Which is Better: An Off Week or a Cupcake?

Watching Alabama absolutely thrash Georgia State (as expected) last night, a question popped into my head: Is it better to have an off week or play a cupcake opponent the week before a big game? This is the scenario that is playing out before the Iron Bowl next week. Auburn is off this weekend after defeating Georgia while Alabama played a first year program in Georgia State that they could have beaten with their walk-ons playing the whole game. Here are my thoughts on each:

Off Week

Off weeks are typically never a bad thing in college football, particularly when they occur later in the season. In addition to two weeks to focus on one opponent, they allow the chance for a team to get healthy. We all know that Florida often schedules an off week prior to Georgia game. As he has done in the past, Urban Meyer used this extra week this season to add a wrinkle to his offense that made it difficult for Georgia to prepare. Florida's success in the last two decades, while not entirely the result of the off week scheduling, at least shows the value it has to have an extra week to prepare. Georgia is fortunate to have its off week this week as quarterback Aaron Murray is banged up and would most likely be unavailable to play.

Cupcake Games

While having a week off is great, I almost think that scheduling a cupcake game may actually be a better option. Particularly since almost every team has at least one 1-AA game on its schedule, why not play that game the work before a big match up? You can still take advantage of the game planning you would with an off week but it also gives you a chance to put any wrinkles into action. If a starter is hurt and needs the time off, there is no fear about resting them. Plus, if the team is playing well, you won't lose the momentum you had by not playing at all.

Given the choice of scheduling a weak opponent against an off, particularly late in the season, I would lean towards the cupcake. I think Alabama will be in a much better position than Auburn heading into next week. While they may have been preparing for Auburn some this week, the Georgia State game offered them a break from the pressure of winning their biggest game of the season.

Please give your thoughts an opinions in the comments.

80's Music Video of the Week - BLACK FLAG

It's a bye week, I'm not traveling, just 16 hours of college football on my couch, watching the tube.

Here's Black Flag's, "TV Party."

Georgia Tech: What is at Stake?

The Auburn game is over. It is time to set our sights on our final opponent of the 2010 season, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. While it is always fun to beat up on the nerds, this year's game is even more important because of the struggles the Dawgs have had this year. Here's what is at stake:

- A bowl game. While some people would say that going to a low tier bowl is pointless, I completely disagree. A bowl game means you get an extra 15 practices. It also one more chance to appear on national television, which is always important in recruiting. Playing Central Florida or East Carolina may not be who we want to be playing to end our season, but it always better than ending the year against Georgia Tech.

- A winning season. Georgia has not had a losing season since Jim Donnan's first year in 1996. A win against Tech will send us to a bowl game against a bad opponent, meaning the Georgia should be able to keep this streak going. Think about it this way, Auburn went 5-7 in 2008 and they are now undefeated. Finishing above .500, while not that big of a deal, could mean a lot to the teams' confidence heading into next year.

- A losing record against our rivals. Since I started at Georgia in 2000, we have never finished with a losing record against our 4 traditional rivals (Florida, Tennessee, Auburn, and Tech).

- The best 10 game stretch against Georgi Tech...ever. Georgia has never won 9 of 10 games against Tech (though we have won 8 of 10 a few times). This would mark the best decade ever against NATS. While Coach Richt has struggled with Florida, he certainly has owned Georgia Tech.

I know a lot of people have given up on this season. Everyone is just ready to get it over with and move on to the offseason, where hopefully some answers will be found. But I ask all Georgia fans to show up on Sanford in two weeks because despite the bad season, this game still has an awful lot of meaning.

Auburn Fans Sure are an Angry Bunch

Wow. I can honestly say I am shocked at the responses coming from Auburn fans since the game on Saturday night. During my time as a Georgia fan, I have NEVER had any type of hatred toward Auburn. As a matter of fact, I would almost venture to say that Auburn was my second favorite team in the SEC. The key word being WAS.

Not any more. I have lost respect for the Auburn football program but even more so its fans. Here are the reasons.

1. Georgia fans are mad at Nick Fairley for his reckless play on the field. Yes, we understand that there other personal fouls called in the game. Yes, there are dirty plays that take place on the line. But if anyone has a history of dirty chop blocks, its Auburn (any one remember Glenn Doresy?) This was an emotional game and I know there were plenty of cheap shots. But the hits by Fairley were blatant. Fairley has been known for these types of plays, this was not an isolated incident of a player being made for being chop blocked. The hit to Murray's back may have been the dirtiest play I have ever seen on a football field.

***UPDATE - At Least one Auburn fan agrees about the Fairley hit on Murray. This from "Track'em Tigers":

"Having said that, we also saw one of the dirtiest quarterback hits of the year out of our own Nick Fairley. It was not the play that injured Murray, though. It was the helmet hit in the back that negated a stop by the defense in the 3rd quarter. It was a brutal, dangerous, needless play. Either player could have been paralyzed on the play. I would not be surprised to see the NCAA adopt a "Nick Fairley" rule next year, and start handing out suspensions for big hits on "defenseless" players. I'd also look for the refs to be quick with the laundry in the Iron Bowl."

Also, the Auburn arguement that Fairley was blocked into Murray on the last hit is ridiculous. Here is the sequence of the hit:

A. As Murray releases the ball, Cordy Glenn pushes fairley to the right (in the picture) away from Aaron Murray:

B. Next, Glenn is behind Fairley still pushing his back away from Murray.

C. Fairley is now past Glenn and starts to dive toward Murray.

D. Fairley hits Murray, you can see his head on the other side of Ben Jones.

2. Trooper Taylor's reaction to the scuffle. Trooper Taylor runs after Fairley, but instead of grabbing him and pulling him to the side, lets him go on doing his little celebration. The refs were too busy dealing with other players, or this would have surely been an ejection. Remember, AJ Green got flagged for simly walking towards the crowd after a TD catch. Standing all alone 30 yards away from anyone else and doing the "belt sign" is pathetic.

3. Auburn fans booing Reuben Faloughi when he was injured. This was disgusting. I understand Auburn was running a hurry up offense and wanted to snap the ball fast, but booing Faloughi and saying he was faking the injury was ridiculous. Go back and watch the replay. Faloughi got hit on a block (a legal form of a chop block, mind you) at the ankles and fell to the ground. He tried to get up but after taking a few steps, he fell back to the ground. The trainers had to come out and help him off the field. This kid is a WALK-ON who has earned playing time and has a reputation as a hard worker. Faking injury does not fit the bill and clearly he was hurt. No one should ever boo a kid who is down on the field with an injury, regardless of the desire to run a hurry-up offense.

4. The hate and defensiveness coming from the Auburn fans since the game. Auburn fans, YOU WON THE GAME. You clinched the SEC West and your undefeated season is still in tact. Cam Newton played amazing and is clearly the best player in college football this season. There is tons to celebrate, yet almost everything I see is trying to spit hate at Georgia. Once again, most Georgia fans are not mad about the game. We lost on the field, there is not denying that. We are just upset of the actions of a team and fan base that is usually very classy. Your great season should be a celebration of your team, not a chance to try and ridicule the opponents that you beat along the way.

I hope Auburn is enjoying this situation. Just remember, you reap what you sow. If Cam Newton is indeed ineligible and this great season is wiped away from the record books, you will hear no sympathy from me. Good luck in Tuscaloosa in two weeks because I am sure Bama will be ready to fight dirty right back at you.

The Classless Team on the Plains

Emotions were running high this game, I think we can all agree. While I don't have as long of a personal perspective on the Auburn program as TKK, Auburn does have the potential to finish the season #1 in a ranking that no one should aspire to. (Here's an older post that goes more in-depth to Auburn's long history of violations).

Auburn was definitely the better football team tonight. Whether Auburn will deeply regret not withholding Cam remains to be seen (but as they always say, when there's smoke, there's fire). We played with them until the end, and retrospectively the AU onside kick at the beginning of the 2nd half was absolutely the turning point, swinging the # of possessions battle in their favor.

However, the refs lost control of the game. Everyone knew that a whirlwind of emotions were also lining up between the hashes, and Auburn vented them early and often. I frankly lost count of the personal fouls, called and uncalled, primarily coming from Auburn's side of the ball. From Cam Newton's slap of a stiff arm, to...

Plus several other hits on Aaron, with the defenders driving him into the ground well after the pass was off. (Which Verne and Gary specifically commented on, and mentioned that other schools had complained about it as well).

And then there was the hit on Aaron. From my subjective view, a flag absolutely should have been thrown on Nick Fairley on the play below. Fairley hit Aaron well after the ball was out, and as you'll see, he angled back in to hit Aaron himself (what Gary Danielson saw, I don't know, but he wasn't blocked into Aaron). Hits like this on a vulnerable QB well after the ball is out can end a career, and to see the defender angle back in for the hit is frankly sickening.

UGA was right to get upset about the hit. Less than 2 minutes left in the game, 1 UGA TO and down by 18, there was no reason for Auburn to be in any other defensive set than a deep zone cover. Fairley was going after the QB simply to pad stats and pose himself as "the champion". Why wasn't he flagged once for doing the championship belt move, which he did multiple times throughout the game, including at the end of the fight video below? Not that I condone getting into fights on the field, but let the record show that 2 Auburn players were ejected for throwing punches on 2 different plays.

