AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > October > 24 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USMisery vs. Gators drives fans to drink
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
St. Simons Island — Well, here we sit, poised along the border like Sooners waiting to crash into Oklahoma. This is where Georgians congregate, the staging ground for Bulldogs football fans ready to pounce on Jacksonville for the Florida game. Welcome. This is Glynn County’s New Year’s eve. Feed the local economy. Buy your booze here, if you’re going to be a player in “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” There, I’ve said it and that’s out of the way.
It’s one way for Bulldogs to get their minds off the unsavory turn this series has taken since the era of Dooley. Only twice in the past 16 years has Georgia been able to beat Florida on the football field. Even when this historic match took a breather on the two campuses, nothing changed. Florida didn’t just win, the Gators won by 35 points in Athens and 40 in Gainesville, all of this while the weary old Gator Bowl was being replaced by Alltel Stadium. Even when the immensely despised — by Georgians — Steve Spurrier took leave, the Bulldogs couldn’t break the habit.
Notice how clever the two presidents have been? Michael Adams started it, when he made a public appeal to the media institutions to drop the “Cocktail Party” line. And Bernie Machen of Florida joined in. He didn’t want Adams to take the lead in purity. After all, what did he have to lose? The Gators were killing the Bulldogs on the field and that probably was driving Georgia’s patrons to take the lead in boozing.
Fourteen out of the past 16 times losers. That astonishes me each time I look at those numbers.
Frankly, Georgians don’t give a damn who leads in hangovers, they want to feel how Gator meat tastes again. Startled me when I began reading of the sudden surge of displeasure with Mark Richt, now solidly in place with a long-term contract. How could he be a worse coach than he was when Georgia won two conference championships? Who’s the quarterback? Why all the dropped passes? Where are all those running backs? Lose to Tennessee, you can live with that, but Vanderbilt? On Homecoming Day? That’s a hanging offense. Now, lose to this guy Urban Myer who used to play shortstop in the Braves farm system and this case goes to a grand jury.
You see how that can direct a college president’s attention from losing to cleansing the public conduct of his patrons. If you can’t win, at least don’t make a spectacle of yourself. If you drink, don’t drive. If you drive, don’t drink and use your cell phone at the same time. If you do drink, try tea — not Long Island iced tea either.
College presidents are not popular people, as a rule. You remember Adams and his spat with Vince Dooley. Now, this. Adams must have flinched when he saw the headline about students who said “half the fun of college is learning to drink.” Now “how to drink,” but just “drink.” And is there a degree for that? Magna Cum Boozehound?
Well, all’s quiet down here at the moment, but the high tide of Bulldogs is about to roll in. Saturday morning the wagons hit the border and Jacksonville will be under a flood of humanity, a lot of it boozed to the ears. Then comes the next crisis: Traffic. After all these years of practice, Jacksonville still can’t get it right. One year it was so bad that Lewis Grizzard simply got out of his rental car and left it in the middle of the street. And if you want to irritate Jacksonville’s royal family, just bring it up. Get drunker’n a billy goat, but don’t bash on its traffic. You’d have thought they’d have gotten over that since they tried to squeeze in the Super Bowl like a foot in a shoe two sizes too small.
Permalink | Comments (22) | Post your comment | Categories: Furman Bisher, UGA / SEC
Comments
By James
October 24, 2006 08:33 PM | Link to this
Furman Great Article, I will on the Island Friday and Saturday…Having Fun at Worlds Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party….
By Maryland Dawg
October 24, 2006 08:45 PM | Link to this
Well put Mr. Bisher, haven’t heard from you in a while. Well I’ll be down on the island this weekend and for some funny reason I feel a slight possibility of an upset against the trailer park lizards, but then again that could be the booze speaking preemptively. Anyway see you folks in St. Simon’s and remember: “there’s nothing finer in the land, than a _,obnoxious bulldog fan!!!
Go Dawgs!!!
By ringleader
October 24, 2006 09:06 PM | Link to this
Yes, things certainly have changed, I can remember in ‘82 they sold Jack Daniels mineratures inside the Gator Bowl. Had them in trays like cokes, sold out before the half. And back in those days they always gave out of ice by the half. You could take coolers into the stadium. The stands were quartered rather than halved. You could even go down on the field after the game……..Yep things have changed. You need to check out Dennis Dodds article on cbssports.com seems CBS is not going along with Mike and Bernies plan, they even have a vote for the winner of The World’s Largest Cocktail Party…….
