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AJC > Sports > UGA > Blog > Archives > 2008 > April > 06 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USG-Day from the grandstands
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Saturday’s scaled-down spring G-Day game didn’t tell us much we didn’t already know, but it was still an enjoyable day at Sanford Stadium, despite the rain that kept the crowd to about half what the Athletic Association had expected. (Contrary to regular-season rules, they allowed umbrellas into the stadium for the game, but still sold a lot of those $4 Bulldog ponchos.) Although it had been announced they’d play 10-minute quarters, that was cut back to 8-minute quarters, which reportedly had more to do with Mark Richt’s concerns about depth at some positions than it did the rainy weather.
The Red team had the first-string offense and the Black team had the first string defense (though those starters mostly watched from the sidelines in the second half). The defense looked a lot better than last year’s spring game, but it was obvious the Dawgs have a ton of offensive firepower.
More observations I scribbled on the handy Game Notes page provided in the back of the official program:
Kris Durham seemed to pick up right where he left off in the bowl game, catching a 31-yarder from Matt Stafford at the beginning of the game. … We had a bunch of receivers out with injuries, which allowed Michael Moore a great opportunity to get out of the dog house, and he responded with three catches, two of them for touchdowns. The first was a deceptively easy looking 30-yarder from Stafford on the first drive; the second was a very nice 12-yard third-and-goal strike from Logan Gray on which the third-string quarterback known more as a running threat really threaded the needle. Flanker Israel Troupe also had fans talking with a couple of nice catches. … Gray showed off his speed on several runs; this guy’s going to be a breakaway threat. Stafford took off on one bootleg run but cut it short out of bounds, which was only fair since he wasn’t supposed to be tackled anyway. … Caleb King looked pretty good, with a slashing style and a really nice spin move that allowed him to pick up first-down yardage on one play. He broke some tackles, too. He still needs to work on his blocking (a missed block by him was responsible for one of the day’s seven whistle “sacks”) and on handling the ball. Looks like the competition for the third tailback spot between Dontavius Jackson, Kalvin Daniels and Richard Samuel mainly favors the latter two at this point. … The crowd got a kick out of the end of a play where Akeem Hebron ran 40 yards on a fumble recovery, only to get knocked down by second-string QB Joe Cox. … Knowshon Moreno didn’t play much, but looked fine when he did. He wore injured Tony Wilson’s #26 jersey, which no doubt gave the folks at Nike who’ve manufactured all those #24 black jerseys on sale at the University Bookstore a pause. … Brian Mimbs looked fine punting; backup Drew Butler was inconsistent. Walk-on placekickers Andrew Jensen and Brian Behr did have a couple of long field goals, but that was with no rush. The starting job awaits incoming freshman Blair Walsh.
ELSEWHERE: I caught a good bit of the men’s tennis team’s match against Kentucky Friday while awaiting the baseball game against South Carolina that ended up getting canceled. The Diamond Dogs and Gamecocks ended up playing a double-header Saturday that was swept by UGA. … A nice touch to a supper Thursday night with my brother and his gymnast daughter at the WOW restaurant in Five Points: Our waitress was Wally Butts’ great-grandaughter. … The UGA Bookstore currently has two different SEC Tournament champs basketball T-shirts and a Sugar Bowl championship shirt, plus a new 2008 schedule shirt listing all the games. They also have a variety of UGA shirts and sweatshirts in colors like green and blue, which my daughter and I thought just plain odd. Herschel Walker will be at the bookstore from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. April 18 signing his new book about dealing with Dissociative Identity Disorder. … The UGA soccer team takes on the Mexican under-20 national women’s team in an exhibition match April 13 at the soccer stadium. Admission will be $10. … And you can start the countdown to Countdown to Kickoff, which is set this year for July 19. David Greene will join the Stinchcomb brothers as hosts.
Comments
By SamoanDawg
April 6, 2008 12:37 PM | Link to this
The weather didn’t bother me at all. It was a good football weather.
No doubt Logan Gray is a threat when he pulls the down. I was impressed with the strength of his arm too.
