September 11, 2021. That was the last time Georgia played a game in Sanford Stadium and I was not in attendance. Until last night.
The Dawgs opened the 2021 season in Charlotte, NC against the Clemson Tigers. I watched that game in Podunk, OK at Podunkdawg’s favorite bar, with the family and friends who had arrived in advance of the funeral service. That game was the first game for which I wrote the Victory Post alone. One week later, I was still in Oklahoma, tying up some loose ends before handing the (figurative) reins over to my brother-in-law and nephews.
I was in the stands the following week for the game against South Carolina, and I’ve been there each home game since.
But November 13th was Mr. Squillian’s sixtieth birthday. That’s right. 6.0. In his family, several men have passed prior to that momentous occasion, and none have made it to their 70th. Because it fell on a Wednesday this year, I allowed him to choose if he wanted to celebrate last weekend or this weekend. He chose this weekend.
When he chose, and we started planning the party, game time had not yet been announced. It wasn’t until Saturday morning, as we sat around the dining table with Mr. Squillian’s sister (whose birthday is 2 days after his, and she is 10 years younger, so it was her 50th also), her partner, Brother Podunk and my son (who is Mr. Squillian’s mini-me, but don’t tell him that) that Mr. Squillian realized that I had given up not only a home game, but a night game. He certainly remembers when I sent him to urgent care with his best friend because I needed to get to Athens, so I know he realizes just how much I gave up to spend the night with him at his birthday party, and not in Athens.
One of my annual gameday partners, a UGA alum and a previous (and hopefully future?) coworker asked about purchasing my tickets, and we came to an arrangement.
We did NOT have the game on during the party. That crowd isn’t a College Football kind of crowd, and Mr. Squillian wanted a band to play, so I TiVoed the game to watch today.
And I *almost* was able to watch the game before being told the outcome. I didn’t tell Mr. Squillian, though.
So many of you have already said what I saw: the first quarter didn’t look good. Sometime in the second quarter, though, Beck got his mojo back. As my friend said: “When Beck did the first keeper for a first down, we all started to feel like he was owning the need to turn things around. And from there on, HE DID….He just suddenly found his groove and so did the receivers.” And folks, you were warned 24 years ago……”Beware the groove!!!!”
However, it is our intention to celebrate Georgia Bulldog Football Wins whenever and wherever they occur. The ugliness or beauty of any particular win is irrelevant for the purposes of the Winning Smart Victory Post. It is therefore my deepest honor and privilege to bring to you this week’s edition of: The Winning Smart Victory Post.
Coach Kirby Smart coached his 120th game this week for the Red & Black. He currently boasts a 102-18 record and a 0.8500 winning percentage, having carded his one hundred second win overall in the tenth game of the 2024 season against the Tennessee Volunteers.
At the identical juncture in their careers:
Vince Dooley’s 120th game as head coach resulted in a Georgia Bulldogs win over the Sunshine State Saurians in the ninth game of the 1974 season, giving Coach Dooley a record of 82-34-5 and 0.7042 percentage.
Coach Mark Richt was 92-28 (0.7667) after a win over Auburn in the tenth game of the 2009 season.
One hundred and twenty games into his head coaching career Kirby Smart is ten games ahead of Coach Mark Richt and ahead of Coach Vince Dooley by 20 games. As of now, he is holding his own versus the two winningest coaches in Georgia Football History.
As always . . .
Go ‘Dawgs !!!!
