From the editor : vance leavy Well last week I ended my editor’s note by saying, “Let’s blow the doors off that sucker” in reference to Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Mo. And thankfully I am able to report that’s exactly what our guys in red and black and their beloved fans did. Wow, what an incredible away game. And a lot of the good times came because of the exceptional hospitality given by everyone in the Mizzou Nation. These folks couldn’t have been any nicer. In fact just before kickoff I began kidding them saying that I was onto them trying to lure us Bulldawgs in for the kill once we got into the stadium. Lucky for Cheri and me and the group with us, I happened to meet the owner of a Columbia magazine (Inside Columbia) at a convention in Nashville back in February. I swapped cards with Fred Parry not knowing that it would end up gaining me the keys to his hometown upon my arrival. From entertaining us at a Thursday cooking class event at his business to picking us up for a Friday evening cocktail party to landing us a parking pass right next to the stadium, Fred was without question the host with the most. Oh yeah, he also gave us a ride back downtown after the game. For those of you that weren’t able to make the trip, my suggestion is that you go ahead and start planning to do so two years from now. Everyone in Columbia was just as giving as our friend, Fred. They are thrilled to be in the SEC and wanted to make sure we were having a great time throughout our stay. And by the way, Columbia is very like Athens in how its beautiful campus flows into a lively downtown scene. And boy, everyone in the Bulldog Nation soaked it up … and how. We all know Bulldawgs have the market cornered as far as having a good time, but taking care of business on the field is always the cherry on top. The game versus Missouri wasn’t a thing of beauty, but it was so encouraging to see how our team responded to adversity. It took all four quarters, but in the end the better team took home the prize. Where shall I begin on how awesome Jarvis Jones is? He absolutely wreaked havoc on the Tigers with an interception, a fumble caused/return that should have been a touchdown and a slew of tackles. What a treat to be in the stands to see such greatness at work. However Jarvis is all about the team, so I know he will appreciate me giving huge kudos to every single player on the defense that has contributed to these last two victories. Yes, it hurts to have so many big time players side-lined with suspensions, but our gritty replacements have done their part to keep
the dream of a magical season alive. On the other side of the ball, I spoke last week about how great our receiving unit is and boy they made me look like a genius with their effort against Missouri. Leading the way this go round was Marlon Brown, who had a huge night. And he is so deserving as he has kept his head up over the last few years when things weren’t going his way. And finally props go to Aaron Murray, who recovered from a slow start that included an interception to end the night throwing three touchdowns. However let’s not get too giddy. The win was great, but there is tons of room for improvement. 12 penalties are ridiculous. And unfortunately, Richt and company digressed back to taking a slew of unnecessary timeouts. We’ve seen this happen over and over again throughout the years. Stuff like this isn’t going to cut it for a team trying to navigate the best football conference in the country. Still a win is a win and this one was sweet. Now, we turn the page and get ready for Florida Atlantic. Yes, this one is supposed to be easy on paper, but just ask Arkansas what can happen if you let David hang around. Louisiana Monroe 34, Hogs 31. Ouch, that Pig Sooie stinks. Don’t let it happen Dawgs. Let Saturday night’s game be a great opportunity to improve your weaknesses and expand your strengths. There’s still a ton of football to be played and a lack of focus in any game can be the difference in accomplishing the lofty goals you seek. And for everyone in the Bulldog Nation, please don’t let up either. Our boys need you. Also, don’t forget that Saturday’s night will also include the enshrinement of Russ as Uga IX. He’s a great dog and has his eyes set on drinking fruity drinks in Miami in January, like the rest of us. Everyone here at Bulldawg Illustrated salutes the Seiler family for their ongoing commitment to making our mascot the best on the planet. Speaking of the Seilers, be sure to read Murray’s story on Swann Seiler on page 5. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to our readers to learn Swann’s commitment to Georgia goes well beyond “the dog.” Please enjoy everything else in this issue. We had a blast capturing so many incredible Dawg fans out in Missouri. And the photo on this page certainly proves how much fun everyone had with “Old Man football … Old man football.” But you have to give credit to the Missouri player who after the game apologized to Coach Richt for his slip of the tongue. Good stuff indeed. Let’s keep this sucker rolling, Bulldawgs. See you in Sanford on Saturday night!
Florida Atlantic Cha Cha Cha Publishing Inc. Editor Vance Leavy Editorial & Ad Director Cheri Leavy Sports Guru Jeff Dantzler Sales Caroline Kinney, Holly Stanfill Sports Murray Poole Travis Ragsdale Layout/Design Cheri Leavy, Vance Leavy Cover photo Rob Saye Photography Rob Saye Columnists Carlton DeVooght Al Hickson Rob Sherrell Loran Smith Chad White Student Editor Travis Ragsdale Interns Katherine Parke Pierce Persons Annie Trice Delivery Hatton Abernathy, Martin Cameron Jake Davis, Will Hayes, Frank Sinkwich IV, Champ Vance
Florida Atlantic, September 10, 2012 FOR ADVERTISING OR TO SUBSCRIBE:
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