I watched the exchange at the center in warmups… BigNasty-Ben Jones and Chris Davis. I thought it went well pretty much the whole scrimmage except for one fumble exchanged. I think we’ll be okay by fall.
sic’em!
By boots
April 6, 2008 12:40 PM | Link to this
I just got back home from being in Athens all weekend. What a great place! Heaven on earth.
I don’t think our fans are hyping the team any more than normal. Sure, we finished #2 last year and have hopes of a NC team, but what top 10 team doesn’t? I think everyone is being reasonable and looks to the schedule for a further dose of reality. With that said, we SHOULD be pumped about this season, and yesterday’s scrimage only reinforced that.
Offense looked great at times, although blocking could have been better. A few dropped balls by some receivers, but they weren’t our top guys. Defense had some breakdowns, too, but all-in-all the D looked solid. I thought the worst of it was Butler’s punts. I’m pulling for the guy, but he had a bad day. (was it due to the rain?)
Great to be a Dawg!
By DawginGermany
April 6, 2008 1:04 PM | Link to this
I was able to catch it on the internet across the big pond, and I thought the DAWGS looked sharp in their spring game. There were only a couple of penalties, no major injuries and some impressive play from our big time players. I really think we have a Ronnie Brown/Carnel Williams type duo in our back field. I am really excited to see what they can do. Matt Stafford didn’t look bad, but he still throws off balance a lot, and we can’t give up turnovers with that schedule we have. All in all, I was very pleased and can’t wait until August! GO DAWGS!
By SamoanDawg
April 6, 2008 1:05 PM | Link to this
boots, Drew Butler, It may have to do with nerves, least I hope that’s the case.
By shane #1
April 6, 2008 1:57 PM | Link to this
Glad to hear that the timing on snaps has improved, it will continue to get better with more reps. Did Tanner Strickland play? If so, how did he perform? I am glad to hear that Moore and Troupe did well, We will be deep at wr.
By SamoanDawg
April 6, 2008 4:41 PM | Link to this
shane #1 yes, Tanner did play. He did well I thought, but Coach Searels wasn’t though. He chewed those young linemen butts almost the entire scrimmage. It was funny for me because I knew what it’s like to get yelled at by the coach. I think the o-line played ok. I’m expecting for them to mature even more and further their blocking progress by fall. If I have to guess right now, these will be my starting 5.
LT: Sturdivant
LG: Bean Anderson
C: Chris Davis
RG: Clint Boling
RT: Kiante Tripp
The center is very close between BigNasty-Ben Jones and Chris Davis. But I think I feel better with Chris Davis as our starting center right now, only because of his one year game experience.
sic’em!
By DOUG
April 6, 2008 5:31 PM | Link to this
I thought they looked good and I even missed the first 12 minutes. Question marks I had were the OL,DE, and a deep threat to replace Bailey. Im not worried about the OL or DE but we dont have a natural deep threat. Maybe Tavares King will be that guy.
Bottom line is Georgia may be the best SEC team we have seen in years. They have the depth to make a tough season a little less brutal. My fear is how they handle the season mentally. You beat a great team or maybe two in a row but there is some monster waiting to ruin the party a week later. I would only put that task in CMRs hands.
By Cuz
April 6, 2008 6:18 PM | Link to this
I believe we challange for the SEC, win that and the rest will fall in place. One game at a time baby.
By J-Keeza
April 6, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this
I thought despite the rain, a good crowd turned out for the spring game. This year,especially since our team should be so good, our fans need to turn it up ALOT! Too many nancies sit there in the stands and don’t yell anything, just clap every know and then.I realize some of the old fans are not going to go crazy,but if you can make it to the game,you can stand up,and don’t ruin anybody else’s time by complaining about down in front.Also you can clap and yell with the cheers of the band.I also don’t get why some students have to sit in the upperdeck and get a tcket to the game due to the UGA ticket guys being GREEDY and wanting alumni money. UGA makes enough money off of football, they can allow ALL STUDENTS to sit in the lower deck! If the students could have one big section and go crazy(like Penn St’s students)it would be contagious to even the NANCIEST of UGA fans!IF CLEMSON CAN GET GET UP TO 135db, UGA SURE AS HECK CAN!!!!!!!!!!!
