Last fall, plenty of people moaned, whined and complained that Georgia had been given an easy path through the Southeastern Conference.  Apparently those folks won’t be able to voice displeasure with the Dawgs’ upcoming schedules.

According to Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity, Mark Richt’s team won’t have to worry about his squad’s strength of schedule in the first year of the new College Football Playoff:

“From our standpoint, the University of Georgia doesn’t have to worry about that in 2014 because our strength of schedule is already off the chart for the next two years.  Who knows what the ’15 schedule will be, but we just know that in ’13 and ’14, the strength of schedule is not an issue here in Athens…

We have an idea of who we’ll play, but we don’t know when we’ll play.  We know it will be a road game because Auburn’s come back here in 2014.  Whoever we play on the West side will be a road game.  It hasn’t been finalized but Destin is when we’re planning to see everything because we’ve all got to move forward with dates, campus dates, homecoming dates and things like that.”

Georgia will host LSU in late-September as its rotating West opponent this year.  Auburn — the Bulldogs’ permanent cross-division rival — will welcome Georgia in mid-November.  UGA will also open the season with a non-conference date at Clemson.

In addition to its SEC slate, Georgia will once again open 2014 season with Clemson, but that game will be at Sanford Stadium.

Business meetings, radio shows, etc, etc… short day.  My apologies.  Here are today’s SEC headlines with an extra touch of bitterness and salt thrown in for spice (’cause I’m already behind due to the start of what looks to be “Expansionpalooza 2012″):

1.  Don’t look now, but the presidents of the Big Ten and the Pac-12 are considering a non-seeded Plus-One postseason plan for college football – just take the two best teams after the bowls, they mean — in order to protect the sanctity of the Rose Bowl.  (Personal take: It’s time for everyone else to tell the Pac-12 and the Big Ten to just go to hell.  The fans of the Midwest and West can watch their beloved Rose Bowl every year.  And everyone else in America can watch a four-team playoff to crown a national champion.  After about two years on the outside looking in — with more and more recruits choosing to go elsewhere — the Big Ten, the Pac-12 and the Rose Bowl would all come begging for entry.  It’s time to play hardball with these self-important twits.  Like this.)

2.  Florida may use two quarterbacks this fall (which only seems to work when you have two completely different styles of quarterback… one runner, one passer).

3.  Aaron Murray tried to make a funny about Georgia wearing pink helmets this fall.  Twitter blew up.  Websites believed what they saw on Twitter leading to further blow-ups.  Then UGA’s quarterback had to backtrack.  (Gotta love that Twitter.)

4.  This writer says retiring Georgia prez Michael Adams should rename Sanford Stadium after Vince Dooley… who he forced out as AD back in 2004.  (I wouldn’t hold my breath.)

5.  Kentucky and Indiana won’t play basketball this season for the first time since 1969-70 and both parties deserve a kick in the rear for being too dumb to compromise on the locations for future games.  (Not stubborn, dumb.)

6.  John Calipari is spinning the move as being good for his players.  (Nonsense.)

7.  UK won’t be playing North Carolina, either.

8.  Sales of season tickets are up for Vanderbilt football.  (Another positive sign for the Commodores.)

9.  Mississippi State’s offensive line will have to be ready to pass protect with a less mobile Tyler Russell behind center.

10.  Texas A&M’s board of regents has given president R. Bowen Loftin the power to negotiate a buyout with AD Bill Byrne.

11.  Aggie hoopster Kourtney Roberson has been granted a medical hardship waiver and will have three years of basketball left to play.

It’s probably not unusual for Uga to relieve himself upon Sanford Stadium’s famous hedges.  That stadium is his house, after all.  But you wouldn’t expect to see a visiting bulldog pull off that stunt.

Especially not a human Bulldog from Mississippi State.

During Saturday’s 24-10 loss to Georgia, MSU defensive back Nickoe Whitley relieved himself into the famed shrubbery during the game.  (Will UGA now have to track down Roger the Shrubber?)  Embarrassing?  Yes.  A heinous act of poor sportsmanship?  No.

When a guy’s gotta go, a guy’s gotta go.  And the hedges were right there.

