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 > 28
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Is ‘08 Georgia-Florida biggest ever?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So just how big is Saturday’s Georgia-Florida game? By any measure, real big.
The biggest ever, if you believe Gainesville Sun columnist Pat Dooley. That’s what he wrote on Monday, and he makes some very good arguments to that end. Pat’s a good buddy that I’ve gotten to know over our many years in this business. When you’re searching for the Gators’ perspective, Pat’s one of the best to visit. In fact, pending the approval of his paper’s management, I’ve asked him to handle the five questions with the opposing team’s writer for us this week (we need to come up with a name for that, don’t we?).
Anyway, I can’t decide whether I agree with Pat or not. As he details in his column, there are a lot of reasons to vote for this one. For starters, it’s the highest ranked the two teams have been in the modern era whether you go by The AP (Florida 5, Georgia 8) or the BCS (Georgia 6, Florida 8). With that come the obvious national implications.
Really, even more important than that is that the these two live in the same neighborhood. The game is essentially an SEC East semifinal with the loser facing virtual elimination. Add the backdrop of last year’s touchdown celebration and you’ve got some pretty combustible fuel.
But I’ve done a lot of research in this area and there have been some awfully good and extremely meaningful Georgia-Florida games. Shoot, 1980 (2 vs. 20), ‘83 (4 vs. 9) and ‘84 games (8 vs. 10) all featured excellent teams with major SEC and national implications. The ‘76 game, featuring No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Georgia, to me is one of the all-time classics. And Georgia people probably forget that the Dogs were pretty darn good heading to Jacksonville in ‘99 (No. 10 against UF’s 5) before Spurrier’s Gators put a 30-14 whipping on them and the season imploded.
Never minding records and rankings there have been some barn-burner games. But usually it’s been more meaningful for one than the other. Often the best games have been when the underdog won, but those are big only retrospectively.
So what do y’all think? You agree with Gainesville’s Dooley and think it’s the biggest Georgia-Florida ever? How do you fans rate in terms of anticipation?
While you’re mulling that, here’s some links for your reading pleasure:
Dave Curtis of The Sporting News was at the Georgia-LSU game and weighs in on this the Florida game and the whole “Celebrate Gate” deal… .
Knoxville News columnist John Adams has been very consistent in his criticism of Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer. In the last two editions he has written that Fulmer needs to be fired and, a day later, blames Fulmer’s demise on the departure(s) of longtime offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe… .
Remember Arizona State and the angst Georgia had going out to Tempe to play that game. Well, things have changed just a smidge for the Sun Devils since then… .
A special thanks to Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News, who has gone to the trouble of quantifying Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville’s inability — or is it unwillingness? — to retain coordinators. I’m sure you’ll be shocked to learn that his research concludes that Ol’ Ears has run through more than anybody.
Permalink | Comments (171) | Post your comment | Categories: Football
