Mark Bradley

By Bob

September 17, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this

The Georgia skepticism by the media has simply reached absurd proportions. It all comes down to one simple thing folks: They flat out don’t think we can get it done because we’re Georgia and not OSU, USC, Florida or LSU. That is all there is to it. All this crap about the tough schedule is nothing more than a proxy for this prejudice. I don’t think it is any different now than it was in the preseason. How many times did we hear “Georgia may be the best team in the nation, BUT…” But, but, but. But what? Let me translate for you: But we’re not Ohio State. But we’re not USC. But we’re not Oklahoma. The media doesn’t trust Georgia to make them look smart.

Maybe they will be right. Maybe Georgia doesn’t have what it takes to get it done. But it seems a little premature to me to be making that determination in the middle of September, just like its premature to annoint USC the champions of the universe right now too.

The college football media needs to be put in its place. These clowns simply have too much power. We need a playoff.

By Ben

September 17, 2008 1:46 PM | Link to this

It’s not nitpicking. If you’re wondering why Georgia has fallen from #1 to #3, it’s simple. Before the season, the voters thought Georgia is good enough to thoroughly take care of business. They haven’t done so as thoroughly as USC and Oklahoma. The voters have simply stated that they don’t think Georgia is as good as they thought they’d be.

By bigeasy830

September 17, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this

As long as we win our games we will play for the title. The BCS sucks because it is basically a poll of popular opinion. The NY Giants would not have played for in the Super Bowl if the NFL did the same thing and there is no doubt they were the best team at the end of last season. Championships are won and lost on the field not in the poll of popular opinion. The Heisman has lost its appeal because of the atletes that did not go on to great NFL careers in recent years. As long as Knowshon stay healthy, keep a good attitude and produce on the field and at the combine his NFL stock will get better and better and that is what is important, money, C.R.E.A.M. The BCS and those pols have taken good sportsmanship and developing young players out of college football. Georgia could have beaten GSU and Central Michigan by larger margins. But,CMR did the right things by letting his young players get some real game experience. USC is peaking now but they will not be able to continue to play at that high level all year. As long as UGA peaks at the right time we will win it all. The season is a marathon not a sprint. I love those quotes you added from the players it shows that they are all on the same page and playing for one another, for the team and not even trying to appease us fans. Thats what championship teams are made of. GOOO DAWGS SICK’EM WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

Also Mark you were right, CPJ is doing a great job at GT. I am very impressed and they scare me towards the end of the season.

By James

September 17, 2008 1:53 PM | Link to this

This year (just like the last two)the media will see that there is already a playoff system in place. It is held at the Georgia Dome every year, we call it the SEC Championship game.

By Clip

September 17, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this

It’s not nitpicking. If you’re wondering why Georgia has fallen from #1 to #3, it’s simple. Before the season, the voters thought Georgia is good enough to thoroughly take care of business. They haven’t done so as thoroughly as USC and Oklahoma. The voters have simply stated that they don’t think Georgia is as good as they thought they’d be.

Well who in the world couldn’t have beat the teams that OK and USC have beaten?? I do believe that if USC or OSU had been ranked #1 at beginning of year they wouldn’t have dropped any spots with performances similar to UGA’s. This type of thing is gonna take us back to the way it used to be years ago - teams running up the score like crazy for fear of losing ground in the rankings.

By Heyberto

September 17, 2008 1:55 PM | Link to this

My issue with it all has been that it doesn’t seem fair.. but nothing ever is. I’m more concerned what will happen if we have one loss and how that will affect our status. Winning out is a tall order, but unless we do, I’m not sure we can get the respect we should. The way the pollsters are treating us, we could be a one loss team that’s on the outside looking in.. and a one loss SEC team is a heckuva lot better than a multitude of unbeaten teams in the league.

By WildBill

September 17, 2008 1:56 PM | Link to this

I have a friend who is an Oregon Duck. His perspective is that UGA is overrated even at #3. He thinks that too many sportswriters are swayed by the UGA finish of last year, and that this years’ performance thus far simply doesn’t measure up to a #3 rating, and might even should be out of the top 10. I guess we will see what we see.

By Dawg4Life

September 17, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this

After watching the first few weeks of this season, I would have to say that USC is the best team in the country. Do I agree that UGA should’ve moved down in the polls? Absolutely not. The people voting for the polls half the time just look at the final score to make their votes if the games aren’t regionally or nationally televised. They don’t see that UGA had their 4th stringrers in the majority of the 2nd half against GSU, they see the 21 points. If you are winning, you hold your spot, that is how it should be. Bob is right. If it had been OSU, USC, OKLA, UF, LSU, ND, or Michigan they wouldn’t have moved. The year will play itself out though. IF UGA wins out, they are in the NC game. There is still a lot of football to be played though.

By Elmo

September 17, 2008 2:02 PM | Link to this

Interesting point about Auburn. They beat MSU 3-2 and either don’t drop or drop 1 spot. Alabama who beat a bad Clemson team, and two nobodies since went from being unranked to a top 10 team? Oklahoma who’s played 3 nobodies is #2? Going in to the SC game all the analysts were saying ‘SC is no where near as bad as they’ve played, they have one of the best defenses in the country’, yet Georgia gets dropped for not beating the 50-3? Ridiculous.

