Before you can Dawgrade…

For the record, I expect Georgia to win its road game in South Bend this season, primarily for reasons stated in this post.  So I have to say I kind of resent being lumped into this broad characterization of the fan base that cropped up in the AJ-C today:

There is almost a universal belief across DawgNation that a win in South Bend will confer a additional layer of legitimacy and success to Smart’s reign at UGA. And a loss could be just as harmful in the opposite direction.

This is a team coming off a 4-8 season we’re talking about here.  The Four Horsemen, it ain’t.  (Of late, it’s not even better than Charlie Weis.)  But, somehow a win over a team that finished with the same record as Missouri will add a layer of legitimacy?  Uh hunh.

Me?  Not buying it.  We all know what’s going to be written if Georgia leaves with a victory over the Irish.  As far as a loss goes, it’ll be a pisser, but that, too, will be because a win’s expected — not to mention that if Georgia somehow recovers from the embarrassment and goes on as it did in 2011 to win the division, most of that will dissipate in the week leading up to the SECCG.

Find another narrative, fella.

32 Comments

Filed under Georgia Football, Media Punditry/Foibles

32 responses to “Before you can Dawgrade…

  1. Herschel Talker

    I disagree. In the national collective view, Notre Dame is a grand powerhouse even if they’re 4-8. If we lose, we’ll hear squawking about how bad the Irish are and how we’re worse. But if we beat the CFB program with the all-time highest winning percentage on the road, I think the national narrative will notice.

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    • You must not be reading all the “Brian Kelly is on the hot seat” articles I’m reading.

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      • PTC DAWG

        Who does ND open up with?

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        • PTC DAWG

          I just looked, Temple…they also play at Miami for all the CMR fans here.

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          • Macallanlover

            Don’t see why this is a discussion point, but for the record, we should all be Mark Richt fans here. Man was never anything but a Dawg since 2001, conducted himself with class and grace, and delivered the best winning percentage in UGA history. Some folks need to grow up, there is no ill will between UGA fans and Mark Richt, only a few who would like to stir up things to turn a positive into a negative. Why would anyone want to do that? BTW, I hope Miami, and every team on their schedule stomps a mudhole in Notre Dame, it has nothing to do with who is coaching (but I do wish Holtz was on the sideline when we do it.)

            Liked by 2 people

            • Cojones

              Good for you for taking up for Richt and trying to still the voices who think, by mentioning his name, that others want to undo things at UGA. It looks like your and my arrogant asses agree.

              Liked by 1 person

            • Herschel Talker

              Amen to this. Richt still is a DGD. The only way I’d ever root against him is if it benefitted the Dawgs.

              Liked by 1 person

            • Uglydawg

              Could be wrong, but I didn’t take PTC’s remark in that fashion. I am a CMR fan and will look forward to Georgia and Miami stomping mudholes in ND’s ass. E

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      • Herschel Talker

        I completely understand what you’re saying. Notre Dame is terrible. But they are still named Notre Dame. So I suppose the question becomes, can the unstoppable force driving ND’s perpetual overratedness budge the immovable object that is Dawggrading?

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    • Olddawg 55

      Notre Dame, regardless of past win/loss or even with Coach Kelly, is still the storied program of Rockne, the Four Horsemen, and all the other hype of the ages. You must beat them regardless of the record, the defense, or the aura of touchdown Jesus. A victory over them is just a sort of majic and a loss carries a stigma which other victories fail to dissipate. Just win Dawgs! Don’t embarrass us and don’t take your foot off the pedal if we’re ahead. GATA!!!.

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  2. Derek

    You have to win it, but I agree when we do it’ll be because ND just ain’t that good. Our regional legitimacy lies in Jacksonville. Our national legitimacy lies in Tuscaloosa.

    If we are on track we’ll do what Alabama did to us and/or Clemson in 2008. If we lose, we’re on a different track.

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  3. PTC DAWG

    I’ll make my judgement on the season after the UF game, if we leave there in good shape in the East…I’ll be happy.

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  4. I think our team is going to go up there and curb stomp those guys on national TV.

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  5. HVL Dawg

    Now, about that game in Jacksonville….

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  6. mg4life0331

    Dammit, dawgrading is for hind sight. You pupgrade every team prior to playing because their best shot is still to come.

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  7. Mayor

    If UGA beats ND the media will not make anything big of it. If UGA loses the media will trumpet that loss all over creation.

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  8. Aladawg

    I’ll wait until after Tennessee, Florida and Yech. ND should be an easy win. No QB of worth up there and no D.

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  9. Cojones

    We will be fine once we realize that we won’t ever play them like we played Ole Miss and Nicholls St.

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  10. Timphd

    Win narrative: Notre Dame is not that good and Brian Kelly should be fired. Lose narrative: Kirby is no good and has to go. Not much in between from the national media stand point.

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  11. dawgman3000

    Just beat em. Beat them and every other team on the schedule. Unless it’s the playoff committee doing the dawgrading, I could care less.

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  12. Dawglicious

    Lewis Grizzard wrote that he hoped we’d never play Notre Dame again, that way we’d always be 1-0 against them.

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    • Macallanlover

      Prefer 2-0, no one was better than UGA with 34 in the backfield in those days, not the rest ofdthe team just what they were with Herschel. Let’s beat them in South Bend without him.

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  13. Dawgy1

    We (Georgia) are a better team than ND. We were also a better team than GT and Vanderbilt last year. I’m hoping.

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    • Mayor

      The coaching staff counts as part of the team, so I can’t agree with your statement Dawgy1. I agree that we have better players, though.

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  14. Kirby Smart’s sophomore season will not be defined by a win over Notre Dame. However, lose to Tech again, and he’s on the hot seat going into next year.

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  15. Spike

    Beat Florida. There is my narrative.. a little off topic perhaps.. but a narrative none the less.

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