Hey, It’s Throwback Thursday! Yeah…Yeah…Yeah…Yeah!
Georgia Bulldogs fans ask me about the 1978 Kentucky game more than any other game. I understand why. It’s the only game I made a kick at the very end of a game to help my team win. Oh yeah, Larry Munson had a little something to do with it too. In fact, this game is memorable because of Larry and I feel very strongly that his call of the great comeback of the 1978 Wonderdogs is why this game is high on some people’s list of great Georgia games.
This particular season we were expected to be a very average team but at this point were still unbeaten in SEC play. This game was where the name Underdogs to Wonderdogs was born.
Many of you have heard the call of the 29 yarder that beat the ‘Cats, and that’s all well and good. What you may not realize is how great a comeback this really was. After spotting Kentucky 16 points, we began chipping away at the mountain we had to climb. This was in Lexington at night, another tough SEC setting we had to deal with.
There were so many great plays by what turned out to be a great team. Jeff Pyburn, Willie McClendon, Ullysses Norris, Amp Arnold to name a few. A never say die attitude, “The Bulldog Way”, drove us to do what seemed impossible.
Kentucky missed a field goal with 4:03 to go in the game. The drive that ensued was one for the ages. The strong Kentucky defense that had been so tough all night was beginning to crumble under the pounding of our offensive line and the running of Willie McClendon. Larry Munson’s voice, not quite as gravely as it would ultimately become, was filled with emotion. His call was building up to a crescendo of unforgettable one-liners. There were some guys on Facebook last night doing some of them, since it’s Kentucky week.
We drove all the way down to the 12 yard line and called time-out with 8 seconds to go. One of the more memorable things that happened was Kentucky’s Fran Curci calling time out to “freeze” yours truly, the kicker. Little did he know we only had 10 men on the field and it probably helped us win the game.
Coach Dooley tells this part of the story quite often, Little Timmy Morrison, who was anything but little, was on the sideline praying for me to make the kick. You know, I really appreciated the sentiment, but a little blocking would have been great! Coach Dooley told Tim that his prayers had answered and to get his butt back in there!
With all this drama, the kick itself was the boring part.
This picture is from the Kentucky paper the next day…
Larry’s call was magical. He noticed before the kick that most of the Georgia fans were upside down but were trying to stand, Once I kicked it he uttered the memorable, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah”! Later he said, “He kicked it not quite 87 1/2 yards across the cross-bar up toward the scoreboard…he kicked the whatchamacallit out of it”! He added, “the bench is unconscious”! Holy smokes I spoke to Robinson’s parents in the lobby of the motel today and he missed his first two tonight. But guess which one he hit?!
That was all great stuff, but my question is this. If you were around back then, where were you? Many people have told me where they were, all over the Southeast, listening on WSB Radio. The signal traveled a long way that night. A night I’ll never forget, but made memorable to all by the one and only Larry Munson.
Thanks again Larry!
That was a great game. I was living in Louisville KY at the time and the game was not on live. There was an 11 PM tape delayed playing of the game and I made sure I did not listen to radio or TV all day. I about had a heart attack ! Definitely one of my favorite games to watch due to the outcome.
12/26/2009 at 10:58 AM
Damn good kick under pressure Rex. I was in grad school in St. Louis and only saw the Sunday Post-Dispatch recap. About two lines. I do remember chuckling a bit that season as the paper had done a pre-season projection with Georgia near the bottom of the SEC. Wonderdogs indeed! Just heard the news on UGA VII.. may he RIP. Feel like a real heel joking we fire or replace him earlier this season. Now we know why the poor dog always looked so tired as heart problems were the issue.
11/20/2009 at 12:08 AM
R.I.P. UGA VII
Damn good Dawg!
11/19/2009 at 10:22 PM
Not sure if I could have made that kick…lol! Well maybe. Great job Rex. Keep up your fine blogging. Have a terrific Thanksgiving.
And I can’t believe I’m watching Brief Kase still kicking for the Panthers tonight. Unbelievable.
11/19/2009 at 10:18 PM
Hey man, thanks for checking in. I was at the ’76 Tech game…damn it was cold and wet. So, I know first hand you could have. See you soon.
11/19/2009 at 10:23 PM
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Rex, this was one of our favorite games ! Our dad was a dawg-fan from way back, we were all huddled around a small radio turning it just enough we could pickup the signal. If I remember right it was a really cold night as well. Larry framed that last drive like a book to script ! We actually felt like we were there ! Wow ! The dawgs were determined to win this game and ALL of y’all delivered. Larry had that knack for putting all of us dawgs there ! Thanks for the memories .
11/19/2009 at 12:00 PM
Rex, I remember this game vividly. Our stereo was in the living room and I had to listen to the game with my old ear phones on. When you made the kick I jumped up yelling all over the place. I accidently pulled the plug out of the stereo and woke up everyone in the house. Just so you know my oldest son is named Rex. I thought it made a great football name. Thanks for the memories. Go Dawgs!!
11/19/2009 at 11:54 AM
Yeh, radio was the way back then. So I’m sure it was on somewhere in the house, unless Dad was listening to his Clempson Tigers play…
I don’t remember watching many games at all as a kid unless I was in the stadium. Most of those memories are of the radio blasting through an open window while I pretended to be Scott Woerner in the backyard.
I tried kicking too. But could rarely get it over the swingset. Went for it on fourth down a lot.
11/19/2009 at 11:29 AM
Rex,
Great memories indeed. In my mind, never has there been such an exciting recipe of great players, games, and fans all stirred by the greatest announcer of all time.
For those that would like to hear a replay you can check it out at http://www.larrymunson.com/audio/UGA__UK__1978.MP3
Go Dawgs!
Ron
11/19/2009 at 11:24 AM
http://www.larrymunson.com/audio/UGA__UK__1978.MP3
11/19/2009 at 11:21 AM