By AltamahaDawg

September 17, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this

I think its more a matter of other teams being better than they wondered if they would be. USC and Oklahoma have answered some earlier questions that kept them from entering the season ranked above Georgia. The Dawgs season so far has gone exactly as everyone would have suggested 6 months ago.

By OH MY GOD

September 17, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this

Will the AJC PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stop giving the mutt fans more ammunition to whine, complain, and cry about!!!! STFU you whiney babies. Jesus F’ing Christ. You got jumped in the polls b/c you look like a top 5 team, but not #1 or #2.

I do love to hear all of the idiot conspiracy theories though.

By Ryder

September 17, 2008 2:11 PM | Link to this

As painful as it is to say, the fact that UGA hasn’t been placed in National Title game is because they simply don’t have the same pedigree as USC, LSU, and even FLA despite beating them last year.

Face it, the national perception of UGA is that they are always the bridesmaid and never the bride. They always get tripped up by either South Carolina, Tenn, or Florida. Until they run the gauntlet, however hard that may be, they will always have this stigma.

By Joshg

September 17, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this

All you truly have to ask yourself is does UGA look as good as USC and OKLAHOMA through the first few weeks of the season. I believe everyone will say no to USC and Oklahoma would be a toss up, so why is everyone so mad?

By You got to be kidding me

September 17, 2008 2:16 PM | Link to this

Gee, is it not funny how a Hawaii, Boise State, or Fresno State team can beat inferior opponents and keep moving up the rankings and land themselves in a BCS bowl yet an undefeated SEC team keeps dropping in the polls each week? Why don’t they just go ahead and put Margin of Victory in the equation and get it over with!

By Trojan Man

September 17, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this

That is a great point made in the last comment of this editorial.

Should the University of Auburn really be ranked #9 after that horrifying win against a team that lost to a Sun Belt punching bag?

I do think the best conference in America is the SEC, no doubt, however, I only believe there are 3 legit teams in that conference…

Georgia, LSU, and possibly Florida.

Guess we will find out!

By Honest Mark calls for a blackout

September 17, 2008 2:28 PM | Link to this

georgia will end up 11-1 and get the prize of the east….East Carolina!

How low can you go?

By marie

September 17, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this

Please STOP with the language and do Not take my Lord’s name in vain!!!!! CMR is a God-loving and God-fearing man and will be rewarded for it. I know, there are other christian coaches, but he does not hesitate to publically make it known. Let tne love affair continue with all those media darlings, remember- Every Dawg had his day!!!!!!

By Old Guy

September 17, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this

I think that Steve Spurrier would give Oklahoma or USC all they could handle and probably Vandy too. Whatever.

By DAP01

September 17, 2008 2:31 PM | Link to this

What does pedigree have to do with a football team?

By SlickWillie

September 17, 2008 2:32 PM | Link to this

You mention people spent eight months building up the dogs. You are correct on that point, but it was the dog fans and all of the State of Georgia media that hyped the dogs. Granted they peaked from mid season until the end of the season last year, but it appears the hype ended with the first two games. Carolina played the dogs tough, but garnered the dogs no respect outside of Georgia. There is great potential with the dogs. They control their own destiny.

By Elvis

September 17, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this

There SHOULD be lots of fluidity to the polls in the first month. ALL teams should have to reprove themselves. UGA (my team) has NOT done anything that screams We ARE #1. In fact, I think it is a real stretch to place them in the top 3.

With that said, it is way too early to really sweat it. All this protesting will look pretty foolish if the Dawgs lose 3. In short: Quit worrying about the polls until at the earliest end of October.

Go Dawgs

By Mikey in the SAV

September 17, 2008 2:49 PM | Link to this

” it’s not like they were some power house team or something- they lost to vandy “

By B.A. Barracus

September 17, 2008 2:50 PM | Link to this

What’s the big deal? The pollsters have every right to change their opinions based on each week’s performance. This is actually a good thing, as long as they treat all schools the same. Those of you who think that voters should vote the team they currently think is the best No.1, vs. who they think will end up No. 1, should be happy. This benefits the Dawgs, since we should be rewarded for how good we are rather than be penalized for the odds of us navigating our brutal schedule unscathed. The fallacy of the preseason poll is how could anyone really know who is best before a single game is played? Why should they be tied to that initial evaluation, which was based on insufficient evidence? Do you guys really, honestly think we have looked like No. 1 so far? We have not had a single game that we have looked like a well oiled, dominant machine they way USC and OK have.

That said, invariably OK and USC will have weeks they struggle. If that happens the same week UGA smokes another team and they don’t drop USC/OK and move UGA up, then you have a beef. As of this moment, we have not looked like No.1, No.2, or for that matter, even No.3 in my opinion. As long as the polls remain fluid and fairly evaluate teams from week to week, we should be fine. Point being, let’s not complain until we have something worthy of complaining about.

