Aquila, I can see you and I are not seeing the same thing here....perhaps it's my inability to communicate my view effectively. I just don't see the responses Corey and I gave being rude or inappropriate in any way shape or form and not remotely as offensive as those typical of our Gator friend. Perhaps others disagree. In any event, we'll just have to agree to disagree and continue a civil dialogue.
I'm not saying you're necessarily being rude here, Buckeye T, but you knew when you posted that picture that you were going to draw some sort of response from MCG. In all honesty, it really doesn't matter to me. I just like being able to have good discussion about college football with knowledgeable people because there aren't a ton out of fans out there who are both knowledgeable and reasonable. I really don't have a dog in the fight and I'll try to stay out of it from now on. I don't have any real problems with anyone that regularly posts here.
Aquila, I can only speak for myself here, and even at that I often struggle, but I have no problem whatsoever with drawing a response....indeed responses are good things and should be the intent of a good board to draw out respondents. It is the nature of the response and the tone of the discourse that separates the civil, mature boards from the flame-throwing, juvenile smack boards. Is it well-meaning, adult and civil or mean-spirited, demeaning and punk? All posts/responses are not created equal.....
Aquila <t>Just a quick FYI because I know you are still relatively new here. Sometimes we take our backround and people knowing it for granted, and I am guilty of that.<br/> <br/> 1. I am a die-hard ND fan. <br/> <br/> 2. UCLA is a distant 2nd. I grew up in Southern California. My grandfather is an SC alumn, however I attended UCRiverside and UCLA. My dad is a Cal State San Bernardino Coyote, they're strange out there..but he doesn't post here anymore.<br/> <br/> 3. I hate about half the Pac10 but have been forced into a situation in which I defend them because no one (sans Bear Down Rick and Air Zona) will defend them.. I shouldn't have to defend them given their onfield performances, but I still do.<br/> <br/> 4. I hate f***ing USC like I need air to breath. The fact that I am ever in a situation to defend them rationally just pisses me off even more.. which may explain my impatient furor over people not looking at it logically. It is beyond whimsical to me when people suggest that I am 'Pac10 homering' for USC.. No one here, except maybe Sid, wishes ill upon them more than I do.<br/> <br/> 5. If you understand Dave's frustration... Then try me out. Born in SoCal with a full appreciation of ND and Pac10 football. I moved to Northern Big10 country for 2.5 years to coach college baseball. Due to a marriage that is now defunct, I live in Alabama. The heart of Dixie. I can't move. My son is here. If Dave thinks the Michigan media homers for the Big10, he has forgotten how insane it is here in the South. <br/> <br/> Check out the Finebaum archives from the past 3 days. They've done nothing but b*tch about Saban not releasing a depth chart. As I am sure you know, this insanity is 365, 24/7 here.. Their viewpoint of the world starts with their favorite team.. then goes onto conference.. and it ends at the SEC.<br/> <br/> I listen to 12 months of "USC wouldn't finish 5th in the SEC" which is seriously contradictory to what on-field results show. I have to listen to non-stop attacks about ND being overrated, done for and not worth a crap.. They say this when we beat them too btw..<br/> <br/> I'd gladly walk a mile in Dave's shoes than wish what I see/hear on a daily basis on anyone who isn't an SEC fan.<br/> <br/> Here, they treat ACC fans like a gay cousin or disfigured child in the family. They look at them oddly and still make jokes behind their back, but they are sort of 'kin folk' to them... The rest of the college football world doesn't even exist. We're all I-AA to them.<br/> <br/> Anyone who thinks that's hyperbole is welcome to come spend a weekend with my here in the sunny shoals area.</t>
I don't believe you heard that here. What we did hear here though is that Tebow couldn't be 5th string QB at USC. All I can say Corey is that it must be hell to live somewhere where you can't stand the culture.
Aquila, you are a good guy with good insights and I hope you stay around a long time. I do understand some of the reactions here and frankly don't know how to handle some of the things that happen here on Skybox. This topic is mild but as was said by someone else here some topics get locked because they just become way to much of a pi**ing contest.
