football Archive

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Football: UGA abused? To the contrary.

– December 4, 2009Posted in: Mike Flynn

The eight month death march to August begins. Sure we have a few bowl games, state playoffs and an outside shot of getting the Falcons to the postseason, but August represents new hope for the local high school programs and the Bulldogs. In the meantime, we will have to find something to distract us.

Let’s start with PETA.

Do these people have a clue? In case you missed this one, this organization of geniuses wants the University of Georgia to replace UGA VII with an electronic dog replica because it would be “more humane.” If anyone from PETA is reading this, let me tell you a story of my youth.

When I was 12 or so, I would often go to Georgia games with my parents and their friends. We would spend the night at “The Georgia Cente.” I always got to sleep on one of those rollaway beds with the comfortable spring in the spine.

Often on the Sunday morning after the game, the Seilers, owners of the UGA line, would ask me and my friend Clark Carter to walk UGA III. They would give us the key to his room and tell us to go upstairs and bring down the dog.

That’s right; I said the key to UGA’s hotel room. I slept on a cot; UGA had his own room. No kidding.

Not to mention the dog gets sideline access, a very nice dog house and is adored by the Georgia cheerleaders. That sounds like a humane existence to me.

So tonight I am going to sear some steaks and eat some mammal in honor of UGA VII. After all, People Eating Tasty Animals is only natural.

THE TIGER SAGA

Same old story. Man learns to drive and putt. Man wins the Masters. Man marries the hot Swedish nanny. Man has a globetrotting affair with a nightclub hostess. Man finds out his Swedish wife is also pretty good with a pitching wedge.

I am wondering what type of endorsements Elin Nordegren might get now.

Of course, there’s Lee Press-On Nails. “If you really want to claw out the eyes of out your cheating husband, use Lee Press-On Nails.”

The exclusive development near Orlando where the couple resides could use the slogan, “Live here and you won’t even get arrested after your trailer trash blow ups.”

On Sunday morning, the media was making a huge deal about two golf clubs being found in the drive way. Duh … Stevie obviously told Elin that the nine iron was too much club and she opted for loft when smashing out the car windows.

There really is a good lesson in all of this for you youngsters. If you want to be untouchable by the Florida State Patrol, learn to drive a golf ball 350 yards.

Don’t laugh, State troopers visited the happy home the day after the incident to interview Tiger and Elin. An agent told the troopers neither was available for comment and to “come back tomorrow.” Hmmm … I wonder if that will work for me the next time I am pulled over for speeding in Florida.

“Sorry officer. I am just not available to take this ticket. Would you like to talk to my agent?”

What is Your Opinion?

Tags: college football, football
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ASU Football: McKenna MVP, 8 Rams named to All-SIAC team

– December 3, 2009Posted in: Sports

Albany State University quarterback A.J. McKenna has been named the SIAC’s most valuable player and offensive player of the year. McKenna is one of four Golden Rams named to the 2009 All-SIAC football team.

Also named to the first team are running back Demetrice Johnson, offensive lineman Joseph Ephrem and defensive back Mario Fuller. Albany State, Fort Valley State University and Tuskegee University led the all-conference team, which is selected by the SIAC Football Coaches Association, with eight players each. Named to the SIAC’s Second Team were wide receiver Ronnie Childs, defensive lineman Joshua Ingram, defensive back Jonathan Armstrong and kicker Juan Bongarra.

McKenna, a senior from Scranton, Pa., led the Golden Rams to an 8-3 overall record and an NCAA Division II playoff berth. McKenna led the ASU “Gold Rush” offense with 2,355 yards of total offense. In 11 games, he has passed for 2,027 yards, completing 154 of 288 passes for 19 touchdowns and rushed for 328 yards on 92 carries for a touchdown.

Johnson, who was a candidate for the 2009 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year, recorded 859 rushing yards on 171 carries for 15 touchdowns and caught 30 receptions for 446 yards and five touchdowns during his senior campaign. The senior from Thomson, Ga. also had 332 yards on 19 kick returns for the Rams. Johnson was also named to the 2009 Daktronics All-Super Region Two Second Team.