Lastly, as a Dawg fan and alum, if you don’t think USC is a pretty clear No. 1 at this point of the season, I don’t know what you’ve been watching. That doesn’t mean I don’t think they can be beaten, but they have looked utterly dominant in every aspect so far. You really can’t complain about who they’ve played, they have destroyed all comers. Let’s give them some credit to this point. If both teams win out, we’ll get our shot to settle it on the field. I expect us to improve markedly, especially on O line and at DE, in the next few weeks. When the boys in the trenches grow up a bit more, I think we will be able to line up with anyone. As we improve, I hope the voters look at us objectively, which to this point I think most have.

By Spike

September 17, 2008 2:54 PM | Link to this

Let’s star running up the score. I thought we had the toughest schedule in the country? Any of you other Dawg haters who think your schedule is tougher than ours I’d like to hear from you. Any takers???

By Ken

September 17, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this

After we beat the gators and LSU, the universe will unfold as it should. GO DAWGS

By Mark Bradley

September 17, 2008 2:56 PM | Link to this

I’ve never voted in the college football poll, but I was an AP basketball voter for many years, and I had one guideline: I didn’t drop a team unless it lost.

Herm Edwards: “The idea is to WIN THE GAME!”

By George

September 17, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this

I thought I had seen/heard it all last year with all the b***/moaning/crying from the PATHETIC bulldawg nation after the pups did not make the bcs game after not winning their own division consiting of 6 teams. But this b*** and moaning is almost worse. You talk about Virgina being an awful team mr Bradley what do you consider South Carolina. When was the last SEC game they won sir?????? To put it bluntly south carolina is a terrible football team and all you pathetic UGA people can use all the excuses you want but a true number two or even three team in the country should have preformed better. Fact is the dawgs were blind a* lucky to even win that game. USC gave that game away to the pups. Fact is the pups are the most overrated team not only this year but in recent memory. Fact is as you said if you keep winning it wont even matter so why the f*** even waste your breath and b*** about it. WHY WHY WHY??? I will tell you why. Because once again the pathetic dawg nation is once again proving that it is the biggest group of whining b*** babies in the entire country. But all of this will come to an abrupt stop when the pups lose the next two games. Grow up dawg fans and at least pick your battles and b*** when you have something b*** over. Take care of your business and the polls will take care of themselves. I can only think what would happen if what happened to Auburn happened to the pups. God help all the rest of us poor souls considering last year again when the pups failed to make it to the bcs game with two losses the ajc was quoted as saying” UGA got screwed worse this year than Auburn did in 2004.” To this day that is my favorite quote of all time.

By Lowcountry Bulldawg

September 17, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this

The polls at this point are farely accurate. Thus far we truly haven’t put together a full game. It could be blamed on the competition the first two weeks and the usual scrapping game against Carolina.

The concern I see is us slugging it out w/ ASU and UF beating UT or LSU beating AU and possibly passing us. This isn’t over.

Also did anyone catch Kirk Herbstriet on ESPN yesterday? When asked who he thought the best team playing this weekend was? The Florida Gators (USC and Oklahoma have byes).

Again nationally this team has lost the respect it was thought to have earned. Alot to prove beginning this weekend!

GOOO DAWGS!!!

By B.A. Barracus

September 17, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this

One more thing, this website, i.e. the way it functions and the layout, are a joke. It’s far and away the worst I’ve ever seen. By the time your comments actually appear, there have been 10 posts saying exactly the same thing.

And the front page, wow, what a disaster. Three different links, all with different headlines, going to the same story, all the time. Does your web guy get paid by the number of clicks to an article? He must, since he feels the need to basically trick people into clicking to the same story multiple times. Oh well, this is the same paper that has Terrence Moore on the payroll, so I guess it’s really not much of a surprise. Way to go AJC!

By Stewie

September 17, 2008 3:08 PM | Link to this

There goes Bradley fanning the flames…just ridiculous.

Simply put, Georgia hasn’t played as well as either USC or OU. No conspiracy, just the obviously widely-held belief that the Dawgs haven’t yet played up to their potential.

The drop is deserved for now. If the team starts to gel and play as they can (and Richt teams always seem to build momentum after the first few weeks), then you’ll see them challenging for the top spot again.

But for now, put a sock in it and face the fact that UGA has not yet looked impressive in its wins.

By Gary

September 17, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this

I can understand Georgia dropping in the polls and I’m not concerned. Just as most others have said, as long as Georgia keeps winning, the polls will take care of themselves. But this is the first I’ve heard that Moreno has dropped of the Heisman watch list. That’s just absurd. Have any of these voters actually watched Knowshon run? I know pro scouts are and they can’t wait for him to declare for the draft. He’s the best back in America, regardless of whether Georgia winds or loses or how close their games are. Give him a hole (not always required) and he’ll get the yards. The best part is he is not Georgia’s only weapon. These dawgs are good! ASU should have been focusing on last week’s game. Now they’ll have to lose 2 in a row at home.

By Dan

September 17, 2008 3:17 PM | Link to this

To B.A.,

I have no problem with USC being ranked ahead of the Dawgs and probably would have preferred them to be the preseason 1#. And I’m not saying they aren’t a good team; they have a proven track record for producing NFL talent as well as beating SEC foes in the past. But everyone is crowining the Champs already and that’s asinine. I remember in 2003 when Oklahoma was beating the pants off everything that moved, then got destroyed in their championship game 35-7, and STILL got to play for the National Championship. If UGA got killed in the SEC championship, I could gurantee you that they wouldn’t be in that game. There’s a LOT of football to be played, and contrary to what people may think, USC is beatable especially in their secondary. Would USC beat UGA if they played right now? Probably, but I gurantee you it wouldn’t be a 35-3 or 52-7 blowout. I’m still bummed that UGA didn’t get to play USC last year in the Rose Bowl. Even if the Trojans won that game( which I don’t think they would have by the way the Dawgs played at the end of last season), it would have been a fantastic game to watch!

By GaDawg

September 17, 2008 3:22 PM | Link to this

It’s official George is an Idiot. Guess Georges’ Team is not doing as well as the DAWGS, but it sounds like we’ll be taking care of that soon! probubly change his Blog name by then an Whine some more.George if your not a DAWG Fan an part of the discussion your a bigger Idiot for you complaints, So Shut Up and Log Off. Keep the “W”s comming DAWGS and to Hell with the Rest, GO DAWGS!

By OKCBULLDOG

September 17, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this

Do you also thank maybe they see the problems we had trying to stop the gamecock’s passing late in the game, the lack of defensive pressure from our line, and some problems on our offensive line as well. I think we are going to get better though as the season move on. By the way I live out here in OKC and the Sooners weak secondary has not been tested yet along with that big massive but slow offensive line which were the reasons they have been exposed late in the season and in bowl games. Trust me those issues have not been addressed this either. But you are not going to get the national media to bring it up because they like those guys but when another team goes out and expose then they know that they can no longer ignore it. The bulldogs just needs to win out, in which no one thinks they can do, but if we do we will be in Miami.

By voice of reason

September 17, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this

You can somewhat understand USC’s leap to no. 1 after beating UV badly the first week because UV was good last year. Now that UV has been exposed as a horrible team this year, UGA should climb back up there so long as they win. USC will not play another decent team this year nor will OSU. OU will only play a couple. If these guys don’t win by HUGE margins and UGA wins, if only by one, the rest of the season then UGA hands down should get all the respect they deserve and play for the MNC.

Kind of wondering if OSU kept Beanie Wells out so they would have an excuse for losing to USC later in the year. Remember, it’s a pretty long season and if OSU wins out (real tough) they’ll be given all the repect they want. They always do. Wouldn’t it be awful to see a 1 loss UGA lose out to a 1 loss OSU? Chills just went up my spine thinking about it.

By YUP

September 17, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this

George, loosen up my man. You might want to take your medications now.

By Will

September 17, 2008 3:36 PM | Link to this

Guys and Gals,

The season is sooo long. We have 2 more full months of football. It’s too early to moan about where we are ranked or who is stepping on our toes. Just win as many games as you can, and that’s all you can do. So let’s stop writing a reading artices about how disrespected or crappy sportswriters in New York think we are.

By BullDawg Rick

September 17, 2008 3:40 PM | Link to this

I have had an opinion that trumps all others:

“Just Win, Baby”…

The SEC champion (with 1 or 0 losses) WILL be in the BCS Championship game…

I believe when we beat ASU in the desert & Bummer in the Classic City, we’ll be # 2, atleast..

The remainder if the sked will take care of itself!!

Go Dawgs!!!

By Roll Tide

September 17, 2008 3:46 PM | Link to this

Nah, USC and OU shouldn’t be ranked ahead of Georgia! They blew out terrible teams in UVA and Ohio St.! You people act like a 1-AA team played UGA tougher than those two played OU and USC! Oh, wait…

Do you people even understand that SCar outgained Georgia? That the game is tied if the RB just runs to the pylon rather that trying to win a spot on the Olympic long jump team? That USC just pounded a legit Top 15 team giving up less points than UGA gave to the Gamecocks while scoring more than double? Clemson is as good as SCar and we smacked them around like three cent ho’s. BAMA will expose your nutlicking, buttsniffing, fleabag team for what it is… OVERRATED!!!

Oh yeah, Matt Stafford is Mike Vick without the speed. Rocket arm, inaccurate as hell and very little touch. Doesn’t read defenses too well either, leads to some ill-advised throws. Plus your OL doesn’t block. RAMMERJAMMER YELLOWHAMMER, GIVE ‘EM HELL ALABAMA!!!

By Long-of-tooth

September 17, 2008 3:48 PM | Link to this

Polls - smolls. What counts is what happens between the white lines. Don’t sweat what you can’t control. Take care of business. Al Davis - Just win, baby.

By KW

September 17, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this

I think the Dawgs are about right at this time. Hopefuly they will improve and move up. I am not as worried about Oklahoma because at the end of last year I thought they were the best team and look at what happend to them in their bowl game.

By Floyd

September 17, 2008 3:54 PM | Link to this

Well kiss my butt good morning!! UGA was lucky to win at SC. What do you think the rest of the nation thought? Not impressive. Someone mentioned running up the score. I do not think you can run up the score except on Div II teams. All hype and no bite. This team does not look mean enough nor in shape enough to do it.

By Crimedog

September 17, 2008 3:58 PM | Link to this

One thing that has characterized Richt teams is a sense of entitlement and lack of discipline. The absurd number of arrests of players plus the national display of bad sportsmanship against UF, stomping on Vandy’s logo, and the sideline dancing against Auburn solidified Georgia’s reputation as the national bad boys of football. All of those things, plus mediocre play in the first three games certainly affected Georgia’s standing and will continue to do so.

