Of all the stories leading up to Saturday, this one puzzles me the most.
So as a former hometown kid forced to transfer because of his off-field issues, he’s been preparing for this weekend by having teammates provide a sampling of vulgar trash-talk. Via TigerRag.com, that’s been especially the case from Mettenberger’s close friend, fullback Connor Neighbors.
“I’m going to heckle him throughout the whole week so when game day comes around he’s used to it,” Neighbors said. “I’m going to talk smack all week long so he can drown it out.”
Who’s he worried about? Georgia’s players either don’t know him or still seem to be fond of him. If it’s the crowd that’s his concern, I don’t see how his buddy whispering sweet nothings in his ear will make a difference, but anyway, it’s not likely anybody’s going to jump the hedges and get in his face. Besides, the kind of fans he’s worried about will probably be too busy complaining every time Bobo and Murray aren’t perfect to have time to spew much trash talk Mett’s way.
Way overblown, in other words. But if it turns out to be a distraction that affects his preparation, I suppose I’ll have to turn around in the stands and thank somebody.
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Yeah this is super dumb. They are definitely buying into the story more than we are. Like you said, this happened a while ago. Most of the team wasn’t even there when he was. Every story I’ve seen has been very positive of Mett except that we of course want to beat him. Hopefully this is a distraction for them because it certainly seems like it isn’t for us.
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I think this is all Twitter-fueled. Lots of people getting amped up for Gameday signs and such
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Not to add fuel to the fire, but I did read some good ones on Reddit earlier this week…
“Neaux Means Neaux”
“Keep Your Berger Off Our Buns”
“Bulldogs vs. Corndogs”
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Bulldogs vs Horndogs would have been better imo.
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“There’s at least one Gurley you won’t be touching”
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“Mett can’t touch our Gurley”. Too far?
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What a total media tempest in a teapot. Mettenberger really seems to have an overly inflated perspective on his importance to the UGA team and fans. This is absolutely the least of my cares and concerns going into this game.
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That’s so true. Our crowd was gonna be loud and hostile Saturday regardless of who LSU’s QB is.
Like others have said, I dread seeing some of the signs that will be on Gameday Saturday morning. Although some Georgia fans have sort of made Mett into a sympathetic figure a little too much for my tastes (I was told I was being judgemental for saying I’m not particularly rooting for him this season).
He seems to have matured and for that I’m happy for him. I wish him no ill-will but don’t really give a damn if he wins games the rest of the year or not (I’m sure he will, the dude has a cannon and LSU is a strong team).
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Two thoughts.
1) Like you, I don’t understand the notion that he’s entitled to well wishes because he once had a scholarship here. I’ll save my well wishes for all those who do the right thing at least enough to avoid dismissal.
2) The Gameday staff will sanitize any offensive signs unless the joke is just too subtle or obscure for them (like the Michigan sign regarding an ND student who committed suicide).
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AMEN
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Hope he is disappointed as 1) UGA is winning the entire game and nobody cares and 2) UGA fans act like adults and let it go, we have plenty of other QBs on the roster to pine over when Murray allows his completion percentage to dip below 150% and doesn’t allow the RBs to get 100 yds.
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This just screams distraction. Hell, they were talking about it last week when they played Auburn. Maybe he’ll come into the game all worked up and then Leonard Floyd can get to him a few times to really shake him up. Of course, they still have Jeremy Hill…
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I think we all know what happens when “they” talk too much smack and junk. Ya know those Florida Bars in Gainesville back in the eighties and nineties, remember where that got GEORGIA. “Talking too much junk in those Florida Bars.” Cory Smith.
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Yeah I hope everyone keeps it classy this Saturday, but let’s be honest. They probably won’t… At least not with a fifth of whiskey in them and with the signs.
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Have you ever tried staying classy with half bottle of brown liquor in your belly?
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Tried? Perhaps… at say maybe ole piss. Ever succeeded? Negative.
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I could think of a few choice chants, but nah, no big deal. Zach’s been following too much TV narrative.
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He probably needs to be a bit more concerned about distractions from scantily-clad co-eds.
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The Game Day signs should be interesting to read.
Honestly, I doubt many have any problem with Mett. I am glad we have been able to ride Murray as our main horse all these years anyway. There is a reason he won the starting job over Mett, too.
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I don’t have a problem with him either, but I encourage the narrative that UGA has WAY different standards than LSU (cough, cough HILL cough)
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Heckling from Neighbors? That’s nothing.
For the very best in NSFW Game Day, Lee Corso and tip the player bus ****ing over harrassment and interdiction, real professionals such as LSU fans know they better call Saul for friendly reminder signage
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A 100+ Touchdowns later, I can barely remember that he was in school here.
