Flying on the ground is wrong.

Kenarious Gates is ready to move on.

Gates had the toughest assignment of anybody on the team as he played the entire night head up against the 6-foot-6, 256-pound Clowney. Occasionally Gates would get some help from a chipping running back or fullback. But essentially it was the first-year starting tackle against one of the best pass-rushers in college football all night.

“It was a great experience,” Gates insisted. “He’s a great player. You’re going against one of the best D-ends in the SEC. You’ve to got to give him credit. He’s strong, quick off the line. He opened my eyes to what I need to do to get better and the things I need to work on. We gave each other good competition out there.”

I’m not sure Clowney would agree, but what the hell, Gates is right not to dwell on the experience.

On the other hand, the person who does need to dwell on the experience is the one who thought using a freshman running back to help Gates block Clowney was a workable strategy.

(Photo by Travis Bell/SIDELINE CAROLINA)

That is what epic fail looks like.

104 Comments

Filed under Georgia Football

104 responses to “Flying on the ground is wrong.

  1. NateG

    Makes you wonder if things would be better or worse if we had Beard at LT and Gates playing his more natural role of guard. I’m sure Gates is the better athlete, but maybe we should have taken our lumps early with Beard. Or, you know, at least schemed to get Gates some help last week…

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    • Joe Schmoe

      Like maybe putting a TE on the left side of the line? Did we do that at all during the game?

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      • NateG

        Don’t we have like 8 fullbacks? Couldn’t one of those guys help?

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        • Mayor of Dawgtown

          We also could have put an additional O-line man in as a TE on that side only for the purpose of helping block Clowney. Someone about a week ago on this blog jokingly said: “If the South Carolina defensive line sacks Murray a lot will you blame Bobo?” (or words to that effect) I replied in a post in response: “Only if he calls pass plays that require a RB to block Clowney.” Well–I DO blame Bobo.

          Like

  2. That Clowney was amazing. Gates learned so much from that Game. I hope BoBo did too. Bobo the Clown….Yikes now I am bashing him!

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    • TennesseeDawg

      Honey Bobo

      Like

          • I love that you Guys are tooned into South Park. Most of my friends think it is juvenile. My Son turned me onto it when he was 9. We always make bets as to what the new shows will be about.

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            • ETennDawg

              9 year old watching south park? hummmm…
              Different stroke for different folks I guess. Glad we arent all cut from the same cloth. Great country we live in!

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              • Heathbar09

                It’s just a TV show. Kids are going to watch it anyways, so why not watch it with your kids so they know it’s just a TV show and they shouldn’t act/talk like that.

                Similar to when I was 18 my dad told me, “Son, I know you drink, I’d rather you and your friends drink at my place where I know you won’t do anything stupid.”

                Like you said, to each his own!

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              • Well, I was and am a believer in raising aware Children. To be overprotective and in denial as to what you Children will encounter is insane. Both my Children turned out great. After we watched an episode of SP, we would then watch The Sound of Music or read the Childrens Bible and pray. You have to remember not to throw out the Baby with the dirty bath water.

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                • gastr1

                  i must have missed the Memo that changed “Children” and assorted other terms to proper Nouns.

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                • Sorry, I am speaking of not one but two and I don’t like to call them KIDS. They are my Children, a boy and a girl.

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                • AthensHomerDawg

                  Here Children is a proper noun because it refers to something specific. I don’t understand the angst about it. It is a small matter. Spell check is a bit over the top. Mr. Grizzard capitalized South. He is a well known writer. I don’t have problem with that. It’s a sports blog. We allow some flexibility here. Don’t be an azzhat about it. We good?

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                • gastr1

                  Don’t be an azzhat about it? For pointing out that someone should work on their fourth-grade grammar? Sorry. Bad writing is a pet peeve. If you can look past adults writing like “Children” then you can look past my irritations about it, too.

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              • Carolinadawg

                Thats how Joy rolls in her trailer park.

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      • paul

        Honey Bobo. I don’t care who you are, that’s funny right there.

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        • Ed Kilgore

          There was a sign in Columbia during Game Day referring to “Honey Bobo.” My wife and I were calling him that during the game whenever he made a questionable play-call, which was often.

