The game? No. The game was shit on so many levels, but we'll get to that in due time.
The embarrassment was the fans that booed the team off the field at halftime, and at other times as well. It was loud and clear on my television from 2,500 miles away, so I am certain that it was several orders of magnitude louder inside the stadium. I know not all of you did, but to the ones that did, you are a fucking embarrassment to the University of Georgia, and if you are going to boo 18-22 year old kids, then please stay home. And don't come with that weak shit "I was just booing the coaching staff, or the playcalling. Not the kids." Fuck you for thinking that anyone could selectively distinguish the narrow and specific philosophical nature of your booing. If this was the first time this has happened then I wouldn't be so pissed about it. But it's not. I remember writing about it at least 2 times last year, and can remember other instances of it beyond that. Shit Terrance Edwards was what, six, seven years ago? To repeatedly do this is a totally embarrassing representation of our fanbase and school.
If I was a recruit at one of the games when this happened, then I would have serious, serious reservations about committing my future to UGA. When things are down the team need you to be as encouraging as ever, and we have all seen that crowds can be a motivational 12th man. When things are shit, in sports or in life, it's positive encouragement and belief in you from others that spur you out of it and onto better things, not turncoat negativity and abandonment. What the team needed was an encouraging and rousing standing ovation from all 83,000 UGA fans that said "Come on! We're behind you and we believe in you! We both know that you have fucked up and can do much better, so let's do just that- you can do this! "
Moan. Groan. Throw shit. Break something. Curse like a motherfucking sailor at that God damn shitty playcall on 4th and 2 or the missed tackles or the poor throws or the drops and on and on. Whatever. But do not give up and turn on your team when things are not going well. It is a horrible and insulting message to send to the young men who represent our school, and it speaks volumes to your level of so-called fandom. You are a fairweather bandwagoner who only cheers for a winner, and I do not appreciate you. You are chickenshits.
If you are a true fan of UGA, or any other team for that matter, then root for, cheer, and encourage that team when things are going great and when things are going shitty. In fact, the more you stand by your team when they perform poorly, the more you show yourself to be a real fan of the team.
The next time something shitty happens in your life, or you completely fuck up, be it relationship, job, or otherwise related, and you are down and out, and a friend or family member gives you positive words of encouragement that makes you feel better, believe in yourself, and helps you get out of the bad situation and out of the rain and back in to the sunshine, and you think about how much you appreciate that person and their words which were so helpful, think about how you would have felt if instead of offering words of encouragement and support, those same people booed you and told you that you were shit when you needed a boost. Then think about the fact that, as an alleged diehard loyal Bulldog, you booed the shit out of 20 year old kids when things weren't going well but there was still all to play for, and what a shitbird wanker that makes you look like.
And triple everything I just said for anyone who is an alumnus of the University Of Georgia and not just a "fan" in general.
If you want to see how it should be done, then check out Portsmouth of the EPL sometime. Down 0-4 after 35 minutes at home to an absolutely rampant Arsenal in an FA Cup match back in 2003, they sang in support of their team, 28,000 strong at the top of their lungs, for the entire 90 minutes en route to an absolute 5-1 assbeating. It was completely astounding and beyond impressive to anyone who witnessed it, and was commented on far and wide, even by the Arsenal players and manager. Their fans are widely regarded as the best in the land for just this reason, and are respected far and wide even though they are not a great team.
15 comments:
incredibly on point.
Well said. I was at the stadium. Heard it too, although louder at times last year and before.
What was missed (probably) through your tv set was the lack of enthusiasm from our crowd. We were much much louder against Oklahoma State. Not a lot of screaming from our fans on big plays when they needed us on defense, even in the 4th quarter. Seriously in my section I was the only one up and screaming on a lot of those third down plays at the end of the game. That, to me, is embarrassing. I've put up with fan support like that when we play teams like Georgia Southern at noon...but this was essentially a night SEC East matchup. Our student section seemed into it, but the rest of the crowd I guess pretty much just assumed we'd walk away with a win in the game or something. sigh.
That's UGA for ya. *Pound the body and the head will fall, work it!*
I don't like booing for bad performances, but certain times it is justified. Like when a guy obviously can't be bothered and isn't even trying. After a particularly egregious display of such, it is acceptable to me to boo the sucker. But booing just for a general-not-so-goodness is uncalled for.
Crews- gracias.
