Can't Help It--Enjoyed the Sugar Bowl

by donkeydawg on Jan 3, 2009 12:55 AM EST Comment 20 comments

I know as a Georgia fan I'm supposed to support every SEC team in every bowl game. I know that the University of Alabama is not one of our Certified Rivals (though us older Dawgs have some residual resentment left over from the Bear Bryant years).

But still, during tonight's Sugar Bowl I found myself cheering for Utah. And upon examination, my attitude was based on how much I enjoyed watching Nick Saban's unhappiness on the sidelines, much as I enjoyed the Ball Coach's displeasure during his Iowa beatdown.

Saban's a great coach, to be sure. But he's one of those great coaches who is an admitted, outfront, unapologetic a-hole. One of the abiding pleasures of being a Georgia fan is that we haven't had this kind of coach, well, ever.

I also admit that I've been worried that Saban would have five straight #1 recruiting years and dominate college football for a long time on sheer talent.

Since Urban Meyer is another admitted, outfront, unapologetic a-hole who could easily dominate college football for a long time on sheer talent, by logic I should probably hope the Okies beat the Evil Gators in the MNC game. But I won't, since we're talking about the MNC, which needs to stay down South.

So my attitude is: win every game, a-hole SEC coaches, or accept the opprobrium you have earned from your regional landsmen.

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I'm with you

I don’t fully buy in to the whole “root for the conference” idea. I mean, I wanted Vandy to win, Ole Miss got the seal of approval, I was pulling for Kentucky, and I cheered for LSU like there was no tomorrow. I have varying degrees of indifference towards those schools, so I really had no reason to get behind the ACC/Big Slow opponent du jour. But that is where the line is drawn. When it comes to Auburn, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas, I am as anti-SEC as it comes. I hate those teams the other 364 days of the year, and just because they are playing an out of conference game does not change that. I too enjoyed the scowl that attached itself to Nick Saban’s face. I can only hope that the BCSCG ends with Urban Meyer throwing a hissy fit while crying as Bob Stoops waves a trophy in his tear ridden face. Luckily, Auburn and Tennessee were kind enough to not even make the postseason. Hopefully it stays that way for a long time.

by SG Standard on Jan 3, 2009 9:02 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Partially agreee

I, too, am not a fan of Nick Saban, although he did say very good things about the Dawgs after putting the beat down on us in Athens. That being said, I wanted the Tide to win simply because i believe our conference should win the Sugar Bowl. Year in and year out. The MNC is another case altogether. I would love to see Mr. Meyer von timeout get smacked around. I don’t believe it will happen but I am hoping that it will. I hate the gators with a seething and searing passion. I loathe Meyer in particular. SO…I truly hope that the SEC has won its last bowl of this season…

by Lakepoets on Jan 3, 2009 12:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I don't buy into the root for your conference mantra either

I mean, if my team (Georgia) is in position to gain (in regards to a national title or BCS game bid), then I just merely don’t mind if, say, Florida or Tennesse wins (I single those two teams out because I especially loathe them). Last season for example, we stood to gain because it increased our ‘push’ for title game/BCS game consideration and preseason ranking. This season, not so much. Our first half against Alabama, second half against Florida, and third quarter against Tech say all that can be said about our team this season. Alabama or Florida winning their bowl games would have done nothing to ‘improve’ our image as a team this year, because we ourselves looked so bad. When you’re good, you don’t need to rely too much on what other teams look like.

by The ArchDawg on Jan 3, 2009 8:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Sounds selfish, but

You should always root for the SEC during the bowl season. Successful bowl seasons every year is what builds the SEC’s reputation as the best conference in football. There will be a time where UGA and a team from another conference have the same record and credentials and the conference reputation will determine who gets to play for the title. Three straight national titles helps cement that reputation. You should put your bags of hatred down for the bowl games. You can hate us all the other days, because yes, SEC teams winning helps you – maybe not this year, but in the future.

It sounds like some of you just can’t root for teams that beat you. That is too bad. I rooted like hell for Ole Miss and I think they really helped to dispel the perception that the Big 12 is the best conference this season and that SEC is down. Hopefully, we can put the nail in that coffin. I also rooted like hell for the Dawgs, South Carolina, Bama, LSU, Kentucky & Vandy.

I never want to hear anyone say that the SEC is overrated.

by skigator93 on Jan 3, 2009 11:35 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I loved seeing Saban squirm too!

PRICELESS!

Now if we can get Urban Cryer to wail on TV also that would just make my week.

by RocketDawg on Jan 4, 2009 12:08 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Skigator93, we've had this talk before

It’s just hard to convince a Georgia fan that it’s worth their time to root for Florida. Your fans, just like ours, are so arrogant about their championships that we can’t bring ourselves to root for you. Maybe if you were playing for the Cap One, or the Fiesta, I could root for you. Because you are playing for the MNC, I want you to lose by 40 points. If your fans, just like ours, were more humble winners, maybe. But, because you fans, just like ours, are such jerks, I will never root for Florida to win a meaningful game. I think that’s the general consensus of the Bulldog Nation.

http://hobnailboot.blogspot.com/

by AuditDawg on Jan 4, 2009 1:46 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Even when they were playing Michigan for the Capital One last year though