Fuller, a junior from Jesup, Ga., led the ASU “Dirty Blue” defense with 67 tackles (50 solo) with 11.5 for a loss. He had 10 pass breakups and four interceptions for 67 yards, and returned a fumble for a touchdown. Fuller was also named to the 2009 Daktronics All-Super Region Two Second Team.

A junior from Troy, IL, Ephrem was a key anchor of the ASU offensive line, which helped the ASU offense to 3,817 total offensive yards, including 2,136 passing and 1,681 rushing yards. The Rams averaged 347 offensive yards per game.

Childs, a junior from Manchester, Ga., caught 36 receptions for 529 yards and three touchdowns; and Ingram, a junior from Milledgeville, Ga., recorded 32 tackles (14 solo) four sacks, two quarterback hurries, an interception and a forced fumble. Armstrong, a senior from Savannah, recorded 48 tackles (28 solo), three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and an interception and a forced fumble. Bongarra, a senior from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was 10 for 18 in field goals and recorded 3,870 yards on 61 kicks for the Golden Rams.

By Edythe Bradley

Tags: asu, football
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Gridiron season comes to an end

– December 3, 2009Posted in: Headlines

Another high school football season has ended in metro Albany. But it was a season that closed in heartbreaking fashion for one local team.

Last week, the Deerfield-Windsor Knights tried to become the first local squad to win back-to-back state championships. But the George Walton Bulldogs of Monroe brought a potential celebration to a halt, as they ended the 2009 season the same way they started it: with a win over the Knights.

This time, the Bulldogs downed the Knights 42-24 to win the GISA Class AAA state title. The loss ended D-W’s season at 12-3. The setback also snapped the Knights 11-game winning streak. In the first game of the season in late August, George Walton defeated Deerfield 16-6.

While the Knights will lose only eight seniors from the 2009 squad, the loss of one player in particular — Tony Zenon — will especially be felt, as he played his final game in a Deerfield uniform last Friday. Don’t be surprised to see Zenon play college football somewhere — likely no lower than the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision level — next season.

In the last two seasons, Deerfield has compiled a combined record of 24-5, including a state championship in 2008.

Quick Hitters: Our final “Quick Hitters” section of the season has some ideas from the Georgia High School Football Daily e-mail newsletter on how the reclassifications of the local regions in the Georgia High School Association might turn out between 2010 and 2014.

Without further ado, here’s how those regions might turn out, with schools in the Albany Journal coverage area marked in bold type. Keep in mind that these are not projections, says the GHSF Daily.

REGION 1-AAAA: Bainbridge, Hardaway, Harris County, Lee County, Northside (Columbus) and Thomas County Central.

REGION 1-AAA: Americus-Sumter, Cairo, Crisp County, Dougherty, Monroe, Westover and Worth County.

REGION 1-AA: Albany, Berrien, Brooks County, Early County, Fitzgerald and Thomasville.

According to the GHSA web site, the reclassification committee met today to place schools in each region statewide. The overall reclassification process will be finalized on Jan. 12, 2010.

For more information about — or to subscribe to — the Georgia High School Football Daily newsletter via e-mail, visit www.google.com enter “Georgia High School Football Daily” as the keywords.

Sources: Georgia High School Association — www.ghsa.net

Georgia High School Football Historians Association — www.ghsfha.org

On the Web: High School Football Recap Online —southwestgafootball.wordpress.com

Tags: football, high school football
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As the football world passes by our city

– December 3, 2009Posted in: Sports

As Lightning to the Children eased

With explanation kind

The truth must dazzle gradually

Or every man be blind-

– Emily Dickinson/ Poem 1129

Watching over decades of football wars and school crises has taught me important lessons in life. If you are satisfied with your position then you are already dead and if you think yourself important you are correct in that assumption if you only count yourself.

As a youngster, numbers and statistics always fascinated me. How many, what kind, how old, how young, etc. etc.

Populations and associated factors of probability and statistics tantalized me through college. As a math challenged person I cringed at algebra and trig through high school and college.

