Saturday, September 11, 2010

Thoughts on South Carolina

We knew it was going to be a tough game with AJ out of the lineup. At times the offense looked good, but only getting 6 points off three trips to the red zone killed us. But that's not the really story of this game.

Following the game, many people were quick to jump online and immediately blame the defense. Yes, the tackling was bad, but Lattimore is the real deal and sometimes, good players make good plays. Overall, I felt the defense actually played pretty well. Before you jump down my throat, let me explain.

On the legs of Lattimore, South Carolina moved the ball down the field fairly easy today. The defensive gameplan was pretty dead on, the execution was what killed us. It began in the first quarter with arguably the most important play in the entire game. Georgia forced Carolina into a 3rd and long, but a 21 yard draw by Lattimore kept the Gamecocks on the field. they would keep the ball for the first 8 minutes of the game and ended the drive with a touchdown. At that point, are defense was already beat down.

From that point on, the Georgia defense was able to hold its won pretty well. Yes, Carolina did score again, but if you were to tell me after the opening drive that Carolina would only score twice more the entire game, I would be pretty happy. the defense stood strong through much of the second half, holding Carolina to only a field goal. Justin Houston continued to be a beast, notching three sacks and forcing a fumble. What hurt the Georgia defense all day was not the scheme as much in the fact they were on the field for most of the game. The Georgia offense only had the ball 8 times in the game and four of those ended in three and outs. With a tired defense, that is just inexcusable.

Onto the offense, where I really have to question the lack of creativity in the play calling. I know we had a redshirt freshman making his first road start, but in my eyes Aaron Murray looked up to the challenge. He threw the ball well and did not make the mistakes he made in week 1. The problem was, we once again failed to force our wide receivers into action. With AJ out, clearly we don't have that great deep threat, but three passes beyond fifteen yards is not going to get the job done.

Ealey looked good running the ball, especially in the first half. I know Caleb was nursing an ankle injury, but I would have at least liked to see him on the field. He is a different type of runner than Ealey and maybe that change in style would have opened up the run game a little more. the Ealey fumble really killed the game for us. I felt we had the momentum swinging our way, but it just wasn't meant to be.

Overall, this was a bad game but there are a number of good things to take away. I think the defense will only to continue to improve. Coach Grantham's system was solid, now we just need to crank up the execution. Aaron Murray is going to be a great quarterback. He looked poised on the road and will only continue to get better. This is only one loss and at least it happened early. With a pass heavy Arkansas team coming to town, hopefully the defense can continue to get pressure and maybe force some bad throws from Mallet.

We've got ten games to go in the '10 season. Let's not panic. A 17-6 loss on the road to Carolina is bad, but we were still within a touchdown with the ball with about 7 minutes left in the game.

And hey, things could be worse. At least we lost to a talented team. Can't say the same for Georgia Tech or Virginia Tech.

GO DAWGS!!!

Friday, September 10, 2010

80's Music Video of the Week - EDDIE MONEY

First off, nothing beats Eddie Money. Nothing.

As my good friend Ronnie Brown (not the Auburn one) says, "Play me some of that EDDIE MONEEEEEEY!!!!!!!!!"

Because of the awesomeness that is Eddie Money, he has many awesome videos and it was hard to choose one.

The 1982 hit, "Think I'm in Love" is amazing, and the video is ten times better.

VAMPIRES, Eddie Money as Dracula (or so you think), Eddie Money's retarded monkey faces, and the nonsensical shift from the absurd plot to Eddie Money playing in your high school's auditorium. These are the things that make this video one ridiculous concept and therefore, top of the line!

If you look closely at his band in the video, there are 2 certified mullets, one borderline mullet, and one potential mullet (give it a month).

Rock out on your Friday. Remember what Ronnie sang...

About tomorrow...