By saga dawg
October 24, 2006 09:19 PM | Link to this
Great Mr. Bisher! I hate these new “dawg” fans. They came along circa 2002 when our great coach won the SEC champ. game. They boo, b***, complain about coaches and poor student atheletes that drop a pass. Since I’m from South Georgia I don’t mind the game in Jacksonville. I do wish that Georgia could get some of the 20 million dollars the game brings to Jacksonville. I really think the way these new dawg a***** act is pitiful. If everything is so bad don’t get tickets anymore and sell your GT tickets please. I was 2004 graduate of UGA but I have gone to games since I was 5 months old so I have been in my seats for a while and I don’t recognize a sole around me.
By the saga continues
October 24, 2006 10:20 PM | Link to this
oh, poor saga. woe is you. you truly are special. you are the only true dawg fan. if all the long suffering (well, actually, oblivious to the perpetual mediocrity) diehards like you are so great and so blindly loyal, then why are all of these so-called bandwagon jumping disloyal know nothings able to get seats away from the long time diehards. your logic seems to have a hole in it.
to be honest, saga, you don’t sound like much of a fan at all. you actually sound like someone who goes to games to rub elbows and mix and mingle. don’t worry. just tell us where you sit and we’ll be sure that us bandwagon jumping diehards do not let the game interfere with your good ole tailgate.
i think the long time diehards and the so called bandwagoners have actually changed their attitude towards the program because with success come increased expectations. maybe you should think about joining us saga. i think everyone is dying for this program to leap up to the next step except it seems for you saga. you would rather be polite to the team and keep your displeasure to yourself instead of pushing the team by booing and voicing your displeasure. (actually, saga, do you ever watch the game long enough to know enough to get displeased or are you too preoccupied with your little meet and greet up in the stands that you do not know what is going on out on the field? i would think you would be happy that there are so many new faces up there for you to gladhand.)
booing is okay and to be expected for repeated mediocre performances. booing is not okay when it is done as a personal attack on a teeenger or any player, be they professional or amateur. MOMASS is a struggling stud at this point. Lay off people. It is okay to boo a dropped pass or a fumble. It is not okay to cheer, boo, mock, or hiss at the kid when he is benched or at other moments when the attack becomes needless and entirely personal. Booing should always be performance related and not personal. Bronx cheers never help a player, just ask AROD. yankees fans have taken probably one of the best 10 players in the history of the game and they are slowly but gradually killing the guy just because they are hellbent on destroying him. please, do not do that to MOMASS. you all will deeply regret having a lost and wasted career on your hands if you keep it up. MOMASS is trying. His confidence is just shot at this point. rally around the kid. pick him up. boo him if he drops a pass or fumbles just like you would boo anyone else. but if you are going to boo a player on your team, it is imperative that you as the fan find a way to also pick him up.
By mtn2top
October 24, 2006 10:42 PM | Link to this
Great read and even better points about some of the absurdities that are trying to upstage this great game. In the end it’s about the great tradition of two SEC schools. That my furry flea-infested friend deserves a drink. Cheers!
By yougotdawged
October 25, 2006 08:51 AM | Link to this
i stopped reading this article after the richt going before a grand jury comment… thats was the dumbest thing i have read on ajc yet… and carter didnt even say it
By StAugDawg
October 25, 2006 09:20 AM | Link to this
Lots and lots of booze is the only way I can get through it. Win or lose. It’s a shame it’s gotten this bad in the series. Embarrassing. Last yr., I got to the stadium and began tailgating around 10:00am. My buddies and I spent hundreds on drinks, souvenirs, food, etc. We were really confident that a very solid UGA team would beat a somewhat mediocre UF team, even with Joe T. Remember how Alabama killed UF early in the year? When we finally made it to our seats, I remember pouring my first JD and coke when UF went up 7-0, my second and UF was up 14-0. It’s sad, but for some strange reason, I really believe in Georgia and the upset this yr. This year I’ll wait to pour until Georgia scores. Go Dawgs!
By Palmetto State Dawg
October 25, 2006 09:29 AM | Link to this
Mr. Bisher, I couldn’t imagine the AJC sports without you. Tell Munson we said hello down there!
By rd
October 25, 2006 09:37 AM | Link to this
Hey Yougotdawged….. You might want to take a look at how you express yourself….. How far did you “actually” make it….. 3 or 4th grade? My goodness, it was only two sentences (I think)….too much trouble critique? Talk about dumb!!!!!!!!!!
