Thursday ‘Dawg Bites Engages In Some Early Morning Hegelian Synthesis

48 hours from now you will be waking up to the first Georgia Bulldog football Saturday of 2020. I hope you take as much joy in that as I do.

Bulldawg Illustrated has video of yesterday’s media availability for both Jamaree Salyer and Warren Ericson. Both have just the best things to say about Sam Pittman (no surprise there) and the freshman offensive linemen who’ve come to town.

I was particularly interested in Salyer’s comments on the “toxic environment” which some differently-digited Tennesseans have alleged exists in Athens, and issues between the Athens-Clarke PD and black students, including football players (which a lot of people have alleged over the years, even people who don’t ride scooters or do have middle names). I could say more on the subject of transfers, and the lawyers who get paid big bucks to push them through. But I will say only this. Two things can be true at the same time. There can be both a real problem with how the ACC-PD works and a junior defensive back who gets passed on the depth chart by younger players and thus sees his playing time reduced. It’s also possible Kirby Smart sometimes yells at people, but also that he sometimes doesn’t offer scholarships to their younger brothers. Remember also that lawyers learn early on that if you don’t like the case you have, you reframe it. And also, that every courtroom drama needs a bad guy. Because without the bad guy, everyone just follows the established rules (which in the SEC require players transferring within the conference to sit out a season).

The SEC Media poll came out yesterday and in a mild surprise the Florida Gators are the scribes’ pick to win the SEC East in a close vote over the Red and Black.

I disagree with that selection. I personally have Georgia winning the East and losing to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, because I value tradition in these uncertain times.

But I can see the allure of the pick. Florida does return Kyle Trask at quarterback coming off a statistically respectable 2019 campaign. Georgia is choosing between a guy coming off ACL surgery, a guy coming off brain surgery, and a true freshman. The Gators also play arguably the SEC’s easiest schedule, avoiding Alabama and Auburn from the West, unlike Georgia. And there’s a novelty factor. Just as it was fashionable for a time to pick Jim Donnan’s ‘Dawgs to win the East in the late 90’s so to is it tempting to believe Dan Mullen is about to overthrow King Kirby. We here at Dawg Sports would caution against that prediction.

If you’re planning to be in Sanford Stadium this fall for games we’d love to hear from you. Also, know that if you’re there and you hear the Redcoat Band and see the Bulldog cheerleaders, they’ve been putting in a lot of work to carry out their responsibilities in a weird, uncertain time.

Fans obviously talk about the preparation that the football team does for fall Saturdays. But it’s also worth noting that these young people and their coaches, alumni, and families have also put a lot into their craft. I hate for them that this season isn’t likely going to be the one they envisioned, but I’m grateful that there’s a season at all. Again, two ideas, one brain.

Finally, your morning words of wisdom. Life will throw up obstacles today. People will tell you you can’t do it. You can’t write the great American novel. You can’t build a business doing what you love. You can’t make the world a better place all by yourself. To those people I paraphrase the great Henry David Thoreau, who urged us to go confidently in the direction of our dreams, and to play the Rage Against the Machine cover we’ve imagined. Or, you know, something similar.

Go ‘Dawgs!!!