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Yep. Pretty much sums it up. Besides everyone knows Mason would be so much better.
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Yeah I don’t really see or get the supposed Mett hate. Overblown nothing.
ESPN Gameday signs will be the exception, though.
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meh…what’s the big deal? The kid did something stupid and got kicked off the team. Done deal. Glad he got a second chance and I hope he makes the most of it. Of course, having a really crappy day on 9/28 would be ok by me.
Kudos to Evil Richt for giving his mom the week off leading up to the game. What’s a bigger distraction, worrying that some guy on the other team will talk trash and you have to play in a hostile environment, OR having your mom all up in your business 24×7 while you are trying to do college stuff?
“Are you getting enough to eat?”
“When’s the last time you did laundry?”
“You are not going out dressed like that are you?”
“Comb your hair.”
“Who’s that girl you were talking to?”
“Make sure you brush your teeth.”
“Did you do your homework?”
Well played Evil Richt…you are diabolical indeed.
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You forgot.”Zachary, why do you smell like a corn dog?”
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Mettenberger’s having to find a new home in Baton Rouge is nobody’s fault but Mettenberger’s. He acted like a jack ass, then lied to Richt about it. Richt was understandably pissed, but also helped the kid land on his feet at a SEC powerhouse instead of Kansas like Saban or Mike Gundy would have done.
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Mett didn’t transfer straight to LSU. He went to Butler CC first…
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Richt could have still made him sign an agreement not to transfer to a SEC school in order to get his release.
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That’s not how it works.
The coach basically gives a conditional release to the scholarship in order to shop around. Richt, per many public statements, doesn’t do conditional releases anyways.
Once a player is released (conditions or not), the prior school no longer has any sway. Some conferences have additional rules about accepting players from other member schools, but that’s a different ball of wax
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Lies, lies, lies….what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.
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Non story.
He’s lucky that LSU isn’t playing Valdosta State though.
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It’s Zach’s world and we’re just living in it.
I’m sure there will be a couple of signs because of ESPN but he’s encouraging them at this point. As long as our players know we’re playing LSU not just him, let him think whatever he wants.
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Ours players are down with that! Don’t you think for a minute that they are not! AM, Bobo, and CMR got this. Encouragement, encourage, edification, edify say it with me now………. Let’s use this powerful force to win this damn game.
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“Neighbors said. “I’m going to talk smack all week long…”
He needs to be careful, rumor has it that language gets Mett sexually aroused. He might end up being Mett’s next victim. Of course, Mett would never get kicked out of his current school.
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WCD, you got that right!
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Damn, just read that Paul Oliver committed suicide. Sad. https://twitter.com/MyAJCTweets
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“It’s heartbreaking for me personally, for our staff, for the Bulldog Nation I’m sure, and obviously for his family,” said Georgia head coach Mark Richt. “I’m just, I mean I was just crushed this morning when I heard it, quite frankly. I really haven’t been able to keep it off my mind, to be honest with you.”
I wish Paul Oliver had called Mark Richt instead. I imagine things might have turned out differently.
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Hey if it distracts him just a little bit and/or causes him to try to do a little too much in the game instead of just playing ball I am all for it. Other than that I could care less.
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Except what if he is trying to use the Vulcan mind meld on us? I put in a call to the Tech Help Hotline at Bobby Dodd Stadium. On hold due to overwhelming number of incomings. Left message for the experts. Got this text in response:
“Vulcan mind melds: utter foolishness. Anybody with an ounce of sense wouldn’t share his brain with someone else; would you? I certainly wouldn’t. Why don’t you get a real job?” – The Doctor
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I figure most of the really hateful trash-talkers in Dawgland never quite understood why Mett was kicked off the team in the first place. I dread the backlash if we lose either to LSU or The Barn this year, and have to hear endlessly about Richt’s standards killing us.
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What stuck in my craw was how Mett attempted to pass off the old tried-and-true “it was all part of God’s plan for my life” last year when he was makong his comeback. I’ve got no sympathy for that nonsense.
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So what do you mean? Was it His plan or Zacks?
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I’ve been saying for months that this one is in his head too much. It’s not the first time he’s made a statement that he expects a hostile environment, or that he’s a ‘Georgia outcast’, or that we weren’t too fond of him. I really don’t get where it comes from…other than some jokes about the circumstances, I’ve never encountered anyone who actually dislikes him or holds him in contempt for getting kicked off the team.
He’s just looking for something to be defensive about…hopefully it’ll stay in his head and he’ll play worse because of it.
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Now we just need to get in his backfield. When we do, I see a good opportunity for him to Zabransky the game to us.
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Fake juice.
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