Yet the pages of statistics and functions in college sucked me into a vampirism grasp with the ease of a baby and his bottle. The numbers do not lie! Give me the numbers and you can open the mysteries of the universe.

God Almighty used numbers when he laid out the corners of the universe and placed the stars in the sky. God’s quantum physics calculated the size of the star and its gravity. The nuclear fires that raged within; how long the star would burn and how big of an explosion the star produced at its death.

It’s all in the numbers. The numbers tell the tale of success or failure. And the latest numbers from the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) aren’t good for the Albany schools.

From Big to Small and Smaller

Back in the 1970s, Dougherty High was one of the state’s largest high schools and Westover wasn’t far behind. Albany High and Monroe were respectable compared to other schools in the state in terms of enrollment.

In 2009, the numbers tell a different story. Dougherty has dropped from being one of Georgia’s largest high schools to No. 260 on the list of schools in the latest enrollment rankings. Dougherty counts only 885 students in grades 9-12.

In the 1981 classification, Dougherty had 1,476 students in grades 10-12. If the ninth grade had been added to that count, the school would have counted nearly 2,000 students. You can see where Dougherty’s enrollment is heading and down, down, down is the trend.

The county had four public high schools in those days and still has four today, so new schools are dividing the enrollment. A count of four high schools totaled 5,531 students in the high schools in 1981 and 4,050 in 2009. That’s a loss of more than 1,500 students.

Enrollment drops and fewer students mean smaller schools, fewer faculties and less chance for better faculty with specialized background. It also means sports programs suffer from losses of the number of playing athletes.

It’s Not Only in Albany

Valdosta High was dropped from AAAAA down to AAAA for the first time, but the school board there is appealing for the Wildcats to stay in AAAAA sports. Three Warner Robins schools – Northside, Warner Robins and Houston County – are all dropping into AAAA from AAAAA because a new high school (Veterans High) opens in 2010 and will ease crowding at the other three schools.

Americus-Sumter drops to AAA while Westside-Macon also moves down to AAA from AAAA. Worth County stays in AAA, but has only six schools separating them from AA, beginning with Pike County with 1,014 students.

The numbers for the smallest classification, A, start at Bremen High with 522 students. North Georgia high schools are growing so large it skews the numbers all across the GHSA classifications lists. Thirty years ago, half the schools in Class A would have been in AA and half the Class AA schools today would have been AAA 30 years ago.

Private Schools Dominate GHSA Class A

Georgia Independent Schools Association (GISA) schools are flocking to the GHSA every year. Deerfield-Windsor is a longtime GISA member, but they will lose some common opponents this year as both First Presbyterian of Macon and George Walton move to the GHSA. Strong Rock Academy (Sherwood Christian played them this year) also moves to the GHSA, along with Pinecrest Academy – another Deerfield-Windsor opponent.

Deerfield-Windsor and Sherwood Christian may also find themselves looking for GHSA membership in the future as they run out of opponents on the athletic fields. The real shame is that Deerfield and Sherwood are getting to the point of being able to compete with most of the schools in the GHSA in Class A, where they would be classified.

Deerfield is already in the top 20 percent of GHSA in my humble opinion. I have seen the other teams in class A and I really stand behind my opinion on that subject.

Many Class A schools carry less than 30 football players on their squads and D-W carried more than 50 on their team this year. They have the depth and talent and the ability to draw the talent to make them competitive in the GHSA. Sherwood is also on their way to the same level in the future.

Sonny-Lofton-002By: Sonny Lofton. Albany natve Sonny Lofton is a veteran broadcaster and writer. He co-hosts the “Frank and Sonny” show from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Thurday on WWVO The Voice FM-90.7.

Tags: football
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DWS Knights: Outside the box

– November 25, 2009Posted in: Sports

Box? What box?

As the Deerfield-Windsor School Knights prepared for their semifinal championship game against the Pinecrest Paladins, Bobby Joiner (thank you) came in and delivered the pre-game devotion. And what a devotion it was. Bobby discussed and shared scripture relating to being able to play “outside the box.” One needs to be able to get out of his comfort zone and take on the challenges that meet him and see what the world has to offer. When you have Christ on your side as a believer, you can rest assured the battles will not be fought alone. Be confident in your steps. Bobby read scripture from the Book of John.

Bobby gave some neat descriptions of us living in a “box,” if you will, while developing for birth. Then, after being born, we are placed in a crib. After the crib comes the play pen. Then we had the backyard. Then we go to school and college. Now, during this process, were you the kid that looked through the bars of the crib wanting to know what else was out there? Which one of you were in the play pen, not content with the toys in it, but wanting to know what was out there? When you got to the back yard, were you one of those looking over the fence or hedge, wanting to know what else was there to offer out there? Did you want out of the box?

The unknown can be scary to some. But to others, it is an adventure every day. Being confident enough to step outside that comfort zone takes some courage. Most want to stay in the “safe zone.” Those that step out are the ones that can make a difference. Several DWS players stepped outside the box and had fun playing out there last night.

As the game began, DWS knocked the side off of their “box” on their first offensive play, as Zenon goes 70 yards for a TD on play No. 1. DWS’ “swarming little guy DEFENSE” did a great job with three plays and out and the offense took the field once again. The econd play of this possession saw Zenon knock another side off of the “box” and go for another TD of about 50 yards. Before you can even warm your seat or get comfortable, DWS is up 13-0. Defense played well again, but we give up a field goal. Offense takes the field with great confidence. On the second play of this possession, Reggie Brown knocks the top off the “box” and catches a 70-yard TD pass from Banks Kinslow. Another “box”-flattening score from Quinton Adkins and the game is out of hand. Tony adds yet another score. And then J Webb adds the finishing touches late in the game. What “box?”

Now who all played outside that box last night? As I sat perched in the “box” above the stadium on the headsets, I would have to say every player that took the field at Webb Memorial played outside of the ”box.” Every Friday night, more young guys begin to believe and they take that step to see, “what else is out there?” Be strong and confident and take that step. It sure is comforting and reassuring when you have our Creator on your side.

Next step is George Walton. No stranger to DWS. I think our “box” has been flattened and we will play above our normal ability next Friday night and REPEAT as State Champs!

Thanks coaching staff for having the Knights prepared to step “out of their box.” No better staff anywhere! Only one more week to go. Prepare. Persevere. Perform. Play. Have fun!

Go Knights! Defend! Repeat!

Let’s talk again after we win state!

By Bubba Ivey

Tags: dws, football, prep football
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DWS Coaching decisions key to Knights’ run

– November 16, 2009Posted in: Sports

Just how far have the Deerfield-Windsor Knights come since that stormy August night that started the 2009 campaign?

Last Friday, we learned the answer to that question. The Knights advanced to the state semifinals with a 35-21 victory over First Presbyterian Day. This was the best game played by any DWS team since last season’s upset of Tattnall Square in the state semifinals.

Every facet of the game was well managed, and extremely well coached. Head coach Allen Lowe designed and executed a brilliant game plan. With his starting quarterback Banks Kinslow sideline in the Knight’s opening round contest against Mount Vernon, Lowe unveiled a Wildcat formation with star tailback Tony Zenon getting the direct snap.

A good chess move as FPD came into the second round contest crowding the line dedicated to containing the lighting. Even still, Zenon scorched them for two touchdown dashes of 51 and 57 yards, and gained 162 in total.

Incidentally, Lowe never used the Wildcat set against FPD. He showed it to them on film, then in the week between rounds, went back to basics. For his part, Kinslow played a gutsy game on a tender knee. With the Vikings crowding the line he threw for 118 yards and two touchdowns, and carried the ball five times on the Knight’s 86-yard, six minute drive. Twice he dove for fourth down conversions to keep the drive going.

An offense that has become very dependent on those bolts that leave 10 offensive players and the stands watching in amazement while No. 1 streaks away from 11 defenders chasing a ghost, turned into a physical grunt and push ball control team. Fullback Quinton Adkins slammed into the middle. Justin Webb jetted off tackle. Kinslow dove. Zenon from the eye. Run after run after run. The crack of the pads, then let’s do it again.