Aureliano- that is classic UGA. The crowd gets loud and crazy for a big game when they think we might very well lose, or we're playing a team that is perceived to be better than us, but when our fanbase decides that we most likely should win a game, they are much more passive as you pointed out. Example 1: Okie State and then USC. There are a million examples of this. Another longstandinig pattern related to this and fan expectation level is following a huge win by everyone talking about how great we are and then expecting an easier win against the next opponent, which results in what you talked about on the part of the fans, and also the team seems to sometimes read the press clippings after a huge and impressive win and come out not as focused and thinking that all they have to do it show up and they will probably win. OK State/S. Car 07, 2005 SEC Champ. Game/West Virginia, 2004 LSU blowout/home loss to Tennessee, 1997 massive upset of Florida then get dominated by Auburn at home are four of several examples of this that come immediately to mind.
Moin-
Except when we play Wisconsin or Clemson, then we seem to do just fine ;)
I agree with your point, but only for professional sports. For some reason I see it entirely differently when you are dealing with professional athletes who are paid, and paid ridiculously well, to play a game, especially when as you say they sometimes clearly go through the motions, half-ass it, and pick up ginormous paychecks {read: 75% of the NBA}. But to boo college kids is complete chickenshit and totally uncalled for. First and foremost, Sat night {and most other past instances with UGA fans} it's not a matter of a lack of effort but rather a lack of execution, so that rules out what we have agreed upon. Second, they are college kids who are not paid and who sacrifice a lot of time and energy and effort, and in the end they are giving it the old college try. And the argument that they are just minor league pros, that they all go pro anyways, and that they are being paid in a scholarship is rubbish too. Only a select few will ever cash a check playing football: overall in CFB the numbers are 1% that make it to the NFL, at an elite D1 school like UGA maybe 10% {that would be saying that of the 85 dudes on the team right now, 8-9 will go on to play in the NFL, which seems about right}. So between 90-99% of the kids are not "just like pros" etc, etc.
Not a rant directed towards you at all, just clarifying my position/original rant with regard to booing college athletes vs. booing pros. Booing pros is still a bit weak, but I can see circumstances where I have no problem with it.
I agree 100%. If you don't agree with the coaching or the play calling, let yourself be heard AFTER the game in a more appropriate venue. Booing inside the stadium - during or after the game - is not appropriate for college athletics.
That was one bloody-knuckled street fight, as all USC/UGA games seem to be. I wouldn't get too down about it. USC's defense is legit, and you've got to figure the SEC East is going to cannibalize itself this season. Win the games you're supposed to and find a way to get over the Florida hump and you're right back in the race.
One glaring problem I noticed with Stafford's technique - he drifts his feet around and leans his upper body back while throwing. His arm is terrific, but he doesn't always set his feet and get into the throw. As a result he tends to spray the ball around more than you'd like. I noticed this against Okie light last week, but he got away with it. It's a totally correctable flaw, but one that could cost him a pick or two down the road.
Kanu,
I got no arguments over what you say at all. There is a clear distinction between getting paid to do something and still half-assing it and what happens in college. The booing at the game you are referring to is unwarranted, I agree.
And I can't really say anything about UGA/Clemson, since you guys own us about as badly as we own USC.
Don't know about Wisconsin though, have the 2 schools ever played each other?
I was just clowning around, but yes, twice that I know of:
1998 Outback Bowl: Georgia 33-6 Wisconsin. Ron Dayne 14 carries for 36 yards.
http://www2.jsonline.com/badger/20498/fb/game10198.stm
2005 Outback Bowl: Georgia 24-21 Wisconsin
http://www.ncaafootball.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=15&url_article_id=5467&change_well_id=2
Maybe I blocked out that 2005 game on purpose.
I haven't watched the game on TV, so I don't know what was audible there...
But I do sit in the stadium, and directly next to the largest congregation of recruits (I sit in 325, row 18 and most of the recruits are in 326, above row 20). And I don't really know what you're talking about in terms of booing.
At the end of the first half, I heard booing, but it was after the entire Georgia team had left the field. The booing was coming from the student section in the lower level, northeast corner. The only individual involved in the actual, on-field competition that was still out on the field was Steve O. Spurrier, just finishing his halftime interview. The booing around halftime was directed, and only could've been directed, at Coach Spurrier.
Now, in the abstract, I agree totally that booing college kids is wrong.
But for practical purposes, I don't know how one can control grumbling at the end of the game.
