Everything's Not Lost

Greetings OTR readers, I have a special treat for you today. Our good friend "Dollar" Bill Kitson is joining us for a guest column about the events that transpired in Sanford Tomb, er, Stadium.

Bill's take is the optimistic ying to my apocolpytic yang. So sit back and enjoy, because I have a feeling we'll be seeing Bill on OTR a lot more often...

Like a lot of you, I was witness to one of the most heartbreaking thrashings I’ve even been privy too Saturday night. And like the rest of you, I came home with a hoarse voice and a desire to punch things. After all the dust has settled and the polls have come out, however, I’ve had a little bit of time to reflect, and losing the game is certainly not reason to abandon all hope.

Without looking at the game tapes at all, I can say that a lot of people are instinctively calling this loss a season-breaker for all of the preseason hopes, when in reality nothing could be further from the truth. Looking from a sheer BCS standpoint, a few things jump out at me. Alabama is in the SEC West. Not only does this give Georgia an advantage in case of a SEC-CG tiebreaker over anybody other than Florida, but also that if they take care of business, will have every chance to avenge this loss in December.

Nobody but those most afflicted by homerism truly expected the Dawgs to make it out of their schedule undefeated. Everyone I’ve heard from expected it to be one of the LSU/Florida/Auburn stretch. However, quite frankly, losing to Florida this season would be a loss impossible to recover from, because it would give them the edge in a tiebreaker. As for Auburn or LSU, time has proven that the BCS penalizes late losses much more than early ones. Last year was an aberration for LSU, as at least five teams had equally valid claims to the title.

However, ask Missouri fans about the nature of the BCS, having only been beaten by the #3 ranked team yet excluded from a BCS bowl due to their loss in the final week.The last three SEC teams to make it to the BCS Championship did not go undefeated. LSU lost to #18 Kentucky in Lexington and unranked Arkansas in Baton Rouge, both of which look worse on paper than a loss to then #8 Alabama. The 2006 Gators lost to a fairly overrated Auburn team at Auburn (who if you’ll recall, got mud-stomped by an unranked Georgia team also at Auburn a few week later), and the 2004 LSU team lost to an unranked Florida team who had the disadvantage of being coached by Ron Zook and playing in Baton Rouge. All of those losses were ugly blotches on their résumé (especially in LSU’s case), but in the end, the voters correctly picked the best team to go to the championship.

Of the 10 teams currently ahead of Georgia in the AP poll, 6 of them (Oklahoma, Alabama, Missouri, Texas Tech, Texas, and LSU) have at least one game against the other. Worst-case scenario, four of them have to lose at some point. Leaving the two teams that didn’t, along with USC, a plucky Penn State team, a relatively unknown South Florida team, and the Brigham Young Stormin’ Mormons. Not only do I not foresee these teams finishing their schedule undefeated, I have serious doubt in at least two cases whether they would be favored over a one-loss SEC team, Georgia or otherwise.

Of course, all of this blind justification is for naught if Georgia can’t play with the big boys. And for the first half of Saturday night, they certainly couldn’t. But again, it’s very easy to find bright spots if you’re not throwing the mud at them yourself. First off, the offensive line. For all the complaining that has been done about them this year, they are improving. They allowed half the amount of sacks to a superior Alabama front line than they did to Carolina’s, and the only line that I can confidently claim as better than Alabama is LSU. Not to say they were perfect, but for all the penetration that Alabama seemingly got, the line managed to get Matthew Stafford just enough time to get the ball out of his hand. For those of you berating it as a thrashing, I have to question your memory. A thrashing is Colt Brennan getting knocked down nearly every single play, not a better line overpowering a group of freshmen for a lot of hurries and two sacks. (Anecdotally, according to ESPN, 85% of Georgians thought that we had a better offense than Alabama pregame. 92% of Hawai’ians thought the same. Think we left a message?)

Furthermore, you may recall that the O-Line was just as much of a problem last year against South Carolina and Tennessee. How many of you lamenting the loss of Trinton Sturdivant actually knew who he was at this time last year? Because he had to adjust to the level of competition too. A month ago, the stiffest competition Ben Jones had continuously faced was very likely more concerned with getting turned down to Prom than sacking a quarterback, and was often concerned with whether he wanted to go to Sonic or Checkers after the game was over. That’s a slight difference from the monster that was Terrance Cody, who himself was impressed enough with Jones’s play to congratulate him at then end of the game.

The other beacon of the two-headed criticism monster, Blair Walsh, looked significantly better yesterday. He had little issue with his 43-yard field goal, and his kickoffs were, for once, not the reason for the opponent’s excellent field position. He’s another true freshman that has shown significant improvement.

Also underrated was the play of Matthew Stafford. Seemingly contradictory to the previous point, he seemed to be scrambling on almost every play, and never had the time to really get a feel in the pocket, he still had a 2:1 TD/Interception ratio, a completion percentage that compares to his career numbers, and a total yardage that would have been a career high before this season started. While his decision making seemed suspect at time, throwing into double coverage, he also made his share of remarkable throws on quick decisions, and can think of at least three passes (the holding call on 4th and 18, AJ Green’s lateral to Dont’a Hightower, and an almost spectacular grab by Michael Moore, who lost the ball as he fell to the ground) that would have allowed him to set his career high, despite the complete lack of a semblance of a running game.

Finally, the heart of the team. I’ve referenced it before, but those of you who followed the Dawgs in the Jim Donnan era would have completely given up at halftime. Yet the Dawgs came back energized, and did everything they can to rally. And even when players were dropping (Ellerbe, Lomax, Chandler, Durham, and even Moreno), the team continued to play hard. As Adam referenced, Rennie Curran waved off a substitution late in the second half after getting banged up, because he wasn’t ready to quit yet, even when it seemed half the fans in the stadium already had. Factoring in the slew of injuries to the inability of Battle and Sutherland to play yet (and I know I’m missing one more person who’s expected back soon), it seems like there was a good portion of Georgia’s second string in the game rallying against Bama’s first, and if you think that Saban was taking it easy on the Dawgs up by two touchdowns with a quarter left to go, you might as well stop reading right now, because my optimism is not powerful enough to overpower that despair.

The only things about the game that truly worry me are the onslaught of injuries that plagued Georgia and the continuous stream of penalties that seemingly have no purpose. I don’t know how you can teach a young player not to get personal fouls, but there are 117 coaches in the NCAA who have done it better than Georgia this year, and there are not 117 coaches in the NCAA better that Mark Richt. Willie Martinez, maybe, but I digress.

The injuries could prove to be a problem as well, but the bye week was fortuitously in our favor, and a comeback week against Jonathan “Reggie Ball” Crompton and the hapless Vols could be just what the Dawgs need to be revitalized.

Don’t get me wrong; Saturday night was not a fluke. Georgia deserved to get beaten, and there are plenty of things that need to be addressed in the next two weeks. Brian Mimbs’ determination to counteract his 77 yard boot with a handful of 15 yard ones, Willie Martinez’s all-encompassing terror of the deep threat, causing a soft coverage that makes Georgia susceptible to 7 to 10 yard screen plays and Rennie Curran getting no assistance chasing a quarterback from 15 yards behind the line of scrimmage to 8 yards in front of (ugh), and the complete lack of a Marcus Howard/David Pollack type player to pressure the quarterback for the first time in ages. However, I’m sure that Coach Richt is quite aware of these things, as well as what appears to be every single blogger and ESPN member on the internet, so I’ll leave the pessimism to them.

I’ll let this go with one more anecdote. As I dragged my feet away from Sanford Stadium, I was furious to hear a band at Boar’s Head playing the Stones’s “You Can’t Always Get what you Want.” I hate this downtown band now, and curse them to a lifetime of opening shows for Nickelback cover bands. However, Jagger’s words of wisdom hold true, because while an undefeated season might have been what every Bulldawg fan wanted, the kick in the ass and bye week given to us appear to be just exactly what we need

Oh, The Humanity!

