gather some intelligence on the Wildcats.

H.M.S. Bubble - you don't see her, but she sees you. It's the bubble!

Unfortunately, due to a lack of submarine-navigable waters in the area around Lexington, we had to divert the recon team to a mission on behalf of DOTWU's closest blog ally. The crew is currently probing the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts, seeking a potential embarkment point for the DFF IV Maritime Alcohol Consumption Expeditionary Force (DFFIVMACEF). So, this week's report will be based on information pilfered from the internets and our own wild conjecture.

Bulldawg State of Affairs


The big question will be whether or not the Dawgs can keep up the combination of high energy and crisp execution. Some young stars like Rennie Curran and Geno Atkins are emerging on defense while the veterans like Marcus Howard and Kelin Johnson are showing that finding the endzone won't be easy for the opposition. The offensive line is playing like a solid unit. Moreno and Brown have resumed the one-two punch they gave to Ole Miss. Stafford is nailing the deep ball and the receivers are catching them.

Stafford is doing more than showcasing his arm, however. You can't help but notice how often he is changing protection schemes and plays up at the line. From Scout.com:

The number of decisions Stafford is making as a sophomore – whether it’s deciding between two running plays or a run play and a pass play – is higher than what either David Greene or D.J. Shockley did at Georgia, Bobo said.

On the injury front, the Dawgs took some monster hits from the highly-touted Auburn defense, but it appears everyone came out healthy. Hopefully, we'll see Quentin Banks and Tony Wilson return to action. Tripp Chandler reportedly was wearing a knee brace on Tuesday, but still participated in practice. That's good, because it will take everything the team has to overcome...


The Refs

Dawg fans were left scratching their heads at a few of the calls in the game against Auburn.

I call 'em like I see 'em

Dawgs of the World, you can now put another name next to Al Ford (Jasper Sanks'....knee....is.....down.....Fumble!) on your no-Christmas Card list. There is a new enemy in zebra stripes and his name is Penn Wagers. His crew also handled the Cocktail Party (ahem...the Rivalry on the River for you teetotalers) and the theory is that he was still punishing the team for The Celebration.

Coach Richt was obviously steaming mad. He expressed his feelings forcefully, and Uga finally gave the paparazzi what they deserve.


Angry, but still looking sharp in black

The upcoming game should feature a different officiating crew, so we'll cross our fingers and hope for a well-called game and a little privacy for the country's best mascot.

The Other Bad Guys

As usual, Kentucky is led by a scary quarterback. After enduring Tim Couch and J-Lo, the SEC now endures the wrath of Andre Woodson. This guy was a Heisman contender for a reason. He makes great decisions and has a surgical throwing arm. He's also got moxie and an accent in his first name that I cannot reproduce with my keyboard.

The Cats also feature a talented running back, Rafael Little, who uses no accent marks in his name. In case you are wondering how this once-top-ten team stumbled against Mississippi State, note that Little was out that week with a thigh injury. He also missed the UK-FL game, where UK dropped a close one. He returned last week against Vandy but left early due to a back injury. No word on the internets yet on whether he will play in Athens, but we will be the first to break the news once an announcement is made, guaranteed. We aren't called the "World Wide Leader in Sports" for nothing.

The man steering the ship for the Cats is Coach Rich Brooks, who also features no accents in his first name, but spells it without the "e." He is insane.

See the beady eyes?

Brooks retired after 18 years at Oregon, but came back to the game to turn around the program left ruined by NCAA rules violator Hal Mumme and ineffectual Guy Morriss.

Tailgating

DOTWU will be entering the 21st century with the adoption of an exciting new technology - the electric griddle. The plan is to have the breakfast enjoyed by elite atheletes before every big game - pancakes and beer. We'll meet at the Driftmeir site bright and early. Tickets on the street should be reasonable and it's the last home game of the year, so bring your spatula and a 40. By the way - thanks go out to Reich, the Old Man, and Stephen for locking down room for the tents last week. Ten minutes later and we would have been waging battle with the "Old Oak Tree Gang" or whatever those people call themselves.

P.S. - Get your bowl tickets this week.

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Das Boot! Das Boot! Das Boot!