At least Whitley didn’t micturate on a rug.  (NSFW)

1.  Gerald Christian is moving from offense to linebacker at Florida this spring.

2.  Will Muschamp is looking for consistency from receiver Andre Debose.

3.  Georgia’s Bruce Figgins is moving from tight end to fullback.

4.  Figgins says the 2007 Sugar Bowl win over Hawaii “seems like forever ago.”

5.  Here’s a peek at how Sanford Stadium’s new video scoreboard will look.

6.  Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton had a good first day of spring practice…

7.  But true freshman Maxwell Smith is expected to push him.

8.  Marcus Lattimore wants to build on last year’s success at South Carolina.

9.  Ellis Johnson is shaking things up in the Cocks’ secondary.

10.  Signee Kevin Ware — who wanted out of Tennessee after the Bruce Pearl firing — now says “as long as they hire a good coach I can trust, I’ll want to be at Tennessee.”

11.  There is no formula for finding the right coach.

12.  UT’s young receivers say “it’s time to step up.”

13.  Prentiss Waggner is “cool” with switching from safety to corner.

Now here’s a surprise.  The Georgia Athletic Association today decided to pass on an opportunity to raise ticket prices for this year’s Georgia-Florida football game.

In December, Florida’s athletic board — and McGarity’s old boss Jeremy Foley — voted to raise the price of UF-UGA tickets by $10 a pop.  It was assumed Georgia wouldn’t turn down cash and McGarity wouldn’t disagree with his old boss.  But they and he did.

“It takes two of us to tango, so to speak,” McGarity told the board.  Wonder what Jeremy Foley thought about that decision?

Instead of exploring a price hike this year, McGarity did say that he will present a proposal in May regarding a ticket price hike for 2012.

Surprising.

In other news, UGA decided today to spend about $1.4 million to make improvements to the video board at Sanford Stadium.

The University of Georgia Athletic Association’s board of directors is scheduled to meet this afternoon in Athens.  As always, money is the key issue — as in how to raise it and where to spend it.

The board is expected to discuss plans for renovating the main video screen at Sanford Stadium.  The video board debuted in 2005, but new technology could be used to create a clearer, brighter picture for fans.

Also on the docket is an increase in the cost of game tickets to the World’s Largest Outdo… wait… the Georgia-Florida football game.  Florida’s athletic board approved a $10 increase in ticket price back in December.  Now Georgia’s board must agree.  Seeing as how new UGA AD Greg McGarity was until recently the right hand man to UF AD Jeremy Foley, you can guess that your ticket prices for that game will be rising, fans.

The board will be on hand to witness the grand opening of a $33 million project the group okayed a few years back.  Georgia’s renovated and expanded Butts-Mehre Heritage Hall football complex will get the ribbon-cutting treatment this afternoon. 

The expanded facility will feature a 12,000-square foot strength and conditioning area, an 8,500-square-foot athletic training area with four therapy pools as well as new offices and a new player lounge.

For those who have it lying around, 33-mil can still go a long way. 

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An Alabama Fan Gets A Taste of Good Clean Old-Fashioned Hate

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It’s Week 14… also known as “Championship Week!”  The conferences that have championship games will be staging them, and the conferences that don’t have championship games will still have their champions decided this week… hence the moniker.  And, in the midst of all this Championship Week celebration, the Georgia Bulldogs and their fans will be… 

…

Well, then.  Moving along…

I normally post this segment on Sunday afternoon or Sunday evening, but I was beset with some kind of odd viral illness that both kept me from attending the game and from doing much of anything this weekend other than lying in bed drooling and reading one of the greatest 19th century novels of all time on my Kindle.  As a result, I was unable to post my weekly missive in a timely manner.  I do apologize for the tardiness. 

I’m from the “Better late than never” camp, though, when it comes to turning in homework… so I’m letting the following people know that, for Championship Week, You’re on notice, dawg!

This week’s honorees (in no particular order), are:

1) Michael Adams – Why Michael Adams?  Because he’s a jerk, has stolen money from and is a disaster for University, and everybody that has ever worked with him hates him. Plus, I have it from a very authoritative source inside the UGA administration that he spent the entire 24 hours after the Georgia Tech game in the futile pursuit of garnering an invitation to either the International Bowl (in Toronto) or the Pinstripe Bowl (in NYC).  He was overheard to have said loudly, “But I can’t stand comfortable weather in December!  I want to see some snow, dangit!”

