Some losses are more equal than others.

Shorter Actual Chris Low“No matter how hard you try, it’s difficult to get the version of Georgia that lost by four touchdowns to South Carolina earlier this season out of your mind. There’s no doubt the Bulldogs are playing at a different level right now, but this is also a more dialed-in Alabama team thanks to the loss to Texas A&M a few weeks ago.”

Amazing how those outcomes work.

If this is the quality insight ESPN comes up with, I’m feeling better and better about Georgia’s chances Saturday.

52 Comments

Filed under Media Punditry/Foibles

52 responses to “Some losses are more equal than others.

  1. Jeff Sanchez

    Let’s not forget also that Bama got jumped on (at home!) 21-0 just like we did. To their credit, they fought back and were a hair away from winning there at the end

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    • Orl Dawg

      Yes Bama came back but they were at home and the Dawgs were on he road in a very hostile environment. Bama doesn’t have Clowney rushing the QB. That is the difference. There wasn’t a QB in the country who stood a chance against the cocks that night. Give Murray a break on that one. The 3 picks Murray threw against the gators weren’t all his fault. One was a bad pass the other 2 were tipped balls that should’ve been batted down. AM will find the weak DB for Bama and exploit him. Dawgs win 27 – 10

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      • Dawgfan Will

        I like your confidence, even if I don’t necessarily share it.

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      • Irwin R Fletcher

        Bama came out after getting down 20-0 and ran the ball. They put on a 13 play, 5 and half minute drive that included 8 runs. On their next possession, with about 4 minutes left in the half, they were more pass heavy but still ran the ball 4 times for 25 yards on a 10 play touchdown drive.

        Our running plays on the 3 drives after the punt return went for -2, 0, 0 (punt), -1, 4[on a draw on 3rd and 17] (punt), 5, 0, 2, 0, 0, 1, and 1 (turnover on downs at the goal line) yards.

        Murray and McCarron are going to be the focus…but the lynchpin is the running game.

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        • W Cobb Dawg

          Ugh! Wish you hadn’t posted those numbers.

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          • gastr1

            And obviously that wasn’t all Clowney. Have to be able to either run or pass versus Elephants.

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          • Irwin R Fletcher

            If there is a silver lining, UGA ran for 3.51 YPC against Florida. It gets overshadowed because of the pass from Murray to Mitchell, but Gurley ran for 118 yards at a 4.4YPC clip.

            That’s a really good to great defense. The passing game was opened up because we could run the ball. Balance, if you will….all the talk about Florida’s turnovers…if Murray throws even one less INT and Morgan hits the 37 yarder, UGA could have been up 20-6 in the 3rd Q.

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            • Will (the other one)

              Given the teams they faced, one could make a case that Florida’s defense is better than Alabama’s this season.

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  2. X-Dawg

    I’m not usually one for excuses, but the week leading up to the SC game, Murray loses his “go to” receiver, Bennett, on the last play of Tuesday practice. Then, later in the week, finds out his father has cancer. I won’t begrudge him losing a bit of focus in that football game.

    Methinks that Rambo makes the pick on SCAR’s 2nd play nowadays too.

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  3. DawgPhan

    Your loss brings questions, my loss brings focus.

    thanks.

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    • Nate Dawg

      Exactly. Wished I’d said that. Spoken like a typical four-letter employee.
      Espn = the reason you have a mute button on your remote.

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  4. :…but this is also a more dialed-in Alabama team thanks to the loss to Texas A&M a few weeks ago.”

    Funny how Bama was gonna roll LSU. Then, when that didn’t work, they were gonna take out their frustrations on A&M. Really? So Bama is now playing on a different level after their wins against the mighty W Carolina and Auburn? It’s like these talking heads just expect folks to believe whatever they say. Either that or they don’t think before the submit what they write.

