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DEL.ICIO.USSt. Simons likes Georgia-Florida in Jax
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
St. Simons Island — Once every year for many a football season, this seacoast region takes on a bordertown mentality. It’s the weekend of the Georgia-Florida game, played across the state line in Jacksonville, which has sinfully, but cheerfully, assumed the reputation as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” Until lately.
Michael Adams, president of the University of Georgia, has taken the stand that that liquid terminology should be shorn. It’s just not nice to be so willingly associated with public drinking, and associated debauchery. Think of something of picnic quality, for instance, “The World’s Largest Outdoor Lemonade Party,” or iced tea, though definitely not the Long Island type.
This area, specifically St. Simons, Sea Island, Jekyll Island and Brunswick, form the staging area from which Georgia Bulldog partisans launch their surge, cross the Florida line and establish their base in Alltel Stadium, once known as Gator Bowl. Some suspect that this may be Adams’ prelude to returning the game to the two campuses. Actually, the Jacksonville arrangement doesn’t come up for re-negotiation until after the 2010 game, which puts a stretch on Adams’ tenure in Athens.
Vance Leavy publishes “Bulldawg Illustrated,” the unofficial voice of all things Bulldog, based on St. Simons. He gets to the point: “That’s never going to happen. President Adams takes a good stand. The premise is good. But what’s the difference between what goes on at the home games and in Jacksonville?” he said. “Moving the game back to the campuses won’t change any of that.”
He makes another point, more vital to Glynn County and the surroundings. “This is south Georgia’s homecoming game. It’s a boom for Glynn County economics. It’s like having a World’s Fair every year, it’s bigger than the Fourth of July.”
So this part of the Georgia world gladly crosses the state line into “enemy” territory, and leaves the policing to the police. Even if Adams should be successful in shedding “the largest outdoor cocktail party” from association with the game — which is highly unlikely — the party will go on, and coastal Georgia happily accepts its role in it. This is where the Bulldogs prime for it, where they stock up, where they come to party, and you’d be surprised to know how many settle in hereabouts and take in the game by television, never getting a glimpse of Jacksonville.
Stan Robinson, located in his popular establishment, Brogan’s, has a solution. “Start beating Florida. That will change everything. Three times we’ve lost and still played for the SEC championship. That’s good, but we’ve lost out on playing for the national championship. You beat Tennessee three times in Knoxville, you ought to be able to beat Florida on neutral ground.”
Among other things, he said, “several businesses down here would go bankrupt if they didn’t have that weekend.” It’s like a land rush, running from Wednesday till Sunday, and in some cases, a full week.
Vince Dooley has sort of tap-danced acround the subject through the years. Mark Richt doesn’t lean in the back-to-the-campus direction, I’m told, nor does Damon Evans, the incumbent athletics director. A similar situation has been on-going for years in the Southwest, where Oklahoma has been crossing the state line to play Texas in “The Red River Shootout.” The Sooners accept the trip to Dallas with no complaints. It’s the Longhorns, who had been on a losing streak until last season who are having alternative thoughts. Now, so the story goes, with its newly expanded stadium in Austin, Texans are the ones who are talking “back to the campus.”
One further thought: In eschewing “the largest outdoor cocktail party” association, would Dr. Adams also recommend that beer commercials be eliminated from college sports television? Hyprocrisy, where are thy sting?
Permalink | Comments (7) | Categories: Furman Bisher, UGA / SEC
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By jennifer
June 2, 2006 09:14 PM | Link to this
NO Thanks are u the only one in here? are you talking to yourself?
By RxDawg
June 2, 2006 10:50 PM | Link to this
Great comment about the beer commercials. I guess money makes the world go round.
By SenorLorenzo
June 3, 2006 12:33 AM | Link to this
Ya got to separate the tradition and economics of this game from the following unfortunate UGA truth………The Dawgs still have a giant gorilla on their back now every year they play the Gators in Jax and UF has a perpetual mojo from the presence of said “Gorilla”. It didn’t suddenly go away two years ago and it want until the Dawgs string together several victories, and that just ain’t gonna happen. I love the tradition of the WLOCP and also the financial boon for Glynn County where I live, but mark my word, the only way to change what started under Spurrier is go back to home and away. Even then it will take that same string of wins for UGA to get the funk out of their heads that appears every fall at Alltel.
By darrell simmons
June 3, 2006 08:41 AM | Link to this
Good shot about the beer comercials. The thinking about the tag “World’s Largest Outdoor Coctail Party” fits in with NCAA thinking of some three decades ago when at an annual NCAA meeting that group voted down a proposal to allow beer commercials on NCAA televised games, A that time, the late Joel Eaves, UGA’s AD who voted for the beer commercials, said, “What do they (NCAA) think they are drinking on Saturday nights in Athens, Gainesville, Starkville, Knoxville __ Kool-Aid?” Keep the game in Jacksonville and preserve all traditions connected with it. Thanx.
By Ladydawg
June 3, 2006 02:35 PM | Link to this
Nice point about the beer commercials.
Still don’t think we should do home and home. It’s a lot easier for the team and the fans not having to go into the Swamp every other year and I don’t want those orange and blue heathens back on our campus!
By Dirty Dawg
June 3, 2006 03:01 PM | Link to this
Big deal. They cracked down on the in-stadium drinking at the GA/FLA game years ago. Sure there’s a lot of tailgateing…it’s a big party. Football fans - college, pro, you name it - have been having this kind of fun forever, and that ‘tight*’ Adams thinks he can change that? Or that he even should? Get another life Michael, preferrably someplace else.
By GW
June 3, 2006 03:57 PM | Link to this
The partying now on game day is like a 6 year-old’s birthday compared to the 1970s and 1980s. Does anybody really believe UGA has this losing streak because the game is played in J’ville? Keep the game in J’ville forever. I’d rather have 42,000 seats every year in J’ville than 36,000 in Atlanta or 10,000 in Gainesville every other year. The decision in 2010 will be dictated by $$$$$$, not by 90 proof or wins and losses. Only metro Atlanta Bulldogs want it moved, and they are pretty much now the majority. J’ville Bulldog Club will throw a fit if it moves. Good column, Mr. Bisher.