On the final play of the drive, the Knights lined up on the 15. Kinslow set Zenon in motion then took the snap. Zenon swooped by for the handoff. The Vikings chased the ghost. When Kinslow pulled the ball away from Lightning the entire FPD defense had already committed, and he hit a wide open Webb in the middle of the end zone to break the back of the Vikings.

Which brings me to excellent coaching job, phase two.

At the DWS prep rally on Friday, assistant coach Craig Rhodes called Zenon and junior tackle Trent Brown out in front of the student body.

Then he began to read quotes posted by FPD players on the Vent web site. He turned to Zenon and said “they say you don’t like getting hit.” The students went nuts. Zenon just grinned.

Next Rhodes turned to Brown.

At 6’8” and 285 pounds, Brown has all the tools to be the greatest player to ever suit up in the GISA. If he would apply himself he could play for any D-1 college in the country, and if he really dug deep he could play on Sundays.

His tools are that good. He just needs some help getting those tools out of the box and putting them to use. It has been a struggle to make the big fella understand exactly what he could do if properly motivated. Or it was, until Rhodes saw that post on the Vent.

Looking up at Brown, Rhodes poked him and said, “They said you are soft and slow!” The student body went nuts. Brown did not grin. For five long days he had seen that quote posted on bulletin boards, lockers and doors. The jabs emerged on the Monday prior to the FPD game, and that afternoon at practice a DWS coach was riding the seven man sled while Brown was firing out. The coach kept yelling, “They think you are soft!”

Brown would rattle the sled. Then again. “They think you are slow!” Brown had heard enough. He unloaded a forearm on the sled lifting it off the ground and breaking the steel bracing which holds the padding. The sled fell to the ground as the coaching staff and team stood silent in awe.

Rhodes had found his button.

Friday night, after five days of hearing it, Brown came out of his shell. Prior to a crucial third and long for the Vikings, defensive coach Rod Murray put the big guy in the game. Middle linebacker Rhett Cooper had been working overtime chasing down two big FPD running backs, but found the strength to start screaming in Brown’s face. Then another Knight did the same. Then another.

FPD broke the huddle. Brown lined up at nose guard. When the ball was snapped he exploded through a 6’2” 230 pound center, lifting his feet off the ground like he was a paper doll and carried him backwards as fast as the signal caller could retreat. Rather than be smothered by more than 600 pounds of beef, the FPD quarterback rushed his throw to the flat, and Webb was there to intercept.

Then came those critical fourth-down conversions on that 86-yard march. Each time, Lowe moved Brown from tackle down to guard, allowing the hobbled Kinslow to take the snap and follow the big guy forward.

Judging from the way this team played against FPD and the way the coaches put the right players in the right spots at the right time, the Knights have come far enough to turn that talent rich but raw team into a complete unit, and the squad to beat in the Georgia Independent School Association.

By Mike Flynn

Tags: dws, football, high school football, prep football
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ASU Johnson national finalist

– November 9, 2009Posted in: Headlines, Sports

An Albany State University football player will compete for the 2009 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II College Football Player of the Year. Demetrice Johnson, a Golden Rams running back, is one of 24 candidates that were announced by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee. The list of candidates includes six players from each of the four Division II Super Regionals.

A phenomenal offensive powerhouse and key anchor of the Golden Rams “Gold Rush” offense, Johnson recorded 718 rushing yards on 140 carries for 14 touchdowns in nine games during his senior campaign at Albany State. He averages 79.8 yards per game with a long rush of 50 yards. Also an outstanding receiver, Johnson has caught 26 receptions for 410 yards and five touchdowns, with a long reception of 61 yards. He averages 45.6 reception yards per game. On kick returns, Johnson has 248 yards on 15 returns, an average of 16.5 yards per return.