    What I see is a Bama team that, while well coached, has really gotten by over the years with superior talent. They don’t really have that on D this year and LSU and A&M exposed Bama for their lack of will or ability to make defensive adjustments. Lack of coaching. Blitz, blitz and blitz some more. I’m sure they’ll have some superior gameplan for us but spare me the Bama is on a different level BS.

    Actually, I think their D gameplan plays right to our offensive strengths. That’s why I don’t buy that we HAVE to come out and set up the run. IMO, we have the most balanced O they’ll face and that’s dangerous. Just gotta block. I say come out and open it up, try to get an early lead and MAKE McCarron HAVE to do more than manage the game.

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    • Almightytmc1

      Just a little factor a lot of people seem to forget. In all but 2 games this year the 2nd, 3rd and scout team played from the middle of the third quarter onward. for Bama ……
      Now let that sink in. Think about it for just a little bit….
      That means approximately 30% of the time Bama’s first teams were sitting on the bench watching the game. Can you imagine what the statistics and scores would have been like if Saban had left guys like McCarron, Lacey, Yeldon and the first team offensive line stay in the game?
      Lets change that over to defense.
      Bama is 1st in the country in points against allowing 9.3 points a game. That too is with the first string taking a knee on the sideline during the last 20-25 minutes of the game. I wonder if that 9.3 would have been a lower number if the first team had stayed on the field. My educated guess is: Yes it would be.
      Several things stand out when you put the scedules head to head for comparison. Alabama massacred UT and Mizzou. Bama did better against Michigan than UGA did against Buffalo to start the season. Alabama held off LSU to win. UGA held off Kentucky (which BTW was beaten by WKU a team Bama slaughtered.)
      Yes Bama can be beat. But at the end of the LSU and aTm games Bama was right there in a position to win. Both times they ran the 2 minute drill and put themselves in scoring postion. And looking at the replay they made it look easy.
      One thing I have also seen on blogs is that UGA is just now peaking. I dont see why anyone could think that. UGA has had nothing but cupcakes since playing UF.
      Granted, I would say that both the UGA and Bama schedules are about the same in difficulty.
      But the most telling statistic is that despite pulling the starters out for almost 30% of the game, Alabama has scored more points than UGA while forcing the other team to score less than UGA. And on that I have to predict Bama will win.
      Luckily there is a good reason why they play the games isn’t there? And if UGA does manage to get the win, I will cheer for them to carry the SEC banner and continue the dominanace of our conference.
      Either way, UGA or Bama will do a fine job in in the NC game. I am really looking forward to this game this weekend. Good Luck Dawgs.
      And Senator, Thanks for running one of (if not) the best football blogs anywhere.
      I always know I will learn and be entertained here.

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  5. Brandon

    Hell I remember in 2001 Nebraska got beat like 60-14 or something by Colorado the last week of the season and then went on to play for the national champtionship in the next game with Eric Crouch hypesman trophy winner (they lost to Miami). Nobody at the WWL batted an eyelash.

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    • Sanford222View

      They also were chosen by the BCS to play Miami over that same CU Buffs teams that went on to win the Big XII Title over Texas in Dallas. So not only did Nebraska get stomped by Colorado they didn’t win their division let alone their conference.

      The Joey Harrington lead Oregon Ducks probably deserved to play Miami that year.

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      • Brandon

        Yeah Oregon got completely screwed that year. That Nebraska-Colorado scenario was a major reason I was so pissed when the Herbstreit Doctrine (you must win your conference to play for the national title) was spontaneously created in 2007 to disqualify Georgia from a shot at the MNC.

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        • Porter Osborne Jr

          Preach on. I hated it when they kept saying that year they’ve never seen a team not win the conference play for a MNC. And then they said the same thing last year with Bama. It’s also the reason I hate Les Miles so much for his crying on ESPN to get LSU in there.