2) The Yellow Jacket Juke – There has been some disagreement regarding the proper tactical response to this play.  I must admit that, for my part, I also considered the term, “Bumblebee Belly-flop” when naming this maneuver, but I wanted to make sure I respected the Techsters by using the correct nomenclature to refer to their mascot.

With about 1:40 left in the game, Georgia took the sportsmanship route and kneeled the ball on the Golden Tornado 20-yard-line.  Paul Johnson immediately used his last timeout to stop the clock, and the Georgia bench responded by saying, “Ok, you want to call a timeout?  We’ll just go ahead and score, then.” The Georgia Tech defense then performed their version of the Florida Flop. 

Tactically, it might have been a sound play.  Of course, tactically, it might also have been a sound play to get Washaun Ealey to run 10 yards and take a knee.  Of course, tactically, it was probably also the correct call for Han Solo to bribe Greedo instead of shooting him first (which he did).  But men don’t do these things.  Men say, “You want me to score?  Thank you.  I will then go for two, followed by an onside kick, both of which I will successfully convert.  Then I will score another touchdown before the game ends.”  Personally, I think we let them off too easy by just scoring one touchdown.

I feel strangely compelled to post this picture now.

But, then again, I was confident in our victory Saturday night.  In fact, throughout the entire game, I was supremely confident that the Bulldogs would come out victorious.  From the moment Georgia muffed the opening kickoff over to Tech to the moment Georgia scored a touchdown in the 4th quarter and our fans started shouting, “What the **** is he doing?” I was supremely confident.  As soon as Georgia scored first, I told Mrs. VineyardDawg, “Well, that’s it.  We’re going to win!” and never looked back.  Even when the game got really close near the end, I never wavered in my supreme faith that Georgia would finally win their first close game in 2010.*

* – These statements are such huge lies that, while typing them, my pants spontaneously combusted and my nose started growing at the same time.

3) The contact lenses worn by the ACC officiating crew in Sanford Stadium – I have a couple of friends who referee games in sports other than football, and out of respect for them, I will not poor-mouth the officials in charge of Saturday night’s game.  The contact lenses those referees were wearing, though, left a lot to be desired in their work.

I know the referees can only perform as well as their equipment allows them to, so I want to know what exactly those contact lenses were doing in the 2nd quarter when, on a 3rd down play, Kris Durham clearly landed on the 4 yard line, only to have the referees spot the ball a good 2 feet short of where he actually landed.  Then, on the ensuing 4th & about a foot play, Aaron Murray performed a QB sneak that gained at least a yard, and the ball was spotted by the referees virtually right on top of the line of scrimmage.

I found it also very interesting that the ESPN telecast showed exactly zero replays of both of these downs.  Perhaps the referees and the ESPN crew were sharing a pair of contact lenses between them?  And while we’re talking about ESPN…

4) ESPN – A company that calls itself the “Worldwide Leader in Sports” should seriously be able to do a better job at producing the games that we see week in and week out. I mean, it’s better than Fox Sports’ BCS coverage, but if that ain’t damning with faint praise, I don’t know what is.  The pictures are fantastic and awesome and poppin’ fresh and all that, but some of us like to hear words that, you know, make sense to go with the pictures.

And, to be fair, there’s a fairly large drop-off from their best two broadcast teams to the likes of Mark Jones and Bob Davie.  But when a play-by-play announcer calls Bacarri Fudge Rambo “one of the most improved players they’ve had on defense this year,” he’s either talking about Georgia Tech or he doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about. And then they don’t even talk about major plays that, you know, were in dispute, and you know, could have completely changed the outcome of the game.  But, no, I’m sure there’s some witty remark  you could be bringing up instead about your years at Notre Dame that’s far more important right now.

Step it up, Worldwide Leader.  You can do better.

5) The South Carolina Gamecocks – Great job in dispatching an inferior ACC rival.  Now come on boys.  (crosses fingers)  We believe in you… you can do it!

(Ok, so maybe we don’t necessarily believe you can do it.  We will be cheering for you, though, when this Saturday rolls around, so please go out there and ruin Cheater Auburn University’s dream season-to-be-vacated, ok?)

6) The Boise State Broncos – Damn.  Just damn.  You guys couldn’t do us just this one solid, could you?  I hope we beat you little kids by about 50 next year (though I know you’re just as likely to beat us).  And I’m laughing right now that all the “Big Boys” in your new “Big Boy Conference” have officially deserted you.  Enjoy your new WAC, Broncos.

See ya real soon.

7) The SMU Mustangs – I know it’s equally likely (possibly more so) that we we end up paired off in the Liberty Bowl with the Golden Knights of the University of Central Florida.  I’m far more interested, though, in the ramifications of matching up with the Mustangs from Dallas.

You see, this would be a great matchup for us.  Not only have we had a significant amount of experience in beating programs who are huge historical cheaters (4 out of the last 5 years, in fact), but we also have some recent experience in beating very successful teams who are coached by June Jones.

Ok, I admit that I only added SMU so I could post this picture.  Excuse me for a moment while I lose myself in a happier time…

8) Students with Tickets – By the time the TV cameras panned up to the student section in the 2nd quarter, I patted myself on the back somewhat, because the student section looked about 75% full, which is not great, but good, and I like to think I had some small part in that effort.  Then Josh Weiss has to go and post the following picture, which quite clearly shows upper deck student section as being 90% empty, and about 5 minutes before the team actually ran onto the field. (You might have to click on the picture to see the full-size version.)

For shame, UGA students… for shame.  I might have expected (and received) a turnout like this for Idaho State, or Vanderbilt… but in the season ender against Georgia Tech?  That’s just inexcusable.  

I know many students will wail and gnash their teeth when Greg McGarity reduces the size of the student section by about 50% in 2011… but if he does so, you have no one to blame but yourselves.

Well, we’re done until bowl season rolls around, but until then I’ll be looking forward to an improved 2011 and yelling…

Go Dawgs!

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As always, this is your friendly reminder that I am scheduled to call in to John Frary’s sports talk show on ESPN Radio 1420 out of St. Augustine during the 7:11 commercial break this evening; please tune in if you can.

I also want to extend my thanks to Josh D. Weiss, who was gracious enough to permit Dawg Sports to post some of his excellent sports photography from Saturday night’s game in Sanford Stadium. Be sure to check out more of the great shots he got of the game here after you have taken a gander at these:

While I’m at it, here is this week’s drive chart for the 2010 edition of Clean Old-Fashioned Hate:

FULL SCREEN VERSION

Animated Drive Chart brought to you by Gameday Depot.

Finally, I received an e-mail this morning from the Blogger Who Came In From the Cold, who offered the following observation:

Following a lackluster 1979 season (6-5) the head football coaching job at the Alma Mater of the Georgia Football Coach (Auburn/Dooley) came open. The Georgia coach chose not to take it and won a National Title the next year.

This year following a lackluster season (6-6) the head football coaching job at the Alma Mater of the Georgia Football Coach (Miami/Richt) came open. If Richt chooses not to take it, I am making my reservations in New Orleans for January 2012.

Herschel, by my reckoning, still has one year of college eligibility left. Just sayin’

Go ‘Dawgs!

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Following a slow start against an overmatched opponent, the Georgia Bulldogs used a trio of interception returns, a 35-point second quarter, and 450 yards of total offense to card an easy victory over Division I-AA Idaho State on a sunny yet chilly afternoon in Sanford Stadium. As has been the case in each of the Bulldogs’ five wins this season, the Red and Black never trailed in a turnover-free 55-7 romp.

Accordingly, it is my pleasure this evening to report that the Mark Richt Victory Watch now stands at 95, placing the Georgia skipper 106 wins shy of tying Vince Dooley for the all-time school record. With 127 games under his belt, Mark Richt sports a 95-32 record and a .748 winning percentage. At the same point in their respective careers, Wally Butts stood at 86-34-7 and .705, while Vince Dooley was 82-40-5 with a .665 winning percentage.

Go ‘Dawgs!