Johnson currently leads the SIAC and is third in the nation in scoring/scoring TDs with 19 touchdowns for 114 points. He is second in the conference and 19th in the nation in all-purpose yards with 1,376 yards, an average of 152.9 yards per game. Johnson is ranked sixth in the SIAC and 56th in the nation in rushing. He is tied for sixth place in the SIAC in reception yards per game and is eighth in receptions per game.

In three seasons as a Golden Ram, Johnson has 1,512 rushing yards on 294 carries for 25 touchdowns, and has caught 55 receptions for 626 yards and seven touchdowns. He has recorded 1,487 yards on 63 kickoff returns with one touchdown. Johnson has scored 216 points on 36 touchdowns for the Golden Rams.

The winner of the 2009 award will be announced at the 24th annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on Dec. 11.

By Edythe Bradley

Tags: asu, college football, football
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McKenna is nominee for national award

– November 5, 2009Posted in: Sports

Albany State University quarterback A.J. McKenna is one of four nominees for a national football fan poll award, presented by the Heritage Sports Radio Network. McKenna was selected for the football fan poll National Player of the Week award for his outstanding performance against the Morehouse College Maroon Tigers on Saturday.

McKenna passed for 273 yards, completing 22 of 34 passes, for two touchdowns to lead the Golden Rams to 30-12 victory over the Maroon Tigers. The senior from Scranton, Pa., and the “Gold Rush” offense racked up 367 yards of total offense on the day.

HSRN honors the top-performances on the gridiron for Division I FCS and Division II each week. To add to the excitement, fans across the country can get into the action by casting votes for the player they think had the top performance in HBCU football. Other Division II nominees are Travis Robinson of Shaw University, Terry Griffin of Elizabeth City State University, and Nathaniel Samas of Fort Valley State University.

Thanks to Albany State University football fans, Golden Rams kicker Juan Bongarra was named two weeks earlier as HSRN’s national player of the week. In the Albany State-Clark Atlanta University game on Oct. 17, Bongarra kicked a 35-yard field goal to tie the game at 26 points as the game time expired, forcing overtime play for the Golden Rams and Panthers. The Panthers kicked a field goal in overtime, but the Rams scored a touchdown to win the game, 32-29. Bongarra scored eight total points for the Rams, including a 23-yard field goal and two PATs.

Tags: asu, football, Sports
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More confesions of a Gator hater

– November 4, 2009Posted in: Mike Flynn

Ah … hate mail from some Gators. Life is good.

Apparently my column last week aggravated a few Florida fans. Below in italic are some excerpts of two love letters followed by my sincere response.

I am writing in response to your disgraceful and disparaging column about Tim Tebow and The University of Florida. If you had a brain you might be able to recognize and appreciate excellence. Since you do not have this capacity, let me educate you.

After Saturday’s 41-17 victory over your precious Bulldogs, Tim Tebow now holds the SEC record for rushing touchdowns. A record formerly held by whom? Funny, but I cannot remember the name of that guy.

And yes the score was 41-17. Did I mention that The University of Florida won? A university that has produced two Nobel laureates, seven ambassadors, nine senators, 44 federal judges, 39 members of the House of Representatives, 18 generals, and seven astronauts. The university has won two national titles with Tim Tebow, and we appear to be on track to win a third. So snipe away ignorant one.

Now that makes me mad! How could we shoot seven astronaut Gators into space and be stupid enough to let them return to Earth? I want to know who made that decision. I am writing NASA right now. That was a missed opportunity!

The writer also left a few people off the list of notable Gators. People like Susan Stanton, former city manager in Largo, Florida and, according to Wikipedia, a transsexual activist. Then there is the original evil one himself, Steve Spurrier.

Since he is now at South Carolina, the visor is bearable, but he will never be likeable. Another fan writes:

How did you enjoy the game? I certainly liked it! I really liked the part where your quarterbacks kept throwing the ball to our defenders. That was such an interesting strategy. Now you have 364 days to swallow your bitter opinion. Maybe you’ll choke on it. I wonder if you hate all the teams that own Georgia. It is getting hard to count them, but so far this year that would be Oklahoma State, LSU, Tennessee and now FLORIDA. Am I missing anyone? Oh yeah … Auburn and Tech by season’s end.

To be honest, Florida is my host hated. Auburn would be second, but I like the Tigers every day except game day. There has never been a day that I liked the Gators, and now I have to hold my nose and pull for Alabama to give the Gators the beat down they deserve since the Tide is the only team between them and the national nausea of another Florida title.

It is easy to dislike the Gators with players like the eye-gouging Brandon Spikes, and a classy coach like Meyer. After all, the brave coach did the unthinkable and suspended his linebacker for … gasp … the entire first half of the Vandy game for his effort to take out the eyes … literally … of one of our running backs. Now that’s class.

Deep down, I know Georgia will eventually be back on top of this rivalry. Their quarterback is graduating, NFL teams are starting to sniff around their coach, and there is always the possibility we will learn to play defense between now and next October. Until then we’ll just have to keep the memory of Lindsey Scott streaking down the sideline playing over and over to wash away the events of Saturday.

“Run Lindsey … Lindsey Scott … Lindsey Scott … I broke my chair.”

I feel better already.

(Column) By Mike Flynn

Tags: football
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Does Tebow compare to Hershel Walker?

– October 30, 2009Posted in: Sports

Recently, a debate erupted at a football-watching party.

Some argued that despite his school affiliation, they can respect Tim Teabag the player, and person. That is a mature, reasonable stance. It is also hogwash!

Every announcer in the business tries to convince viewers that The Bagger is the greatest player and person to ever slither onto the scene. He is so untouchable that no game official would throw a flag on him even when he reverts to his natural position of male cheerleader and dances all over the field.

“Give me an F … Give me an A … Give me a …,” what have you got? No flag! Amazing. If Georgia catches a cold, they get the death penalty, but this guy gets to lead cheers with no impact?

Then they go on to tell us how he has changed the game. After all, he has tied Herschel Walkers’ record of 52 rushing touchdowns. Please. The Bagger takes a snap and falls forward into the end zone; don’t compare him to or use his name in the same sentence as Herschel ever again!

Walker still holds 11 NCAA records, and he scored 52 times in three years without an extra SEC Championship game on the schedule. He rushed for 5,259 yards and beat Florida three times! The other guy has rushed for 2,415 in four years. Yeah, I know he has thrown for more than 7,000 yards, but Herschel could have done the same. Dooley was just very conservative.

At 47 years old, Walker has been on The Apprentice, a Zaxby’s commercial, and is about to do some cage fighting. Top that!

Remember the SEC media days in August? Steve Spurrier was nearly hanged because he dared to vote for another player as the best quarterback in the conference.

And The Bagger’s coach is an enabler to the media bias. After a two interception performance against Mississippi State, City Muck … I mean Urban Meyer … said he had put his QB is bad situations. What situation? You asked him to complete a pass. He is, after all, the greatest player to ever crawl out of the Swamp, so completing a pass shouldn’t be too much to ask, should it?

Luckily, Georgia had last week off while Florida was getting hit hard in Starkville. In the history of this matchup, the team with an off week prior to “The Party” usually wins. Two weeks of game prep versus one. Rested legs versus having to go to Mississippi and run all night. Restful sleep versus the sound of cow bells in your head.

The season has not been great for Bulldog fans, but a win in Jacksonville would heal some wounds. Ruining Florida’s season and having something to hold over The Bagger for the rest of his life would be priceless. If given the opportunity, our coach should call time out with seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and throw to the end zone even if we are up by 30. Not a likely occurrence this year, but we can dream.

My wife thinks I am just bitter because Florida is on top right now and he doesn’t play for Georgia.

So I tried to be reasonable and analyze the positives. The Bagger does do some good things. He goes on Christian mission trips and volunteers to circumcise young boys. He is a good role model for young men and women. He did manage to play in a crucial game at LSU after getting a bad boo boo. His only real character flaw seems to be that he chose to attend Florida.

Okay, enough of that, I can’t do it anymore. Knock his block off, Rennie Curran! Go Dawgs!

Written by Mike Flynn.

Tags: football, Sports
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