By hop
April 6, 2008 9:16 PM | Link to this
there is no doubt the dawgs are loaded with much depth at evry position.
O/LINE will need more work,but they will be fine by Sept.
COACH RICHT has done a wonderful job in recruiting consistently a top ten class and it shows with so many great players in place.
the schedule is very tough,but if we can keep the injury bug a a miminum,the sky is the limit for these dawgs!
By Cuz
April 7, 2008 6:23 AM | Link to this
J-Keeza, the crowd noise has never been the same since they quit allowing every student who wanted a ticket in the stadium. You should have heard the noise in 1980, deafening.
By sobedawg
April 7, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
Drew will be fine…don’t worry. I love how everybody has already penciled in Blair Walsh…Didn’t the same thing happen with the dude that was competing with that walk-on named Coutu? Dr. SobeDawg
By richard
April 7, 2008 10:25 AM | Link to this
I’m glad Georgia won. Great Start.
By Comin' Down The Track
April 7, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
I thought Knox looked like another in a long line of nasty mean-streak safeties. Sweet. My friend and I missed the third and most of the fourth quarters because there were only THREE concession stand lines to choose from. We wouldn’t have seen any of the second half but for line attrition from people who left. Just as many folks left the line as were able to get snacks. It was pretty poorly planned. The people working were overwhelmed and is was not their fault. Listening, Aramark? Thank goodness the crowd wasn’t as big as expected. Otherwise, a splendid Day of the Dawg!
By G DAWG
April 7, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
caleb was a great find espically after moreno this year we will be unstopable
By Big Boy
April 7, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
THOUGHT WE LOOKED GREAT ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING ALL THE 1ST TEAMERS NOT PLAYING (BOLING, OWENS, MASSOQUI, CHANDLER ETC). WE HAVE SO MUCH DEPTH IT IS SCARY. IF CMR CAN KEEP THE MENTAL PART UNDER CONTROL, THIS TEAM HAS THE ABILITY TO BE SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY SPECIAL.
By Matthew Stafford
April 7, 2008 4:55 PM | Link to this
Thanks to all you Dawg fans for your support.
And thanks to the big sweaty man who was spooning me last night.
My anus hurts.
Mmmmmm, sticky.
By Zeb McKluskey
April 7, 2008 6:41 PM | Link to this
Cuz, you’re right about the student ticket thing. That’s the only thing I hate about going to games. The old fart alumni who sit on their azzes the entire game. The last game my buddy and I went to, we actually had people behind us asking us to sit down. TO SIT DOWN!!! We were so p**, but refused to sit down, and actually just yelled louder. Can you imagine how loud Sanford would be if more students were there? This team deserves an entire stadium full of people who want to cheer, yell, whoop and raise as much hell as possible. Our UGA alum need to take a page out of the LSU night games. If you are gonna go to the games just to socialize, then have a freakin party at home. This is the year we’ve got to make noise and really get behind these guys. A crazy strong fan base is the 12th guy out there. Gen Neyland or any OSU fan can back that up. Just do it.
By BigNCDAWG
April 7, 2008 8:09 PM | Link to this
Close in the bridge endzone and let as many students as possible, in. I realize that the student body is much bigger now, but it’s not right to keep two thirds or more of the students out.
By S.E. Dawg
April 7, 2008 8:50 PM | Link to this
Zeb, I couldn’t agree more. I’ve spoken these words at other times. Totally agree.
By AltamahaDawg
April 7, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
I dont think the issue is the growing student body, as much as it is a growing alumni. If there are lets say 30,000 students and about 20,000 tickets allocated, I’m not sure its that big of a issue. Even still, where are the ticket going to come from? Since you really cannot revoke existing season ticket holders, the only solution would be that the newly graduated would not have a chance to buy tickets for a very long time. I dont know about a first year student, who may or may not be there a year from now, getting a seat over somebody who had been a student longer, paid more tuition, and graduated. Are they now less deserving?
