Category: Dawgs

TBT: Plays, Games, Players you Forgot

On this week’s edition of TBT we have AJ Green’s catch against Colorado in 2010 (please disregard the final score of this game). After being suspended for 4-games to start his junior season for selling autographs, AJ came back and made a catch as ridiculous as the suspension. Throw from a freshman Aaron Murray:

Insane to think what college football is allowing today and what warranted being suspended for a 1/3 of the season just 14 years ago. The NCAA would suspend an athlete for even thinking about money back then. Now, they can’t even cobble together one sentence of guidelines for NIL. Go figure.

Now that everyone is reminded of upsetting things, let’s bring up another great AJ Green catch that was followed by utter incompetence by the SEC refs. I remember being at this game back in 2009 when AJ caught what at the time seemed like a game-winning catch only to be flagged for excessive celebration. This video shows the celebration in full, you tell me:

As much as I love George Pickens, AJ is the most talented receiver to ever play at UGA (sorry Hines Ward), and it would be a shame to end this on all negatives. So, here’s probably the best high school catch of all-time:

Adios Gary

I’m nostalgic for the CBS theme-song already, and it’ll pain me to hear it being played over a Rutgers-Michigan State game that’s 3-0 in the Third Quarter (and not Alabama-LSU 3-0 but 6.5 second 40 3-0). Even still, I speak for a lot of people when I say I’m glad that’s what Gary Danielson is going to be forced to watch now. I’m sure ESPN will have their fair share of shilling for Alabama, but nobody knew how to do it better than Gary. I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts off every CBS broadcast this year with a monologue about Nick Saban before realizing he’s in Piscataway. Have fun with that B10 y’all are a match of pretentiousness made in heaven.

I’m not a fan of ESPN, but I will admit that having full media rights to the SEC allows them flexibility that should make for some good changes to the Dawgs schedule. The Tech game being played on Black Friday, for example, is a good thing and should become a yearly staple of our schedule. Now, if ESPN starts making us play conference games on Thursday night like a 2-4 ACC team my opinion may change. For now though I’ll give Mickey the benefit of the doubt. At least until the first Dawgrading of the year when we beat Clemson and Kirk tells us they’re actually no better than Tech anymore.

P.S.: Knowing the game times this far in advance is great for those having to deal with the sinners who choose to get married in the fall. Makes it easy to plan how to find a TV, stream, or other means to watch the Dawgs.

Death by Bunt

I’ve already been blocked by one Georgia team account (we’ll get to that story come basketball season, just know initials TC and I are not friends), so I will refrain from anything too strongly worded to say about this performance.

I don’t know why I expected something different from Georgia in our first super regional in 16 years, but I did and still do frankly. Despite completely forgetting that teams are allowed to bunt and playing outfield like you’re waiting for Simon says go, the Dawgs have it all to play for the next two days. Apologies to Dillon Carter for the outfield comment. Carter made two incredible plays that sadly will never be remembered because Georgia had 8 Marcel Ozunas in the field.

Losing 18-1 is so bad it’s good for the Dawgs. Wes Johnson was able to know early on that we had no chance and chose to pitch accordingly. A loss counts the same no matter how it comes, so better to lose immediately (an 11-run inning will do that to ya) than in a one-run game where you lose your best arms. A legitimate concern is that Georgia doesn’t have the best arms to begin with, but gotta trust that an offense that was consistently one of the best in the country will muster more than 4 hits in the next game. Regardless, things are moving in the right direction and if it’s another 16 years before we’re in a super regional then we likely hired Tom Crean as our baseball coach.

Keep the faith. Go Dawgs.

Shoutout Squeeze Play: 2024 Super Regionals Preview

ESPN actually did something good for once and created Squeeze Play in 2021 to allow the indoctrinated to watch the chaos of college baseball regionals. College baseball is somewhat of a hidden gem in American sports. Baseball is already an extremely random game, so when you add in metal bats and college kids things get wild.

If you don’t know what Squeeze Play is I’m sorry. Imagine Redzone but instead of 8 games of 4-4 teams from the rust belt running the same 10 plays, it’s 32 games of pure chaos. It’s like watching Tenet for 10 hours (which maybe Tenet was that long idk). Nobody knows what the hell is going on but who cares because a guy just shot a gun backwards. It’s awesome. If you missed out on Squeeze Play this year just hope ESPN doesn’t decide it needs to add another Stephen A segment in its place on why the Cowboys haven’t declared Lebron the best player of all time.

On to the preview we go:

Knoxville Super Regional: Hillbillies (-1400) v. Evansville (+800)

Tennessee is trying to win their first ever baseball national championship. They have what is likely the best offense in the country, and the most obnoxious fanbase. A deadly combo at home against a 4-seed. Evansville winning the Greenville Regional over ECU was a great story. The Aces have legitimate players in OF Mark Shallenberger (17 HRs) and pitcher Shane “the leg” Harris (nickname from being a high school kicker), but unfortunately not enough to stop the Urnge.

Pick: Tennessee in 2.

Lexington Super Regional: Kroger Cats (-140) v. Oregon State (+110)

Oregon State baseball is the last team left standing from the Pac-12 in any sport. Once they lose it’ll be the end of an era and a smear on college athletics. Pitiful that it’s come to this. Oregon State is a true blue blood in baseball and has won a national championship more recently than the bluest-blood Kentucky basketball. The Cats have never made it to Omaha, but they have an elite pitching staff this year to get them there. RIP Pac-12, you will be missed.

Pick: Kentucky in 3.

College Station Super Regional: Texa$ A&M (-425) v. Oregon (+300)

Here’s a shocking stat: Texas A&M has never won a national title in baseball. Sorry, that’s probably only shocking to the people who consider TexAgs a news source. It’s impossible to take the people who gave Jimbo $77 million to stop working seriously. A&M is the guy who shows up to dinner in a Porsche then asks his friend if he can spot him on the bill. I promise he’ll Venmo you! Oregon, I’m sorry you have to go to College Station, but at least Phil Knight will probably give you 10 new jerseys for a three-game series.

Pick: Ducks in 3.

Chapel Hill Regional: UNC (-280) v. West Virginia (+210)

Major respect to WVU head coach Randy Mazey for giving up the private jet to his players after they made it to their first ever super regional. I won’t go into the fact that they played in the only regional without an SEC or ACC team in it. Instead, I’ll just question why he chose to eat lo mein noodles with a sweet tea. Both these teams have sure-fire first round players: OF Vance Honeycutt (UNC) and SS JJ Wetherholt. UNC took out reigning national champ LSU in the Chapel Hill regional, and had one of the best moments on Squeeze Play last weekend with a walk-off grand slam in their opening game.

Pick: Mountaineers in 3.

Clemson Super Regional: Dabo’s Cult (-165) v. Jorts (+135)

I’ll put aside my bias (if any) and say that Jac Caglianone is the second best player in the country. But, that’s about all I got for the fightin’ Sun Belt Billies. Clemson couldn’t beat Georgia this year (and won’t in September), but they’re a legitimate title contender and should handle Florida this weekend.

Pick: Clemson in 3.

Athens Super Regional: Dawgs (-150) v. NC State (+120)

About damn time the Dawgs won a home regional. First super regional since 2008 is both exciting and a humble reminder of life at non-Kirby Smart Georgia. “Always teasing never pleasing” to use the wise words of Frank the Tank. On Friday afternoon, when Army was pushing us to the limit I had flashbacks of Campbell and Fresno St. and all the others in between. Turns out it was just Wes Johnson respecting the troops. Then, we won the regional in the most satisfying way possible by letting the nerds think they had a chance. As Georgia fans we don’t get much out of a win versus Tech, but there is not a worse team to lose a game to. Good job Dawgs.

Oh yeah, NC State. They’re a scary team that has a deep pitching staff. It’s not gonna be easy, but the Dawgs and Charlie Condon are 32-5 at Foley this year. Make it 34-5.

Pick: Dawgs in 2.

Tallahassee Regional: Florida State (-350) v. Uconn Lakers (+255)

Yes, Uconn basketball has won back-to-back national championships in basketball, but this is a baseball school now that Hurley is off to be Lebron’s babysitter in LA (Geno Auriemma please don’t read this). The Huskies have now been to super regionals in 2/3 years and are trying to get to Omaha for the first time since 1979. Meanwhile, Florida State is probably busy filing another lawsuit against the ACC to try and join a conference that doesn’t want them.

Pick: Uconn in 3.

Charlottesville Regional: Hoos (-300) v. Kansas State (+220)

Kansas State plays baseball about how you would expect they would. In an ode to Bill Snyder and running the same offense for 90 years, the baseball team still bunts runners over to second base and steals more bases than almost anyone in the country. The difference is that in baseball this is fun to watch (yes, Chris Klieman has modernized the football team but just go with it). The little apple’s finest are going to be a tough test for Virginia who has struggled to pitch consistently all season. The Hoos do have an elite offense though with every single hitter batting above .300 this season. Griff O’Farrell is an electric lead-off hitter and worth a watch.

Pick: Hoos in 3.

If you’re inclined to make a parlay of these picks you would win $0, but your odds would be +28757.

TBT: Plays, Games, Players you Forgot

First up on our weekly segment of plays, games, or players you forgot about: Travis Leslie ending Demarcus Cousins’ career (took a little to set in but this was when the decline started trust me). Enjoy.

And a couple more Travis dunks here: