Cancelling the upcoming Georgia-Clemson series just got a lot more expensive.
Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips wrote in a letter to Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity on April 17 that serves as an addendum to the game contract that “despite conference realignment and the expected increase in conference games required by the Atlantic Coast Conference, we are both committed to maintaining the football series between Clemson Universiy and the University of Georgia to play football in 2013 and 2014. To further solidify that commitment and protect either institution from the loss of revenue should either game within that series be cancelled without mutal consent, we have agreed to amend section 15 of the contract agreement and set the cancellation fee at $3,000,000.” Both athletic directors have signed the addendum.
I know what that says, but the cynic in me wonders if it wasn’t McGarity pushing for that absurd amount, just so he could go to the next conference meeting on scheduling with that as a cudgel – “guys, Georgia can’t afford to go to a nine-game conference schedule!”
Get The Picture 
I can accept an 8 game league season as long as the out of conference games are Clemson quality and not just Northern New Mexico State types. I actually prefer an out of conference game with a quality opponent to a game with Ole Miss to be honest. I must not be alone given the recent post about tickets available for this seasons cupcake games.
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1.I’d rather not fly to OK. State.
2.I guess you haven’t tailgated at “The Grove”.
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I’d much rather play Clemson than Ole Miss. Get real.
And I have tailgated at the Grove.
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I’m sure it t would improve our O stats. Offense scoring is exciting. Bobo could hang 70 on Dabo and Death Valley has the atmosphere for sure.
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Time to dump Tech in favor of Clempson anyway.
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This would be tough for me. I’ve enjoyed beating the crap out of Tech every year, but it is getting a bit boring. Hell, let’s whip both of them.
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Amen. The Tech game does absolutely nothing for us.
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We can tell that you are young.
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A Techie will read this and proclaim on his Techie message boards that UGA is scared to play Tech now. Bank on it.
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That is no excuse for opposing a nine game schedule anyway. When you have a 12 game schedule, nine conference games leaves you the opportunity for one quality OOC game each year, the Tech game as a mid-level game, and one walk-over game to warm up with. The fans should demand this, and program officials, including McGarity should also aspire to a higher standard. Current scheduling for most top-tier schools is just embarrassing. You get what you will tolerate, and 1-2 quality contests at home per year should be unacceptable. Fortunately, the number of quality games available on TV each week means we do have an option. More and more UGA fans will opt for that each year. I usually choose 1-2 games a year to attend, including road games.
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+1. I like your correct assessment that the Tech game is a mid-level game.
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The real problem with that is because we play the Florida game in Jacksonville every year UGA is limited in the number of available home game slots in even numbered years and in away game slots in odd numbered years. It therefore becomes difficult to schedule the quality OOC game. Such a team expects a home and away commitment which UGA cannot make without giving up the tune-up game you mentioned above. If you schedule the quality OOC game you would then end up with a schedule, like 2009, where there is no tune-up game. You can have one (the WLOCP in JAX) or the other (the quality OOC game) but realistically not both.
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In 2009, we played a home game against Tennessee Tech. Is that not a tune-up game?
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Er…donnie…that was the 9th game of the season.
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So in your mind, the quality non-conference game MUST be played the first week?
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No. The tune-up game should be played the first week.
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So if you just rearrange the game order in 2009, the Tennessee Tech game could have been played first. The 2009 schedule does not prove your point.
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Actually, if you go back to 2009 and read the posts I wrote in the run-up to the season that’s EXACTLY what I said. We never should have opened up, on the road, at Okie State as fodder for the dedication of their new building. The Okie state game should have been later in the schedule , if at all, and the Tenn Tech game should have been the first game of the season. The ’09 team never had a chance to get acclimated before getting thrown in the deep end with a new QB and RBs. I am somewhat concerned that we are going down that same path again when I look at future proposed schedules for UGA football.
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Getting real contests on the schedule would be worth that to me anyway, but if they continue to ignore the quality of the games home field will be a lessened advantage….you can only hook the suckers for so long before interest, and value of the experience drops.
I also feel we should stop the home and home with GT anyway. Let’s play them at home only, say every four years like we do Ga Southern. Playing in Atlanta only gives them a spotlight game and a chance to upset one of the big boys while adding nothing to the UGA ledger. Let them wither away in the ACC. Much, much rather play a real opponent. Before the usual, “but it helps the record to have a D1 program you can chalk up as a win” response comes, why not just buy a trophy? Beating them adds nothing to UGA but risks a lot. The gimmick offense encourages cheap cut blocks on our DL, and you have to change your defensive keys for just one game. Too much of a distraction, not much reward. Screw ’em!
