As the reader poll I ran yesterday indicates, I’ve got some question about how motivated this Georgia team will be playing in the Sugar Bowl after narrowly missing a shot at a berth in the CFP.
Dial up this clip to around the thirteen-minute mark, and you’ll discover that Kirby isn’t all that certain, either.
There are some rather interesting comments he makes in that regard:
- “Sometimes to a senior class, you have to be careful: They see it as punishment.”
- “A traditionalist like myself sees the Sugar Bowl a certain way. But it’s like talking to our players about Herschel Walker. They don’t have memories like that. Shoot, our guys don’t remember Robert Edwards. It’s very different and a very delicate situation.”
- “No family sees it as that. But kids nowadays, they look at it like, ‘What’s my next opportunity?’ We see guys are declaring for the draft, not seeing the value in playing.”
Shorter version: it’s a different world than it was just 20 years ago. Kids are different. College football is different.
Add to it this comment from Jake Fromm, via Jeff Schultz ($$):
“It’s tough. If you ask everybody on the team, is this where we wanted to end up? No, it’s not. But this is the hand we were dealt. So we’re going to come in; we’re going to compete and try to get as good as we can for next year.”
Eh, maybe that’s enough. Pride should matter and this is a proud program. Bottom line, though, nobody really knows for sure how this team will play the emotional cards it’s been dealt until kick off time.
Get The Picture 
Kirby’s first letdown game, combined with Fields’s controversy. But the player leaders seem locked in. That should be enough.
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Jeebus Brother Bluto, you been hanging with Chip Towers? You’ve got me concerned about you with posts like this.
If we can’t get up for the Sugar Bowl we may as well disband the team. Lest we forget this was an 8 win team two seasons ago. One playoff run does not a dynasty make.
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Did you listen to Kirby’s remarks?
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Well, Texas will be motivated….lets see if the Dawgs get punched in the mouth the 1st quarter what their response will be? Wake up and kick some Longhorn ass, or something along the lines of nah, I’m not up for this.
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Yes, college football (and closer to home, a visit to Athens on gameday) has changed in the past 29 years – and not for the better.
Great memory – sitting on the deck at O’malley’s on a crisp fall morning having a Bloody Mary and enjoying the pretty girls…….
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Our minds aren’t right, going into a game that represents a dream opportunity for our opponent. Let’s not relive 2005, Kirby. If last season’s Rose Bowl run is to be something other than a Year 2 blip, better bring hell to New Orleans.
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Yeah, we need to be ready to play. Texas will be, and they aren’t a pushover. Ehlinger is a player and he’ll do some damage if we’re not ready. They have two big receivers and Ehlinger likes to run. He’s a big boy.
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Should read ’20 years’.
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Fromm is lamenting the hand they were dealt. Had they played their cards better in red stick they would be preparing for a different game. If they’re pissed then take it out on the cattle.
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The Justin Fields transfer news combined with news that Ridley and Nauta will probably forego their senior season is a lot of distraction before a game that most people think is a slight. It will take a Herculean effort by Kirby & Co. to prevent a LSU debacle. Texas will be ready to play, you can bet on it.
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Glad to see the coaching staff acknowledging the challenge.
A few key players were here for the bowl game against Penn State. That team could have half-assed it for more reasons than this team, but they rallied and had fun.
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Don’t see how anyone sees this as a slight. Good matchup, successful season (all things considered), players getting healthier, and an opponent talking a little trash/disrespect. With many 2019 positions being contended by young, talented players on a team with high expectations in 2019, I fail to see why there should be great concern. Will some not get the message? Sure, a few, but getting a spot on a spotlight type season seems pretty exciting to me. And, this game is the only TV game in that time slot. May not be a slam dunk, but I am expecting our guys to show up. Will be concerning about 2019 if we don’t.
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If I were KS, I would, with great piss & vinegar, pound a “Let’s do our part to expose the stupidity of the Committee by stomping a mud hole in the steers and hope that AL and Clemson do the same in the first round.” The talking heads would have to contort themselves so severely to spin such a scenario to the positive that their credibility would be left smoldering and the consternation and anxiety felt by the Committee, while they would have to similarly contort themselves, would be palpable.
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Not being motivated for the Sugar Bowl would be about as big of a kick in the gut as all of your patrons not being motivated to find their wallet on February 15. You may not remember Robert Edwards or Herschel Walker, but the people who built you that fancy indoor sure as hell do.
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I’m surprised any of us are surprised that the players might not GAS about the Sugar Bowl. This is the CFP reality. Look at Auburn last year once we beat them. Can any one in their right mind think that UCF should have beat Auburn, uh wait never mind. Any way this team is like Ole Charlie Brown trying to kick a field goal, to lose twice the way they have has got to take something out of them.
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Like Auburn, I don’t care for the CFP.
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If the Fields decision is still up in the air when the team arrives in New Orleans, the media lead up to the game is going to be a damn circus. Kirby isn’t going to be able to hide him and the questions are going to fly. If he decides to transfer, I’ll admit I hope he decides it’s not in his best interest to go to New Orleans as a member of the team and stays home.
Going to be very interesting to watch/listen to Kirby’s post-ESD presser tomorrow, we may get our first “talk to the Dasani bottle” moment because I don’t imagine a single media member is going to ask him about signing day.
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