Which Team is Georgia's Biggest Rival . . . and Why?

by T Kyle King on Aug 10, 2006 1:04 PM EDT in Football Comment 17 comments

The SportsBlogs Nation family continues to grow. Two new college sports weblogs have been added, virtually on the eve of their respective teams' September 2 season-opening showdown.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are represented at The Rakes of Mallow and another Bulldog rival has joined the ranks, as Ramblin' Racket takes up the banner for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

If having an athletic director named Dave Braine supposedly meant they were smart, what does it say about them that the Ramblin' Wreck car was the handiwork of Jim Dull?

Dawg Sports readers already are familiar with Jeff, the proprietor of Ramblin' Racket, as he is a frequent and welcome commenter here and he previously maintained the top-notch Georgia Tech weblog In Dodd We Trust. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to these fine additions to the burgeoning ranks of SportsBlogs Nation's corner of the intercollegiate athletics blogosphere.

Now that multiple longstanding Georgia rivals are represented here, I suppose it is time to reopen an old debate.

Most schools have only one real rival. If you ask 100 Texas A&M fans to name their most hated opponent, all 100 of them will say Texas. Put that same question to 100 Georgia Tech fans and every one of them will say Georgia.

You might have to go to two or three games at historic Grant Field to find 100 Georgia Tech fans, but, once you ran them to ground, they'd all give identical answers, provided they understood English well enough to get the gist of your question.

Some schools have a couple of genuine rivals. Florida State fans would split between Florida and Miami. Oklahoma fans would split between Texas and either Nebraska (historically) or Oklahoma State (recently).

This picture would be significantly cooler if it weren't for that 35-year-old address label.

Georgia fans, though, face a much more difficult conundrum.

We have at least three major rivals . . . Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech. A decent case could be made for adding Tennessee to that list, as well, and more than a few voices in Bulldog Nation would be raised in support of including Clemson and South Carolina among the most despised opponents.

I believe two factors determine a 'Dawg fan's answer to the question, "Which team is Georgia's biggest rival?" The first is geography. In Columbus, they'll tell you it's Auburn; in Augusta, they'll tell you it's South Carolina; in Valdosta, they'll tell you it's Florida; in downtown Atlanta, they'll tell you it's Georgia Tech.

The other factor is age. If you're old enough to remember the losing streak to the Yellow Jackets in the '50s, you probably dislike Georgia Tech the most intensely. If you're young enough that your only experience with the Gators came after Steve Spurrier's return to Gainesville, you probably despise Florida the most. If you're like me and you came of age as a fan while Pat Dye was on the Plains, you probably agree with me wholeheartedly when I say, "I hate Auburn." (By the way, I hate Auburn.)

The universe requires balance; evil must be offset by good. Therefore, in order to even the scales after an unfortunate mention of the unmitigated evil that is Auburn, it is necessary to include a picture of the good that is Kristin Davis.

Which Georgia rivalry do you consider the biggest, most important, and most intense? Let me know what you think in the comments below or in the diaries to the right . . . and, while you're at it, don't just tell me which, tell me why.

This ought to be fun.

Go 'Dawgs!

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tech

you ever met someone from tech? i have. insufferable people

i hate tech

by ctr on Aug 10, 2006 1:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Tech

As much as I despise the jean shorts, 1992 Foakley sunglasses, mesh jerseys, and mullets of the trash from North Florida, I hate Tech more.

Hell, I applied and got accepted there for the sheer reason of being able to tell them at Thanksgiving that I turned their hole down.

by Sheriff Buford Pusser on Aug 10, 2006 2:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It 'tis a conundrum

When I was in school, the biggest rival to me was Clemson. That's because they beat us in 1981 (or at least, Buck Belue beat us in 1981...that's a whole 'nother can of worms) when the 'Dawgs could've gone undefeated again. That was a hell of a rivalry and it's a shame it's no longer year-to-year. I still don't like Clemson, but it's hard to hate someone consistently when you don't play 'em consistently.

I really despise Florida. But I suppose I've gotten used to the annual whuppin' a bit. I do think this will turn around in time, so for now, despite the last 15-odd years, I just despise Florida. Not quite hate, but close....

Tech. They may never beat us again. I really can't hate Tech because there are too many family ties. Older sister (UGA Grad) married a Nerd. Nephews and nieces are budding Techsters. Blood is thicker than water...