South Carolina has talent, there is no denying it. But every year is supposed to be "the year" in Columbia and it continues to not happen. Georgia has lost to the Gamecocks 3 times in the last 10 years, the last time being in 2007 and I just don't see that number changing this week. Georgia has better depth and while the SC offense looks improved from last, the defense does not. Eric Noorwood is gone and they will be without their leading tackler.

Depsite the absence of AJ Green, we get Washaun and TK back to help an offense that could have easily scored 60 last week (we did nothing butrun the ball up the middle with the fullback the entire 4th quarter). It should be quite a battle, but the best special teams in the country will be the difference.

Georgia 27, South Carolina 21

GO DAWGS!!!

BNE's Blasts from the Past: Kenny Irons

In honor of Auburn's Thursday night 17-14 victory over the Western Bulldogs, we bring you BNE's first blast from the past (hopefully a weekly series): an amazing 2005 interview with former Tiger running back Kenny Irons.

David Irons, Kenny's brother and former Auburn teammate, on his brother's prowess: "I told him the end zone is his zoo and if he runs to the end zone he can be with all of his little animal friends. I just told him to treat the football like a banana. You treat the football like a banana and you won't let anybody at the zoo take your banana peel. He was like, 'Yeah, that's true.' And I was like, 'Kenny, but it's not yellow, it's brown.'"

And those Nebraska jerseys aren't black, they're red.

And Kenny himself discusses other sports: "I tell people that I play water polo and if they ask me what position I play I tell them right water. I don’t even know if that is a position but I tell them that I play right water."

Thursday, September 9, 2010

SEC Preview: Sept. 11

Penn State @ Alabama
Line: Alabama -12
A true freshman quarterback heading into T-town at night to face the defending national champions? No. Bama covers the 12-point spread, wins by 14. Tide 31-17.

UL-Monroe @ Arkansas
Line: Arkansas -34
While the Dawgs travel to Columbia for a tough early SEC East test, the Hawgs get another cupcake in preparation for their trip to Athens Sept. 18. Of course, we all know how difficult UL-Monroe can be (see right). Ryan Mallet and his band of receivers rip apart the former directional Louisiana school, over inflating their self esteem heading into Athens. Arkansas 55-13.

LSU @ Vanderbilt
Line: LSU -10
The Tigers tried their damndest to give North Carolina the game at the Georgia Dome last Saturday night. Seems to be a pattern. Thank God for Nashville, where we can only imagine the pregame discussion between Les Miles and Robbie Caldwell. LSU 27-14.

Ole Miss @ Tulane
Line: Ole Miss -20.5
Umm….
One can only guess that this game was originally scheduled for Oxford, but as punishment, must be played in New Orleans. So much for Admiral Ackbar. I’m just waiting for the Lexington Brothers’ Jacksonville State/Masoli/karma’s-a-bitch song. When was the last time a team lost to Jacksonville State and was favored by more than 20 points the next week? How freakin’ bad is Tulane?!? So bad that Masoli forgets about his plan to escape to Knoxville in an attempt to rejoin his old team. Ole Miss bounces back and actually holds onto a 4th quarter lead in this one, but doesn’t cover. Rebs 35-20.

USF @ Florida
Line: Florida -16
This just in: Florida has fumbled another snap. Tim Tebow would’ve grown a third arm to catch those errant shotgun snaps. But the messiah isn’t there anymore. John Brantley has all the tools to be a great SEC quarterback, but will the Gator faithful allow him to be? I’m sure Meyer has overseen some heart attack-inducing practices this week, and snaps won’t be a problem anymore. Gators get back on track against Skip Holtz’ South Florida Bulls, a typically solid opponent. Boys of Old 41-17.

WKU @ Kentucky
Line: Kentucky -24.5
The Joker Phillips era opened with a nice win over in-state rival Louisville and former Florida DC Charlie Strong. Don’t expect the ‘Cats to be any nicer to another in-state opponent – there’s always basketball recruiting at stake. The transition from Rich Brooks, who approves this message, to Phillips will continue to be a smooth one. Big Blue 38-7.

