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Friday, December 31, 2010

Gameday blog

3:15 p.m.: If you're reading this from home ...

Then you're not alone. The Liberty Bowl is less than half full about 20 minutes before the scheduled kickoff. And as I gaze out onto the parking lots, I don't exactly see a crush of cars waiting to get in.

2:50 p.m.: Weather, player updates

It's still overcast here, but the rain has held off. So the conditions at kickoff, at least, will be normal. I'm not a weather man, but judging by the skies I'd say it's 50-50 that serious weather hits the stadium at some point during the game.

Georgia is warming up right now, and there's no major personnel news. Rantavious Wooten is out of uniform, so Georgia is down at least one backup receiver. Good news for Israel Troupe and Logan Gray.

Vance Cuff might be starting at cornerback, judging by the warmup lines. Shawn Williams was also with the starters, in place of Alec Ogletree, but Ogletree was working with the first-team in the ensuing pregame drills. Cuff I could see starting as a nod to his senior status. Not really sure why Ogletree wouldn't start.

2:20 p.m.: Uniform, dog updates

Central Florida's specialists have come out in that team's uniform of choice: Black shirts and gold helmets. Along with a white helmet, I don't know, it kind of makes for an odd, mish-mash combination. Kinda clunky.

Georgia will be in its more traditional white shirt and gray pants, along with the red helmet.

The Bulldogs also have their backup mascot, Russ. If you haven't heard, Uga VIII is being held out of the game with a gastro-intestinal condition. If he's anything like my dog, Archie, he probably has been spending too much time in the cat litter box.

1:25 p.m.: Mr. Blog Man arrives in his press box seat

You are looking live, well at least I'm looking live, at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, which is kind of cool in a throwback, dinky kind of way.

The stadium slopes in a double-circle fashion, with the press box sides the peaks, and then dipping in the middle. The scoreboards are at the middle parts, and aren't exactly new and flashy.

The end zones are interesting: Half of each one is blue, with the team name painted in white, while the other half are red and white block stripes.

We're high enough up here in the press box so that if there is a tornado, we'll be able to see it coming - unless it forms behind us. If that happens, someone warn me, OK?

MEMPHIS - I just completed a mid-morning jog, and can officially report that the weather outside, well it looks a bit ominous.

They're calling for a 60 percent chance of rain, and possible tornadoes around the Memphis area. Lovely. The good news is the temperature is tolerable, after the week started with it appearing we could be playing a game on the frozen tundra of the Liberty Bowl field.

I've also noticed a lot more Georgia and UCF fans around town as the week went on; they dominated the breakfast area at my hotel, with about even split. But I still suspect more Georgia fans will be around.

(Still, there's about a zero chance of a sellout, or anything approaching it today. In a conversation with a Liberty Bowl official earlier in the week, the official was practically begging me to get word back to Georgia that tickets were still available.)

Perhaps, when Georgia and UCF take the field later today, we can avoid an officiating calamity, unlike a couple bowls on Thursday. Poor Derek Dooley, whose team is now 6-2 in games it won this year.

And how about North Carolina, not only getting away with winning in questionable fashion, but getting away with calling a run play, and one in which it had to change personnel before a simple spike play. Even Les Miles was watching that play and saying, "You know, that's bad clock management."

As for Kansas State-Syracuse ... Yeesh.

Today's NCAA college football: You're free to play in the bowl if you sell stuff and break the rules ... but you better not salute!

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mickey Mouse Bowl against a Mickey Mouse opponent which no doubt UGA will have its usual struggles. Lose this game and it will be time for UGA to sever ties with CMR.

Anonymous said...

Dont understand why coaches are not drilling thses players on not what to do after scoring a TD. Stupid players I guess. Just ask Mr. A J Green about that LSU game.

Anonymous said...

oops "these players"

Anonymous said...

That call against AJ against LSU was BS. Hunker Down You Hairy Dawgs!

ladawg said...

The refs were right on the call. There was 1 second left. NC won the game. TN didn't deserve to win.

ChrisDawg said...

You can say Micky mouse bowl all you want but this is a quality opponent. They are even ranked in the coaches poll.

I agree that we should beat them with the talent we have but every game should be taken seriously.

If the players felt the way you do we would probably lose today. God I hope they don't feel the way you do!!!

Anonymous said...

UCF was their conference champs and they're in top 25. Game is on national TV. Big game. Should be fun. Go Dawgs!

BulldogBen said...

Ladawg, completely agree. Not only that but the Vols were getting some RIDICULOUS no calls or weak calls in their favor the entire 4th quarter. No celebration penalty TWICE and a no call on the late hit.

Poetic justice that UNC won that one.

Anonymous said...

People have faulty memories. AJ didn't celebrate and the league office apologized and said it was phantom call.

Anonymous said...

Wish CMR would bring back the real silver pants. Gray is just dull like our football team. Hope UGA doesnt pull a Clemson because they are getting pounded by the Bulls 31 - 13 right now.

Anonymous said...

So much for the apology but if you look more closely A J did point into the crowd after the play. Just cant do that now. Sad but true