I was hailing to the Victors all the way. You’re not going to convince me that Florida winning champions helps my school in any tangible way.

by The ArchDawg on Jan 4, 2009 3:38 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

rooting for the conference

As a lifelong Dawg fan, I generally root for our conference in bowl games out of pride. However, bad blood is bad blood and I cannot root for the Gators. A team has to earn my respect first, and Urban Meyer is a classless individual. When CMR realized that the celebration was taken as an insult (and he readlily admitted that it got out of hand) he aplologized. That should have ended it, except for the fact that the ego on Urban Meyer wouldn’t let it end there. Now we have the two timeouts at the end of a blowout. A conscious decision to embarass a team that you have dominated on the field is classless and any fan who defends this act is as well. Any Dawg fan is welcome to disagree, of course, but I am firmly entrenched. I can and do root for teams that beat the Dawgs, just not this bunch. I LOVE the SEC but have to say “BOOMER SOONER!”

by Lakepoets on Jan 4, 2009 2:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'll root for ...

most SEC teams except Tennesee , South Carolina and NEVER Florida. Of course I dislike S.C. just from having Spurrier there ..

by TwotimesaDawg on Jan 4, 2009 3:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

You are entitled to your opinion and that is fine

But I find it interesting that Bulldog Nation seems to be the only SEC fanbase that cannot bring itself to cheer for its fellow conference mate.

As for Meyer being classless- if he really wanted to embarrass you, I think we would have scored again. He was just sending a little message back to Richt that he didn’t appreciate the celebration – that is all. Nobody south of the border thought it was a big deal at all, just a little ribbing. Spurrier would have done much more.

Have fun rooting for OKlahoma, I sincerely hope that you get to watch us pummel the team you are cheering for once again….

by skigator93 on Jan 4, 2009 5:18 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

point taken

“Nobody south of the border?” hmmm. I was not sure we were arguing over whether Mexicans appreciated the subtleties of Mr. Meyer’s sense of sportsmanship or not? I guess I will have to rethink my position on this one.

Seriously, though, if you guys beat the Sooners, then you have clearly earned it. Good for you and for the conference.

I know that the only way to shut up fans is to beat their team on the field and we lost in grand fashion this season, so brag all you want. You’re entitled.

Class and respect, however, are earned both on the field and off…a different proposition entirely.

by Lakepoets on Jan 4, 2009 5:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"Spurrier would have done much more."

I’m not sure Spurrier make a good measuring stick for whether something is or isn’t classless.

by NCT on Jan 5, 2009 8:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously?

I have a hard time believing Bama and Auburn fans have (generally) ever rooted for one another in any situation. Ditto Bama and Tennessee fans.

by get swoll yunel on Jan 5, 2009 9:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'll give you Bama & Auburn

But they are hated in-state rivals, where college football is the most inportant thing in the entire state and there are no professional sports teams.

I think Bama and UT fans would generally follow the conference pride theory.

by skigator93 on Jan 5, 2009 11:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'll say this then, possibly, deny it

If Tech had won the Peach Bowl, I would have found consolation in the fact that the only two schools to win the nine oldest extant bowls are both from Georgia. That consolation would not have been nearly as rewarding, however, as the embarrassing game and keeping Georgia as the sole holder of the aforementioned distinction. And, by the way, SEC pride was just icing on the cake. It wouldn’t have mattered if it had been a WAC team that waxed GT (bowl tie-ins aside), even though it’s arguably better for Georgia if our annual OOC match-up is with a highly regarded team.

by NCT on Jan 5, 2009 12:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't remember bragging

at all. I always try to carry myself humbly in victory, as I know it never lasts forever.

by skigator93 on Jan 4, 2009 5:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Bragging

skigator, I did not mean you specifically, just all Gator fans (and I know quite a few) have earned “bragging rights” by beating us this season. Whether you choose to exercise those rights is, of course, your decision.

by Lakepoets on Jan 4, 2009 6:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Gotcha

Not only do I try to remain humble, but I also tread very lightly on a rival’s blog. I thoroughly enjoy this one and don’t want to wear out my welcome.

I think you’ll find that most of the loudest Gator fans either didn’t actually attend the school (not that there is anything wrong with that), or if they did graduate UF, it was during the past 2 decades. The older fans remember that there weren’t always so many Ws in the win column, not to mention the UGA game specifically, where we have had several periods of struggles.

by skigator93 on Jan 4, 2009 6:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I always pull for UGA

I usually pull for LSU, Ole Miss, MSU, UK, Vandy, and even UF.

I will never pull ( and i mean NEVER) for UT or Auburn. Can’t do it. I want them to be embarrassed every time they walk onto a field. UT losing to UCLA was priceless and so was AU losing to WVU.

I go for the ROOT FOR THE SEC about 80% of the time….the rest i hope for pure humiliation.

When you are an Alabama fan you are expected to hate Auburn, I hate Tennessee because I want to.

by bammer on Jan 5, 2009 1:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

pulling against another team in your conference is understandable

especially when your season has been so disappointing and you’ve been destroyed by your rivals. seriously guys, i feel for you. i’m ok w/ bama’s season, considering we weren’t on anybody’s preseason top ten. georgia’s season, however, was well… so, if you can’t beat ’em, enjoy their losses!

by JDinGeorgia on Jan 6, 2009 7:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs