UGA blog finds new home
Morning all. As I’ve said a couple of times this week, we’re converting this blog over to a WordPress platform and it will be a permanent move the first of next week.
Those of you who are regulars probably know that I’m not what you’d call techno-wizard when it comes to these things. But from what I understand the technology offered in this new format should make the blogging and commenting experience better for all. Of course, I’ll be learning as we go along, too. But I’m hoping to provide more pictures and video and things like that which should bring the blog more to life.
Of course, this blog is nothing without all you guys so I want to heartily invite (read: beg) you to come over to the new site by CLICKING HERE ON THE NEW ADDRESS and save it in your browsers. As of Monday, Feb. 23rd, this will be the permanent home of the UGA blog you so love or, in the case of some of you, love to loathe. If you’d prefer to copy and paste or just memorize, the new address is: http://blogs.ajc.com/uga-sports-blog/.
See at the new place!
AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2008 > October > 24
Friday, October 24, 2008
LSU fans see Bulldogs as ‘whiners’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rather than my usual Friday topic, which tends to be something like, “who do you think is going to win, by what score and why,” I decided this week to call my good buddy Glenn Guilbeau over in Baton Rouge and “interview” him about Saturday’s game between Georgia and LSU.
Guilbeau is one of the foremost authorities on LSU athletics. Well, football at least. He covered the Tigers for a long time for the Baton Rouge Morning Advocate and now does for Gannett News Service, which circulates his stories throughout its newspaper network. Nobody knows LSU football better and he’s a pretty funny guy to boot. So I figured I’d just hit him with some questions and get him to tell us all what he’s thinking.
Talking to the “opposing” beat writer is something a lot of bloggers do these days but it’s new to us. But if it’s a feature you like I’ll make it a regular thing. I know somebody well on all the SEC beats. So give me your feedback.
Without further adieu, let’s hear from Guilbeau:
(1) What would you say is the perception of the Georgia Bulldogs among LSU/Louisiana folks? Contenders or pretenders? Do they think the Bulldogs are overrated or underachieving?
Guilbeau: “Many LSU fans incorrectly see Georgia as whiners from the way the BCS ended up last year with LSU luckily getting into the national title game with two losses. I covered Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and all coach Mark Richt said was that there is no rule that states a team has to win its conference to play in the BCS title game. Until there is, non-league champions could make it. And there are scenarios in which a non-league champion would be a more worthy participant. For example, if a three- or four-loss West division champ upsets a one-loss East division champ in the SEC title game, and if the East division runner-up only has one loss from early in the season then it would be much higher ranked. The fans were also legitimately aggravated by Georgia president Michael Adams call for a playoff just as LSU was winning the national title. SEC commissioner Roy Kramer was very upset at that. Adams tends to put his foot in his mouth often. Other than that, LSU fans are wary of Georgia’s offense in light of how much the Tigers’ secondary and linebackers have struggled this season. LSU fans can’t really say Georgia is overrated since LSU is likely overrated. The Tigers do not have a win over a ranked team.
(2) Is this game a big concern for LSU or just a big event? Or neither? Do the Dogs have a prayer in fabled Tiger Stadium?
Guilbeau: “The Georgia game is a major concern, and because of that and the two teams’ rankings, this is a huge event. It will be one of the highest ranked pairings in Tiger Stadium in recent years. Georgia has a very good chance of winning with a quarterback like Stafford and his wealth of receivers. LSU can’t cover well.”
(3) What are some things Georgia folks making their first trip to Baton Rouge may need to know? Got some recommendations for places to go, places to eat, things to do, tailgating?
Guilbeau: “I would say head downtown. That’s where all the bail bondsmen are in case more Bulldogs get arrested Friday night. I would also recommend some of the animal shelters so Georgia could get a mascot that doesn’t attack Auburn players during games.” [Note: Guilbeau was covering Auburn when UGA V got after receiver Robert Baker].
(4) What has been your impression of the 2008 Tigers? Any chance they could repeat as national champs? SEC champs? West champs?
Guilbeau: “If LSU wins out, it could get back in the national title game, but this year’s team just does not look that good. There are too many holes - the secondary, linebackers, quarterback. If it doesn’t reach the title game, though, LSU chancellor Michael Martin may criticize the system and call for a playoff system to begin at once.”
(5) Was Les Miles ever really headed to Michigan? Is he beloved in Baton Rouge like the guy that coached there before him, ol What’s-His-Name? Is What’s-His-Name still beloved or reviled now?
Guilbeau: “Miles looked at Michigan and looked into what his salary and the salary of his coaches might be, but he never really considered it seriously. Had Michigan been smarter in its interest in Miles and had it realized that it has to pay people to come to Michigan, Michigan would have had a better shot at Miles. But Miles wasn’t going to go to Michigan if his assistants were going to have to take a pay cut. Michigan has an extremely high and unrealistic opinion of itself. The LSU job is a better job because of the talent and elite status Nick Saban left, and Miles wasn’t going to leave for equal or less money. One reason the story lasted so long was because Miles did not want to appear to be dissing his alma mater. He has a lot of friends there. He wanted to talk to Michigan. He also milked the interest somewhat in contract negotiations before the SEC title game, but that became moot. The raise Miles got from $2.2 million to $3.75 million was all bonus money based on the fact that he won the national title. He would have received the exact same raise had Michigan not been interested.
“By the way, Miles’ people and LSU’s people were hammering out Miles new contract in the week leading up to the SEC title game and came to an agreement that Friday night. There was urgency Friday night because Miles had said in a press conference Friday afternoon that he wanted to talk Michigan. When LSU officials heard that, they got nervous. They didn’t think Miles would leave, but they did fear Miles going to Ann Arbor or somewhere on an interview, because at that point anything can happen. So they came to an agreement Friday night. This is why Herbstreit’s report the next morning on GameDay and his subsequent statment that LSU “got proactive” after his report were completely false. It was done.
“Miles is very much loved by the fans here and a lot of the media, too. Even when he messes up, the apologist fans and the apologist media come out in droves. That coach, Nick Saban, is hated because fans realize how great he is and was and can’t quite accept that he’s now at Alabama and making the Tide a threat to LSU.
Interestingly, it’s four years after Saban left and there are a still a dozen of his signees on the team - key players like Tyson Jackson, Herman Johnson, Brett Helms, Kirston Pittman, Quinn Johnson, Marlon Favorite, Curtis Taylor and Harry Coleman, Tremaine Johnson, Charles Alexander and Brady Dalfrey. The fact that about 30 of Saban’s signees were on the national title team last season also irks LSU fans.”
Some links:
Dogs are getting a lot of love in this game. A website called thenationalchampionshipissue.com picks Georgia to beat LSU by 10. And Doug Segrest of the Birmingham News picks Georgia by 12… .
Hey, by the way, Kenny “The Snake” Stabler slithered out of that DUI charge, according to several Alabama papers… .
Ousted Auburn offensive coordinator Tony Franklin broke his silence about his firing two weeks ago. He told the Mobile Press-Register he was “befuddled” by his abrupt firing at the hands of coach Tommy Tuberville… .
Here’s David Hale’s popular “deleted scenes” blog in which he dumps all his unused quotes from the week’s interviews.
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