I know there are good, decent Plainsmen out there, including one of our own bloggers on this site, but this game makes me question the emphasis and direction the Auburn program is heading. With the preponderance of evidence that's already out there on Cam, there's no doubt in my mind that he will at some point be declared ineligible. Is Auburn really willing to win at any cost? Or does Auburn accept their checkered history of pay-for-play (ex 1 and ex 2) as a cost of doing business?

Oddly enough, this contrast makes me even prouder to be a Dawg and to have CMR roaming the sidelines. We will know with CMR when we do reach the shining prize at the top of the BCS mountain, there won't be any asterisks, scandals, or cheap play clouding our achievements.

80's Music Video of the Week - Jane's Addiction

Watch out, Cam. Jane's Addiction is talking about you.

Aubie Implicated in Cam Newton Scandal

It's about to break nationwide, but Aubie (America's Least Threating Mascot), is now at the center of a new Cam Newton scandal. Apparently, this is new a side of Aubie than we've previously seen.

A rash of laptops have gone missing on Auburn's campus over the past several weeks during football games, and this picture nabbed last week proves of Aubie's involvement:



This is a saddening development for what has been an upstanding, but lame, mascot. Cam Newton's actions are now dragging others down with him.

Apparently, Aubie's also been keeping up with all of the media's coverage of Cam Newton Scandal:


But this is what Aubie apparently thought of the media's reports on Cam:

Now that he's been implicated in the Cam Newton affairs, this cat's in for a rude awakening.

3rd Annual BnE Pick 'Em: Week 10

Folks, I'm back after a bye week, so let's recap where we stand after week 10 heading into the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry:

1. Bubba with 277 points and 18-8
2. Silver Britches with a respectable 260 and a 16-10 record
3. Fresh Catch Shuffle just 1 point behind and 17-9
4. AUMav's Picks with 255 points going 18-8
5. Dawgsman81 with 255 and 18-8 points but just missing on the tie breaker

Overall:

1. Silver Britches with 2185 points and a 162-67 record taking the lead
2. AUMav's Picks with 2181 points and a 163-66 record
3. WarriorDawg making the most of his points going 160-69 but managing 2168 points
4. allyugadawg keeoing it real for the ladies racking up 2151 points with a 165-64
5. BLACKOUT going 164-65 with 2132 points

Since most everyone did fairly well this week, BnE's Pick 'Em will recognize the scourge of the sports media world this week as our Bottom Feeder of the Week. As many of you now have heard, there have been several allegations leveled at Cam Newton. Everything from alleged cheating at Florida, to his pay-for-play scandal involving Kenny Rogers at Mississippi State, the sports news media have jumped on this bandwagon faster than a Florida fan lining up for a sale on jean shorts down at the Family Dollar. ESPN, Fox News, Sports Illustrated, etc. all have reported on the sources, speaking anonymously since they do not have permission to speak, and their allegations against Cam. Yet despite all the allegations, Cam remains eligible to play. Let's remember one thing: in this country, a person is innocent until proven guilty.

Now, it can all come back and all the allegations can be true. But the timing, ferocity and intensity at which these allegations keep coming out have lead the fans and sports haters alike to view it all as a bit of a comical spectacle. Not since Bill Clinton have sports fan taken to lampooning the allegations. Seriously, its as if the old Chuck Norris facts have morphed into the never-ending Allegations of Cam Newton. Here are a few of my favorites courtesy of FOP and some of my Auburn friends' posts:

• Cam Newton dines and dashes at charity dinner events
• Cam Newton was on the infamous grassy knoll in Dallas
• Cam Newton gave Jessie Spano those caffeine pills
• Cam Newton fired the rocket out of the Pacific. It was headed to your mom's house.
• Cam Newton is funneling money to Somali Pirates
• Cam Newton did in fact let the dogs out
• Cam Newton didn't wash his hands in the bathroom causing the Cholera outbreak in Haiti

My favorite however comes from www.chadgibbs.com . He photo shopped an entire espn.com homepage to show the following:

Anyway, I find all this a tragic comedy. As much as I can laugh at all this, its still sad how the media has jumped on this just weeks after praising the turn around and the athletic ability of this young man. Let's not forget, Cam has done tremendous things at Auburn as a young man in just one year on the Plains. I look forward to seeing him in action again this Saturday in Auburn as he takes on the Dawgs. With Cam at the helm, I have a good feeling I'll be seeing my Tigers in Atlanta.

As for the rest of the weekend's games, let's see what else we have to look forward to...

