Big Hairy Blawg

Path to the National Title:

I predicted at the start of the season that GEORGIA would drop only one game this year. Of the three most recoverable losses: BAMA or at Auburn or at LSU, this is the single most recoverable for a multitude of reasons. We need to finish strong, at Auburn, and we need to make a point to the generally overrated and somewhat lifeless bunch at LSU(cks).They play directional nursing schools whenever possible. Three of the top four in the country lost this weekend and overall forty percent of the top ten was beaten. There can be only one Big 12 champion, and the Pac 10 and ACC have been exposed as weak conferences. No one will be that impressed with the annual choke and recovery at USC this time around because of the soft schedule. In the Big 10, Wisconsin and Ohio State have both lost and are not championship-caliber, and Penn State will drop a game, eventually. The Big East or Mt. West: not winning a championship. The SEC is the clear class of the sport, followed closely now by the Big 12 – which has undefeated teams galore. BAMA is good enough to win the three-team SEC West, and then we can beat them in the SEC Championship in the Georgia Dome. Florida, Tennessee and Georgia all lost on the same day in the East and are looking up at Vandy and Kentucky, at the minute. Should LSU or Auburn win the Western division, we can go for two wins in a season against either and still be crowned as the best team in the best conference. But look for GEORGIA to beat BAMA in the title game – should they survive at LSU and fix their undeniable Auburn envy. Then we will beat the Big 12 Champ (Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas…or less likely Oklahoma State, Texas Tech or Nebraska) and I will be called the smartest at picking games ever…again…Or we can fold and go in a shell and lose four games, three games, once more.

Tale of Two Halves:

In the second half, we whipped BAMA at a convincing pace of 30-10 with three of our best five players injured MORENO, ELLERBE, CURRAN. Starting in a 31-0 hole, the Tide did not switch to a prevent – instead they continued to blitz ruthlessly and continued the same offensive game plan, netting one total yard in the third quarter and being soundly outplayed again in the fourth. To quote Saban, “They <Georgia> should be congratulated for their fight.” Then he continued to speak of the domination of his team in the second half to the point that the lame announcer chick had to remind him they won; he saw what I saw – a team that refused to die in black and exposed weaknesses in his team. We had the worst game plan imaginable in the first half, continued to lead the nation in penalties and made every conceivable mistake against a tough, consistent Tide team. Even worse than all the mistakes that left us down 31-0 was the offensive game plan, which saw us throwing way too much on first and second down and running very little from a traditional set. Coach Richt and Bobo, I would like to introduce you to Mr. Moreno – the best player in the Nation who had never lost a game that he started. Maybe we should have played to our strengths regardless of opponent. I am not making the proclamation three yards and a cloud of dust straight up the middle at a 400 pounder is the way to go every play…but we looked like Florida State and have shown a propensity to come out flat for a half (Tennessee last year, West Virginia in the Sugar, etc.). We have a lot of heart and literally: The sky is the limit. Great game played by Stafford last night. Cease the penalties, catch the ball, run with authority and we can win out. When I said that we could win out at half-time of the Vandy game last year they scoffed at me. WELL…WE DID!!!