But I hate Auburn. The Plainsmen have been a thorn in the side of the 'Dawgs for many a year. They have beaten us more than a few times when the Conference title was on the line. Last year's game in Athens was as heartbreaking a loss as I can remember. We had 'em. Damn. And that whole away-field advantage thing is just too wierd. Yessir, I hate Auburn. Cheating bastiges!

by DavetheDawg on Aug 10, 2006 2:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm in full agreement with mr rosencrans...

Tech Tech Tech. Florida can be bad, but you gotta give devil his due, and they have just flat out beat us the last 15 years. Also, I have a considerable amount of family residing in North Florida, so I tolerate them. Tennessee I hate, plain and simple, and South Carolina is growing with a different type but similar caliber hatred the more I stay in the "armpit of the south", or the "newark of the south" if you prefer. Auburn, well, in my opinion, Auburn is like a cousin, with the amount of recruits both schools fight for, the amount of coaching crossover. I wanna beat Auburn like I wanna beat my cousins, but it's a competitive hate. Tech is Tech, the unaware of how bad they are yet still wanna gloat like they're better than somebody in spite of the obviousness to all that they have more than their fair share of problems to deal with, bastard a** Nerd of a bugs. That's not competitive hate, it's good old fashioned hate. They might not get the proper amount of votes at a time when we've dominated Tech, in football, seemingly all of the "olympic" aka "non revenue" sports, as well as significant wins in baseball and basketball, but let them rip off a little stretch like they have, well since I was born in 1980, only when Ralph Friedgen was standing on the sidelines, and people begin to remember why some say,
Avoid the Rush, Hate Tech early and often.

by Mr Egger on Aug 10, 2006 3:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

with a hat tip to the infamous Paul Westerdawg...

What is a "geek"?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrUgMxpClZU

by Mr Egger on Aug 10, 2006 3:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Florida

I went to the Landing after the 2003 loss to Florida, and that experience cemented my absolute hatred for everything Jean Shorts.

by dawg 05 on Aug 10, 2006 3:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sorry for the multiple videos...

but as one studying the law posting on a prestigous lawyer's blog, I figured I may want to provide additional evidence against the Geeks/Nerds/Bugs...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELrjji-alD4

by Mr Egger on Aug 10, 2006 3:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

That video is actually making me angry. Why must we throw fuel on the fire like this?

by JacketDan on Aug 10, 2006 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Unfortunately,...

I knew two of those kids. At least one of them shoulda known better.

They really could've helped their case by having beer/liquor bottles. If they were drunk it'd at least be explicable. And that is why this video might be worse than that Notre Dame tailgate video. (only MIGHT because the ND video had the weirdo reading his crappy poetry.)

by Jeff on Aug 11, 2006 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tennessee for me.....

As a native of the NE Ga. mtns., Clemson fans came out of the woodwork in the early 80s to argue with the Georgia faithful. As a student at Georgia in the mid 80s, I too felt the sting of the losses to Pat Dye's Plainsmen (although the hose bath at Jordan-Hare felt pretty good). However, the most obnoxious fans of all time had to be the supremely confident Volunteer fans of the 90s. I still consider the wins over Tennessee to be the sweetest as a result of many such an encounter.

by Junkyard on Aug 10, 2006 10:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Europe 1985 and the 1984 season

The 1984 season was a transitional year for Georgia football. Herschel had been gone 2 seasons and there were no more rabbits in the hat.

I celebrated my graduation from law school by taking a european vacation for 3 weeks. I am in Munich in the famous HoufbrauHaus (forgive my spelling) with my buddy Chris*. On my first trip to see a man about a horse, I pass four people in American College Sweatshirts. ONLY 4 and the 4 were: South Carolina, Florida, Auburn and GA Tech*. What are the odds of that??! From then on, while I don't condone cheating, I UNDERSTAND IT!!!

Georgia's biggest rival: whoever beat us the year before - revenge is a dish best tasted cold.

* Are you starting to see a pattern? http://www.dawgsports.com/story/2006/8/8/23525/96553#3

** So you don't have to go to the Archives to check those were our 4 losses that year.

by Blogger who came in from the cold on Aug 10, 2006 10:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Jorts, Braided Belts, & Shane Matthews Jerseys

...I hate the gaytors.
Being a product of UGA 94-98 & 03-04, I have a well honed hatred of everything orange & blue.
Go Dawgs!!!

by panickdawg on Aug 11, 2006 12:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Florida, followed by Auburn

I think folks confuse what it means to have a rival with the humiliation of losing to an inferior opponent.