Sweet mother of Jesus Bill <r><QUOTE><s> </e></QUOTE> This is what happens when you butt in and are too sensitive.<br/> <br/> He, Aquila, said in an earlier post that he feels for Dave being a Gator living in Michigan..<br/> <QUOTE><s> </e></QUOTE> I've lived in the Northern midwest and I have now lived in the Heart of Dixie for damned near a decade. There is absolutely NO comparison between the Big10 college football coverage and SEC football coverage. NONE.. nada, zip.. this is something the SEC wins hands down.<br/> <br/> As I said, the Finebaum show has been dedicated to bitching about Nick Saban not releasing a depth chart. <br/> <br/> I can walk into just about any store, in any city in the south and say the words aloud "I'm a big Notre Dame fan" and you wanna walk a mile in my shoes then?<br/> <br/> You guys can't have it both ways. You can't talk about how this is the epicenter of college football and then pretend its just like everyone else when called out on the craziness of it.<br/> <br/> Don't get me wrong, its cool as hell. I actually enjoy the crap (to an extent) I take from SEC fans... but its crazy. The only thing like it in the Big10 are the actual cities of Columbus, OH and maybe Happy Valley, PA.. way down the scale would be Ann Arbor..and we're talking actual individual cities here. The South is like this all over...even in towns hundreds of miles from any campus.</r>
I'm not going to try to play referee here anymore but I do want to point out that I called out your situation, Corey, before you just explained it when I said: Perhaps, I was overstating your allegiance to the Pac-10 but I think I pretty well nailed it. So, yes, I feel like I understand whole-heartedly your point-of-view as well as Dave's. Thanks for your nice posts and everything about my presence and contributions here. I would like to point out though that I became a member on this forum in 1999. I largely lurked through my college years for reasons that you can imagine. I'll just say, at the time, I felt like I had better things to do than post here. I still think my earlier post was misunderstood but that's all right. I'll let it end here.
I'm not sure what you mean by that Corey, it doesn't really seem to fit the conversation. On a different note, I now live in North Carolina and they are not as rabid about football up here. But there are so many Floridians here and plenty of Gator fans so I don't feel all that lonely.
This is fact Aquila. Also fact is that Corey has it tougher than I do and I am certain beyond certain it adds to his negative attitude toward Florida and all things SEC. With regard to the hijack attempts....I had no intention of responding. I do feel strongly however about Georgia's specific dilemma this year as opposed to last year's cakewalk into the Florida game...this time around is far...far different for Georgia and much more difficult. I do feel strongly that this type of situation occurs frequently in the SEC due to many factors not the least of which I discussed in the SEC Coaches topic. That is a serious array of college coaching talent that some foolishly want to dismiss as a lineup that doesn't stand out somehow. I also strongly feel that all conferences are not equal and I feel strongly as well that the balance of power between conferences can ebb and flow depending on the year. Right now the SEC is flying high having come off a 7-2 bowl record and consecutive NCs and therefore the conference is extremely competitive, making Georgia's schedule and back to back games against the last two defending national champions in #6 ranked LSU and #5 ranked Florida a pretty daunting task for any team.
Here is the meat of Georgia's schedule: Sept. 13 at South Carolina Sept. 20 at Arizona State Sept. 27 Alabama Oct. 4 OPEN DATE Oct. 11 Tennessee Oct. 18 Vanderbilt Oct. 25 at LSU Nov. 1 Florida (Jack.) Nov. 8 at Kentucky Nov. 15 at Auburn In that stretch they play teams ranked #5, 6, 11, 16, 18, 26 and 27. The other two teams are still physical and I have seen many key injuries for Florida occur against both Kentucky and Vanderbilt. That is some schedule.
actually Bill/Dave, Here's the thing.. I held this opinion before moving to MN and long before AL, but back then... I didn't know what I was talking about...(I hadn't been to the South) When I lived in MN, it was just a continuation of me not understanding southern culture..(since I had only visited the South at that time) Now that I've lived in the heart of Dixie for almost a decade, it is somehow the cause of my opinion about the SEC.. I love living in the Shoals. I hated Decatur, but I love the Shoals. I don't hate the culture, and I certainly don't hate the people. One of the things that I love about my new job is that he's a guy who 'gets it' in so much as he's a guy from what they call here 'a family divided.' (North/South) He's as big a Tide homer as there is but he at least acknowledges the things I speak about..he just doesn't care..he's unapologetic.. as are most here. I've been leading the office charge to 'countdown to football' because I love living in the South during football season. You guys seriously have me all wrong and your posts wreak of it... I seriously enjoy the bat **** craziness of this whole region for 4 months out of the year.. Its brewing for 8 months, but it boils over for 4 months. If y'all are too defensive or thin skinned to see that in yourselves, then I am sorry for you. You aren't recognizing part of what makes you unique and special...and also, a much deserved envy of the college football world..There is nothing in American sport (regionally speaking) like college football in the South. But make no mistake, you're bat **** crazy.. ps Dave, did you miss the part where I said that Georgia played a helluva schedule?