And there's another practical thing. Halftime booing of your own team is bullshit, but I don't know if it has the effect that most of us fear the most. Sitting where I sit (and it's been this way for 4 straight years), I've seen how recruits act at games. Here's what it's like: they get to their seats way late. Like, mid-first quarter. They spend very little time watching the game. Most of the time is spent talking to Georgia Girls or running up and down the aisles getting cokes and pretzels and stuff. Trust me, I notice this because a lot of these guys are very big and frequently block my view of the game at inopportune times. Then, with about 5 minutes to go before halftime, the entire section empties out because the recruits and their coaches/friends/chaperones and the accompanying Georgia Girls leave their seats to go to a reception room where the players get food and drinks and can meet with some other athletic department people. Then, usually in the middle of the third quarter, the recruits return... maybe. More than half the section typically doesn't come back after halftime, especially during a late game.
Conceptually, it can be bad in terms of recruiting, that some fans boo. IN practice though, I question whether many of the recruits actually hear it. I'd bet they're more likely to hear about it via message boards and news reports than in the stadium.
And also, seriously. The halftime booing was directed at Spurrier. Everyone else was already in the locker room when the booing started.
Thanks for your perspective/input LD. Mucho appreciado mi amigo {sorry, just got back from Spanish class...}
On TV, for me anyways, it came across as our fans booing our team as they ran off the field and into the locker room, and it being pretty loud before the ESPN cameras kicked it down to {insert marginally hot stupid question asking female sideline reporter here} for her interview with J.R. Ewing, so thanks a bunch for your account.
If it was the 1st time, or if we were losing 31-3 then it probably wouldn't have struck me the way it did, but by all accounts there were incidents of booing the team last season as well and at halftime we still had everything to play for.
Either way, every fanbase has exemplary fans and shitbird fans, and everything in between. I was really frustrated and pissed about watching that loss unfold for 3 hours, and immediately after the game that manifested itself in this rant post about the booing. 2 days on and I'm in a much more Zen like place about the loss, and also about getting so worked up about this as well.
You said it best man "Flush The Turd. Let's Get Better". That seriously should be on T-shirts, it's way more profound than "Finish The Drill" or "TEAM me"
Shit, the two dudes who started the "Life Is Good" brand with the stick figure drawings began by selling "Life Is Good" T- shirts out of their garage, and today they are each multimillionaires. Something to think about LD...
My brother wrote that, after going to the game, returning home and re-watching it two more times before sleeping on Saturday night. Same kind of response.
As for the booing, it goes back to the Auburn game in, I think, 1999. It was an embarrassment then, and remains one every time it happens. I'm sure there were some morons booing the team (or coaches or whoever), but I really think the vast majority of the halftime booing was directed at Spurrier. I don't want to be unequivocal, but that's honestly how I saw it. Now, at the end of the game, I know there was more booing (and there was some booing after the 4th and 2 playfake sack, and that I think was very clearly directed at the OC box). None of that was acceptable, but it happens. Fans are emotionally tied to the game, probably too much so. I know I am.
kanu,
While I completely agree with your sentiments regarding college players, namely, there is no place for it, sitting in section 323, I didn't get the impression that the boos were for the team. Most of the booing I heard seemed to be clearly directed at the refs.
As to the halftime booing, I confess I was with my daughter out in the concourse, so I didn't hear that. But generally, UGA fans haven't booed the team in a while. AU 1999 was the last time I recall it being really bad. But I agree, it would be nice if we cheered harder when the team was down.
LD-
We're squarely into dead horse territory now, but it was an interesting coincidence that last last night after reading your comment & responding, I happened to switch on the TV on before bed and they were replaying the game on ESPN2, and there were 2 min left in the 1H. So I watched to get a 2nd viewing, and there definitely is loud booing as the team begins to walk off the field.
You were there, I'm not telling you that you were wrong, it was just interesting the way it cam across in the TV presentation- the way the shots were. hell, it could be that in the stadium they flashed Spurrier on the jumbotron and everyone booed, while ESPN has a the panned back shot of the team starting to walk off the field.
Either way it doesn't really matter, everyone seems to agree that booing college players is chickenshit and wrong, and that is the main thing I was trying to get across.
OK, horse officially dead now. Time to move on.
Wow, who wants horsemeat carpaccio?
Concur on the UGA booing - I watched the game without volume for the majority but hate to hear a reminder of Terrence Edwards or like events in Dawg history. I have been to way too many games in Jacksonville to condone any booing of the boys in the Silver Britches 'tween the hedges...and I know game day pain.
Im going to have to agree with ID - No one was booing the UGA team in any shape or form. The crowd may not have been as loud as for OK state - hard to repeat that performance - but they were into it until the INT was thrown with 20 or so seconds left. The only booing going on was for Steve F'in Spurrier, who, if you are a real dawgs fan, should be booed at every and any opportunity.
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