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Home > Terence Moore > Archives > 2008 > October > 28 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USAll’s hush-hush on UGA-Florida front
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Athens — The Gators weren’t amused then, and such remains the case now.
They just won’t say it. They have their own gag order.
With that little football game in Jacksonville approaching, Georgia coach Mark Richt and his Florida counterpart, Urban Meyer, don’t wish to discuss You Know What. They’ve also suggested to their players not to utter a syllable about it. According to those on both sides, that unmentionable thing is all in the past, and it is not a big deal. It is a big deal, and everybody knows it, especially those coaching, playing and rooting for Georgia and Florida.
Richt’s gag order is one of the long-term consequences of his short-term fix for the lethargy that affected his Bulldogs early last season. Remember? The week of the Florida game, Richt said he told his offensive players on the field to celebrate enough after Georgia’s first touchdown to draw an unsportsmanlike penalty. Instead, all of his players sprinted from the sidelines to the end zone for a dog pile between screaming and clowning.
The Bulldogs don’t want to talk about it. They can’t talk about it. After all, Richt might force violators to suck on Uga VII’s old dogbones. Imagine a mantra that sits between Mark McGwire (“I’m not here to talk about the past) and the Clintons (“It’s the economy, stupid.”). For instance: Offensive lineman Clint Boling joined most of his Georgia peers in shifting into automatic pilot after hearing such trigger phrases as “Florida game” and “last year” in a question.
Said Boling, politely, “Uh, we’re just worried about this year’s game. We’re not thinking about last year.”
Actually, the question wasn’t about You Know What. Neither was the one to fullback Fred Munzenmaier, who nevertheless heard those trigger phrases before responding with a chuckle, “Uh, no. We’ve been told to put that one behind us.”
At least linebacker Rennie Curran acknowledged some of the truth. Nearly as long as water has filled the St. Johns River, Georgia players have dreamt about upcoming Florida games for days, weeks and months. Now you’ve got both teams streaking inside the Top 10 of the BCS standings. We won’t even mention You Know What. This game is fairly emotional for both sides, right?
“If you need outside motivation for this game, you have, like, no heart,” said Curran, a sophomore form Snellville. “If you’re a Georgia fan or a Georgia player, this game is just everything. It’s impossible not to get motivated for this game, because most of us have coaches from high school and a bunch of friends who are Florida fans.”
What about friends who are Florida players? “Oh, yeah. I played with a couple of guys during some high school all-star games,” said Curran, before naming a slew of Gators with a smile. “There’s definitely some connections there.”
So do you talk to your Florida friends about last year’s game? “Uh,” Curran said, pausing, with thoughts of Richt and old dogbones rattling in his mind. “There really is no mention about last year.”
Uh-huh.
Permalink | Comments (14) | Categories: UGA/SEC
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By voice of reason
October 28, 2008 7:50 PM | Link to this
I think that once the opening kickoff occurs, last year’s game will be forgotten. Let history go and just win the game! Two in a row dawgs!
By Lowcountryscdawg
October 28, 2008 8:15 PM | Link to this
First and dawgs will win book it!
By Lilburn Dawg
October 28, 2008 8:22 PM | Link to this
No cute stuff this week. No black out. No celebration. No swimming. No bowling. No penalities. No poor play-calling from Bobo. Stay focused. Be intense. Play hard. Go after the QB. And we may just win!! GO DAWGS!!
By Wally
October 28, 2008 8:30 PM | Link to this
Terrence, not that I have come to expect a lot from your writing or anything, but did you really find a way to write about “the Celebration” in consecutive columns?
Your insight and analysis leaves a lot to desire even when you’re moving from topic to topic. I wonder how many columns you’ve written on “the Celebration” in all. Three? Four?
Geez.
Your columns have gone from predictable and trite to flat out repetitive and stale.
By Crimedog
October 28, 2008 8:36 PM | Link to this
Richt simply can’t deny what we saw on television. He urged the whole team onto the field. Didn’t Mark learn anything in Sunday School about honesty? Now he wants to pretend the whole thing didn’t happen.
By shakazulu
October 28, 2008 8:59 PM | Link to this
Most of my Georgia friends (and there are many) were a little embarassed about the situation last year. I didn’t see the need for it but it doesn’t affect me that much. But, given that the Gators have a 60-65% chance of winning this one, the Dawgs will just be beside themselves to a degree I can’t imagine if they don’t win this one. Swamp Creatures take it by two touchdowns and act like they’ve been there before….
By Class of '98
October 28, 2008 9:00 PM | Link to this
Good article, Terrance.
By the way, thanks for the encouraging words in the Braves clubhouse a few months ago.
“Penn State’s got who left?”
By voice of reason
October 28, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this
Crimedog, he’s explained over and over that he only wanted the players on the field at the time to celebrate. Do you pay attention? Ever? This has been explained for a year now. The man apologized and told everyone what his intentions were and you still think he asked the whole team to storm the field. Get real! The team that wins on Saturday will be the team that shows up and executes on both sides of the ball and last year’s game won’t have a damn thing to do with it.
By CB15
October 28, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this
The Gators will play with passion and decapitate a few puppies. UF by 14+.
By Dawg Fan
October 28, 2008 9:47 PM | Link to this
I love how the media is all over what a big story “the celebration” is. Lazy writing. Neither team is talking about it. This is a HUGE game with major short and long term implications. Everyone is talking about the game and other than radio talk show and other media members I don’t think I have heard “the celebration” mentioned once. I know that it is a part of the backdrop of the game but it should be and is a much smaller part then our friends in the press would like. There are too many good stories about these teams and this game for that to dominate all the pre-game hype.
By AltamahaDawg
October 28, 2008 10:32 PM | Link to this
It must be tough seeing your entire body of work for the past year about to become obsolete in 4 more days.
By old dog
October 28, 2008 10:44 PM | Link to this
Dawg Fan - I couldn’t agree more. The media gets upset when their subjects don’t give them the story they want to tell. Instead of working hard and reporting the news, they (and this goes way beyond just TM) complain about not being able to get access to the information that want in order to sell print. It’s all about what sells and makes them $$, not about quality coverage, sunshine laws, etc. Get a life TM.
By GWJ
October 28, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this
Boring…Since neither UGA or Uf is going to discuss last year, you can write about IT every day this week…..BORING
By Barkin'Dog
October 28, 2008 11:53 PM | Link to this
Everybody simmer down now… we all saw what happened last year (and years past). The Dawgs only got better and better… and faster. The Gators can get all worked up about the ‘You Know What,’ but by halftime they’ll be wondering what else they can do to get motivated. They will trail by 10 or more at the half and even more at game’s end. Then they’ll retreat to their swamp and look worried - I mean forward - to TWLCP in 2009… and a nice New Year’s “DAY” Bowl Game.
The Dawgs plummeted in the polls when they lost to the new #2 a few weeks back, unlike the golden boys who dropped just a few after losing to Oregon St. (and trailing by 3 TDs at half). But next week, like it or not, the pollsters and talking heads will have to respect (and reward) this team when they win the toughest game in the toughest division of the toughest conference in the country. Especially after Texas Tech beats Texas, and LSU beats Alabama and Oklahoma beats Texas Tech… IMHO ;-) If posters are going to throw up their picks here this week, there’s mine! I’ve seen the light, and drank the cool-aid. Hide and watch… and Gooooo Dawgs!