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  3. Lrgk9

    Ahh But the Strawberries sayeth Bobo.

    No adjustments from plan allowed. Cap’n Qeeg is rolling his teel balls and looking for the strawberries.

    Oh the haughty stubborness and hubris of the OC and HC who will not change the scheme depending on the defense. If ever there was a day for letting Murray run by design.

    Have Gates try the roll block, let Clowney go airborne and set up the run while he’s in the air.

    Bobo and Richt can not adapt and race their car when the other coach likes making them drive sideways.

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    • What fresh hell is this?

      ” If ever there was a day for letting Murray run by design.”

      Exactly. I commented on that a couple days before the game. You knew Clowney and Taylor were going to crash down hard on the outside. A few well timed QB runs into vacated lanes would have been huge, especially considering AM’s problems throwing screens.

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      • Bobby

        Problem is that AM sucks at sliding. Always has. It’s weird. Although, I’m not sure he would have been getting hit anymore running to the second level up the middle than he was sitting in the pocket. At least he wouldn’t have been getting mauled by Clowney.

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      • Dboy

        ” If ever there was a day for letting Murray run by design.”

        Yea, especially when that is exactly what Spurrier was doing to us…and also using that shovel pseudo screen play to also burning our blitz.

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    • cube

      Our coaching is perfect. Murray and the OL just didn’t execute. There’s no reason for adjustments when everything is perfect except the execution.

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  4. Too funny…I loved HB! They don’t make ’em like that anymore.

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  5. hodgie

    Gates was overmatched. However, I would venture to say there’s not a LT in the country who could go toe to toe with Clowney all night and not come out unscathed. I was hoping they would call that game early so Murray wouldn’t get hurt. Clowney is a freak.

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    • Mayor of Dawgtown

      Agreed. That’s why the coaching staff should have had a plan to double/triple team him so he couldn’t do what he did.

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  6. Jeff Sanchez

    Look, I’m not saying we DIDN’T crap the bed against USC, bu let’s keep something in mind:

    They had more or less the best two prospects in America back-to-back in their state, and to their credit, got them both – and at two of the three most important, game changing positions on the field as well. Hell, I’m certain Clowney could start on all 32 NFL teams THIS SUNDAY. No exaggeration.

    Lattimore is gone after this season, Clowney the next. They will come back to reality a bit more after that.

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    • Mayor of Dawgtown

      I’m also betting that SOS is gone about the time Clowney leaves. He’ll be going on 70 then. SC falls back to earth then.

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      • Wouldn’t it be great if SOS came to Athens to be our OC. Just for a couple of years before he goes.

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        • King Jericho

          I’d rather we break every NCAA rule in the book to try and win before I’d be down with that.

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          • Come on ..I have always secretly wished we had SOS for a few years. Tell the truth now deep down you know you wish the same.

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            • Puffdawg

              No. What is the matter with you?

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              • I don’t know….He has always had our number… imagine what he could do with our Offense. He is the greatest Quarterback Coach I have ever seen.

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                • Mayor of Dawgtown

                  Joy, SOS hates Georgia. We ruined his senior season the year he won the Heisman. Bill Stanfill did to him what Clowney did to Murray the other night. SOS will never forget that–he was even talking after the game Saturday about it: “I didn’t have much success against them (Georgia) when I was a player but I have as a coach.” He would never coach at UGA in any capacity for all the tea in China.

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                • Scorpio Jones, III

                  Forgive me, but there is less and less use for this quote (sigh): “That Stanfill boy is gonna be pretty good if they ever get him healthy.” Ray Graves.

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                • AthensHomerDawg

                  Sister stop … please. The visor at GEORGIA? What were you thinking?

                  Like

                • Well these guys keep talking about finding a better coaches and I am a Visor Girl. Hey have you and your Wife read Dr. David Jeremiah’s book, “Living With Confidence in a Chaotic World.”? He talks about Mark and Katharyn and the two adoptions in The Ukraine.

