Love watching Georgia whine!

(For my Georgia friends, family and neighbors who I love, this column is not directed at you.  You may just want to come back to the Cockabooster next week.  Thanks!)

In 1980, I watched my Gamecocks on national television for the first time as Big George Rogers and Carolina went to Georgia to hold “the Battle of the South.”  We only gave up one touchdown to the Dawgs that day in the form of a long run by Herschel Walker.  Sitting poised deep in Georgia territory late, victory looked imminent.  A fumble by Rogers and a roughing the punter penalty changed that into a loss.  Final Score:  UGA 13, USC 10.  

Then in 1987, I was in the stands in Athens, enjoying every second as Todd Ellis, Sterling Sharpe, Kevin White, Harold Green and others just dominated Georgia between the hedges.   Up and down the field we would roll, piling up nearly 400 yards while holding the Dawgs to under 250.  The Silver Britches only had two decent drives the entire afternoon.  One ended in their only touchdown and the other was a field goal.   Well, six times inside the Georgia Red Zone netted us only two field goals including the final knife to the gut when we fumbled inside the 1 yard line near the end of the game!  Final Score:  UGA 13, USC 6.  

Then there was 2002, when David Pollack got his fluke touchdown (their only one of the day) and we were at the goalline set to score the game winner when we fumbled an option pitch.  Final score:  13-7 Georgia.  No one has gotten more phantom calls, lucky breaks and overall good fortune than the mangy mongrels from Athens.  

Saturday afternoon, “Lady Luck” finally smiled on the Gamecocks against the Alpos as you know.  Dylan Thompson looked masterful just destroying an inept Georgia secondary.  Brandon Wilds plowed through Uggah in the second half like a machine.  Yes, if the pups had run Gurley on the goalline late they likely would have taken the lead.  They didn’t.  Yes it was a very close call on the holding that cost them a TD.  It happens that way some time.  

Poor play calling + failure to take advantage of chances + timely close penalties not going your way = a losing team.  That was UGA and crew this weekend, but it had been us in the past.   Being on this side of the equasion is MUCH better.  

If you read this site, you know that I always love the old Frank Howard quote:  “I don’t want the best team to win.  I want MY team to win.”  And my team won on Saturday!  So keep on howling at that moon my Georgia friends.  Now you know how it feels.  

It’s a great time to be a Gamecock!