By the12thman

September 17, 2008 4:02 PM | Link to this

Rankings, smankings, who cares about em? Lets just settle things on the field, not in the sports pages. The dawgs are gonna do it, just wait. Soon as the offensive line stiffens up, the defensive line finds a rush, the defensive backs finds coverage, Bobo finds an offensive game plan, Willie finds a D that is not zone, and finally UGA finds his bark, we are gonna be just fine. Just wait and see!!!!

By voice of reason

September 17, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this

Roll Tide, I’ve never had a bad thing to say about UA but you make me want to change my ways. OSU is, as always, badly overrated and didn’t even have Beanie playing. OU has yet to play anybody either. How in the hell can you say that it’s justified that UGA gets enough respect to be no.1 and then get jumped so quickly by teams that haven’t beaten anyone good either. Hell, South Carolina would have given either of them a better game than their opponents did! They sure as hell have a MUCH better D. Get real. It’s alright though. Can’t wait to have you guys come on over to Athens this year for another whoopin’. See ya there.

By GT_JJ

September 17, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this

Come on, Bark Madly. There’s no way you’re really this dense! Admit it, you’re just throwing red meat out to some ornery dawgs just to boost your homer credentials, right?

Posted below are some guidelines directly from the AP on voting:

*- Base your vote on performance, not reputation or preseason speculation.

• Don’t hesitate to make significant changes in your ballot from week to week.*

Please reread (several times, if necessary to get it through your thick skull) the part about not basing your vote on preseason speculation. Do you REALLY think it’s unreasonable for voters to have come to the conclusion, in the first few weeks, that USC and OU have looked a bit better that UGA? It’s nice that you, Bark Madly, had your OWN guidelines as a voter, but those guidelines don’t seem to to agree with the official guidelines, so maybe it’s best that you’re NOT an AP CFB voter.

These whining columns have become a pointless waste of time.

By Spike

September 17, 2008 4:07 PM | Link to this

Crimedog… “The national bad boys of football”?? You are kidding right? Do not drink anymore of the Kool-AId.

By MountainDawg

September 17, 2008 4:19 PM | Link to this

Dawgs got shafted by the drop to #3, but I saw it coming. UGA needs to send a message by obliterating ASU this weekend, but I think it may be close. On paper, the Dawgs have the talent & potential to run the table, but that schedule is brutal & I forsee 1-2 losses. The BCS needs to factor in strength of schedule alot more as well. I still like the Dawgs chances of winning the East & SEC crown. GO DAWGS!!!

By GaDawg

September 17, 2008 4:22 PM | Link to this

Can’t wait to lower the HAMMER on the BAMMER like we did last YEAR!and as for Crimedog, our guys aren’t selling Cocaine and shooting off AK47’s like say Bummer an deFlate. We are 3 and 0 with a SEC win, just keep it up DAWGS, Foes hate it when we win. GO DAWGS1

By Floyd

September 17, 2008 4:23 PM | Link to this

Hasn’t all this speculation been covered previously? It has been done for eight months with no end in sight. Even my ex-wife gave up some before this length of time. Whip some legit team by more than seven, then the nation will take some notice. All of the fans and pundits will not have to lobby and kiss butt so much to get your “highlights” on ESPN

By Tom Trojan

September 17, 2008 4:37 PM | Link to this

Being ranked #3 ain’t all that bad is it? I enjoyed the South Carolina/UGA game, thought it was a good college game! UGA has one very large problem, in my opinion: They only have one QB! USC played 3 in the OSU game, and each did as he was instructed to do, namely ‘Cool it!’ USC played at least 5 RB’s, and the DL and OL played a lot of men! Wells was injured, that is the reason he didn’t play! I don’t think USC has a Heisman contender this year and I hope that Georgia does, don’t know. USC played Virginia, and OSU, they both were supposed to have very good teams! USC is not responsible for the caliber of other teams. Actually, it makes little difference in the long run, ask Auburn and Bama and Arkansas and yes, ask the 1960 UGA Bulldogs about playing USC! Incidentally, that was a marvelous game with Tarkenton playing a great game! The season is long, don’t get down on The Dawgs, I haven’t and perhaps they will get to play USC in the Championship game, heck, I just hope WE get there! GO DAWGS!!!!

By Andy in Ohio

September 17, 2008 4:59 PM | Link to this

Part of it is just skepticism about Georgia and how we’re not a household name around the country like USC, Texas, Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, etc. We’re a team that has been good in flashes over the years but has never built dynasties like those schools have. Part of the way that those teams got to the point where the media respects them is from their coaches campaigning for it and by dominating other teams. Unfortunately, Richt doesn’t like to do either. That’s just his style. It’s going to take us longer to get respect that way, until the national media (not just the in-state and regional guys) figures that out.