Well, the wreckage has been cleared and we can finally start looking for the little black box to tell us just what exactly happened in Athens last night.

The Tide blasted Georgia 41-30, and it wasn't that close.

Georgia's game against Alabama unfolded in a way that looked very similar to if the Goodyear Blimp circling the stadium went down in a fiery crash on the 50-yard line. In fact, the looks on the faces of the Georgia fans in my section implied that we were watching some sort of horrific scene of carnage instead of a football game.

Combine the actual game with the fact that we had been tailgating since 7 a.m. and the mood on North Campus after the game was extremely hostile. Jack Daniels had turned Georgia fans into angry animals, and Bama fans into obnoxious idiots. Such is the way of life in SEC football.

The tailgate leading up to the game was a blast. We had a projector set up with satellite and got to watch Gameday and most of Ole Miss' upset at Florida. However, the satellite got knocked out of line and we missed the last three minutes. That was probably an omen. Georgia fans became so giddy over the fact that Florida had lost, we had already given Georgia a win in our heads.

So basically, it was a great day until the Dawgs had to ruin in by playing a football game. Or not playing. At least not for the first half.

The Tide silenced the most frenzied crowd I have ever heard at Sanford Stadium by scoring the first five times they had the ball. When the first-half bloodbath was over, Georgia was down 31-0 to Sabanation and wondering if they should have perhaps worn pink jerseys.

The Dawgs continue to be the team most likely to send their fans into a fury-induced spree of violence by committing some of the most frustrating penalties imaginable. With Alabama driving, the Dawgs recovered a fumble deep in their own territory to subdue the threat. Or one would think. Akeem Dent decided he needed to decapitate John Parker Wilson after he had thrown the ball, so instead of the Bulldogs getting the ball, Alabama got 15 yards. Needless to say, they scored. Georgia was penalized 10 times for 81 yards. Alabama was penalized twice for nine yards. Who was the home team again?

I'm as big of a Mark Richt fan as there is. But Georgia's penalty problem is nothing short of ridiculous. Getting physically dominated will happen when you face better players at certain positions. But penalties can and must be avoided. If Georgia recovers that early fumble, who knows what happens?

Georgia had just 50 yards rushing, although that can be largely attributed to the fact that they were getting crushed for most of the game and were trying to get back into it by passing. As expected, Georgia's O-Line looked like third graders going up against men. Matthew Stafford suffered a possible concussion, Knowshon Moreno has an elbow injury and Kris Durham was on crutches after hurting his ankle. It did, in fact, resemble a funeral for Georgia.

I will say this. Georgia came out in the second half and played extremely hard. As a fan, I had given up and contemplated leaving when the Redcoats took the field at halftime. I'm glad I stayed. I saw the Georgia fans, sometimes criticized for their lack of passion compared to other SEC fans, come out just as loud in the second half as they were before the beating began. I saw players like Rennie Curran getting banged up on one play and then waving off a substitution to remain in the game. I saw Prince Miller torch the Alabama punt coverage team and go 92 yards to the house to bring the Dawgs within two touchdowns (eat that Javier Arenas). The Dawgs scored twice in close succession at the end of the game, but it wasn't enough to completely erase the stench off of this one.

Add the fact that Georgia has a bye week coming up, and the Dawgs and their fans will have plenty of time to stew over this one. However, all is not lost. If the Dawgs were going to lose, it's a good thing it came to a team from the west. Georgia can still win out in the east and go to Atlanta in December, but I'm not so sure. As Jeff Schultz of the AJC said in his column, great teams don't get embarrassed at home like that.

Again, it will be interesting to see how Georgia responds. If they can't stop these ridiculous penalties and turn their o-line from a seive into something that actually blocks, it could be a long season.

Time to Tee it Up

Ok folks, it's the night before the biggest game in Athens in a long, long time. I just drove by Myers Quad and the Gameday set is ready to go. Hope everyone has their best black funeral clothes ready.

This edition of my weekly picks is going to have to be a little abbreviated. We are having an epic tailgate on North Campus tomorrow and I have a lot to do to get ready for it, not to mention my trip to Clarke Central tonight to cover their game with Heritage (Glads by 10).

Before I get started though, how about them Beavers? Oregon State shocked the college football world by knocking off No. 1 USC 27-21 in Corvallis. So much for all of that talk about USC being an unstoppable force (similar to Paul Johnson). The Beavers looked like a team posessed, and held off a late Trojan charge to nail this one down. USC's loss opens the door for Oklahoma and Georgia to inhabit the top two spots in the polls, should both teams win this weekend.

Tennessee at No. 15 Auburn

Alright everyone, this one is the "you heard it here first upset special." As absolutely horrible as Tennessee has looked this year, I'm calling for a Vol victory on The Plains. I know, it's going to be a tough order to hand the Tigers their second consecutive home loss but I just have a feeling. I really have nothing to go on other than that. Crompton has looked awful. The whole Tennessee offense has been nothing short of inept. But Auburn doesn't impress me either, and I just see this as one of those Phil Fulmer job-saving wins. If the Great Pumpkin drops this one, chances are very good his seat gets uncomfortably hot and the Vols could start 2-4.

UT 17-AUB 16

No. 24 TCU at No. 2 Oklahoma

The Sooners hope to occupy USC's recently-vacated top spot on the polls, but they'll have to get by the pesky Horned Frogs. I think the Horned Frogs will be just that...pesky. TCU has a solid defense and could hold down Oklahoma's dymanic offense for a while, but not for long. Look for this to be one of those "gather all of your friends around the TV to root against OU because they're losing in the first quarter" games. However, I think the Sooners have too much offense with Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray.

OU 35-TCU 23

No. 8 Alabama at No. 3 Georgia

Ahh the main event. Nick Saban brings to Athens a Crimson Tide team that is definitely not short on swagger. The verbal barbs have been going back and forth this week, starting with Bama's strength coach calling the game a funeral for Georgia, hence the blackout.

Evil Richt answered back by wearing all black to his press conference and telling reporters, "(he's) going to a funeral."

Alabama punt returner Xavier Arenas was asked about the abilities of Georgia's Knowshon Moreno, to which Arenas replied, "So? Have you seen my highlights?"

On cue, Richt was asked about Arenas' abilities, to which Richt replied,"He's pretty good. Have you seen his highlights?"

Moral of the story: this one is going to be fun.

Alabama is obviously Georgia's stiffest test so far this season, but I dont think the Tide is the best team Georgia will play all year. Alabama mugged an undercoached Clemson team, struggled with Tulane, and pounded a lame-duck Arkansas squad. Sure, they haven't allowed a rushing touchdown all year, but Clemson ran the ball all of like 15 times. Tulane and Arkansas aren't exactly rushing juggernauts.

Meanwhile, Georgia's offense is the epitome of balance. Knowshon Moreno rushed for 149 yards last week, while Matthew Stafford passed for a career-high 285 yards.

What really sets Georgia as a truly tough offense is the emergence of freshman A.J. Green. The Dawgs already had a bona fide threat in Mohamed Massaquoi, and Green's rise to prominence gives Stafford another deadly option. In fact, look for secondaries to start rolling coverage towards Green and freeing up Mo Mass. Oh yeah, and that No. 24 kid is pretty good too. If Saban puts eight in the box to stop Moreno, Stafford has proven he is quite proficient in finding his new receiving threats.

Alabama boasts a freshman phenom of their own in physical specimen Julio Jones. Jones obviously has all the tools to be great, but Bama Bangs ambassador John Parker Wilson has trouble getting the ball to him. Look for Georgia to stuff the Bama running game and force a shaky Wilson to beat them.

The last time Saban set foot between the hedges, he was blasted by 30 points in 2004 when he was with LSU. Combine that with all the bulletin board material provided by the Tide this week and the ghosts of Mikey Henderson, and I think the Dawgs are going to handle this one more emphatically than people are predicting.

Dawgs 27-Tide 13

Remember folks, I was a perfect 10-for-10 last week. I'm only doing the three games this week because as I said, I am extremely busy today. Let me know that you think though. Do you see these games turning out like I do or am I wrong?