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We could play Tech at the Dome every year. That is almost like a home venue for UGA although the Techies would think that for themselves, too. The problem would be that we would lose another home game from the schedule every 2 years and we would have to split the tickets with the Tech crowd. That, plus it couldn’t be part of the Sanford Stadium ticket package as it would be at another stadium. I favor keeping on playing them (we beat them every year) but always play them in Athens, like we do with the Western Kentuckies and Georgia Southerns of the world. Of course, they’ll never go along with that.
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Food for thought. I like it.
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Anybody else notice we could be looking at a 9 game conf schedule that includes Bama/ LSU THEN add Clemson on top of that in 2013 and/ or 2014? funny I’m not hearing USC fans proposing the only eastern conf games count idea beginning in 2013 or 2014, it’s almost like they ONLY want some special exemption for USC for 2011-2012, because that’s exactly the whiny little losers they are. The kind that can only win could’a would’a should’a titles as opposed to like actual titles.
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I’m not so sure it’s the cynic in you who’s wondering about the alterior motive as it is the lawyer in you, Senator.
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It ain’t paranoia when you know they are fucking with you. Mac hit the Senator’s point(that I agree with), that of McGarity locking in a tough game to get us to smooz his cupcakes he will justify by using the Clemson crowbar. McGarity can get our take early now: We would like 9 SEC games on the schedule in the near future, not a millenium after Cupcake Champions of College Football has been established and they be us. Attendance to those games this year has already sent a message. McGarity either doesn’t see it or doesn’t get it.
We want our team to be champions every year. Helping accomplish that goal with the small-time scheduling is not worthy as a part of attaining that championship. WE are not FU and we have a sense of pride in accomplishment. No Head Coach in the SEC wants to play a tougher schedule, but if we all play nine games the playing field will level out through the years through scheduling. Those who are attempting “Delany-chameleonic” games with the alum ranks should get a short and sweet answer. Stop the games playing, McGarity. Start checking the fan pulse.
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Nahhhh…. I’ll pass. Everyone wants to stay healthy for the games that matter. Thaz right which games are gonna matter and why beat yourself up. Watch pro boxing. Anyway…….McGarity is here to help us win another national championship. He will get us there with the least exposure. Eventually our healthy players will face their healthy players. I ain’t buying the into the breach stuff.
Cojones:
” Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more;
Or close the wall up with our English dead.
In peace there’s nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility;
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger. . . .
Henry The Fifth Act 3, scene 1, 1–6
On rather debatable pretexts, King Henry V has led an army—he calls them “dear friends”—over the channel to invade France. This speech typifies Henry’s rousing oratory, as he exploits his personal popularity and his men’s notions of masculinity. Disclaiming responsibility for the invasion—the blast of war blows but no one seems to blow it—he nevertheless takes charge with his royal directives, of which “Once more unto the breach” is the most famous. As Henry’s army batters the fortifying walls around the port town of Harfleur, the king urges them to pound again and again, and to rush again and again at the break in the wall. Failing successful entry to the town, his “tigers” should clog up the breach with their dead bodies—to form, one supposes, a blockade. The heartened troops rally behind their leader.'” …..there are only so many ACL’s they have to give.
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Agreed. No one wanted these tough OOC games and tough SEC slates when we were going 8-5 and 6-7.
Championships with a few victories over cupcakes is just fine with me.
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Yeah. That’s what Michigan said when they played Appalachian State U.
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We lose ACLs in practice and cupcake games. We lost more players to differing types of leg and ankle injuries when we played GSU and UA Birmingham in the same season. Those two games cost us more players for the next and harder games than did all the games we played added together for that year. So in your mind the risk of injury is higher in SEC games? From what I’ve seen, I vote “No” to that.
“Into the Valley of Death they Rode….” Meh. Point ;- Counterpoint.
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Expensive.
😉
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🙂 back atcha.
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By the way, Senator, when will we get a look-see at where the contract signing is? It’s been 2 1/2 mos since the “i”s and “t”s quote.
Think Adams’s leaving is connected (i. e., he won’t sign it)?
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