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  6. WH

    I blame the lack of insight on a combination of laziness and not wanting to look like an idiot. Possible scenarios:

    A) The Dawgs come out and wet the bed. (We’ve seen it happen too often.)
    B) Dawgs play well, but lose a close one.
    C) Georgia wins a close one.
    D) Dawgs issue a beatdown. (I’m a homer, but does anyone think this is actually going to happen?)

    His “analysis” provides cover for any outcome except what is obviously the least likely one. For a sports commentator, almost no one remembers or cares about your prediction unless you were both bold and wrong. Picking Bama is maybe risking one but not the other.

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  7. Brandon

    This is exactly the problem with Congress also, even with good intentions their “solutions” just create
    more problems and after several generations of them at work the last state of the problem is worse than the first, that is why I for one never complain that they should “get stuff done”.

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  8. BulldogBen

    Word of advice: avoid any ESPN blog comments. A complete shit show of Bammers beating their chests with horrible misspellings and poor grammar.

    This game can’t get here fast enough.

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  9. kckd

    herbstreit is taking this same road about the “dialed in” Alabama. We lose and it’s a sure thing we’re weak, they lose and it just makes them stronger. It’s especially crazy considering their loss came after a game where they should’ve gotten the shit scared out of them so much that they got their shit back together for the next week. Instead the looked worse.

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    • Will (the other one)

      I think a lot of teams would look “dialed in” if they played Western Carolina and Auburn before the title game.
      No, neither Southern nor Tech was good on defense, but at least the offenses had a pulse.

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  10. NC Dawg

    I have to admit, winning a national championship after getting blown out by South Carolina would make for a slightly unusual champion. But I’ll welcome it and celebrate even more.

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  11. Mike Cooley

    Same song, tenth verse. I do find it interesting that Alabama is getting credit for not getting blown out by A&M and almost being credited with half win of sorts. The WWL seems to say, “Yeah they didn’t win but they didn’t really lose.” Bull cookies. They lost. Did we get credit in ’08 because the final score ended up not being so lopsided after Bama’s first half onslaught? We did not. And why would we want it? That sort of thing is reserved for Tech people trying to find a moral victory in defeat and Bammer wack jobs who never think Bammer loses even when they lose.

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  12. Mike Cooley

    Also, I hope the Alabama players are as arrogant as their fans seem to be. Go read some of the comments by the Tahd faithful. Stunning. They don’t think a UGA victory is even possible.

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    • Ben

      I LIVE in Alabama, and their sports talk shows are full of guys (both on air and on the phone) who think that the Tide are gonna roll in this one. One guy, though, says to listen to Phil Savage (exec director of the Senior Bowl and former talent scout for the Ravens) who says that UGA has as much talent across the board and that this could be a lot closer than a lot of Bama fans expect. I don’t think they’re buying it, though.

      Even as a UGA fan, I can’t get the 2008 losses out of mind or the beating that Saban administered in the 2003 SECCG (although there is the beating that Richt administered in the 2004 regular season) even though the only similarities are the head coaches. Our DC is completely different, and 08 was so long ago it should just be forgotten about.

      I go back and forth on this one, but if it’s a single possession loss, I think I’ll be okay. If we get housed, though, like in 03 or 11, I’m never going to hear the end of it from these Bammers down here. A win, though, will only make them all fallback on the blackout talk, and they’ll act like this game never even happened.

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  13. charlottedawg

    This is seriously the most pointless discussion ever. After the game it will be irrelevant who thought which team had which edge where, and why the game would or shouldn’t be close, yada, yada, yada. Put another way, if we beat Bama is it going to matter at all that Chris Low thought their 1 loss was better than ours? Or if we lose to Bama will it matter at all that we thought the big bad media was disrespecting us and didn’t give us a better chance to make it a close game?

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    • Someone shoot Musburger, please.

      Well put C-Dawg

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      • Look I know some guys who will do anything for Joy. It won’t cost anything but we need a bag man. Bagley….where you at? On another note. They have some Georgia and Alabama girls at the Tavern right out side of Saks. My Saints are in town for the game tonight. They are wearing the cutest little,( and I do mean little) cheerleading outfits. They will be there through Saturday night. Evenings only.

