The good news is that the Dawg Walk isn’t going away. The unknown is that they may feel a need to tinker with the tradition.
With the Kirby Smart era underway in Athens, some of the traditions and routines Georgia developed over the last 15 years are bound to change. One that appears to be going nowhere is The Bulldogs pregame ritual, The Dawg Walk. According to a tweet by UGA Football Live, J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Greg McGarity has announced that the team will conduct one before the annual G-Day spring scrimmage, which will be held on April 16.
In the past, UGA hasn’t made the journey from Lumpkin Street, under Field Street bridge, and into Sanford Stadium, but both Smart and the UGA administration are working to make this year a different experience.
There may be absolutely nothing new to this, other than having it for G-Day, as Bill King reports.
While Dawg Walks haven’t been a part of G-Day in the past, the push to fill the stadium up for this year’s spring game has changed the thinking on that, and athletic spokesman Claude Felton tells me there will be a “traditional” Dawg Walk on April 16. Right now, he said, it’s tentatively set for around 2:45 p.m. (the game kicks off at 4 p.m.).
If so, that’s a great way to build the enthusiasm that Smart seeks. As such, well played, gentlemen.
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I hope Kirby will do the Walk every week rather than once a season like CMR would do. Otherwise, don’t change a thing about it. It’s the best of the pre-game “walks” of any of the southern schools with the Redcoats and the fans so close.
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Just don’t let it get out of hand..like the fiasco before a Clemson game…between the bus trip around the stadium and the touching of the stone as they run down the hill, they are way overplaying the tradition thing. I like the Ole Miss walk throught The Grove though.
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Yep, the difference between crass and class IMO.
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What all good coaches do is lead there team out on the field before every game. Something Richt didn’t do. Something Saban always does. Smart,well we will see.
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I hope we still hear Larry Munson and have Saturday in Athens played before the game.
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It’s nice for the players and big for the recruits. It’s another solid recruiting tool. Kirby never misses an opportunity.
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“If so, that’s a great way to build the enthusiasm that Smart seeks. As such, well played, gentlemen.”
Is that a compliment for McGarity? Well played, Senator.
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Dawg walk before a non-prioritized seating arrangement during the G-day game may either be poorly attended or create severe disappointment with the 1st come 1st served seating arrangment.
I may be wrong but I think this has the makings for a lot of pissed folks used to sitting in “their” seats. Not to mention parking rules and regs
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Agree, not having a seat secured where you prefer because you attended the Dawg Walk may hurt attendance along the route and make it fall on it’s face. It will be hard to generate the enthusiasm at a spring Dawg Walk, would prefer they save that for fall Saturday’s. Add the rumored “surprise musical guest” performance before the game and it is another pull to get into the stadium early. This whole “manufactured” feel is a little much, just moving it to mid-April was positive step enough.
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