Georgia-Florida, Then and Now
It’s that time of year again. The air is crisp, the leaves are changing and Jacksonville, Florida is the center of the football universe. The fact that the “WLOCP” falls on Halloween this year means the crazy meter might reach an all-time high, but that would take a lot. It is the one game where the amateurs are encouraged to stay home and let the professionals do their thing.
I was fortunate to play in four Georgia/Florida games. The good guys went 3-1 and ended the era with one of the most famous games in the series; the 1980 game. It does not matter if you wear red and black or jorts, you remember this game. It’s the game where Georgia QB Buck Belue hit WR Lindsey Scott with a short pass and Lindsey raced 93 yards to totally deflate a previously euphoric Gator sideline. It was 3rd and 11 after all, with 1:03 left in the game. There was no way Georgia could win. But miracles do happen and believe me, this was a miracle.
Georgia may need another miracle this week if they are to beat a superior Gator team. Florida is 8-0 and ranked number 1 in the nation by the BCS poll. But let me ask you this. Do you know what dogs do to polls(poles)? That’s correct. That’s what Old Coach Erk Russell used to tell us every preseason. It was great motivation for us to exceed expectations.
Many of you have only heard about the recent history of this series where Florida has dominated 16-3 in the last 19 contests. It’s as if college football was invented in 1990. Well, it was not, and even with the impressive run that the Gators have enjoyed, the Dawgs still lead the series.
Good Guys- 47 Bad Guys – 38 Ties – 2
What’s that you say? That’s impossible Mr. Robinson?
Oh no, I’m not lying. We used to spank that armor plated fanny on a regular basis. Do the math. That would mean at one point it was 44-22-2. Ouch! Georgia’s series with the Gators ranked right up there with the Vanderbilts, South Carolinas and Kentuckys of the world. Yep, it was that good.
But then Florida hired freakin’ Steve Spurrier aka “The Ole Ball Coach”. Man, I knew as soon as it was announced that he was going to be trouble. He took Duke to an ACC Championship. Nuff said. Back in the day everyone acknowledged that Florida had talent, it just never had the teams you thought they could have. The rest, as they say, is history and with the advent of Urban Meyer and Tim Tebow, Florida has truly reached their full potential.
Two eras, B.S.S., before Steve Spurrier and A.S.S. after Steve Spurrier….as different as they could possibly be. Georgia dominated the first three quarters of the series and Florida has dominated the last quarter. If Georgia wants to stem the tide, they must do everything better.
Recruit better…Coach better…Play better…It’s just that simple.
Go Dawgs!
Georgia Bulldogs Picture Day 1980
Boy did I get a blast from the past today. I received this picture from a “young” man who had his picture taken with me on picture day 1980. Mark was nine then, that would make him 37 now. I see pictures like this from time to time and I always wonder where those folks are now.
Mark S. is an software sales guy with his own blog too. We apparently had spoken on Dawgvent or something and recently he found this photo. It made me do some searching and I broke out the pictures my mother took on that same day.
I found a picture of a very young Bill Hartman and Lindsey Scott behind him. Also below you will see a picture of Hershel before we knew what was in store. No one knew what lay ahead. What a great year… Thanks Mark!
Tell me what you really think!