Oregon @ Tennessee
Line: Oregon -12
The beginning of Derek Dooley’s tenure calmed some nerves in Knoxville with a 50-0 win in Week 1. The Big Orange faithful knows that nothing will suck like one this fall, and they’ve resigned themselves to a rebuilding process as two-thirds of Dooley’s team hadn’t played in Neyland Stadium before last Saturday. Chip Kelley brings his Ducks of Oregon to the checkerboard, and reality on the Volunteer 2010 campaign will set in. The only question here is what shade of green will the Ducks wear. Defending Pac-10 champs 38-14.

SEC Preview: Auburn @ Miss. State

Line: Auburn -2
Series: Auburn 58-23-2

Auburn travels to Starkvegas tonight to challenge the Western Bulldogs to another 3-2 tickle fight (2008). But with the performances of quarterbacks Cam Newton and Tyler Russell last week, it's safe to say at least one touchdown will be scored between the two cow colleges this time. So polish off those cowbells State fans because you can actually bring them again this year, and Ted Roof is calling the Auburn D.

In one of the few Thursday night games not featured in Columbia or on the Flats, the storyline will circle around two former Gators. Cam Newton, a former Dan Mullen pupil in Gainesville, has found a new home at Auburn and looked very comfortable in High School's offense last Saturday. Unfortunately, the Tigers coaching staff is concerned over some missing laptops with tonight's game plan on them.
Ring Responsibly? Yeah, right.

Meanwhile, Mullen is building a better Miss. State in the West. The maroon and white was only 1:39 away from shutting out Memphis in a 49-7 win, and QB Tyler Russell was named SEC Freshman of the Week, completing 13 of 16 passes. Manny Diaz was hired as defensive coordinator and brings with him an aggressive scheme in four successful seasons at Middle Tennessee. His squad finished second nationally in tackles for loss in 2009. Diaz' name was also bandied about in Georgia's defensive coordinator search.

The cowbells will be ringing tonight as Mullen notches his first big win, but not last, of the 2010 campaign.

Prediction: Miss. State in an upset, 31-24.

Suck it up, there's a game to play

We've had our day to analyze, complain, and then over analyze the AJ Green situation. No matter what happens with the NCAA appeal, the fact of the matter is that the kid will not be playing in Columbia in 2 days. And suddenly, every ounce of confidence that Georgia fans had heading into the South Carolina game seems to have left along with AJ's Independence Bowl jersey. If I have one message for Georgia fans today, it is GET OVER IT.

I know AJ Green is an amazing talent but how quickly you forget that he had no part in the victory over Georgia Tech last fall. Georgia has recruited the receiving position well in recent years and there is absolutely no reason to suspect that the guys we will have on the field won't be able to get it done.

Marlon Brown was a 5 star recruit from the state of Tennessee who is considered a fantastic blocker and started to show some of the talents he has last week. Kris Durham is a fifth year senior who looked great last week. Rantavious Wooten has shown sparks of brilliance, including hauling in two TD passes in Green's absence against against Kentucky last year. He was nursing a knee injury and only played sparingly against ULL. And lastly, Tavarres King (who is still only a sophomore) has shown the ability to get open down the field. This group of receivers looks pretty good to me without including our amazing group of tight ends into the equation as well.

For now, we need to forget about AJ. We need to remember that we are Georgia and they are South Carolina, a team that Georgia holds 46-14 advantage against. A team Mark Richt has lost two twice in 9 years and a team we beat last year with no answer for Stephen Garcia's roll out passes to the tight end. If Georgia loses the game this weekend, it will not be because of the absence of AJ Green, but rather the lack of focus needed to be an opponent that we have owned historically.

3rd Annual BNE Pick 'Em: Week 1

Well folks, all I have to say is, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO OLE MISS!?!?!?!

  Um, I have no idea who stole that picnic basket, but I plan to find out here at Ole Miss.