• Miami at Georgia Tech: Miami has proven to be the SUC of the ACC. Actually, the whole ACC has proven to be more neurotic in their play than SUC. Its a crap shoot but take Buzz
• Utah at Notre Dame: Utes. Next!
• Texas Tech at OU: If you think there might be another upset, think again. OU is at home and plays well in Normam. Take the Sooners over Tubs
• OK State at Texas: Goose is dead...You gotta let him go. Seriously, the season is over for Texas and I cant see how the Horns pull it off against the Cowboys. Something is wrong in the state of Texas.
• Oregon at Cal: LaMichael James could be in jail in Thailand and Oregon would still have enough speed to run. Don't pass on the Duck!
• SUC at the Swamp: This is going to be an interesting match up but I have a feeling fate is still smiling on the Visor of the Old Ball Coach. Look for the defense of SUC to put enough pressure on Demps and Rainey to give Lattimore time to run the ball when the O is on the field. SUC wins a close one to secure a ticket to Atlanta.
• A&M at Baylor: Toss a coin, its a game between two Texas teams.
• Mississippi State at Bama: Dan Mullen has put together a very good team in Starkville. If you're a betting man, go out on a limb and pick the other Bulldogs

That's it for now. BulldawgJosh, our old friend BFR, and myself will be loading up and heading to Auburn on Saturday. If anyone else is headed down, leave me a message and you're always welcome at the tailgate.

WAR CAM EAGLE!!

Heroes of The Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry: Tra Battle

The 2006 matchup between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Auburn Tigers had a similar ring to the game that will take place this Saturday. Georgia was struggling with a freshman quarterback under center, having lost games earlier in the season to Vanderbilt and Kentucky. The record stood at 6-4 and the Dawgs were underdogs to an Auburn team that was in the national title race. The #5 ranked Tigers were 9-1 and were looking to reach the SEC Championship game for the second time in four years. What followed was an absolute destruction of the Auburn Tigers. The final score was 37-15 and the game became known as the Massacre on the Plains.

There were many heroes in game, from defensive lineman Ray Gant to quarterback Matthew Stafford. But if there was an MVP award for this effort, there is little doubt that award would not have gone to senior safety Tra Battle. From Mary Parsons High School in Forsyth, Georgia, Battle earned his spot at Georgia the hard way: as a walk-on. During his junior season, he became a starter and was put on full scholarship. The game against Auburn was Battle’s signature moment at Georgia, intercepting three passes from Auburn quarterback Brandon Cox including one for a touchdown. Here’s a look back at his performance:



Following the 2006 season, in which he totaled 58 tackles, Battle was named to the All-SEC first team. Soon after, he was also named a third-team All-American. Despite these awards, he went undrafted in the 2007 NFL Draft. But just like walking on at Georgia, Tra was determined to continue his playing career at the next level. He eventually signed with the San Diego Chargers and made his NFL debut in 2008. After being cut from the Chargers, he signed with the Dallas Cowboys where he spent the remainder of the 2008 season. In 2009, he practiced with the Detroit Lions and later the Cleveland Browns. For his NFL career, he has totaled 15 tackles.

Once again, Tra refused to give up on his dream of playing football. He signed with the Hartford Colonials of the UFL where he recorded 18 tackles in six games during the 2009 season. While his playing career continues, Battle also focuses much of his attention on charity work. Tra’s Battle for Success Foundation, a division of the Athletes for Education Foundation, focuses on children’s education programs in the San Diego area. For the last two years, Tra has hosted “Camp Battle” in Tijuana, Mexico, which focuses on events for children ages 4-16 with mild to severe autism.

Tra Battle: Damn Good Dawg.

For more information:

Tra’s Battle for Success Foundation

UFL Player Spotlight: Tra Battle

Everything but the Game

You know what seems to ruin a good rivalry? Scandal.


The Dawgs travel to the Plains on Saturday and the story should be about how one of the worst Georgia teams in recent memory is trying to knock off a team headed towards a national title. Throw in the fact that Georgia has won 4 games in a row against the Tigers and a victory would even the series at 53 wins a piece and there should be plenty of stories to talk about. But instead of the game, almost all of the talk this week has been about the potential illegal recruitment of Heisman front runner Cam Newton. Yes, I agree that this is a huge story that needs to be covered, I am just sad to see it happen this week.

By the time 3:30 rolls around on Saturday, Auburn will most likely have taken the field with Cam Newton as the starting quarterback. The game will play out and by Saturday night, Auburn will either still be undefeated or Georgia will be bowl eligible. Cam Newton's eligibility will not have an effect on the game and even if he (and Auburn) is found guilty of wrong doing, it won't change what took place on the field.

Great rivalries don't just happen over night. Georgia's traditional rivalries with Florida and Georgia Tech have both become lopsided affairs in recent years. But the rivalry with Auburn (despite the 4 straight victories) has always been close. For a game that means this much to two programs' seasons, it is a shame to see this cloud hanging over head. The NCAA has known about this situation for months and its failure to make a decision is now taking away from what should be the focus of sports: the play on the field.

As a Georgia fan, I will take a victory any way we can get it. But if Cam Newton doesn't play and Georgia wins, have we really upset a top 5 team?

GO DAWGS!