                  On Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 3:21 PM, Get The Picture wrote:

                  > ** > AthensHomerDawg commented: “Sister stop … please. The visor at > GEORGIA? What were you thinking?” >

                  Like

                • AthensHomerDawg

                  Haven’t seen it on the night stand or her desk. I’m reading GTD/David Allen. I upgraded to the new MS Office and wrapping my head around OneNote as well. I have a project in ND and two sons moving toward additional education staring me in the face. I read Jack Reacher for fun.

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                • AusDawg85

                  Seriously…SOS at UGA would mean we’d get Ark, LSU and Bama on the same schedule. As soon as we lose to the first one, folks will scream for him to be fired since he has not won a MNC in over 10 years, failed to consistently beat top opponents for the past 10 years, etc. etc. Just look at his record!

                  AHD…did you know they’ve cast Tom Cruise for the Jack Reacher part? No way that’s good casting.

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                • AthensHomerDawg

                  Yeah…. what were they thinking? OK lets cast PeeWee Herman to play Mr. Walker in the remake of Georgia’s National Championship run. I’m not feeling it . Jack is 6’4″. Powerful Clowney D end material character. I think there must be some scientologists involved in that somewhere……. “not that there is anything wrong with that.” 😉

                  Like

                • But there is something wrong with that!

                  On Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 7:02 PM, Get The Picture wrote:

                  > ** > AthensHomerDawg commented: “Yeah…. what were they thinking? OK lets > cast PeeWee Herman to play Mr. Walker in the remake of Georgia’s National > Championship run. I’m not feeling it . Jack is 6’4″. Powerful Clowney D end > material character. I think there must be some scientologist” >

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                • WVMtnDawg

                  Stockholm syndrome much?

                  Like

                • Well I do suffer tremendous emotional duress when watching him coach.

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              • Dog in Fla

                “What is the matter with you?”

                Cumulative effect of doing too many diametrically opposed things in an evening? 🙂

                “After we watched an episode of SP, we would then watch The Sound of Music or read the Childrens Bible and pray.”

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                • AthensHomerDawg

                  diametrically opposed ….haven’t heard that in awhile.

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                • sniffer

                  Yeah, its like a Porsche engine, you know, diametrically…opposed.

                  Like

                • AthensHomerDawg

                  Porsche used VW engines as the basis for all its boxers and the 911 was based on the Käfer anyway. Bluto is a huge Porsche guy. I’ve always piddled with VW’s when I was a kid. Porsche too. My dad was a car hobbiest and I got drafted. I think the Corvette nibbled away at the Porsche market share at one time. Interesting that VW is now the major player in Porsche establishment.

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                • sniffer

                  Always admired German engineering. Two Vdubs (GTI and early Sciroccco) and an Audi Quattro. Can’t work on them and don’t haz the dollars to pay Col. Klink at the garage. My MGB-GT, now that I could work on.

                  Like

          • Debby Balcer

            +1000 SOS as a coach is my worst nightmare.

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            • Scorpio Jones, III

              Yeah, if you a Dawg, if you a Gamecock that prolly not true.

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              • Debby Balcer

                I am a DAWG no matter how long I live in SC. SOS is as awful in person as he is on the sideline. I know someone who had to deal with him and they said he was just as insufferable in person as on the field.

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                • Hey Debby..I was just kidding about SOS…He may be insufferable…but you have to admit he’s a damn good Coach. I love Lou Holtz and everybody thinks he’s crazy.

                  On Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 9:22 PM, Get The Picture wrote:

                  > ** > Debby Balcer commented: “I am a DAWG no matter how long I live in SC. > SOS is as awful in person as he is on the sideline. I know someone who had > to deal with him and they said he was just as insufferable in person as on > the field.”

                  Like

  7. Scorpio Jones, III

    Ok….it is now officially time to worry about Kentucky…man, did you see the way the ran the football against South Carolina?

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    • Cojones

      Cutting both ways. Maybe you are into something we should all try for; – double snark.

      Like

    • Orl Dawg

      I wouldn’t be surprised if LSU beats USCe and Vandy gives UF a game this weekend. It’s the difference between playing at home or on the road in the SEC. You can’t tell me the crowd at USCe didn’t help the Cocks emotionally and pick them up to new heights. We’ll see what they look like in Death Valley this Saturday night.

