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Monday, April 6, 2009

The Quest For G-Day

UPDATE: A couple people asked about the tailgating policies for G-Day. Here's the word, from UGA's Mike Mobley...

The policies are the same...here’s a link to those.

http://gamedaygameplan.com/

The one thing that is different is that there obviously aren’t nearly as many permitted lots as there are on a game day. For example, I think we’re only using the East Campus lot for media.

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As you're probably well aware by now, we've reached the final week of spring practice. Georgia will practice today, Wednesday and will have a completely closed practice Friday with no interviews. Saturday is G-Day, and this year, the event will be bigger than ever.

Here's a quick run-down of all you'll need to know to plan your G-Day festivities.

WHO: Me, you, several thousand other people, Wendi Nix
WHAT: Georgia's annual spring G-Day game
WHEN: Saturday at 1 p.m.
WHERE: Sanford Stadium or ESPN

The game will be broadcast live by ESPN (on the main network -- or ESPN1, if you prefer) for the first time in school history. ESPN's crew for the game is Brad Nessler, Kirk Herbstreit and Wendi Nix. (More on that later this week on the blog.)

While you can certainly enjoy the game from the comfort of your living room, Mark Richt is hoping most of you will come out and help fill Sanford Stadium. "We really want to fill it up and encourage our fans to show the nation what we're all about," Richt said.

The admission is completely free, but Georgia is accepting donations to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. This is a charity Richt and the rest of the Georgia coaching staff have worked closely with in the past, and Richt specifically asked us to pass along some info on what the Food Bank was looking for ("Even if it's just on a blog or something," Richt said).

So, don't be a total freeloader, and bring some of the following: Peanut butter, canned soup, canned vegetables, canned fruits, canned or dried beans, baked beans, canned chicken or tuna, cereal, rice, pasta and sauce, plus any kind of pop-top canned goods.

Richt also cautioned that last year, they had to throw away a lot of food because it was past the expiration dates, so please check that stuff closely.

Before the game, Georgia will also hold a lettermen flag football game. The game will bring back at least 80 (and possibly more than 100) former Georgia lettermen for their own scrimmage with a little less hitting but, potentially, a lot more injuries. "Might be fun, might be comical, I don't know," Richt said.

The flag football game will begin at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday, immediately preceding the G-Day game. Athens residents Mack Guest and Jack Davis will be the two coaches for the game. Ten former All-SEC standouts headline the list. Those players are: Scott Adams, Kentrell Curry, Tony Cushenberry, Guest, Jim McCullough, Curt McGill, David McKnight, Pud Mosteller, Curt Mull and Greg "Muddy" Waters. Foots Clemens, a linebacker from 1952-54, is the oldest former player scheduled to participate.

As for the G-Day game itself, there won't be too many changes in the rules for this year. They'll play four quarters using a normal game clock, but the quarters will only be 8-10 minutes long (Richt still isn't sure on that). There won't be any kickoffs, instead they'll start drives with the ball placed wherever Georgia's coaches feel is an appropriate average starting field position. The teams will punt, but it won't be live. They will kick field goals and PATs.

As for what to expect in the action: "I want the nation to see a team that plays hard, that competes, that has a good time doing it, is organized and well coached and disciplined," Richt said. "That's what I want the country to see, and that's what I want to see every day in practice."

OK, I think that's about it. Any other questions about the game, let me know and I'll look into it this week for you.

16 comments:

jferg said...

DH (or anyone else for that matter),
How do they run they g-day game? Is it 1st Offense vs 2nd Defense and 2nd O vs 1st D?
With the limited players due to injury, do you think they'll do a quarter of 1's vs 1's? I'd really like to see that!
Also, who is this Vernon Spellman kid? I feel like I've been seeing his name a lot during the spring.

Universal Remonster said...

A quick little note... a lot of the players go out in the evening after the game. I have seen and met a bunch of them at City Bar on Clayton (Joe Cox, Tra Battle, Prince Miller are a few that come to mind.)

So if you're out late having cock tails, you'll probably run into a player or two if you stop by there. The only other place I've ever seen a couple of players was at the Village Idiot.

Universal Remonster said...

And I have no idea why I accidently put a space in cocktails.

Anonymous said...

At the risk of sounding inappropriate..."cock tails" would probably have a much different connotation that "cocktails." Just a thought...

the anonymous suckup said...

jferg:

You got it right. G-Day pits the ones versus the twos. It's very unlikely that we'll see the ones go against the ones.

Spellman is a senior WR who started as a walkon and may still be a walkon (not sure). He is one of the team-fillers whose name occasionally shows up in scrimmage stats, but my guess is that he will not take a meaningful snap this year.

jferg said...

Anon Suckup,
Thanks for the info...It will be interesting to see how we look with such a diminished #2 Defensive group. I guess our #1 Offense should roll! As should or #1 D for that matter.

The Watch Dawg said...

Wendi Nix? That's the best they could do? Why do I feel like we've been jilted? The least they could have done was send Erin Andrews or Rachel Nichols. Maybe they'll substitute Kirk Herbstreit with Pam Oliver next.

watcher16 said...

Hopefully they don't pull an FSU going out after the spring game:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4045748

Anonymous said...

David,

Do you know if the tailgating policies will be the same for G Day as a normal game?

David Hale said...

I'm fairly certain the G-Day tailgating policies are the same as normal games, but I will double check today.

And I like Wendi Nix. I think she's very under-rated. Sure, Erin is the model type and Rachel has that bad girl look going, but I like Wendi. She's sort of that girl next door feel.

Universal Remonster said...

@ watcher16

In 2007 when we had great weather I saw a few of the players intoxicated (although I might add, the ones I saw in that state were of legal drinking age... I even checked online the next day.) That being said, I would think the coaching staff will address this with the kids pretty heavily. It's great for them to let off a little steam after spring ball, but we can't afford any arrests this offseason.

Bernie said...

Wendi Nix - cool!

So less three year old chicken of the sea and more three week old ravioli. Got it!

And Universal Remonster - thanks for going above and beyond. Honorary letter to you my friend.

You...da man!

J. L. said...

G-Day has been ones vs. ones every year that I can remember. (attended all but two since 2003 and watched those on TV).

Red will usually be first team offense and second team defense.

White/Black will usually be first team defense and second team offense.

At different points in the game, it will be 3s vs. 3s and 4s v. 4s.

I'm not sure if they'll do it this way this year but it has been this way in the past.

Anonymous said...

Wendi Nix--not bad at all, I'd take her over Rachel Nichols. She actually covers college football too...I think Rachel Nichols does just NFL.

MikeInValdosta said...

Not saying I would kick Erin out of bed for any reason, but her sheepskin did come from gainesville.

David, I think to better prepare the Bulldawg Nation for the G-Day game's telecast you should interview Wendi Nix (video). A nice retrospective piece. Cover all the bases. Plenty of color. A real in-depth column, one that will not only introduce her to the Big Dawg, but let her fell the Dawg Nation's pation for all things football.

the anonymous suckup said...

JL:

You are correct. I looked up the rosters from last year, and the Red team was the first string offense while the Black (white) team was first team defense.

I don't know what I was smoking when I told jeferg it would be ones versus twos, but I was wrong. Thanks for the correction.

Sorry for the bad info, jferg. Feel free to ignore my posts from now on...