And don't forget to check out Chip Towers' UGA blog at www.ajc.com. Chip said some extremely kind things about me on his blog yesterday and it's definitely worth your time to check out his work. Be sure to add to the discussion board, as he could use some voices of reason to drown out the lunatic fringe that seems to hijack the blog from time to time.

See everyone tomorrow on North Campus!

Evil Richt in the building

Evil Richt is baaaaaaack. Mark Richt showed up to his press conference on Wed. dressed in a black hat, shirt and shorts.

"I'm going to a funeral," he said.

Consider your message received, Tide.

Dawg Talk: Mother F-N Funeral Edition

This just in...there's some sort of important football match taking place in Athens this weekend! ESPN College Gameday will be here! The Bulldogs are wearing spiffy black shirts! It's a night game! So exciting.

There really is a lot to talk about with this game, but we'll start with the ever-popular blackout. Last year, Mark Richt put the Bulldog Nation in the middle of a weeklong suspense thriller in the week leading up to the Auburn game. He asked the fans to come dressed in black and then deflected any questions about whether the team would be wearing black as well. He said there wasn't enough time to get the black jerseys in time. The rest, as they say, is history. The Bulldogs took the field in black jerseys and took the wood to Auburn in one of the most electric atmospheres in Sanford Stadium history. Brandon Cox seemed to like the black jerseys as he threw a few passes to them. Knowshon spent almost as much time cranking the souljah boy with Verne Lundquist as he did scoring touchdowns.

Richt pulled out the black jerseys again for a Sugar Bowl matchup with Hawaii. He wanted to avoid the disappointment hangover from not being invited to the BCS Championship game. The black shirts continued to gobble up Colt Brennan and were solely responsible for knocking him down several rounds in the NFL draft and costing him millions of dollars.

Now, the Dawgs hope to conjur the black magic one more time to take on white-hot Alabama in a top-10 matchup in Athens. Honestly, the blackout is almost assuredly going to be a once-a-year thing because the school makes so much money off of black jerseys and other black merchandise. Of all the games this year to choose from, this was the easy choice. It's a night game, it's nationally televised, and even the illustrious Gameday crew will be in town.

Bama fans are chalking this up as a mental victory, saying the black jerseys means the Tide is in Georgia's head. Alabama strength coach Scott Cochran was even captured on a video circulating the interwebs as saying the Dawgs are wearing black because "they are going to a mother f-ing funeral." Tide receiver Mike McCoy even weighed in on last year's end zone celebration in Jacksonville, saying Alabama would never do that because they are "a respectable team." Meanwhile, all Georgia has done is pile on the praise for Alabama. Take this quote from Mo Massaquoi:

"We knew a lot was going to be riding on this game, and we just wanted to give the fans something to rally behind. It’s really a tribute to Alabama. They’re a great team, we’re a pretty good team, and we just want to go out there and put on a show.”

Oh yeah Bama, keep playing the no-respect card. That's obviously the case. I would think a team that has already tried to get the bulletin board going (remember Wallace Gilberry asking Matthew Stafford where to send him flowers last year), and pounded Clemson after someone in their program made a joke about Bama giving recruits Hummers to drive would have toned down their talk. At least they're respectable.

All in all, the blackout is a great idea. While everyone is talking about what color shirts the Dawgs are wearing, no one is asking about Georgia's suspect offensive line play, penalty issues and suspect kick coverage. So remember, blackout during the game, not before it.

A decade later, the talking heads return

Alright Georgia fans, time to put your money where your mouth is. ESPN is Georgia's public enemy number one, correct? We hate Herbstreit, Corso is a bumbling idiot, and Fowler referred to Georgia fans as a bunch of "overdressed, overserved frat boys." So naturally, Georgia fans are going to ignore the Gameday crew out of principle right? Wrong. Myers Quad will be packed with the same people that have railed on ESPN for the past few years. Remember, this is the same Herbstreit that was the root of all evil when he campaigned for LSU to jump the Dawgs in the BCS selection poll. I admit, the tempation to indulge these idiots is strong. After all, for one day, Athens is the center of the college football universe. We all want to hold up clever signs so that our friends watching on TV will see us. But when you're heading over there on Saturday, remember all those things you swore you would do to Herbstreit if you ever saw him in person.

Saban catches rare, wild beast

Details are sketchy, but reports from southern Mississippi indicate that Alabama head coach Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart were on a hunting expedition when they stumbled across a beast of mythical proportions. After tranquilizing the beast with industrial-strength sedatives, the creature, which is thought to have migrated from Fort Meyers, FL was brought back to Tuscaloosa for evaluation. After careful study, Saban and Smart determined the creature would be best used as a nose tackle.

They named it Terrence Cody.

Cody, a 6-5, 365-pound JUCO transfer, anchors a d-line that hasn't given up a rushing touchdown all year. Cody eats centers for breakfast, along with oil barrels, whole elk, and Volkswagens. He now hopes to feast on Moreno and and friends. Cody has predator-like hair and is quite possibly the scariest human being I have ever seen. The Dawgs have undoubtedly been gameplanning around him, but I am pretty anxious to see the creature in action. Word is, he has a special animosity towards the state of Georgia after his brother, Hogzilla, was captured in Alapaha several months ago.

One for the ages

This is only the ninth time in Sanford Stadium history that two top-10 teams will square off Between the Hedges. With the Blackout, Gameday and a full day of tailgating to look forward to, this should be one of the most memorable games in my four years at UGA.

Bama is hot and they bring a solid team to Athens. However, I'm not too sold on them. They pounded Clemson but struggled with Tulane. Their quarterback is still John Parker Wilson, and his Bama Bangs are still ruffled from the beating he took last year in Tuscaloosa. They haven't faced an offense as dymanic as Georgia's and a rush defense as stingy as the Dawgs. I'll hold off on my official prediction until Friday, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Georgia win this one fairly convincingly.

Well, I'm officially fired up. I'll have to make it through the rest of the week by watching youtube videos of last year's blackout.

What about you guys? What are your thoughts on the blackout? Will you be at Myers Quad for Gameday? How many small children will Terrence Cody eat? Share your thoughts.

And don't forget...when you want the inside information about all things Georgia, check out Chip Towers' blog over at ajc.com. Im here to comment, make fun of, and offer opinions. Chip is the real deal and no one is better at getting the pertinent information out to the Dawg Nation. Be sure to offer something constructive to his comment section to balance out the maniacs that currently inhabit it.

Nobody's Perfect: Except Me!

To start this thing off, why don't I go ahead and go over all the games I predicted incorrectly this weekend?

....................................

Ok, that was quick. Yep, that's right. I was a perfect 10-f0r-10. I think it's safe to say that the prognostication title belt will rest securely with Off the Record this week. Kudos to all who made it possible, including the Dawgs, LSU, GT, Wake, Florida, and all the NFL teams that did their job and make me look smart.

So what did we learn this weekend? Obviously, as I posted Sunday, AJ Green is good. Georgia did what they had to do, etc. More on Georgia later.

We learned that David Cutcliffe was probably more valuable to Tennessee than any player they lost last year. The Tennessee offense is ACC nauseating. They really could start 2-4 this year, although I'm going to bet 3-3 (I think they upset Auburn). Florida didn't really have to play very well to beat them (and they didn't). From here on out, it looks very likely that the Gators are undefeated when they go to Jacksonville.

I really can't say too much about LSU-Auburn, seeing how I was too busy watching Georgia to really pay attention. LSU winning that one on the road is pretty impressive though. It should come down to them and Bama for the SEC west. Apparently there was some sort of onside kick by LSU, further cementing Les Miles' legacy as the most insane coach in the nation.

The Jacket juggernaut reached maximum firepower on Saturday, pounding poor Sylvester Croom's Missy State team into a fine powder (don't get any ideas Joe Hamilton). The offense did look impressive, but Missy State is hardly a powerhouse. Trade Schooler's are calling this a victory over the SEC for their much-maligned conference. Well, Missy State is the second-worst team in the conference behind Arkansas. Tech is looking like one of the top three or four teams in the ACC. Frankly, the Jackets should have won.

