1980 Dawgs -Revisited
From the website for 1980 Dawgs – The Inside Story of The National Championship Season™: A new documentary film produced in a 2 DVD, Collector’s Edition set. Contains over 3 1/2 hours of behind the scenes stories, including some never heard before and exciting game footage that fans will treasure. Over 25 Players and coaches relive the season with emotions that bring that special season back to life. more…
TEAM me…One More Time
The motto TEAM me started with Coach Erskine Russell of course, but the meaning and attitude lives on in Roswell, Georgia. Two weeks ago I attended a fundraiser for Roswell Youth Football and Cheer Associations. Coach Vince Dooley spoke to the group of kids and their parents.
You may remember the names Matt McCormick and Heather Stepp McCormick. Both are DGD’s from way back. Matt played football and Heather a gymnast. Heather put the fundraiser together and was responsible for Coach Dooley being there. I don’t know how often Coach Dooley invokes the TEAM me as one of the catalysts for our 1980 success, but with Jim Broadway and I in attendance he referred to many of our fondest memories. TEAM me being one of the greatest.
The story was not lost on the 3rd grade Green Hornets and they called me to see if history could repeat itself. I delivered 22 TEAM me shirts in time for the first game today and the picture is below. By the way, the Green Hornets won 32-0!
What an awesome lesson in sports and in life…just one more time.
Thanks Coach Russell!
Georgia Bulldogs – That 70′s Show
The Georgia Bulldogs were very fortunate to escape the confines of Home Sweet Hedges with a victory this past Saturday night. The South Carolina game final score was close as usual, but with some offense thrown in for a change. 41-37? That was supposed to be last weeks score at Okie State! Man, I’m confused!
Back in the day, we didn’t score 41 points in our two SC victories combined(28). That was strange. Something that did look familiar though is the bend don’t break defense, big plays on special teams and winning ugly. I felt like it was 1978 all over again.
I want to apologize on behalf of those late 1970′s and even the 1980 team. I hope you all will forgive us for putting you through such torture, such frustration and contributing to your collective drinking problems. I was at home watching that dang game Saturday night and even though Rennie Curran kept me among the living, I still lost several years off my life.
I never knew why people criticized Coach Dooley so harshly. Now I do. Heck, I’m even mad at him right now. Just kidding coach! I can’t tell you how many games we were outgained and seemingly outplayed but still found a way to win.
People said we were lucky.
Coach Russell said, “I’d rather be lucky than good”.
Coach Dooley said, “Luck is where preparation and opportunity meet”.
I sure hope we continue to court ‘Ole Lady Luck and treat her right and make her happy. I wouldn’t want to piss her off. I think we are going to need her.
Ole’ Erk Russell had a saying…
Coach Erskine Russell had many, many sayings. You’ve heard alot of them, but did you ever here what he thought about preseason prognostication and it’s true worth in the real world? From 1977-1980, Georgia never had much in the way of respect or any predicted greatness . Each and every time some know-it-all with a type-writer(boy I’m old) wrote something less than glowing in their preseason rankings about “The Dogs”, he would always say, “Well men, you know what dogs do to poles(polls)!”
Awesome!
With everything being said about the upcoming season, including this from the AJC, it reminds me of just how little they really mean. I agree with Coach Russell, piss on ‘em! Of course, I believed that last year’s urinals were just as bad. UGA being ranked preseason number one was the kiss of death, and If I’d had a blog then, I would have said so. Anybody that knows me and asked me, got the same answer.
I heard some things last fall and I think that recent comments from thisyear’s leaders confirm that the high praise during the off-season undermined the team’s work ethic. I know for a fact, they did not work like a National Champions. Unless you are over-flowing with talent, and we were not, there has to be a certain hunger. Apparently, the Dawgs of 2008 did not have it.
This years crew just might. Barely being ranked in the top 20 would be great for some programs, not Georgia. But I’m glad it’s true. I believe it will continue to motivate an already motivated group. Above all else fellas, remember what Coach Russell said about polls!
I wonder what Eagles do to polls?
Erk Russell in the Hall of Fame?
There’s not much I remember about the spring of 1976, but there is one image burned into my brain that will live forever. Spring football had just started and after calisthenics(old school word), Coach Ray Broadaway let me go down to the game field, better known as Northcutt Stadium to practice alone. He knew he could trust me to work hard, and I did.
After kicking one set of five kicks, I went to retrieve the balls and that’s when it happened. I looked up in the stands and there was this bald head poking out of the aisle.
HOLY CRAP, THAT’S ERK RUSSELL!
I tried to keep it together and I think I did okay. To be honest, that part is a little fuzzy. My mind was racing! After practice Coach Broadaway introduced us. I was pretty intimidated because Coach Russell’s countenance belied his true self. He was a great man. He told me of The University of Georgia having an interest in me as a kicker and hoped I would visit in the fall.
Obviously, it all worked out well and even though I didn’t play defense for Coach Russell, being recruited by him was a great honor. I know I can speak for my team-mates when I say, no one was more respected or beloved than Coach Erk Russell. Coach Dooley as a Head Coach was not in a position to develop those relationships like Coach Russell.
There are many people more qualified to speak to his worthiness as a College Hall of Fame member. I just had to add my two cents worth. It’s not likely anyone would mention his impact on a kicker, but it was there.
My freshman year, things were going okay, but I was a little homesick for Marietta. It was a friday and we had the weekend off. Even so, we were not supposed to leave Athens. Well, one of my newest and best friends, Ronnie Stewart and I went to a Marietta HS Football game. We made the hour and half trip and having just arrived, we learned that Coach Russell was at the game also!
We left immediately, but not before being seen by my hometown pastor, the Reverend Nelson Price. The pastor, who was with Coach Russell up in the press box, exclaimed in his well- known booming voice, there’s Rex Robinson!
Coach Russell said, “Where”!?!
Ronnie and I thought we had escaped certain disaster, until Monday when we reported to practice. Coach Russell came up to me and very quietly said, “Don’t ever do that again”.
Guess what? I didn’t…
Tell me what you really think!