That being said, yes, USC is the best team in the country right now. They are playing with a swagger that we don’t have. The coaches, the players, everyone has that confident swagger that we don’t have. It carries over into every single play that they make. I think Moreno has that swagger, maybe Rennie Curran, but the rest of the team just seems to be going through the motion and hoping they don’t mess up. USC has the best defense outside of the SEC, and an offense to match it. They did deserve to be #1 in the beginning of the year, but they weren’t. With us being #1, we really shouldn’t have fallen with not having lost any games. But it comes down to perception and whether the poll analysts think we can get it done the rest of the year based on how we’re performing now, and how we’re winning. Style points matter in poll voters eyes, whether Richt only wants to run up the score in the 12th game of the season or not. Winning with class doesn’t matter to them, winning big does. Winning with class would matter when/if we have a playoff, not when there is a voter system in place that is based off highlights and scores on Sportscenter.

By too tough44

September 17, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this

heck, auburn should not have won (3-2) period, obvious pass interference, face guarding, could not believe that was NOT called. Every Dawg Has His Day! Just win Dawgs!

Dont we all know, media bias, West Coast teams and New York teams……

The Dawgs will be OK, dont under estimate UGA!

By Andy in Ohio

September 17, 2008 5:03 PM | Link to this

Part of it is just skepticism about Georgia and how we’re not a household name around the country like USC, Texas, Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, etc. We’re a team that has been good in flashes over the years but has never built dynasties like those schools have. Part of the way that those teams got to the point where the media respects them is from their coaches campaigning for it and by dominating other teams. Unfortunately, Richt doesn’t like to do either. That’s just his style. It’s going to take us longer to get respect that way, until the national media (not just the in-state and regional guys) figures that out.

That being said, yes, USC is the best team in the country right now. They are playing with a swagger that we don’t have. The coaches, the players, everyone has that confident swagger that we don’t have. It carries over into every single play that they make. I think Moreno has that swagger, maybe Rennie Curran, but the rest of the team just seems to be going through the motion and hoping they don’t mess up. USC has the best defense outside of the SEC, and an offense to match it. They did deserve to be #1 in the beginning of the year, but they weren’t. With us being #1, we really shouldn’t have fallen with not having lost any games. But it comes down to perception and whether the poll analysts think we can get it done the rest of the year based on how we’re performing now, and how we’re winning. Style points matter in poll voters eyes, whether Richt only wants to run up the score in the 12th game of the season or not. Winning with class doesn’t matter to them, winning big does. Winning with class would matter when/if we have a playoff, not when there is a voter system in place that is based off highlights and scores on Sportscenter.

By tony

September 17, 2008 5:07 PM | Link to this

mark richt poor game management and how he utilize his players is the real reason why we keep falling.

moreno is the best rb in college but clueless richt keep taking him out the game to play his 2 freshmans to keep them happy.

aj green is by far the best reciever on this team but clueless richt rather have the ball thrown to his senior recievers.

if moreno don’t get 30 + carries and aj green don’t become the go to guy the rest of the way we will lose 3 games this season.

By Pete

September 17, 2008 5:09 PM | Link to this

Georgia is a great football team. It’s easy to see that, but I have very little respect for teams that start their season’s first TWO games, always at home, against teams that Parkview or Brookwood H.S. could compete with. Are we supposed to be impressed with this ?? Please !!

By FLA DAWG

September 17, 2008 5:14 PM | Link to this

If The Dawgs win in Tempe then come home and beat Bama they will deserve a #1 Ranking again.

By Brad

September 17, 2008 5:15 PM | Link to this

I think that we have performed just fine to date. I’ll take a 14-7 victory in Williams Brice in that kind heat any day. That is as hot as I can remember a game being.

By fansince66

September 17, 2008 5:18 PM | Link to this

When has Kirk Herbstreit ever given UGA any respect? Just watch, regardless what happens at Arizona, if Florida wins this weekend, they jump UGA in the polls. Let’s play ball and may the best team win.

By The Truth

September 17, 2008 5:22 PM | Link to this

What I find most disturbing is that when Florida needed to block a field goal to beat SC two years ago nobody threw up any red flags about the quaility of their team. In fact, quite the contrary, they were celebrated for their grit and “finding a way to win”. LSU didn’t exactly blow them away last year either, passing for only 70 yards, needing a trick play to score a touchdown, and collapsing defensively in the 4th quarter. Yet again, nobody in the media freaked out and started talking about how bad LSU sucked. They won and that was all that mattered.

Yet when Georgia beats this same team by a touchdown this year we are completely ripped an entirely new bunghole for it by the media and drop in the polls. Call me a whiner. I don’t care. Maybe I am whining. But this is a total joke. There is no legitimate rational basis for this disparity in how these three games are percieved. None. It is pure 100% unsubstantiated BIAS. Nobody in a million years will ever be able to convince me otherwise. There is no other explanation for it that isn’t complete bull**. End of story.

By chicagodawg

September 17, 2008 5:25 PM | Link to this

Hey roll tide,

How was Staffords touch and accuracy on the pass to Mikey Henderson against bama last year?

At least he has a first and last name.

By 7Straight

September 17, 2008 5:25 PM | Link to this

At the end of last season Georgia was on an incredible roll; they were dancing on the sidelines to Souja Boy and bowing teams like Florida and Auburn and the media-darling, Hawaii, out. A lot of fickle voters are disappointed that we haven’t hit that kind of stride yet—-but no team can maintain that emotional crest for a twelve game season—and Geoegia is being punished by the voters for it an they are not being held to the same expectations that have historically governed the rankings…..but I think they will beat Arizona State by three touchdowns and if they can do that, and then come home and take care of business against St. Nick and the Crimson Tide, the voters will fall back in love with them.

