Driving through Macon, Georgia this afternoon, we cruised down Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and headed towards the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. Inside was a collection of this state's greatest sports moments.

Sid bream sliding into home plate.

Lindsay Scott's famous catch and run down the sidelines.

Moments from the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

So much more, and of course, that Herschel Walker guy.

Continue reading "Herschel Walker: A Georgia Legend" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 11:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here are the players who caught my eye in Florida's 21-14 win over Georgia:

Florida WR Andre Caldwell: Caldwell set the tone early during the game's opening, and maybe most important drive. He caught two third down passes to convert for first downs, and finished off the drive with a 12 yard touchdown run. Final stats: 8 catches, 88 yards receiving, 1 receiving TD. 5 carries, 28 yards rushing, 1 rushing TD.

Florida DE Derrick Harvey: A rising star. Late in the first quarter, Harvey blew past OL Michael Tuner for a sack, and he recovered a fumble later in the game. With Ray McDonald, Jarvis Moss, and Marcus Thomas, Harvey gives the Gators one of the deepest and most talented defensive lines in the country.

Continue reading "UF-UGA Standouts" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 09:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You just never know what will happen in a rivalry game. The Gators came in as heavy favorites and left with a 21-14 victory. UF will certainly move up in the polls, especially with USC's loss (and depending on what Tennessee and Texas do tonight). What an absolute joke it would be if the Gators don't jump the Trojans, considering the way USC has been playing lately and the difficulty of UF's schedule.

Now the Gators are set up to win the SEC East. Their remaining games are: at Vanderbilt, vs. South Carolina, vs. Western Carolina, and at Florida State. All four are winnable games, but the Gators must look back at today's win in Jacksonville as a warning sign. If the Gators play this poorly again against either SC or FSU, they will not run the table.

UF's defense was terrific, can't take away anything that unit did. Georgia gained just 215 total yards today. The Gators came into the game struggling defensively on third down, but Georgia converted just 3 out of 13. LBs Brandon Siler and Earl Everett were everywhere. Siler had an especially big sack on Matthew Stafford after Georgia took over first and 10 at their own 38 in the fourth quarter. DE Derrick Harvey continues to climb the SEC leader board in sacks, and he recovered a fumble today too. The defense limited the Georgia ground game to 2.5 yards per carry and forced two Stafford interceptions. Neither play was a very good decision by Stafford, but that's what UF does - they capitalize on quarterbacks' mistakes.

Continue reading "UF 21 - Georgia 14" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 08:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Georgia (6-2, 3-2 SEC) and ninth-ranked Florida (6-1, 4-1) renew one of college football's best rivalries on Saturday in Jacksonville. It's the 84th meeting between the two schools in a match up that has been dominated by UF lately. The Gators have won 14 of the last 16. Coming off a bye, they are heavy favorites this weekend...Do the Bulldogs have a chance? Most people say no. I say yes.

Continue reading "Georgia-Florida Preview (and My Big Prediction)" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the 1973 edition of Georgia-Florida, the Gators had no business beating the Georgia Bulldogs. UF entered the game as underdogs, and they trailed by seven points late in the fourth quarter, 80 yards away from the end zone. The Gators needed a hero, so they called upon receiver Lee McGriff.

McGriff caught a touchdown pass on fourth down, and after a two-point conversion, the Gators had upset the Bulldogs, 11-10.

There ought to be a place in history for a guy like McGriff.

Luckily enough, he played in a rivalry so unique and intense that it has its own Hall of Fame, and today McGriff was honored as part of the 11th class of Florida-Georgia Hall of Famers.

He didn't come alone. Former Gator Ike Hilliard and former Bulldogs Rodney Hampton and Willie McClendon joined him in this Hall of Fame class.

Continue reading "This Game is So Great It Has It's Own Hall of Fame" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 04:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Georgia-Florida rivalry is alive and kicking at Alltel Stadium. Outside Alltel, the fans are out-tailgating each other, displaying school pride, and exchanging verbal jabs.

But inside the stadium, in the locker room of the Jacksonville Jaguars, the intensity of Bulldogs-Gators exists amongst the players who shined in the annual event several years ago.

We sat down with four Jaguars - two representatives from UF and two from Georgia. Nine-year veteran RB Fred Taylor and third-year DE Bobby McCray spoke on behalf of the Gators.

The Bulldogs were represented by sixth-year DT Marcus Stroud and four-year veteran LB Tony Gilbert.

The trash talk started early in the week, and it's heating up as the days go by.

Continue reading "Trash Talkin' With the Jaguars" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 10:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Let the games begin.

It may only be Thursday afternoon, but that hasn't stopped Florida and Georgia fans from setting up shop in lot E, just outside of Alltel Stadium.

Six rows of parking spaces are lined with massive RVs. More RVs are parallel parked on the sides of the lot. Georgia and Florida flags are raised high on flagpoles. The grills, smokers, lawn chairs, and satellite dishes are all out there.

Continue reading "Setting the Scene in Jacksonville" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 03:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On our road trip, we've been privileged enough to meet some popular players, coaches, Heisman winners, and fans. But today we met arguably the most popular sports icon in the Southeast.