Every single one of us got that game dead wrong. I don't blame the hype around Houston Nutt, or the strength of the SEC West this year, or even the new savior of the Grove, Jeremiah Masoli. Ole Miss was just supposed to win this game simply because they were playing Jacksonville State. JACKSONVILLE STATE!! At least Vandy lost to a reputable opponent in Northwestern.

Next to that pick, everyone else seemed to have UCLA pegged over K State which turned out wrong. The other overwhelming favorite, VaTech, produced a nail biting extravaganza of a game that is probably going to be looked back on as not only the best game Boise plays all year, but probably even better than 80% of bowl games at the end of the season. I was not so much impressed by Kellen Moore's on the field leadership as I was the at the turnout of the fans from Idaho. I had no idea that many people lived in Idaho.
Look kids, Idaho...

Without further delay, I present the BNE Pick 'Em Top 5:
1. Mrs. Streitenbereger heself, Melissa's2010 Picks in top spot with 352 points
     Apparently the silver britches in the house aren't worn by Streit, at least this week...
2. woof woof with 345 points
3. Our old friend Dutch is back at 343 points and tied with Hayduke
5. Dawgsman81 rounds out the top 5 with 342 points

And now for our weekly Bottom Feeder of the Week, sponsored by Sesame Street Games. Excluding those who didn't make picks or didn't get their picks in on time, our first BFW is FCS Southeast Cobras. While 19-8 is nothing to scoff at, your point assignment was terrible. A group average of 279 and you managed only 102? I'm guessing you thought this pick 'em would be as competitive as playing NCAA 2010 on Playstation, with the settings turned down to easy, and your user-created FCS Cobras dominating Alabama 77-0. Well it ain't that easy! If you want easy, head on over to our sponsor at Sesame Street Games and take a shot at 'Elmo's Potty Time'. I don't even want to know what that game involves, but I'm pretty sure you and every other kindergartner can beat Elmo at what ever he does in the game...yeah. Anyway, try harder next week and take some tips from my friend...
1 point for Michigan over Notre Dame, ah ha ha ha....2 points for UGA over SUC, ah ha ha ha....
Heads up, don't watch the Vikings and Saints tonight. I predict Favre will get pummeled and injured in the second quarter and be out for the rest of his career. Instead, watch the Auburn vs. Mississip(p?)i State game instead. Kick off is at 7:30 on ESPN. Don't forget to get your picks in!!!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Chicken in the Fryer

The Dawgs take on the Gamecocks in Columbia this week:

Is a jersey worth multiple games?

***UPDATE - AJ has been suspended for four games. He should have went to South Beach, maybe then he would only gotten two games. Oh well, he basically missed four games last year anyway. It will be nice to have him healthy for the Tennessee, Kentucky, and Florida games this year.


I think we have all heard the story (rumor?) that the reason AJ Green was held out of Saturday's game had nothing to do with Agentgate and more to do with a game worn jersey he sold. Putting 1 and 1 together, I figure it must be a bowl game jersey since we all know that regular season game worn jerseys are sold on the Georgiadogs.com web auctions and at FTX bookstores for way too much money. Players are typically given their bowl bowl jersey as part of their gift package (which often includes other pricey items like iPods and clothes).



So, what is at question is the sale of an autographed AJ Green jersey from either the 2009 Capital One Bowl or the 2009 Independence Bowl. (I don't know about about you, but I wish the University would buy back all of the Independence Bowl jerseys and burn them. Thank god we will never have to go to Shreveport again,or for at least a long time since the SEC ended its tie in.) If there is any program in the country who should know how to prevent players from selling memorabilia, it should be Georgia. The NCAA had to create rules on how to handle the situation following the selling of 9 SEC Championship rings by Dawgs players back in 2003. For this to happen again looks pretty bad, even if the sale of a jersey from a crappy bowl game is very different from the sale of a championship ring.