By Ted Striker

September 17, 2008 5:48 PM | Link to this

Maybe if Coach Richt does the mature thing and calls pollsters out as morons — like Coach Johnson of Tech did with announcers — UGA will get more respect.

By NotaAtlantafan

September 17, 2008 6:16 PM | Link to this

Come on UGA fans. You are lucky to be 3-0. The cocks gave you that game. If I were voting you would not be in the top ten. You have one player and his postion is not QB. In the end you will have 3 to 4 loses. Could not happen to be better bunch of….what ever you are.

By MiamiDawg

September 17, 2008 6:24 PM | Link to this

You all need to stop complaining. It’s very simple: if the Dawgs take care of business and win all of their games, they WILL get the respect they deserve and end up in the BCS championship. These early season polls are merely a guessing game—the Dawgs did absolutely nothing on the field to deserve a preseason number one, and the writers don’t “owe” them anything. UGA won this year’s bikini portion of the college football beauty pageant. Over the course of the next three months, we’ll find out if she has a personality to match.

By Beach Dawg

September 17, 2008 6:36 PM | Link to this

Forget the f’n polls and play ball. Win and the result will be wonderful — lose and pay the price. I don’t give a rats a** where we are rated today — Dec is what counts.

By Algonquin J. Calhoun

September 17, 2008 6:40 PM | Link to this

UGA isn’t getting any respect and doesn’t deserve any! There’s never been a more over-hyped bag of stink than this team.

By The Big Bug

September 17, 2008 6:56 PM | Link to this

FLA DAWG,you summed up all this BS in one sentence.

By Tater

September 17, 2008 7:14 PM | Link to this

Just keep winning….The rest will take care of itself. www.thedawgsden.com

By thisyearwillbe8straight

September 17, 2008 7:17 PM | Link to this

Consider this…Richt’s teams are always slow starters, every year. This year is no different. A good team gets better every week, we’ve done it virtually every year of the Richt era, no reason to think this will be different. 3-0 and still not having hit our stride???I’ll take it.

By The New Voice of Reason

September 17, 2008 7:56 PM | Link to this

Far be it for me to point what should be obvious, but could it possibly be that maybe the reason that GA did not play for the NC last year had something to do with LOSING to SC and getting your backside royally kicked all over the field by the Vols!!!! two years in a row ???

Is it just possible that GA was not being disrespected by being dropped in the polls, but perhaps incorrectly rated higher than SoCal to begin with???

You want to be the undisputed champions??? Then the answer is simple…knock every opponent down each Saturday, not bytch about being disrespected. It is not rocket science…win it on the field, not in some blog.

By Matt

September 17, 2008 7:57 PM | Link to this

Mark, your quote of Herm Edwards kind of undervalues your point. His team isn’t very good in case you hadn’t heard. If UGA crossed the Mississippi more than twice a century,they’d get more respect.

By DawgBone

September 17, 2008 8:08 PM | Link to this

USC is over rated! They play in that joke of a conference that went 0-4 against the MWC. Their 1st game against Virginia that the pollsters made such a big deal over was a joke. UConn slammed the Cav’s almost as bad! The clash in the colliseum against a team that trailed Miami (of Ohio) in the third quarter is nothing to warrant such hype either.

These pollsters are worse than a two faced politician. They change their opinions like the weather. The ESPN talking heads are so biased I sometimers wonder if their not catching a few dollars under the table to hype OSU - a periennial disappointment.

Oh, Ryder….LSU got tripped up not once, but twice last year and still made it to the MNC Game. Florida lost a game the year they won the MNC and almost lost to SC at home!

What I’m really upset about is if Georgia does make it to the MNC Game we won’t be playing OSU…the doormat of the SEC.

DAWGBONE

By 44Dawg

September 17, 2008 8:18 PM | Link to this

We are already witnessing the West coast bias!! Just you watch. If the dogs continue to progress, and somehow get through this year as the SEC champs while winning close ballgames, we will be hearing all the talk about USC and OKLAHOMA and get the “Auburn” treatment. That is why traveling West is becoming increasingly important, and a victory over ASU big for the SEC. Tennessee didn’t do us any favors. Let’s claim the desert for the DAWGS!!

By BCS Slave

September 17, 2008 8:26 PM | Link to this

At this point in the season, USC and OKL have not played a tough enough team to judge them better or worse than they were. We all know that OSU’s schedule has been soft. USC played a Virginia team who got demolished by Conneticut 45 - 10. Conneticut!!! Virginia is not as good as the pundits said they were and being in the ACC should not give them any more credit than Conneticut gets for being a “BCS” team.

The change in ranking is nothing but bias and a beauty contest. USC got voted up because the looked good beating a lousy Virginia team. UGA got voted down because when they handily beat teams that could beat Virginia, they didn’t look as good. It was not about atheletes, it was not about schedule…it was style. A beauty contest.

No questions have been answwered about USC or Oklahoma because they haven’t had a quality opponent. The closet thing to “quality” is Washington, but they would be beaten by ANY SEC team. Oklahoma looked “good” in beating them though, so they jump a couple of spots into the number two slot.

