Cocktail Thursday: Louisiana-Monroe Edition

If your favorite college football team is about to begin a season marked by sky-high expectations by starting a quarterback who's been on campus for all of seven weeks, you could probably use a drink. I can help you with that.

Because it's time for one of the longest running traditions in the storied history of Dawg Sports: Cocktail Thursday. This is a momentous edition, not only because it kicks off the season's cocktails, but because it kicks off the tenth season of Cocktail Thursdays. That's right. First at my long-forgotten blog MaconDawg's Blawg and then here at Dawg Sports, I have been offering up a game-themed libation for nearly every single contest in which the Georgia Bulldogs have participated. That's something like 120 aperitifs, toddies, and potent potables of every shape, size, color and proof. If you've been mixing along at home, I'm sorry for the 12 million brain cells that cost you. I hope you think it was time well spent. I sure do.

For this week's beverage there was really only one possible honoree. It's the guy under center (or just as likely in the shotgun), Greyson Lambert. Greyson Lambert is presented with a curious task in this game. Everyone agrees that Brian Schottenheimer will likely keep things fairly vanilla versus the Warhawks. Yet at the same time Lambert is going to be scrutinized pretty heavily for any sign of weaknesses. The result may make it look like the Virginia transfer is trying to impress a gallery of discerning classical music critics by playing "Chopsticks" followed by a rousing rendition of "Jingle Bells". Lambert isn't going to be asked to do a whole lot other than get the 'Dawgs into the right running plays and not do anything stupid when he's called on to throw it. He doesn't have to be spectacular. Just having the basics down cold would be amazing.

When he does just enough to make us all comfortable that he's actually done this kind of thing before, I intend to celebrate with an Amazin' Greyson. It's constructed like so:

Use a melon baller to carve out four to five small balls from a ripe cantaloupe. Ripeness is important, I'll explain why momentarily. Deposit said fruit orbs in a high ball glass. Next, in a cocktail shaker over ice mix 2 ounces of Grey Goose vodka and 2 ounces of lemon lime soda of your choice. Strain into the highball glass with the melon and let sit for a moment before serving.

The cantaloupe imparts just a touch of musky sweetness to the drink that kicks up the traditional (some would say tired) vodka/soda combination. And ripe cantaloupe has a far better olfactory quality. I really can't stress this enough.

So drink up (responsibly of course), and be sure to share your suggested liquid courage for this weekend's contest in the comments. Until later . . .

Go 'Dawgs!!!