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  14. SouthGa Dawg

    I’m sick of the SC game talk. Everybody who is analyzing this game brings it up. Beat Bama and we forget about that night in Columbia.

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  15. 66DAWGnNC

    I’m with you SouthGa. I am ready for the USCe talk to end as well. For whatever reason the DAWGS never recovered from the early USCe onslaught. I believe if UGA wins Saturday, Herbstreit and co will come up with their reasons as to why Oregon or Florida “should” be in the BCSNC over UGA. No one has seriously given us a chance. I only hope the team has taken notice this week and come out firing on all cylinders.

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  16. TheLifeOfReilly

    Interesting tidbits: Mark Richt versus last year’s national champion, 4 and 1. ’04 LSU 45-16, ’07 UF 42-30, ’08 LSU 52-38, ’09 UF 17-41, ’11 AU 45-7. Also only one team has ever won the AP poll three times in four years: ND ’46-’49. Only once has it happened in the Coaches Poll: Nebraska ’94-’97. SEC teams are 7-2 in their second consecutive trip to the SEC Championship. The previous year’s national champion is 0-2 in the SEC Championship: ’93 Bama lost to UF 28-13, ’09 UF lost to Bama 32-13.

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    • Macallanlover

      Interesting, I know there are many bettor who hang their hats on those historical “trends”. I am not one of them, but appreciate history. Thanks.

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  17. Spurriersvisor

    I think UGA rolls Bama. Also people tend to forget that Bama got mudholed by SC during a day game in 2010. Williams Brice Stadium is an intimidating place for big games. Plus UGA is peaking at the right moment, and I think Bama peaked earlier this season.

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  18. Chuck

    I really do think we’re on a roll as well, but as much as I wish and want good things for the kid — and, by extension, us — I’m having such a hard time thinking #11 won’t take his usual laxative before a huge game.

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  19. Almightytmc1

    I will add one more thing. ESPN _ Verne and Gary just ooze love for some teams.Think Southern Cal, or Notre Dame or Michigan or Ohio State. Or name one team that has a really good QB or RB and these guys are jerking off under the desk while commenting. They get paid good money for the felatio they give too.
    I would not put to much thought into it. Right now I am just thrilled that an SEC team has the chance to extend the streak and once again denomstrate they play real men’s football in the south.

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  20. Mike Cooley

    I agree that a win tomorrow makes any and all talk of the SC game stupid and pointless. SC outplayed us in all aspects and were ready for us. We weren’t ready for them. I don’t know why we weren’t ready but I know why they were and most of you do as well. Spurrier lives for beating UGA. He is consumed by it and his hatred for the dawgs will ensure that we get their best shot every year. Hopefully we learned from it and those leassons will serve us well tomorrow. But we lost to SC because on that night we were playing a better and more prepared team. It had absolutely nothing to do with Williams Brice stadium being intimidating. Nothing particularly intimidating about a bunch of delusional dorks waving towels and jumping around to some obnoxious techno music.

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    • Chuck

      Agree totally with your observation that we were playing a better and, especially, a more prepared team on that night. Disagree totally with your observation that it had nothing to do with Williams Brice. I was there, you probably were too, and I’ve been to many games in that and other SEC stadiums (again, you probably have too). I’ve never been in a more jacked up stadium before and during a game and many Cock friends of mine (yes, sadly, I have them) say the same thing. Williams Brice that night provided the perfect atmosphere for a snowball to pick up speed down the hill.

      I trust you’re not one who chastises Dawg fans for not getting riled up enough in Sanford if you really believe performance has absolutely nothing to do with a stadium being intimidating.

      Even so, I’d rather my players on the field be intimidating, so go intimidate the Tide tomorrow, boys. GO DAWGS!

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