Georgia, on the other hand, played teams that could beat Virginia, Washington, Ohio, Chattanooga…teams that media darlings USC, OK, and Ohio State beat in the first three weeks. UGA played in SC against a tough SC team that ALWAYS plays us tough. It is a RIVALRY that we played. They never look like a regular game. WHY? Because you play these teams every year…their players know your players. Teams know each other’s coaches tendencies. There are always axes to grind in these games. Two good defenses meeting early in the season will usually result in an ugly game. Why the voters can’t see that is…welll…they they are biased.

By voice of reason

September 17, 2008 8:35 PM | Link to this

The best football played in the USA is right here in the South! Why in the heck should we be required to go out West to prove anything to anybody. The SEC champ is the national champ every year, as far as I’m concerned, because if the SEC teams didn’t beat each other up, nobody would!!! Bowl season proves it year after year. That’s ok though. We’ll pasify you dreamers and go to Tempe and kick a$$ Saturday night and (hopefully) shut some of you up. UGA and the SEC rule!

By BCS Slave

September 17, 2008 8:39 PM | Link to this

I see more people are feeling what so many of us are about the media and the whole polling process. I was enraged when Auburn got shut out in favor of the media darlings that year. Those teams went undefeated playing the same sorry schedules they play now. We need a new system that holds poll voters accountable.

This is not just a UGA thing for me. Our current system cheapens the sport by making it more about money than sportsmanship. ESPuke’s agenda is market share and ad dollars, the conferences want TV contracts, the college presidents want money, the bowls want money and guess whose money they are getting…OURS. We subsidize the crappy beauty contest that exists today to determine NC’s. We perpetuate the unfairness and inconsistency of the current system because we keep tuning in to the pregame, ingame, post game and countless scoreboard shows on ESPuke.

If you care about competition on the field as most fans say they do…then start complaining. Let the networks know you’re tired of the bias. Watch the games, but tune out of everything else. Write emails to the college presidents, the SEC Commish Slive, and especially to ESPuke. Tell them you are sick of the biased reporting that influences voters in the crappy system we have.

College Presidents—give us a playoff or reform the system.

By voice of reason

September 17, 2008 8:42 PM | Link to this

Mark Richt for President! He’d sure as hell be better than anything we’ve got to choose from this election!

By voice of reason

September 17, 2008 8:45 PM | Link to this

What am I saying? Vince Dooley for President! We need Coach Richt to stay right where he is!

By BCS Slave

September 17, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this

DawgBone,

On LSU losing two games last year…

I remember how the media justified them jumping up several spots in the polls.

The media said LSU won the SEC championship game. Bear in mind Ohio State didn’t play in a conference championship game and they stayed in the first spot. Georgia looked “good” winning their games down the stretch, yet did the poll voters give them a nod over a weak Ohio team? No.

The media said that LSU lost two games, but they lost in overtime. WHAT?? Now they give style points for LOSING??

Oh well, if UGA loses one of their games this year, lets all hold our breath to see if they get style points for losing.

By Robert Eleigh

September 17, 2008 8:56 PM | Link to this

UGA is overrated! No ifs ands or butts. They handled Cocks last weekend. I’m sure they’ll be handling Cocks this weekend, too! Trust me, I was in Athens last weekend!!

By Mark Bradley

September 17, 2008 8:58 PM | Link to this

And that’s the point: In college basketball, it doesn’t matter where you’re ranked three weeks into a season because you know you’ll have a chance to prove your worth in March. In college football, it actually does matter what people think of you.

That said, I can’t imagine the strength of schedule will let Georgia finish anywhere but No. 1 or 2 if the Bulldogs stay undefeated. Should Georgia lose … well, the Dawgs will need to root for some other teams to lose.

By BCS Slave

September 17, 2008 9:08 PM | Link to this

I’ve got to say…

I’m watching ESPuke’s broadcast of Louisville and KState. It is the most boring broadcast I think I’ve seen. The game is fine, but the announcers are talking about the Ryder’s Cup and they are acting goofy. They are talking over the game. Yawn.

I just wish they would call the game and shut up on everything else. But then, they are promoting their Ryder Cup coverage. Yawn.

By ghost dawgI

September 17, 2008 9:08 PM | Link to this

I would not worry about the dawgs too much. They came out tight at USC and played like it and stil won. They probably will start playing at their potential at about their 6th game and everybody had best beware. What you bet that the SEC doormat Ohio U. will be back in the top five in few weeks. Dawgs should not worry about rankings cause they are not popular enough but keep on winning then everyone will worry about the dawgs. How much do you think little stevie s. would have paid for an ugly win over the dawgs. Tough luck steve. FEAR THE DAWGS BECAUSE THEY ARE COMING FOR YOU!

By BCS Slave

September 17, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this

Mark,

Don’t you think SOS will carry us only so far? What if Oklahoma and USC go undefeated? Will UGA leapfrog one of those teams? I find that hard to believe, given that Auburn didn’t in their undefeated year.

By sd

September 17, 2008 9:16 PM | Link to this

dont sell the trailer yet.go trash woof woof! tough teams like centr