The Falcons managed to win again, again at home, and again against a team that belongs in the NFL's bowl subdivision. Michael Turner is very fun to watch, but I wouldn't put too much stock in this win. The Chiefs are awful and their quarterback played at Coastal Carolina. Hardly the 2007 New England Patriots.

Speaking of Patriots, how bout them Dolphins? Nothing in the NFL makes me happier than seeing Bill Belichick getting his ass kicked...by the Dolphins.

As I may have mentioned last week, we had a little fiesta for the day of football madness. I had a solid day at the beer-pong table, before retiring to the couch. Whatever punch creation we made was deadly. And I must say, I'm not surprised that former Georgia center Ian Smith was dismissed for alcohol-related offenses. The big lug stopped by without shoes and wearing a wife-beater. Complete sentences were challenging. He was tanked. But, he did order me some Pokey Sticks so I can't say anything too bad.

I had to go to Oconee County High School today for a story for the Banner-Herald and got to watch Zach Mettenberger toss it around. He has a bazooka where his arm is supposed to be. The poor scrub he was playing catch with didn't catch a single ball. That would have prepared Mett for a season of throwing to Tripp Chandler, but he's arriving one year too late.

Billy Humphrey just transfered to the University of New Orleans. Yeah, he probably needs to go to one of the few American cities that's consistently drunker than Athens.

That about wraps this one up. Check back Wednesday, when I'll have a full post about Georgia-Alabama, including thoughts on the blackout, Gameday and 350-pound nose tackles.

Goodnight Canada.

Green Day

It's now officially A.J. Green's world. We're just living in it.

Despite my apartment being absolutely packed with people, many of whom I had no idea who they were, I managed to watch the Georgia-ASU game last night. Between the Miller High Life and some sort of deadly punch creation, my recollections were hazy. But alas, here they are.

The highly touted Georgia receiver from Summerville, SC put on a show last night in the desert, catching eight balls for 159 yards and a touchdown, as the Dawgs pounded Arizona State 27-10 (please refer to my picks, I was off by a point). Green's solid day at the office was a key part of a Georgia offense that rolled up 461 yards of total offense.

If you'll allow me quite a bit of hyperbole, the trio of Matthew Stafford (16 of 28, 285 yards, 1 touchdown), tailback Knowshon Moreno (23 carries for 149 yards and two touchdowns), and Green has a sort of Aikman-Smith-Irving vibe to it. Of course, I'm not actually saying the Dawgs' trio is in the same league as a group of Hall-of-Famers, but you get my point.

Green showed off his outstanding athleticism and great hands several times and was nothing short of unstoppable until the Sun Devils began rolling their coverage towards him.

Stafford matched his career high with 285 yards and looked poised. Moreno continued to create doubt as to what his planet of origin is. He stocked the highlight reels with his first touchdown run, when he took off from the 4-yard line and soared into the end zone.

Georgia's defense allowed just 212 yards of offense to Rudy Carpenter and one of the PAC-10's most dynamic offenses. The pass rush looked better, thanks to some different blitzing schemes. Rennie Curran is probably the best pound-for-pound defender in the country.

Georgia managed to defy the Hellfire heat of Arizona, Mark May's infinite wisdom, and the theories of jet lag to play an extremely sharp ballgame. Whether it's enough to prevent another slip in the polls (Tim Tebow won on Saturday too! He's dreamy!) remains to be seen. Either way, the win sets up a huge top-10 showdown next week betweem the hedges, when No.9 Alabama comes to town. Herbstreit and the gang might be following.

The pass rush still needs to improve and the pass protection was spotty at times, but the Dawgs looked good. With UT looking horrible and Vandy still being Vandy despite their hot start, a win over Bama next Saturday would mean the Dawgs should be 7-0 heading to Baton Rouge in October.

An American Tale: Knowshon Goes West

After a brief hiatus, I have returned. I'm going head to head with JB and Lav of 2 Guys, 1 Blog on the picks this week. Whoever gets more right gets to carry an imaginary title belt around until next week's picks. Pointless trophies are some of my favorite things, so here we go.

One more thing...JB and I agree, if you haven't tried Firefly sweet-tea vodka, do it now. Run.

No 3. Georgia at Arizona State

Like the intrepid settlers of long ago, Georgia heads west this weekend to take on the Sun Devils in prime time. Arizona State comes off an embarrassing loss to UNLV, in which they were clearly looking ahead to the Bulldogs' visit. Meanwhile, Georgia continues to defy the laws of physics by dropping in the ranking while winning. The Bulldogs need to win, and look good doing it, in order to make believers out of the talking heads with poll votes.

All the morons that think the Arizona heat is going to affect the Dawgs more than the Sun Devils obviously haven't been to the Deep South in August. Georgia finally gets a pass rush on an inexperienced ASU offensive line, while Knowshon Moreno gets back into the Heisman race with another big day.

Dawgs 28-10

No.6 LSU at No.10 Auburn

This one is always a great game. Too bad it's on at the same time as Georgia-ASU. The Spread Eagle offense takes on a group of large, angry monsters in the LSU d-line. Auburn offensive coordinator Tony Franklin's vaunted offense scored 3 points last week against Missy State. LSU's defense could eat Missy State. LSU bucks the trend of the home team winning this one.

LSU 20-10

No.4 Florida at Tennessee

Gator linebacker Brandon Spikes filled up the Neyland Stadium bulletin board this week by calling the Vols quitters. Unfortunately, bulletin boards don't put on pads and play. The team that lost to the team that lost to BYU by 60 points can't beat the Gators. However, it will be a little closer than the experts think. The power of Neyland can't be underestimated, and the Vols will play inspired. I still hate Tim Tebow.

Florida 35-17

No.18 Wake Forest at No.24 Florida State

Ummmm best game in the ACC? If Wake wins, they should be the class of the ACC. Papa Bowden's bunch could establish themselves as an ACC title contender with a win. It's at Doak, which should help, but it won't be enough. I just can't make myself care. Being the ACC champ is like being the skinniest kid at fat camp...it doesn't mean much.

Wake 21-17

Mississippi State at Georgia Tech

Some glitch in the time-space continuum allowed the Jackets to lose a game last week. Well savor the flavor sports fans because rest assured, it won't happen again. Some people would call the style of this game "ugly" and "boring." They have no vision. It's really going to be a "beautiful defensive battle." CPJ knows a one-win team can still win the BCS title, and he won't let the Jackets lose another one.

GT 13-7

Now onto the NFL, where the players get paid over the table instead of under it. All I know is my fantasy football team better get it together or I'm going to be out 10 bucks. Derek Anderson, where are you?

Chiefs at Falcons

Ahhh the most appealing game of the weekend. The Chiefs lost to the Raiders last week. That's enough said.

Falcons 23-14

New Orleans at Denver

If Brandon Marshall can take time out of his busy assault schedule to play in this one, the Broncos should win at home. They really should bring back the Mile High Salute.

Broncos 31-20

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia

The coveted battle of Pennsylvania should be a good one this weekend. Willie Parker is off to a fast start, and the Steelers are looking like a force in the AFC. Meanwhile, Donovan McNabb seems to have eaten plenty of chunky soup this year because he looks like he did five years ago. This one's a tossup, but I'll go with the home team.

Philly 21-17

Jacksonville at Indianapolis

The Jaguars are supposed to be good. But they haven't been. Indy took advantage of the last game of the Tavaris Jackson era in Minnesota. I think Peyton and the boys start to get the offense going, because if the Colts are going to win this one, Joseph Addai is going to have to average over 2 yards per carry. I really don't know why, but I'll go with the mild upset.

Jacksonville 30-20

Dallas at Green Bay

The Cowboys had themselves a fight last week with Philly. Terrell Owens may have to carry my fantasy team this year, so I'm pullin for the Cowboys in this one. Aaron Rodgers seems to have made the Packer faithful forget about that goateed dude from the Wrangler commercials. The Cowboys' offense is too good, and Jessica Simpson is too hot. I hope she's at the game.