By AltamahaDawg
April 7, 2008 10:14 PM | Link to this
Zeb, what I don’t understand is the pure numbers in that argument of noise. Help me out. Total enrollement about 34k, but that includes nontraditional, could even be enrolled in one class, undergrad around 25k. Call it 30k full time students. Unless its changed, some of those have no intention on going, some just don’t go on any given game for one reason or another. So out of 10 students, 1-2 arent going, split the difference 85% of 30k is 25,500 student who prabably want to go. UGA allots 18,000. So 7500 students are caught without. I know darn well at least half of those could if they really wanted to make a minimal effort scrounge a ticket from alum family, freinds, (and I bet anyone telling dad how unfair his alma mater is for not giving them tickets, could get get an “allowance” to walk down to the street and buy one.) So now we have about 3500-4000 just SOL, and I bet its nowhere close to that, but lets say so.
Lets agree that not ALL student scream all the time, and not ALL alum are silent all the time. But on average student are louder than alum to some degree. Although at certain critical times of the games, there is little difference. So if we replace a few thousand alum with a few thousand student, who are somewhat louder, at some less critical points of the game, THAT is going to make some big difference?
The thing is also, its the younger, presumable louder, alum that would likely be the ones out of those seats. Know anyone that fits that category?
By J-Keeza
April 8, 2008 12:21 AM | Link to this
CUZ and Zeb McKluskey: Thaks for the agreement about the fans.I don’t see why UGA can’t give the 30k student body 23k or so tix in the lower deck. Refuse a few alumni! They are just going to leave early anyway!!!If the students could have one giant section, I’m sure that they would be loud and not leave early. Also, make the student tix first come first serve, to buy and for the seats; the earlier you come into Sanford, the better your seat.Wouldn’t it be cool to see the tracks filled with students camped out to get a ticket? PENN ST USE TO BE CONSIDERED AN OPERA HOUSE,BUT THEN THE STUDENTS STARTED TO GO CRAZY AND NOT LEAVE GAMES! NOW PSU IS ONE OF THE BEST HOME FIELDS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL!A CRAZY STUDENT SECTION IS CONTAGIOUS!! UGA alumni are not all bad, and most cheer and travel well.Those who ask for someone to sit should stay home and not ruin the game for those supporting the team and yelling! IF YOU CAN MAKE TO THE STADIUM, YOUR A$$ CAN STAND UP FOR A WHILE!!!!!!!!!!!
By AltamahaDawg
April 8, 2008 7:46 AM | Link to this
J-Keeza, that all great but I’m betting if YOU had to run the ticket operations, you’d rethink a few of those ideas.
By J-Keeza
April 8, 2008 7:13 PM | Link to this
AltamahaDawg I would give the students all the tickets the they wanted then worry about alumni later.The students should be allowed to represent their school!Why dont you take a look at South Carolina’s student ticket policy, in fact, UGA should just copy USC, they allow each student to have a ticket, but if the student misses five games, the student can no longer purchase football tickets. They track it by way of scanning their ID at games. If USC, who has just as rabid a fan base as UGA, and seats less than us can give the students one big section with all the students who wanted tickets, then SO CAN UGA!I hope one day I can run the ticket office,because I realize UGA is the student’s school, and they should get a ticket in the lower deck!! Alumni remember games as a student, and they probably would be ticked if they didn’t get all the tickets for all home games.
By AltamahaDawg
April 8, 2008 9:25 PM | Link to this
Well thats not exactly how it works there. There is a registration/cancellation policy, but yes, there is a sytem by which only folks who will attend get to stay in line. I assusme you are aware that there IS a lottery based on of all things, senority when demand exceeds suppy at SC, so NO, not all student are guaranteed. They also have 10,000 less students.
I always laugh when I hear somebody suggest slighting who they arent yet. I have this wild idea that one day very soon, you are not going to feel that way. You’ll come to realize that you are no less entitled based on the fact that you happen to have supported the University many more years than somebody else.
As your first order on business, as manager of the ticket office, you get to figure out which alum to send a letter to and inform them that thier contributions, while appreciated and needed to build those extra seats, are still going to get their ticket revoked because a freshman has managed to stay in school for 3 week already, and wants that seat.
That’s after you hire the team of security guards and attorneys to clean up that free-for-all student riot the first game your new first come first serve experiment kicks in.
And lets get real. Refuse the alum because they are going to leave early? If that were the standard by which tickets are allocated, you just lost more than you gained. To be clear, any big game, Auburn, TN, etc. Nobody is leaving early on either side. It’s the lesser games I assume you say the alum are leaving. It is a well known fact that the STUDENT are some of the latest arriving fans for the small games, and do not even begin to tell me they don’t start filing out, when those games are in hand. At least the alum have traffic and in some cases several hour drive home, you guys have to walk up the road.
The other thing that puzzles me is this: WHY do you and other (yet to be alum) critisize folks who are there usually in groups of 2,4, 10 is a big group, for not being loud the entire game, and YET the contention is that the students, because they are broken up in groups of thousands aren’t as loud as they would be IF only they were all sitting together. Old dude and his buddy need to be louder BUT the student can’t be louder if they arent all sitting in one section? Maybe the real problem is that the students need to stop the excuses and just be louder.
Are there old farts who dont stand, dont particularly raise hell? sure. They bought a SEAT and its thier right. Are there students who view it as a social event and dont even pay attention……oh please dont tell me you dont think so.
I’ve been you, I’ve been the recently graduated (who you are now not admitting to the game under your plan). I’m now the middle aged alum who as much as possible tries to be as loud as my voice and out of shape back will allow, and I can very much imagine being the old fart who really just wants to sit and enjoy the experience, so I think I speak from a bit of perspective.
I still mantain we are talking hundreds, if that, extra student who might be there. And they just didnt make the effort.
What I wonder is, how are there so many student tickets available on ebay and other outlets from a group claiming how unfair the concept of supply and demand is. Maybe you need to start an on campus hotline, by which students dont SELL thier ticket for profits and GIVE them to needy comrades.
By J-Keeza
April 8, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this
AltamahaDawg Okay,check this out. If UGA has 33k students and you said that 18k get tickets in basically 3 sections.Based on your student observations, some sell their tickts on ebay and etc. Well, how about, we see how many students apply for tickets before the season. Let’s say 25k apply. On Mondays before the game, a ticket office opens for the sale of around 23k tickets to a student with a valid id. Sell the tickets to seniors/grad students on Monday, Jrs on Tuesdays, sophs on Wed, and freshman get the rest on Thursday. I know this is similar to how it was in the 70’s and 80’s. Set up a student section from around the 35yrd line around the closed endzone(lowerdeck) until 22k seats are reserved for students. Give the opposing team what they give us, because it seems that we give teams more than they give us. The seats are first come first serve and yes the students will have to cram a good bit, but the first come for the best seats aspect will make the students come early. Then relocate a few alumni to the old students sections and only a few alumni would be limited to only getting the somewhat smaller game tickets. Also, we could add a few hundres seats near where the teams run out,we put up two movable stands, but there is room for a good number of seats which will add to the student section. This way, not too many alums are disappointed and no student ticket will be wasted. What’s sooo bad about letting at least most of the students get tickets to their schools football game? It use to be that way! How about this plan? What is sooo bad about it?
By AltamahaDawg
April 9, 2008 8:22 AM | Link to this
You understand, I am all for as many student getting tickets as possible. I honestly beleive, (despite the drama queen conspiracy theories of others, that Dr. Adams is out to punish students and ruin UGA football) that the Admin tries to make that work, given the completely run away demand we have right now. Adding seats is a completely different story. I have no idea about temp bleachers in Sanford but my guess is that it would never fly. As its stands now, somebody aint going to be happy, although once again, I thinks it’s a very small group of student standing outside, and thier complaint isn’t no tickets, its no “cheap” tickets. Its a shame that real world lessons have to kick in at college. Hmm, its almost like thats the point of college..anyway. Simple economic principals at work there. And proportionately it’s way skewed as to how many alum have effectively been priced out of the equation.
