Tuesday Morning ‘Dawg Bites Thinks It Found A Friend

Welcome to Tuesday, Bulldog fans! In case you didn’t know, I spent my formative years in the 80’s (emotional development was thwarted during the same span). As such, I will try to bring you the best** music from this seminal decade that gave us Intellivision II.

After facing a hated rival like the Florida Gators, the Bulldogs slate now calls for a visit from the Missouri Tigers. Georgia has fared well against Missouri, and we are heavily favored in this contest as well. After joining the SEC in 2012, most Georgia fans that have trekked to CoMo have had nothing but praise for the experience and the reception, and that goes for interaction with Mizzou fans everywhere. There’s a reason they call it the “Good Columbia”. Coming immediately after Hate Week, the WLOCP, and delusional, whiny Gator fans, it’s almost as if we’re facing friends this Saturday in Athens. Matter of fact, I’ll go so far as to say “Missouri, You’re a Friend of Mine.”

Now on to news & notes of the Bulldog variety:

In what I can only imagine is a team award, Tae Crowder has been named one of the 12 semi-finalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s best collegiate linebacker. His 36 tackles are 2nd on the team, and I can’t believe his numbers alone wow anyone. But he is the man in the middle for the SEC’s best defense, and that carries a lot of weight.

For the 4th time this season, and the 6th time in his career, Rodrigo Blankenship garners SEC Special Teams Player of the Week. RecSpecs nailed all 4 of his kicks (none over 37 yards, for what its worth), but also moved to 5th in SEC career scoring. Not to mention his 185 PATs is a school record, and helps Georgia keep the longest active PAT streak (276).

Andrew Thomas helped the Bulldogs gain almost 400 yards on the vaunted Florida defense, and received SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors. Protecting against the SEC sack leaders, Thomas graded out at 90 and kept Jake Fromm’s jersey remarkably white. Hello, first round draft day!

Do you like your Georgia football broadcast on CBS at 3:30 on Saturdays? If you’re going to watch the Bulldogs visit Auburn on TV, you don’t have a choice. Sure enough, Brad Nessler and Captain Oblivious will man the booth at Jordan Hare for the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry. I foresee gushing about the incredible atmosphere, a trained chicken falling from the rafters like Buzz Lightyear, and too many references to a play best forgotten.

I love me some Red and Black practice reports. The hidden nugget I gleaned:

The tight ends worked on a four cone drill and caught passes.

The AJC gives a few more personnel notes based on the same 6 minute viewing period. Justin Shaffer is still out with a neck injury; Tyson Campbell is practicing, supposedly at 100%; David Marshall and Michael Barnett were back practicing after missing the WLOCP; and Channing Tindall is nowhere to be seen.

The AJC also went full geek on the roster and continued their series highlighting personnel counts and focusing on the freshmen seeing the field.

The Marvel basketball season gets underway Tuesday, with the Georgia Bulldogs ensemble cast featuring Ant Man. They face the Catamounts from Sylva, or Cullowee, or Dillsboro. Anyway, Western Carolina. And the Athens Banner-Herald takes a look at the Bulldogs prized recruit, what it means for this year and what it means if he chooses to leave early. It’s a nice piece. The money quote:

“The first day on campus, we played pickup,” Crump said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, this guy’s a pro.’”

We’ll be back throughout the day with more of your GameDay favorites and analysis. And as always...

GO ‘DAWGS!!!