Welcome to Tuesday, Bulldog fans! But not just any Tuesday, because it’s Hate Week! Have you hated a gator today? They say you can’t hate gators all day if you don’t start first thing.
It’s been too calm, too placid around Bulldog Nation. The excitement from beating #1 Texas, on the road, and spoiling the Game Day dais has worn off. I think we could all use a stirring locker room speech – something in the vein of “win one for the Gipper.” Oh, who am I kidding? I want one from Crazed Kirby. You know the one – the one from halftime at AlltelEverBankTIAAEverbank. I won’t link to it here since we don’t condone coarse language (inject that straight into my veins like some good Fresh-Air Brunswick Stew).
Switching gears, benefitting from someone’s misfortune is often a moral dilemma. But not if it means getting some decent wideouts.
I’m personally not too scared of Artificial Intelligence. There are certainly possibilities for very nefarious schemes, but I like to think I’m insulated against most of these scenarios. Except when it comes to college football. If there’s ever an AI generated article, it’s this one announcing the broadcast times for Georgia’s visit to Ole Miss next week. Okay, now I’m scared.
Billy Napier has been declared as officially “on the hot seat”, even before the season started. A 1-2 start didn’t help (it also didn’t help that both losses were to top 10 Miami and Texas A&M). But the Gators are playing markedly better football, which is tough when your fans want to fire the coach mid-season. You know who is a fan of Billy Napier? Kirby Smart. He said so. Now, we won’t go into the reasons why he likes Napier as head coach of Kirby’s most hated rival. We’ll just focus on the positive.
Most of the answers Coach Smart provided were straight from the “Give Them Nothing – Coach Speak for Top Ranked Teams” handbook. Like if you wanted the latest status of appealing the first half suspensions of Joel Aguero and Dan Jackson, you will be disappointed. Care to hear his thoughts on an obviously sub-par performance from Carson Beck? Ha! Nice try.
A few nuggets slipped out, such as the biggest rival in Kirby’s formative years, and some injury updates to Mykel Williams and Tate Ratledge. Both appear to have benefitted from the extra week, and both are practicing. Williams is still not 100%, but who wouldn’t take anything this guy gives you? And Ratledge looks to be promoted from “emergency use” vs. Texas to “probable” in Jacksonville. The availability report will be out Wednesday.
In Beyond The Hedges news, the Hoop Hounds host UCF tonight at the Steg for an exhibition game to benefit the UGA Miracle charity. Next week, the ‘Dawgs will open the 2024-25 season against Tennessee Tech.
Let us know if you hear more news. Just don’t let it get in the way of your passionate dislike of all things Alachua. Gators eat boogers, it’s a fact. It’s even in the URL. Deride anyone wearing orange and blue, especially if they’re wearing jorts. And as always…
GO ‘DAWGS!!!