Actually back my student days in the early 80’s we bought a coupons book and then gameweek you had to redeem the appropriate one for actual tickets. Also, and the have since done away with this, they allowed groups (dorm halls, fraternities, etc) to combine thier coupons and block seat. We’d have 20 seat but inevitably, 20 more of our group would crash the block and then you have 2 deep standing, crowded in. That was really the norm. We had fun, but even then, with my own pals, there were times I even thought it was aggrivating and prabably not too safe. Honestly, the stadium was not any louder then as today for the big games, and folks came late and left early for the lesser ones. And we all called the alum old farts. Oh yea, we complained about the admin too.
All I know is this; there are plenty of examples of things that used to go on 20 yrs ago, that just doesnt fit in todays PC, more safety aware, better crowd control, higher demand, reality.
I’m also in favor of co-eds getting first choice.
By joey
April 9, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this
A big donation like all who have season tickets is all it takes— The donations pay the bills —so anyone who wants in can find a tickets—it just a mattr of cost- I own 10 season tickets and have extras every game—I sell for my tickets for cost-donation +ticket value-get a life for someone looking for a freebie student or not—over 50 of students parents have season tickets—so if they want to go they can
By AltamahaDawg
April 9, 2008 4:17 PM | Link to this
joey, that what I’m saying. If they want to go………go.
By BuckheadBill
April 10, 2008 10:13 AM | Link to this
If you do not block “matthew stafford” from this blog, I will not read anymore. Talk about a mental case.
By College Fan
April 10, 2008 8:03 PM | Link to this
I LOVE Georgia and I HATE Tech. I am a typical Georgia resident.
By buck b
April 11, 2008 7:44 AM | Link to this
My observation is we are overated and over hyped….we need to temper our expectations and just play ball…winning will take care of everything else.
By toemeetsleather
April 11, 2008 5:25 PM | Link to this
get real…this is the year of the jacket…we are going to come between the twigs and shred ya…YELLOW FEVER RULES!!!GO ENGINEERS
By gamecockgary
April 11, 2008 5:28 PM | Link to this
the ole ball coach will once again shatter your dreams and continues his domination of your school!!
By Dawg Knowledge
April 11, 2008 9:32 PM | Link to this
I heard the ole ball coach SOS put out a christmas album during last year’s bowl season that included him singing “I’ll be home for Christmas!” in 7 different languages. USC+ 6-6 = No bowl. Ho ho ho!
By oldgold
April 12, 2008 10:27 AM | Link to this
‘08 DRAFT: Was UGAs senior group that bad ? D Ledbetters projection of draft selections says that UGA won’t even show up. I though a UGA “schollie” (diploma) meant an auto NFL contract. MUNSON BOBBLEHEAD: Since more UGA fans will attend Larry’s funeral than the # that attend church, will the funeral be held at Hedge Stadium ?
By oldgold
April 12, 2008 10:31 AM | Link to this
I thought the officials did a good job.
By oldgold
April 12, 2008 1:01 PM | Link to this
College Fan: You’re really unique. Only 10 million other ‘necks think like you. You must be a real leader in business
By AltamahaDawg
April 12, 2008 1:49 PM | Link to this
Wow, making fun of Larry Munson being ill and dying one day. And if we support a differnt school than yours, we wouldn’t be church goers huh. Nice! tech fan right?
By Okie from Muskogee
April 29, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this
UGA fans can blog and talk smack until the cows come back to Athens, but only history will prove if your program is moving in the right direction.
It is really sad to see so many Doggie Fans get excited about nothing and only 1 national title in 115 years of football. Sad, very sad.
Maybe one days you might bag another national title, but this is not likely until you unload CMR and find a real coach.
CMR says to keep those raises coming, he loves them and needs the raises to finish his beach house in Miami (South Beach) so when he returns to M-I-A-M-I.
Go Dogs!!!
By keniboy
April 30, 2008 9:55 AM | Link to this
i just read about richt’s $800K raise. still middle of the pack and happy. it’s nice to see a coach who is more concerned about a legacy and his players’ growth than dollars. he is definitely a keeper.