Back in 2003, all of the players were initially ruled ineligible but then reinstated once they paid the money back. Coach Richt also said that if Georgia would have won the 2003 SEC Championship against LSU, those players would have had to pay for their own rings. Seems like there is at least some type of precedence for this issue. AJ Green missed last Saturday's game and apparently has already paid back the money. The NCAA should be able to make a decision and the fact that this has dragged out this long is ridiculous.



If he did indeed sell his jersey, then AJ got the penalty he deserved. If Marcell Dareus only got two games at Alabama for attending a party and receiving nearly $2,000 worth of free stuff, then AJ green getting one game for selling something that was actually his property seems fair. I hope AJ takes the field in Columbia this Saturday, but I also hope he is running as many stadium runs as his legs can handle during practice this week.



Is this jersey worth a multi-game suspension?

A Gamecock Narrative: Jenkins Anyone?

Thanks to the Anti-Orange page and ToonDawg for posting this a couple of years ago.

THIS IS SOUTH CAROLINA FOOTBALL

Given one century to attain the sheer, magnificent power of breaking even, South Carolina proudly maintains a tradition handed down from one generation to the next. Plumbing new depths in futility the University of South Carolina Athletic Department forges into a new century, one that promises to be as desperately hopeless as the last.

Entering the 2008 season, South Carolina can point to an all-time winning percentage under .500 (521-523-44), which ranks 88th all-time in D-1A football. Only 29 programs have bested this profile in sub-mediocrity. Walk with us along this corridor of pigskin failure: Duke, Western Michigan, Toledo, Navy, UAB, Central Florida, Ball St., North Texas, Nevada, East Carolina, Houston, Northern Illinois, Utah St., San Jose St., Vanderbilt, Akron, Baylor, UNLV, Kansas, and Rutgers. None of these names, however, say the word LOSE like the University of South Carolina football.

This, then, is Carolina Gamecock football. Carolina, whose stadium perches in Columbia, the New Jersey of the South, and resembles a dead and decaying cockroach. Carolina, where the players run onto the field under a sign that says, “Abandon Hope, All Ye Who enter Here.” Who run onto the field under a cloud of smoke for protection from insanely angry fans; who listen to the piped-in strains of “Also Sprach Zararthustra,” which is in fact a German anthem about the Persian founder of Zoroastrianism. Then they hear their fight song, a flopped Broadway Show Tune imploring the listening fans to “Step to the Rear.” This is Carolina Gamecock football.

Like a band of wandering gypsies, Carolina has never been welcome in any athletic conference. In the 59 seasons Carolina has been affiliated with anyone who would take them, however, they have won one championship. Yes, the ACC in 1969, achieved with a 7-4 record. Since the Associated Press began ranking football teams in 1936, the Cocks have finished in the Top 20 of the rankings only five times in the 71 years. Carolina has never finished in the Top Ten of a major recognized poll. Let us contemplate that word again: NEVER.

Carolina took its first inept shot at the new game of “Foot Ball” in 1892. Only one hundred and three years later, the program achieved its first bowl game victory. In 115 seasons of spectacularly, mind-numbingly unimpressive football, Carolina has yet to participate in even one Major Bowl (now known as BCS bowls: Rose, Sugar, Orange, Fiesta, or Cotton).

This is Carolina Gamecock football, where ten or more football games have been won in a season only once; where six or more victories have been logged in a season only 37 times. Thirty-two men have come to the fore as head coach for South Carolina football, and thirty-two have left in abject failure. Only five survived for more than five seasons. Each one has been hailed as a genius at the entrance door, then cursed as the devil at the exit, blamed for all the accumulated despair that in reality transcends any single avatar of ineptitude who takes on the mantle of scapegoat at the moment. This Carolina Gamecock football, bigger than any of them; Carolina Gamecock football, the Mount Everest of Losing. Three coaches have won national championships elsewhere, only to have posterity scribble a moustache and horns on their legacies after they dared to believe they could change Carolina Gamecock football.

Of the 56 programs which have played more than 1000 games all-time, only four have scored fewer points than South Carolina in their school’s history. And since Carolina joined the SEC in 1992, only two teams have fought off the Gamecocks for the glories of last place in victories: Kentucky and Vanderbilt. Although Carolina has finished last in its division twice. Carolina has yet to win six conference games in a season, joined again only by Kentucky and Vanderbilt in that particular achievement of hopelessness. Let us also remember that it was the distinguished accomplishment of Gamecock football to navigate two consecutive seasons without winning a single conference game; racking up an impressive string of 21 consecutive losses, having their run of inglorious failure snapped only in 2000 by beating eventual 3-8 record New Mexico State—after which, of course, the understandably brain-damaged chicken fans stormed the field and tore down the goalposts, a wonder New Mexico State never figured to experience after a game in an SEC stadium. This is Carolina Gamecock football.

Since 1992, only three times has any non-probation member of the conference failed to win two or more games overall in a season. Yet South Carolina has accomplished this feat twice, Kentucky only once. Since 1992, only once has a conference member failed to win a game overall in a single season. You guessed it, South Carolina.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Scott Van Pelt Reaffirms His Greatness

Immediately after coverage of the Smurf Turf vs. Hokies games was over, Sportscenter comes on and obviously the Monday Night (College) Football game is the lead story.

So, what is the first thing Scott Van Pelt mentions? The score? Boise again notching a last minute victory? The, OMG BOIZE IS SOOO GUUUUD!!!? NATIONAL CHAMPS ON THE WAY!?!?!

No, he mentions the Dawgs thumpin' of Boise State in 2005.

Boo-yah.

Thank you SVP, for continuing to show your love for the Red and Black.

Man Crush? That's an understatement.

Monday, September 6, 2010

Thoughts on: Louisiana-Lafayette

Now that I've had a chance to rewatch the game on the DVR, here are my thoughts on the 2010 opener:

- Todd Grantham is awesome! All of the Georgia coaches were wearing white shirts on Saturday, except for Coach Grantham who sported a black Georgia polo. He was fired up when we made great plays, but even more fired up when Rambo blew his coverage on the 60 yard touchdown. I've never seen a crowd get so excited about a coach chewing out a player. It was the complete opposite of Willie.

-That was the most vanilla offense I think I have ever seen us run. The running plays were mostly straight up the middle, we did not run any zone reads, and even barely used the toss sweep. So while the rushing numbers were not fantastic, they were pretty good considering ULL was stacking the box.

- Murray is a playmaker. While the touchdown run may have not been the best decision, he still got the ball into the end zone. But the play that really impressed me was the incompletion to Logan Gray in the end zone. even if he would have caught it, there would have been a penalty, but it was a great scramble and throw. I also really liked the come back route by Orson Charles. Murray can definitely make things happen and with a more open playbook, he may out up some really big numbers this year.

- Jakar Hamilton is going to be great in the secondary. covers well, hits hard, and should have had two picks.

- Justin Houston was unstoppable. I see him getting the Pollack treatment from now on.

- The player who impressed me the most: Christian Robinson. Seemed to be everywhere, all game long. He has a bright future in the 3-4.

- My last thought concerns the AJ Green situation. I think it is horrible that the NCAA has not made a ruling. If he is going to be suspended, make that decision. even if AJ did not attend the party in Miami, the NCAA can deem any type of contact as a violation. Since it seems pretty clear that he was at least invited to the party, that may be what they are looking at. Or it could be something different all together. Either way, the decisiveness is crap. They made a ruling on Dareus at Alabama, why can't they make one on AJ.

All in, a great way to start. We didn't look flat like we typically do in these cupcake games. The defense looked great and the offense looked better on TV than it did in person. Next week is going to be a battle.

GO DAWGS!!!