Georgia Tech is empirically and categorically an inferior program. Any way you slice it, their athletic program is a poor substitute for ours. When we lose to Tech, we fire coaches. When Tech beats Georgia, they commission bronze likenesses. Losing to Tech is like getting beat up by a Special Olympian. Does that make him your rival? I think not. There is no competitive balance. But the shame and humiliation of losing to Special Olympian/Techster is almost unbearable. Tech is the least among our rivals, but a loss to them bears the greatest shame for the simple fact they are metaphorical Special Olympians.

When you talk about Florida and Auburn, while I hate them both, I am forced to admit that (particularly post-1990 with Florida) these two schools are comparable football programs to Georgia. They have a lot of talent and great facilities. We are rivals because we compete on the same level and there is competitive balance. I realize we don't beat Florida as often as we'd like, but we have more SEC titles this decade, so theoretically we are peers.

I believe Lewis Grizzard said of Gators, "It's our way of life against theirs." I couldn't agree more. I cut cars with Gator tags off in traffic just because I think they've got it coming to them.

by Dawgnoxious on Aug 11, 2006 9:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gotta Be Tech

You're exactly right! It seems like every week is rivalry week in Athens but the worst one has to be Tech. Just like their mascot, Tech fans are the most annoying of 'em all. A few years ago Klempsun and Tech were playing a Thursday night game in the valley, a friend and I went, dressed in red and black from head to toe, did the gooooooooo Daaaawgs on every kickoff and barked everytime Klempsun scored just out of our hatred scored. Go Dawgs! Kill Tech!

BubbaDawg

by Bubbadawg on Aug 11, 2006 9:25 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No question

It's Tech, without a doubt. I've never in my life seen a group of people so ill-equipped for success. Had a guy who went to Tech who was dating a friend of mine and he sat with us in 1998 in the student section. When Tech kicks the field goal to win, he goes absolutely nuts - which is fine - but then proceeds to curse out all of us, girlfriend included for being UGA students.

It was odd, and the relationship ended a little after that if I recall properly.

Still, Mr. Eggers's second video is proof enough.

Clemson is a good call. Those 1980s games were excellent ... and heart-breaking for the most part. It's why the 1991 win over Clemson, to this day, is one of my two favorite moments in Georgia football history.

by Jmac on Aug 11, 2006 12:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Take it from my own personal experience

It's Tech. Tech Tech Tech Tech. I hope they never win another game, in any sport. And if God grants me that simple wish, I will still unrelentedly hate them. I will not pity them. I will not ease up on them. I will not ask the Royal Executioner to show mercy.

Granted, there is a little more fire on a year-to-year basis that wells up within when we play those teams that I actually worry might be able to beat us. But as far as which rival, in the abstract, I hate the most, the answer is too easy.

What am I talking about though, the abstract? Shoot, I WENT to Tech. I lived, moved, and had my being at that ugly campus, with those introverted and (mostly) ugly people, with those retarded humanities classes (take a Lit or Philosophy class at Tech and then tell me that UGA's academics are a joke). I walked past The Shaft every day. I rode MARTA to go out and have "fun." I saw the slightly downward-angled foreheads of people of every nationality. Seriously, the Joke has got to have the most looked-at sidewalks in America. "Excuse me, ennnnnhhhh!" Take it from me: Tech sucks.

By the way Kyle, I don't think they tell you Tech in downtown Atlanta. I think they tell you to duck. Badda-boom!

14-7; 12 in a row.

by Xon on Aug 12, 2006 6:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It is florida

I grew up in Gwinnett County, so I am very close to the school and to Downtown Atlanta but contrary to popular belief it isn't Tech. As was stated in the article, the teams really need to be comparable in order to be rivals and GT is nowhere near UGA as far as the level of the program is concerned.

It isn't Tennessee, while they are a big rival, it has always been more of a "friendly" rivalry, you won't find many UGA fans who truly HATE the Vols.

Auburn is right there at the top of the list, and it is the oldest rivalry, but when Georgia isn't Auburn's biggest rival, how can you say that they are ours?

The obvious choice is florida, EVERY Dawg fan I have ever known has absolutely HATED the gators. I personally hate florida to the point that I would love to see the school burn to the ground. This rivalry had to be moved to a neutral site it is so big. Add on to that the fact that gator fans are the most obnoxious, annoyingly irratating creatures on God's earth and incredibly easy to hate and you have the biggest rivalry by far. The World's Largest Cocktail Party (Micheal Adams be damned).

by Nikolai on Sep 1, 2006 5:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs