ATHENS – The celebrations of Georgia’s national championship Monday night were many and varied, but none could match the party going here in the Classic City. The reverberations of that one were felt all the way in Indianapolis.
The streets of downtown Athens were packed curb-to-curb with revelers young and old and UGA students as strangers hugged each other and people climbed street signs and light poles to be sure they could be seen and heard.
At the champions’ press conference in Indianapolis, Georgia coach Kirby Smart recounted being shown pictures and videos of downtown Athens on the bus ride back to the team hotel from Lucas Oil Stadium.
“Seeing the pictures of Athens, that really moved me to see the number of people on the streets downtown,” Smart said during his opening remarks. “You just don’t know the impact that it has. That part was special. And then I didn’t get to bed until probably 3:30, 4 o’clock.”
Smart said the scene in Athens reminded him of the Widespread Panic concert held there in the 1990s called “Panic in the Streets.” And he would know.
Smart was a Georgia player when the jam band Widespread Panic held a free, open-air concert in downtown Athens in April 1998 to celebrate its new record release. Anticipating 20,000 to show up, more than 100,000 are reported to have attended. It became one of the town’s more memorable events.
Smart said strength-and-conditioning coach Scott Sinclair brought over his phone to share the scene Monday night on the way to the hotel.
“I was blown away. First thing I thought of was Widespread Panic in ‘94 or whatever it was,” Smart said, misremembering the year. “I was, like, ‘there’s people on signs; there’s people on poles. You can’t see the street.’ I was pretty blown away. Hopefully everybody was safe.”
They were. Athens police told the Athens Banner-Herald that there were “minimal arrests,” mostly for disorderly conduct, public intoxication and underage possession of alcohol.
“It was a success,” Lt. Shaun Barrett told the newspaper.
Georgia’s 33-18 win over Alabama gave the Bulldogs their first 14-win season in school history and first national championship in 41 years.
Smart said the scene at the Bulldogs’ Westin Hotel in Indianapolis after the game also was “wild and crazy.” Fans and family members crowded the lobby for the team’s return and players and coaches were handed bottles of drink as soon as they stepped inside the doors.
Star quarterback Stetson Bennett appeared on ABC’s “Good Morning America” early Tuesday morning.
But it was inside Lucas Oil Stadium where the Georgia fans’ greatest impact was felt. It appeared the Bulldogs’ faithful occupied at least two-thirds of the seats inside the 68,000-seat facility.
“They were just incredible,” Smart said. “They came out and represented the university really well. I thought they impacted the game. Helped us pass-rush with the crowd noise.”
The Bulldogs felt their fans’ love again Tuesday evening as hundreds greeted the team’s six-bus arrival at the Butts-Mehre football complex.
The celebration will continue with a parade in Athens at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Officials still were not certain Wednesday how many might turn out for that event, which will culminate with a ceremony inside Sanford Stadium. Complimentary tickets will be required to enter.
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