By rd
October 25, 2006 09:51 AM | Link to this
Thanks St.AugustineDawg!!!!!! You gotta believe and you do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe you’ll get to pour that celebratory drink sooner than you think this year. I too was there last year and experienced the same thing you did, after much anticipation regarding a possible up-set. We’ve been known to spoil a few plans the Gators may have had (1985!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) I actually ate brekfast that morning at the Ramada Inn (where Ga. used to headquarter) with Jesse Outlar and Furman Bisher…there was a huge picture of a Gator W/gaping jowels on the front of the Florida Times Union….I asked Jesse what he thought of that and he said, “it sure doesn’t look very good.” Well, we know that Muddy Waters and the Dawgs sent the NUMBER 1 Gators home crying that day 24-3!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe this year huh!!!!!!!!!!!!! And by the way, Furman Bisher “IS THE AJC SPORTSWRITER AND ALWAYS WILL BE!!!!!!! Thanks Mr. Bisher!!!!
By Ft Worth Dawg
October 25, 2006 10:17 AM | Link to this
Two 1985 comments: 1. Seen painted on a car window near Creswell Hall after the game “Number One for a Week — ooh, I’m Impressed”, 2. UGA football team member’s (I forget who it was) comment after the game “Balance Has Been Restored to Nature”.
I hope this year’s team can restore balance to nature as well. Go Dawgs!
By GT Loser
October 25, 2006 10:22 AM | Link to this
Furman, I am so old that I remember when you had that crush on Bobby Dodd when you were a young sports reporter new to Atlanta and just starting out.
But he never asked you out, did he?
By Gator Earl
October 25, 2006 11:28 AM | Link to this
The greatest game in college football will always be known as the “Cocktail Party” so the Presidents need to quit wasting our tax payers money. As an Alunmi of Florida(from a south Georgia family), I have been to 35 years of GA-FL and watched as Gator tears were created by losing to Georgia and watched as Florida dominated the series over the last 14 years. Everyone has to admit that having the game in Jax is what gives the game its special place in college football, half and half fans, cold beer, tailgating and great SEC football…oh yes and another Gator win to bring up at Thanksgiving dinner in South Georgia….
By Mike
October 25, 2006 11:32 AM | Link to this
Hey Furman, if losing to a bitter rival drives one to drink, Tech grads must be the best educated alcoholics on earth. 3 out of 15 against the Dogs ain’t so hot either. See ya in November.
By gdawginkalamazoo
October 25, 2006 12:41 PM | Link to this
Hey Bish, we drank during the good times too! No true bulldog fan is asking for Richt’s head. I would say the majority of us like the long term deal and can see past this season as growing pains to a great program. What? we win this game and everybody is a hero? I wouldn’t see it as that because there are somethings that need improvement. Go Coach Richt! Go Dawgs!
By Gene
October 25, 2006 01:10 PM | Link to this
Well, Furman, some people go to college to learn to drink and others go to learn about basketball—like Tony Coles and those enrolled in “Basketball 101” at UGA. Mike Adams is the czar of “political correctness.” He believes if you change the terminology, you change the reality. Calling Adams an educator does not make him one.
By DirkDawggler
October 25, 2006 04:26 PM | Link to this
Vanderbilt has had more success against Georgia (3 wins) since 1991 than the ‘Dawgs have had against Florida (2 wins). That’s a .133 winning percentage during that time-frame. At some point, you figure the ‘Gators would drop a late fumble, miss a field goal, throw a pick, get an injury, catch the flu, have a scandal, or just miss the bus. Sooner or later, the worm has got to turn…if even just a little bit.
What may finally turn this thing around is a huge, monumental upset of Dawglical proportions. I hope this weekend is it…and I’ll be there to witness it: good or bad.
By MC
October 25, 2006 06:27 PM | Link to this
Great article. I cannot believe that Georgia has only beat Florida twice in 16 years. Well I guess we are the easy team to beat for the Gators.
I heard one person say Florida by 10 and USA today said 14 and I said 18. You don’t think Richt has some kind of secret game plan he can spring on the Gators do you? Well if he doesn’t, its going to get ugly and fast. And those great running backs that Georgia used to come up with ——where DID they go? Maybe they are hiding in a bunker down in the ground with some Aliens. CALLING ALL GEORGIA RUNNING BACKS—REPORT TO SECTOR “Cocktail Party/ Dawgs and Lizards in Jacksonville, Flardy, ASAP.” I’m done.
By Dawg in exile (colorado)
October 25, 2006 06:30 PM | Link to this
I know a few things.
By Danny
October 25, 2006 07:17 PM | Link to this
Always a pleasure to read your column! You hit the nail on the head again. If the players don’t do their job, how can you blame the coach. It is called youth. We are young and will get better.
By michelle
October 25, 2006 08:25 PM | Link to this
Trust me, Jacksonville knows the traffic sucks, we drive it every day!!