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      • Ed Kilgore

        Yeah, but the Bengals have injury problems at OL. And Mett is about as mobile as Joe T. III. I think Clowney & company have another big game.

        Like

  8. adam

    I kept thinking that we would tell Gurley to act like he was going down to cut, then, when Clowney went into the air, have him stand up and flip Clowney onto his head.

    Like

  9. Scorpio Jones, III

    Does anybody have any stats on Kentucky’s long snappah? After all the blood-letting the last few days, you gotta wonder if we will have anything left for Kentucky.

    Look, I don’t know about you, but I am really pulling for South Carolina this week….I can not begin to imagine the horror show here if Zach Mettenberger’s offensive line finally gets its stuff together, or Les eats a bunch of grass or whatever.

    Aw hell, ain’t no damn way…..Geaux Tigahs!!!!!!!!!!!

    Like

  10. ctfain

    I’d of paid a little extra to see how Richard Samuel would have done helping with Clowney.

    Like

  11. Trace

    That picture pretty much sums up the whole night, doesn’t it?

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  12. Will Trane

    The photo by Travis Bell / Sideline Carolina pretty much says what was happening to the QB and the offense. Not only did the 3-4 defense get jumped right out of the gate, so did the offense.
    It worth repeating, “the SEC is a line of scrimmage conference”. Always has been that way. Many of the old dogs understand that. We watched Walker and RB, but it was always the O line Walker had that made him such a great runner.
    Even the wide splits Gates took did not help pushing Clowney and Taylor off the passing QB. The Dawgs pretty much went with a 5 line against their very talented 4-3. Used very inexperienced frosh backs to block him. Saw several times where Clowney and Taylor went right by them.
    My complaint about the game is the game plan and preparation. This was the most important game on the schedule. How much did the staff work on Carolina in spring and in fall. Not much based on that performance.
    At half time I was ticked to see how they were going to play them. Like I posted on this site late last evening, I do not understand why the Dawgs do not go to more of a 7 front line. Create more running lanes for the backs [they have good TBs and FBs]. Why have they [Bobo, Friend, McClendon, Richt] not gone to more power running sets. Why have they not used or did not put in more fronts to broaden the LOS and create more gaps. Maybe it is depth, experience, or looking down the schedule to protect what they have re starters. My thought is to use an unbalanced power wing, tackle over, or unbalanced pro set. But start changing your looks. Put more gaps on the LOS. Unbalanced power wing put 7 on the line creating more gaps for a defense to defend. Carolina’s 4-3 package is good, but they can not defend the power run game. Start using all your O line players more times in the game. Play with a deuce TE set, use players like Xavier Ward in a tackle over scheme. Go to a power running game, have experienced RB and talented young RBs…rotated during the game and for the games coming up…keep their legs fresh. Seems with a power running game, moving and staying ahead of the chains, shorten the game plays and the game. Could help your defense. Plus I think we have a kicking game this year that can score.
    Just does not seem like we max out our roster and it is short in numbers. But we have some players and some play makers. Use them and change your looks Dawgs.

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  13. What fresh hell is this?

    “We gave each other good competition out there.”

    That must have occurred during the portion of the game that came after I turned off the TV.

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  14. Dog in Fla

    I blame Honeybobo for not gameplanning for a pterodactyl

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    • AthensHomerDawg

      I wish we had a pterodactyl! I miss Pollack.

      Like

      • Dog in Fla

        heh…guess who, it’s a singing pterodactyl…

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        • AthensHomerDawg

          Nice catch… I know The Guess Who was Canadian but I thought Young was with Buffalo Springfield when that was done…before Furay left.

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          • Dog in Fla

            The person who posted the video wrote that Neil Young and Burton (?) were good friends; Young wrote the song before he left Canada for Buffalo Springfield and gave the song to Burton as a way of saying thanks for the times they had together in Winnipeg, etc.