He didn't say much, just grunted at us a lot. He didn't do too much either, just walked around for a while before sprinting onto his favorite golf cart.

Yes, today we hung out with Uga VI, the beloved bulldog mascot of the University of Georgia, and his owners, Sonny and Cecelia Seiler in their Savannah home. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Ugas serving as the Georgia mascot. In all 50 years there has been one constant, the Seilers.

Continue reading "Meeting A Celebrity" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 04:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's what I learned last weekend during my time in Athens:

Georgia's offense has some work to do. Remember, 14 of their 33 points were scored on special teams. Where are the playmakers at receiver?

Football fans love free koozies. We handed them out before the game. Considering how quickly they went, you would have thought there were 100-dollar bills in them.

Continue reading "Reflections from Athens" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 09:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

After leaving the Tennessee-Georgia game last night, our crew walked the streets of downtown Athens to hear some good old-fashioned country rock-n-roll. In Athens, football may be number one, but hometown music comes in a close second.

There is a great deal of pride in the music that has come from this small Georgia city. If you've ever rolled down the windows and blasted R.E.M's It's the End of the World as We Know It, or maybe you're more of a Shiny Happy People fan, then you've gotten a taste of Athens music. If you've ever rocked out to Love Shack by the B-52's, you might not want to tell your drinking buddies about that, but that's Athens music too.

Continue reading "Rock-n-Roll...Athens Style" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 09:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two players and one unit caught my eye during the Tennessee-Georgia game: Volunteers QB Erik Ainge; Georgia MLB Jarvis Jackson; and the Bulldogs secondary.

Ainge was unbelievable. His poise and decision-making won the game for Tennessee. First of all, to be able to put up numbers (25-38, 268 yards, 2 TD) like Ainge put up in this stadium with a hostile crowd speaks volumes about your talent. The key was staying away from forced throws. I only rememeber one ball that Ainge forced into the defense. It happened in the first half just before Georgia returned a punt for a touchdown. Other than that throw, every decision Ainge made was the right one. Tennessee's third down proficiency (7 for 12) speaks volumes about his poise and ability to make the right throw under pressure.

Continue reading "Tennessee 51 - Georgia 33" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 12:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As if Tennessee and Georgia aren't capable of supplying enough highlights, the Human Highlight Film was in the house tonight.

NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins was honored after the first quarter by the fans that cheered him when he dominated as a Bulldog, and then later as an Atlanta Hawk.

Continue reading "'Nique Comes Home" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 08:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The only thing that I don't like about sitting in the press box is being indoors and not getting a taste of the atmosphere and crowd noise. But I'm at Sanford Stadium right now, which happens to have the nicest press box I've ever seen, and I am lucky enough to have an outdoor seat. And I'm sitting directly across from Georgia's student section.

This is fun.

Continue reading "It is Loud in Athens!" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 07:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Return a kickoff at most stadiums and run at full speed toward the sidelines. Get pushed out of bounds, and your momentum might take you into some players and coaches. Do that at Sanford Stadium where the Georgia Bulldogs play, and you might end up running into Mother Nature.

The field at Sanford Stadium is surrounded by green hedges that are about five-feet high. Behind those hedges is a walking path about eight-feet wide, and then...more hedges just before you reach the stands. It is quite a beautiful site and it's one of the things that separates the University of Georgia from other schools.

Continue reading "Georgia Traditions: Trimming Hedges and Painting Faces" »

Posted by Adam Aizer at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"It's great...to be...a GEORGIA BULLDOG!"

The cheer echoed through Williams-Brice Stadium all night, from pre-game to an hour after Georgia claimed victory. For Mark Richt, no statement rings more true than that very cheer.

Continue reading "Georgia: Richt happy to be a Georgia Bulldog" »

Posted by at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When Vince Dooley was brought to Athens to be the head football coach of the Bulldogs, the Georgia faithful were not very happy that an Auburn alumnus was taking over the program.

Continue reading "Georgia: Dooley Still Hunkering Down at UGA" »

Posted by at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

For the Tereshinski family of Athens, Ga., playing football for the Bulldogs is a family ritual. Winning SEC championships is another tradition that three generations of Tereshinskis have shared.

Continue reading "Georgia: Tereshinski keeps traditions going" »

Posted by at 02:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After tonight's 18-0 Georgia victory, here are four players that SEC fans will need to keep an eye out for this season...

Continue reading "SC/UGA: Players to Watch" »

Posted by at 02:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

DT Jeff Owens was relaxing inside a golf cart, slappng high fives, singing with trainers, and completely savoring the 18-0 win his Bulldogs put on South Carolina tonight.

Continue reading "Georgia: Players Proving Bulldogs Are For Real" »

Posted by at 01:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Mark Richt strode into the media room, took his water, and acted as if he'd just survived a nailbiter. However, Richt was immensely pleased with the effort of his Bulldogs, as they shut out the South Carolina Gamecocks tonight in Columbia.

Continue reading "Georgia: Richt - Team D honors "Junkyard Dawg"" »

Posted by at 12:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)