He had said that in response to what I had said, which was basically this: In the grand scheme of things, losing this game really doesn't mean much. We got the 15 extra practices, Mason got the extra reps with the starting O, the players got their swag bags, etc. But my friend was right - losing sucks. End of story.
But, in a way, this game was an encapsulation of the season and really was a fitting end to the 2013 UGA football campaign: major highs and lows; terrific individual plays and some that weren't so much; great coaching decisions and the obligatory head-scratchers; moments of sheer joy, and moments of absolute disgust, etc.
I was proud, however, that our boys fought hard to the very end. They never showed any quit at any time this season. It would have been easy for them to have mailed it in on this one, but they didn't. On a final note, I hate it for Artie Lynch. His superb UGA career should not have ended that way. But then again, Aaron Murray's shouldn't have either. Nobody said life was fair, I guess. Arthur Lynch and Aaron Murray are both DGDs. They have both forever endeared themselves to the hearts of the Bulldog Nation.
So...goodbye 2013 and to hell with ya! I'm glad we've gotten that one out of the way. Such a weird and crazy season. On top of the mountain after the month of September, going through that awful stretch in October with all of the injuries, the heartbreaker against Auburn, and now this. But, I remember that feeling walking out of Sanford Stadium after we dispatched USCe and especially after the LSU game. I remember the pride we all felt after beating the dreaded Gators for the third year in a row. And hey - we beat Tech. Again.
Highs and lows. And my mind turns to the one and only Jerry Jeff Walker:
Pickin' up the pieces wherever they fall
Just letting it roll, letting the high times carry the low
I'm just living my life easy come, easy go
I'm pumped about 2014. I think we're gonna be real good. This just might be the year we've been waiting for, right? I think A. Pope had it right. "Hope Springs Eternal."
Today, as is the case everyday, is a damn fine day to be a Georgia Bulldog.
GO DAWGS!
GATA!!!
Thank you. I needed this. It's been hard on all of us Bulldogs. I almost don't want to even say anything, numb. 26 Losses 6 years does that to you. 54-26 that should have us about # 30 for 6-year period. 1 away win in 7 years and 2 months against a team ranked that season. I will say that the Gator Bowl is a horrible venue any longer. The field is bad. The stands old. The microphones did not work and they told us differently than I was lip reading what I could of those sorry Pac 12 officials. Bad taste. And, no one was there. Perhaps you said it best by the Hell with the past. Let's move forward. Some of this is going to haunt me though. Glad to see we tried to return punts and kickoffs. Well, we fumbled one of those bobbled it, took him out and next 1 fumbled and lost it. And, the secondary. Another weak unranked team like Vandy who beat no one. Nebraska beat no one either, even lost to Iowa - in fact lost to 2 sad teams. And, our QB looked weaker arm strength than in Georgie tek game. I hate the Gator Bowl. Been there maybe 25 times now, hated it each time. This one the worst. Well... several stand out. We stay over in Daytona Beach. We don't like JAX at all, hell hole. And, they have to match us up with same team we beat last year, our guys still suffering. We could not run the ball a lick and they could. I thought we'd stop their running. We really did not. I thought their freshman QB put his arm on the line. I thought that was 2 points and them kicking to us. And, then blown coverage 99.99 yards. I still say his arm was clearly ON THE LINE. His elbow. That is what hit 1st. His elbow on the line. Safety. I was looking forward to 2014, but we have lots to fix up. Such a great class coming in. Best Mark Richt class ever by far. I know it is small, but if those 2 don't get their grades up might be a class with 2 more in it now. Our offense did not look good, at all. Hard to interview for a head coach college football 1-A FBS with that offense last night. We looked bad, and that isn't a good team. About # 50. Now we will not be ranked, again. Not AP and not coaches'. How many times is that now ? 2013, 2010, 2009. Three (3) of current 5 years not ranked. 60 % not even ranked any poll for the year. And, our guys did not get the awards. Love Mark Richt. Great recruiter, wonderful man, fantastic role model. He is going to be hard on himself, I saw some of that this year. We are not doing very well and have not been for a Top 10 All-Time Football Program in Wins. Mark Richt was 16-13 from 2001-2007 vs ranked teams those years, and 7-20 since. 1 Touchdown. One.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate the comments. Pretty much agree with everything you said. Definitely a tough one. On TV it looked like there may have been 25K in there, tops. The bad weather, playing the same team again, all the other stuff. Definitely a bummer.
Delete2014 does look to be a good year for us. If not, then we start reexamining things. Go Dawgs!