In my 10+ years of attending Georgia Football games in Athens, this past Saturday ranks near the top of my list. The shift in culture that we witnessed with the “celebration” down in Florida was palpable ‘tween the hedges’ on Saturday. Like D-Qwan, I wasn’t too excited about the whole black jersey thing or the “blackout,” but when I walked into that stadium (wearing my black shirt) I was amazed. Having attended most of Georgia’s home games over the last 10-years, I have a mental image burned into my head of how Sanford Stadium looks at kickoff time on gameday. When I got to my seats on Saturday and looked around, that image was replaced, and to quote CMR “It was like something out of a movie.” After a few minutes of blackout induced disorientation, I gained back my bearings and witnessed one of the most fun and exciting games/atmospheres that I’ve ever been part of. From the Red warm-up jerseys to the black game jerseys, the blacked out stadium, the Moreno & Brown runs, Stafford’s passes & Bailey’s catches, and the Soulja Boy dance after Auburn took the lead early in the second half; this was one of those games that will be talked about for a long time. This team is playing loose, having fun, and WINNING! Watch out Kentucky…

I love me some YouTubes...




The culture shift wasn’t only displayed ‘tween the hedges’; at our very own DOTWU tailgate Reich decided early that “Oh…I’m gonna drink that damn [German] boot!” You are probably asking yourself WTF? Well, A little explanation…




While not exactly following the advice provided by our Beerfest friends; Reich did manage to kick ass at the "Das Boot!" competitions being held at our neighboring tailgate; he made us all proud!

Das Boot! Das Boot! Das Boot!



The 12:30 kickoff on Saturday sucks; but what can you do???

Oh...That’s right, Pancakes & Beer!

- E

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Wednesday, November 07, 2007

Blackout!

There's going to a blackout at Sanford Stadium on Saturday. Don't worry - your cheesy nachos will still be available. The senior players have requested that fans wear black to the game. This shouldn't be an issue for the ladies. The gentlemen, on the other hand, may need to search the back of the closet or make a stop at Penny's to pick up appropriate gear.

Please, no swashbuckling in the family-friendly tailgating areas.

I'll be honest - I don't care for this type of thing. It smells of Donnan-esque extra stripes on the helmet and black britches. That said, emotion has proven to be a huge factor this year and the seniors on this team have been through a lot the last two years. So, if they want me to wear black, I'll wear black.

Garth is Georgia. Are you?

While we all sport our Euro-chic finest in the stands, there should be plenty of action on the field as the Dawgs resume the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry, which has not yet been renamed by Michael Adams. A few things to keep an eye on during the game:

  • Quentin Groves: Auburn's defensive end has moved to linebacker to make room for another talented DE, Antonio Coleman. Expect Stafford to test the new linebacker's cover abilities early and often
  • Auburn running backs: Auburn's ground game is always strong. If DT Kade Weston is absent or slowed down by injury, expect Lester, Tate, and Fannin to test the Dawgs up the middle early and often.
  • Tommy Tuberville: Rumors swirl about a potential exit to greener pastures at Texas A&M. This could be his last trip to Sanford Stadium.
  • The Scoreboard: Arkansas and Tennessee kickoff at 12:30, so the outcome of this important game should be known shortly after we sing the national anthem.
  • Brandon Cox: The Auburn QB proved to be fragile in the psyche department last year. Expect Willie Martinez to try to rattle Cox early and often.
  • Tra Battle: Expect the former Dawg player and current Dawg fan to leap from the stands, clad in full ninja gear, and intercept a Cox pass three times before it touches the ground.
  • The restrooms: As Sonny says, "Defend the Water Supply." Let's hope that the attendants stop by early and often.

In tailgating news, Dawgs of the World will reunite at the usual spot bright and early. The weather forecast is mostly sunny, cold in the morning and pleasant in the afternoon. So, wear layers. Black layers.

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Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Beer & Pancakes

For reasons beyond comprehension, CBS has decided to air the LSU vs. Ole Miss game at 3:30 next Saturday and ESPN has passed on an SEC match-up for 6:30; that leaves us with a damn 12:30 kickoff on Lincoln Financial for our match-up with Kentucky. I just don't get it...However, it's the last home game of the year, we have to tailgate, Reich says Beer & Pancakes! (or how 'bout BeerPanCakes)










We're tailgating Saturday in Athens at the usual spot, hope to see y'all there. More on the game & tailgating later...

Go Dawgs!

-E

Friday, November 02, 2007

Troy-Boy

I don’t know much about Troy State, but I do know that Troy Turner once smoked 6-cigaretess at one time inside Southlake Mall back in High School…Troy (State) can’t be overlooked, they scored 30+ on UF and beat the hell out of Oklahoma State; lets just hope they don’t fire it up like Troy (Turner) did back in the day…

I’m still on a high after last Saturday, and if you need a pick me-up just check out this video courtesy of the Bulldawg Blawg…



I’ll see y’all in the Classic City tomorrow!

GO DAWGS!

-E