Friday Morning Dawg Bites: At Last It's Here

Football season starts tomorrow, friends! Sure, some might say it started already, but Thursday night games are the province of the MAC, C-USA, and ACC, right? I mean, we don't do SEC football -- especially conference games -- on Thursday nights, do we? Oh. Well, I guess if you've got ACC roots or have been the subject of ACC expansion rumors, Thursday night might come naturally.

Fortunately, your Georgia Bulldogs still understand what day of the week football is meant to be played. Of course, that doesn't mean we shouldn't start drinking early, as MaconDawg's Cocktail Thursday showed us yesterday. But lest you get too carried away with your Mountain Drew, slow your roll just a little bit with some of these tasty morsels.

No doubt you've by now heard the news that interim mascot Russ has been promoted to mascot, sans interim, and assumes the title of Uga IX. It was the right thing to do. Just ask chuckdawg. Yes, the move has been joyously celebrated here at Dawg Sports, but I figure good news like this bore repeating. Perhaps BarnettShoals said it best:

Truly a proud day for the Bulldog Nation

as we demonstrate, that at least in the manner of mascot, that at long last we are willing to judge on the content of character, and not the color of pelt.

Long Live Uga!

by BarnettShoals on Aug 30, 2012 1:45 PM EDT

The treats keep coming after the jump.

DID SOMEBODY SAY HYPE VIDEO? The UGA Sports official site hooks you up. With a twang. [sigh]

ESPN's SEC bloggers both go out on a limb and predict a lopsided Georgia win against Buffalo.

Chip Towers of our fave paper has a nice little story about one of Buffalo's starting corners, Najja Johnson, who was born in Buffalo but moved with his family to Marietta when he was a wee babe.

As of press time, not only do we not know the status of Bacarri Rambo and Alec Ogletree, suspension-wise, but we also don't know who our starting kicker is. What I would give to see Mark Richt in front of a crowd of reporters with a Miller High Life in his hand (language warning for that linked video) saying, "Doctor, those that'll tell don't know, and those that know won't tell."

Mark Bradley knows how to give a backward compliment, but the column predicting success for the Dawgs, Jackets, and Falcons is worth a visit just for the top photo.

UGA student Chance Veazey, whose baseball playing career was tragically cut short in a 2009 car accident, will throw out the first pitch in the Braves' game against the Phillies later today. This appearance kicks off the GGame Ball Relay, which will carry the game ball from Atlanta's Shepherd Center to Sanford Stadium in a fundraising partnership between UGA and Relay of Heroes, LLC, benefiting the Shepherd Center Foundation. The Shepherd Center does fine work with spine and brain injuries and is where Chance was a patient after his accident.

Here's something that's got me excited. And worried. And giddy. And nervous. Weiszer of the ABH reports that Malcolm Mitchell may work with the offense, defense, and special teams tomorrow. While there are many possible illustrations of a triple threat, I think this one should appeal to a range of sensibilities here. For the love of all this is holy, skip ahead to the 1:20 mark, and do not think about the fact that this is supposed to be a high school girl. Feel free to stay for the dancing.

For those who've been saying, "What this blog needs is more Ann-Margret."

That's enough damage from me for this morning. Offer your own tidbits in the comments, and make sure to come back to Dawg Sports today and tomorrow for more Footballmas Eve festivities and the open game thread tomorrow.

GO DAWGS!