Dallas 33-21

Alright folks, there you go. Go ahead and tell me where you disagree so I'll believe you afterwards. Find an adult beverage and enjoy all the action this weekend. Or head on over to our place and help us enjoy our adult beverages.

Yes, I'm Alive

I'm sure you've been wondering where I am. Or maybe not. Probably not. Rest assured, I'm still here. Tune in tomorrow for the weekend's picks. I'll be picking 5 college games and 5 NFL games, and will be competing with the guys from 2 Guys, 1 Blog to see who is a luckier guesser. Root for me. Yay.

Gregg Doyel: Stirring the Pot

So I'm wandering the interwebs Sunday afternoon, as I've been known to do, when i stumbled across a delightfully venomous little morsel on cbssportsline.com. I know many readers of this blog are Georgia fans, and that you are well versed in the perceived collective anti-Bulldog bias in the media. Sportsline columnist Gregg Doyel may have ruined your weekend had you read his column "National ranking biggest issue for overrated Bulldogs." If you missed it, you can find it here (http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10975988/1).

It took me one look at Doyel's bio on Sportsline to figure out his purpose in life. Every sports publication, TV show or radio program has the prickly commentator with a chronic case of diarrhea of the mouth. Think Jim Rome, Terrence Moore or any other columnist that just gets people's blood boiling. You see folks, journalism has evolved into an online business. Online businesses gain revenue by website hits. People return to sports websites to comment and engage in debate. Doyel's job is to enrage enough people so that they will continually return to the site to bash him. Doyel excels at his job.

Really, if Doyel actually believes what he wrote, he either didn't actually watch the Georgia-South Carolina game, he has no recollection of any previous season of NCAA football, or he is in fact less intelligent than Stephen Baldwin's character in the classic movie Bio Dome, who also happens to be named Doyle.

Doyle alleges that based solely on Georgia's lackluster performance against the Cocks in Columbia, they are nowhere near good enough to be called the third best team in the country. Take the lead from his now infamous column.

There's a problem with Georgia, but it's nothing that can't be fixed. That's the good news.

The problem is more fundamental than Georgia's bad group of receivers, bad pass coverage, and bad play-calling. Georgia is ranked No. 2 in the country. That's the problem. But it's a fixable problem.

It can be rectified as soon as Sunday night when coaches and media make their newest Top 25 polls and drop the Bulldogs like a left hook to the jaw. South Carolina almost made it easier on pollsters by landing a haymaker of their own, but Georgia bobbed and weaved and avoided being knocked out of the BCS championship picture with a season-saving 14-7 victory Saturday at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Now it's up to voters to do the right thing and smack Georgia in the mouth. Say, by dropping the Bulldogs to somewhere like seventh.

Kudos, Doyel. Seriously, for someone who wears pseudo-intellectual reading classes and has an unnecessary "G" in his name, you certainly have your finger on the pulse of college football. If Doyel has been lucid over the past decade or so of this series, he would know that it's always an ugly affair. If Doyel wasn't in some sort of latte-induced suspended state of consciousness, he would realize that over the past couple of years, the Gamecocks have given the eventual national champions fits.

Last year, future national champs LSU needed a touchdown run from their kicker to pull away AT HOME and beat the Cocks 28-16. Two years ago, the media darling Florida Gators needed a blocked field goal at the end of regulation to squeak out a 17-16 win over the Carolina. Those Gators, if you'll remember, went on to one of the most dominant BCS Title Game performances in history.

So what did Georgia do? They went ON THE ROAD for their first SEC game of the year. They played in an extremely hostile environment in extremely miserable conditions. They went up against a coach whose single greatest joy in coaching is beating the Bulldogs.

And what did Georgia do? They won. They looked sloppy and under-prepared, but the certainly didn't look outmatched.

Doyel particularly delights in Georgia's offensive struggles (against the top-ranked defense in the SEC, universally considered the best conference on the planet). He likes to refer to Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno as "alleged" Heisman contenders. He must have forgotten that Moreno torched the SEC for over 1,000 yards last year despite not being the starter for most of it.

Doyel also picks on a quote by Georgia coach Mark Richt, in which Richt attributes his team's sluggish performance to the weather and the hostile environment.

"When you play on a hot, muggy, miserable day against the type of resistance we were up against," Richt said, "you're not going to be sharp."

Apparently giddy with the chance to show off all the one-liners he apparently gleaned from Jim Rome, Doyel proceeds to point out that the Bulldogs play all of their games in hot weather.

"Georgia plays in the SEC, and the "S" isn't for "Siberia," Doyel quips hysterically. "It gets hot in the South. It'll stay hot in the South."

Gregg, I'm a journalism student, not a meteorologist, Al Gore or Nostradamus. But, I'm willing to go out on some limbs. I'm willing to bet it won't be a heat index of 99 degrees when the Bulldogs kick off against Alabama at 7:45 in Athens in two weeks. It probably wont be fry-an-egg-on-the-pavement hot when Tennessee comes to town one week after that. And it sure won't resemble the surface of the sun when Georgia heads to Auburn...in NOVEMBER.

Finally, Doyel suggests that USC, Oklahoma, LSU, Florida, Missouri and even Alabama deserve to be ranked higher. I sure won't argue with USC and I'll even give you Oklahoma, but come on. Alabama? Didn't they just beat Tulane 20-6? Hardly convincing.

Doyel, I don't think you're this dumb. I think Sportsline pays you to generate web site hits and that's what you do. Georgia may or may not win the SEC or BCS championships this year. But I promise you that Georgia's win over the Cocks was just that; a win. Not some ominous sign of doom.

Sportsline has a problem. But it's nothing that can't be fixed. That's the good news.

Gregg Doyel gets paid to come up with mind-bogglingly extreme statements for the sake of generating site hits.

Now it's up to his bosses to do the right thing and smack him in the mouth. Say, by putting him on the WNBA beat?

War

Rest assured, I will have a measured response to this article (www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10975988) by tomorrow.

Monday Morning (or afternoon) Hangover

Sorry guys, but this is going to be a bit rushed. I've had a busy day.

First things first. The Georgia-Alabama game in two weeks will officially be madness. ESPN has picked up the game for a 7:45 start time, meaning Athens will be lathered up into a bourbon-induced frenzy. Georgia should still be ranked third, Bama is hovering around the to-10, and there is the looming possibility of Gameday making its first trip to Athens in 10 years. I am extremely excited.

One more quick note on Georgia. I'm starting to get a little nervous about this habit of dropping the Dawgs in the polls despite winning. The media wants to hype the SEC as the most dominant league in the country. That's fine. I agree with them. But, if the SEC is so dominant, how can Georgia be penalized for beating an SEC team, no matter what the score? I'm sure Georgia would be in the top two at the end of the year should the Dawgs go undefeated, but I'm still a little queasy remembering that 2004 Auburn team.

THE Most Overrated Team

The sun was a little brighter today. The air was also a little sweeter and the birds sang a much sweeter tune. That's because the Ohio State Suckeyes are finally out of consideration for the BCS Title. We won't be subjected to another beatdown in January. Kudos to both teams for scheduling this game. Seriously, OSU could have scheduled another cupcake and pranced through another undefeated regular season. But they would have gotten exposed (AGAIN) in the title game and my stomach couldn't possibly handle that.

Meanwhile, USC looks pretty good. OK, very good. They're No.1 until they lose, which shouldn't be until they head to South Beach for the BCS Title Game. As much of a joke as most of the PAC-10 is, make no mistake...the Trojans could play in any league.

Auburn wins a pitcher's duel

Auburn beat Mississippi State 3-2 on Saturday. In football. Seriously. The Tigers should be a bit worried. I mean, a low-scoring affair is common in the SEC, which features several stout defenses. Just look at Georgia's trip to Columbia. But 3-2? Did Brad Lester hit a 2-run homer in the ninth to win it? How bored must the fans have been? Did anyone actually stay awake through it? Apparently, there hasn't been a 3-2 game in the SEC in over 40 years. Let's hope it doesn't happen again anytime soon.

Monstars steal Falcons' talent

Of course, the only explanation for the Falcons transformation from world-beaters to doormats is that their talent was stolen by aliens who are playing the Looney Tunes in a football game (No, I'm not on crack).

Seriously, Sunday's version of the Falcons who got spanked by the Bucs in Tampa are more like the real thing, while last Sunday's domination of Detroit was the aberration. Matt Ryan looked like a scared rookie instead of Matty Ice, the offensive line looked like a seive, and the whole game looked nauseatingly reminiscent of last season. The Falcons won't always look as bad as they did against the Bucs, but they won't look nearly as good as they did against the Lions.

View From the Cheap Seats

Ok, so our seats were actually 80 bucks apiece, but we were literally 6 rows from the top of the entire stadium. I was quite certain I could see the Statue of Liberty from our perch. Anyway, I'm getting a little ahead of myself.

OTR is getting its first ever road trip diary, as I made the trip to Columbia, SC to see No.2 Georgia take on South Carolina. Along with three friends, we drove up Saturday morning and returned Saturday night. In between was pretty interesting.

The day started at about 6:30 when Pesci, Dice, and Lav of 2 Guys, 1 Blog hit the road. I wish I could tell you some crazy story about the drive up. Unfortunately, it wasn't anything special. We got into Columbia (without traffic) by about 9:30. We took up location in a grass "parking lot" next to some railroad tracks. We met up with Pesci's friends and set up our tailgate with them.

The rest of the morning took a sharp turn towards hazytown when I started drinking Jack and Coke. Shortly after, Pesci's friends began pouring Jaeger Bombs and things really got nutty. However, the highlight had to be when Pesci's larger friend went straight through a tailgating chair. Or it could have been when we met Mike "Big Dawg" Woods, the legendary Georgia fan who paints a Bulldog on his bald dome each week.

It should also be noted that we tailgated right next to Sir Big Spur, USC's live rooster mascot. Why they keep him a mile away from the stadium, I'll never know. The plush RV that he arrived in had a loudspeaker on top. That loudspeaker quickly became enemy No.1, as it constantly blared USC's fight songs but sounding like the polyphonic ring tones on old cell phones. Even the South Carolina fans nearby weren't amused.

I forgot to mention, and this is important, it was roughly 342 degrees in Columbia for this one. We're talking surface-of-the-sun hot. It didn't take too much alcohol to get us drunk. Yet, we drank plenty.

We finally decided to go to the game around 2:30, giving us an hour before gametime. Upon arriving in the stadium, we realized that the stadium staff was about the least helpful group of people in history. We had seats in the upper level. We arrived on the lower level. Getting from one place to the other was like trying to find Atlantis. After walking back and forth for about a half hour, we reached our afformentioned seats.

We tried to seek shade beneath the light standards at the top of the stadium. Not very helpful. As game time drew closer, we grew anxious to see South Carolina's famed "2001" intro when the team takes the field. When that moment finally arrived, it was terribly disappointing. The USC crowd was ominously quiet, like they expected a beating after last week's loss to Vandy. I had heard Williams-Brice was one of the loudest stadiums in the SEC. I was lied to. To make the intro even less impressive, the team forgot to take the field when the song was over. There was about a 40 second delay before the Cocks finally emerged from the tunnel.

As for the game itself...ugly. South Carolina's offense's struggles this season have been well-documented. Well, they're as bad as advertised. Chris Smelley isn't good to begin with and he has no weapons to help him. Kenny McKinley was his best option, and he didnt play against the Bulldogs. What was only somewhat expected, however, is how much Georgia's offense struggled.

Knowshon Moreno ran hard and managed to collect 79 yards and a touchdown despite limited running room. Stafford, wasn't particularly sharp, however he didn't make any key mistakes.

All in all, the highlight of the first quarter had to be when the officiating crew, who would later prove to be maddeningly inept, called both pass interference and a block in the back on the same play. They then proceeded to call the penalties offsetting and ordered the down to be replayed. Using this logic, if I got arrested for public drunkeness, but then punched out the cop, I would be let free without penalty. At this point, I seriously considered jumping off the upper deck. Luckily, sanity found its way back into the stadium and the call was reversed.

The Cocks found their only offense of the game when Smelley hit Moe Brown for a touchdown pass in the second. Georgia added another field goal just before halftime to make it 7-6.

Halftime saw a mass exodus from our section to find drinks. I quickly downed a bottle of Dasani in about 48 seconds.

Moreno scored on a beautiful run in the third to give the Dawgs the eventual game-winning score. Rennie Curran would force a Mike Davis fumble at the goal line, which was recovered by Asher Allen. Reshad Jones intercepted a Smelley pass with under 20 seconds to go as the Gamecocks were driving to tie the game. As usual, Georgia barely escaped with a victory against Spurrier and the Cocks.

The most impressive play I saw came from a very unlikely source. Punter Brian Mimbs punted the absolute stuffing out of the football for a 77-yard bomb. After Davis' fumble, the Dawgs went 3-and-out and were stuck inside their own 20. Mimbs launched it over returner Captain Munnerlyn's head were it rolled deep into Carolina territory. Mimbs may be investigated for HGH.

We also saw Richt line up Moreno at quarterback and Stafford at receiver. Most would want to call this the "Wild Dog" formation, in reference to Arkansas' formation with Darren McFadden in Moreno's spot. However, I'm more partial to the "Garden State" formation in honor of Moreno's home state. No word on whether Garden State and Scrubs star Zach Braff was in attendance to witness the formation's unveiling. I did smell Appletinis.

So Georgia escaped, causing Spurrier to throw a tantrum like a 5-year-old whose mommy wouldn't buy him a power ranger.

Spurrier deflected some blame to his players, per protocol. Georgia didn't look like the second best team in the country, but every team has a game like this. Maybe the Dawgs got this one out of their system before they head to Arizona State next week. I think the defense played pretty well, but there were still entirely too many penalties (11 for 110 yards). That has to get straightened out.

The trip was a blast. The tailgating experience in Columbia is much different from Athens, but it was pretty fun. Next weekend is a little fiesta at my place for the Arizona State game.

I'll be back tomorrow to talk about the rest of this weekend's action. Take it easy everyone!

Apocolypto

The weight of Georgia Tech's greatness caused a catastrohpic reaction, seen in the picture on the right. The photo was taken just seconds after Virginia Tech defied all prophecies and beat the Jackets in Blacksburg.

Don't worry, we'll be discussing actual important games, as well as OTR's trip to Columbia when I wake up on Sunday. This was breaking news.

Good night, and good luck.

"It's not like they're some big, powerful team..."

Let me start off by thanking the bartender at Tasty World last night.While taking an an awesome Lingo show, I ordered a few Maker's and Cokes. They were extremely potent, and I attended my web design class this morning with a bit of a buzz.

Along with Ryan of 2 Guys, 1 Blog, I made my podcasting debut last night. Anything you wanted to know about Athens-area high school football, we got you covered. You can check it out at www.onlineathens.com/underthelights.

Tomorrow, OTR hits the road for Columbia to take in the Dawgs vs. Cocks game. Like I said, it will be our first road trip and I'll be sharing it with you on Sunday.

Obviously, No.2 Georgia's visit to South Carolina is of great interest to me. The Dawgs seemingly beat Georgia Southern and Central Michigan by a combine score of 324-5. But the cupcake party is over. There are no more directional schools on Georgia's schedule.

Last year, the Cocks came into Athens and defensively dominated a sluggish Georgia team. Afterwards, The Ole Ball Coach said, "It's not like they're some big, powerful team. They lost to Vanderbilt and Kentucky."

Funny you should bring that up, Steve. Your team just got spanked by those same Commodores...for the second year in a row. Carolina joins a distinguished group of teams that own an active losing streak against the Dores, including Duke and Cincinnati. Georgia's Knowshon Moreno racked up 168 yards and three TDs last week, and also hurdled over CMU's Vince Agnew like he was a parking cone. Moreno will face a much stiffer test this week, as Carolina's Eric Norwood, Jasper Brinkley and Emmanuel Cook lead one of the country's best defensive units.

Offensively, the Cocks are a mess. They have no quarterback. Their only receiving threat, Kenny McKinley, is out. Carolina's only hope is a 10-6 victory. Forget about it. The 7-point spread on this thing is more of a sure thing than Paris Hilton after two drinks. Go bet your life saving: Georgia wins this by at least 13. We'll call it:

Georgia: 27-South Carolina: 10

Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech

Despite swirling rumors, Paul Johnson is not throwing his name into the mix for November's presidential election. Many on North Avenue were talking about Johnson's intent to run as a member of the "Savior of Irrelevent Football Programs" party. However, Johnson has at least 13 National Title rings to collect before he can lead the free world. The Jackets head to Blacksburg to visit VA Tech. The Hokies looked awful against ECU. Georgia Tech looks awful every time they put on the mustard-yellow. The Jackets went on the road last week and looked unimpressive in eeking out a win over BC. Sean Glennon will prove he is capable of yielding positive yards, and the Hokies will win another mind-numbing ACC football game.

Hokies: 24-Jackets: 13

No.5 Ohio State at No.1 Southern Cal

ESPN has deemed No. 1 USC's game against No. 5 Ohio State the "Collision at the Coliseum." Forgive me for not caring. Beanie Wells was the only thing seperating Ohio State's offense from being painfully average. Todd Boeckman belongs in a museum, as he is a statue. An inaccurate statue that struggles in big games. I could see Terrelle Pryor coming in and giving the Buckeyes a shot, but not much of one. Mark Sanchez has to simply play half as well as he did against mighty Virginia. Joe McKnight will have his work cut out for him against Animal's nephew. All in all, the most exciting thing about this game will be the celeb spotting on the sidelines. I hope Jeremy Piven is in the house.

USC:33-OSU:17

Falcons at Bucs

If the Falcons start 2-0, will the universe collapse upon itself? We'll find out Sunday. The Dirty Birds head to Tampa to face...Brian Griese? Griese is still in the league? If Matty Ice can play as well on the road as he did at home against the Lions, and Michael Turner posts half of his rushing total from last week, the Falcons should win easily. Something tells me to expect a close one from this game.

Falcons: 20-Bucs: 17

Patriots at Jets

Bell Belichick may want to listen to Radiohead's Karma Police. Fate is finally frowning on the NFL's golden franchise. Tom Brady's knee is devoid of anything functional that ends in a "CL". The Pats turn to Matt Cassell, who hasn't started since high school. Seriously. Of course, Tom Brady rose to glory and model romancing because established QB Drew Bledsoe got hurt. Maybe the same thing happens here. Brett Favre makes his first home start for the Jets. Maybe he wears his Wranglers. Not having Brady hurts, but the Pats are too balanced.

Pats: 31-Jets: 24

There are the picks folks. Tell me what you think. Be sure to tune in Sunday for a recap of the trip to Columbia. Also, check out jbandlav.blogspot.com and check out their picks. Lav will be making the trip to Columbia with me so we'll cook something up for our loyal readers.

A Day to Remember

Today is September 11 folks. Today, take a pause from whatever else is going on in your life and remember what happened on this day seven years ago. That terrible day transcended anything else going on, especially the world of sports.

Remember the lives lost on the planes, in the World Trade Center and in the Pentagon. Remember the emergency workers and volunteers who sacrificed their lives to save others. Remember the servicemen and women fighting in the Middle East as a result.

I love sports. There's few things better than a summer evening at a baseball game, a fall afternoon at a college football game or a winter night packed in a gym watching hoops. But remember, in the grand scheme of things, sports mean very little.

However, I do remember that following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, sports helped serve a purpose. An avid Braves fan, I was watching the Braves play the Mets in Queens for the first sporting event in the city following the tragedy. Players from both teams, bitter rivals at the time, embraced before the game. They cried together. And what sticks out to me the most is how the game ended. Mike Piazza, one of my least favorite baseball players of all time, absolutely crushed a game-winning homerun. The people of New York erupted with emotion. Hell, even I got goosebumps watching my beloved team lose. For that night, the final score of the game was trivial. Athletic competition lifted the spirits of a city that was on the ropes.

Sports will never make or break your life. Sure, we get passionate about our teams. But today, remember something much more important.

Don't forget to tune in tomorrow for my weekly picks. Also, if you're in Athens, make sure to head to Tasty World tonight at 10 to see Lingo. They are good friends of mine and a great band out of Marietta.

Off to the Chicken Coup

Ahh the beauty of eBay sports fans. Off the Record Sports is heading to Columbia, thanks to my good friend, Pesci, who kept a vigilant eye on the interweb's famous auction site. We'll be in Williams-Brice on Saturday, or at least several miles above it in our upper deck seats.

Because I'll be heading to Columbia, you'll get your first ever Georgia road game diary, in OTR history, complete with photos. Stay tuned on Sunday for that. Check back later on today and tomorrow for more on this week's festivities.

Beat More Chicken

Sorry I'm a little late posting this week. I was admitted to the hospital yesterday morning with a sever case of heartbreak...Tom Brady is out for the year. I'll miss that dimpled chin as a watch the Patriots surgically disassemble the AFC East. Somehow, I need to find the strength to continue living.

Alas, I do have the impending Georgia-South Carolina game to focus my attention on. I know The Chickens consider Georgia one of their biggest (if not the biggest) conference rivals. And I know Georgia fans will always have a special, blackened area in their hearts for Darth Visor himself, Steve Spurrier.

This year, Spurrier is coming off a stunning defeat at the House That Cutler Built in Nashville against the Commodores. The Cocks have some of the most pronounced quarterback issues in the country. Chris Smelly and Tommy Beecher seem to be locked in a heated battle of "who wants the starting job less." In fact, Georgia defensive end Demarcus Dobbs told reporters that him and his teammates "have to worry about Blake Mitchell and company next week."

It's ok Demarcus. We don't blame you for not realizing that Mitchell managed to graduate from SC last year. Seeing how the Ole Ball Coach doesn't know who his QB is, we wouldn't expect you to. You're probably still delirious from your gazelle-like frolic to the end zone last week against Central Michigan.

Combine that with the fact that Kenny McKinley, the team's leading receiver, is doubtful for the game, and the Cocks are in for a long day at the office. Still, the SC defense is stout and we should finally get a read of just how good this Georgia offense is.

Anyway, Spurrier a reporter's dream. He manages to be both self-deprecating and nauseatingly smug at the same time. The simple, "Everyone knows how good they are," in reference to Georgia just sounds so half-assed coming from him.

Just realized what time it was, and that I have to run to Cedar Shoals High School and talk to their coach. Exciting stuff. More on the Chickens later. Until then be sure to check out http://jbandlav.blogspot.com/ if you enjoy the work of Benedict Arnold, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, or Johnny Damon.

Break up the Falcons! (And other weekend musings)

Falcons on pace to go undefeated

The Atlanta Falcons are an offensive juggernaut that cannot be stopped. Seriously, I thought that Paul Johnson's triple-option march of doom offense on the flats was the greatest show in the ATL. Apparently, I was wrong.

Michael Turner, previously most famous for picking up garbage time yards after LaDanian Tomlinson was too tired from torching opposing defenses, set an Atlanta franchise record with 220 rushing yards. That total roughly equals the Falcons' offensive output from all of last year. Jerious Norwood added 93 yards of his own, and the Falcons also set a new record for team rushing yards in a game.

All Matt Ryan did to keep his name in the spotlight was complete a 62-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jenkins on his first NFL passing attempt. First off, I think this may have been the first touchdown pass I have ever witnessed Jenkins catch. I mean, I've seen his stats they say he's caught TDs before. But I always thought it was an urban legend like bigfoot or global warming. Again, I digress. After the touchdown pass, Ryan's celebration looked like a bizarre cross between Tim Tebow and Richard Simmons. Regardless, it was the first signs of excitement at a Falcons game since before Mike Vick was slaughtering animals.

Dawgs win big, Moreno challenges gravity

Georgia torched another mediocre opponent. Fortunately, they didn't drop to 18th in the polls after this one. Knowshon Moreno scored three touchdowns on 168 yards rushing. He also did his best Carl Lewis impression when he hurdled Central Michigan defensive back Vince Agnew during a 26-yard run. Moreno said "it was instinct" that made him jump over another almost upright human being. The usual options are (a) go around defender to the left, (b) go around to the right, (c)plow through said defender, or (d)run out of bounds. Moreno never liked multiple choice tests. Unfortunately, Moreno doensn't play for Florida or USC so he probably won't be considered for the Heisman. The cupcakes have all been eaten on Georgia's schedule and next week's trip to Columbia will be the first real test of just how good this team is. Frankly, I'm sold on the offense. The defense, we'll see...

Tech continues world domination

As I touched on earlier, Georgia Tech continued to prove it's invincibility, crushing Boston College 19-16. Not much to say about this game, other than it was about as entertaining to watch as a seminar on office supplies. Seriously, the ACC should market itself as a weight-loss drug, as it is almost vomit inducing to watch. Wake Forest, the team picked by many to win the conference, needed a last-second field goal to beat Ole Miss, a team that didn't win an SEC game last year and is more known for hot women, upscale tailgating and mint juleps.

Meyer somehow manages to make Miami look classy

Florida coach Urban Meyer is a douche. I know, I could have said that in a much more eloquent, tactful way. But why say 10 words when one sums it up perfectly? After dragging ass through three quarters and letting Miami (hereafter referred to as The U just because I hate Louis Murphy) stick around in The Swamp. Meyer proceeded to run up the score as the game wound down, having the Golden Boy Tebow pad his stats with a deep touchdown pass. Meyer then took whatever class and sportsmanship he had left, crumpled it up, threw it on the ground, and took a giant steaming dump all over it. Already up by 20 points with under a minute to play, Meyer opted to kick a field goal. Ladies in gentlemen, never in NCAA history had Miami been the classier team on the field in any game (note: I do like Randy Shannon and think he is well on his way to turning the Canes around). Meyer is the epitome of sleazy, the Anti-Richt. I hope he has nightmares about the endzone celebration every night and has to call Tebow for a midnight backrub.

Prognostications and Hallucinations

It's Friday, which means it's time for my feeble attempts at picking winners for the weekend's slate of games. Last week, I was 2-2 thanks to Tommy Bowden's yearly meltdown and the fighting Patriots of Oglethorpe County upsetting Athens Christian School.

Hopefully, I get back on track with a perfect week.

First off: Tip of the cap to Bobby Johnson and the Vandy Commodores. Anyone who can make Steve Spurrier turn such a flattering shade of crimson is ok in my book. The Dores played inspired football at home and are sure to resume their role as a major thorn in the SEC's side. Make no mistake Georgia fans. As bad as the Cocks looked last night, Spurrier will have them ready to play when the Dawgs head to Columbia next weekend.

Now, on to the madness.

Central Michigan at No.2 Georgia

I mean, I had a feeling Georgia would be hard pressed to maintain their number one ranking all season. I just didn't think the would lose it following a blowout win. Anyway, I digress. Dan LeFevour, known around the blogosphere as Tebow Lite, leads the Chippewas into Sanford for another non-conference sacrifice. LeFevour led the world in all-purpose yards last year. However, he did so against Miami (OH), Toledo and other perennial football powers.

The Dawgs' defense will continue life without Jeff Owens, but look for Corey Irvin to fill in admirably. Knowshon Moreno should receive more carries this week, regardless of the score. Richt will probably want to get him tuned up for the Gamecocks next week.

We all know Richt is a nice, aw-shucks guy...most of the time. It's time for Evil Richt to return. The Evil Richt that organized a dance party in the end zone in Jacksonville. The Evil Richt that turned Sanford into a sea of black. We need him back. You see...apparently, winning by several touchdowns on a second-rate directional school in your season opener isn't enough. So on Saturday, I hope Richt remembers that. I'm sure Central Michigan's players, coaches, and fans are all fine people. Georgia needs to slaughter them without a shred of mercy on Saturday.

DAWGS 41- Chips 7

Georgia Tech at Boston College

Contrary to popular belief, Hurricane Gustav didn't merely miss New Orleans by chance. In fact, Paul Johnson met the hurricane in the gulf and hurtled it off in to space. You see, Paul Johnson is God. He proved that by thrashing Jacksonville State.

This weekend, the Jackets head to Beantown to face Boston College. Last season, the Eagles were second nationally in run defense. The Jackets are down two starting linebackers. Somehow, the Eagles will defy logic, fate, and theology by slaying Johnson and the Jackets.

Eagles 21- Jackets 10

Miami at No. 5 Florida

The Battle for the War Canoe is going down in The Swamp and it's probably the least interesting edition of this rivalry in years. Miami quarterback Robert Marve is making his first collegiate start in what is widely regarded as the most hostile environment in the country. Miami still has offensive issues to work out.

Percy Harvin returns to the lineup after a heel injury, as does linebacker Brandon Spikes. I do think the experts that have this pegged as a blowout are wrong. The Canes will keep it close for about three quarters, then look for the Gators to pull away.

Gators 35-Canes 21

Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons
The NFL season kicks off its first full slate of games on Sunday. Luckily for us Georgia residents, that means Falcons football. Falcons brass practically threw tickets out the windows of the Georgia Dome in order to make the game a sellout. I predict it will be a patented Arthur Blank Connect-the-Dots Sellout.

As for the action on the field, the Falcons unveil a new...everything. New coach Mike Smith, new tailback Michael Turner and of course, new quarterback Matt Ryan. I have a feeling Ryan might need new shorts after the pounding he's bound to take. Meanwhile, Calvin Johnson looks to make his return to Atlanta memorable. That shouldn't be a problem against the Dirty Birds.

Lions 28-Falcons 13

So how about it folks? What do you think? Am I right? Does anyone care?

Why people kill themselves

Poker is not a sport. That is all.

Let the punditry begin

I shouldn't be surprised. Yet here I am. Dumbfounded.

The coaches have moved Georgia to No. 2 in their Week-2 poll, which means the talking heads at ESPN and all round the country won't be far behind. I know it was hot and I had been drinking, but wasn't that Georgia I saw on Saturday thrashing Georgia Southern 45-21?

Don't get me wrong. I can respect the fact that some people believe USC is a better team than Georgia. In fact, I'm not so sure I don't believe it at this point. But what really sends me hurtling towards a rage-induced coma is the fact that the people who voted USC number one this week voted for Georgia last week. Did someone forget their meds?

All Georgia did was go out and beat the team they were playing like a St. Paul protestor. Sure, GSU scored a couple of touchdowns when the Bulldogs' defensive starters were already on their third Jack and Coke at The Ritz.

Newsflash: MARK RICHT DOESN'T RUN UP THE SCORE.

Most of these coaches probably glanced at the score on the ESPN crawl and came to the half-baked assumption that the Eagles were actually in this game at some point.

My point is that something needs to be done about the way polls are conducted. If you think USC is better than Georgia, that's fine. Like I said, I'm somewhat inclined to agree, although I'm still not convinced. Regardless, nothing this weekend proved USC is better than Georgia. So, Mark Sanchez went to Charlottesville and beat the hell out of Virginia. Pounding an ACC bottom-feeder is hardly world-changing.

Remember voters, Richt isn't Spurrier. He isn't Urban Meyer. He isn't going to hang 74 points on the Our Lady of Mercy Sacrificial Lambs just to soothe his ego. Dear God, I hope the Bulldogs don't let Central Michigan score a touchdown. Mark May and Lou Holthz might have them booted out of the top-25 completely.