Corey! Not much I can add! :evil: :twisted: :roll: :wink: :lol: 8) :? :shock: One of those emoticons might fit, who knows.
I've said it already, but I think ASSU is a little overrated this year. Their O-Line gave up a lot of sacks last year and, for bad or good, it's very inexperienced this year. OT Richard Tiutu’u just quit the team, leaving them with only two returning starters. The Gerbils have a very good receiving corps and I've read that Erickson's having Trudy Crapenter go to a three-step drop, but I'm wondering if that's going to be enough to compensate for the weak line. I'm expecting (not to mention praying to God) to see Georgia's D spend most of the game in the ASSU backfield.
...And most of us like it that way!! Back to football.... I do think that the media is putting Georgia on way too high of a pedestal. That is one bear of a schedule. I see a minimum of 2 losses. I also somewhat get the feeling that their season could end up much worse. Some teams have a hard time living up to such lofty expectations when they haven't done a lot to earn them. See Tennessee in 2005. I think a more realistic prognostication on where Georgia will end up is around 10. Phil Steele's preseason mag has them 9th I think and I believe that is reasonable. I think Florida is the team to beat in the SEC, personally. I think they lose 1-2 games and get their revenge on Georgia this year. Now, that being said, as has been stated here, they really need to shore up that defense. If that doesn't happen, they will have a similar season to what they had last year. I also think the loss of Ingram hurts them in the red zone passing game. If Tennessee can somehow find a way to slow down Tebow and pull out the win in Knoxville, I think they can surprise. The best thing about this.....it will play out on the field starting in less than a month.
aquila <t>Amen!<br/> <br/> Its funny, I am as skeptical abouty ASSU (like Rick) as you are Georgia. Their talent at all positions but OL can't be denied...but that still doesn't excuse their terrible OL.<br/> <br/> I tend to agree with you re Ga/FL but everytime I think of Moreno and that Gator D, I think of Earl Campbell running over a class of pre-schoolers.<br/> <br/> BTW, I am starting to wonder if UCLA is going to find 22 to suit up against you guys in a few weeks.</t>
I agree with that but everytime I think of Georgia, I think of their O-line getting ran over by a mediocre to average Tennessee D-line en route to a 35-14 rout. I remember that game vividly. I was wanting to get in some early bow season deer hunting that day but I was at an impasse because the UT-Georgia game was on TV at 3:30. I figured I could watch the first half and if it was close I would stay but if UGa was putting the beating on, I could go ahead and go hunting to try and brighten up my day a bit. I honestly didn't really expect Tennessee to be the one showing the way to the woodshed. I know the Dawgs hadn't really unleashed Moreno but that's really not the point. Their lines got dominated on both sides of the ball. Of course, an NFL caliber back could have changed things a bit but 3 scores (and it really wasn't even that close) is a wide margin. Tennessee was on cruise control in the second half. Everyone talks about UF getting revenge on UGa for the humiliation in Jacksonville. I think the Dawgs remember the humiliation in Knoxville just as well. It will be interesting to see how they respond in Athens especially considering the Vols put a beating on 'em between the hedges two years ago as well. IMO, Tennessee has a realistic shot of going 10-2 reg. season. I think they definitely lose to Auburn on the Plains and drop another to either UGa, UF, or at So. Car. I know optimism reigns supreme in August but I think those are realistic best-case expectations. The Vols just might fly back to the SEC champ. game under the radar once again. Their O-line is a beast. My only real question about Tenn. this year is finding a quality D-line rotation. That's the key to Tennessee's season and IMO the difference between a 10 win season and a 5 loss season. We shall see....
Like Aquila said just a couple of weeks earlier Georgia didn't look good against Tennessee and needed luck to beat Vandy. They finished strong, but the Dawgs have a way of starting the season slow. I'll believe they are real when and if they get to Jacksonville on Nov 1 with one loss or unbeaten.
If memory serves correct... Didn't Georgia have the youngest OL in Division 1 bowl division last year? I think they started something like 3 freshman and a soph, maybe 2? They hadn't gone to Moreno yet either. Still, the fact remains that UT was able to stack the line and run right thru them. If you can check down and beat UT's man coverage, you can beat UT's defense.. at least historically. If you can't back them off, you're in trouble. A few months ago, I made the statement that it bothers me that almost no one is talking about Tennessee. I think that point still stands.