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            • AthensHomerDawg

              Curious. Buffalo Springfield released it in 1966. The Guess Who released it in 1967. I traded a Fender 12 string for an Ovation Roundback Balladeer and a bunch of sheet music. It music included Furay, Young and Cat Stevens stuff. My bride has that packed up somewhere. Boys found all my album collection and old Advents and rehabbed it all. There is a lot of good software to save the old vinyl. Eventually they will get to the music. I don’t play anymore. Have given most the guitars away. i still have the Balladeer and a Conn classical and a Fender. Boys not into guitars… keyboards! I never played keyboards. Go figure.

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              • Dog in Fla

                You know, aside from those here with excellent football knowledge (a category which excludes me), there are beaucoup here (also excluding me) who have an overabundance of musical knowledge and talent 🙂

                Like

                • Dog in Fla. you are a modest Man. If you can appreciate the College Football and Music knowledge, that makes you pretty savvy.

                  On Thu, Oct 11, 2012 at 4:01 PM, Get The Picture wrote:

                  > ** > Dog in Fla commented: “You know, aside from those here with excellent > football knowledge (a category which excludes me), there are beaucoup here > (also excluding me) who have an overabundance of musical knowledge and > talent :)” >

                  Like

                • AthensHomerDawg

                  Indeed.

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  15. PatinDC

    That is quite a photo. I am sure all of the USC fans have it as there desktop now. Expect to see it on T shirts and coffee mugs for Christmas. (Sigh).
    Sounds like KG is learning and moving forward. That is how the game is played. For me, some of the stink will go away if we beat FLA, but not all.

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  16. Bevo

    “On the other hand, the person who does need to dwell on the experience is the one who thought using a freshman running back to help Gates block Clowney was a workable strategy.”

    And the chances of this happening…

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    • Minnesota Dawg

      Much more likely response: “Nothing to see here…..Great game plan, but failure to execute….Our system if foolproof when executed correctly…..Have you ever coached a major college program? No, then move along….nothing to see here.”

      Like

  17. What fresh hell is this?

    Using a freshman running back to help on Clowney could be a workable stratagy, assuming he’s not just trying to block his ankles.

    We had heard throughout camp how hard Hall and Hicks had been hitting their blocks, that’s really more what I expected to see in this game.

    Like

  18. Hobnail_Boot

    What game is that picture from? Doesn’t ring a bell.

    Like

  19. W Cobb Dawg

    Gates: “It was a great experience…”. WTF?!?! I guess Clowney would be glad you enjoyed it.

    Like

    • Scorpio Jones, III

      I would never try to speak for a gentleman of Mr. Gates’ size, but maybe he is referring to the learning experience, after all, Mr. Gates is still a student-athlete…getting schooled is part of the experience.

      Like

      • W Cobb Dawg

        Back when we tailgated on E. Cloverhurst, a bunch of us tipsey (okay, drunk) fans fell down the steps near the old pool. Just shook up fortunately, no broken bones. I guess I learned something from that because I haven’t fallen down steps since, but I wouldn’t call it a ‘great experience’.

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  20. Rebar

    I think his statement is very honest. Playing against one of the best is a measuring stick, and it sounds like Gates is using this experience to learn to be better, That is a better attitude than being down in the dumps, and he needs to get better for the job waiting for him to do at Florida.

    Like

  21. Always Someone Else's Fault

    Hey, he could have blamed the humidity. When players own a performance and talk about what can be learned from it, that’s an extremely positive sign. I’d prefer much more of that than, “That team’s not four TDs better than us.” Well, they were the one night it counted.

    Like

  22. Scorpio Jones, III

    Again I note the absence of our fairly expensive scotch-soaked gentlemen…hope Mac has not fell afowl of a varmint…stepped on a dead chicken or something.

    Mac….war yat?

    Like

    • Good Morning SJIII. Yeah where is that Scotch Lover? Have we even heard from him since the ass whipping?

      On Fri, Oct 12, 2012 at 8:23 AM, Get The Picture wrote:

      > ** > Scorpio Jones, III commented: “Again I note the absence of our fairly > expensive scotch-soaked gentlemen…hope Mac has not fell afowl of a > varmint…stepped on a dead chicken or something. Mac….war yat?” >

      Like